Portfolio Submission

Current Students:

November 1 - deadline for all currently enrolled Graphic Design students, in a foundation-level course, who have not yet submitted a portfolio or those needing to re-submit a portfolio.

New Students:

November 1 — submission deadline for new spring-semester students or transfer students
January 31  —  submission window opens for new fall semester students

Submissions will be accepted as early as January 31 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Any student who meets York College's admission criteria is accepted into the B.F.A. in Graphic Design program. We highly recommend that applicants submit a portfolio as early as possible so we can better understand their skills and potential as a graphic designer.

You will be notified of the review committee’s decision by letter, approximately two weeks after portfolios are reviewed. Portfolios will be reviewed on an as-received basis and accepted as space permits.

Number of Unique Pieces: 10-20 

Suggestions of What to Include in Your Portfolio

• Drawing: At least one drawing using traditional medium(s), preferably from observation
• Two-Dimensional Design: Drawing, Photography, Painting, Printmaking, Mixed Media, Illustrations (traditional or digital), and Graphic Design. Works can range from observational to abstract and should showcase your understanding of composition, tonal value, color, line, texture, and other elements.
• Three-Dimensional Design: Sculpture, Ceramics, Metals, Jewelry, Woodworking, Mixed Media, Assemblage. For three-dimensional work, provide at least two views per piece.
• Digital & Time-Based Work: Motion Graphics, Animations, Creative Video, Film, Websites, etc. Keep your submission to 8–10 minutes or less for all pieces combined; you may submit excerpts for longer pieces. You can upload items (with a 500 MB limit per file) or provide links to public platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo (preferred).

Additional Suggestions (Not Required)

• Additional drawings, ideally based on observation.
• Sketches and sketchbooks – concepts, journals, experimentation with techniques.

What to Avoid

Cartoon action figures, fairies, monsters, anime, graffiti art, cute pets, drawings copied from photos, and generic images of vacations, sunsets, and flowers.

Presenting Your Work

Selection: Only include your most recent and strongest work. Highlight problem-solving, decision-making, and originality of ideas.

Photography: For large-scale or 3D projects, share close-up, high-resolution, well-lit photos that showcase the entire piece. Crop to remove distractions and keep the shot level to present your work professionally.

When photographing 3D work, use a neutral background (white, black, or gray) and include at least two different angles. You can combine these into one image for better presentation.

Lighting: Natural daylight provides the best lighting—avoid using flash. Indirect daylight, such as near large windows or in shade, provides soft, flattering light. Avoid direct sunlight and late-day lighting when the sun is low.

The Portfolio Review Committee wants to get a clear sense of who you are as an artist and designer by reviewing your best work and reading your written responses. Your portfolio should showcase your strongest artwork to date, reflecting a range of abilities, interests, and concepts across a variety of media.

In addition to your work samples, you'll answer four short questions designed to help us understand your creative process, inspirations, and goals. We want to understand what draws you to graphic design and learn more about your inspirations, ideas, and goals. Please take your time and provide thoughtful, detailed answers that show who you are and how you think about design. There are no right or wrong answers—we simply want to hear your story in your own words.

The committee evaluates each portfolio using a numerical scoring system across several criteria, which are averaged to determine your final rating.

The committee asks these questions during the evaluation of a portfolio:

• Are the images of good quality in terms of focus and lighting?
• Are the answers to the questions clear and substantive?
• Is there a good sampling of several of the following media: ink, pencil, pastel, oil, acrylic, collage, digital, photography, sculpture, fabric, jewelry, ceramics, printmaking, video or web?
• Is there a drawing that combines elements from both real and still life?
• Has there been experimentation with both realistic and expressive drawing and composition?
• Are there varied subjects and concepts in the portfolio?
• Is the subject matter a reflection of the applicant’s interests?

Your portfolio should contain a minimum of two examples of work from each art or graphic design course you wish to transfer to York College. 

Transfer credit in Graphic Design is given only for foundation courses (with the exception of Elements of Computer Graphics), art history courses, and art electives.