FAQ's
Q: What academic tracks are available in the Academy?
A: There are two academic tracks in the Academy; College Preparatory and GATE/Honors/AP.
Q: What is the difference between the college preparatory track and the GATE/Honors/AP Track?
A: Students in the college prep track take all college preparatory classes in English, science and history until the senior year when they take Honors Economics and Honors Government. The GATE/Honors/AP students take GATE or Honors classes in the sophomore year, Honors history, AP English and AP Environmental Science as juniors and AP Economics and Government as seniors. English, history, science and computer arts comprise the Academy “Core” curriculum and cannot be substituted with non-Academy courses. Q: What about math, foreign language and other electives?
A: Elective courses, including math, are taken outside the Academy “Core” curriculum either at SBHS, SBCC or online through independent, accredited institutions. Students take the appropriate academic level of these courses (college preparatory, GATE, AP, etc.)
Q: Can Academy students take AP courses?
A: Yes, Academy students can take AP courses. The MAD Academy has two academic tracks; College Preparatory and GATE/Honors/AP and all students in the Academy take a minimum of 6 college classes. Students in the GATE/Honors/AP track take a minimum of four MAD AP courses and they can take other AP courses as an elective. Students in the college preparatory track can take AP courses as an elective.
Q: Can my son or daughter take AP classes other than the ones offered in the Academy GATE/AP track?
A: Yes, Academy students can take most, if not all, AP courses that are not offered in the Academy as an elective. AP courses not offered as part of the Academy Core curriculum cannot be substituted for classes in the Academy Core but they can be taken as an elective. Scheduling may limit when students can take some AP courses but with proper academic planning students should be able to take the AP courses that they desire.
Q: If my son or daughter is in the college preparatory track can they take GATE or AP courses?
A: Yes, Academy students in the college preparatory track can take GATE or AP courses as an elective. Electives include math, foreign language, and additional science and history classes. Elective classes cannot be substituted for Academy Core classes.
Q: What should I do to best prepare my son or daughter for college admissions?
A: Understandably this is all very confusing to parents but there are some general rules to follow when planning class loads for students. Colleges are looking for students who are taking the most difficult academic load that they can accomplish while earning high academic marks. All Academy students are taking a minimum of one college course each semester; many are taking at least one other college course or an AP course(s). This is a significant point since many colleges do not recognize a 5 point scale, simply that students are taking a challenging academic load. Since all Academy students will be taking a UC preparatory course schedule regardless of the academic level it is most important that the student be placed in the level which they will be most academically successful.
Q: What are Academy graduates pursuing after high school?
A: Students in the MAD Academy predominantly choose to attend four year universities and the percentages of where they attend have been fairly consistent over the past five years: 30-40% community colleges, 55-65 % 4 year universities, and one or two each year attend art schools, the military, take a year off or go directly to the workplace.
Q: Are the freshman MAD classes mandatory or highly recommended?
A: The Highly Recommended classes for freshman are Digital Art Tools, MAT 105 in the fall semester and Digital Imaging 1, MAT131 in the spring. There is a possibility that MAT131 will be changed to a semester long art class but students enrolled in MAT131 will be automatically rolled over into class.
Q: Is Freehand Drawing a requirement for MAD?
A: Freehand Drawing is not a requirement for MAD but an art course is required at some point during high school.
Q: My son or daughter was accepted into the Academy. Now what do we do?
A: Register to attend SBHS by filling out an enrollment packet obtained at the SBHS registrar’s office AND meet with an academic counselor at SBHS to schedule classes. Be sure to let the counselor know that you have been accepted into the MAD Academy.