<p>Any opinions on these summer pre-college programs from people who have attended them:</p>
<p>Mass Art
Maine College of Art
Montserrat College of Art
Art Institute of Boston at Lesley U
Boston Museum of Fine Arts School
Boston University</p>
<p>Also if anyone has had experience with Cranbrook, that would be super. It's one of the summer art programs that takes kids as young as my D.</p>
<p>I know two people who were fine arts majors at BU's summer program, and they both said they had fun, learned a good amount, but maybe wished it was more intense.</p>
<p>I know a grad student who taught at Art Institute of Boston's program, and said the only downside was the mix of students. Some were very serious and talented, but others were miserable and clearly just killing time. Overall, though, she said it was a good program with a relativly clear focus if you're willing to work hard.</p>
<p>I know you didn't list it, but I did risd's program for the last two summers as a drawing major in 06 and architecture in 07. Not sure what to say other than they were the two best experiences of my life, hands down. Great faculty, great kids, and a ton of work. I suppose it partially depends on what you major in.</p>
<p>Overall, summer programs are an amazing experience if you're mature and willing to work hard. I can't really stress that enough - work hard, and by the end you're portfolio will be great. Sounds kind of obvious I guess, but I think it needs to be said: if you don't work hard, they are a waste of time, money, and energy. If you work hard, they will be one of the best experiences of your life, artistically and socially.</p>
<p>My friend also went to RISD's program last year and loved it. I went to Ringling's and it was great. I think any summer program will be a great experience and invaluable for any portfolio.</p>
<p>Thanks for starting this topic. Any experience with Pratt pre-college?</p>
<p>Would love S to attend RISD but there's a schedule conflict. Pratt's basically July and sounds great because it covers portfolio, fundamentals, art history and an elective.</p>
<p>My D attended Massart's summer program. It was a wonderful experience. It helped solidify her decision to pursue art in college. SHe came away with some excellent work to add to her portfolio.</p>
<p>neumes, I know kids who did Pratt's program (I want to say..for film?) and they loved it.</p>
<p>I've also heard a lot of good things about Parsons' program.</p>
<p>thanks, RyanMac.</p>
<p>I went to CSSSA. California State Summer School for the Arts.
It's AMAZING! It is actually a live in summer program, you dorm at CalArts. You actually are IMMERSED in art and it's just indescribable. </p>
<p>As said by my dorm mate about CSSSA vs. other pre-summer programs, "I went to CCA (pre-college summer program) and learned how to draw, but I went to CSSSA and found myself"</p>
<p>The fees are $1300 per in state (california) $4000 out of state. Though last year, we got people from texas, new york, japan, norway, mexico and egypt! It's worth every penny! Though I know people who qualified for a lesser fee and only payed around $250- though this is only available to in-state people.</p>
<p>said Innerspark at calarts was where my search all started. It was listed in Barron's huge summer camp guide I saw in the bookstore. Otherwise I did not even know these programs exsisted.
However, we can't get scholorship being out of state like you said.
Now, think about what you can get out of about same price here fancy art schools in East coast, it no longer sound too expensive.
Question
Do you have much contact with kids do other majors or art kids are roomed and moved around together?
How was food?</p>
<p>My daughter is a freshman in high school. We were thinking of using two summer programs, one when she goes into her junior year and one when she enters her senior year. Maine College of Art seems like a better fit when she's a junior, a less pressured environment. We might use RISD when she's a senior. RISD seems more like real college so I'd like to wait until she is older and can also take better advantage of it.</p>
<p>Or if we're low on money we can use MassArt. We live so close to Boston that the idea of going into Boston every day seems kind of humdrum, but we'll certainly use it if we can't go private.</p>
<p>RyanMac,</p>
<p>Wait, did you say you did RISD for two summers? Do many people attend for two years? Do you attend art school now? If so, what school? What's ypur major?</p>
<p>NewtonArtMom, </p>
<p>Yes, I did it for 2 years. In 2006, not many had been returning from 2005. I saw it as a pretty life-changing experience, and returned in 2007 because I loved it so much. In 2007, I knew probably around 4 students who returned. However, I know that many more from 2007 are returning for 2008. I guess people didn't think it was "allowed" or the curriculum might overlap, but after I talked to them a good number of people were very interested in doing it again. </p>
<p>I'm a senior this year. Since I want to study architecture, RISD ended up being the only art school I applied to, and I was accepted EA but have not decided where I will be heading next fall. As far as architecture is concerned, the work I got out of my architecture major class this year came out great, and every architecture school I talked to (Cornell, Rice, Penn, and of course RISD, etc) was extremely impressed with the level of work and depth of material we covered. </p>
<p>It's a 6 week residential program, with your major class twice a week for ~6-7 hours a day. You have a lot of work for the required classes as well. My architecture professor (who is actually a professor, critic, and lecturer at RISD) wrote me and basically everyone in the class who worked hard and produced good work great letters of recommendation. Three from my class applied early for architcture, and we all got in. At portfolio day, the representative told me that doing pre-college architecture is a "huuuuuuge" help to get into RISD's arch program. Not an exact statistic, but someone told me a very large % of the freshman arch class does precollege architecture major.</p>
<p>Other than that, roughly 1/4 of the entire freshman class is made up of pre-college alumni. So, aside from the great work you get for your portfolio, possible professor recommendations, and the amazingly liberating social experience, precollege is a nice boost on your art resume.</p>
<p>The only negative, I would say, is the price. It's certainly not cheap, and I split the cost with my parents both years (goodbye, summer job savings).</p>
<p>ps. is that Newton as in Newton, MA?</p>
<p>RyanMac,</p>
<p>Yes, We're in Newton, MA. My daughter goes to Newton North.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info!</p>
<p>Newton Art mom,
My daughter is also from Newton and went to the pre-college program at MICA in Batimore last year- it was a great experience, really well run and supervised, she had a great time and it helped her portfolio tremendously (and it probably helped her get into MICA). We also liked it because it was half the price of RISD (although that may not be true this year if they are going to Tuscany). I highly reccomend the pre-college experinece in general between the junior and senior year- it gives the kids a taste of college before the real thing. I have also heard good things about the Mass Art program if your daughter wants to stay local.</p>
<p>gatocat,</p>
<p>We're thinking of doing a pre-college after the sophmore year, one that's more local, like Maine College of Art or Massart. Then junior-to-senior she can try for MICA or RISD.</p>
<p>Is your daughter at MICA now?</p>
<p>Newtonartmom,
She is a senior in high school. She is accepted at MICA, waiting to hear from a few other schools. I haven't heard anything about the program at Maine, I have heard that Mass Art is better than the Museum School for pre-college, also BC has a good pre-college program and a good art dept.</p>
<p>gatocat - Is your daughter accepted in Mica for college or precollege?</p>
<p>findmepete,
She is accepted at MICA for college. She id the pre-college program at MICA last summer (between jr. and sr. year) and had a great experience.</p>
<p>gatocat - What is her intended major? Were there any teachers she liked in particular? How did she fell about the dorm experience and surrounding area or did she have much time to explore?</p>