🎨 Get BFA Portfolio Coaching Before The Early Admissions Deadline: Only 15 Spots — Closes Tues Sept 22
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Art Schools Admissions Bundle
Everything You Need To Build A BFA Portfolio Colleges Can’t Wait To Say “Yes” To
For BFA Students & Parents
I help you build a portfolio that combines your unique artistic perspective with the criteria art schools are actually judging you on, so you can head into admissions seasons prepared and confident.
Learn what admissions teams want to see
Catch the gaps in your work before it’s too late
Submit an application that gets noticed
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“Prof Lieu comes with an amazing depth, domain knowledge, as well as rich professional experience to understand a student’s need quickly, follow the student’s style and idea, and guide with encouragement and keen points to inspire the student tremendously.”
“Prof Lieu’s instruction has been remarkable — enriched with concrete detail, actionable advice, and encouragement for a budding artist.”
“We feel super lucky to have found Prof Lieu to help us in a critical time and were really appreciated to receive her coaching and achieved a great improvement in such a short time.”
I’ve Watched Too Many Talented Students Get Rejected Simply Because They Didn’t Know What They Didn’t Know
You can spend months building a portfolio you’re genuinely proud of and never realize that what you see isn’t what an admissions panel sees.
When you don’t know what colleges are reviewing your application for, you’re putting together a document that decides your next chapter without any sense of what makes it successful. Which means your frame of reference might be completely off:
You think you’re nailing a skill you’ve mastered
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You think your portfolio looks diverse and complete
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You think certain pieces should be included because you’re “supposed to”
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You think you’re impressing them with technically perfect work
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They see a lack of willingness to experiment and task risks
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They see an entire skill area you missed
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They see a weak piece you should have left out
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They see a portfolio that lacks personal perspective and narrative
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The Gap Between A Good Portfolio And An Accepted Portfolio Is Small
With hundreds of applicants competing for spots, the chance of landing on a perfect portfolio out of intuition or luck is pretty limited. You can have amazing work and be an excellent candidate but still be missing the variety, story, or technical details an admissions team needs to say “yes”.
I Built The Art School Admissions Bundle So Talented Students Don’t Miss Out On Opportunities Because Of A Lack Of Information
There are two major things that hold most portfolios back from being great:
1) Informed direction (to tell you what admissions teams want)
2) Educated feedback (to encourage and challenge your work)
Both of those come from the same place: someone who’s actually sat on the other side of the review table.
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Inside the Art School Admissions Bundle, you’ll get my direct mentorship on both fronts while you still have time to course-correct.
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Walk Into Admissions Season Ahead Of The Curve
The Art School Admissions Bundle brings 1:1 mentoring, a full portfolio critique, and expert statement editing into one place – all guided by a former admissions committee member.
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You’ll get my experienced second set of eyes on your work so nothing falls through the cracks before your deadline
Only 15 Spots — Closes Tues Sept 22
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Here’s How We’ll Build Your Portfolio Together Inside The Bundle
When you join the Art School Admissions Bundle, I’ll take you through three progressive stages to build a winning BFA portfolio and give you access to an on-demand resource you can reference any time you’re stuck or have questions.
1:1 Mentoring Session
A one-hour, live session where we deep dive into your goals, intended major, and where your work is at right now. This is where a lot of applicants find out they’ve made the wrong assumptions about their intended field or degree and end up making a shift.
A Full Portfolio Critique
A thorough walkthrough of your portfolio where I tell you exactly what to cut, keep, improve, and add. You’ll leave knowing exactly what to work on to create the best possible portfolio, even if the advice on a piece is as simple as “this has promise – keep going!”
Expert Statement Editing
Most statements are treated like an afterthought and it shows. I’ll teach you how to avoid generic, confusing language and how to document your process as you go so you have solid notes to pull from when you’re writing instead of trying to remember months of decisions from scratch.
