Here at Tulane, any student can take classes in the arts or architecture, audition for plays or ensembles, or take private lessons with an instructor without being a major or minor in that specific area. With this in mind, we welcome the chance to see your past creative work as a way of strengthening your application to the university. No audition or portfolio is required for admission to the university, but the inclusion of a portfolio can only help your application, never hurt it.
Submission Instructions
To carry weight in an admission decision, creative materials should be added to your application as soon as possible after your application is submitted; as no creative supplements are required for admission to the university, the admission committee will not wait to receive such materials before reviewing an application.
You are welcome to submit your portfolio in whatever form you choose, whether it be a link to a website, attached document, recording or video. Hard copy materials will not be accepted in any medium. All submissions should be uploaded to the “Optional Portfolio” section of your Green Wave Portal once you have completed the general admission application. You will be sent the login credentials to your Green Wave Portal after you submit your Common Application. Please wait until you receive these login credentials to submit your portfolio.
While students with an interest in any academic area are welcome to submit portfolios, there are specific parameters for students submitting portfolios in Architecture, Music, Studio art, and Theatre and Dance. For more information on these specific parameters, see below.
Architecture
A portfolio is highly recommended for students interested in Architecture because it may strengthen an application. Please upload up to 10 pieces representing the breadth of your design experience, including a couple of examples of freehand drawing. Please do not send architectural drafting exercises as we prefer to see your creativity rather than your drafting skills. Other architectural exercises, such as perspective drawings or models, are welcome. Hard copy materials will not be accepted in any medium.
All submissions should be uploaded to the “Optional Portfolio” section of your Green Wave Portal once you have completed the general admission application. You will be sent the login credentials to your Green Wave Portal after you submit your Common Application. Please wait until you receive these login credentials to submit your portfolio.
Music
Students interested in submitting an optional music portfolio with their application should indicate a first or second major in Music. Portfolios should adhere to one of the following music pathways: Jazz Studies, Music Composition, Music Performance (Instrumental), Music Performance (Vocal).
Jazz Studies
Jazz studies students should provide three or more contrasting pieces, at least one of which is a standard. These pieces will only be considered if they are videotaped.
Music Composition
Composition students should provide sheet music and/or recordings of two to four original pieces in any style. The pieces do not need to be complete; sketches, pieces in progress, and improvisations are all acceptable.
Music Performance (Instrumental)
Piano students should prepare movements from three pieces in contrasting periods (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Modern), including at least one a major work. Other instrumentalists should prepare a major piece, such as a movement of a standard concerto, a shorter contrasting piece, and an étude. These pieces will only be considered if they are videotaped.
Music Performance (Vocal)
Vocal performance students should prepare three complete songs or arias (no cuts) in contrasting styles, including at least one in a foreign language. These pieces will only be considered if they are videotaped.
Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre students should submit videos showcasing songs, monologues, and dance.
Musical Theatre Pathway Self-Tape Submission Requirements
General Guidelines:
- Each performance ( song, monologue, dance) should be recorded and uploaded as a separate video.
- Begin each video with a slate introducing your name, the title of the piece, and its author or show.
- Label each video file with the piece you are performing, the show or playwright, and your first & last name.
- Examples:
- Slate – James Smith
- Your Daddy’s Son – Ragtime – James Smith
- Much Ado About Nothing – William Shakespeare –James Smith
- Examples:
- Song Requirements:
- Prepare two contrasting songs: one ballad and one uptempo.
- Each song should be 60-90 seconds long, including the slate.
- Film songs in a ¾ shot (from the top of the head to the knees).
- Song selections can follow one of two options:
- Option A: One song written before 1970 and one after 1970, contrasting in style.
- Option B: One musical theatre song, and one popular music song (pop/rock, folk, jazz, country, etc.).
- Monologue Requirements:
- Prepare monologues from published plays (not from musicals, TV shows, or movies).
- Each monologue should be 60-90 seconds long, including the slate.
- Monologue options include:
- Option A: One contemporary monologue (written during the 20th century to present), filmed in a close-up shot (head to chest).
- Option B: Two contrasting monologues: one contemporary (post-1900), and one classical (pre-1900) filmed in a close-up shot (head to chest).
Optional Dance or Wild Card Video:
- Submissions should be no more than 90 seconds.
- This is an opportunity to showcase dance ability or unique skills such as musical instruments, acrobatics, etc.
Self-Tape Audition Tips:
- Lighting: Ensure your space has adequate lighting. Avoid having a lamp or window directly behind you, as it can cast shadows over your face. Position the light source behind your recording device or to the side so your face is well-lit.
Sound: When using pre-recorded music, place the speaker closer to you than to the recording device. This ensures a balanced audio capture of both your voice and the accompaniment.
Many accompaniment tracks are available on YouTube and other websites. If you do not have a way to work with a live accompanist or don’t have access to a recorded track of your music, consider using an app that will play the piano part for you. Harmony Helper is one such app that allows you to take photos of your sheet music, upload them to the app and then generate a piano track that you can use.
- Appearance: Present a neat and put-together look. Avoid graphic logos, bulky sweaters, and overly short attire.
Material Selection: Some examples of contrasting songs are fast tempo vs slow tempo, sustained melodic singing vs speech-like singing, dramatic vs comedic, belt vs head/falsetto mix.
It is recommended to choose age-appropriate monologues (generally within 5-10 years of your actual age) and that feel authentic to your culture, background, and lived experience.
Active monologues are often better for auditions; an active monologue takes place in real-time and focuses on what you want, and puts you in direct communication with an imaginary scene partner. This is often more successful in an audition situation than pieces that are a story or remembrance. Additionally, it can be helpful to avoid monologues that rely on extreme emotions as it can be hard to believably justify those responses in a short piece.
