How safe is the school, really?
Based on the school’s own pages, IMSA’s campus security is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and works closely with the Aurora Police Department, and each residence hall has professional Resident Counselors; we found no incident reports or crime statistics, which is why this answer is Inferred.
| Signal | What is reported | Who reports it |
|---|---|---|
| Campus security | Staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, working closely with the Aurora Police Department; emergency line 630.907.5042, front desk 630.907.5044 | The school’s campus-safety page |
| Residence halls | Professional Resident Counselors in each hall, 24-hour security officers, live-on staff, evening check and curfew, visitation and sign-out procedures | The school’s overview page |
| Hall access | Students must carry their IDs at all times; weekend hall access is 7:30am–11:00pm on Saturdays; Tuesday 9:00pm programming is required | The school’s residence-life page |
| Reporting | An online Incident Report Form, and a Title IX Coordinator for sex-discrimination concerns | The school’s campus-safety page |
| Crime statistics, annual security report, incident reports | None found | — |
These are the school’s descriptions of what it does, not a record of what has happened, and the pages we read do not describe cameras, visitor rules, drills or emergency notification. The main office, (630) 907-5000, is the reliable check on this year’s record.
What's the true total cost, including fees — and how has it moved over the last few years?
Illinois residents pay no tuition, room or board at IMSA, which the state funds; the school charges a student/class fee of $698 to $7,450 a year on a six-tier scale of family income and household size, and no Illinois resident is refused admission because of an inability to pay it. Out-of-state students pay about $55,000 to $57,000 a year for tuition, room and board.
| Item | Amount or term | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, room and board (Illinois residents) | None | State funded; includes housing and meals |
| Student/class fee | $698 to $7,450 a year | Six-tier scale by gross family income and household size; due 1 August; payable in 10 installments, with a $50 non-refundable plan fee |
| Seat reservation fee | $250 | Non-refundable, due on acceptance |
| Testing | PSAT/NMSQT $24, SAT $68, ACT $65 | Paid to the College Board and ACT; the PSAT 10 is $0 |
| Three-year total, Class of 2029 | $2,259 to $22,987 | The school’s own total, including admissions costs of $65 to $383 |
| Fee reduction | Available | Fees can be waived for Illinois residents eligible for the federal free and reduced lunch program |
| Out-of-state students | About $55,000 to $57,000 a year | Tuition, room and board; the page does not itemise fees |
The fee page says the full annual fee is the same for each of the three years a student attends. The Class of 2027 and 2028 fee documents are hosted where we could not read them, so how the fee has moved from year to year is not shown. The business office, 630.907.5031, is the reliable check on a specific family’s tier.
How qualified and stable are the teachers?
Based on the school’s faculty directory, all IMSA faculty members hold a master’s degree and 57% have a Ph.D., but the federal school record counts 32.0 classroom teachers for 656 students (a ratio of 20.5 to 1) against the directory’s 53 faculty, and we found no turnover data, so how stable the teachers are cannot be settled from public sources.
| Signal | What is reported | Who reports it |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty degrees | All faculty members hold a master’s degree and 57% have a Ph.D. | The school’s faculty directory |
| Earlier count | 100% with a master’s degree and 55% with a doctorate | The school’s 2023 college profile |
| Faculty listed | 53 in seven departments, among them 14 in Mathematics & Computer Science and 13 in Science | The school’s faculty directory |
| Classroom teachers, 2024–25 | 32.0 full-time equivalents for 656 students, a ratio of 20.5 to 1 | NCES |
| Turnover, tenure, certification | Not found | — |
The 32.0 and the 53 may count different roles, and we cannot tell from public sources which; a third-party ranking site reports a ratio of 12 to 1. The degree figures describe credentials, not how long teachers stay. The main office, (630) 907-5000, is the reliable check on who teaches the courses a student wants and how large those sections run.
Does the school offer distinct STEM programs, and how have teams placed in competition?
