What should I include in my admission portfolio?

If you want to study graphic design, then you need to have a portfolio with examples of your work in it, such as the logos. However, if you don’t have a lot of graphics work to put in, surely you have other artwork that can show your potential as an artist. I would add those in also.

Graphic design includes more than logos. It can include setting up a page, say for a magazine ad, or for a PowerPoint presentation, choosing colors to send a particular message, or simply showing that you have an eye for design. Your portfolio is supposed to show what you have done in the past and give a glimpse of what you could do in the future if you get the training the school is offering. So make sure you put all of your best examples of your work, whether it is drawing, painting, photography or logos.

Ooh, great question! SCAD is one of the schools I applied to, but I ended up going to VCU. Even if you have a specific plan in mind like graphic design, art schools usually have a foundation year or something like that where they teach you a broad basis of art skills. So it’s definitely helpful to include some logos, but most art schools will want to see that you’re comfortable handling a variety of media and that you can draw from life. When I was applying to art school, I heard again and again and again about how important drawing from life is. Some schools have a portfolio day, which is really helpful. Representatives from many different art schools will show up and critique your portfolio as a whole, as well as the quality of individual pieces. If you can’t find something in your area, you should still find someone who can give you a critique. Your art teacher might have some contacts who can do this for you.

By the way, don’t you hate making slides? Ugh.

I am a photo major, so my admissions portfolio was all photography, but I was always told to include a wide variety to show multiple kinds of potential (ie a variety of subject matter, techniques, specific technical skills, etc.). It would probably be valuable to work with an art teacher with some experience, if you have access, and @Haleth‘s suggestion of attending a portfolio day is a smart one too. Don’t have too many similar pieces, if you can avoid it. You should be showing everything that you can do, putting all your cards on the table.

Consider creating new projects just for your portfolio to show your breadth. You probably won’t explicitly be asked for published content or if you are you can still supplement your published work with new stuff. Just don’t mention it unless you have to.

Scad is more of a fine-arts school rather than a graphics school… so include a wide-variety of artwork. As a graphic artist who has done the scad thing, you should really look at the art institute or creative circus in ATL rather than scad for a solid graphics degree/experience. You’ll gain a lot more and you will be in a “hire-able environment.” Savannah is inundated with artsy ppl and its a relatively small city so getting ANY work experience before graduation is very slim…. and if you do get lucky enough to find an art-related job – experienced graphic positions only pay about $8 in savannah. Not trying to be negative – just throwing out some reality before you blow $120k