2025 Guide to MFA Art School Portfolios

research

• AI & Cheating
• BFA/MFA graduates
• Going after a BFA
• Misinformation
• School departments
• School rankings
• Should you go?
• Student loan debt
• Other students

Programs

• MFA programs list
• School tour photos
• Which programs?
• Yale MFA Painting

portfolio: Start here

• How to prep
• Portfolio mistakes
• MFA Track
• RISD Prof’s Tips
• Self-critique exercise

portfolio content

• Art media to use
• Avoid assignments
• Balancing media
• Cohesion
• Consistency
• Don’ts
• Graphic Design
• Personal artwork
• What is in a portfolio

artist statement

• Statements
• Statements exercise
• Editing service

Letters of rec

• How to get letters
• Letters exercise
• RISD prof advice

photographing artwork

• How-to
• Mistakes

1 on 1 SUPPORT

• Artist calls
• Portfolio critiques
• Statement editing

group support

• Discord

interviews

• Interview tips
• Interview exercise
• Book a mock interview

statement & resume

• CV/resume
• CV/resume exercise
• Your essay matters
• Start at the beginning

CRITIQUES

• Everyone does this
• Group critique demo
• Critiques Area
• YouTube playlist
• Portfolio critiques service

Prof lieu Q&A

• Q&A 1
• Q&A 2
• Q&A 3
• Q&A 4
• Q&A 5
• Q&A 6

After art school

• Pro Development
• Art careers
• Roger Mandle’s advice for grads
• Art jobs can ruin your art practice

art school issues

• Poor career prep
• Racism at art school
• Why I left RISD
• Faculty exploitation

attending art school

• Time management
• Art mentors
• Difficult professors
• Group critiques
• Classroom critique