Music, Art, and Dance Portfolios

Picture of the Vassar orchestra strings section while performing

A person working on a painting in the art studio

Arts Portfolios

The arts portfolio is an optional opportunity for first-year applicants to share a well-developed talent or accomplishment in music, art, or dance, if you intend to further pursue that passion at Vassar. Submissions will be evaluated by faculty in the relevant discipline and their evaluations will be shared with the Office of Admission.

How to Submit

Arts portfolio materials should be shared electronically at vassar.slideroom.com. Please do not mail these materials to the Office of Admission.

Portfolio Deadlines

Early Decision I

November 17
Early Decision II

January 7
Regular Decision

January 7

Portfolio Requirements

Click on the relevant discipline below for portfolio requirement specifications.

Music

Please submit recordings of two contrasting pieces, 3 to 5 minutes each.

For instrumentalists: classical or jazz selections, either solo or accompanied
For vocalists: classical, musical theater, or jazz; solo selections only
For composers: submit a score and recording of your composition

Art

Please submit 10 to 15 examples of your work in studio art.

Vassar’s art portfolio is designed to provide applicants with a keen interest in the visual arts a means to demonstrate their conceptual strength and visual responsiveness as evaluated by Studio Art faculty. As a result, media not taught in Vassar’s Studio Art program, including jewelry, fashion, graphic design/advertising, makeup/sfx, stagecraft/theatre design, functional ceramics, music videos, and fanart of existing characters, while valuable, are not appropriate materials for the art portfolio process.

Students who engage in these activities, or others, and would like to have them reviewed as part of their application for admission should consider submitting them through the Your Space section of the application. Your Space submissions are reviewed by the Admission Committee as part of our holistic review process.

Dance

Please submit a video of one or two, 3- to 5-minute selections from a performance or studio work. If submitting a group performance, ensure that you are clearly identifiable.

Common Application

If you are submitting the Common Application go to vassar.slideroom.com, select the program and round in which you are applying, and submit materials through that program. For example, if you are applying in Early Decision I and submitting a dance portfolio, select “Dance: Early Decision I.”

If you submitted the Common Application and received a fee waiver, this will automatically apply to Slideroom.

Coalition or QuestBridge Application

If you are submitting the QuestBridge or Coalition Application go to vassar.slideroom.com, select the “Non-Common App” option for the program and round in which you are applying and submit your materials. For example, if you are applying in Early Decision I and submitting a dance portfolio, you would click on “Dance (Non-Common App): Early Decision I.”

If you submitted the QuestBridge or Coalition Application and require a Slideroom fee waiver, please email Admission to make that request.