Academic Catalog 2023-2024

Admission Requirements for High School Applicants

Checklist

  1. Application form with fee (online)
  2. Official transcripts from each high school attended or official GED scores
  3. Test Scores (*optional)
  4. Two letters of recommendation
  5. Pratt Essay
  6. Common App Essay
  7. English Proficiency Scores
  8. Visual or Writing Portfolio (Not required for Construction Management)   


Detailed descriptions of each material can be found below.

All mailed materials must be sent to:

Pratt Institute
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
200 Willoughby Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11205

All supporting documents, including portfolio if required, should be submitted by the application deadline. 

1. APPLICATION FORM WITH FEE

First-year high school applicants apply online ($50 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents; $90 for international applicants). First-year high school applicants apply through the Common App, and college transfers apply using Pratt's online application. Fee waivers are available through the Common App for students who qualify.

2. OFFICIAL HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS

A high school diploma or the equivalent is required for enrollment to Pratt Institute’s undergraduate program. In order to complete your application transcripts from all high schools attended are required. Applicants who have received high school equivalency diplomas are required to have official High School Equivalency Examination (GED) scores sent to the Admissions Office in addition to official transcripts from all high schools attended.

International applicants must submit official transcripts (academic records) of all secondary school studies as well as any postsecondary studies. Applicants also must submit official results of all external examinations, for example General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), Hong Kong School Certificate of Education, Israeli matriculation or Bagrut, Secondary School Certificates, and Baccalaureate Part I and Part II. All transcripts must be translated into English.

Credential Evaluations for International Students
While we do not require credential evaluations for first-time high school applicants, Pratt strongly recommends it. College transfer students who have studied outside the US are required to submit a credential evaluation of their transcripts. These credential evaluations must be completed by a NACES member. Options for evaluation services include Span Tran for Pratt, WES, ECE, IEE, Global Credential Evaluators, or another acceptable service, e.g.: your embassy. Credential evaluations do not typically include translations, so documents must first be officially translated into English by a certified translation service. Pratt asks for a course-by-course evaluation.

3. TEST SCORES:  PRATT IS TEST-OPTIONAL 

Pratt is test-optional for high school applicants (US citizens and permanent residents only); we do not require the SAT or ACT tests. Applicants who do not submit test scores will not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. 

International students and those for whom English is a second language may choose to submit either the SAT or ACT in lieu of an English proficiency exam (see #7 below).

To ensure that we receive scores by our posted deadlines, students should take the tests as early as possible but no later than one month before the application deadline. Please be sure to have your scores sent directly to Pratt.

  • SAT code is 2669
  • CLEP code is 2669
  • AP code is 2669
  • ACT code is 2862
  • TOEFL code is 2669

4. TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Two letters of recommendation are required; one from a teacher, and the other from either a teacher, counselor, or employer with the ability to assess your preparedness for undergraduate study. Letters should be submitted through the Common App for high school applicants and through the Pratt application for transfer applicants. 

See details at our Apply page

5.PRATT ESSAY

Write about a piece of work (visual art, musical performance, piece of writing, architecture, or design) that has influenced you and describe the impact it has had on your perspective OR write about a piece of your own work and the impact that creating it has had on you. The essay should be 250-500 words or two pages maximum. Make sure your essay is complete before uploading because you will not be able to make changes after you submit your application.

6. COMMON APP ESSAY

First-time, high school applicants should write a 250-500 word response to one of the essay prompts in the Common App and submit it to the Common App. Make sure your essay is complete before uploading because you will not be able to make changes after you submit your application. Essays submitted in other forms will not be accepted.

7. TESTS OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY 

All international applicants and students for whom English is a second language must submit one of the following accepted exams:

  • TOEFL and TOEFL Home Edition (minimum 92 for 4-year programs or 71 for 2-year programs)
  • TOEFL ITP Plus (minimum 600 for 4-year programs or 527 for 2-year programs)
  • PTE (minimum 62 for 4-year programs or 48 for 2-year programs)
  • IELTS or IELTS Indicator (minimum 6.5 for 4-year programs or 6.0 for 2-year programs)
  • SAT or ACT (no minimum)

Please have official scores sent by the testing company. Pratt accepts the TOEFL My Best Score and super scores SAT and ACT tests. Scores must be received by our deadlines.
English Proficiency Waivers: International applicants who have studied at a high school in the U.S. for at least three years with academic success may waive the test requirement. Those who have studied in another country where English is an official national language and the mode of instruction may also waive the test requirement with official transcripts that demonstrate at least three full years of academic success.

Pratt does NOT waive the test requirement for students who have attended an English-speaking school in a non-English speaking country unless the school is US accredited (e.g. American schools) or an English-speaking IB World school.