Based on FIRST’s event records and the student newspaper, IMSA’s FIRST Tech Challenge team 17576, TITANS, reached the Illinois state championship for a fifth consecutive year in 2024–25 and placed 4th in a division of 22 teams; the school also runs Student Inquiry and Research, a Center for Innovation and Inquiry with a Makerspace, and an AI center, and 28 students were named National Merit Semifinalists in the 2026 program.
| Team and season | Result | Who reports it |
|---|---|---|
| TITANS (FTC 17576), 2025–26 | Suburban South League Tournament: Reach Award, FIRST Leadership Award semi-finalists, first team selected by the winning alliance | FIRST event records |
| TITANS, 2024–25 | League Inspire Award 3rd; Illinois Championship Compass Award 2nd and Solomon Division finalist alliance captain; 4th in a division of 22; fifth consecutive state qualification | FIRST event records; The Acronym |
| TITANS, 2023–24 | League Connect Award; state Motivate Award 3rd and Promote Award 2nd | FIRST event records |
| Regeneron Science Talent Search | Scholars in 2022 and 2025 (top 300 nationally) | The school’s news; Daily Herald, 8 January 2025 |
| National Merit Program | 28 Semifinalists and 57 commended students in the 2026 program, announced 26 September 2025 | The school’s news |
| Mathematical modelling (HiMCM) | Two teams named Outstanding Finalist; the school says an IMSA team reached that ranking 10 times in 11 years (undated page) | The school’s news |
| Distinct programmes | Student Inquiry and Research (formalized in 1989), IN2 internships, the Steve and Jamie Chen Center for Innovation and Inquiry with a Makerspace, the IMSA Center for Artificial Intelligence (2024), and dual credit | The school’s pages |
Placings show what the best-organised groups achieved, not how many students take part or how a typical student fares, and the 2026–27 season has not yet produced results. The school lists Science Olympiad, Scholastic Bowl and Speech as competitive IHSA activities, and we found no results for them. We found no cybersecurity competition team.
How strong is this school in AI, data science and computer science compared with other schools?
Based on our grading, computer science is IMSA’s strongest field (Excellent, 5.0 out of 5) and AI & Data is Excellent too (4.0): every sophomore takes Computer Science Inquiry and the catalog runs on to Artificial Intelligence I and II and Introduction to Neural Computation, though the school’s own student newspaper calls its AI center a prototype.
| Field | Our grade | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Excellent · 5.0/5 | Computer Science Inquiry (required of sophomores), Object Oriented Programming in Java, Advanced Programming, web technologies, Elements of Computing Systems I and II, Microcontroller Applications, and dual credit with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; 14 Mathematics & Computer Science faculty |
| AI & Data | Excellent · 4.0/5 | Artificial Intelligence I and II, Introduction to Neural Computation, Advanced Topics in Data Analysis in R, college-level Statistics, the IMSA Center for Artificial Intelligence (2024) and an online AI credential; no AI competition result found |
We compare schools on one ladder and do not rank them here, so “compared with other schools” means that a Level 5 in computer science here is the same standard as a Level 5 anywhere we assess. The Machine Learning seminar is not offered in 2026–27, and the AI center’s own targets for 2024–25 were published without results, so a student should ask which AI sections run this year.
Does the school give a strong STEM student enough opportunities—or will ambitious students quickly outgrow it?
Based on our grading, an ambitious student has a high ceiling in computer science, AI, robotics, biotechnology and mathematics, and would outgrow the school in cybersecurity, clean energy, Earth systems, aerospace and battery storage, where we found at most one course.
| Area | Ceiling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Computer science and AI | High | The catalog runs from Computer Science Inquiry to Artificial Intelligence II, Introduction to Neural Computation and Elements of Computing Systems, with dual credit |
| Robotics | High | Robotics and Control Systems on a six-degree-of-freedom arm, and a FIRST Tech Challenge team at the Illinois state championship five years running |
| Mathematics | High | Upper-division courses through Abstract Algebra, Theory of Analysis, Differential Equations and Multi-variable Calculus (dual credit) |
| Biology and research | High, with a limit | Student Inquiry and Research placements depend on mentors and laboratories outside the school |
| Cybersecurity, clean energy, Earth systems, aerospace, batteries | Low | One cybersecurity seminar, one climate course and no battery or aerospace course |
The limit is access as much as content: Student Inquiry and Research opens to students after their first year in good standing, the catalog marks several courses (among them the Machine Learning seminar) as not offered in 2026–27, and the school publishes no section sizes or seat counts. Ask which sections run this year.
Are students producing serious projects, research, inventions or portfolios—or mainly completing classroom exercises?
