Pre-College Programs
Pre-College Programs
Pre-College Programs open doors for teens to explore exciting academic interests, build real-world skills, and get a true taste of college life. These immersive experiences help RAW’s 9th–12th graders step onto campus with confidence—celebrating their identities, discovering majors they love, and realizing what’s possible for their future. With Project Launch, you get personalized support to find and apply to the programs that match your passions and goals, turning opportunity into a powerful head start on your college journey. Scholarships available!
UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS + Scholarships
RAW is proud to collaborate with top-tier institutions — including Montserrat College of Art, Boston University School of Visual Arts' Summer Institute, and Northeastern University’s Accelerate Pre-College Program — to expand opportunities for our young artists and leaders. Through these partnerships, RAW youth gain access to specialized programs and college-level experiences that spark growth, confidence, and creative exploration. Each year, our partners award exclusive scholarships to RAW teens, helping remove financial barriers and opening real pathways to higher education. Together, we’re building meaningful bridges from creativity to college success!
art MOTIVATED pre-college programs
Pre-College Programs give high school students a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of art, film, and writing courses while experiencing life on a college campus. Expand your skills, experiment with different mediums, build your portfolio, and earn college credit!
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) — Baltimore, Maryland. “Collaborate with MICA expert faculty, visit working professionals, earn college credit, learn how to put together an application portfolio that stands out, and expand your creative skills.”
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) — Boston, MA. Summer Studios is an intensive four-week program for the young artist who is serious about their work. Students from around the world come together to experience MassArt and the environment of a higher education institution in the visual arts.
Montserrat College of Art — Beverly, MA. Students take a basic foundation drawing class, then choose two electives—digital photography, computer art and design, creative writing, painting, printmaking, illustration, or three-dimensional design. Upon successful completion of all three Pre-College courses, students are awarded three college credits. Scholarships for RAW Teens available.
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) — Philadelphia, PA. A month-long, college-level art-making experience in the nation’s first and premier school of fine art. Offers “rigorous courses in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and illustration taught by PAFA’s exceptional faculty of practicing artists.”
Otis Summer of Art — Los Angeles, CA. Summer of Art at Otis College of Art and Design is an immersive pre-college experience designed for high school students and young creatives ages 14.5 to 19. This four-week program explores college-level courses in art and design while helping refine skills and build a portfolio in a dynamic, studio-based environment. Full-day students can also earn three transferable credits.
Pratt Institute — Brooklyn, NY. Summer programs held on campus, high school students are immersed in a program of art, design, architecture, or creative writing, modeled after Pratt’s undergraduate offerings.” The Pre-College program is an immersion program, meaning students carry a full schedule Monday–Friday, and weekend events are mandatory.
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) — Providence, RI or Virtual. The month-long summer residential program offers high school students a comprehensive introduction to the college art school experience. Students follow a college-level studio curriculum and live in residence halls. Or be a RISD student from anywhere in the world, with live online classes two days a week and access to virtual resources and events.
School of Visual Arts in New York — New York, NY. The Pre-College Summer Program mimics a fast-paced foundation year experience in the New York art scene. Pre-College students are immersed in their chosen field of study through lectures on art history, theory, and the use of media and material, and include chaperoned trips around New York.
School of the Museum of Fine Arts — Boston, MA. In partnership with Tufts Pre-College Programs, SMFA at Tufts offers high school artists entering grades 10–12 the opportunity to engage with our interdisciplinary approach to artmaking. The SMFA Studio Art Intensive program is designed to help you elevate your practice, refine your techniques, and create conceptually rich portfolio pieces, intentional works of art.
California College of the Arts — San Francisco, CA. CCA Pre-College is a summer program designed to help young creatives develop their skills and experience what it’s like to attend college in our supportive, inspiring community.