Microsoft Word - MADE Portfolio and Statement of Intent Guidelines

MADE Portfolio and Personal Statement Guidelines 1

MADE Portfolio and Personal Statement

Guidelines

Introduction

Your portfolio’s purpose is to engage people and get them excited about your work. It should

serve as a clear and concise guide to understanding your practice. In this document, we hope

these tips and guidelines will serve you well as you prepare your application for the MADE

program. This document lays out your audience, what we look for in a strong portfolio, and the

portfolio requirements.

How we look at your portfolio:

First, we get excited about your project ideas (usually, in the form of a finished product or

experience). Then, we are interested in how you managed your process to make the project. In

the portfolio, all emphasis should be placed on the project itself. It is amazing how much your

process and project can tell us about you as an individual, how you think, and how you work.

Your Audience = MADE. If you are applying to MADE, we are your audience. Specifically, the

Panel consists of: Students, Faculty, Program Directors, and Admissions Assistants. To

successfully engage the MADE panel, try to understand us as your specific audience. Below are

some points to consider when thinking about your audience:

! Problem: What problem is MADE trying to answer?

● We seek to build a community that will support and enrich our program and each

other, moving towards success by producing projects (and people) that engage,

challenge, and improve the constantly evolving world that we all share.

! Context: In what context is this portfolio being reviewed?

● We review A LOT of portfolios. So, be strategic about how you share your

projects. Remember, your portfolio is an overview of your projects. We don’t

need to know everything about your project - just the important parts.

! Experience: What do we like to see? What are we used to seeing? How do we usually

consume information?

● We are people. We actually exist. Take time to get to know us and see how you

can relate to us not just as an institution but as a community of people. Look at

other Masters programs for context. How are they different? What are we and/or

they good at? What do we/they need to get better at? We want to know that

you’re applying to MADE for a reason - your portfolio and letter should reflect

this.

! Response: What questions will we ask in response to your presentation?

● After reviewing your portfolio and application, we might ask:

○ Does your work look relevant to the aims of the MADE program?

○ Why do you want to go back to college? Why MADE?

○ Will you succeed in the program?

○ How can MADE support you and your goals?

○ How will you contribute to our community’s culture?

MADE Portfolio and Personal Statement Guidelines 2

MADE Portfolio Requirements

You will submit your portfolio as an attachment to your application VIA Secure Portal

Your portfolio should be a 7 - 10page PDF document.

● This document should highlight 3 - 4 projects

● Per project, we recommend allocating

○ 1 page for project introductions

○ 1-2 pages for process and further description about the project.

● Your projects should showcase a problem, research methods, thought processes,

technical skills, and a resolution.

● Compelling storytelling through still images, the written word, and videos works well.

○ Descriptions in your portfolio should be concise and to the point.

○ Process documentation is encouraged. We recommend including images of:

■ Concept drawings

■ Digital renderings

■ In progress images of projects

■ Final projects

○ If your project is not product based, be creative about your documentation. Feel

free to include:

■ Documentation of your planning

■ Before and after images

■ Images and/or videos of the experience

■ Interviews you’ve conducted

■ Graphs and chart of your research

○ Videos and GIFs of your projects are welcomed:

■ Videos should not be longer than 4 minutes. (The shorter the better)

■ You can add a link in your portfolio to your video. We recommend linking

it to a video sharing platform such as YouTube, Vimeo, or your personal

website.

■ You are welcome to show screenshots of your videos as part of your

portfolio as well.

● Feel free to design your portfolio the way you see fit. However, your designed/stylized

portfolio should not be distracting or overwhelming.

● Feel free to link your personal website

Do not:

● Do not submit more than 10 pages for your portfolio.

○ The review process will stop at page 10. All subsequent pages will not be

considered as part of the application review.

● Do not submit an index, cover page, and personal introductions. We just want to see

your projects and process.

● Do not submit inspiration or mood boards.

● Do not submit lengthy descriptions to over explain or over contextualize your project.

● Do not send in physical portfolios, works, or objects.

○ Anything physically sent in will not be used for application evaluation.

○ Anything physically sent in will not be returned and will be discarded.

● Do not email statements and additional projects to the MADE faculty.

MADE Portfolio and Personal Statement Guidelines 3

Personal Statement Guidelines

The statement of intent is required as part of your application to the Brown | RISD MADE

Program. The statement of intent is an opportunity for you, as an applicant, to tell us about you

and your interest in the program.

Your statement of intent:

● Your statement should be 1000 - 1500 words.

● Should potentially highlight a few of the points below:

○ Why is this the right program for you?

○ What experiences have shaped your worldview/approach to design?

○ What experiences have prepared you to be an active member of the program?

○ What will you bring to strengthen the MADE community?

○ What future will the program enable for you?

When reviewing your statement of intent, we could be considering a number of different points.

Some questions that the admissions committee might ask include:

● Do you demonstrate commitment and motivation to your research?

● What are your expectations of the programs and opportunities after?

● What are your short term and long term goals?

● Reasons for applying to this program?

● How do you hope to leverage opportunity between the two institutions?

● Unique personality - what makes you - YOU!

General tips to consider when writing your statement

● We recommend creating an outline with 2 - 3 main points and concentrate on those.

○ Do not try to cram in every single point into your statement.

○ Be intentional with what you want the admissions committee to know.

● Hook in your reader in the beginning of your statement, not at the end.

○ The admissions committee will be reading through a lot of applications. It is

strategic to catch a reader’s attention and get them invested in your statement

early on.

● Have multiple friends or colleagues review, critique, or edit your statement.

● It is not necessary to sing the praises of the schools or the faculty. We are more

interested in you and what you bring to the table.

● Do not repeat your resume.