CCAD College Preview

So pleased my child earned a partial scholarship to College Preview at Columbus College of Art & Design.

Akantha’s sister, Tori, attended Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, this summer! That camp was only one week long.

I was really nervous about them being away for three whole weeks, the longest I’ve ever been apart from them their whole life. But they did great!

They stressed in email communications and during orientation all the freedom the students would have. It’s truly a preview of what college will be like.

What I wished I had known:

• There is a communal microwave in the common lounge on each dorm floor (no fridge). Some students brought their own mini fridges.
• Lockers are provided for each student in each dorm room (I ran out and bought a lock, which I could have brought from home.)
• Three big trash cans are provided in each dorm suite.
• Floor mats for bathroom are needed!
• Students are responsible for their own meds. There is no nurse to turn meds in, like at every other camp we’ve ever attended, and these are minors, so I was surprised. (I ran to CVS and bought 3 of those little daily pill organizers, which I could have brought from home, had I known.)
• Maybe a full supply list, including anything recommended or optional, would have been helpful. My student had to buy paper from the shop twice and I had to send ink and pens via Amazon.

Overall, it was very organized and safe and seemed very well done. They’ve offered College Preview for over ten years.

My student did fine on their own, and only forgot their meds a couple times. They ate ok and we made sure they had access to money via Google pay and Doordash for snacks and supplies. It was nice that I was only about an hour away, but they didn’t need me.

The schedule was emailed and printed for each student. Educators for each major emailed their students some detailed information.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are each weekday and brunch and dinner on weekends. Weekends were for studio time. There is a cute little grocery on campus.

Morning sessions were for each major area of study:

• Animation
• Comics & Narrative Practice
• Fashion Design
• Fine Arts
• Film & Video
• Game Art & Design
• Graphic Design
• Illustration
• Interior Architecture & Design
• Photography
• Product Design

Afternoon sessions were assigned alphabetically to explore other artistic interests and information.

Some evenings offered fun events like a welcome bonfire in the courtyard, a visit from the Canid Center ambassadors, guest speakers, and optional city walks.

Weekly field trips:

• Franklinton Arts District
• Columbus Museum of Art
• Otherworld
• Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

There was a lovely art show for students Friday evening and for families and friends Saturday morning.

My little overachiever is the only comics student who made time to color their pages and also had the most pages (12!) to get their own wall for the show.

The commencement was short and it was so nice to see our students walk the stage for certificates of completion! My baby is a Barbie for sure.

The CCAD College Preview is a great experience for high school students who are interested in attending art school. While it is of course a pipeline for CCAD admission, it’s a good way to see if art school or a city college might be a good choice.

Follow Akantha on Instagram! Their commissions are open!!!

Linking up: Pinch of Joy, Eclectic Red Barn, Random Musings, Ridge Haven, Grammy’s Grid, Pams’ Party, Stroll Thru Life, God’s Growing Garden, Suburbia, Scribbling Boomer, Jenerally Informed, Esme Salon, LouLou Girls, Perfectly Imperfect, Grace Filled Moments, InstaEncouragements, Jeanne Takenaka, Joanne Viola, Homestead, Ducks in a Row, Fluster Buster, Slices of Life, Life at 139a, Modern Monticello, Coastal Bohemian, Answer is Choco, Momfessionals, Lisa Notes, Try it Like it, Shelbee, Katherine’s Corner, Pieced Pastimes,