Admissions and Enrollment

Harrison School for the Arts is a public high school of choice in Polk County, Florida, open to high school students who meet admission requirements and are selected through an audition process. Applications are typically made available in November each year for enrollment in the following school year. Students may apply for up to two departments and must submit their application online prior to the deadline. The application for Harrison is now completely online.

Students completing the online application will be required to:

  • Complete all basic demographic information
  • Upload a personal resume with a photo embedded
  • Provide Reference ID Numbers from the two individuals who completed your ONLINE Recommendation Form
  • Upload a copy/photo of most recent report card with cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher (home school/virtual school students need to upload a copy of transcript or other proof of grades and current grade level)
  • Electronically sign the application (an electronic signature is also required by a parent)
  • If you are auditioning for Creative Writing, Motion Picture Arts, or Visual Arts, you must also submit your digital portfolio/writing samples for that department. See audition requirements for more specifics.
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    Students with a complete application submitted before the deadline are then scheduled for an audition. Auditions are conducted in late January and early February and are closed to observers. Students who audition are then notified in regard to their audition results.

Click here for the online application.

If you encounter any technical errors with the application, please email Kelly James at [email protected]. Thank you for your patience as we bring the new system online.

The deadline to apply for the 2025-26 school year is January 8, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

 

Click here for the online recommendation form.

The Quality of a Harrison Education
The Class of 2023:

  • 91% graduated with honors (3.2+ GPA)
  • Over half graduated with 4.0 or above
  • Completed over 35,000 hours of community service during their four years at Harrison
  • Received over $5.4 million in scholarship offers
  • 64% pass rate on AP Exams, with a 82% pass rate on their Harrison AP Exams
  • Average SAT Reading Math score of 1149 and ACT score of 22.6

Why Harrison?
Here are just a few reasons why you should consider Harrison for your student:

  • A dedicated, caring staff of practicing artists (most with advanced degrees)
  • An enriched arts experience unlike most traditional schools
  • Personalized guidance services
  • Small class sizes
  • Focus on work ethic and time management skills
  • Best of Both Worlds" experience at Harrison and Lakeland

 

Important Dates for 2025-26 Enrollment

(Dates subject to change)

Applications Open:
November 8, 2024

Parent/Student Info Sessions
November 6, 2024 at 6 p.m.
November 18, 2024 at 7 p.m.

Applications Due:
January 8, 2025 (by 11:59 p.m.)

Audition Notices Emailed:
On or before January 16, 2025 @ 3 p.m.

Auditions:
Jan. 21 - 30, 2025
(Specific dept. dates can be viewed by clicking here.)

Audition Results Emailed:
March 7, 2025 AFTER 4 P.M.

New Student/Parent Meeting:
March 26, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

Return Signed Contract:
April 2, 2025

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