Based on the school’s news and outside reports, IMSA students produce serious work: nine students from Student Inquiry and Research presented at the American Physical Society’s April 2024 meeting in Sacramento, two as oral talks on CMS particle-physics prospects, and a student team took first place in 2026 at a university pitch competition with HIALO, a headband that detects concussions in real time.
| Work | What it is | Where it is recorded |
|---|---|---|
| American Physical Society meeting, April 2024 | Nine Student Inquiry and Research students from a Particle Physics research course; two oral talks (a doubly charged Higgs boson and dark photons in CMS Run 3) and seven posters | The school’s news, 28 August 2024 |
| HIALO, 2026 | Three juniors developed a diagnostic headband worn inside helmets to diagnose concussions in real time and won a university pitch competition, their second top-tier win with it | City of Aurora, April 2026 |
| Terraclu, 2023 | A Grade 11 student developed sensors that track the ethylene crops release as they ripen, so shippers can adjust temperature and humidity | Enbridge, 4 April 2023 |
| Competition robots | TITANS designs, builds and programs a robot to each season’s game, and supported 11 other teams and started a team in Nigeria in 2024–25 | FIRST event records; The Acronym |
A 2023 college profile from the school says about 20% of students’ time is spent outside the classroom on independent study, research, innovation or entrepreneurship, and the school says recent trends suggest about 75% of students conduct at least one research investigation. These are the documented highlights and the school’s own figures; we cannot tell how typical the highlights are of an ordinary student’s year.
Which future-critical STEM fields is this school genuinely strong in—and which ones are major gaps?
Based on our grading, IMSA is strong in computer science (5.0 out of 5), AI & Data, robotics and biotechnology (4.0 each), advanced manufacturing is developing, cybersecurity, clean energy, Earth systems and aerospace are thin, and battery storage is absent. The overall score is 76/100, Developing.
| Field | Our grade | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Excellent · 5.0/5 | A required sophomore course, then a sequence through Object Oriented Programming, Advanced Programming and Elements of Computing Systems, with dual credit |
| AI & Data | Excellent · 4.0/5 | Artificial Intelligence I and II, Introduction to Neural Computation and an AI center, still a prototype |
| Robotics | Excellent · 4.0/5 | Robotics and Control Systems and a FIRST Tech Challenge team at the state championship five years running |
| Biotechnology | Excellent · 4.0/5 | A PCR and DNA-isolation course, molecular biology and Student Inquiry and Research placements |
| Advanced Manufacturing | Developing · 3.0/5 | A Makerspace with 3D printers, CNC machines and a laser cutter, and an Engineering course; no manufacturing credential found |
| Cybersecurity | Weak · 2.0/5 | One Linux and Cybersecurity seminar; no competition team found |
| Clean Energy | Weak · 2.0/5 | A Global Climate Change course; no energy-technology course |
| Earth & Geospatial | Weak · 2.0/5 | Planetary Science and environmental courses; no geospatial course |
| Aerospace | Weak · 2.0/5 | Planetary Science and Modern Physics; no aerospace course or competition |
| Batteries | Weak · 0.0/5 | No coursework, club or competition record found |
The pattern is concentrated depth: four fields at Level 4 or 5 beside four at Level 2 and one at Level 0. Evidence is thinner where the school publishes little, with confidence of 40 for batteries and 45 for aerospace. The state’s Illinois Report Card disallows automated reading, so no state-reported outcome figure is in these grades.
Will your child be ready for jobs that don’t exist yet?
Here’s what the evidence actually shows for Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy — not what the brochure claims.
76/100 — Developing overall. Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy’s AI, robotics and biotechnology provision is advanced: Artificial Intelligence I and II and Introduction to Neural Computation in a computer science list that also holds Robotics and Control Systems, which covers the kinematics, dynamics and PID, LQR and MPC control of a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm; FIRST Tech Challenge team 17576 TITANS, which reached the Illinois state championship for a fifth consecutive year in 2024–25; and, in biotechnology, Biotechnology Techniques in Chemistry (PCR, DNA isolation and microbial culturing) beside Student Inquiry and Research, in which recent trends suggest about 75% of students conduct at least one investigation, at sites including Argonne, Fermilab and Lurie Children’s Hospital.
But: battery storage is absent, and cybersecurity and clean energy are thin.
