<p>My daughter attends Interlochen's Visual Arts school and is looking for a summer program for the upcoming break. Unfortunately, we're discovering that most schools only take sophmores and older. She is already independent and extremely driven. I wish our local area had opportunities for her to continue building her skill base, but it doesn't.</p>
<p>Is anyone aware of strong pre-college programs that would allow her to apply?</p>
<p>If you can’t find a residential program, if she’s driven, she could assemble her own program of study. That’s got to sound good to a college. If she was a year older she could incorporate travel further afield on her own.</p>
<p>I liked the portrait/ self-portrait (?) in colored pencil. However, no one can study too much life/still life drawing then painting. Even just things around the house, friends, the town. </p>
<p>She can spend time arranging to visit/talk with local artists and crafts people. Let her experiment with different media- inks, oil sticks, pens, guache and also other arts and crafts- origami, clay modelling, paper engineering, book illustration, photography, making an artist’s book, printing. And visiting exhibitions of course. Let her fun and play and explore in her own way and see what happens. </p>
<p>She could frame it all within a project on a theme and see where it takes her. That would produce interesting sketch books for portfolio review. </p>
<p>However, she’s only 15 and needs to enjoy her other passions and interests e.g friends, cinema, literature, music, fashion or she’ll get worn out working all the time without any new inspiration being allowed in.</p>
<p>A number of the Art League-type instruction schools will allow 15-year olds into their drawing classes where there are mostly nude models. I second the statement that an art student can never get enough real-life drawing practice. When my now professional artist-daughter was 15, and also independent, she would take an early morning bus to NYC on Sundays. She would take a 3-hour art class at the student art league, and spend the day in NYC. She also took classes at our local art league every summer.</p>
<p>I appreciate everyone’s advice so far. Unfortunately, our local area just doesn’t offer the level of training that she desires and we had already exhausted her self study avenues before her enrollment at Interlochen.</p>
<p>For the sake of anyone else who might be in our position, I thought I would share what I learned. The following programs allow younger students to apply for their pre-college summer sessions. I am sure there are more out there, but these satisfied our needs for the time being and my daughter will be applying to a few.</p>
<p>My S attended UArts summer program and became a student there. It brought more from him out. I can recommend it but every artist is so different, it’s hard to suggest a fit.</p>
<p>Actually I just looked at the links to your Ds work. It’s good work but I can see why you want a good program to help her get to the next level if art is her passion.</p>
<p>If you can’t find a program for her age, you may have become a do it yourselfer as far as helping her advance artistically.</p>
