Dr. Ari M. Betof, Head of School
Jill Atkinson, Director of College Counseling
Ellen Rhodes Evans, Assistant Director of College Counseling
One University Road
Boston, MA 02215
P: 617-353-9000 F: 617-353-8999
www.buacademy.org
CEEB #220202
Accredited by NEASC
School Profile
2015-2016
The mission of Boston University Academy is to educate talented students who are passionate about learning and who
share the joy of inquiry. Engaging with dedicated teachers in a small and caring community, Academy students first
immerse themselves in a classically based core curriculum and then continue their intellectual interests by studying
coursework at Boston University, a major research institution. Founded in 1993, the Academy is a small, coeducational
independent day school for highly motivated students in grades 9–12 located on the campus of Boston University.
OUR COMMUNITY
44 170 20 12 Members of the Class of 2016 Total students Faculty Members — 9 Masters, 9 Doctorate Average class size OUR STUDENT BODY
45%
45% 41%
42% 53 From independent schools
4% From parochial schools From public schools 6% From international schools
Students of color
or homeschools Multi-lingual households (representing 22 languages) Communities represented (all cities and towns in Greater Boston)
THE CURRICULUM
Boston University Academy thrives on a distinctive curriculum. Operating independently, but drawing upon the considerable
course selections, facilities and human resources of Boston University, BU Academy is an ideal secondary school education for
the most insatiable learners. The Academy provides a “ceiling-less” educational experience, one in which our students’ zeal for
learning takes them as far as they are capable, even including BU graduate courses, as appropriate.
Rooted in the Western canon, the Academy’s classically based core curriculum serves as a foundation for the critical thinking
and inquiry skills needed for an in-depth study of the humanities and sciences. Our approach to teaching the classical tradition
prompts students to understand historical perspectives, think critically, delve deeply, master the use of primary texts, and hone
interpretive powers. All Academy courses are honors level and there is no tracking.
GRADES 9 AND 10
For their first two years, students take courses in traditional disciplines—English, mathematics, science,
history, visual and performing arts, and physical education. Students are also required to study two years of either Latin or
ancient Greek to learn the foundations of language, as well as to read the primary texts, which serve as the backbone of the
Academy’s liberal arts curriculum and the English language. All Academy freshmen engage in a full-year “Foundations in
Language and Logic” course. The Academy offers non-credit Short Courses for sophomores to complement the required
curriculum and to offer additional perspectives on topics studied in core classes; topics vary from year to year. GRADES 11 AND 12
Students continue to take courses offered by the Academy in addition to enrolling in courses at Boston
University. Most Academy students engage in courses at the University during junior year, typically taking as many as two
University classes each semester, and as many as four University classes each semester during senior year. All seniors are
required to take an English course (seminar) at the Academy or the University each semester. All University classes are taken
with Boston University faculty and students, and, with the exception of English, are not required for graduation from the
Academy. Seniors also complete a thesis paper with the guidance of a University professor as a graduation requirement.
Academy students regularly complete between six (24 college credits) and twelve courses (48 college credits)
from Boston University’s undergraduate curriculum prior to high school graduation. As such, the Academy
does not offer Advanced Placement courses, yet a small number of students choose to take AP exams each
May. For the Classes of 2015 and 2016, 91% of scores earned were a 4 or a 5.
CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS
Junior-year History and English, in a series of coordinated exercises and papers that prepare for
the senior thesis, introduce students to the humanistic research process, to the role of sources in inquiry and argument, and to
methods of fairly incorporating them into one’s work. WRITING WITH SOURCES
Juniors with defined academic interests may enroll in one of two optional Junior Research
Seminars. These seminars are in addition to the traditional five academic courses a student takes each semester, provide
students with skills in research methodology, and introduce our students to University faculty and the kinds of research being
undertaken at Boston University. For many students, these seminars become the basis for the Senior Thesis. In each seminar,
students are asked to produce academic work on topics of interest:
JUNIOR RESEARCH SEMINARS
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) - Weekly tours of the University’s science and
engineering laboratories and the examination of current science periodicals give STEM students insight into cutting-edge
scientific research. Many students conclude the course in University labs where they fulfill summer internships.
HAL (History, Arts, and Letters) - Students meet weekly to examine research methods in the humanities and social
sciences, including navigating the myriad of University resources in developing research papers.
