2018

2019Residential Program

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), a global leader in STEM education for nearly 40 years, educates academically talented North Carolina high school juniors and seniors to become state, national, and global leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We provide opportunities for students to design their own futures through our challenging residential program emphasizing science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering as well as humanities courses, fine arts, real-world science and math experiences, athletics, and extracurricular opportunities. The nation’s first public, residential high school featuring STEM education, NCSSM has served as a model for 18 such specialized schools around the world. NCSSM, part of the 17-campus University of North Carolina System, is tuition-free.

NCSSM students and alumni are problem solvers and change makers—igniting innovation, cultivating community, and leading our state and nation into a bright future, one person at a time.

82 National Merit FinalistsMore than a quarter of the Class of 2018 qualified as National Merit Finalists.

World-Class Faculty100% of our faculty hold at least a master’s degree, and 43% have a doctorate.

Service to Community and SchoolThe Class of 2018 completed 25,394 community service hours.

IGNITING INNOVATION,CULTIVATING COMMUNITY.

African American/Black

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Hispanic/Latino

Unknown

White

Two or More Races

9.2%

0.3%

27.6%

3.5%

5.4%

49.2%

4.8%

Students apply to NCSSM during 10th grade. They are selected through a highly competitive admissions process that considers each applicant’s interest in science and mathematics, standardized test scores, past academic performance, special talents, accomplishments, and extracurricular interests. The selection committee also looks for evidence of potential, particularly in science and mathematics.

NCSSM is legislatively mandated to enroll an estimated equal percentage of students from each of the state’s congressional districts. Applicants thus compete for enrollment with other students in their congressional district rather than competing with every applicant across the state. This ensures that applicants with access to similar community resources compete with one another.

The academic program at NCSSM takes advantage of our residential learning environment, well-trained and dedicated faculty and staff, and highly motivated and talented student body. The school’s philosophy is to ensure that each student:

1. Becomes thoroughly grounded in the sciences, mathematics, engineering, computer science, and the humanities.

2. Becomes proficient in the use of technological tools, laboratory facilities, and other means by which knowledge is acquired and processed in the sciences and mathematics.

3. Adopts a sequence of study that includes investigating areas of academic interest in depth through high-level course offerings and such experiences as mentorship, research courses, independent studies, seminars, and Mini-Term.

Students in the Class of 2018 were enrolled in four to five core academic courses during their first trimester and at least five in subsequent trimesters. These include the following minimum requirements of trimester credits earned:

Science

Mathematics

English

Social Science

World Language (3-6)

Engineering/Computer Science

Physical Activity and Wellness

Electives (to equal required total credits)

In addition to these requirements, each student completes two Mini-Term sessions, two years of campus service, a service learning requirement, and the residential education curriculum. Students participate in their choice of elective offerings, including extensive fine arts and music opportunities, in which up to a third of NCSSM students participate each year.

NCSSM of fers a variety of options for focused research. Research Experience courses provide research skills development and the opportunity to engage in the research process in various topics in science, humanities, mathematics, or engineering and computer science. More advanced courses in a specific discipline—Research in Biology, Chemistry, Computational Science, Engineering and Computer Science, Humanities, Mathematics, or Physics—allow students to initiate or continue an in-depth research project of their own design. Students also have the option to pursue research under the guidance of a research professional in the Triangle area in their chosen field of interest (including STEM, social science, arts, and humanities) through the Mentorship Program. In addition to school year courses and programs, more than 150 rising seniors participate in NCSSM’s Summer Research Internship Program. NCSSM students often attend conferences and enter their work in state, national, and international competitions.

FEMALE - 53% MALE - 47%

STUDENT ADMISSIONS CLASS OF 2018DEMOGRAPHICS

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

RESEARCH & MENTORSHIP

(Students must have a minimum of 27 core credits to graduate.)

Mini-Term is a winter two-week session during which NCSSM students learn outside the regular curriculum and classroom contexts. Students have traveled abroad to China and Greece, hiked the Appalachian Trail, studied geological wonders in Arizona, and tackled topics ranging from DNA studies and quantum mechanics to sound art, Spanish cinema, and software design, to give only a few examples.

MINI-TERM

5 4 3 2 1

43.8% 29.1% 17.3% 8.0% 1.8%

AP EXAM PERFORMANCE

249 students (79.0%) took a total of 1304 exams. 98.4% of those scored a 3, 4, or 5 on at least one exam.

All NCSSM courses are honors level or higher. Mini-Term, physical activity/wellness courses, residential education courses, campus service, and summer service learning are graduation requirements but carry no quality points and are not computed in the GPA. Quality point value of courses is reflected in the NCSSM course numbering system.

NOTE: Beginning with the Class of 2019, NCSSM has aligned our quality points with North Carolina public high schools, as established by the state Board of Education, retaining “C-” as our lowest creditable grade and our unique level of courses between “Honors” and “AP/College level.”

College readiness for NCSSM students is enhanced by articulation agreements with 19 colleges and universities, which award university credit for NCSSM courses without requiring an Advanced Placement exam or other placement or exemption testing.

QUALITY POINTS & GPA

GPA SCALE BY COURSE LEVEL(SCALE FOR CLASS OF 2019 AND BEYOND)

English

Math

Reading

Science

STEM

Composite

32.6

32.2

32.8

33.6

32.3

32.4

ACT TEST PERFORMANCE (MEANS)

SAT TEST PERFORMANCE

207 students (65.7%) took a total of 329 ACT exams.

100% of students took the SAT. SAT statistics were compiled using the best EBRW (Evidence-Based Reading & Writing) and best Math scores reported for each student. *Denotes mean and median of best overall composite SAT scores, which does not necessarily equal the sum of EBRW mean plus Math mean.

