Photography Upenn
Do good colleges care about non-academic talent?
I'm looking to apply to Stanford and UPenn next year. I'm doing well academically, as well as being involved in many clubs/outside activities.
My strong suit is in the arts (traditional, photography, writing, graphic design, etc.), although I'm looking to pursue a career in business & advertising. If I send a portfolio of works with my application, will this help me to stand out to the admissions board? Or would it matter little in the selection process?
Typically, non-academic talent isn't extremely relevant for your application one way or the other. They aren't going to accept you if your academics suck and you are a great artist and they aren't going to reject you because you aren't artistically talented. What a portfolio WILL do, however, is make you memorable. The admissions officers at top universities sift through hundreds of applications a week, and something that peaks their interest can make them remember you. Certainly, it will not hurt you to send a portfolio in!
World Press Photo Panel Discussion: "Image of Crisis, Crisis of Images"