I highly recommend going to a portfolio review around you even if it’s a bit of a hike. I was pretty much accepted to my school on the spot during my review process, and it was a great way to see what other people are doing. I even had my portfolio reviewed by schools I had zero interest in going to, just to get back as much feedback as possible. But my portfolio was mostly photography, with a handful of paintings and drawings, nothing really design orientated. I brought the original drawings and paintings, and i printed some of my photos and just stuck them in a binder. That being said, I was accepted to RIT, and I did not get into pratt, i only applied to two schools.
heres a link to my portfolio, from the high school days: sangoma - Hobbyist, Traditional Artist | DeviantArt