Admission

Boston University Academy is a high school embedded in a major urban research university.

As a school we’re distinctive, and our students are too. Our students come from 56 cities and towns and bring with them 220 different life experiences. BUA students are excited to use their intellects and the tools of scholarship to tackle any challenge, whether it’s reciting the opening lines of The Canterbury Tales in Middle English or taking Differential Equations with undergraduates at BU. We invite you to learn more, and hope you’ll visit our campus to experience BUA for yourself.

 

Boston.

The Urban Advantage: A campus with a pulse

BUA’s campus sits in one of the world’s great centers of learning and endeavor–and we take advantage of it.

In Boston, BUA students get exposure to real-world achievement in…well, almost everything. Medicine, science, technology, politics, education, history, social movements, literature, music and art: the city offers opportunities for rich connections to what our students learn in their classrooms. Hands-on experiences abound for student environmentalists, researchers, jazz lovers, Attic War nerds, and laser aficionados. Boston is our comprehensive resource for a well-rounded education.

Commuting

We’re a high school with a T stop. The T stop is crucial.

Our central location allows us to draw our student body from a wide range of communities around Boston and beyond. Students come to BUA from as far north as Andover, as far south as Easton, and as far west as Littleton. Many students commute via public transportation, putting into practice our firm belief that making your own way is a highly educational experience. Real teenagers, meet the inexorable march of timetables.

 

University.

Ceilingless Opportunities: Higher education, right next door

Boston University Academy is a rigorous high school embedded in a world-class research university. Our students are superbly positioned to follow their interests as far as they can. The Academy-University hybrid allows us to prepare students for the university environment–not to mention a wider world.

All BUA eleventh and twelfth graders take courses at BU for college credit in addition to courses in the BUA building. Some ninth and tenth graders take advanced mathematics and language courses at the University as well. All seniors research a thesis with the support of a University professor and a BUA faculty advisor. Outside the classroom, the University is a thriving intellectual community which reflects and expands what students experience in their courses. Galleries, performances, symposia, and competitions are there for the taking in. Who knows what will spark a scholar’s passion?

BUA’s connection to Boston University opens all kinds of doors for our curious and motivated students. BU’s resources are our resources: libraries with over 5 million volumes, labs and studios to work in, seminars to take. In fact, the BU catalog lists over 2,000 courses open to BUA students. Just that opportunity, for the right student, is impetus to go farther.

So many opportunities will present themselves to BUA students. Our task is to help them be ready for those opportunities. At BUA, they develop the reading and critical thinking skills demanded by high-level learning, as well as the study habits that support scholarly pursuits. Our students also learn the ins and outs of initiating research, collaborating with professors and peers, dealing with lab hours and deadlines — while drinking a tad too much coffee.

 

 

Academy.

Passionate Pursuit: It’s the launching pad

Boston University Academy’s core curriculum provides a solid foundation for in-depth study of just about anything.

Students begin with an integrated, classically-based ninth grade humanities program.  Foundations in Language and Logic  — BUA’s introduction to the classical trivium of grammar, rhetoric, and logic — explores basic modes of analysis. Every student studies Classical Themes in Literature, Ancient History, and either Latin or Ancient Greek. With this, comes immersion in primary texts, an interdisciplinary approach to humanities and an emphasis on close reading and learning to write.  Ninth graders also study Physics, a visual or performing art, and the level of mathematics they are prepared for, from Algebra to Multivariable Calculus. All courses at BUA are honors level. Our curriculum is built to equip a scholar for all the learning to come. Said learning is deep and wide, covering human experience in history, math, science, literature, technology, and the arts. Our faculty are dedicated to mentoring students and nurturing the joy of inquiry in each one. The ninth grade experience is designed to meet the intellectual needs of students as well as their development as individuals.

 

Be You @ BUA

Our motto is “Learning Without Limits.” In the literal sense, it means that BUA students build on their experience within the Academy building to pursue virtually any academic interest with world-class faculty at a major research university. Interested in Chaotic Dynamic Systems? We’ve got that. Warfare in Antiquity? Modern Japanese Literature? We’ve got those too. But just as importantly, our students develop the skills and confidence to know that they are capable of extraordinary things. With hard work and perseverance, nothing is beyond their reach.

We are a small, supportive community devoted to a well-rounded, robust intellectual life. Each and every student at BUA is known, cared for, taught well, and advised thoughtfully.  Our students are kind to one another. It makes it easier to be who you are, to follow your dreams and passions, and to decompress and have fun. Oh, yes — we’re a high school. There’s way more to BUA than academics. Students build relationships in music ensembles, on stage, in studios, on sports teams, over board games, and on the T.  Read on to learn more about our unique alchemy of rigorous academics and a warm, caring community – we think you’ll be excited by what you see!