The monthly planning guide for performing & visual arts students

When the winter term is in full force, spring and summer can feel very far off, but don’t be deceived by the time of year. Keep up the pace and prepare for the not-so-distant future. This monthly guide is designed to help students of the arts with simple, step-by-step college preparation tips. The big-picture goal is to help performing and visual arts students connect with the finest arts education!

Senior Arts Students — Send mid-year reports and continue to work hard. Ask your counselor to send your mid-year grade reports to all of the colleges to which you applied. Hone your arts skills in preparation for college, and remember that schools will continue to keep track of your grades, so it’s important to keep working hard throughout your senior year.

Senior Parents — Finish and follow up applications. 
Have your child complete all outstanding applications and auditions. Make copies of everything and save them! Unless confirmations have arrived, students should contact colleges by phone or online to check the current status. They should keep track of which people they are speaking with and find out if any materials still need to be sent in.

Junior Arts Students — Think summer and plan ahead. This school year is a pivotal one, and so is the upcoming summer. As a student of the arts, you can take advantage of a number of excellent programs to help get your know-how and skills up to college level. So don’t wait until summer to figure it out — you’ll be too late. Check out ArtsBridge Summer and scroll down to see the recent Jan 31^st blog post on popular summer arts programs.

Junior Parents — Help your student find the right summer arts program. Great summer arts programs help students develop personally and professionally. As you and your child begin to research programs, you should ask how they will influence your children now and in the future. The summer choices for junior year students can have a real impact on college admissions. See ArtsBridge Summer and scroll down for the recent Jan 31^st blog post on popular summer arts programs.

Sophomore Arts Students — Explore career possibilities. Explore all of your career options. You may or may not be heading for a career in the arts. Either way, speak with your guidance counselor, and do the research to learn about the tasks, education, and training necessary for each occupational area.

Sophomore Parents — Check in on student activities. We all know how valuable extracurricular activities can be. So take a good look to see if they’re going well. Make sure they’re not having a negative impact on your child’s studies. If so, you and your child should consider cutting back on some of the activities.

Freshman Arts Students — Be open to new areas. This is the time to explore your interests as well as areas you’ve never even thought about. All of it can eventually have a large impact on your career and your life. Discuss your skills and interests with your guidance counselor and take advantage of Career Day opportunities at your school.

Freshman Parents — Be open to change. High school is a time for students to explore new arenas and interests. So give them some leeway, and encourage your child to venture out. Watch to see if they’re blossoming or if they could use some guidance in pursuing new directions.

For all high school performing arts students, stay focused on school with an eye toward your summer arts plans. This year ArtsBridge Summer, the one-of-a-kind 2-week intensive for acting, dancing, and musical theatre, will take place in Boston, August 3^rd-17^th.