High School Study Abroad in New York, United States

I enrolled in the Art History course because, at the time, I was considering studying the subject in college. New York felt like the perfect place to explore every aspect of what I was considering for my future, and I found it to be an amazing experience. My favorite day of the program was when a group of friends and I went to SoHo together. All of us were from different backgrounds, but we all bonded that day. We went to a nice cafe, shopped a bit in SoHo. My experience at Summer Institute helped me to transform my passion for art history into a concrete plan to pursue it further in college. It also exposed me to different cultures and languages, further reinforcing my interest in international relations.

I decided to enroll in Summer Institute because I’ve always known I wanted to work in the art market, and this program felt like a perfect transition into that world. The first week focused on the buying and selling of artworks in auction houses, while the second week introduced us to galleries of all scales—from small independent ones to mid-tier and blue-chip galleries. I took the Art Business course because I am captivated by Sotheby’s auctions and look up to auctioneers like Phyllis Kao. My favorite day of the program was our visit to Sotheby’s auction house. I even got to stand behind the auctioneer’s podium! In the auction room, my class participated in a Q&A with professionals from private sales, finance, and marketing, where we were able to ask questions and hear about their experiences firsthand. My day-to-day experience was a wonderful mix of structure and exploration. Speaking with professionals from Sotheby’s and different galleries confirmed that I want to study art history in college, just like them, and eventually pursue a master’s degree at Sotheby’s Institute.