How to Apply

Participants must be age 14 or older, and be entering 9th grade or in high school (or equivalent) in fall 2024. 

While a strong academic profile is normally needed for acceptance, students may be accepted into courses where they have already demonstrated a strong background or ability in a specific field or subject. Apply early to reserve your spot and increase the likelihood you will receive your choice of courses.

Acceptance to any pre-college for high school students summer programs does not guarantee admittance to Ithaca College.

Early application is recommended. Admission is rolling and space in individual courses is limited. We require the following to complete your application:

1. Applications for 2023 are closed. Click Here to Indicate Your Interest in 2024. Parents/Guardians must create a Campminder account and complete the application on behalf of the applicant. Remember your log-in information as you will need it for future submission of payments and forms. 
2. High School Transcript (Summer College for High School Students and Ithaca Young Writers Institute only). Upload a current high school transcript (scanned or unofficial copies accepted) or your most recent semester grade report to your Campminder account. Please name the file starting with the applicant's last name, then an underscore character, then the word "transcript" (e.g. Jones_Transcript). You can also email your files via this Microsoft Teams email link.
3. Reflection (Summer College for High School Students and Ithaca Young Writers Institute only). Upload a written reflection to Campminder in response to the following prompt, or, email it as a PDF document (no shared files) via this Microsoft Teams email link. Please name the file starting with the applicant's last name, then an underscore character, then the word "essay" (e.g. Jones_Essay).
   • Prompt: What are the three most important things you would gain from participating in the summer pre-college program to which you are applying? 500 words maximum.
4. Pay the Application Fee. The application fee is paid here outside of your Campminder account. If you are applying to the Summer Theatre Conservatory, please note that the application is due by March 18, 2024, and there is a second step in the application process on Accept'd (see next section for that information) and an additional application fee associated with that program.

If you are applying to the Summer Theatre Conservatory, in addition to the Campminder application, you must submit an application on Acceptd (a $20 fee applies, fee waiver available). Please note that the deadline for Summer Theatre Conservatory applications to both Campminder and Acceptd is March 18, 2024. Applicants must submit the following files to Acceptd:

• A brief résumé (.pdf), including theatrical activities in high school, during summers, honors and awards received, leadership activities or offices held, and other significant non-theatrical activities.
• A current headshot or recent photo (.pdf).
• One (1) memorized Contemporary monologue (written after 1900) 60 – 90 seconds in length.
• Two contrasting songs: Each video should be 60–90 seconds, One song should be written prior to 1970. This song can be either the uptempo or the ballad (student’s choice). One song should be written after 1970 and contrast the style of the first.
• One dance prescreen is required: 30–60 seconds of dance in whatever dance discipline you are most comfortable with: jazz, ballet, modern, African, hip hop, lyrical, or contemporary – do what you love, move the way you love to move.
  • Dance media can be self-choreographed but must be a solo video of you. This can include a show, competition, or other performance so long as you are clearly featured on your own.
  • All choreography must be performed to music rather than a cappella dance media.  
  • All dance media should be filmed in a “head-to-toe” shot, taking care to keep the applicant’s entire body in the frame at all times.  

Please submit separate video clips for each of the above. These videos can be filmed on a handheld device or phone. It is not necessary to submit professionally filmed or edited video. Simply make sure you can be seen and heard.

You will be notified of your application status on average one week after the submission of a completed application and all accompanying documents. Additional time for application review may be needed by some of our program offerings, like our Summer Theatre Conservatory. Please reach out to the faculty director of each program if you have questions about your application status.

• Joslyn Brenton - Summer College for High School Students and Ithaca Young Writers Institute
• Courtney Young - Summer Theatre Conservatory

Upon being accepted into our program, a parent/guardian will be required to upload various forms to Campminder. You will be notified of this process upon acceptance into the program or can review our CampMinder Overview page. All forms will be delivered and received via the parent/guardian Campminder account so make sure to record your login information for Campminder.