SDA Schools

Our Name

SDA stands for Scuola di Atene — Italian for "The School of Athens," Raphael's great fresco. The name was our founder's idea — she's an opera singer, so naturally the school got an Italian name. (The proper Latin would be Schola Atheniensis, but that's only two words — only the Italian gives us all three letters: S-D-A.)

In Raphael's painting, philosophers, mathematicians, and artists gather under one roof, debating and creating side by side. That's the school we set out to build: a place where art, music, film, and technology meet, and where young creators learn, create, and achieve.

About Us

• SDA Schools is a creative portfolio and career development studio supporting students and emerging artists at every stage — from high school and college to graduate study and professional practice.

• We specialize in helping individuals build strong portfolios, develop industry-level skills, and gain real-world experience through professional mentorship and internship opportunities.

• Our programs span music production, film, animation, digital arts, and game design, designed to prepare students not only for academic admissions but also for long-term creative careers.
  
  

Join SDA Schools

What We Offer:

• College & University Preparation
  Portfolio development and application guidance for art, music, film, and design programs.

• Graduate School Support
  Advanced portfolio refinement and mentorship for MFA and creative graduate applications.

• Professional Training & Internships
  Hands-on industry experience in real production environments to prepare for creative careers.
  
  

SDA College Portfolio Preparation Program

Accept High school students

Transfer applicants

• College Application Preparation

• Art School Portfolio Preparation  (art, design, 3D)

• Music School Portfolio Preparation

• Film School Portfolio (film, animation, media)
  
  

SDA Graduate School & MFA Portfolio Coaching

MFA

MA / PhD creative programs

• College Application Preparation

• MFA portfolio preparation

• graduate art school application

• creative grad school coaching

SDA Professional Creative Training & Internship Program

• creative internship program

• film production internship

• music production training program

SDA Interdisciplinary Student Development Program

• A four-year interdisciplinary development program designed to help students connect their creative and academic interests, develop meaningful projects, and build a distinctive portfolio and academic profile for college.