Just Leave Me Alone It’s Winter Break!

Elaine Pelz Art School, Getting Into College, High School, Parent/Educator, Student Resources, Visual Arts, Visual Arts

A Winter Break To-Do List for High School Visual Artists. Here’s a December dilemma: Winter break is just around the corner. That long-awaited time to relax is almost here. Ideally you can sleep in, hang out with friends, spend time shopping, or just chill to Adele’s latest. Time for a well deserved respite from your responsibilities, right? Yes, and no. …

3 Tips to Finding Your Best College Environment

Elaine Pelz Getting Into College, High School, Student Resources

Back to school always brings a rush of adrenaline. New classes and new teachers, new after school activities and new routines fill the calendar. While you’re focused on the newness immediately in front of you, I hope the prospect of college is whispering in your ear. In reality, it probably feels more like a roar. The endless questions mashing together …

Take the Stress Out of Your Visual Art College Search

Elaine Pelz Getting Into College, High School, Student Resources, Visual Arts

Sometimes the college search process can feel like you are lost in a giant maze. How do you stay focused and know which path to take when you can’t get a birds eye view of all the possibilities? The word disconcerting comes to mind. Finding a good college match requires studying numerous options, answering countless questions, and making thoughtful choices. …

CSSSA College Connection Visits New York University

Marshall Ayers Acting, Performing Arts, Playwriting, Student Resources

 Meet Chelsea Barker Chelsea’s career in theatre started in 7th grade when she volunteered to be a stage manager. In high school, she also “played boys” because that’s what you do when you go to an all girls Catholic School. She even played a lobster in Alice In Wonderland and “yes, there were no actual lobsters written for the original …

CSSSA College Connection Visits Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Marshall Ayers College, Drawing & Painting, Getting Into College, High School, Sponsors, Student Resources, Summer Program, Visual Arts, Visual Arts

Meet Chuck Chuck Alston attended California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) in 2013 and studied painting. He is currently a freshman at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) in Philadelphia. Growing up in Richmond, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area, Chuck knew from a very young age that art was part of his identity and …

The CSSSA College Connection Visits Bennington College

Brennan Dignan Music, Performing Arts, Sponsors, Student Resources

Meet Isabel, CSSSA 2012 Los Angeles native Isabel Wing attended the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) music program in 2012. If you asked her in high school if she would end up in rural Vermont for college she would have said it wasn’t even on her radar.  Isabel came to CSSSA when she ran across an advertisement for the …

3 Ways To Know What College Admissions Are (Really) Trying to Tell You

Brennan Dignan Performing Arts, Student Resources, Visual Arts

College Admissions for Performing and Visual Arts Students by the CSSSA Foundation Bridge to College Program. Imagine you are at the beach and start to wade out into the ocean. You get about waist deep and notice a huge wave coming toward you. What do you do? You take a deep breath and dive into the wave. Well, that is …

Top 5 Tips for Portfolio Reviews

Rebecca Tuynman Drawing, Student Resources, Visual Arts

If you’re a student thinking about applying to art school, it’s that time of year: portfolio reviews. Whether you are going to a college fair or having an admissions appointment at a school, you will need to bring a portfolio of artwork to show to the admissions representative. As Education Manager at Ryman Arts I’ve overseen ten years of college fairs, …