are invited to attend IMSA are admitted on the condition that they successfully complete a three-week, intensive preparation course, known as EXCEL, over the summer. IMSA has a fairly low retention rate; incoming sophomore classes number roughly 240, but graduating classes are only about 200 (Class of 2006 had a graduating class of 185). The reasons for this may include the difficulty of the IMSA curriculum, home-sickness, disciplinary expulsion, student’s family moving out of state, and the inability for Illinois students to matriculate to IMSA after their sophomore year.
Academics
Students at IMSA take rigorous college preparatory courses, with all classes being taught at the honors level, though IMSA philosophically spurns the Advanced Placement curriculum. Each student must fulfill a set of specific credits in order to graduate. This set of credits is broken