Illinois Math and Science Academy

The Illinois Math and Science Academy is a selective public boarding high school in Aurora.

What makes IMSA Unique?

No school Wednesdays: On Wednesdays, IMSA students do not have school
Boarding experience: IMSA is unique in that it is a boarding school, which can be a good or a bad thing
3-year High School: IMSA is a 3-year school, so students enter IMSA as Sophomores
Intersession: For a period of about two weeks, IMSA students do not attend class but a series of selected special courses
Emphasis on math, science, and technology: Students have an unusually large amount of advanced programming, mathematics, and science courses
No AP classes: IMSA does not offer AP classes due to it's philosophy. However, they do allow students to take AP tests.

What are some peoples' favorite things about IMSA?

What are some things to avoid at IMSA?

Sodexo: The company that provides IMSA with it's food can get repetitive
Morning classes: With increased schedule flexibility at IMSA, students can choose to avoid morning classes
Caring too much about grades: It is incredibly difficult to achieve great grades at IMSA regardless of how smart you are. For any given class, even in the history and english classes, the percentage of students achieving an A often times is less than 20%.