This checklist tells you what Juniors should focus on and when as you apply to college. Junior year in high school can be very busy. Creative students need to start researching colleges early as they will need to prepare and submit portfolios and audition materials, in addition to writing many supplemental essays. A downloadable checklist tells you what you should focus on and when as you apply to college.

Pre college summer programs are a fantastic opportunity to develop new skills, meet creative students like yourself, and see what it’s like to immerse yourself in a creative environment. This list of pre college programs has links to over 25 programs for students interested in visual arts, animation/film, performing arts, writing, and music.

Of course academics are a major consideration when developing your college list, but there are social and financial considerations as well. Here are some things to think about as high school juniors make start researching colleges.

BFA/BMA, BS, BA should you choose one over another? What’s the impact of each degree? What’s the difference? Knowing what a college offers integral to making an informed decision about your education.

The ability to write an Artist Statement is important, as it both shows colleges that you are a strong writer, and gives them more insight into you as an individual. Almost all BFA programs in all disciplines require at least one freshman writing seminar, so you need to demonstrate the ability to write a short essay.

Your portfolio might be the most important part of your BFA college application. Here are some tips for how to create your portfolio so you highlight your personal artistic narrative and stand out from other applicants.

The Common Application is the platform used by 900 schools to submit your application. The main components are the personal statement and the activities list, but there are other aspects to submitting your applications which are important as well, all outlined for you in this blog.

Attending National Portfolio Day allows high school visual artists to receive invaluable expert critiques of their portfolios before submitting their applications.

During our RIT campus tour, we explored why art students are drawn to tech schools and delved into the College of Art and Design, as well as the School of Film and Animation. Notably, RIT's support for deaf and hard of hearing students, including those with auditory processing challenges, is impressive, offering generous scholarships to those who qualify.

Cornell University features two schools for creatives: the College of Architecture, Art and Planning and the College of Human Ecology. As part of the land grant program, three schools, including the College of Human Ecology enable New York state residents to qualify for in-state tuition.

Ithaca College houses two premier schools for creatives: the Park School of Communication with an outstanding film, tv and radio program, and the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance a conservatory program housed within a university giving you also all the advantages that setting allows.

Syracuse University is an R1 research university but for creative students it is the home of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and the School of Architecture.

Learn how to select schools who award merit aid and how to craft your applications to receive this great aid.

The Common Data Set provides an array of important information about colleges including acceptance data, graduation statistics, and financial aid information. It is a must have piece of your college research. Read this blog to learn more about it and how to find it for each school.

There are many reasons to attend a College of Art and Design and there are many reasons to attend an art school within a university. There’s no right or wrong, it’s all about you and what you want. Read about the differences in this blog.

Your personal statement is your 650 word “elevator pitch” here are some tips for writing it.

A key part of your college application is your recommendations. This year probably more than before, those recommendations will be an integral way a college will learn about how you will contribute to their academic and social environment.

Learn how to write your extracurricular activities so they show your hard work. There are tips and tricks to writing this section, give it the time it deserves to tell colleges about all your passions and interests.