Students applying to the Academy for Science and technology should have a passion for science and a curiosity to explore modern scientific questions through a comprehensive, hands-on curriculum. Students take multiple years of instruction in the core sciences of biology, chemistry and physics while addressing 21st century science and technology themes in sustainability, material science, and energy. In addition to the traditional honors-level coursework in the STEM-related areas of math and computer science, a wide range of core and elective offerings in the humanities and the arts can be an important part of any AAST student's experience. Graduates from AAST are prepared for further studies across the entire curriculum and especially within the natural sciences, energy engineering, and sustainability. The following are some of the highlights of the AAST curriculum:
- Ninth grade students begin their multi-year study of the natural sciences by taking biology, chemistry, and a dedicated science lab period
- Tenth grade students add to their depth of chemistry, begin studies in physics, and continue with a dedicated lab period
- Eleventh grade students take Sustainable Chemical Processes, a course in advanced physics, and often enroll in their choice of an AP elective
- Twelfth-grade students continue their exploration of sustainable chemical processes in Inorganic Chemistry and Resource Applications and Alternative Energies. Throughout the curriculum, students are encouraged to find original answers to modern research challenges using the state-of-the-art facilities available on campus.
Many of the AAST faculty hold doctorates in their areas of expertise. Additionally, through our senior experience program and academic collaborations, students have unique opportunities to interact to with outside experts from institutions including Columbia, Princeton, Stevens, and the American Museum of Natural History among many others. Whether they continue in a STEM-relate field or choose another area, AAST graduates possess the knowledge, skills, and experience to succeed in their post-secondary studies and beyond.