Best positioned forComputer Science, AI & Data, Robotics
Underdeveloped inBatteries, Cybersecurity, Clean Energy
Future-critical exposure5/15 domains
Very strong
- Computer Science
Strong
- AI & Data
- Robotics
- Biotechnology
Limited
- Advanced Manufacturing
Little / no pathway
- Cybersecurity
- Clean Energy
- Earth & Geospatial
- Aerospace
- Batteries
Best fit for
Less ideal for
Where the marketing exceeds the evidence
Where the marketing exceeds the evidence
Where the school is stronger than its marketing suggests
Curriculum
- Artificial Intelligence I (mathematical foundations, Python, data analysis, machine learning, neural networks, AI ethics) and Artificial Intelligence II (deep learning, natural-language processing, computer vision; AI I or instructor approval required), in the 2026–27 course catalog
- Introduction to Neural Computation, Advanced Topics in Data Analysis (in R, dual credit) and college-level Statistics (dual credit) in the Mathematics & Computer Science list; Computational Science (Monte Carlo methods, simulation, machine learning) in the science list
Evidence seen
- The IMSA Center for Artificial Intelligence launched on 22 May 2024 under the Vision 2033 plan; the student newspaper reports a showcase of 24 students with Student Inquiry and Research projects in AI and six AI-related IN2 internship projects, and calls the Center a prototype
- A student director reported in April 2026 an expanded “AI Bytes” series, a statewide AI credential, and $30,000 of additional funding for tools including an NVIDIA DGX Spark (IMSAloquium 2026 abstract)
- The IMSA AI Credential, an online self-paced course for Grades 9–12 with weekly office hours led by IMSA computer science faculty, runs 28 September to 18 December 2026, supported by an Illinois State Board of Education grant (school page; WSIU, 1 May 2026)
- At the 2023 national specialized-schools student conference IMSA hosted, IMSA projects included machine-learning classification of heart arrhythmias with an IMSA mentor and a scientific language-processing model with an Argonne mentor
What's missing
- The Machine Learning seminar is not offered in 2026–27
- Targets in the 2024–25 Strategic Excellence Dashboard (30 AI research projects at IMSAloquium; at least 20 completions of the student AI credential) were found without reported results
- No AI competition team or result found
Curriculum
- CS Seminar: Linux and Cybersecurity, covering Linux, cybersecurity and digital forensics in virtual machines (2026–27 course catalog and Mathematics & Computer Science list)
What's missing
- The seminar is the only dedicated cybersecurity provision found
- No cybersecurity competition team (CyberPatriot or capture-the-flag) or result found
- No industry credential found; the July 2026 $140 million plan includes a SkillQuest Lab for industry credentials that is not yet built
Curriculum
- Robotics and Control Systems: kinematics, dynamics and control of a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, with PID, LQR and MPC methods (2026–27 course catalog)
- Engineering (the design cycle, team projects tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, prototypes), Electronics and Microcontroller Applications (CS315)
Evidence seen
- FIRST Tech Challenge team 17576 TITANS (Aurora; rookie year 2019; seven seasons and 39 official events): 2024 Into the Deep — Illinois Championship Compass Award 2nd place and Solomon Division finalist alliance captain; 2025 Decode — Suburban South League Reach Award and Winning Alliance first team selected (FIRST event records)
- The student newspaper reports for 2024–25 a fifth consecutive Illinois state championship qualification, 4th place in a division of 22 teams, 275 volunteer hours, support for 11 other teams and a new team in Nigeria, with the Makerspace manager as mentor
- The Makerspace in the Steve and Jamie Chen Center for Innovation and Inquiry ($1.9 million, 6,400 sq ft): 3D printers, CNC machines, drones, microcontrollers and a laser cutter, with weekly workshops of up to 12 students
- A Student Inquiry and Research project on space-time conflict spheres for multi-agent motion planning, mentored by a Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute doctoral student (2023 student conference)
What's missing
- No FIRST Robotics Competition team found; the team is FIRST Tech Challenge
- No named industry robotics partner or alumni record for the Career Bridge found
- The Advanced Technologies Lab (AI, robotics, virtual reality, quantum computing) in the July 2026 $140 million plan is not yet built
Curriculum
- Global Climate Change, covering physical climate science and mitigation (course catalog)
- Engineering team projects tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Evidence seen
- The school integrates the Sustainable Development Goals into its curricula (Newswise, 18 June 2018)
