2025 Pre College Programs
Attending a pre college program can allow you to experience an art school to see if you like it, try new courses to add work to your portfolio, perfect techniques for both your portfolio or audition, or meet new friends and professors who share your interest in art. These programs vary in length from a week to six weeks, some only accept students 16 years or older so if you have a younger student be sure to check the age requirements. Here are some pre college programs for architects, creative writers, visual artists, performing artists (acting, dance music) and filmmakers, if you need help deciding which might be best for you schedule an appointment to meet with us today.
As we hear about additional programs we add them to the list.
Auburn https://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opce/auburnyouthprograms/summercamps.htm A very wide range of creative and career informative one week residential sessions range from architecture to veterinary exploration and a lot in between.
Berklee College of Music https://www.berklee.edu/summer In person and online courses, one week to five weeks for students as young as young as eight (for day students) and as young a 15 for residential programs in both instrumental and vocal performance.
California College of Art https://portal.cca.edu/learning/summer-cca/ In person and online courses in visual arts.
Carnegie Mellon https://www.cmu.edu/pre-college/academic-programs/summer-session.html Six week courses in about 30 different subjects including architecture, AI, product design, and creative writing including both visual and performing arts.
Champlain College https://www.champlain.edu/prospective-students/future-undergraduate-students/pre-college-summer-programs Three “academies” in game design, cybersecturity, and filmmaking.
Chapman University https://www.chapman.edu/admission/undergraduate/visit/summer-camps.aspx offers summer programs in dance, music, engineering and pharmacy.
Cornell https://sce.cornell.edu/precollege Online only courses in everything from ASL to Writing, but also includes courses in design and environment, fiber science/apparel design, and studio art.
Drexel/Westphal https://drexel.edu/westphal/academics/pre-college-programs/ includes programs in music industry, CGI and several "discovering" a subject courses allowing students to take a short course to learn more about a subject and determine their interest.
Emerson https://www.emerson.edu/majors-programs/pre-college-programs/acting Emerson’s program is returning for 2025 and while not announced yet, if the past indicates the future they will offer programs in theatre related areas including acting, production design, and creative writing.
FIT https://continuinged.fitnyc.edu/search/publicCourseAdvancedSearch.do is a resource for year round courses if you live in NYC as well as summer and online programs, both in fashion and in general arts.
Georgia Tech https://design.gatech.edu/precollege offers two, two-week programs in architecture, building construction, product design, and music technology.
Interlochen https://www.interlochen.org/summer-arts-camp Programs in creative writing, dance, film/new media, interdisciplinary arts, visual arts, music, and theatre, they have programs for students younger than 16.
Iowa Young Writers https://iyws.clas.uiowa.edu/ Two week residential and six week online courses in creative writing.
Kansas City Institute of Art (KCIA) https://kcai.edu/summer-programs/ Offers two two-week residential sessions in animation and traditional art mediums.
Launch X https://launchx.com/summer-program/ Online and residential programs for students to develop actionable business plans.
Loyola Marymount (LMU) https://summer.lmu.edu/programs/programfinder/#programs A variety of two and four week on campus programs including Social Impact Filmmaking, Journalism, and other allied courses.
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) https://www.mica.edu/non-degree-learning-opportunities/programs-for-youth/programs-for-teens/summer-pre-college-program/ Two week residential program in visual arts which include a portfolio development component.
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) https://ycp.miad.edu/summer-pre-college-program/ Two and three week programs beginning and advanced studio concepts.
New York University (NYU) https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/high-school-and-middle-school-programs/high-school-programs/nyu-precollege.html A wide variety of visual, filmmaking, performing arts and creative writing programs.
Northwestern https://nhsi.northwestern.edu/ Five week programs in film, acting, debate and playwriting.
Notre Dame Architecture https://architecture.nd.edu/careers-alumni/career-center-resources/career-discovery-for-high-schoolers/ Twelve day intensive for students considering architecture.
Pace https://www.pace.edu/pre-college-immersion-program/courses Two week programs in film and theatre.
Parsons https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/youth-pre-college-programs/ Online and in person courses are offered at both their NYC and Paris campus, in visual arts, photography, fashion, product design and others.
Pratt https://www.pratt.edu/continuing-and-professional-studies/precollege/summer-precollege/ Three and a half week program in all areas of visual arts.
Ringling https://www.ringling.edu/precollege/ Four week visual art intensive programs in animation, illustration, motion design and arts management.
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) https://precollege.risd.edu/ Six week visual arts intensive that includes foundation courses as well as selection of a “major” where you can select from 21 different offerings.
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) https://www.scad.edu/academics/pre-college-programs Wide array of visual and performing arts programs, including animation and film, in one week seminar format, and "Rising Stars" five week programs at both their Savannah and Atlanta campuses.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) https://www.saic.edu/high-school-programs/early-college-program-summer-institute Offers one, two, and four week sessions in a wide range of creative areas including courses for both beginning and advanced students.
School of Creative and Performing Arts (SOCAPA) https://www.socapa.org/ Programs in dance, film, photography, acting, music offered two and three week sessions in Vermont, California and New York City.
Stanford Medicine https://stanfordmedicalhumanities.org/ Offers 12-day in person (but NOT residential) and virtual programs in Art and Anatomy, Video Games for Health, Storytelling in Medicine, and Human Centered AI.
Syracuse https://precollege.syr.edu/ A wide variety of courses offered in person, online and hybrid, and for one to six weeks, in the visual and performing arts.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) https://summer.ucla.edu/summer-programs/precollege-summer-institutes/ offers a wide variety of two-week summer programs (commuter, residential and virtual) in film, architecture, game design, musical theatre, and a host of other interesting programs.
University of Massachusetts/Amherst https://www.umass.edu/uww/programs/pre-college/residential/summer-design-academy Three week online or residential architecture design program (other non arts based programs are offered as well).
University of Michigan/Stamps https://stamps.umich.edu/pre-college Residential and online program for visual arts students grades 9-12 including two residential two-week portfolio prep courses.
University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) https://www.uncsa.edu/summer/index.aspx Intensives in animation, filmmaking, dance, drama, music, visual arts, view each discipline for specific program lengths.
University of Pennsylvania/Wharton https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/programs-courses/product-design-academy/ Which offers a three week course in product development from ideation to market.
University of Southern California (USC) https://dramaticarts.usc.edu/programs/summer-programs/high-school-summer-conservatory/ Conservatory style summer acting program in acting, comedic arts and musical theatre.
Washington University (WashU)/Sam Fox https://samfoxschool.wustl.edu/academics/pre-college-programs Two week architecture discovery program and three week Portfolio Development Art + Design program.
Yale Summer Drama Program https://summer.yale.edu/courses-programs/summer-drama-program Five week conservatory acting program.