Faculty Resources

Teaching Resources

Freshmen and Open Enrollment

The Academy of Art University has open enrollment in its undergraduate programs. Open enrollment means that anyone with a high school diploma or GED and a desire to learn about art and design can enroll. There are no further test scores or requirements to begin studying at the Academy of Art University. The Academy has found that SAT scores and English level are not good predictors of artistic aptitude. Portfolios are not required, as most incoming students have not had the benefit of a formal art education in high school.

Portfolios are, however, required for entrance to graduate school. And undergraduates do go through a portfolio review at the end of their sophomore year.

Students new to the Academy of Art University quickly find out that although it is relatively easy to enroll in the Academy of Art University, they have to work hard to stay here. Most students are thrilled to be challenged in new ways, but the open enrollment freshman classroom also contains students who struggle in a variety of ways.

	Many students are having their artwork critically evaluated for the first time.
	Some were not very successful in the traditional academic high school setting. While they were not picking up English and math skills, they were also missing out on valuable time management, planning, communication and group work skills.
	Some students are very skilled at academics, but have trouble transferring their academic knowledge and expectations into the project-based Academy of Art University setting.

Students enroll at the Academy of Art University desiring to become trained artists. They are making sacrifices to be here —holding down jobs, taking out financial aid loans, transitioning from another career, or leaving their home country to study abroad. But their motivation can waver. A crucial part of your job is to help them stay motivated and support their passion for art and design. You also need to gently acculturate new students to the world of the professional artist, which does include criticism, hard deadlines, and professional communication.

1. Get to know your students. Distribute a questionnaire on the first day of class so that you can become familiar with your students' particular backgrounds. Knowing names and remembering one or two details about each one goes a very long way in establishing rapport.

2. Treat all of your students with the same respect you would give to a peer. Work from the assumption that they want to learn. If their performance is not up to par, isolate the skills that they need to work on and coach them or refer them to help.

3. Be explicit in your expectations of students. Written assignments, a clear syllabus, and concise (written if possible) feedback can all help to avoid misunderstandings.