BFA Portfolio Guide eBook
A comprehensive, 165-page guide covering everything from how to research art programs to building your own portfolio plan and photographing your work correctly. This is a great resource to skim early and come back to throughout the process.
Your Step-By-Step Timeline From Purchase To Submission
No matter when you join, the timeline is built around two things: your mentoring session and your materials review, everything else flexes around getting you to your deadline prepared.
Step 1:
Book Your Mentoring Call Within 2 Weeks
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Once you join, you’ll schedule your one-on-one mentoring session within the first two weeks. Getting your direction locked in early and teaching you what to think about as you build means everything you create after the coaching call is actually aimed at the right target.
Step 2:
Send Your Materials At Least 4 Weeks Before Your Deadline
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Once you’ve finished a working first draft of your portfolio, you’ll send your materials at least 4 weeks before your admissions deadline so I can give you a full portfolio critique with plenty of time to make adjustments. Keep in mind, not every piece has to be 100% complete, but it should be a good representation of where your final portfolio is headed.
Step 3:
Make Your Adjustments (And Get A Second Look)
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Once you’ve made your changes, if there’s enough time before your deadline, I’ll take a second look at your revised portfolio and give you my final thoughts. I find many portfolios genuinely benefit from more than one round of feedback.
Step 4:
Finalize Your Statement
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Once your portfolio is locked in, we’ll finish with statement editing so your written narrative matches the strength of the work you’re submitting.
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Without The Bundle
With The Bundle
Guess what pieces you should include
Get insight from someone who’s reviewed thousands of applications
Hope the pieces you selected are good enough
Know your portfolio is only showing your strongest work
Stress about whether your work shows enough range
Have the right balance of technical skill and creative risk
Write a vague statement last minute just to get it done
Submit a statement that describes your work in a meaningful way
Photograph your work and hope it does the piece justice
Know the DOs and DONTs of photographing your pieces
Submit your application and cross your fingers
Submit your application knowing you gave it everything you had
Hi, I’m Clara Lieu (aka Prof Lieu) – And I’ve Been On The Other Side Of The Review Table Thousands Of Times.
I spent 16 years at RISD and other top art schools, sitting through portfolio reviews and watching what actually made a committee pay attention.
But before any of that, I was an applicant myself. Here’s something I don’t usually admit: I wrote my own artist statement 2 days before it was due. Full disclosure, I would not advise that.
I didn’t have anyone to guide me through the process, and I got lucky. But not every applicant does.
The right feedback – from someone who actually knows what to look for – means more chances to create your best work and access the opportunities that make a future in art possible.
I built the Art School Admissions Bundle so no applicant has to get lucky to get in.
Wondering If The Art School Admissions Bundle Is Right For You?
The Bundle Is Right For You If…
- You’re applying to a BFA program and want expert eyes on your work before you submit
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- You’d rather get critical feedback now than find out what went wrong after a rejection​
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- You want to know your application reflects your full potential as an artist
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- You have at least 4-6 weeks before your deadline to actually act on what you learn
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- You’re willing to make changes to your portfolio or statement based on constructive, supportive evaluation
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- You’d rather get critical feedback now than find out what went wrong after a rejection
The Bundle Is NOT For You If…
- Your deadline is not at least 4 weeks out – there isn’t enough time left to meaningfully act on feedback
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- You’re looking for someone who validates you instead of looking at your work with a critical eye
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- You’re not open to changing existing work
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- You haven’t started thinking about your intended major or degree at all yet
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- You want unlimited, ongoing feedback rather than a structured, one-time critique and mentoring session
Here’s How We’ll Build Your Portfolio Together Inside The Bundle
When you join the Art School Admissions Bundle, I’ll take you through three progressive stages to build a winning BFA portfolio and give you access to an on-demand resource you can reference any time you’re stuck or have questions.
Step #1
Reserve Your Spot
Join the bundle and book your mentoring call within your first two weeks so you have plenty of time to discuss goals, nail down your direction, and get to work on a healthy first draft of your portfolio.
