OCSA Welcomes Over 140 Colleges To Campus For Two-Day College Fair

As part of Orange County School of the Arts' (OCSA) mission to provide students with unparalleled preparation for success in higher education and a profession in the arts, OCSA hosts its second-annual College Fair on Oct. 26-27. With the goal to connect exceptional students with exceptional arts and academic programs, this year's College Fair welcomes representatives from more than 140 colleges, universities and conservatories. In addition to the standard booth set-up, OCSA's College Fair is unique in that the school has asked colleges to pitch ideas for master classes, academic sessions, panel discussions and workshops, giving students an in-depth look into their programs. Expanding from a one to two-day event offers even more opportunities for students to showcase their talents, network with college representatives, and learn about the college admissions process. For more information on OCSA, please visit www.ocsarts.net.

"OCSA's College Fair gives students and colleges meaningful time to connect and discover the potential for a good match," said Becca Freeland, OCSA dean of student services. "By bringing a large array of college representatives to campus, students can learn about the greater number of opportunities available to them upon graduation. They discover what it might be like to attend a certain school, learn how to be successful in the audition processes for specific programs, and receive advanced training and advice from higher education professionals."

This year's College Fair welcomes notable institutions of higher education from across the country and internationally, including: Brown University, CalArts, Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University - Peabody Conservatory of Music, The Juilliard School, Harvard University, Franklin University Switzerland, Oberlin College, Stanford University, University of Toronto and many others. For a complete list, please view the handbook online.

"When we come to OCSA we know that we are getting some of the most well-rounded, most prepared and confident students. They have good academic scores and are presenting themselves as the total package," said W. Colby Carson, director of recruitment for Carnegie Mellon University, at last year's College Fair.

Academic-related panel discussions present students with information on majoring in various subjects, including engineering, communications, education, business, psychology, political science and many others. Master classes and workshops give OCSA students the chance to receive audition advice, as well as gain new knowledge of their arts disciplines from university professors. Arts classes include: the University of Arizona Musical Theatre Audition Prep Workshop, the University of Albany Musical Theatre Dance Audition Master class, a New Media Workshop by Peabody Conservatory, a Game Design Workshop by New York Film Academy, a Brass Masterclass by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and many more.

Family members can attend information sessions with their students during College Night on Oct. 26 to learn about financial aid, the University of California and California State University school systems, writing personal statements, placement tests, college basics for first generation college students and more to help them best prepare for the application process.

OCSA seniors also have the opportunity to display their portfolios during a variety of showcases. Film & Television Conservatory students showcase their work at Bowers Museum and Visual Arts and Digital Media Conservatory students showcase their work in the Visual Arts Center on the school's campus.

OCSA's Master Artist Series event with the Kronos Quartet, as well as the Musical Theatre Conservatory's production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" are also a part of the College Fair agenda.

About Orange County School of the Arts:
The nationally recognized Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) provides a creative, challenging and nurturing environment that offers bright and talented students unparalleled preparation for higher education and a profession in the arts. Established in 1987, the school currently serves nearly 2,200 gifted students in grades seven through 12. In addition to a rigorous academic program, OCSA offers students the opportunity to focus on one of the 14 arts conservatories offered, including acting, classical & contemporary dance, classical voice, commercial dance, creative writing, culinary arts & hospitality, digital media, film & television, instrumental music, integrated arts, international dance, musical theater, production & design and visual arts.

OCSA has been named as one of California's Gold Ribbon Schools for 2017 and is an Arts Schools Network 2017-2019 Exemplary School. OCSA is consistently named one of America's Best High Schools by U.S. News & World Report, recognized in Newsweek magazine's annual list of America's Best 2,000 Public High Schools in the Nation, and ranked as one of the Best Charter High Schools in California by Niche.

OCSA is the only specialized arts program of its kind in the region to offer tuition-free academic and arts instruction to students from Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. The non-profit public charter school relies solely on private donations, totaling $8.5 million annually, to fund the pre-professional arts training programs. For additional information, visit www.ocsarts.net.

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