Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Students must submit either an SAT or ACT score as part of their application. Test scores are just one piece of the puzzle in IMSA’s holistic admissions process. They provide a standardized baseline that helps us evaluate applicants from a variety of schools and educational backgrounds, but there is no minimum SAT or ACT score required for admission.

All test scores must be official and sent directly to IMSA Admissions from the testing company. Scores must be received by the application deadline. Scores received after the deadline cannot be considered as part of the application.

SAT

• Students can register for the SAT through CollegeBoard.org.
• Students should take the standard SAT, Math, and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing sections without the essay portion.
• When registering, please use IMSA’s SAT school code #3027 to ensure that we receive a copy of your test results.
• Please note that we do not accept the PSAT.
• View the How to Register for the SAT guide (PDF)
• Below are the following test dates IMSA will accept from this application cycle:
  • Saturday, August 22
  • Saturday, September 12
  • Saturday, October 3
  • Saturday, November 7
  • Saturday, December 5

ACT

• Students interested in taking the ACT can register through ACT.org.
• Students should take the standard ACT without writing.
• Students are not required to take the Science portion of the test.
• When registering, mark IMSA as your current school (code# 140177) to ensure that we receive a copy of your test results.
• View the How to Register for the ACT guide (PDF)
• Below are the following test dates IMSA will accept from this application cycle:
  • Saturday, September 19
  • Saturday, October 17
  • Saturday, December 12

Virtual SAT Official Practice Test with Northwestern's CTD

• Eligible applicants can take a virtual SAT official practice test that is offered through Northwestern’s CTD Program. Read the CTD practice test registration instructions to get started.
• Testing dates for CTD are as follows:
  • October 25, 2026
  • January 24, 2027
  • February 6, 2027
• Eligible applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• • If you started your application after November 1.

  • If your scheduled exam date gets canceled. Email a screenshot showing that the exam was canceled to admissions@imsa.edu before signing up for the exam.

  • If you are unable to find an exam within 45 minutes of your residence, email a screenshot showing the nearest options to admissions@imsa.edu before signing up for the exam.

• If your family qualifies for the Federal Free & Reduced Lunch Program or is experiencing financial hardship, you may be eligible for a fee waiver. Please complete this brief Google Form before registering to receive your waiver code.

SAT/ACT Accommodations Request

• To receive testing accommodations for the SAT or ACT, any requested accommodations must already be documented in the student's current IEP or 504 plan and processed directly through their home school case manager. Because applicants are not enrolled IMSA students, IMSA cannot approve or authorize these accommodations.

If you have any questions about SAT/ACT scores, please contact Admissions at admissions@imsa.edu or (630) 907-5028

Students can apply during the fall semester of their 8th and/or 9th grade years. For the 2027-2028 school year, the application opens on Monday, October 26, 2026.

8th-grade applicants can fulfill the high school science requirement through any accredited institution. In the past, families have used online institutions or community colleges. Any class taught at a high school level is acceptable, but we recommend taking a chemistry, biology, or physics class to best prepare students for the curriculum here. Here is a list of popular program choices among our applicants. If you have any questions about whether or not a course meets the eligibility requirements, feel free to send a course description to admissions@imsa.edu.

The number of students we can accept each year is limited by the number of student rooms we have available. Typically we have about 200-250 spots depending on the size of the class who just graduated. While the acceptance rate is competitive, every submitted and eligible application is reviewed during our admissions process. Acceptance is based on both qualitative and quantitative aspects within that application.

All accepted students are required to participate in Summer Orientation. Each student is required to bring at least one parent/guardian to the orientation. 

Details regarding Summer Orientation, including dates and the Orientation program format, will be shared with acceptance letters. Typically, Orientation is held in June; we recommend families plan vacations accordingly. To view this year’s Orientation dates, visit our Enrollment Dates and Deadlines page.

If you encounter any issues or have questions about the application, we recommend that you refer to our Application Troubleshooting page or contact admissions@imsa.edu. IMSA Admissions hosts a virtual information session every year that covers the application process, including a walkthrough. To view or register for this year's session, visit the Admissions Event page.

All students are required to live on campus, even if they live close to the academy. 

IMSA is a unique learning environment where opportunities for education and collaboration exist well beyond the classroom. Whether it’s helping to develop and facilitate a leadership education curriculum or collaborating with the Student Council to start new campus initiatives around sustainability, our students are constantly learning from hands-on opportunities that make the residential aspect of IMSA essential. For example, one graduation requirement is participation in LEAD. All sophomore students attend the evening LEAD session, facilitated by juniors and seniors. Our Residence Life staff also works to prepare students for the “real world” by teaching them conflict-resolution skills, time management, how to budget their money, and how to live independently in a diverse population of people. Alumni have stated that these skills have prepared them for success beyond IMSA just as much as the rigorous academic preparation that they received in the classroom. View Residential Curriculum

While living at IMSA, your child will have a number of adults checking in with them on a regular basis. Our campus is composed of seven residential halls. Each hall has four wings with 18-24 students living in the wing. Each wing is supervised by a professional staff member called a Resident Counselor (RC) who lives in the wing with the students. 

