Application

Check that you meet all Eligibility Requirements.

8th-grade applicants must also be enrolled in at least Algebra 1 and a high school-level science course and must have at least 50% of the course completed by the application deadline (February 14, 2025). If their school does not offer these courses, they will need to find supplementary courses through an accredited institution to meet this requirement. Here is a list of popular program choices among our applicants.

To begin the application process, access the admission application online by clicking here.

The IMSA application has no application fee. The application consists of the following:

• Demographic and School Information
• Two Essays
• List of STEM Activities and Achievements
• Parent Statement
• Three Teacher Evaluations from Current Teachers
• School Counselor Form
• Last 2.5 years of Official Grade Reports
• Official SAT or ACT Test Scores

The “Optional Statement” can be utilized to provide additional clarity on any part of the application or include information that you feel would be important for you or your child’s success at IMSA.

Applicants are required to submit two essays each 300-500 words answering the prompts provided in the application. Students will need to upload their essays to the application directly.

Students have the option of taking the SAT or ACT. All scores must be official and sent to Admission directly from the testing company. All test scores must be submitted before the application deadline (February 14). Any scores received after the deadline will not be accepted. It is important to note that the admissions department will not accept the SAT / ACT test scores that fall after the application deadline.

SAT

• Students can register for the SAT through CollegeBoard.org.
• Students should take the standard SAT, Math, and Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing sections without essay.
• When registering, please use IMSA’s SAT school code #3027 to ensure that we receive a copy of your test results.
• Please note, that we do not accept the PSAT

ACT

• Students interested in taking the ACT can register through ACT.org.
• Students should take the standard ACT without writing.
• When registering, mark IMSA as your current school (code# 140177) to ensure that we receive a copy of your test results.
• IMSA will accept the test scores for the February 8 test. Please send proof that the student has signed up for this testing date to admissions@imsa.edu.

Virtual SAT Official Practice Test with Northwestern's CTD

• Eligible applicants can take a virtual SAT official practice test that is offered through Northwestern’s CTD Program. Click here for instructions.
• Testing dates for CTD are as follows:
  • December 14, 2024
  • January 12, 2025
  • February 1, 2025
• Eligible applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• • If your family demonstrates financial hardship and/or you qualify for the Federal Free & Reduced Lunch Program, you may qualify for the fee waiver.

    • To request the fee waiver, please fill out this brief Google survey.

  • If you started your application after November 2.

  • If your scheduled exam date gets canceled.

  • If you are unable to find an exam within 45 minutes of your residence (email a screenshot showing the nearest options to admissions@imsa.edu before signing up for the exam)

Applicants are required to submit 3 Teacher Evaluation Forms from the following subjects:

• Math Teacher
• Science Teacher
• English Teacher

Starting December 2, students can send the Counselor Form to the current counselor (or school administrator who oversees transcript requests). It's important to note that counselors will need to upload official transcripts from the last 2.5 years and instructions on how to send official transcripts are included on the evaluation form. As a reminder, IMSA cannot accept transcripts from students or their families, all transcripts must come from the school itself. If you have sent the request to your counselor and they have not received it, visit our Application Troubleshooting FAQ’s page for assistance.

Before February, connect with the Office of Admissions to ensure all your application materials have been received. You can contact the Office of Admissions by email at admissions@imsa.edu or by phone 630.907.5028.

Students should log into their student account to view their Admission Tracker checklist. You will see a list of materials needed. Materials received will have a green check mark by them. The admission staff is working to update all checklists, which are done manually, so we appreciate your patience.

Learn more about IMSA’s exceptional learning experiences,  residential program, and admissions process. All admission events are posted on our Visit IMSA page. Please be sure to register for our events as spaces do fill up quickly. Event registrations are opened the month prior to the event and close two days before the event date. Once the application has closed, students will not have an opportunity to visit campus until decisions have been made and students sign up for orientation. We highly recommend visiting IMSA before the application deadline.

To get notified of our events, sign up for our Admissions Newsletter! We send the newsletter out once a month starting in August through March.

2024-2025 Application Timeline for Class of 2028

September 23: Application Opens

September - February: Complete Application Materials

December 2: Teacher Evaluation and Counselor Forms Available

January: Follow Up with Admissions

February 14: Application Closes

April 24: Decisions Released

May 5: Student Responses Due

May 5: Student Decision Appeal Due (Students interested in appealing their admission decision must follow these steps. View the Admissions Policy for details on the appeal process.)

June: Attend Orientation (All Admitted students are required to attend one Orientation date. Orientation is set for June 13 or 14. These dates are subject to change. Always check back for any updates. Please plan vacations accordingly).

To view the full list of enrollment dates and deadlines, click here.

Here's a Keynote for applicants to understand their application portal. In your portal, you will find the following two sections please use the provided key terms to better understand the different statuses you'll encounter on your application portal.

Key Terms & Definitions

Section 1: Requirements to be Completed

• • New: This means you haven't started working on this particular requirement yet.
  • Incomplete: You've begun working on the requirement, but it's not yet finished or submitted.
  • Ready to be Submitted: You've completed filling out the form, but you haven't clicked the "Submit" button.
  • Waiting for Recommender: You've requested a teacher or counselor evaluation, and we're currently awaiting their submission.

Section 2: Completed Requirements 

• • Submitted: You've successfully submitted the form, but our admissions team hasn't yet reviewed it.
  • Received: You've submitted the form, and our admissions team has reviewed and marked it as complete.
  • Not Applicable: This requirement doesn't apply to you.

How to Navigate the Portal

• Check your application status regularly: Monitor the status of each requirement to ensure you're on track.
• Address "Incomplete" items: Prioritize completing any requirements that are marked as "Incomplete" or "New."
• Submit forms promptly: Once a form is "Ready to be Submitted," click "Submit" to move it to the "Submitted" status.
• Follow up with recommenders: If a requirement is "Waiting for Recommender," gently remind your recommender to submit their evaluation.

Need Help?

• Contact our admissions office: We're here to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. We do ask that you check your application portal first and use the above keys to figure out the status of your admission requirements.

Remember:

• Completing your application thoroughly and on time is crucial.
• The application portal is designed to help you stay organized and track your progress.