Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, or IMSA, is a three-year, residential, public high school of approximately six hundred thirty students (the school has only sophomores, juniors, and seniors). IMSA is located in Aurora, Illinois. It is modeled on the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, and has a primary focus on mathematics, science, and technology, although a plethora of other subjects are studied. Some of its early staff members previously worked at the North Carolina school. It is a member of the NCSSSMST.
Overview
IMSA is a boarding school which accepts students from across the state. It is also a public school, and students are not charged tuition, though a facility's fee ranging from the low hundreds to two thousand dollars is charged (sliding scale basis). It is funded from the Illinois General Assembly through the Board of Higher Education. The total amount spent per student for tuition and room & board is estimated to be around $26,000, although different reports suggest amounts as low as $15,000. It does not accept students from other states or from abroad but is considering changing this policy. If accepted, these students will pay full tuition and room & board.
Entrance
Prospective students, who are usually freshmen in high school or sometimes students in eighth grade, must fill out an extensive application to gain admission to IMSA.
The applications consists of the SAT I, several essays totaling roughly five pages, three teacher recommendations (Science, Mathematics, and English), and a list of awards and extra-curricular activities. As such, IMSA has a strong academic reputation. Since it draws the best students from across the state, it is sometimes considered a magnet school. (As of late, several Chicago magnet schools have been drawing away many Chicago-area students.)
Though IMSA does not disclose the numbers, there are generally over 1,000 applicants for 240 places each year. The average score on the SAT for incoming sophomores (the test is taken while the students are freshmen) is 1200. This compares to an exiting average score of aroung 1400.
In order to facilitate greater numbers of applications, IMSA has an extensive outreach network run by The Center@IMSA. Some students who are invited to attend IMSA are admitted on the condition that they successfully complete a three-week, intensive preparation course named EXCEL over the summer.
History
Nobel laureate Leon Lederman, director emeritus of nearby Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois, was among those to first propose the school in 1982 - 1983, and together with Governor Jim Thompson led the effort for its creation. The school was established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1985, and first opened to students in 1986. The Academy is housed in a building (naturally expanded for on-site housing) originally constructed as the north campus of West Aurora High School. Lederman gave its first commencement address in 1989.
The current president of the school is former Batavia Superintendent Stephanie Pace Marshall, who serves on the board of several non-profits and for-profit institutions, such as Tellabs Inc. And the current principal is Eric McClaren. McClaren went to school in the building that became IMSA. Though the school received a budget cut in FY 2002, its budget has increased recently, largely due to the support of Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R, Oswego).