SENIOR SEMINARS
Although many of their courses take place at the University, seniors may stay connected to the
Academy by taking a semester-long Senior Seminar. These academic courses vary from year to year and offer students an indepth study in a variety of disciplines. Fall 2015 Senior Seminars include Modernity and Philosophy and Women in
Literature, each of which satisfies the senior-year English course requirement for graduation. All Academy students must complete an independently researched senior thesis on a topic of their choice
in order to graduate. A year-long project and culminating experience, the senior thesis demonstrates students’ ability to read
closely, research thoroughly, think analytically, and write coherently in scholarly fashion. In addition to working with a faculty
advisor from the Academy with regard to their thesis, students select a University professor to serve as advisor as well.
Students present their research before their advisors and members of the Academy community.
SENIOR THESIS
All Academy students are required to study either Latin or ancient Greek in freshman and
sophomore years. As juniors and seniors, students may choose from any language offered at Boston University. In taking
University language courses, students often achieve in two years the equivalent of four years of high school language study. As
a result, most Academy students graduate with proficiency in two languages, one classical and one modern.
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
STATE-OF-THE-ART RESOURCES
Located at the heart of Boston University’s campus, the Academy offers students access
to cutting-edge learning facilities – Mugar Memorial Library; science laboratories at the Photonics Center and the College of
Engineering; as well as studios and performance spaces at the College of Fine Arts. Additionally, Academy students benefit
from the intellectual resources at Boston University. Post-doctoral researchers and professors teach our students in University
courses, work alongside our students in lab internships, and often speak at the Academy’s weekly all-school meetings.
ATHLETICS
The Academy sports program features interscholastic teams to
satisfy student-athletes who are looking for a competitive
experience. While all students are encouraged to be involved,
participation
is not required. Teams include basketball, crew,
cross-country,
fencing, sailing, soccer, tennis, and ultimate
Frisbee.
Physical
Education meets once a week and is required in
freshman
and sophomore years. All Academy students have
access
to
and
benefit from the extraordinary athletic facilities
at Boston University.
STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
ARTS – VISUAL AND PERFORMANCE
Academy students gain an appreciation for the arts by
exploring their creativity through Academy and University
coursework and participation in extracurricular activities.
Freshmen and sophomores are required to enroll in a visual or
performing arts course each year. Juniors and seniors have the
option of enrolling in a Visual Arts Seminar, Music Theory
or a Drama Seminar. Students may participate in Art Club,
Chamber Ensemble, Chorus, Drama Club, Jazz Band, and
Photography Club after school, or as an Academy Short Course
Also, all students are welcome to audition for University music
groups, as well as the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra in
residence at Boston University.
The Academy’s assortment of student groups is always changing, as students have the option of proposing new organizations
geared toward their specific interests. A sample of regular activities include Academy Press (school newspaper), Admission
Ambassadors, Art Club, Gay-Straight Alliance, Literary Magazine, Math Club, Model UN, Nerdly Hobbies, Performing Arts
Outing Club, Peer Advisors, Peer Tutors, Philosophy Club, Robotics Team, Science Team, Student Council, and Yearbook.
GRADING
Boston University Academy and Boston University award letter
grades
in all academic subjects. All grades are unweighted. The Academy uses a traditional A-F grading scale. D is the lowest passing grade. RANK
IN CLASS Given our small size and hybrid Academy/University
program,
the Academy does not provide class rank or report GPA.
TRANSCRIPTS The Academy transcript is a record of all coursework taken at
both the Academy and at the University during the academic year. All grades
recorded for University courses are provided by the Office of the University
Registrar. If requested by a college admission or registrar office, each student
may arrange for an official Boston University transcript to be forwarded. GRADE DISTRIBUTION – TENTH GRADE, 2013-2014
A
A EN45: English Lit. & Comp.