What's missing
- No energy-technology course, laboratory, club or competition project found
- The climate course is a science elective; no engineering application of clean energy was identified
Curriculum
- Biotechnology Techniques in Chemistry (PCR, DNA isolation, microbial culturing), Biology: Molecular & Cellular and Biology: Evolution & Environment (core, dual credit), Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Biophysics and Pathophysiology (course catalog and science list)
- Every science course includes a laboratory component (school’s 2023 college profile)
Evidence seen
- Student Inquiry and Research, formalized in 1989: recent trends suggest about 75% of students conduct at least one investigation, on Wednesday Inquiry Days, with off-campus sites in the school’s brochure including Lurie Children’s Hospital, Shedd Aquarium, Morton Arboretum, Argonne and Fermilab
- IMSA’s RISE research program (Grades 9–12, non-credit) placed a Grade 9 student with mentors from Loyola University Medical Center on a poster about patient sex and pulmonary embolism outcomes in 889 patients (school news, 12 March 2024)
- A University of Chicago Polsky Center partnership announced 4 February 2026 gives the school a first Chicago office in the Hyde Park Labs science incubator, for internships at science-based startups
What's missing
- No iGEM team or biotechnology competition result found
- Biotechnology Techniques is a single course, not a sequence
- No biotechnology industry credential or alumni outcome record found
Curriculum
- Computer Science Inquiry (CS100, 0.5 credit), required of sophomores: Python, algorithms, data and social impact; a score of 4 or higher on an AP Computer Science exam allows placement out (course catalog)
- Object Oriented Programming in Java, Advanced Programming, Web Technologies and Advanced Web Technologies, an Android Apps Development seminar, Elements of Computing Systems I and II (the Nand to Tetris approach) and Microcontroller Applications
- Dual credit with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2026–27 includes CS100, CS205 and CS235, taught by IMSA faculty on campus
Evidence seen
- Fourteen Mathematics & Computer Science faculty are listed; the school’s directory says all faculty hold a master’s degree and 57% a Ph.D.
- Notable technology alumni named by the school include YouTube co-founder Steve Chen and PayPal co-creator Yu Pan; Chen gave $1 million of the $1.9 million Center for Innovation and Inquiry
What's missing
- The school offers no AP Computer Science course; AP examinations are administered
- Sections and seats per computer science course are not published
- No cohort record of graduates’ computing study or work found; alumni are named individually
Creativity cannot be graded the way a course can. It can only be evidenced through what students made.
| Criterion | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art + technology | ||||
| Design | ||||
| Architecture | ||||
| Engineering design | ||||
| Media / digital production | ||||
| Maker learning | ||||
| Interdisciplinary projects |
Two strands run for three years or more. 2024, 2025 and 2026 are equally dense, at 3 of 7 criteria.
The record — 5 artefacts
Students on TITANS design, build and program a robot each season to a published game, mentored by the Makerspace manager. The team won judged awards at league and Illinois championship events in 2023–24 (Motivate Award 3rd and Promote Award 2nd at the state event), in 2024–25 (Compass Award 2nd at the state event, after a fifth consecutive state qualification) and in 2025–26 (Reach Award and first team selected by the winning alliance at its league tournament).
FIRST Tech Challenge event records, team 17576 · The Acronym, 2024–25 season report
Students write, edit and publish The Acronym, IMSA’s student newspaper, which began in 1988 as an unofficial, underground paper and now has a staff of 30 editors and writers. Its pages show a Mental Health Edition in 2024, a report on the state tournament of 28 February to 1 March 2025, and articles dated 31 March 2026.
The Acronym, sites.imsa.edu/acronym (2024 edition; 2025 and 2026 articles)
The Mu Alpha Theta board spent the past year developing a competition math textbook covering core strategies and the problem types seen at the club’s contest. The City of Aurora reported it in March 2026, in the month the club hosted its 36th annual Junior High Math Contest.
City of Aurora, Aurora Achieves, March 2026 Academics
Olivia Pan, Isaac Lee and Matthew Park (all Class of 2027) developed HIALO, a diagnostic headband worn inside helmets to diagnose concussions in real time, and took first place at Olivet Nazarene University’s CreateurPitch Competition, which the City of Aurora calls the team’s second top-tier win with the product.
