Strengthen AP® Art Portfolios with Progress Checks

One thing I see every year with my AP® Art & Design students is that they’re great at making a beautiful final piece… but not always great at showing how they got there.

And that process — the evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision — is what can make or break a portfolio score.

Why Process Evidence Matters

In AP® Art, it’s not enough to just turn in a finished work. The portfolio needs to prove that students are thinking, testing, pushing ideas, and making intentional decisions. This is what the College Board means by “synthesis” — how your materials, processes, and ideas connect and evolve.

I’ve found that my students do best when they have a clear structure for showing that work-in-progress. That’s why I created an AP® Art Progress Check resource — and it’s made such a difference in how my students document and understand their own process.

What the Progress Check Looks Like

        

Each Progress Check guides students to:

• Include 1–3 clear photos of practice, experimentation, or revision
• Write a short reflection explaining what they tried, why they made certain choices, and how their materials, processes, and ideas connect to their inquiry
• Keep this evidence organized in their sketchbook, a slide, or a digital folder

How I Use Progress Checks in Class

I use Progress Checks throughout the semester, usually at key points when students are about halfway through a project. It’s a quick “portfolio checkpoint” that:

• Helps them slow down and reflect on what’s working and what needs to change
• Gives me a chance to give focused feedback on their process, not just the final piece
• Builds habits that pay off big when they write their final commentary for the College Board

Here are a few photos of my students’ process work and finished pieces. Notice how they use sketches, thumbnails, material tests, and written notes to explain their choices — this is exactly what AP® scorers love to see.

 

If you’d like to try this with your own AP® students, my AP® Art Progress Check resource is ready to plug in — and includes:

• Editable student directions with clear submission requirements
• A simple, rubric-aligned template for images and written explanation
• Linked student example to show what a strong Progress Check looks like
• Printable or digital format — perfect for sketchbooks, slides, or online portfolios

When students can confidently show how they practice, experiment, and revise, their portfolios become so much stronger — and they’re more prepared to talk about their work, too.

I hope this helps you support your artists in making their process visible, meaningful, and portfolio-ready!

AP® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this post or product.