QUICK ANSWER
Years in business are only useful to a family if they show up in two forms you can check: a record of results and knowledge of what has changed. Royal Blue has prepared Korean students for U.S. art schools from Apgujeong for 19 years. Our public record lists 1,099 acceptances at 95 schools from 2009 to 2026, each confirmed directly with the student.
This page shows what that record contains, what it cannot tell you, and the admissions changes a long-running academy should be able to explain.
SINCE 2009 · 1
What the Record Contains
| School | Acceptances | Admits with an award | Average award |
|---|---|---|---|
| SVA | 140 | 41 (29%) | $58,944 (n=41) |
| Pratt | 102 | 40 (39%) | $67,638 (n=40) |
| SAIC | 81 | 56 (69%) | $46,775 (n=56) |
| RISD | 68 | 4 (6%) | Not reported (n=4) |
| MICA | 64 | 51 (80%) | $54,290 (n=51) |
| Parsons | 63 | 38 (60%) | $53,116 (n=38) |
| CCA | 50 | 24 (48%) | $57,167 (n=24) |
| SCAD | 42 | 34 (81%) | $30,221 (n=34) |
| Otis | 38 | 31 (82%) | $63,935 (n=31) |
| CalArts | 15 | — | — |
Royal Blue results record, 2009–2026. These ten schools account for 663 of 1,099 acceptances. Award figures are shares of our admits who received an award, not admission rates.
Two things in this table are deliberately left plain. RISD made awards to only 4 of our 68 admits, too few to report an average. CalArts appears 15 times, too few for any rate. A long record does not make every number meaningful, and we show the count (n) next to every average so you can judge for yourself.
SINCE 2009 · 2
Changes a Long-Running Academy Should Explain
| Change | What it means for applicants |
|---|---|
| Parsons Challenge replaced | Parsons now asks for 8–12 pieces and two essays of 300–400 words |
| New TOEFL scale | Schools now quote minimums on the 1–6 scale, such as SVA 4.5, Pratt 5 and RISD 5 |
| AI policies | RISD and Parsons ask applicants to describe any AI use; SVA does not accept AI-generated work |
| School closures | UArts closed in 2024; CCA announced in 2026 that it will close at the end of 2026–27 |
| Financial pressure | SVA has reported a structural deficit of about $22 million and course cancellations in 2026 |
From school admissions pages and announcements, checked October 2026.
None of these is visible in an old portfolio method. An academy with long experience should be able to explain each one and show how its preparation changed in response.
HOW TO USE THIS AS A FAMILY
Ask any academy, including us, three things: the total count of acceptances with years and schools, how the count was verified, and which recent rule changes affect your child’s list. Compare the answers, not the advertising. Our six questions for checking CalArts experience show the same method applied to one school.
SINCE 2009 · 3
Frequently Asked Questions
How many acceptances does Royal Blue’s record include?
1,099 acceptances at 95 schools from 2009 to 2026, each confirmed directly with the student.
Which schools appear most often?
SVA (140), Pratt (102), SAIC (81), RISD (68), MICA (64) and Parsons (63).
Why is RISD’s average award not reported?
Only 4 of our 68 RISD admits received an award, too few for a meaningful average.
Is an award rate the same as an admission rate?
No. It is the share of our admitted students at that school who received a scholarship award.
Does long experience guarantee admission?
No academy can guarantee admission. Experience is useful when it comes with a checkable record and current knowledge of each school’s rules.
ROYAL BLUE ART & DESIGN
For 19 years we have prepared Korean students for U.S. art schools from our studio in Apgujeong, Seoul. Our public record lists 1,099 acceptances confirmed directly with students at 95 schools. Call 02-3446-5929 or book a consultation.
Royal Blue figures from our results record (2009–2026); rule changes from the official pages and announcements of Parsons, Pratt, RISD, SVA, CCA and UArts. Checked October 2026. If something here has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
Related reading: Royal Blue Results · Checking CalArts Experience · 8 Admissions Mistakes · Checking a School’s Stability · Parsons Portfolio Guide