Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)

SAIC was voted the most influential art school in US. It has 2,842 undergraduates and offers an interdisciplinary education. No letter grades are given as assessments are critique based. Undergraduate degrees offered include: Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA); BFA’s w/ an emphasis in either writing or art education; and Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Visual and Critical Studies. Students study in various buildings in the hub of downtown. Popular majors include fashion design, film, video, media and animation, and art technology (video game design). Students must submit a portfolio which may include: digital files/actual work, video, sound performance/documentation, writing and scripts, proposals, and sketchbooks.

Summer Opportunity: High School students may apply to SAIC’s Early College Program (ECP), a residential 2-4 week summer session on campus where students can work on their portfolios required for admission to SAIC or another institution .