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Pre-College Summer Art and Design at Parsons Paris

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What's Included

High school students are introduced to the art and design college experience in Paris. The program is open to high school students entering their junior or senior year and recent high school graduates. Many enroll to develop a portfolio for the college admissions process.

What's Included?

Highlights

Pre Departure Services

Advising

@api Online System

Orientation Materials and Resources

Access to International Phone Plans

API Alumni Network

Social Networking

On Site Services

Airport Reception

API Center

On-Site Orientation

Resident Director

Tuition

Medical and Life Insurance

Social and Cultural Activities

Welcome and Farewell Group Meals

Volunteer Opportunities

Monthly Transit Pass

Day Trips (one per session)

Housing

Re-Entry Services

Re-Entry Materials and Support

Post-Program Evaluation

Transcript

Alumni Network and API Ambassador Program
View all opportunities and amenities

Application Requirements

  • Ages: 16 – 18
  • Minimum 2.75 G.P.A. (Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis, and students below this threshold are encouraged to apply. These students may be asked to submit a letter of recommendation and participate in a Skype interview.)
  • Completed API application
  • Non-native English speakers must provide TOEFL scores of 79 or above or IELTS scores of 6.5 or above to show proof of English proficiency. These students may be asked to participate in a Skype interview to determine English proficiency.
  • Entry requirements for US and EU passport holders: a valid passport
  • Entry requirements for all other international students: consult the French Consulate in your home country
Dates & Fees
Session Program Dates Program Cost Application Deadline Payment Deadline
Summer 2 Jun, 2021 - Jul, 2021 $7,650 Mar 15, 2021 Apr 1, 2021 Apr 1, 2021
Excursions

API students participate in several excursions per session designed to help familiarize them with areas of their host city, country, and surrounding region. The following is a listing of all excursions for API Paris programs. All excursions are subject to change.

  • Château de Chambord

    Visit the château de Chambord and take a hayride through the Chambord forest on the paths that Leonardo da Vinci used to wander with French king François the first. With its unique architecture and vast forestland, Chambord castle is one of the most famous Loire Valley châteaux. We will then visit a traditional French farm that produces goat cheese, marmalade, and blackcurrant syrup – tasting is included of course!

    Possible cultural events in Paris include:

    • Picnics and tastings (French pastries, cheeses, crepes)
    • Local tours (Quartier Latin, Versailles, Hidden Marais, Pere Lachaise)
    • Visits to museums (Musee de la Mode, Louvre)
    • Visits to famous landmarks (Notre-Dame, Eiffel Tower, Montmartre)
    • Visits to local markets, the ballet, and/or the theater!

    Day trips and cultural events are subject to change

Program Details

What You’ll Study

TOTAL CREDITS - 3 semester credits

High school students are introduced to the art and design college experience in Paris. The program is open to high school students entering their junior or senior year and recent high school graduates. Many enroll to develop a portfolio for the college admissions process.

Classes are held from approximately 9am-4pm. Students will choose ONE course to complete over the three-week program. No pre-requisites required.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFORMATION

Meals are not included, but the hotel accommodation includes a daily continental breakfast. Students will be provided with information about affordable local options for meals near the Parsons building and near the hotel upon arrival in Paris.

All pre-college students are met at the airport by on-site staff on the program start date. A group return transfer to the Charles de Gaulle airport is also included on the last day of the program. Students receive detailed flight instructions upon their acceptance into the program and should wait to purchase a flight until receiving more information post-acceptance.

TRANSCRIPTS

Transcripts for Parsons students are issued by the Registrar’s Office and carry the signature and seal of The New School. A transcript is confirmation of a student’s permanent record at the university. API will send one transcript per student to the address the student indicates on the Transcript Release Form. Students who need additional copies of their transcript may submit an official request to The New School Registrar’s Office.

Parsons Paris, founded in 1921, is accredited by NASAD (National Association of the Schools of Art and Design) and by MSCHE (Middle States Commission on Higher Education), and is recognized by the French Ministry of Education as a Private Establishment of Higher Education (Etablissement d’Enseignement Supérieur Privé).

  • 0If6Mgdktoohf8Lce3Dy

    Rose Tierny

    Rose will be one of your Resident Directors for Parsons Paris and is a resource for you while you are living abroad with us in France!

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    Yuné Jang

    Yune will be one of your Resident Directors at Parsons Paris and will be a resource for you on campus!

  • Rebecca Cott Head Shot

    Rebecca Cott

    Rebecca Cott will be your Program Manager and prepare you to go abroad!

