Fall, Winter, and Spring PreCollege
New York, USA
DURATION
1 up to 8 Weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
USD 1,153 / per course
STUDY FORMAT
Blended
Key Summary
Introduction
Develop your creative voice and build skills in art, design, and creative problem solving.
Fall, Winter and Spring PreCollege courses are designed for high school students to explore creative disciplines and prepare for admission to a degree in art, design, or architecture. During these college level programs, students create portfolio pieces for college admission and develop art/design skills while earning elective college credit. See course description for the modality of each course: in-person or online synchronous.
Courses, tuition, location, and schedules may vary by semester; please review the application or registration link for details and availability each term.
Please note that credit and noncredit courses have separate registration processes and deadlines.
1-Credit Courses
Credit-bearing classes are modeled after Pratt’s undergraduate curriculum and focus on specific areas of study available across the Institute’s offerings. Most classes are taught by Pratt faculty or alumni.
Each course requires dedicated time to complete assignments outside of class hours. Upon completion of the class, students receive a letter grade and one (1) elective college credit per class accepted at Pratt and most other universities.
Whether your interest lies in pursuing higher education in creative fields, or in establishing yourself as a professional in the creative industry, a carefully built portfolio can make a substantial impact on your skill development and educational goals.
Noncredit Courses
PreCollege noncredit courses are designed to support your creative practice, expand your technical skills, and build your portfolio. Each course includes assignments to be completed outside of class hours and students receive a pass/fail grade.
Admissions
Curriculum
Winterim 2023/24
Winterim PreCollege is an intensive, intersession program tailored for high school students looking to explore their creative horizons. In the span of just four class days, this program introduces students to the tools to grow your technical skills, work on pieces for your college portfolio, and begin to explore your artistic voice. The courses available for the 2023/2024 Winterim Program are listed below:
- 1-Credit: Graphic Design
- NonCredit: Portfolio Development – Discover
PreCollege Spring 2024
Spring PreCollege classes run over the course of 8 Saturdays from mid-February through mid-April. These classes are tailored for students looking to jumpstart their college career and earn elective college credit while still in high school or for guidance as they work to develop their portfolio. All classes have assigned homework. The courses available for the 2024 Spring PreCollege Program are listed below:
- 1-credit: Architecture
- 1-credit: Industrial Design
- 1-credit: Painting and Drawing
- 1-credit: Graphic Design
- NonCredit: Portfolio Development
Architecture: Reconstruct the spaces you use every day. This course is designed to introduce students to ideas, principles, concepts, and methods of architectural design in a studio setting. Through a graduated sequence of exercises, students explore the architectural concepts of space, form, function, scale, site, structure, and inhabitation through analytic and generative approaches.
Industrial Design: Reimagine everyday objects. This course will introduce students to the process of designing objects intended to meet the everyday needs of society. In this course, students will examine how embracing today’s social, physical, and ecological needs can present opportunities for creative design. Through drawing and model-making, students will explore, challenge, and redefine the forms and inventions with which we live.
Painting and Drawing: Translate the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface. This course covers fundamental issues in drawing and painting while enhancing perception and aesthetic awareness of Fine Art. Students will be familiarized with the visual language of line, shape, composition, proportion, perspective, and color; and are given the tools to express their ideas through a variety of techniques.
Graphic Design: Explore the impact of design and what makes a design successful in an ever-changing society. Learn basic design principles, computer graphics, and ways of thinking and seeing to create memorable, influential works. The course focuses on imagination, research methods, creative concepts, content development, and clear point-of-view through a series of projects. Design is world-making; from the typeface to the images chosen, seeking to create narratives with intention. Complete design projects toward your portfolio.
Precollege Noncredit Courses
Portfolio Development: Discover: Learn to shape your art and design portfolio in ways that reflect your creative voice. Students will research topics of personal interest, create one or more portfolio pieces that demonstrate their personal perspectives, and begin to draft an artist statement in this virtual studio class.
Note: PreCollege does not currently offer scholarship opportunities or payment plans for fall, winter, or spring students. Full payment for courses must be completed before the start of any course. Tuition does not include the cost of any materials or lab fees unless otherwise stated.
Program Tuition Fee
English Language Requirements
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