so im a junior in highschool right now and my portfolio isnt very good. I feel like a precollege would really enhance it and make my portfolio bigger and better. But right now in highschool i dont take art, instead i take woodshop. I have tried for 3 years to sign up for art but my high school schedule never works. Also i want to have a college experience. If there was a non art school that had an amazing art program that would be perfect. I would like to stick with Graphic Design or Industrial design. Recently ive been getting emails about the precollege programs. I have researched into RISD the most, i was wondering how is the graphic design program / industrial design program during the 6 week precollege. I would like to keep colleges and precolleges around the east coast. Does anyone have any feeback about experiences at RISD or PRATT or any other schools. Also if anyone has any suggestions for a non art school with a good graphic design/industrial art program that would be great
Hello,
I’m currently in senior and I have experience in RISD pre-college program 2015. Although I majored sculpture, I had friends in graphic design and their work from class was pretty awesome. Honestly saying, most courses risd provides in pre-college are exhaustive and they are very intense. My experience in risd, I may describe, was frusting fun. They give tons of work to do and you literaly have no time to sleep (though depends on your time management). However, I saw the working room which was placed on each dorm was always full of students until very late night (around 2-3) and some students were doing all nighter for the whole week just working on their projects. So, whichever class you take, you may work a lot, and of course the extent to which your technique and creative thinking in art improve is huge.
I also had a portfolio, which I thought was not that strong previously, enormously improved afther that 6 week of impressive hell in RISD.
And guess what? I got in RISD for early decision.
To answer your question directly, RISD does provide good classes for graphic and industrial design. Although I do not know specifically know about Pratt, if you are more interested in RISD, ask me more questions 
@yjik134 Congrats on your ED acceptance!
When you attended RISD precollege were there more rising seniors or juniors? Was it diverse? Were you supervised or did students come and go as they wanted? How about financial aid? Did you receive any or know anyone who did?
What was your background before attending? Did you already have a strong portfolio or did RISD help with the portfolio?
Hello @magnetnh !
When I attended RISD precollege, I was rising senior and I don’t know the accurate measurement for this but I found more rising seniors than juniors attending this summer program. It was culturally diverse as I myself is Korean who lives in South India and I had many friends from different cultural background such as Chinese, Portugese, Taiwanese, etc… It was more like a camp program in which you get to start pre-college life in RISD, you stay in shcool dorm, go to classes, and receive grades for your work.
One of my friends received scholarship for pre-college program including dorm, food, and tuition fees. You could apply only if you have US citizenship.
Lastly, I cannot say my portfolio was strong before attending risd precollege but it definitely improved after the 8 painstaking weeks. I used all pieces I made during precollege for my portfolio!
Do message me if you have any more questions : )