AFA (Arts for All) runs a college art portfolio preparation program for high school students at 401 S Garfield Ave G-H, Monterey Park, CA 91754. It is the fifth and final level of AFA's five-level curriculum, for students ages 16–18 who plan to apply to art and design colleges such as RISD, Pratt, Parsons, ArtCenter, SVA, CalArts, SAIC and MICA. Families come from Monterey Park, Alhambra, Arcadia, San Gabriel, Rosemead, Temple City, South Pasadena and Pasadena.
Quick facts: ages 16–18 · Portfolio class on Sunday afternoons · capped at 10 students · one-on-one portfolio guidance available · taught in Mandarin and English · free trial class with a one-on-one assessment and written report · (626) 466-5161.
The Portfolio level is for high school students, typically ages 16–18, who intend to apply to an art or design college or to an art major at a university. Students who are 13–15 start in AFA's Professional level, which is the college-prep stage before portfolio work: professional training, masterwork analysis, and the drawing fundamentals that portfolios are built on.
Students do not need to have studied at AFA before. New students begin with a free trial class that includes a one-on-one assessment, so the teacher can see where the student stands and whether there is enough time before application deadlines.
The Portfolio class (Portfolio & Photoshop) meets on Sunday afternoons in a two-hour session. It is capped at 10 students — half the size of AFA's regular classes — because each student's portfolio is built around the specific schools and majors that student is applying to, and that cannot be done with one shared assignment.
One-on-one portfolio guidance is offered in addition to the class, for students who need more individual time on direction, selection and sequencing.
Teaching is bilingual. Teachers switch between Mandarin and English depending on the student, and parents can communicate in either language.
A competitive portfolio typically takes two to three years of sustained work and should start no later than the summer before 11th grade. Students who start in 11th or 12th grade can still build a portfolio, but it usually means two to three sessions a week plus daily practice at home.
Around ages 15–16 is the most useful time for an honest assessment: it shows whether there is still enough time and what needs to be strengthened first.
Most U.S. art and design colleges ask for roughly 10–20 pieces. Reviewers look for visible process (sketchbooks and working drawings), a theme the student has gone deep on, a personal point of view, and drawing from direct observation rather than copied images. The full explanation, with a grade 9–12 timeline, is in AFA's College Art Portfolio Guide.
All AFA classes run on weekends in two-hour sessions. The Portfolio class is on Sunday afternoon. AFA is at 401 S Garfield Ave G-H, Monterey Park, CA 91754, a short drive from Alhambra, San Gabriel, Rosemead, Arcadia, Temple City and Pasadena.
AFA (Arts for All) offers a college art portfolio prep program at 401 S Garfield Ave G-H, Monterey Park, CA 91754, serving Alhambra, Arcadia, San Gabriel, Rosemead, Temple City, South Pasadena and Pasadena. The Portfolio class meets Sunday afternoons, is capped at 10 students, and one-on-one portfolio guidance is available. Phone (626) 466-5161.
It is capped at 10 students, compared with 20 for AFA's regular classes, because each portfolio is built around the specific schools the student is applying to.
Yes. AFA offers one-on-one portfolio guidance in addition to the Sunday Portfolio class.
Ages 16–18. Students ages 13–15 start in AFA's Professional level, the college-prep stage that comes before portfolio work.
Both. AFA is a Mandarin-English bilingual school; teachers switch languages based on the student, and parents can communicate in either language.
Book a free trial class at afaarts.com/trial or call (626) 466-5161. The trial includes a one-on-one assessment and a written report, and AFA calls back within 24 hours to schedule.
AFA (Arts for All · Academy of Fine Arts · 南加州艺术学院) has taught in Monterey Park since 2004. It serves students ages 4–18 through a five-level, eleven-stage curriculum: Interest (ages 4–6), Foundation (7–9), Skills (10–12), Professional (13–15) and Portfolio (16–18).
Since its founding, more than 1,000 AFA students have gone on to RISD, Pratt, Parsons, ArtCenter, SVA and other art and design colleges.
Book a free trial class and assessment · (626) 466-5161 · 中文版:洛杉矶作品集辅导 · AFA 作品集课程 · Read: College Art Portfolio Guide — what art schools look for