Option Dance Video: You may use recent videos of you from a show or concert, but it must just be you in the frame. Dance samples should be in whatever dance discipline you feel most confident. This may include, but is not limited to jazz, ballet, tap, modern, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, or dance styles beyond American and Euro-western styles.
Dance media can be “self-choreographed,” but it must be a solo video of you. This can include a show, competition, or other performance so long as you are clearly featured on your own.
Studio Art
Please upload up to 10 pieces that showcase your interests, skills, and creative potential. Think of your portfolio as a gallery show you are curating. Be bold, experiment, take risks, and be inventive. If possible, build a thematic portfolio that includes multiple pieces sharing similar ideas and/or aesthetics. Use your portfolio to convey your willingness to experiment, explore, and think beyond technical skills. When compiling your portfolio, you may choose to concentrate on a single medium or demonstrate a breadth of media. Hard copy materials will not be accepted in any medium.
Theatre and Dance
Tulane will host live auditions on November 1
To learn more about these live auditions, register for our information session, which will take place on Monday, September 29 at 6:00 pm CST / 7pm EST. Registrants will receive an emailed Zoom link by Friday, September 26th. If you have any questions, please email lwaringer@tulane.edu (Musical Theatre) or vholtcamp@tulane.edu (Theatre).
A portfolio is highly recommended for students interested in Theatre and Dance, as it may strengthen an application.
All submissions should be uploaded to the "Optional Portfolio" section of your Green Wave Portal once you have completed your general admission application. You will receive login credentials to your Green Wave Portal after submitting the Common Application. Please wait until you receive these credentials before submitting your portfolio.
Hard copy materials will not be accepted in any medium.
Dance
You are welcome to submit work in any dance style that best represents you. We are not looking for highly produced or edited reels — raw class footage, rehearsal clips, or informal recordings are all welcome. Our goal is to better understand your technical level and your creative potential.
Please include a brief description or title with each submission. If you share a group work, be sure to indicate how we can identify you in the video (e.g., costume color, position, etc.).
There is no required format or length, but we suggest no more than 5 minutes of video total, or up to 10 images if submitting stills.
Acting
Your portfolio should consist of:
- A one-page theatrical resume (high school and community theatre credits welcome)
Video of you performing two contrasting monologues (comedy/tragedy or classical/contemporary or one song and one monologue from published plays, television scripts or movies – see recommendations for choosing pieces below). The combined total of your recorded performances should NOT exceed 3 minutes total, including the slate at the beginning of each piece.
- Each monologue should be recorded and uploaded as a separate video.
- Begin each video with a slate introducing your name, the character name, the title of the piece and its author. Title each file the same way (e.g. “Lisa Garcia – Ariel – Wintertime by Chuck Mee”)
- Please shoot in horizontal framing, half-shot (waist to head). Film in front of a neutral background in a quiet room or space. Cell phone video is fine to submit.
Recommendations for choosing pieces
- Choose characters whose age and experience are close to your own.
- Read the entire play or film to understand the context of your monologue.
- Memorize and rehearse your text.
- Choose text in which you speak directly to one other person.
- Do not use accents/dialects that are not your own.
Theatrical Design
A portfolio is highly recommended for students interested in Theatrical Design because it may strengthen an application. Please upload your one-page theatrical resume and up to 10 pieces representing the breadth of your design experience,. Pieces might include production photos, process shots, renderings and sketches, storyboards, technical drawings, shift plots, sample calling scripts, paperwork examples, or drawings, paintings, sculpture, mixed media, or other visual artworks that demonstrate creativity, composition, and craft.
Scholarships and Awards
While a portfolio is not required for admission to Tulane, submitting one puts you in consideration for concentration-specific scholarships and awards. Tulane offers portfolio- and performance-based merit awards in the areas of Architecture, Music, Studio Art, and Theatre and Dance. All scholarships require students to apply through an early application round (Early Decision I or II or Early Action), indicate a first or second major in their desired concentration, and upload a portfolio via their Green Wave Portal.
Architecture Portfolio Award
- One-time scholarship worth up to $10,000
- Only open to admitted students who have applied Early Decision or Early Action and have designated Architecture as their first or second major on their Common Application
- Requires submission of a digital portfolio through your Green Wave Portal
- Reviewed by the Office of Undergraduate Admission and Tulane's School of Architecture
- To be considered, submit your digital portfolio soon after you submit your application for admission, prior to December 5th
- Winners are notified in March
Musicianship Scholarship
- $10,000 per year merit-based award
- Only open to applicants who have applied Early Decision or Early Action and have designated Music as their first or second major on their Common Application
- Requires submission of a digital portfolio through your Green Wave Portal
- To be considered, submit your digital portfolio soon after you submit your application for admission, prior to December 5th
- Candidates will be reviewed by a committee of Newcomb Department of Music faculty
- Winners are notified in March
Studio Art Portfolio Award
- $10,000 per year merit-based award
- Only open to applicants who have applied Early Decision or Early Action and have designated Art Studio as their first or second major on their Common Application
- Requires submission of a digital portfolio through your Green Wave Portal
- To be considered, submit your digital portfolio soon after you submit your application for admission, prior to December 5th
- Winners are notified in March
Theatre and Dance Award
- $10,000 per year merit-based award
- Only open to applicants who have applied Early Decision or Early Action and have designated Art Studio as their first or second major on their Common Application
- Requires submission of a digital portfolio through your Green Wave Portal
- To be considered, submit your digital portfolio soon after you submit your application for admission, prior to December 5th
- Winners are notified in March
Questions about Architecture or the Arts?
Contact Nathaniel Malkow at nmalkow@tulane.edu
