Criteria & Testing
Admission to Ideaventions Academy is competitive (approximately 45%).
We are unable to accept all qualified students due to our commitment to being a small school for gifted learners.
We are unable to accept all qualified students due to our commitment to being a small school for gifted learners.
What do we look for?
We search for kind, intellectually curious, and motivated students who will succeed in our unique, nurturing school. We consider multiple factors when reviewing applications, and there is no single item that is the deciding factor.
An applicant’s candidacy is evaluated in these areas:
Intellectual Curiosity and Giftedness
An applicant’s candidacy is evaluated in three areas:
- Applicants must be prepared for the rigor and depth of Ideaventions Academy courses. We look for applicants who demonstrate high abilities in one or more areas of study, intellectual curiosity and demonstrated commitment to learning by reviewing:
- Intelligence and academic ability test results
- Student visit and observation
- Teacher recommendations
- Academic and personal pursuits outside the student’s school
- Personal essays (Upper School)
Natural Interest in STEM Disciplines
We select kind students who will contribute to the Ideaventions Academy community and broader society and will benefit the most from our science, technology, engineering and mathematics focus. We seek a candidate who will actively participate in the full life of the school, including extracurricular clubs and activities. We assess this level of interest and engagement through:
- Student visit and observation
- Engagement within their current school community
- Teacher recommendations
- Current extracurricular interests
- Personal essays (Upper School only)
A Good Fit
Our Admissions Committee looks for students who will thrive in the school’s curriculum and educational model by:
We determine this through:
- Having demonstrated appropriate maturity and a motivation to learn
- Showing independence, kindness, curiosity, and empathy
We determine this through:
- Teacher recommendations
- Student visit and observation
- Personal essays (Upper School only)
- Parent interview
Nondiscrimination Statement
Ideaventions Academy admits students of any race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Consistent with its obligations under the law, Ideaventions Academy prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Ideaventions Academy also prohibits unlawful harassment including sexual harassment and sexual violence.
Standardized Testing
Test scores from one of the following tests taken within 36 months of your application for admission must be submitted:
Please submit the assessment information through the Ravenna system. The test should have been administered no earlier than 36 month from the date of application. Additional testing scores may be submitted to provide the Admissions Committee with a fuller picture of the student, but one of the tests must be from the tests listed above.
Students with a learning difference or mood disorder, or who have an IEP, 504 Plan, or an individual learning plan, must include the full testing and learning plan at the time of application to be considered.
Setting up a testing appointment and getting the results can take to 6 to 8 weeks. Each psychologist has their own fee schedule. While we do not endorse any particular practice, listed below are some local psychologists that administer the WISC or the SB-5.
- Preferred:
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth or Fifth Edition (WISC-IV or WISC-V) (for students applying to 2nd grade or higher)
- Stanford-Binet V (SB-V or SB-5)
- Differential Abilities Scale (DAS)
- Also Accepted:
- CoGAT and NNAT (if more than 36 months old, with supporting standardized achievement test scores from prior two years (e.g., Iowas, SOLs, Algebra Readiness, etc.)
- SCAT (taken for CTY admissions)
- SAT or ACT (for applicants into 6th grade and above)
- PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT
Please submit the assessment information through the Ravenna system. The test should have been administered no earlier than 36 month from the date of application. Additional testing scores may be submitted to provide the Admissions Committee with a fuller picture of the student, but one of the tests must be from the tests listed above.
Students with a learning difference or mood disorder, or who have an IEP, 504 Plan, or an individual learning plan, must include the full testing and learning plan at the time of application to be considered.
Setting up a testing appointment and getting the results can take to 6 to 8 weeks. Each psychologist has their own fee schedule. While we do not endorse any particular practice, listed below are some local psychologists that administer the WISC or the SB-5.