Description

Introductory level courses that meet a core NCSSM graduationrequirement (comparable to honors level courses at many high schools)

Courses that meet one or more of the following criteria: • accelerated version of a 300-349 level class• requires prerequisites taken at NCSSM • at a level higher than a typical high school honors course • for seniors only

Courses at the level of introductory college courses and/or that help prepare students to take an Advanced Placement exam

Courses that deal with topics beyond those of introductory college courses

Course

300-349

350-399

400-449

450-499

A (+/-)

4.50

4.75

5.00

5.00

B (+/-)

3.50

3.75

4.00

4.00

C (+/-)

2.50

2.75

3.00

3.00

D

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Quality points awarded by letter grade

All students are required to perform 60 hours of service learning in their two years at NCSSM, spread between their home and campus communities. Each student also completes 2-3 hours of campus service each week, in their first year rotating between different areas like the cafeteria or grounds and in their senior year taking on more specialized roles as ambassadors, peer counseling coordinators, resident assistants, and teaching assistants.

SERVICE LEARNING

The NCSSM residential environment offers not just rich academic and real-world opportunities but also a nurturing setting for each student’s social and holistic development. Counseling Services provides personal, academic, college, and career counseling. The Physical Activity and Wellness department offers a wide variety of core and elective courses, from archery and fencing to sports medicine; 21 varsity sports; an intramural program; and many other recreational opportunities.

Student Services facilitates supportive hall communities and a variety of extracurricular opportunities. Students pursue their interests in one of 100+ student led clubs on campus, participate in our active Student Government (part of the UNC Association of Student Governments), and seek leadership opportunities in campus service their senior year.

STUDENT LIFEMean

Math EBRW Composite*

731 706 1437

Median 740 720 1460

The Class of 2018 represents NCSSM at 76 total colleges and universities throughout the U.S.

North Carolina School ofScience and Mathematics

1219 Broad Street, Durham, NC 27705

Counseling Services

919-416-2835 • ncssm.edu/counseling

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES & ENROLLMENTS FOR THE CLASSES OF 2016 THROUGH 2018

College

American University

Amherst College

Appalachian State University

Barnard College

Barton College

Boston University

Bowdoin College

Brown University

California Institute of Technology

Campbell University

Carleton College

Carnegie-Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

Catawba College

Christopher Newport University

Clemson University

College of Charleston

Colorado School of the Mines

Colorado State University

Columbia University

Cornell University

Dartmouth College

Davidson College

Duke Kunshan University

Duke University

Durham Technical Community College

East Carolina University

Elon University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Emerson College

Florida State University

Georgetown University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Gettysburg College

Grove City College

Guilford College

Hamilton College

Hampshire College

Hampton University

Harvard University

Harvey-Mudd College

High Point University

Hollins University

Howard University

Johns Hopkins UniversityKent State University

College

Liberty University

Loyola University

University of Lynchburg

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

McGill University

Mercer University

Meredith College

Middlebury College

Mount Holyoke College

New York University

North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina Central University

North Carolina State University

Northeastern University

Northwestern University

Olin College of Engineering

Oxford College of Emory University

Pennsylvania State University

Pomona College

Pratt Institute

Princeton University

Purdue University

Reed College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rhodes College

Rice University

Saint Lawrence University

Saint Louis University

Salem College

Scripps College

Sewanee: The University of the South

Smith College

Soka University of America

Stanford University

Stetson University

Swarthmore College

The College of New Jersey

The College of William & Mary

The George Washington University

Tufts University

Tulane University

Tuskegee University

United States Air Force Academy

United States Military Academy - West Point

United States Naval Academy

University of Alabama at Huntsville

College

University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Chicago

University of Cincinnati

University of Colorado, Boulder

University of Dallas

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Kentucky

University of Maryland Baltimore County

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of North Carolina - Asheville

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina - Charlotte

University of North Carolina - Greensboro

University of North Carolina - Wilmington

University of Notre Dame

University of Oklahoma

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

University of Rochester

University of South Carolina

University of Southern California

USC School of Cinematic Arts

University of Texas, Dallas

University of Toronto

University of Utah

University of Vermont

University of Virginia

Vanderbilt University

Vassar College

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Wagner College

Wake Forest University

Washington & Lee University

Washington University in St. Louis

Wellesley College

West Virginia Institute of Technology

Western Carolina University

Wheaton College

Williams College

Wingate University

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Yale University

A

6

15

69

5

2

25

2

13

15

21

5

37

23

1

1

34

8

8

2

23

36

8

10

2

112

1

131

18

4

1

2

15

54

1

1

2

2

5

8

15

11

8

10

20

21

1

A

5

2

3

31

6

9

10

5

2

28

16

11

485

23

11

1

5

12

7

2

19

25

9

24

2

14

1

2

4

3

4

3

2

14

4

8

1

8

12

6

7

2

6

3

7

6

A

17

40

19

12

2

2

1

13

4

3

15

12

39

607

90

21

55

6

5

23

17

7

20

20

1

6

5

3

6

27

31

9

35

1

70

6

18

9

1

8

5

7

25

6

23

E

1

8

11

1

1

3

1

3

3

4

1

11

2

1

1

5

1

1

1

8

16

2

2

1

45

1

19

3

1

1

2

2

10

1

1

1

1

1

1

12

5

1

1

3

4

1

E

1

1

1

15

1

1

1

1

1

1

6

1

169

1

2

1

1

2

2

2

4

5

1

2

2

5

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

12

1

3

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

3

3

1

E

8

10

3

3

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

6

316

17

3

10

2

1

8

2

3

2

4

1

1

1

2

1

1

11

4

1

1

16

1

5

3

1

1

1

3

2

2

14

A - Accepted E - Enrolled

During this three-year period, nine students took a gap year before entering college. Data compiled through student self-reporting and college correspondences.