June 13, 2024

We Can't Wait to Meet You!

We are so excited to welcome the students and families from the Class of 2027 to campus for our first orientation of the summer! Here are a few details and reminders to help prepare for your orientation date.

Arriving to Campus

  • Upon your arrival, please park in the main parking lot on the east side of the building. View the interactive campus map.
  • Check-in will be inside the main entrance from 8:15 - 8:55 a.m.
  • $65 per person will be collected upon check-in.


In order to expedite the check-in process, we ask that parents/guardians complete the questionnaire below. Those who do not complete the form before check-in will have to go through an additional security check upon arrival.

Parent/Guardian Orientation Pre-Check Form

What to Bring

  • We recommend wearing comfortable clothing and shoes, as you will be moving around campus. While the weather may be warm, the air conditioning in the building will be on, so we recommend bringing a sweatshirt or light jacket.
  • Refreshments will be provided throughout the day, but there are also water bottle filling stations throughout campus for those who wish to bring reusable water bottles. We kindly ask that all other food and beverages stay in the designated refreshment areas.
  • A folder with information for each session will be provided upon check-in. Feel free to bring any other note-taking tools. Most of the information can also be found in the Orientation Portal. (Password: NSO2027)

Orientation Schedules

While there will be some joint sessions for students and parents, each group will have separate schedules for student-specific and parent-specific information. Please ensure you are looking at the correct schedule for your orientation date.

Friday, June 14

Parent Schedule
Student Schedule

Saturday, June 15

Parent Schedule
Student Schedule

Waitpool Orientation


Sunday, June 23

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.


There is still time to register! This session is specifically for waitpool students and families. Students will not pay the $65 fee until they are admitted to the academy.



Please register for this date using the code WAITPOOL27

Register for Orientation

Registration Reminders

2024

Important Deadlines


July 1

Fees appear in MySchoolBucks


Due July 15

Student fee reduction forms


Due August 1

Fee payments or payment plans


Due August 1

Health forms and physicals


Due August 19

Final transcripts

View Registration Timeline

Admissions Meet and Greet


June 14, 2024

4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

West Gym


The Admissions team invites incoming sophomores and their families to a meet-and-greet reception immediately following Orientation on June 14. This reception is open to all incoming students regardless of what orientation date they registered for. Students and families can enjoy light refreshments while meeting some of the counselors they worked with to complete their application.


For questions, please reach out to admissions@imsa.edu.

Unique Research Experiences Through IMSA

Class of 2027, I am so excited to meet you and to get to know you better. As President of IMSA, I think about future possibilities for our students and colleagues and other students and colleagues around the state. I spend time with changemakers, storytellers, and people aspiring to test out new ideas and have a positive impact. We try to design new programs so that students can have access to unique experiences that might not be available in their local school.


One example is our Summer Research and Experiential Learning Opportunities, also called SRELO. We partner with universities and other research organizations around the state, and pursue grant funding so that students can participate in a free research experience. Now, during 10th grade, our students participate in an introductory research class called Methods of Scientific Inquiry (MSI) where they design a project that can be conducted at IMSA. Headed into this academic year, we have one MSI section that will be dedicated to a joint research project with Bronx Science High School, where students will study a similar environmental phenomenon in their different cities, and then come together on a special Intersession trip to New York City to examine their work further.


No matter your interest area, you should develop the ambition to pursue that passion in depth. You can start with a MSI project, and then maybe that'll lead to a SRELO project or a Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) project the following year. Students in SIR will have the opportunity to devote Wednesdays to advance their projects in collaboration with a mentor, who can be located anywhere around the world. 


Dream big through your research experience at IMSA. Spending time doing what you love. We're here to support you on this innovative journey.

Can You Spot Them?

As you explore the campus during orientation, look out for the murals created by our students. At IMSA, we encourage students to take ownership of their environment in various ways—whether through leading student organizations, contributing to updated policies and curricula, or adding their artistic touch to campus spaces. IMSA is a home away from home for our students, and we want their personalities and influences to be reflected throughout campus!

Westlake University Pre-College Program


In addition to the research opportunities offered through SRELO and SIR, IMSA students were also part of a unique opportunity to conduct world-class research while immersing themselves in a completely new culture. Last year, Westlake University in Hangzhou, China, invited four IMSA students to be part of its prestigious Pre-College Program.


The two-and-a-half-week program offered a blend of academic learning and cultural immersion with students from around the world. Mornings were filled with hands-on lab work in a chosen field like biotechnology, engineering, or AI, and afternoons were dedicated to attending lectures, visiting tech companies, and various cultural experiences, including calligraphy lessons and city tours.ext L

"This was a unique and amazing opportunity to experience scientific research and lifestyle in China! I made many friends and met numerous scientists" - Joshua Mu '25

Where will your IMSA Odyssey take you?

ILLINOIS MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACADEMY

1500 Sullivan Rd., Aurora, IL 60506-1000 |  630.907.5009 | imsa.edu


To ignite and nurture creative, ethical, scientific minds

that advance the human condition.

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