Students who have taken any English as a Second Language (ESL) courses while in high school, regardless of how long they have been in high school, must still submit a test score. 

If you intend to waive your score requirement, select this option on the Common App, and waivers will be issued after your application has been submitted and reviewed for eligibility. Waivers are issued at the discretion of the admissions office.

English Placement Exam: Although we may waive the test score to apply, this does not necessarily waive the Pratt English placement exam requirement, which may still be administered if you enroll. Depending on the results of your exam, you may be required to take additional courses in the Intensive English Program. Questions may be directed to admissions@pratt.edu.    

8. PORTFOLIO

Portfolio requirements vary by program:

  • All high school art, design, and architecture applicants, including photography, fashion design, and BFA in History of Art and Design applicants, must submit a visual portfolio consisting of 12–20 works. Pratt accepts 2-D, 3-D, and time-based media. Portfolios must be submitted by the application deadline. Pratt requires a minimum of two observational drawings or paintings.
  • Applicants to Film, Writing, Critical and Visual Studies, BA in History of Art and Design, and the AOS in Game Design and Interactive Media should see specific portfolio requirements below. 

The visual portfolio should consist of a variety of media and approaches. It can include assignment-based projects, self-directed work, or pieces of a collaborative nature. The portfolio does not need to be specific to the discipline to which you are applying. The portfolio must include at least two pieces of work from observation. Examples might include a landscape, still life, figure, interior, or self-portrait, but can be anything drawn from life. Applicants should avoid including work that copies photographs, uses the grid system, or directly replicates any other artist’s work (including replicating anime drawings, cartoons, or video game character designs). Please indicate in the description section for each image on SlideRoom if the work is your own or was done by a group. See additional details at Apply.

Portfolio for Film Applicants

There are two parts to the film portfolio at Pratt:

  • Visual Component: Select Option A or Option B or Option C
  • Writing Component: Complete the required writing sample

Find details below:

Visual Component (Choose A, B, or C)

Option A

A visual portfolio consisting of 12–20 examples of 2-D, 3-D, and time-based media. The work should consist of a variety of media and approaches; applicants may include a three-minute-maximum video for which the applicant has primary creative control in addition to work in other media. Work may include assignment-based projects, self-directed work, or pieces of a collaborative nature. The portfolio does not need to be discipline-specific. Pratt requires a minimum of two observational drawings or paintings; examples might include a landscape, still life, self-portrait, life drawings, etc. Applicants should avoid including work that copies photographs, uses the grid system, or directly replicates any other artist’s work (including replicating anime drawings, cartoons, or video game character designs).

Option B

Video: A three- to five-minute video in which you had primary creative control. This may be fiction, documentary, or experimental in approach, and it may be silent or include sound, but it must reflect your aesthetic, intellectual, and emotional interests. (Should be submitted on SlideRoom at pratt.slideroom.com.)
 

                Option C

Storyboard : A series of photographs you have taken or drawings you have made that, when viewed in a sequence, tell a simple story or portray an original character or place. Include a brief written narrative (less than one page) about the character, place, or story you’ve created. (Should be submitted on SlideRoom at pratt.slideroom.com.)

Writing Component

Write a one-page original film synopsis. Then, write a two-page descriptive treatment for a scene within the film. This should not include dialogue, but should rely heavily on character interactions and visual storytelling.

Please upload the writing sample to either the media section of SlideRoom in PDF format or to the attachments section as a Word document.

Portfolio for AOS in Game Design and Interactive Media Applicants

There are two parts to the AOS in Game Design and Interactive Media portfolio at Pratt:

  • Creative Component: Select Option A or Option B
  • Writing Sample: Complete the required writing sample

Find details below:

Creative Component

Option A

A visual portfolio consisting of 12–20 examples of 2-D, 3-D, and time-based media. The work should consist of a variety of media and approaches; applicants may include a three-minute-maximum video for which the applicant has primary creative control in addition to work in other media. Work may include assignment-based projects, self-directed work, or pieces of a collaborative nature. The portfolio does not need to be discipline-specific. Pratt requires a minimum of two observational drawings or paintings; examples might include a landscape, still life, self-portrait, life drawings, etc. Applicants should avoid including work that copies photographs, uses the grid system, or directly replicates any other artist’s work (including replicating anime drawings, cartoons, or video game character designs).

Option B

Game Proposal: Applicants may submit an original game proposal including at least 3 of the following 5 elements. The proposal can be for any sort of game.

  1. Characters
  2. Narrative
  3. Strategy
  4. Rules
  5. World/Visual Descriptions

Writing Sample

Describe in detail the impact that a game has made on you. Applicants may write about any aspect of the game that impacted them the most. What effect did it have on you? How has it influenced you? What techniques do you feel the game developers use to achieve this impact?

