Skip Navigation | Access Instructions |

ACCESS Summary

Overall Score: .75

Campus History:

The North Carolina School of the Arts differs from its 15 sister institutions in offering high school and college educations in dance, drama, music, and visual arts. The school was founded in 1963 during the tenure of Governor Terry Sanford. Winston Salem became the home of the first arts council in the nation. In a two-day telephone campaign, volunteers raised nearly a million dollars in private funds to renovate the old Gray High School building. Robert Ward, Pulitzer Prize winner and former faculty member at Julliard presided as the president when NCSA was incorporated into the University of North Carolina in the early 1970s. In 1974, Dr. Robert Suderburg's tenure as chancellor was marked by major improvements to the school, financed through state and private sources. Among these improvements were the completion of the Workplace and the opening of the Semans Library, partial renovation the Old Gray High School building and the renovation of the Old Carolina Theatre, now the Stevens Center . On July 2005, Gretchen M. Bataille, senior vice president for academic affairs of the 16-campus University of North Carolina , was named interim chancellor of the North Carolina School of the Arts. The School of the Arts has seen its enrollment grow to more than 1,000 students from more than 40 states and 20 foreign countries.

Student Population:

The students at NCSA are challenged to compete in their art studies. They can concentrate in drama, dance, design and production, filmmaking, music, and visual arts. Most of the students attend as full-time students, with only two percent part-time. Fifty-nine percent males and forty-one percent females make up the gender ratio. NCSA is a predominately Caucasian school, with sixteen percent of minorities. NCSA is a small college that has 738 undergraduates. A majority of the students are from out-of-state.

Weather and Topography:

During the fall, the temperature is in the seventies in the average daytime, but can drop at nighttime to 40s or 30s. The area gets little precipitation, but precipitation can vary. During the winter, the temperatures can become very cold in the 50s to 30s or even below. During the spring and summer, it is very warm with chances of more precipitation.

Disability Services on Campus:

Disability Services at North Carolina School of the Arts incorporate Student Services and Learning Assistance. According to the disability, whether it is hearing, sight, movement, or learning, the student may need documentation, so the school can arrange for the appropriate accommodations. The learning disability service is obtained by referral.