Students wishing to attend the School of Design are encouraged to fill out, sign, and submit an application form, available from the Admissions Office. A nonrefundable application fee should be submitted with the completed application, in check or money order made payable to:

The Altos de Chavon
Cultural Center Foundation

The following documents should accompany the admissions application:

• Copy of the applicant’s high school diploma or equivalent.

• Certified transcripts, sealed and sent directly to the Admissions Office, from the applicant's high school or university. (Applicants who have or will earn a bachelor’s degree before enrollment need not submit a high school transcript.) All transcripts become the property of the School of Design and will not be returned.

• Three (3) letters of recommendation–from a guidance counselor, teacher, local official, or other community member.

• Letter of good conduct from a local police department or other governing agency.

• Medical certification of the applicant’s good health.

• Parents' income tax return (only for applicants who are requesting financial aid).

Applicants who have studied at an institution whose primary language is not Spanish or English must submit certified Spanish or English translations of their documents.

The Portfolio
Applicants should select a portfolio representative of their interests and abilities in art. The portfolio should be composed of ten to twenty pieces that show the applicant's general ability in drawing, color, and design, as well as any specific interests with emphasis on more recent works. Sketches, preliminary sketches for finished pieces, or thumbnail sketches that represent personal thoughts or reactions to the environment can be valuable components of a portfolio. Any original work that is mailed to the Admissions Office should be a maximum of 16" x 22", unframed. It is strongly suggested that the portfolio be submitted in slide form, accompanied by an inventory detailing the actual size, materials used, and date of completion. Portfolios submitted as part of the admissions process remain the property of the student, who must reclaim the materials within six months.

The Home Exam
All applicants must complete a home exam along with the portfolio. The exam consists of the following four assignments:

1. Draw a self-portrait in pencil. Do not draw from a photograph.
2. Construct a color collage representing a landscape.
3. Draw a still-life composition in pencil.
4. Submit one of the following:
   
   
   • A painting or detailed drawing.
   • A sculpture (presented in picture or slide form).
   • A poster advertising an athletic event.
   • Designs for five outfits as a wardrobe for the tropics.
   • A design layout for a beach house for a family of five.

Work presented for the home exam should be a maximum of 16" x 22", unframed. Slides or photographs may be used for large or bulky pieces, or for portfolios sent through the mail.

The home exam should be submitted to the Admissions Office for review by the Admissions Committee as well as the Financial Aid Committee. The Admissions Committee evaluates each application with the visual evidence in mind, but also considers academic and motivational characteristics that form an integral part of any design school application. Applicants should remember that the portfolio and home exam are only part of the total admissions process. The home exam should be reclaimed by the applicant within six months of the admissions decision.

The Interview
After submitting the portfolio and home exam, the applicant should contact the Admissions Office for an interview. Applicants who live within 200 kilometers of Altos de Chavon are required to appear for a personal interview at the School. Those who live within 100 miles of New York City are required to appear for a personal interview at the New York office, and to present their portfolio and home exam there. Applicants who live beyond the distances described above are not required to appear for a personal interview, although it is strongly recommended. Those requesting an interview should do so well in advance of the desired entrance date.