For more than 25 years, CCA’s Pre-College Program has been an inspiring opportunity for high school students to study art, architecture, design or creative writing in an art school setting while earning 3 units of college credit.

Review a typical Pre-College day »

Summer 2014 Program Dates

June 23 to July 18

Immerse yourself in a college-level curriculum and become part of a creative community, meeting and working with other talented, serious students from diverse backgrounds.

Pre-College provides a perfect platform to expand your knowledge, grow as an individual, develop strong portfolio pieces, and get a taste of college life.

Watch a short video about Pre-College »

The Bay Area: An Ideal Classroom

While taking courses on CCA’s beautiful and historic Oakland campus, you can explore the San Francisco Bay Area’s rich culture and geography.

The Bay Area’s combination of thriving urban centers and wild open spaces has long been a draw for creative individuals.

An abundance of culture and history exists here:

• the commercial creative endeavors of Pixar and Lucasfilm
• the legacy of the 1950s Beat poetry scene
• world-renowned museums such as the de Young and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
• recent architectural projects by Renzo Piano, Daniel Libeskind, and Herzog & de Meuron

As a Pre-College student you will find inspiration in this unique environment. Approximately 250 students attend each summer, many of them from around the country or from abroad; 160 of these students reside in CCA housing.

Take the Oakland virtual tour »

Watch the Pre-College Video