5
13
HI45: Dev. of Modern Europe
9
7
CH45: Chemistry
11
9
MA25G: Geometry
1
3
MA70: PreCalculus
9
5
MA80: Calculus I
5
9
MA90: Integral Calculus (S1)
9
6
MA95: Multivariate Calculus (S2)
6
8
CL45: Latin II
6
5
CG45: Ancient Greek II
4
GRADE DISTRIBUTION – ELEVENTH GRADE, 2014-2015
EN65: American Literature
HI65: American History
MA70: PreCalculus
MA80: Calculus I
MA90: Integral Calculus (S1)
MA95: Multivariate Calculus (S2)
*CAS BI107: Biology 1 (S1)
*CAS BI108: Biology 2 (S2)
CL65: Latin III
COMMON TRANSCRIPT ABBREVIATIONS
S1 – Semester One course
S2 – Semester Two course
YR – Yearlong BUA course
BUA – Boston University Academy course
BUASC – Short Course; non-credit BUA course
CAS – College of Arts and Sciences course at BU
The two letters following CAS or BUA are department codes:
AN – Anthropology, BI – Biology, CL – Classics,
CS – Computer Science, EN – English, LG – German,
LS – Spanish, LX – Linguistics, MA – Math,
PS – Psychology, PY – Physics, RN – Religion, etc…
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D
F
Total
7
7
5
2
4
6
5
5
5
1
13
17
7
3
7
6
4
2
10
1
5
1
8
2
4
2
5
2
6
-
1
3
1
5
1
4
1
2
-
2
1
-
2
2
1
1
-
1
1
1
-
1
-
44
44
44
20
34
33
30
24
34
6
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D
F
Total
12
8
5
15
6
5
12
1
4
13
9
2
9
3
2
4
8
-
15
15
9
6
6
1
2
7
-
8
4
3
1
12
5
-
2
2
5
3
1
9
3
-
1
1
3
-
2
2
-
1
-
-
-
42
42
26
39
18
9
40
27
4
NOTE: Each chart illustrates the distribution of final grades for all academic Academy courses in which members of the Class of
2016 were enrolled. The charts include students from all grade levels who were enrolled in these classes.
*Our students typically enroll in a wide array of classes at Boston University during junior year, so the second chart does not reflect
final marks for all of a student’s classes. Since many of our juniors enroll in one or both introductory Biology courses at BU, we
have included these two classes in the second chart.
STANDARDIZED TEST INFORMATION, CLASS OF 2016 (as of June 2015)
CR
M
WR
750 – 800
700 – 740
650 – 690
600 – 640
550 – 590
490 – 540
15
8
13
5
1
--
18
7
12
4
-1
17
8
12
3
2
--
18 National Merit Commended Scholars
Mean Scores
717
725
719
2160
Critical Reading
Math
Writing
Total
11 National Merit Semifinalists
DISCIPLINARY ACTION POLICY
The Academy will report all suspensions
and expulsions occurring during a
student’s 9th -12th grade career in the
context of the school report provided to
each college.
The Academy will also inform colleges if a
student is placed on disciplinary probation
at any time during their tenure in our
community.
COLLEGE MATRICULATION: CLASSES 2010 – 2015
In the past six years, graduates of Boston University Academy have enrolled in the following colleges and universities. In a
typical year, 100% of students enroll in 4-year colleges. The schools at which at least one member of the Class of 2015 enrolled
are identified in bold type.
Amherst College
Babson College
Bard College
Bennington College
Bentley University
Binghamton University
Boston College (2)
Boston University (20)
Brandeis University (8)
Brown University (9)
Bryn Mawr College (3)
California Institute of Technology (4)
Carnegie Mellon University (3)
Case Western Reserve University (4)
Champlain College
Chapman University
Columbia University
Connecticut College
Cornell University (2)
Dartmouth College (3)
Drew University
Emory University
Fordham University
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
The George Washington University (3)
Georgetown University
Gordon College
Harvard University (7)
Harvey Mudd College (5)
Haverford College (3)
Hobart and William Smith Colleges (2)
Johns Hopkins University (5)
Kalamazoo College
Macalester College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (6)
McGill University (3)
Middlebury College
Mount Holyoke College (2)
New York University (5)
Northeastern University (9)
Oberlin College (5)
Pitzer College
Princeton University (2)
Reed College (2)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (6)
Skidmore College (4)
Smith College (5)
Stanford University (7)
Stevens Institute of Technology (2)
Temple University
Trinity College (CT)
Trinity College Dublin
Tufts University (2)
United States Air Force Academy
University of California at Berkeley (2)
University of California at San Diego
University of California at Santa Cruz
University of Chicago (4)
University of Edinburgh
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Massachusetts at Amherst (5)
University of Massachusetts at Boston (2)
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania (5)
University of Rochester (9)
University of Southern California
University of St. Andrews
University of Tampa (2)
University of Toronto
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis (4)
Wesleyan University (2)
Williams College (2)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2)
Yale University (4)