Art & Design Portfolio Mentor – College Admissions (RISD / Stanford)

We are looking for an experienced art and design portfolio mentor to work one-on-one with a high school student preparing applications to top undergraduate programs — including RISD, Stanford (product design track), Art Center College of Design, Pratt Institute, and similar.

This is not a one-time portfolio review. This is a hands-on, ongoing mentorship engagement where you will actively develop new work with the student, assign briefs, provide iterative feedback across sessions, and guide the full arc of her portfolio — from initial audit through final submission.

The right person for this role has a strong creative background and, critically, a proven track record of students they have personally mentored who were admitted to programs of this caliber. We are not looking for someone who knows the space — we are looking for someone who has already proven they can get a student in.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

∙ Audit the student’s existing body of work and identify gaps to address before applications open

∙ Assign new creative projects and briefs tailored to fill those gaps and demonstrate range

∙ Provide iterative, session-by-session critique as each piece develops — not just end-stage review

∙ Coach her on sketching, ideation, design thinking, and how to document and present her process

∙ Guide photography, layout, and digital formatting of all work

∙ Advise on each school’s specific submission requirements — especially RISD’s portfolio format and Hometest

∙ Help her develop a coherent point of view and narrative that ties the full portfolio together

∙ Advise on the artist/personal statement as it relates to her portfolio story

∙ Maintain a regular bi-weekly session cadence and be available for async feedback between sessions

REQUIREMENTS

Must-have:

∙ Proven track record: 2–3 students you have personally mentored who were admitted to RISD, Stanford, Art Center, Pratt, RCA, or equivalent top programs. Anonymised names are fine — but outcomes must be specific

∙ Degree or equivalent professional background in art, design, or a related creative discipline from a recognised program

∙ Prior experience working with high school-age students on portfolio development

∙ Genuine familiarity with RISD’s portfolio expectations and Hometest format

∙ Ability to give direct, honest feedback to a young student — without deflating motivation

Nice to have:

∙ You personally attended RISD, Stanford, Art Center, or a peer-level program

∙ Experience across both art and design portfolios (fine art, product design, architecture, etc.)

∙ Familiarity with how the portfolio fits into the broader Common App and supplemental application