RISD 101: Pre-Collegiate Programs | RISD Undergraduate Admissions | 2024-2025

Overview

RISD’s pre-collegiate offerings include two distinct programs: a five-week, in-person residential summer program and a year-round online program offered in spring and summer. Both help students develop their creative practice and portfolios, while the residential program also offers an immersive experience of campus and life in Providence.

Programs

Advanced Program Online

• Intended for students aged 15–18 in grades 10–12. Rising sophomores may also be eligible if they turn 15 within three months of the course start date.
• Open to students at all experience levels, with no portfolio requirement or admissions test.
• Combines live Zoom sessions with recorded lessons and other materials accessed through Canvas. Live meetings give students opportunities to discuss their work and receive feedback from instructors and peers.
• Students progress through two phases:
  1. Fundamentals: Experiential Drawing and Exploration and Design.
  2. Concentration: More intensive study of a chosen topic or medium, paired with a liberal-arts course called Visual and Critical Language. This course includes virtual museum and studio visits, as well as discussions of contemporary art and its role in society.
• The concentration phase requires about 20 hours of work per week. The spring session was described as involving about 10 hours per week, with live sessions on weekends.
• Students may complete the fundamentals in spring and the concentration in summer, or take the full program during summer. Completing all four courses earns a certificate of completion.

Residential Pre-College

• A five-week summer program, described in the presentation as running June 28–August 2.
• Intended for rising juniors and seniors, generally ages 16–18. There is no portfolio requirement or admissions test, and students of all skill levels may apply.
• Students live in RISD’s freshman residence halls, attend classes in RISD facilities, and use many of the same campus resources as degree students.
• The program is a full-time commitment: approximately 40 hours of scheduled classes per week, plus at least 20 hours of homework. Students should not expect to balance it with other major commitments, such as summer employment, sports, or SAT preparation.
• Every student takes:
  • Drawing Foundations, emphasizing observation and visual expression using traditional and nontraditional materials and methods. Some work may involve live nude models.
  • Design Foundations, focused on conceptual thinking, experimentation, two- and three-dimensional design, and color theory.
  • A major, with options spanning areas such as drawing, painting, illustration, graphic novel, digital photography, graphic design, printmaking, ceramics, fashion, architecture, sculpture, jewelry/metals, interior design, glass, animation, film, art and activism, art and science, industrial design, and game design.
  • Critical Studies in Art, a liberal-arts course involving reading and writing about art, museum visits, and analysis of artworks in their visual, tactile, cultural, and historical contexts.
• The weekly schedule generally includes a full day each for Drawing Foundations and Design Foundations, two full days in the major, and a half day of Critical Studies. Studio courses assign regular homework and include peer feedback and critique.
• Majors fill on a first-come, first-served basis, so early application is encouraged. Because classes can fill, changing majors after placement is generally not possible. Students are encouraged to consider trying a new medium or area of study.
• The program ends with student exhibitions and showcases. Students leave with portfolio work, a transcript, and a certificate of completion. They may also request a recommendation letter from a student instructor.
• Pre-College does not award college credit. Students are encouraged to share their transcript and course syllabi with their home school, which may decide whether to award credit.

Teaching Approach and Student Experience

• RISD describes its teaching philosophy as “critical making”: students learn techniques while also questioning their ideas, materials, and decisions. The goal is to develop creative thinking, not simply to produce technically polished work.
• Critique is central to studio courses. Students explain their choices, give and receive feedback, and use discussion to develop their work. Presenters emphasized that critique can feel challenging at first but is an important skill and a valuable part of learning.
• Classes are taught by practicing artists, faculty, and creative researchers. Each class has a teaching assistant, typically a current RISD student.
• The residential experience includes orientation, campus dining, residence-hall activities, and access to studios and equipment, the museum, library, fitness center, and other campus resources. Students can also join activities and trips around Providence, including outings to the beach, and attend the Pre-College Artist Ball.
• Student wellness and safety resources include health services, counseling and psychological services, disability support, evening rides around campus, and 24/7 public-safety staff. Students who need accommodations are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services early and maintain supports they already use at school.
• Participants come from across the U.S. and abroad. Staff characterized the program as an opportunity to build confidence, make friends, experience a creative community, and assess whether art and design—and potentially art school—are a good fit.

Application and Financial Aid

• Applications are submitted through the Pre-College website. Students are encouraged to use their own email address so they receive application updates and program requirements directly.
• The application includes four short-answer questions and requires a parent or guardian signature. Staff said the written responses help them understand applicants and how they may fit into the community.
• Regular admission is rolling, with decisions expected to begin in late December and continue weekly until the program is full.
• A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. The scholarship application requires the short answers and parent or guardian signature, plus a recommendation letter, unofficial transcript, tax return, and other financial information.
  • The scholarship deadline given was Friday, January 24; scholarship applicants were to be notified by February 14.
  • Scholarship applicants do not need to pay the regular deposit, and reserved major spaces are held for them.
• Students accepted to the regular program secure their place with an $11,000 nonrefundable deposit. Exceptions to the refund policy are reviewed case by case. The remaining payment was due March 5.
• Accepted students must also complete additional requirements before attending, including housing and health-services forms, a physician’s signature, and vaccination records.
• RISD staff encouraged applicants to contact the program with questions and noted that portfolio feedback opportunities are also available through admissions events.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Marin Brennan — RISD admissions officer and host/moderator.
• Christina Byrne — Associate Director for Student and Operational Success; oversees Pre-Collegiate Programs.
• Noah Fraser — Application and Enrollment Specialist; RISD Pre-College alumnus and former RISD undergraduate.
• Grace George — Student Services and Enrollment Coordinator, RISD Continuing Education.
• Isabella Malay — Social Media and Digital Marketing Coordinator.
• Emily — RISD admissions officer and Q&A moderator; surname not stated in the subtitles.