Top Dog wasn’t built by someone who read a guidebook. It was founded by a student who got in—to both USC Film School’s writing and production tracks, the most competitive film conservatory in the world. The only one in their cohort to earn a full merit scholarship. Since then, we’ve helped students get into Juilliard, NYU Tisch, CalArts, and conservatories more rigorous than the Ivy League—and yes, many Ivies do take portfolios.

Art, film, music, dance, theatre—these applications are a different beast. It’s not just GPA and test scores. It’s raw talent, refined storytelling, and the ability to present that talent so it sings. That’s where we come in.

We help students not only polish their portfolios—we help them stand out in them. Whether you’re applying to an elite conservatory, a top BFA program, or a college that values your art and your intellect, we build an admissions strategy that gets you seen.

What Makes Us Different? We Know What Talent Looks Like.

We don’t just “support” artistic students. We spot brilliance, help shape it, and know how to package it for the highest levels of admission. And when your kid’s work is promising—but not yet portfolio-ready—we bring in the real pros.

At Top Dog, we’ll connect you with working artists and mentors from film, writing, visual arts, dance, and music—industry professionals who’ve been where your student is trying to go. They’ll offer feedback, push your student creatively, and help them elevate their work to a professional caliber.

Our Arts & Portfolio Consulting Services Include:

• A strategic application map. We help you decide whether a conservatory, university arts program, or hybrid track is the best fit—and build the right list.

• Guidance on every requirement. Arts apps come with their own timelines, supplements, auditions, and submissions. We help you plan ahead so nothing gets missed.

• Portfolio development with teeth. We help students refine and curate their work so it tells a clear, powerful story—one that sets them apart.

• Summer + skill-building recs that matter. No fluff. We recommend the kinds of programs, classes, and projects that actually grow talent and catch eyes.

• Mentor matching. We’ll pair your student with a film producer, a songwriter, a choreographer—someone who knows the field and will give unfiltered, elite-level feedback.

• Essays that sound like a real artist wrote them. We help students write application materials that honor both their artistic voice and academic goals. No clichés. No copy-paste statements.

• Academic + leadership support. Even artists need solid transcripts. We help students stay on track and build up the leadership experiences that make them hard to ignore.

We’re Here for the Whole Artist

We know how vulnerable it is to send your work out into the world. We don’t just build strategies—we build students up. This process isn’t about becoming palatable. It’s about being powerful.

Whether your student is applying to Tisch, Juilliard, USC, or Yale with a music supplement, we’ll help them tell their story, showcase their voice, and get the spotlight they deserve.

Because at Top Dog, we don’t just believe in your kid’s art.

We get it.