Pratt Institute

Summer Pre-College Program
Brooklyn/Manhattan, New York


		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info

For More Information, Contact
Center for Continuing and Professional Studies
Summer Pre-College Program, Pratt Institute
200 Willoughby Avenue, ISC 205
Brooklyn, New York 11205
718-636-3453
Fax: 718-399-4410
http://www.pratt.edu/ccps-precollege

Type of Program: College-credit bearing precollege program in art, design, creative writing, and architecture
Participants: Coeducational; students who have completed grades 10–12, minimum age 16, maximum age 18
Enrollment: 400
Program Dates: Four weeks: July 7 to August 1
Head of Program: Pre-College Coordinator

Location

Pratt Institute, one of the world’s leading schools of art, design, and architecture has campuses in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Each site is located in the heart of museums, theaters, galleries, and culture and design centers. Pratt Institute’s Brooklyn campus setting provides ample space for student enrichment and the pursuit of artistic endeavors.

Background and Philosophy

Founded in 1887 by industrialist and philanthropist Charles Pratt, Pratt Institute offers precollege programs in art, design, architecture, and creative writing for high school students considering careers in those fields. The Pre-College Program is an intense learning experience; 4 college credits are earned upon successful completion. Students develop their creative talents and skills and build an effective portfolio for college admission.

Program Offerings

The Brooklyn campus accommodates residential and commuter students. The Manhattan campus is for commuter students only. The curriculum comprises four mandatory courses: an elective, a foundation course, an art history appreciation course, and a portfolio development course. Additional activities, such as the lecture series and cultural insights activities, are mandatory for Brooklyn residential students but are optional for all commuters.
Elective Courses Students may choose one of the following elective courses: architecture, art and design discovery, art history, creative writing, critical and visual studies, fashion design, fine arts/painting and drawing, graphic design, illustration (digital), illustration (traditional), industrial design, interior design, jewelry/metal arts, photography, sculpture, and media arts/video. Each elective course is worth 2 credits.
Architecture New York City, with its wealth of architectural treasures, provides the ideal setting for this intensive hands-on workshop. Students learn to think about an architectural problem, develop a solution, produce sketches, draft plans, and build models.
Art and Design Discovery (Brooklyn only) This course allows students to experience different disciplines in art, design, and architecture. Through hands-on projects and lectures, students sample areas of study such as fine arts/painting and drawing, illustration, graphic design, interior design, industrial design, and architecture.
Art History This course offers an introductory historical survey of Western art and examines the major artistic movements of the last 600 years within their social, political, and cultural contexts. Students can develop their skills in both visual analysis and critical thinking. They learn to recognize the distinct hands of individual artists as well as understand fundamental concepts. Painting, sculpture, architecture, and graphic art are explored as well.
Creative Writing This elective offers opportunities to develop writing skills in one or more genres and helps students prepare for college. Students begin with an examination of written language, the composing process, and voice, followed by exposure to various genres, including poetry, essay, fiction, writing for film, magazine writing, and text for Web sites.
Critical and Visual Studies This course draws its inspiration from the social sciences and humanities. This elective is an introduction to the relation between cultural practices and their various social contexts in the contemporary world. Through their explorations, students begin to develop the skills necessary to intervene in the production of culture. At the final Pre-College Art Exhibit, students present their critical analysis of a chosen aspect of culture.
Fashion Design (Brooklyn only) New York, a leading fashion capital, is the ideal setting to study fashion design. Students learn key aspects of the design process, including sketching, pattern making, and clothing construction. Participants apply real-world knowledge to their work after studio visits of successful designers and exposure to the industry’s many career options.
Fine Arts/Painting and Drawing This studio course enhances perceptual and aesthetic awareness through the creation of fine art. Instruction in drawing and painting incorporates various techniques, media, and subject matter. On-site work is an essential element of this course.
Graphic Design This course shows how and when to use photography, illustration, typography, and computer graphics to design logos, Web pages, books, video spots, exhibits, posters, and packaging. Field trips to great graphic design showcases and studios around New York City are included.
Illustration (Digital) In this elective, students analyze the style trends used in today’s illustration field and explore the trends of the future. Participants incorporate and develop their illustration skills while experimenting with scanning, digital photography, and software such as PhotoShop and Illustrator. Study combines technology and traditional illustration. Students are expected to produce professional-level work. The only deviation from established illustration is that the final outcome is digital.
Illustration (Traditional) In this course, participants explore ways to create pictures that communicate new ideas. Students develop their technical and artistic skills in drawing and painting and learn how photographic and digital media can enhance their art.
Industrial Design (Brooklyn only) Industrial design is the thoughtful creation of forms to find solutions needed in everyday life. This course examines how embracing today’s social, physical, and ecological needs presents opportunities for creative design. Through drawing and model making, students explore and redefine society’s forms and inventions.
Interior Design (Brooklyn only) New York City is the world center for interior design and is the perfect setting for this course, where space is shaped, planned, and furnished. There is emphasis on the impact of the interior space on the individual as well as various groups. Students work with the classic elements of light, color, form, and space in this exciting studio course. Students visit some of New York’s outstanding interior spaces and commercial showrooms.
Jewelry/Metal Arts (Brooklyn only) In this course, students design wearable art in silver, copper, and brass. This elective involves basic metal arts and jewelry-making techniques. Students learn basic techniques through demonstration and projects, including sawing, texturing, riveting, chain masking, and stone setting.
Media Arts/Video (Brooklyn only) This elective is an introduction to the craft and aesthetic of video. Students explore perception, motion, composition, and sequence in order to develop the language and grammar of video before engaging in actual video-making exercises and creative projects. The course utilizes lightweight cameras. Preproduction planning and postproduction digital editing are introduced.
Photography Participants achieve a broad-based knowledge of black and white photography by studying 35mm camera operations, lighting techniques, and darkroom procedures. Making contact prints, enlarging and finishing photographs, and techniques of shooting are explored. Introduction to color and digital photography is included. Students must have access to a 35mm camera. This studio course entails extensive fieldwork.
Sculpture (Brooklyn only) This course concentrates on the creation of three-dimensional art. It offers an in-depth examination of the materials and processes used in sculpture. It explores subtractive methods such as carving stone and additive methods such as construction with wire.
Foundation Courses Students enrolling in an art, design, or architecture elective automatically are enrolled in Foundation of Art and Design. Students enrolling in the creative writing or critical and visual studies elective are automatically enrolled in Foundation Writing Studio. Each Foundation course is worth 2 credits.
Foundation of Art and Design Students develop their skills in using color, shape, and other formal concepts basic to professional study of art and design. Modeled after Pratt’s first-year Foundation program and taught by professional artists and designers, this course expands participants’ visual thinking, strengthens their portfolio, and provides a basis for further study.
Foundation Writing Studio This course introduces students to traditional forms of writing and offers opportunities to develop individual writing skills across genres in preparation for college. Through reading assignments, writing exercises, workshops, and critical analysis of readings, students develop basic skills in expository and creative writing.
Art History Appreciation (noncredit) Mostly through guided visits at New York’s museums, students gain appreciation of a wide range of chronological and geographic periods, media, and disciplines. Students explore the many functions of art and the stylistic differences and similarities across historical periods. The course also serves as a complement to studio classes.
Portfolio Development (noncredit) In this course, students learn how to select what to include in their portfolio, based on standards set by top colleges, as well as develop the basic technical skills for creating a professional portfolio. Upon conclusion, students can have their portfolios reviewed by a Pratt admissions counselor to help them gain first-hand understanding of what might be expected by colleges.
Lecture Series (noncredit; Brooklyn only) The Pre-College lecture series invites successful artists, industrial design professionals, and architects to share their individual perspectives on the path they have chosen. Presenters speak for 20 minutes then answer students’ questions.
Cultural Insights (noncredit; Brooklyn only) Cultural insights are activities that allow students to explore the many offerings available in New York City. Students participate in social and cultural activities such as plays, museums, and studio visits. The activities are chaperoned, typically last 3 to 4 hours, and take place on the weekend.

