Idyllwild Arts Academy
Overview

A vascular surgeon with offices in four California cities (Idyllwild Arts Academy Class of 1989). An award-winning environmental scientist-activist (Class of ’92). A prolific inventor (Class of ’94). A dynamic immigration lawyer (Class of ’02). A Silicon Valley high-tech executive (Class of ‘03). And even a planner of high-end weddings whose work “requires” her to scout out the glamorous destinations chosen by her clients (Class of ’02). They all share with many successful professional artists the distinction of having graduated from Idyllwild Arts Academy. Idyllwild Arts is an internationally acclaimed residential high school (9th-12th; PG) providing pre-professional arts training and challenging college-prep academics to 300-plus students from around the world. On a breathtaking 205-acre campus in the pine forests of the San Jacinto Mountains, two hours by car from Los Angeles and San Diego, each of these talented and ambitious young people specializes in Music, Visual Arts, Theatre, Dance, Creative Writing, Film & Digital Media, Fashion Design, or Interdisciplinary Arts. And through innovative collaboration between the Academy’s academic teachers and its arts faculty, which includes working artists in many disciplines, Idyllwild Arts students also acquire the skills and confidence to succeed in any field.
Academics
Summary: At Idyllwild we agree that the best art is made by people who are well informed about the world. We offer first-class academics because we think the best education happens when imagination is valued and where creativity is recognized as a path to open minded thinking and critical analysis. Idyllwild Arts students grow to understand that creative passion enriches our lives wherever we live them: in dialogue with fellow artists, with a patient, in the courtroom, in government service—even in the deceptively simple interaction with one’s own children. More specifically, the Academy’s graduation requirements prepare students for any institution of higher learning of their choice. Honors levels are offered in all subjects in order to offer a competitive college preparatory curriculum and to challenge students to push beyond minimal academic expectations.
Department Director
Student/Teacher Ratio: 5:1
Average Class Size: 15
Summer Programs: Offered
Full Time Teachers: 34
Number of AP Courses Offered: 0
Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 90%
Number of IB Courses Offered: 0
Learning Support
- Learning Differences Support
- Peer Tutoring
- Study Skills Assistance
English
- Classics
- Creative Writing
- Honors
- Literature
- Playwriting
- Poetry
History
- Classical History
- European History
- Honors
- Medieval History
- United States History
- World History
Foreign Languages
Religion / Philosophy
- Mythology
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- World Religions
Humanities / Social Sciences
- Psychology
Sciences
- Anatomy
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Health
- Physics
- Physiology
Math
Music
- Composition
- History of Jazz
- Individual Instructions
- Music Appreciation
- Music History
- Music Theory
- Opera
- Orchestra
- Soflege/Ear Training
- Songwriting
- Voice
Performing / Visual Arts
Special Programs
- Internships
Campus Life
Dorm Life
Number of Dorms: 6
Average Students Per Dorm: 45
Number of Girls Dorms: 4
Number of Boys Dorms: 2
Dorm Amenities
- Laundry Facilities
- Lounge
- Vending Machines
- Wireless Internet
Other Dorm Amenities
Facilities
- Basketball Court
- Fitness Center
- Technology Center
- Soccer Field
Other Facilities
Clubs & Organizations
- Community Service
- Dorm Proctors
- Environmental Club
- International Club
- Literary Magazine
- National Honor Society
- Peer Counseling
- Peer Tutoring
- Photography Club
- Sexualities Club
- Student Activities
- Student Government
- Student Publications
- Theater Club
- Weightlifting Club
- Yearbook
- Yoga Club
Arts & Athletics
Arts Department Director:
Athletics Department Director:
Arts
Interscholastic Sports
Recreational Sports
- Basketball
- Dance
- Hiking
- Mountain Biking
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Weight Lifting
Graduates
College Information
Percentage of graduates who attend college: 99%
Middle Percentile of SAT Scores | Reading | Math | Writing |
---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | |||
75th percentile |
Notable Alumni
Shepard Fairey
Class of 1988
Artist and Creator of the Obama HOPE Poster
Marin Ireland
Class of 1996
Tony nominated Broadway Actress
Neal Beasley
Class of 2000
Dancer and Recipient of the 2004 Princess Grace Fellowship for Dance
Julian Barnett
Class of 1998
Choreographer
Elora Hardy
Class of 1999
Bamboo architect in Bali
Liang Wang
Class of 1999
Principal Oboe of the New York Philharmonic
Nate Lowman
Class of 1997
Artist
Trevor Hall
Class of 2005
Singer lyricist & guitarist
Casey Abrams
Class of 2009
American Idol/Jazz Vocalist & Bassist
Merit
Merit Scholarships: Offered
Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: 5%
Average Merit Scholarship: 5,000
Current Endowment Amount: $6,000,000
Vital Information
Student Body Type: Coed
Total Boarding: 250
Total Day: 40
Total Enrollment: 290
Boys: 87
Girls: 203
Boarding Grades Offered: 9-12
Day Grades Offered: 9-12
School Type: High School, Post-grad
Dress Code:
Applications Accepted: SAO
Application Deadline: Rolling
Tuition & Financial Aid
7-Day Boarding: $63,690
5-Day Boarding: N/A
Day Tuition Fee: $30,000
Need-Based Aid: Offered
Payment Plans: Offered
Students Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Awarded: $36,000
School Finances
Merit Scholarships: Offered
Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: 5%
Average Merit Scholarship: $5,000
Current Endowment Amount: $6,000,000
Contact
Director of Admissions: Tara Sechrest
Admissions Phone: 951 468 7223
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.idyllwildarts.org
Nearby Schools
- The Webb Schools (CA) - 63mi / 102 km
- Southwestern Academy - 84mi / 135 km
- Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy - 88mi / 142 km
- Besant Hill School - 148mi / 238 km
- The Thacher School - 148mi / 239 km
- Ojai Valley School - 152mi / 245 km








