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Admissions
Boston Arts Academy is the only public school for the visual and performing arts in the City of Boston. Our students are passionate about the arts, work and learn together as a community, and reflect the diversity of the city. Even more, they learn to use their voices for change.
If you’re interested in applying to become a part of our community of artists and scholars, we invite you to learn more. You can plan to attend one of our upcoming Admissions Presentations, contact us with any questions, or get started with the application process below.
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national and/or ethnic origin, age, disability, pregnancy, homelessness, ancestry, or genetics.
Grades Blind
We do not consider a student’s prior academic or behavioral record when considering admission.
All Levels of Experience
We’re looking for students who are passionate about the arts. All interested students, regardless of experience – from beginner to expert – are encouraged to apply.
Full Inclusion
We like to look at prospective students in the light of what they can do, not what they can’t do. BAA is a full inclusion school.
Prepare: Review Application and Audition Requirements
To apply to BAA, you will be asked to submit an online application and complete an in-person arts audition/portfolio. Please review the Audition Requirements for your specific arts major under the Auditions navigation tab since the requirements vary per major.
We have both admissions events you can sign up for to learn more detailed information about our process.We highly recommend students attend one of our Admissions Presentations (in person on select Fridays at 10am ) Audition Workshop (in person on November 18 at 9:30am-12pm).
You can view our full Admissions Timeline here.
Submit: Audition Application
Friday, January 26, 2024Create an account through Acceptd and apply. You will receive a confirmation email once your audition application has been submitted. Students are welcome to audition for up to TWO majors, but must submit ONE audition application per major.
Attend: Auditions
Friday, February 2 and Saturday, February 3, 2024All students will be required to complete an in-person arts audition along with their application. Students will be assigned a specific date and time.
Callbacks (By Invitation Only)
After auditions are submitted, some students may be invited to attend a live callback. This is not a sign of acceptance or non-acceptance, rather the panel simply wants a second look before coming to their final decision.
Respond: Take Next Steps Based on your Decision Letter
Decision letters will go out via email on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 after 6pm. Every student who completed the admissions process will receive a decision letter indicating whether they were Accepted, Waitlisted, or Not Accepted.
A panel composed of staff from BAA, the ProArts Colleges, local community arts organizations review auditions for prospective students. Depending on the chosen arts major, auditions will be judged on physical ability, versatility, technique, originality, and creativity.
We encourage all prospective students to attend our Audition Workshop prior to their audition. The Workshop is a great opportunity for caregivers and students to meet the judges and ask questions about the audition process. The Audition Workshop is for all majors: Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts & Design.
Audition Requirements
All applicants must be City of Boston residents at the time of applying and must be going into grades 9-12* for the 2024-2025 school year.
Please note: At this time, for the MEP major only, we are only able to accept students going into grades 9 and 10 for the 2024-2025 school year.*
The admissions process for all majors consists of a two-part process:
1) Submitting an Application
VAD majors only will upload portfolios into their application before submitting
2) Completing in-person Arts Audition all majors
However, the specific audition requirements and judging criteria vary per major. Please be sure to review your chosen area of study prior to auditioning:
DanceMusic - InstrumentalMusic - VocalMusic- Media Entertainment ProductionTheatreVisual Arts & DesignWho can apply to attend BAA?
You must be a Boston resident to apply to the Boston Arts Academy (BAA) as we are part of Boston Public Schools. Wondering if your neighborhood qualifies?: Allston, Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown-Leather District, Dorchester, Downtown, East Boston, Fenway-Kenmore, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mid-Dorchester, Mission Hill, North End, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, South End, West End and West Roxbury.
We’re looking for students who are passionate about the arts. All interested students, regardless of experience, are encouraged to apply. BAA considers applicants for all grades, however please note that only for the MEP major we are only able to accept students going into grades 9 and 10 for the 2024-2025 school year. Students applying for grades 10-12 who pass their audition are automatically placed on a waitlist until a seat becomes available.
Do you provide interpretation services?
We are happy to provide language interpreters for any of our events. Please request services two weeks prior to the event by contacting the Admissions office: baa-admissions@bostonpublicschools.org.
I have an IEP/504 Plan, do I need to tell you prior to my audition?
Our application process is academic blind, meaning there’s no need to tell us ahead of time, unless you need to request specific accommodations for your audition. Our students come with a wide range of academic strengths and needs, and we are a full inclusion high school. If you are admitted to BAA, we will need a copy of your IEP/504 Plan as soon as possible.
How do I audition?
You must apply online by submitting our Application. Once you have submitted the application, you will receive an email confirmation. At a later date, your audition date and time will be sent to you via email. Be sure to review our full admissions process.
Can I audition for more than one art major?
Absolutely! Students are welcome to audition for no more than two arts departments. If you do decide to apply to more than one, you will need to fill out one application for each arts audition. If a student is accepted from both auditions, they must select one art to pursue for their time at BAA.
Where are you located?
We are located at our new state-of-the-art facility at 174 Ipswich Street in Fenway. Our new home features high-tech fashion and fine art studios, a cutting-edge STEAM (STEM + Arts) lab, a rooftop recital hall, professional theaters, and more. You can view this virtual tour of our future building.
I received my decision. What do I do next?
Accepted
After a student is accepted to BAA, they should review the Admitted Students page for more details on next steps which include both required documents and important new student events/dates.
Waitlisted
Waitlisted students will be contacted directly if/as soon as a seat becomes available in their grade and major. Students will remain on the Waitlist until the end of December. If students are not contacted by then, they can reapply during the following school year in order to be considered for BAA.
Not Accepted
Students who are not accepted will receive a list of recommended local community organizations where they can continue to pursue and develop their art form/s. Students are more than welcome to re-audition each admissions year.
Appeals Process:
We are committed to ensuring an equitable and impartial audition process that allows every student the opportunity to prepare and present their best possible audition. By formally stating in writing that you would like to appeal the decision, we will move forward with the process.
In the appeal process, we will review:
Scores and feedback from the judges for any irregularities and/or discrepancies.
The application and audition process for any procedural irregularities that were not in accordance with the admissions policy and published procedures that could have affected the outcome of the decision.
Any specific information about the student that was communicated to the admissions team that was not considered in the audition such as specific accommodations because of illness or disability.
This review will be completed within 10 days of receipt of your request to appeal and the results of the appeal will be communicated in writing with a rationale for the outcome. If the appeal is granted, the student will be invited to reaudition with a similar panel.
Please provide us with any additional information that you would like for us to consider when reviewing the appeal.
Congrats on becoming a part of the BAA community! There are a few more steps to complete the admissions process, which include both required documents and admitted student events. You can click below to learn more detailed information. We can’t wait for you to join us in the coming year!
Next Steps for Admitted Students