Natalia Webb is three weeks into her Foundation year at the Kansas City Art Institute. Her key interests are ceramics and sculpture, which she traces back to her experience in high school.

"My teachers really helped me feel confident. They worked with me on my portfolio and I felt I could talk about my artwork - my approach and process. It can be a little scary if you've never talked about your work that way," she said.

It was all in preparation for National Portfolio Day which she attended last November at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Although she felt ready, it was still somewhat intimidating connecting directly with the schools she had an interest in attending.

"You have your art in high school versus what you'll be doing the next few years of your life. I feel like people go in with high expectations for the school they'd like to attend," Webb said.

The feelings aren't uncommon. Some students are nervous. Others are on the fence about attending an art school. Some just want to hear feedback from admissions counselors.

Darcy Deal is Vice President of Enrollment Management at the Kansas City Art Institute. She points curious students to the National Portfolio Day Association' FAQs, while also laying out some basic and straightforward advice.

"Don't bring too much work. Eat breakfast. Wear comfortable shoes. And just be open to what people say about your work. Not all reviews will be the same so take everything with a grain of salt," Deal said.

National Portfolio Day events are similar to college fairs. Schools set-up booths and students line up to talk with representatives. In four hours, a student might be able to connect with four-to-six schools.

"Come in with your top three schools. And then, as time allows, go to some that you've never heard of," Deal said.

"Sometimes wait-times are long. So be prepared," she added.

For example, Webb said she arrived at her event ahead of its start time and already it was pretty busy. Some lines were more hectic than others depending on school size and popularity.

Her strategy was to start with the schools she was most interested in. “The ones she was there for” as she put it. After that, she visited schools with shorter lines that she could squeeze in before the end of the event.

"Any feedback is good feedback," Webb said.

Students are expected to bring 10 finished art pieces for reviews - originals if they can carry them. If the work is fragile, students share images on an iPad or laptop. Some students even show off pictures from their phones (which isn't ideal, but works).

"I've seen some students show up with giant paintings in a wagon," Deal said. "It's really a time for them to be honest about who they are and what they want to do."

The conversation with college representatives should be a combination of "being yourself" and "being professional." It's time to have a real discussion about the artwork.

The critique session might end with a reviewer saying "Your portfolio is approved." It could also end with a reviewer saying "This is what you need to do to improve, get admitted, or get scholarships." And keep in mind that different schools will give different feedback.

"Find the positives in these discussions. Look for opportunities for growth and move forward from there. It can be an enlightening experience - learning what might be best versus what is not," Deal said.

But the questions should go both ways. Students should be prepared to ask about tuition costs, majors, courses, and scholarships.

Ultimately, Webb says she connected with Nick Sparger and had an engaging back-and-forth conversation. KCAI was in her top three schools, but the experience gave her confidence to move it to her number one.

"I was intimidated a little but it was actually a chill and welcoming environment," she said. "Getting feedback from a bunch of schools one after another really helped me understand the values of each place - and where I wanted to end up."