Is IMSA considered a prep school?

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>So IMSA stands for the Illinois Math and Science Academy and I’m wondering if it’s considered a prep school. It’s a boarding school, holds a great education, and isn’t classified with any of the other public schools. So I’m not sure if anyone could help me out with this?</p>

2

<p>IMSA is a very well regarded school, but most of the state-sponsored math and science test entry schools are not as widely known, or nationally ranked, because attendance is limited to students from the region or state. </p>

<p>Thomas Jefferson in Virginia is another good example, and regularly does as well/better than the highest level “prep” schools on all kinds of measures. </p>

<p>You are lucky to have a school like IMSA in your state, most states do not have a math/science magnet high school.</p>

3

<p>Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it is really up to you. It does prepare a kid for college at a more intense and in depth level compared to most typical public schools, or probably most independent day schools.</p>

<p>We looked at IMSA for our son and it is a very different environment than a stereotypical prep or boarding school.</p>

4

<p>@kidsparent When I shadowed there, I couldn’t help but think that it was like Alice in Wonderland, with all the unmatching colors. It’s also relatively new (created in 1986 I think) and so it has a cafeteria, not a dining hall (easiest way to distinguish prep and “public funded residential program”).</p>

5

<p>It’s a college prep school, sure. But it’s publicly funded by Illinois, is new compared to full-fledged prep schools, and his a predominantly STEM focus. It’s best to classify it as a STEM magnet if anything.</p>