    Email - rebecca.cott@apiabroad.com

  • Photo Pro Allison 7137F161171992377C5A9B3F24Fdf716

    Allison Brown

    Allison Brown will be one of your Resident Directors at Parsons Paris and a resource for you while you are in France!

  • Milena Duviviez

    Milena Duviviez

    Milena will be your Student Life Coordinator in Paris and will assist you in adjusting to life in France!

Courses

COURSE OFFERINGS

All Pre College Summer 2 courses are full-day studio courses. Students provide their own art supplies. The supply list will be sent by the faculty to the students before the program begins. We usually estimate the cost to be $400 for most studio classes (drawing and fashion, especially). This cost can be lower if students already own some supplies and bring them from home, and it can be higher, if students choose more expensive fabrics and materials for final projects, etc.

Courses are not guaranteed to be offered. Students should be flexible with their course choices.

CREDIT INFORMATION

Courses are equivalent to 3 U.S. college credits. Transcripts will be issued by The New School, a U.S.-accredited institution.

Portfolio Preparation

Students will research, construct, and enhance appropriate work with a range of digital tools, and design a consistent portfolio. This course will develop the editing and typographic skills, to frame and present the artwork with relevance and clarity, in an articulate manner, both online and PDF format, with a range of digital tools and platforms, and prepare for admissions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

Explorations in Drawing

This course introduces students to drawing as both a fundamental part of the design process and an integral tool for media arts of all kinds. Students approach drawing as a way of thinking, a critical tool, and a means for observation, storytelling, and representation. Traditional and nontraditional methods, media, and theories of drawing are all explored.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

View Syllabus   

Fashion Design Process

Coursework has usually consisted of lectures, small group brainstorming sessions, and time for students to work independently. Students will utilize a variety of media forms throughout the Fashion Design Process course, including 2D pattern-cutting, 3D draping, photography, videography, and more.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

View Syllabus   

Fashion Photography: History and Practice

This course aims at crossing theoretical and practical approaches to let students acquire basic knowledge in understanding fashion images and in creating them.

Students will learn how to analyze fashion photography using interdisciplinary tools, from history to sociology and semiotics. In parallel, students will experiment with practical photography techniques at a professional level in order to be able to produce a fashion shoot, from the preliminary research to the final realization in collaboration with a model. Workshops, field trips, and exhibitions are also proposed during the course.

The course will explore photographic methods that enable students to see and interpret the meaning of style. Paris is the historical capital of Haute Couture and luxury fashion, but students will also appreciate it as a city of fashion subcultures in which appearances can express social and political claims.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

Introduction to Design and Management - All Day Studio Course

Students learn to approach management as a strategic process that combines design innovation and business knowledge. In collaborative projects, they develop problem-solving skills and familiarity with design strategies through the application of research methods, prototyping, and quantitative analysis. Emphasis is placed on understanding a European setting and perspective and the way entrepreneurs, business innovators, and designers operate at the intersection of design and management.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

View Syllabus   

Introduction to Jewelry Design

In this introductory studio course, students will receive an overview of the fundamentals of jewelry design, focusing on key contemporary methods and materials. This specialized course is an introduction to the design and construction of jewelry objects and collections. It offers a full overview of the specific techniques, practices, processes and opportunities that characterize this strategic sector. The project developed within the studio focuses on the design and development of a line of jewelry items, including all the sequences of a professional design process, from the field research to the sourcing of materials, and from the initial material experimentations and sketches to the prototype development and presentation.

Explorations in Painting

This course introduces students to painting as both a fundamental part of the design process and an integral tool for media arts of all kinds. Students will learn basic concepts of painting such as color theory, composition, and techniques for using water based paints. Drawing will also be taught as a means for observation and representation. Traditional and nontraditional methods, media, and theories of painting are all explored. Time will be dedicated for students to develop a personal project.

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

Highlights
  • Classes taught in English
    • World-renowned art and design school
      • Earn 3 U.S. college credits and a college transcript from a U.S. accredited institution (The New School)
        • Top U.S. and international accreditations (including NASAD and Middle States)
          • Intimate class size
            • Best-in-class education in creative disciplines, including art, design, business of design, and fashion
              • Courses taught by leading industry professionals from the world's two fashion capitals - New York and Paris
                • Metro pass included
                  • Housing: double hotel room
    Housing

    Students will stay in a three-star hotel located 20-25 minutes via subway from Parsons Paris. All student rooms are double-occupancy with private bathrooms. Continental breakfast is included every morning. Internet service is available at the hotel and phone service is available for an extra fee. Laundry facilities located nearby are recommended, as the hotel's laundry service is expensive. Students can choose to opt out of housing for a deduction from the program cost.