SlideRoomBlog

We pride ourselves on continually improving the SlideRoom Application System based on feedback from both clients and applicants. In particular, we like to execute on those requests where a clear consensus has been reached. This is determined by getting multiple requests for the exact same features, from independent sources. Most of these new requests seem based on wanting to use the system more heavily!

Since we are entering a development cycle this Summer on the applicant portals, I wanted to publish your requests, which we have heard loud and clear:

Applicant Requests

• Make it easy to navigate between multiple unsubmitted portfolios.
• Allow control over background color in the gallery (black and white).
• Make the process more regimented, so only one thing is presented at a time (with more instructions).
• Easy access to a technical FAQ (knowledge base)
• Bigger videos
• Ability to curate portfolio from previously uploaded items (perhaps from a previous submission).

Client Requests

• Ability to categorize program choices (avoiding long lists of programs will help applicants make the correct choices)
• Display institution’s name/colors throughout the entire process (instead of SlideRoom’s)
• More room for instructions
• Clearer display of deadlines (create a clearer sense of finality)
• Secret “grace period” for deadlines (for those applicants who are late by a few hours).
• Make it more natural to apply for multiple opportunities
• Ability for applicants to submit more than one portfolio to a single program (ie artwork/student work)

Our team is working very hard this Summer to give the system a “makeover,” in hopes to meet as many of these requests as possible. We are not making any specific promises right now, but we have clear direction! Stay tuned for development updates later in the Summer.

Theresa Bedoya, Dean of Admissions for MICA, recently copied us on an email. This was her response to another school inquiring about MICA’s experience using SlideRoom for admissions. This is a powerful reference because it includes the critical questions that schools want to know before they get their own SlideRoom system:

1) How long have you been using Slideroom? 1 year

2) What have been some of the immediate benefits that you’ve experienced with using Slideroom? We received an enthusiastic response from both faculty reviewers and student applicants about the ease of use and the quality of the on-screen images. We also found that using Slideroom streamlined our review processes to such an extent that faculty have asked us to require all applicants to use Slideroom for submission of their portfolios next year.

3) Have your applicants shown concern about the additional fee for submitting art portfolios through Slideroom? No concern whatsoever.

4) Have you experienced any challenges or unexpected troubles with implementing or using Slideroom? No.

5) Are you going to continue to use Slideroom and would you recommend that other colleges use Slideroom for their applicant’s portfolios? We are planning to expand our use of Slideroom next year. I strongly recommend that other colleges use Slideroom for their applicants’ portfolios.

I hope this has been helpful to you,

Theresa Bedoya, Maryland Institute College of Art,
Dean and Vice President, Admission & Financial Aid

SlideRoom just returned from the NAGAP conference in NYC. It became clear that admissions is not viewed as a stand alone challenge, but rather as part of a continuum which starts with recruitment and ends with enrollment.  Each of these steps has their own process and they need to transition into each other smoothly. SlideRoom is primarily used for admissions currently, but why not recruitment?

Often schools spend over ten thousand dollars traveling to portfolio reviews, trying to help & recruit talented prospects.  And often, the school leaves with meager information on applicants which is not very useful. Why not set up a SlideRoom system so prospective students can get a critique from an admissions staff or faculty member?  This is a win/win situation for several reasons:

1. The applicants get useful feedback they crave.
2. The school helps the applicant in a meaningful way.
3. The school gathers useful information about top applicants
4. The school gets a marketing boost by having easy online accessibility, for relatively low cost!

The Tyler School of Art has been entrusted with hosting the international competition for the Wolgin Prize.  Finalists are given an exhibition in the Fall and the winner receives $150K grant. From their website:

The Prize will be given each year for work that expands creative expression and exemplifies the highest level of excellence and artistic achievement. Work will be considered in painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, photography, ceramics, metals, glass and fibers … The Prize will be awarded after a nomination process with international arts experts. Nominated artists will submit materials for review by an international jury.

We are proud that SlideRoom is the technology of choice to manage this competition! With the large number of nominators applying and international jurors needing to coordinate, having a centralized online system is the only way for this process to run smoothly.

One essential aspect of an online system is the ability to easily get your information out of it (exporting). This might be needed for a variety of reasons: moving info into some larger database, backing up info, using info with another tool, etc.  SlideRoom has always provided exports of the media (original files) and applicant data (Excel Spreadsheets), but now SlideRoom has an XML export for administrators.

An XML export is nice because it includes ALL the data (names, settings, portfolio info, comments, ratings … everything).  And, it is a “self-referential” format that can be used by almost any other system. To generate this export, go to Dashboard>Reports>(select a program)>XML Export.

We just returned from the NERCOMP 2009 conference where we learned several new ways that a SlideRoom system could potentially be used. Various CIO’s and CTO’s informed us that many disciplines (other than art) require applicants to demonstrate skill as part of the application process. Inevitably, this is accomplished through a media asset (test, video, presentation, portfolio, etc…).

One use-case we had not heard before is to validate the English profenciency of International Students. They all have to take the TOEFL test to measure language skill. But scores alone are unreliable for a variety of reasons.  The schools need more “evidence,” which could consist of a video of the applicant speaking. This would allow reviewers to see/hear language skill, rather than just reading test scores.  Of course, SlideRoom will facilitate this perfectly!

On our last trip to CAA, we learned about SVA’s exciting new MFA program for Interaction Design:

In the past two decades, there has been a revolutionary change in the way people interact with digital technologies in their everyday lives. The lines that separated digital from physical products and services have blurred, giving designers new responsibilities to shape experiences.

Historically, Interaction Design was left to engineers who studied Computer Science (or something like that). But as media has become a larger part of our lives, primarily through the web, artists have become increasingly needed in shaping this experience. As art schools have not traditionally prepared artists with this skill set, they have been left to figure this out on there own. (Ironically, most of my “art” friends have day jobs in technology). Thank you SVA for being a leader in this field!

Please note: SVA is not using SlideRoom for admissions (yet), but we still want to promote them because we believe in what they are doing. We believe “media” to be more than tool, but increasingly an inextricable part of our lives.