Idyllwild Arts Academy
The Idyllwild Arts Academy is the country`s premier and internationally-acclaimed residential arts high school (9th-12th; PG) (August through May) which provides pre-professional training in the arts and a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum to a diverse student body of gifted young artists.
Idyllwild Arts Academy's 320 students hail from more than 35 countries and 29 States to pursue artistic excellence in Music, Theatre, Dance, Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Film & Digital Media, InterArts, and Fashion Design.
Graduates of Idyllwild Arts Academy currently excel in every professional field of the arts including Broadway, Film and Television, Classical and Jazz music, Design, Photography and more.
Alumni Reviews Review School
- Review Description
- Belmont University Idyllwild Arts has an incredibly unique community of faculty and students. Since the campus and the town of Idyllwild is so isolated, those who live there become very close to each other.. . .
- DePaul University Living in the incredible town of Idyllwild is a really incredible setting for any aspiring artists around the high school age. It was inspiring to be living in nature while also being close enough to. . .
- Chapman University Living on campus surrounds you with your education and makes you think about it in the context of your life in a more efficient way than traditional high school. The arts focus offers more connection. . .
- Show more reviews (14 reviews)
Top Rankings
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Idyllwild Arts Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 304 schools) for:
- Category Attribute
- Diversity High percentage of international students
- Faculty Education High percent faculty with advanced degrees
| Definition of Terms | 2021 School Data | Idyllwild Arts | Boarding School Avg. |
| School Focus | Pre-prof. Arts / College-prep | College Preparatory |
| Grades Offered | 9-12, PG | 5-12 |
| School Type | Co-ed | Co-ed |
| ADD/ADHD Support | Yes | Yes |
| Supports Learning Differences (LD) | Yes | Yes |
| Religious Affiliation | Non-denominational | Non-denominational |
| Year Founded | 1986 | 1907 |
| Campus Size | 206 acres | 125 acres |
Student Body
| Enrollment | 320 students | 306 students |
| % Students of Color | 20% | 25% |
| % International Students | 50% | 20% |
| % Students Boarding | 90% | 70% |
| Average SAT Score | 1100 | * National Avg. »View |
| Average ACT score | 27 | *National Avg. » View |
| Offers Post-Grad Year | Yes | No |
Academics and Faculty
| Saturday Classes | Yes | No |
| Frequency of Saturday Classes | Bi-Monthly | Weekly |
| Classroom Dress Code | Casual (No Dress Code) | Casual |
| Average Class Size | 13 students | 12 *National School Avg. » 20 |
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 5:1 | 7:1 |
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 19 | 18 |
| ESL Courses Offered | Yes | Yes |
| % Faculty with Advanced Degree | 85% | 70% |
| Summer Program Offered | Yes | Yes |
| Summer Program Cost | $3,265 (Various programs for students age 5-105. Prices vary based on program and program length. ) | |
| Summer Program Details | Link to Summer Program Details | |
Tuition Cost
| Endowment Size | $6 million | $24 million |
| Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students) | $64,090 (2019-2020 Academic Year. Does not include fees.) | $59,050 |
| Yearly Tuition (Day Students) | $30,000 (Does not include fees. ) | $32,995 |
| Tuition international students | $67,091 | $54,500 |
| % Students on Financial Aid | 60% | 40% |
| Avg. Financial Aid Grant | $30,000 (Granted based on Merit, Talent, and Need.) | $25,000 |
| Merit Scholarships Offered | Yes | No |
Acceptance Rate
| Application Deadline | Jan. 15 / Apr. 1 / rolling | Jan. 15 |
| Accepts Standardized Application | Yes | No |
| SSAT Required | No | Yes |
| Acceptance Rate | 65% | 57% |
| Director of Admissions | Tara Sechrest | |
| Associate Director of Admissions | Jara Ruiz-Anchia | |
Course Listings
| List of Courses Offered | Link to List of Courses |
AP / Advanced Courses
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 19 | 18 |
| Courses | Advanced Honors Biology, Honors Acting Seminar (Theatre Majors), Honors American Literature, Honors Calculus, Honors Calculus II, Honors Chemistry, Honors Classics in Western Literature, Honors Counterpoint (Music Majors), Honors French, Honors Gov & Econ, Honors History of Western Civ, Honors Literature of Western Thought, Honors Physics, Honors Pre-Calculus, Honors Spanish, Honors Technical Theatre Seminar (Theatre Majors), Honors U.S. History | |
Sports
| # Interscholastic Sports Offered | 6 | 16 |
| Sports | Ballet, Climbing, Dance, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Tennis | |
Extracurriculars
| Total Extracurricular Organizations | 12 | 23 |
| Extracurriculars | Club or Organization: Animal Rights Club, Archery Club, Environment Club, Gay Straight Alliance, Hiking Club, Movie Club, National Honor Society, Peers' Ears, Prefects, Running Club, Student Government Arts and Music Programs: Pre-Professional Training in the Arts | |
College Matriculation
| Year: 1999 - 2003 | 10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled) | |
| Juilliard | 16 | |
| USC | 16 | |
| NYU (Tisch) | 10 | |
| University of Michigan | 10 | |
| San Francisco Art Institute | 8 | |
| Curtis Institute | 6 | |
| Rhode Island School of Design | 6 | |
| Eastman | 5 | |
| Emerson | 3 | |
| Stanford | 3 | |
| Link to Matriculation Data | ||
School Notes
- The Arts Academy is located 5500 feet up in the mountains above Palm Springs in the San Bernardino National Forest. We are 2 hours from Los Angeles, 2 hours from San Diego and 1 hour from Palm Springs.
- Academic classes are held Monday-Friday mornings and arts classes are held from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. There could be Saturday classes depending on major.
- Upon graduation our students are accepted to Juilliard, Brown, Oberlin, University of the Arts London, Parsons, Johns Hopkins, USC, Stanford, Yale, UCLA, Chicago Arts Institute, CalArts, Rhode Island School of Design, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, University of Michigan, and NYU, just to name a few.
- LD types supported: Support offered on an individual basis.
- Idyllwild Arts Academy accreditations: WASC, Western Boarding School Association (WBSA), National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), NETWORK of Performing and Visual Art Schools, Secondary School Admission Test Board (SSATB), California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), Counci
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Shepard Fairy - Graphic Artist and Designer
- Neal Beasley - Princess Grace Award Winner - Modern Dance, Trisha Brown Dance Company
- Orpheo McChord - Percussionist, Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros
- Casey Abrams - American Idol 2011 Finalist
- Trevor Hall - Recording Artist
- Marin Ireland - Tony Award Nominated Actress
- Elora Hardy - Founder of IBUKU in Bali, Indonesia
- Cristy Candler - Broadway Musical Theater Actress
- Vesselin Gelev - Associate Concertmaster - London Philharmonic
- Liang Wang - Principal Oboe - New York Philharmonic
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