Enrollment

American and international high school students enroll in Pratt’s Summer Pre-College Program; some students have extensive backgrounds, whereas others have had less training. Students who have completed grades 10–12 and are 16–18 years of age may apply. Generally, students who demonstrate the ability to benefit from the program are admitted.

Daily Schedule

There are about 30 hours of class per week. Weekends consist mostly of free, unsupervised time during the day, except for Sunday afternoon, and Friday and Saturday evenings, which include a mandatory Cultural Insights activity. The following is the daily schedule, Monday through Friday:

9:00–12:15
12:15–1:30
1:30–4:50
5:00–6:00
6:00–10:30

11:00

Class (mandatory)
Lunch break
Class (mandatory)
Dinner
Homework space available (optional) or evening
activity on Friday (mandatory)
Curfew

Extra Opportunities and Activities

American and international high school students enroll in Pratt’s Summer Pre-College Program; some students have extensive backgrounds, whereas others have had less training. Students who have completed grades 10–12 and are 16 to 18 years old may apply. Generally, students who demonstrate the ability to benefit from the program are admitted.

Facilities

The Pratt Brooklyn campus has twenty-three buildings, including an athletics center with a track, tennis courts, a sauna, and a weight room. The campus has centrally located air-conditioned residence halls, dining rooms, spacious studios, an extensive library, and art galleries. Both campuses have numerous state-of-the-art computer labs.

Staff

Pratt’s Center for Continuing and Professional Studies provides the leadership for the program. The faculty members for the Pre-College Foundation Program and electives are recognized writers, architects, artists, and designers. Expert guest lecturers and critics are also an essential part of the program. The Office of Residential Life oversees the residential portion of the program; a director and several advisers live in the residence halls. The staff members check curfews, organize small social activities, and monitor the living environment. All residents are expected to follow curfew.

Medical Care

All students must fill out health forms included in their Pre-College package. Staffed by a full-time nurse and counselor, Pratt’s on-campus Office of Counseling and Health Services is available to Pre-College students.

Costs

Tuition for the program is $2295. Other costs are as follows: student administration fee, $250; housing, $715; meal plan for residents, $625; local transportation for residents, $81; and optional commuter board plan, $150. Spending money of $300 for the purchase of art supplies is suggested. Prices are subject to change. The campus residence package includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the week and brunch and supper on weekends. Residence halls are available only in Brooklyn.

Financial Aid

Merit-based scholarships are available for qualified students. The deadline for applications and slides is April 1 (postmark). Late applications are not accepted. All scholarships are for tuition only; they do not cover supplies, room, or board. The Black Alumni at Pratt sponsors a full scholarship program (for New York State resident students of minority groups only). Interested students should call 718-636-3479 for further information. Scholarship applications and instructions for submitting slides of work can either be sent upon request or downloaded from the Web site.

Application Timetable

The registration deadline is April 1. Full payment deadline is May 15, by which time all tuition and fees are due. Applications are accepted as early as October. Since many classes fill quickly, students should apply early. A campus tour or overnight stay as a Pratt guest can be arranged through the Admissions Office (telephone: 718-636-3514). All applications must be accompanied by a $200 deposit, a $25 application fee, a letter of intent from the student, and a letter of recommendation from the student’s guidance counselor or art teacher. International students are required to complete the I-20 request form (available for downloading from the Web site) and submit a letter from their English teacher that states their level of spoken and written comprehension.