City of Aurora, Aurora Achieves, April 2026 Academics
Nitya Jakka, then in Grade 11, developed Terraclu, which uses sensors to track the ethylene crops release as they ripen, so that companies can adjust temperature and humidity in transport and storage to slow ripening. Enbridge reported it on 4 April 2023.
Enbridge, Stories, April 2023
Nothing found for
No student work was found evidencing these. For a school this well documented, an unrecorded programme is unlikely to be a large one.
What a family should ask about directly
- The federal school data for 2024–25 show 656 students and 32.0 classroom teachers, a ratio of 20.5 to 1; the school’s faculty directory lists 53 faculty in seven departments; and a third-party ranking site reports 12 to 1. The school publishes no section sizes. Ask for the enrolment of the advanced computer science, robotics and laboratory sections this year, and how laboratory benches are shared.
- Cybersecurity and clean energy are graded thin and battery storage absent. Cybersecurity rests on one Linux and Cybersecurity seminar, and the energy provision is a climate-science elective; a student set on either finds a course and little more. Ask whether any course, club or competition team in these fields is planned, and what a Grade 11 or 12 student does in them.
- The AI work is young and the largest facilities are plans. The student newspaper calls the IMSA Center for Artificial Intelligence, launched in May 2024, a prototype, and the July 2026 $140 million vision — $110 million of state capital funding approved, and nearly $9 million raised toward a $15 million IMSA Fund goal — describes an Advanced Technologies Lab (AI, robotics, virtual reality, quantum computing) and a SkillQuest Lab for industry credentials that do not yet exist. Ask which of these a student entering in 2027 will use, and when.
- Research runs through Student Inquiry and Research, and the school describes its credit inconsistently: the current programme page calls it a one-credit graded course, a December 2022 brochure says SIR courses are graded pass/fail and do not count toward graduation, and the course catalog lets SIR substitute for up to 2.0 elective credits. Students begin after their first year in good standing, and off-campus sites such as Argonne, Fermilab and the University of Chicago sit outside the school. Ask how placements are made, what happens to a student whose placement ends, and how the work is graded and counted.
- The school’s figure of 70% of alumni employed in a STEM field has no stated source or year, its college-matriculation page lists where the Class of 2025 enrolled (56 of 112 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign acceptances attending) and not what graduates study, and the Illinois Report Card, the state’s record of graduation and assessment results, disallows automated reading and could not be used here. Ask for college-enrolment and major data by class.
- The course catalog is published in more than one version (2026–27 versions 6 and 7), and the graduation requirement differs by class: at least 17.0 units for the Classes of 2027 and 2028 and 18.5 units for the Class of 2029 onward. The school offers no AP courses, yet administered 564 AP examinations to 244 students in its 2023 profile year. Ask which catalog and requirement apply to your child, and how the school treats AP scores.
| Domain | Evidence class | Key sources |
|---|---|---|
| AI & Data | School-reported · Corroborated | 2026–27 course catalog and Mathematics & Computer Science course list (Artificial Intelligence I and II, Introduction to Neural Computation); WSIU, 1 May 2026 (AI credential course); The Acronym (AI Center prototype); IMSAloquium 2026 abstract (student director of the Center) |
| Cybersecurity | School-reported | 2026–27 course catalog and Mathematics & Computer Science course list (Linux and Cybersecurity seminar); no competition result or credential found |
| Robotics | Officially recorded · School-reported | FIRST Tech Challenge event records for team 17576; 2026–27 course catalog (Robotics and Control Systems, Engineering, Electronics); The Acronym, 2024–25 season report; Center for Innovation and Inquiry pages (Makerspace) |
| Clean Energy | School-reported | 2026–27 course catalog and science course list (Global Climate Change, Engineering); Newswise, 18 June 2018 (Sustainable Development Goals in the curricula); no energy-technology provision found |
| Computer Science | School-reported · Corroborated | 2026–27 course catalog (Computer Science Inquiry, Object Oriented Programming, Advanced Programming); dual-credit page (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, CS100, CS205, CS235); faculty directory; school profile, 2023 |
| Earth & Geospatial | School-reported | Science course list (Planetary Science, Global Climate Change, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Microbiology); no geospatial course found |
| Aerospace | School-reported | Science course list (Planetary Science, Modern Physics); no aerospace course or competition result found |
| Advanced Manufacturing | School-reported · Corroborated | Center for Innovation and Inquiry pages (Makerspace: 3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutter); 2026–27 course catalog (Engineering); The Acronym (TITANS); no manufacturing credential found |
| Batteries & Energy Storage | Unsubstantiated | No coursework, club or competition record found |
| Biotechnology | School-reported · Corroborated | 2026–27 course catalog and science course list (Biotechnology Techniques in Chemistry, Biology: Molecular & Cellular, Cancer Biology); Student Inquiry and Research page and December 2022 brochure; school news, 12 March 2024 and 4 February 2026 |
Academics
Grades 10–12
Below is how we describe our academic programme: our mathematics, computer science and science courses, the advanced courses our students take, and the people who lead our academics. Our 2026–27 course catalog marks the courses we are not offering this year, so ask us below to confirm a course before you plan around it.
