Art school is an experience of which a plethora of high schoolers dream—some go through with it, while others choose a more traditional path. Those who choose art school are met with fellow students often covered in charcoal, paint splotches on every piece of clothing, and wearing a friend’s fashion design every other day. The energy there is ebullient—midnights in the studio, exhausting but exciting and mornings at critique, nerve-wracking but rewarding. One example of this is the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), one of the most competitive art schools in the country. This year, Senior Amy Lauer has committed there.

Lauer stated that she “applied to two traditional colleges and four art schools.” She ended up earning acceptances to many and decided to attend RISD. A key area of her application—which also happened to be one of the hardest parts—was building a portfolio. Lauer shared that she “filled out several sketchbooks [with] hundreds to thousands of drawings, and [she] could only choose 18.” Art schools carefully examine these artworks in admissions; consequently, it’s one of the most important sections of a student’s application. Some advice Lauer gave is to “start as early as possible and go out of your comfort zone.” Likewise, Fine Arts teacher Ms. Gwen Shockey emphasized the importance of experimentation in a portfolio, as it is “evidence of hard work and growth over time, creative and unique visual thinking—an authentic voice.” From the fine art studio to the film room, Lauer has followed Ms. Shockey’s advice and worked in a multitude of media. 

Additionally, she entered an abundance of visual art contests such as the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Through her hard work, she has been able to achieve her dreams of attending art school.

Now, Lauer prepares to leave her own charcoal-smeared canvas as her legacy at Princeton Day School. Through providing her with a strong foundation, she recognizes PDS’s role in her growth as an artist from which she can now pursue fully in art school.