Others have had your
same questions before!

1. How will this affect my chances of getting into a university?
Universities want you to challenge yourself while in high school. They want to see that you've selected courses that push you to learn as much as you can in four years. HS courses are certainly one way to show that you've taken rigorous courses. The Roosevelt Innovation Academy is another. See more on the "University Acceptances" tab, just above.

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2. Will I be prepared for the IB Diploma, if I pursue the IA in 10th grade? 
We've had many students transition to the IB Diploma after taking the IA in 10th grade. They have told us that they have felt prepared to take the IB and the majority have thrived as well. The reason for this is that students in the IA are challenged to hone their analytical and research skills while also becoming more organized and better collaborators. One former tenth-grade IA student had this to say about her experience: "When I look back at my high school years and think of my most transformative experience, it was during the IA. Even though I only did it for 10th grade, this year was very influential in defining who I am today. Because of the autonomy, the IA taught me how to use my voice in a way that matters."

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3. How will I be graded?
The majority of the feedback you receive will be formative and narrative. Throughout the process of any project, the teacher will guide you to think deeply about what you're doing, and your classmates will challenge you as well to perform better. At midterm and at the end of each semester, the teacher will work with you to decide where you are in terms of mastering various skills, and your peers will as well. The grades for each IA course which range from 1 to 7, will appear on your HS transcript. 

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4. What will my commitment be?
The Innovation Academy requires that you make a one-year commitment when entering the cohort in 9th or 10th grade. After 10th grade, you will be able to decide whether to continue taking IA courses or pursue the full IB Diploma or other HS courses. 

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5. I hear students spend long chunks of time in the IA. What do they do? 
One would think that spending such a long time with the same group of people can get repetitive. In reality, the classes are very dynamic. Time is spent learning relevant skills and concepts, being part of feedback sessions with your teachers & peers and completing independent work. Having long blocks also gives you the flexibility to go on field trips to work with experts and learn from the real world.

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6. Would I really be working with experts? 
Definitely! The whole idea of this program is that you delve into the topics you're interested in and get guidance from field experts. While the IA teachers ​have a wide variety of skill sets, they know that there are still some areas that are better left for the experts. So for instance, when students create their magazine in 10th grade, they work with expert photographers and layout designers. We curate learning experiences so that you can get the most out of your time in the IA.