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Academy Students and Families


Welcome Academy Students and Families

At Interlochen Arts Academy, young artists find the high school they may only have imagined possible. Here, you’ll find information to help you prepare for the Academy, understand the wide array of campus resources available to support students, and find ways to stay engaged as a family. If you need assistance, please call the Student Affairs Office at 231.276.7378 or email academy@interlochen.org.

Resources

Course Catalog
View the full course catalog for specific offerings in both the arts and academics.

Packing List
Required items for specific arts areas, and required and optional items for students living on campus.

Academic Calendar
Important academic dates for students.

Tuition Payment
Three different payment options.

Canvas
Our learning management system for online discussions, conferences, and file sharing.

Student Handbook
The Academy pledge, policies, guidelines, and other crucial information for all students.

Counseling & Wellbeing
Psychological and mental health support for students.

Information in Other Languages
Downloadable literature about Interlochen Arts Academy

A student's perspective

Learn how four-year Interlochen Arts Academy dancer Austin Dabney made the leap from Interlochen to the Boston Ballet.

Find Support

Interested in speaking with someone directly about Interlochen Arts Academy? Contact a member of our staff below.

Ken LaBate

Ken LaBate

Executive Dean of Admission

231.276.7372 231.276.7372 Send Email
Andrea Kennard

Andrea Kennard

Assistant Director of Admission - Music Programs

231.276.7419 231.276.7419 Send Email
Alicia Jablonski

Alicia Jablonski

Assistant Director of Admission - Creative Writing, Film & New Media, Interdisciplinary Arts, Theatre, and Visual Arts Programs

231.276.7467 231.276.7467 Send Email
Yvonne Cheng

Yvonne Cheng

Manager of Strategic Recruitment and Partnerships - Dance Programs

231.276.7439 231.276.7439 Send Email

A parent's perspective

Arts Academy parents discuss how Interlochen has shaped their children's lives and helped them thrive artistically, academically, and socially.

Frequently Asked Questions

Students can take elective courses outside of their major, though not all courses are open to non-majors. If a student meets the prerequisite(s), space is available within the course, and they have time in their schedule, they may enroll in a course outside of their major.

Students can select their academic courses; however, they will be limited on what they can take based on having met the prerequisites as well as college admissions requirements. For example: All sophomores must take English II; however, sophomores may differ in the science they take, and some may not take a science at all. Students will work with their academic and college counselor to determine what courses make sense for them based on their personal goals. For a complete list of courses, including prerequisites, please view our Course Catalog.

Students have the opportunity to take eight hours of academic and artistic instruction between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. each class day, leaving room for a 50-minute lunch break, 30-minute office hours, and an optional zero hour (7:30-8:20 a.m., upper-level academic electives). The schedule is designed to allow students to take four academic classes per year and four hours of artistic classes.

Interlochen is accredited by Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Students will submit a transcript from their previous school, which will be forwarded to colleges at the time of application. Credits earned at a student's previous school will count toward graduation requirements and be evaluated as part of a student's college admissions process. Interlochen will not combine transcripts; all transcripts will remain stand-alone documents.

Arts Academy News & Features

A woman dressed in black hiking clothes stands in front of a green and mountainous landscape with ancient ruins.
Way beyond a translating app: Arts Academy Spanish instructor Brittany Adams helps her students make real-life connections

Her high school passion took her from college studies in Seville to a stint in the Peace Corps and ongoing work with migrant families. Today, Adams encourages her students to develop empathy and understanding for the millions of Spanish speakers worldwide.

Students show off signs from the colleges to which they have been admitted.
College bound: Interlochen Arts Academy Class of 2025 graduates will attend top colleges, universities, art schools, and conservatories

The Juilliard School, Harvard University, and Eastman School of Music are just a few of the schools that have accepted Interlochen’s graduating seniors.

An aerial view of Dow House and The Dance Center.
The most unique boarding schools in the United States: A comprehensive guide

From a world-renowned arts institution to a Quaker-inspired farmstead, these unconventional boarding schools provide exceptional learning experiences while redefining what education can be.

The 2023 Tony Award
Interlochen alumni earn nominations for 78th annual Tony Awards

Director Michael Arden, set designer Dane Laffrey, and composer Benjamin Velez are among an exceptional cohort of nominees for Broadway’s most coveted prize.

Derek Brockington
Dance Theatre of Harlem Company Artist Derek Brockington to deliver 63rd Interlochen Arts Academy commencement address

A 2015 graduate of the Academy, Brockington performed with the Grand Rapids Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet before joining Dance Theatre of Harlem in 2018.

An elderly woman, stylishly dressed, teaches a class of dance students.
Renowned dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp shares wit, wisdom with Arts Academy students

Reflecting on how Ms. Tharp transformed her perspectives on dance, one student calls the experience “the chance of a lifetime.”