Our RCs are adults with at least a Bachelor’s Degree who are trained in Residence Life and background checked by the State of Illinois. Our Resident Counselors help students adjust to life at IMSA, check in with them about their grades, make sure they are managing their time, and facilitate our Residence Life Curriculum. They also work closely with teachers and parents to make sure students have the tools they need to be successful at IMSA. 

In addition to the RCs, we also have several Administrators on Call in the evenings who are trained to respond to any emergency from student injuries to inclement weather. IMSA also employs security officers who are here 24/7. They monitor the cameras around campus, conduct rounds of the Main Building and Residence Halls, and monitor the exterior perimeter of campus. Luckily, our most frequent trespassers are usually just the resident family of skunks!

IMSA is a public school so all room and board including meal plans are covered by the State of Illinois. There are some student fees that families are responsible for, but they are on a sliding scale based on family size and income. 

Students are provided with 3 meals a day (two meals on the weekend-Brunch and Dinner) in our cafeteria at no additional cost to families. Some students like to go out to eat or order delivery food so they might need some spending money, but the amount and frequency are up to each student and their family.

No, because student safety is our top priority, we do not allow students to keep cars on campus. 

Students are allowed to walk to local businesses within a mile of campus with permission from a staff member. Resident Counselors frequently take trips to allow students to get off campus and have fun. 

Incoming sophomores can request a specific roommate if they know someone else attending IMSA. Otherwise, roommates are matched based on survey responses and shared interests. Students complete a roommate survey once they are accepted.

Yes, parents or guardians can pick students up on weekends and whenever they do not have any other required commitments, like classes or mandatory meetings.

We do ask that when you pick up your child, you check them out with the adult on duty (in the Attendance Office during the academic day and the RC Office during evenings and weekends) and bring a photo ID. Students do have evening events and commitments on weeknights, so we do ask that you limit evening sign-outs during the week.

Definitely! A number of our students come from all over the State of Illinois and it is not realistic for them to go home every weekend. The campus is still active on the weekends. You can usually find students participating in a wide range of activities, such as hosting video game tournaments, completing community service projects, taking trips to the mall, or going to see a movie. Our Residence Life Staff works over the weekend to make sure that there are fun activities and trips available to students and time to rest and relax.

IMSA is a participating member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) for sports. View a full list of the athletic teams we offer here.

IMSA also offers a wide range of clubs and co-curricular activities, from our State Champion Chess team to the K-Pop Club. There is truly an opportunity for every student to get involved in something they’re interested in. Students can charter new clubs if the club they want is not currently offered. View a full list of clubs and organizations.

To make IMSA feel like home for everyone, we have adopted a Diversity Plan for students and staff at the Academy. It is important that community members be effective at interacting across cultures, which is essential to IMSA’s vision of “igniting and nurturing creative, ethical scientific minds that advance the human condition”. 

IMSA’s diverse cultural groups also include political orientations and statewide regional cultures. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to exchange ideas freely, engage in critical thinking, and reexamine their perspectives. While a student is at IMSA, they can expect to engage in educational opportunities and discussions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Students who have a passion for equity work have the opportunity to become Peer Multicultural Educators, where they work with our Director of Equity and Inclusion to create, facilitate, and implement educational opportunities surrounding diversity and inclusion for their peers.

Yes, we establish learning and health plans to make accommodations for students.

Yes, IMSA has a wide array of personalized learning experiences for students. Through our Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) department, students in good academic standing can conduct advanced-level research on topics of their choosing with the mentorship of a professional in that field. 

Students can learn about entrepreneurship, business, marketing, web design, and gain real-world professional skills through our internship program. Our Center for Innovation and Inquiry (IN2) helps match students with working professionals and start-ups in their fields of interest. Research and internships typically occur on Wednesdays which are reserved for Inquiry Days, frequently referred to as “I Days.” On these days, students conducting research off-campus are transported to their research location and spend the entire day researching and gaining hands-on skills while making personal connections with professionals in their field of study.

No, all of our classes at IMSA are taught at advanced levels, and many of our students go on to take AP Exams to gain college credit. Students in IMSA’s classes will be pushed beyond the memorization of facts and will be asked to apply the knowledge that they are learning in classroom activities. With that being said, our students will be well prepared to take AP exams and earn college credit even though our classes are not labeled “AP” classes. To see how many students took APs last year, reference our School Profile.

No, IMSA offers a comprehensive curriculum to prepare students for any future academic endeavors. While at IMSA, students are required to take classes in literature, history, fine arts, wellness, and world language. All of these classes are also taught at advanced or even college level. While we do require students to take more math and science credits than your "typical" high school, students will receive a well-rounded education taught by our nationally ranked faculty. You can view a full course catalog here.

IMSA does not offer Driver’s Ed directly but students can elect to take Driver’s Ed while living on campus. This is facilitated through the Principal’s Office, and Driver’s Ed teachers will come to campus for driving lessons.

Upon acceptance to IMSA, each student is assigned a College and Academic Counselor (CAC) who will work with them throughout their three years at IMSA. Their CAC will help them select classes, support them academically, and when the time comes, help them apply to college. View our College Matriculation page to see where IMSA students go after graduating!

We offer learning accommodations by assessing each student's needs and reviewing any previous learning and housing accommodations they have received. However, please note that 504 plans and/or IEPs do not directly transfer. In many cases, we provide additional accommodations due to the unique academic demands and residential environment at IMSA. Please contact the Principal's Office with any questions.