With college season application season quickly approaching, many art students are scrambling to put their portfolios together. In the midst of this, an event called portfolio day is offered. It is an opportunity for students to visit colleges and talk about their portfolios to see what they can work on and what they’re doing well.

There are various types of portfolio days offered near the Pleasant Valley School District. Last year, PVHS took a trip to Chicago to visit the Art Institute of Chicago. There, a national portfolio day was held. Various colleges from around the nation came together to help potential students by critiquing their portfolio and telling them their school’s expectations.

Schools additionally use this chance for the students to ask them questions, such as questions about financial aid, scholarships, or housing. It’s an amazing chance for students who aren’t able to visit their schools to go and ask the questions they wouldn’t have the chance to otherwise.

This year, PVHS went to a local portfolio day that took place at the Figge. On Oct. 26, juniors and seniors alike spent all day listening to speakers, getting their portfolios critiqued, and looking at local art. Alyssa Paulson, a current senior enrolled in ceramics, stated, “It was nice to get advice from the colleges near us, I felt like I have a better idea of what to expect.”

Universities and colleges such as Iowa State, Knox College, St. Ambrose, Augustana, and many more were present. They offered important information and advice for their promising students and talked about what to expect from their programs. They also offered valuable advice on student’s portfolios. Aimee Peters, an art teacher at PVHS, commented, “It was great to see the students be offered insightful advice by the schools they can see again and ask if they need any more improvements.”

There are pros and cons to both the national and local portfolio days. While the national portfolio day offers a variety of colleges–including some of the best in the nation– it is also very crowded and one may have to wait in lines for as long as one to two hours just to speak to these colleges for a mere 10 minutes. Meanwhile, many of the local schools at the local portfolio day weren’t necessarily art schools but they provided more one on one time as there was much less of a rush.

Pleasant Valley High School offers a trip to portfolio day–no matter which one–each year. Future students who are looking at this opportunity should keep their eyes out for it no matter which portfolio day they decide is better for them.