How Merit Academy offers the best College Prep on the Planet

1. We start each year with an Organization and Preparation Week, that focuses on

• study skills
• time management
• note taking skills
• test taking strategies
• learning strategies (including a learning assessment to show students how they learn best)

2. We offer Real World, Project-Based Curriculum

• These are projects that allow students to experience learning, rather than just hearing it in a classroom.
• These projects matter to people outside the school, making the students have to be responsible and professional to achieve success.
• Each of the projects teaches understanding about the State Core
• Writing across the curriculum to help contextualize learning

3. We offer more resources for learning and understanding

• 15:1 student-teacher ratio for State Core Classes (the most assessed classes in the curriculum)
• 25 student limits for all other classes
• The most advanced technology, both hardware and software all of it industry-standard (Adobe, Microsoft, etc).
• Outside Professionals who bring resources from their businesses
• Every class uses MLA, APA and other college style sheets in writing
• Classes teach the ability to process, analyze and synthesize information rather than just knowing it

4. Mentoring

• Each student will be assigned to a Teacher-Mentor, responsible for helping them through the curriculum. This Teacher-Mentor, who will have reports from all classes, tests, college goals, etc, will work with the student almost every day in a study hall.
• Every student in an IFT will have a Track Mentor, who can work with them on their specific track goals
• Students will be assigned to an individual counselor to help them as needed and with specific college information
• The School Director receives reports on each student from every source, including classroom teachers, Teacher-Mentors, Assessments, Student Goals, etc that he tracks and follows-up with.

5. Instructional Focus Tracks that allow students to specialize

• General Education
• College Credit/ Concurrent Enrollment
• Science and Engineering
• Science & Math
• Science & Technology
• Business
• English and Humanities
• Fine Arts
• Foreign Language
• Individualized Tracks, i.e. theater management from Business & Fine Arts; International Law from Social Studies & Foreign Language, etc

6. Portfolios for major projects and papers, which students can show to colleges and professionals

7. Jr & Sr Seminars where students learn how to

• Write a College Application Letter
• Study for ACTs and SATs
• Where to find & how to get scholarships and grants
• The College Interview
• Create a Research Paper/Project

8. All students take a Financial Literacy class where they learn

• budgeting
• saving
• spending
• credit
• compound interest
• job benefits
• how to read contracts, including rental agreements

9. Service Learning & Character Education where students learn how to be members of a community who can affect change.

10. More Student Choice in classes, projects and curriculum creates more:

• interesting classes
• effective time at school
• responsible students
• motivated learning

11. Merit empowers each student with the ability to show colleges:

• Focus
• Achievement
• Experience
• Demonstrable Success