Please upload the writing sample to either the media section of SlideRoom in a PDF format or to the attachments section as a Word document.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PORTFOLIO

First-year high school applicants will submit their portfolio to Slideroom through the Common App and must include their Common App ID in their Slideroom submission. 

College transfer students must submit their portfolios directly to Slideroom at pratt.slideroom.com by the application deadline. You will be able to edit your portfolio online until you press the “submit” button, and you will receive immediate confirmation that we received your work.

Please submit by the application deadline. Do not send originals. All submitted materials, including the portfolio, become the property of Pratt Institute. Portfolios in any format will not be returned or held for pickup. We do not review personal websites. There is a $15 charge to submit your portfolio on SlideRoom.

Admissions advisement sessions and reviews done during National Portfolio Days or by appointment off campus do not fulfill the applicant’s visual requirement; they are for guidance only.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE PORTFOLIO

Visit us at our Apply page for information on what to include in your submission. Click on your level—high school applicant or transfer—for more specific guidance.

If you want advice on your work, we encourage you to contact visit@pratt.edu or call 718.636.3779 to set up an appointment with one of our admissions counselors. Our staff is happy to give potential applicants feedback on their work. Admissions counselors meet with students across the country and are also available weekdays at our Brooklyn Admissions Office or by Zoom. Appointments are available between April 1 and December 1.

Portfolio for Writing

Applicants are required to submit a writing portfolio of recent writing (no more than 10 pages). Writing applicants may submit poetry, short stories, and excerpts from novels, articles, and essays. Please submit one sample of analytical writing (essay, term paper, or article). We encourage you to submit several examples of your writing in different genres. If you submit poetry, you must also submit some prose. Please upload writing samples online through the Common App if you are a first-year applicant and directly to Slideroom at pratt.slideroom.com if you are a transfer.  Submit to either the media section in PDF format or to the attachments section as a Word document.

Portfolio for Critical and Visual Studies and BA in HIstory of Art and design

Applicants should submit examples of analytical writing (no more than 10 pages) at pratt.slideroom.com. Please upload writing samples online through the Common App if you are a first-year applicant and directly Slideroom at pratt.slideroom.com if you are transfer.  Submit to either the media section in PDF format or to the attachments section as a Word document.
At this time, feedback on writing portfolios is not available through the Admissions Office.

Additional Required Material for Home-Schooled Applicants

Pratt Institute welcomes applications from home-schooled students. In the absence of conventional high school records, submitting the items below will help us to evaluate your readiness for the programs that we offer.  Home-school transcripts should include:

  • course titles
  • course grades
  • units of credit for courses
  • grading scale (if other than A–F letter grades)
  • signature of the home-school administrator (the parent, guardian, or other person who organized, taught, and evaluated your home school coursework)

In the absence of a traditional transcript, you may present a portfolio of the work you consider most indicative of your academic achievements (this is in addition to the regular visual portfolio requirement). This may contain records such as grades from community college or other postsecondary-level courses that you may have taken, scores from AP tests (these are also administered independently of schools), recommendations from qualified tutors or teachers, examples of independent research, or descriptions of books and other curricular materials used in preparation for college-level work.

Proof of High School Graduation

This requirement may be satisfied by supplying any of the following:

  1. Scores from the official High School Equivalency Examination (GED)
  2. A letter from your local superintendent of schools as proof of your readiness to enter college and that your home schooling was conducted in accordance with state laws
  3. Certificate of graduation from a diploma-granting organization or nontraditional school

Recommended High School Coursework

The following subjects are strongly recommended for admission to specific Pratt programs.

Architecture, Writing, and Critical and Visual Studies Programs

Subject Units
English 4 units
Social Studies 1 unit
College Prep Math 3-4 units
Science 2 units1
Academic Electives 3 units2
General Electives 2 units3

Construction Management Program

Subject Units
English 4 units
Social Studies 1 unit
College Prep Math 4 units1
Science 2 units2
Academic Electives 5 units
General Electives 2 units3

Art and Design Programs

Subject Units
English 4 units
Social Studies 1 unit
College Prep Math 1 unit
Science 1 unit
Academic Electives 3 units

Advanced Placement Credit Policy

 See our AP Policy.

International Baccalaureate Policy

See IB Policy 

Two-Year Associate Degree Applicants

Requirements for the Associate Degree programs are the same as for high school applicants, with the exception of Game Design and Interactive Media which has additional portfolio components. Minimum required scores for English proficiency exams differ. SAT/ACT test scores are not required. 

Applicants to the BFA programs within the schools of art and design who do not meet the qualifications for the BFA may opt to be considered for the Associate Degree programs instead.