Admissions FAQ
Who is eligible to apply to NMSA?
Students in 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade who are passionate about their art and eager to meet the challenges of a pre-professional arts mastery education are excellent candidates to apply to NMSA. Applicants do not need to have any prior formal training in the arts in order to apply. Students must be residents of the state of New Mexico to qualify for admission. You must provide proof of state residency at least 30 days prior to the first day of school.
What if I haven’t had any arts training before?
Students do not need to have any arts training to be accepted to NMSA!
What is the placement workshop?
This is NMSA’s criteria for admission. Students submit an online application and then attend an in-person Placement Workshop in the art department they applied for. You must take one workshop per department applied for. These workshops are generally 3 hours long and involve both instructional and evaluative lessons, providing the opportunity for students to demonstrate their Passion, Promise, and Aptitude. These workshops occur on NMSA campus. Want more information? Contact us!
What is the school day like?
Students attend academic classes from 9:10 am – 2:05 pm, and they attend their department’s art block classes from 2:15 pm – 4:55 pm. Academic teachers hold office hours from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. to provide extra support for all students.
What is the cost to attend?
We are FREE! As a public, charter high school, our academics are funded by the State. Our arts programming, however, is only partially state-funded, and therefore we are supplemented by private donations.
What are the academic requirements for admission?
We do not consider a student’s previous academic experience for admission. We only use the Placement Workshops for consideration for admission. Students who are accepted to NMSA are required to take academic placement tests before the school year begins in order to ensure they are placed in the appropriate classes.
Where do NMSA students go on to college?
Our students attend colleges and universities across the nation and globally! Graduates have been accepted to schools that include Otis College of Art and Design, Pratt Institute, Bryn Mawr College, Columbia University, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, Franklin University Switzerland, Eastman School of Music, Northwestern University, Occidental College, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and more!
What are the school’s entrance requirements?
Students must submit an application and attend a Placement Workshop in the art department they are applying for. Admission is based solely on the results of this process, rooted in the evaluation of the student’s Passion, Promise, and Aptitude.
Can I apply for more than one discipline?
Students can apply for up to two of our six art departments in a single school year. However, they can only join one art department when attending.
What if I live outside of Santa Fe?
We have a residential program with on-campus housing for students at least 65+ miles from NMSA’s campus! As a statewide high school, our students represent 55 communities and Pueblos from across the state. Students who live within distance of a reasonable daily commute get to school by Rail Runner Express, NM Park and Ride and Santa Fe public transportation or other, private means. Learn more about our residential program here! https://www.nmschoolforthearts.org/about/residential/
Who are the teachers I would be working with?
NMSA’s instructors are master teachers and professional artists. The school regularly features guest speakers, artists, and presenters from a wide variety and range of academic and arts disciplines, including residencies and master classes through the Guest Artist program.
What if I don’t necessarily want to major in the arts in college?
Many students who attend NMSA go on to study disciplines outside of the arts, including medicine, science, engineering and education. The skills that students acquire at NMSA, including discipline, time management, and resilience, are beneficial in any field. Whether students want to pursue arts after graduation or not, NMSA provides rigorous college entrance preparation, recruiting opportunities, and programs.
What is the Art Fee?
Each year, we will ask student families to pay a sliding-scale annual arts fee, if they are able. The fee is not required, and you may make partial payments, or opt out. You do not need to provide any documentation to opt out of the fee. The fee is 100% voluntary, participation in the arts fee program does not affect your student in any way.