PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAM

“If I hear anyone talking about Ox-Bow, I just say ‘Go!’” Grace Rowland said. A young veteran of Ox-Bow, Rowland has attended sessions five times in the past four years. What first brought them to campus was the Pre-College Program, an experience that Rowland emphasized was a remarkably influential time.

The Pre-College Program invites rising and graduated seniors in high school to Ox-Bow for a week-long course. The cohort based setting gives students a solid foundation in collegiate arts, while also exposing them to the culture and community of an Artist Residency setting. “It’s really hard for me to leave every time,” Rowland said, reflecting on the community that gets formed each session.

While the program took a hiatus from 2020 to 2022 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it will officially launch again this summer. “Every moment of the Pre-College experience is filled with experimenting, playing, and connecting within the special context of Ox-Bow,” said Claire Arctander, Campus Director and instructor of the Pre-College Program. She emphasized that the cohort of students directly impacts the structure of the course. “Students will collectively choose the direction they want their classwork to move in,” resulting in an experience curated to their interests and abilities.

Students of all ages bring a vibrancy to campus, and the bright-eyed enthusiasm of our Pre-College students is no exception. We look forward to welcoming the 2023 cohort to Ox-Bow and hope that they, like Rowland, will feel inclined to return for many seasons to come.

Ox-Bow School of Art’s Pre-College program is a one-week skill-building class designed for advanced high school juniors, seniors and recent graduates who are considering pursuing a degree in the visual arts. The pre-college program was founded by the late E.W. Ross, who served Ox-Bow for over 35 years as Faculty, Program Director, and later Board Member. Enrolled students are given the opportunity to evaluate and strengthen their commitment to the study of art, receive college level instruction, and receive 1.5 college credits through the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ox-Bow’s core academic program runs concurrently with these courses, providing PreCollege students with a sense of community as they interact with other artists taking classes.

In 2023, the Pre-College program returns reimagined with a new curriculum. Under the guidance of Campus Director, Claire Arctander, students will be challenged and encouraged to understand art-making as a holistic, on-going practice for both career and life fulfillment.

Funding is available, including one full scholarship, through the E.W Ross and Tipping Scholarships.

COST BREAKDOWN

$2678

$900

$50

$3628

Tuition For 1.5 Credits

Room & Board Shared Room

Lab Fee

Total Cost

For more information visit, www.ox-bow.org/pre-college-program