In an article published by The Chronicle of Higher Education, the author looks at the rise in popularity of Advanced Placement studio art classes for high school students. The AP courses, intended to offer a more intense collegiate learning experience, are offered in drawing, two- and three-dimensional art, and design, and are a good introduction to the type of work at art school.

Unlike math and science AP exams, however, studio art is much more subjective and can be very difficult to score. MICA Provost Ray Allen, who served as a reader on the College Board during the 1990s, provided his expertise on the matter when he said, "developing a rubric by which we would rate students in a consistent manner is probably the most difficult part of our job. On the one hand, you'd have people saying 'Skills be damned, I'm only interested in ideas and the delivery of them,' and on the other side, someone would say ‘Skill mastery is all I'm looking for.'"

To read the article, click here.