Mathematics, science & technology
We are a residential academy for academically talented students. We do not offer AP courses, and our college profile reports that 564 AP examinations were administered to 244 of our students. Our students complete at least 17.0 units to graduate (18.5 for the Class of 2029 and after), including 4.0 in science and 3.0 in mathematics and computer science, and 200 hours of approved service. Student Inquiry and Research, which we formalized in 1989, is part of our academic programme: recent trends suggest that about 75% of our students will conduct at least one investigation while they are with us.
- Computer science: Computer Science Inquiry (required of our sophomores), Object Oriented Programming, Advanced Programming, Artificial Intelligence I and II, Introduction to Neural Computation, Robotics and Control Systems and Elements of Computing Systems
- Mathematics: calculus through Multi-variable Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Abstract Algebra, Theory of Analysis and Number Theory
- Science: Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Biotechnology Techniques in Chemistry, Engineering, Electronics, Global Climate Change and Planetary Science
- Dual credit with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Waubonsee Community College, taught by our faculty on our campus
- The Steve and Jamie Chen Center for Innovation and Inquiry, with a Makerspace, internships and entrepreneurship
Advanced courses
Courses beyond our core sequence, from our 2026–27 course catalog; some are not offered every year.
Academic leadership
Dr. Angela Rowley
Leads our academic programme. Through the main office: (630) 907-5000.
Dr. Paul Gaszak
Our contact for dual-credit courses with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Waubonsee Community College.
Manuel Donelson
Our contact for the EXCEL program, the three-week summer program that selected students attend before they start.
Ask about academics
Calendar
School year 2026–2027
The dates below are the upcoming dates from our 12-Month Calendar for FY27, updated September 14, 2026, together with the admission dates for the Class of 2030 from our dates and deadlines page. Ask below if you need us to confirm a date before you plan around it.
October 2026
November 2026
December 2026
January 2027
February 2027
March 2027
April 2027
May 2027
June 2027
July 2027
Ask about the calendar
Our Story
Celebrating 40 years of IMSA
We are the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, a tuition-free residential program for students in Grades 10–12 in Aurora, Illinois. The State of Illinois created us as a “teaching and learning laboratory”, and we are an independent state agency governed by an appointed Board of Trustees. Our mission is “to ignite and nurture creative, ethical, scientific minds that advance the human condition.”
What we believe
Worth
All people have equal intrinsic worth.
Trust
Honesty, trust and respect are vital for any relationship to thrive.
Perspective
Diverse perspectives enrich understanding.
Stewardship
We are all stewards of our planet.
Milestones
We were founded; in 2026 we are celebrating 40 years of IMSA.
Our student newspaper, The Acronym, began as an unofficial, underground paper.
We formalized Student Inquiry and Research.
We hosted the International Student Science Fair, the first held in the United States, from June 27 to July 1.
TITANS, our FIRST Tech Challenge team 17576, played its rookie season.
Dr. Evan M. Glazer became our president on July 1.
We unveiled Vision 2033, with five goals: an AI center, redesigned residential life, new diplomas, partnerships with industry and higher education, and innovation hubs.
The IMSA Center for Artificial Intelligence launched on May 22.
In February we partnered with the Polsky Center at the University of Chicago, and in July we launched our $140M vision, including a $5M gift from Joe Beda ’93 and Rachel Beda, the largest in our history.