Step #2
Get Expert Feedback
Send in your materials and get my thoughts on every piece (whether it’s finished or not) so you can tweak accordingly and write an artist statement that beautifully summarizes your work.
Step #3
Submit With Confidence
Make your final adjustments and submit an application that reflects your full potential so no matter what happens, you know you pushed yourself and your art to the limit.
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“Prof Lieu comes with an amazing depth, domain knowledge, as well as rich professional experience to understand a student’s need quickly, follow the student’s style and idea, and guide with encouragement and keen points to inspire the student tremendously.”
​
“Prof Lieu’s instruction has been remarkable — enriched with concrete detail, actionable advice, and encouragement for a budding artist.”
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“We feel super lucky to have found Prof Lieu to help us in a critical time and were really appreciated to receive her coaching and achieved a great improvement in such a short time.”
THE INVESTMENT
​Join The Art School Admissions Bundle
Everything you need to build a portfolio from a place of knowing instead of guessing.
What’s Included:
- 1:1 Mentoring Session —
a one-hour live session to get your direction right from the start so you don’t spend months building around the wrong assumptions ($799 Value)​
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- A Full Portfolio Critique —
a complete walkthrough of your portfolio telling you exactly what you need to work on ($1199 Value)
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- Expert Statement Editing —
a thorough edit to make your statement compelling and clear, plus guidance on creating statement notes for each piece as you build ($999 Value)
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- The BFA Portfolio Guide eBook —
a comprehensive guide you can reference at any point of the process ($25 Value)
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Total Value: $3,022
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You Pay: $1999
Admissions Season Won’t Wait For You To Figure This Out On Your Own
Most applicants don’t create the best portfolio they’re capable of. They go into the process without guidance and by the time they realize what they should have done differently, the deadline has already passed.
I know how much energy goes into building a collection of work, but working hard isn’t the same as working in the right direction, and you deserve to know how your efforts are landing while you still have time to adjust.
I built this program so you have both the information and the direction to create your best work.
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If you want getting in to come down to your talent – and not the information you were missing – join me inside the Art Admissions Bundle and build a portfolio that actually showcases your potential.
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Only 15 Spots — Closes Tues Sept 22
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Frequently Asked Questions
What’s included in the Art School Admissions Bundle?​
You’ll get a 1:1 mentoring session, a full portfolio critique, expert statement editing, and the BFA Portfolio Guide ebook, everything you need to build and submit a complete, polished application.
How long is the mentoring session?
​The mentoring session is one hour, held live, one time.
When do I need to book my mentoring call?​
Within 2 weeks of joining the bundle. We want to get your direction locked in early to give you as much runway as possible before your deadline.
When do I need to send my portfolio and statement materials?​
At least 4 weeks before your admissions deadline, so there’s enough time for a full critique, your revisions, and statement editing before you submit.
I’m a parent, not the applicant. Can I purchase this for my student?​
Yes. Many parents purchase the bundle on behalf of their student. I would recommend talking to your student before purchase so they know what to expect regarding the timeline and commitment so you can make the most out of your investment.
What if I don’t have a portfolio started yet?​
That’s okay. Mentoring is designed to help you get direction and figure out where to focus, even if you’re just getting started.
Are there a limited number of spots?​
Yes. Each admissions season has a capped number of spots so every applicant gets sufficient individual attention. Once a round is full, it’s closed until the next admissions season.
What happens if I miss my materials deadline?​
Because materials are due 4 weeks before your admissions deadline to leave time for critique, revisions, and statement editing, missing that window may limit how much can realistically be adjusted before you submit. Reach out as soon as possible if your timeline is tight.
Do you offer refunds?​
We do not offer refunds.
What if I have more questions before I buy?​
Email me at​ clara@claralieu.com​. I do my best to respond to every inquiry.
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