Leadership
Dr. Evan M. Glazer
Has led us since July 1, 2021. Through the main office: (630) 907-5000.
Dr. Angela Rowley
Leads our academic programme and our Academy.
Eric R. Brown
Chairs the appointed Board of Trustees that governs us as an independent state agency.
Professional Resident Counselors live in each of our residence halls · Our campus security is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week · We offer 17 competitive IHSA sports and 3 IHSA competitive activity programs, in the Little Ten Conference
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Give
Where Curiosity Lives
The IMSA Fund for Advancement of Education is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, and gifts to it are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Your gift helps us provide our students with the resources and opportunities they need to grow into tomorrow’s leaders and innovators.
One-time & tribute gifts
Give online to our General Fund with the online gift form, and dedicate your gift in honor or in memory of someone; the honoree or family receives a personalized letter about it.
Monthly gifts
Set up a monthly recurring gift of any amount through our PayPal giving page, or call our development office at 630.907.5040. Your bank can also send gifts automatically by electronic funds transfer.
Where Curiosity Lives
Our campaign: give through our Givebutter campaign page, where you can designate your gift to a graduating class team or join a challenge.
Matching gifts & stock
Many employers match employee donations, and some match volunteer hours. To give stock, let us know at giving@imsa.edu.
Planned gifts
A planned gift can be made during your life or after your death. Our Planned Gifts page lists wills and living trusts, retirement accounts, life insurance, real estate, securities and gifts that pay you income. Call 630.907.5051 or write to giving@imsa.edu.
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News
From the IMSA news page
Recent posts from our news page, newest first.
IMSA ranked No. 4 public high school in Illinois
The 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings place us No. 4 among public high schools in Illinois and No. 88 nationally, and make us the highest-ranked public high school in Illinois outside of Chicago.
IMSA launches $140M vision to transform the student experience
The Illinois General Assembly has approved $110 million in state capital funding to replace our aging residence halls, and our IMSA Fund campaign, Where Curiosity Lives, has a $15 million goal and is nearing $9 million. A $5 million gift from Joe Beda ’93 and Rachel Beda is the largest in our history. The plan includes new residence halls and a student center with an Advanced Technologies Lab, a SkillQuest Lab and a Student Wellness Center.
2026 IMSA Board of Trustees Alumni Awards
Our Board of Trustees created the Alumni Awards in 2006 to recognize alumni whose contributions benefit IMSA, Illinois, the nation and the world. This year Courtney M. Thompson ’03 received the Titan Award, Dr. Daniel Murariu ’99 and Ms. Lavina Jadhwani ’01 (posthumously) received Distinguished Leadership Awards, and Jared Kaplan ’01 received the Alumni Trailblazer Award.
IMSA partners with the Polsky Center at UChicago
We are opening our first Chicago office at Hyde Park Labs, inside the UChicago Science Incubator, in a partnership with the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. A staff member based in Chicago will work with Polsky to find hands-on learning and internship opportunities for our students at science-based startups.
IMSA celebrates National Merit Semi-Finalists
Twenty-eight of our students were named National Merit Semi-Finalists, and 57 were commended in the 2026 program.
2025 IMSA Board of Trustees Alumni Awards
Our Board of Trustees recognized alumni at the 2025 Alumni Awards, which it has presented since 2006.
Honoring the life of Dr. José M. Torres
We remember Dr. José M. Torres, who served as our president from 2014 to 2021, through the COVID-19 pandemic and a period without a state-appropriated budget, and whose tenure included our hosting of the 14th International Student Science Fair. He died on May 2, 2025.
Nine SIR students showcased their projects at the American Physical Society conference
Nine of our Student Inquiry and Research students from Dr. Peter Dong’s Particle Physics course presented at the American Physical Society meeting in Sacramento, April 3–6, 2024: two gave oral talks and seven presented posters.
2024 IMSA Board of Trustees Alumni Awards
Our Board of Trustees recognized alumni at the 2024 Alumni Awards, which it has presented since 2006.
The influence of patient’s sex on acute pulmonary embolism outcomes
A Grade 9 student in our RISE program, Cyrus Darki, presented a poster with mentors from RISE and Loyola University Medical Center on how patient sex affects acute pulmonary embolism outcomes in 889 patients.
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