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Hello prospective students,
My name is Juliana Bogert, and I am 17 years old. This upcoming year will be my fourth and final year at
The Davidson Academy, and while it is mildly1 terrifying to know that I have only one more year of high school left, it is also exciting to know that thanks to the Academy, I'll be able to hit the ground running as soon as I graduate.
One of the things that truly sets the Academy apart from other schools is that it really serves as a catalyst for its students' college paths, careers and futures. There are plenty of other schools that offer stellar curriculums and challenging classes, but the Academy offers something much more meaningful
- an environment that not only nurtures and encourages intellectual curiosity, but provides the resources to delve into those interests and turn them into a passion. The challenges that students meet here and the support that they receive have a common purpose: to stimulate their development as individuals and as members of society. The Academy truly is the ideal place for young people whose creativity and independence of thought sustain their continuing inquiry and reflection, and whose passion for learning impels them beyond what they already know.
My years here at the Academy have helped me to grow both intellectually and personally (although sadly, it has yet to help me grow taller2). The small class sizes mean that everyone has the chance to have their voice heard, and the dedicated teachers make every lesson engaging. Even outside of class, there is never a dull moment, with heated debates on the couches, impromptu jam sessions in the music room, and an eclectic assortment of clubs (such as Science Club and Future Physicians, which you should join, by the way3) that cater to a broad variety of interests. Here, the small community is more than just a statistic; it's a way of learning.
Everyone comes to class prepared to share, discuss, and discover, whether the subject is a novel by William Faulkner or the Qing Dynasty or acid-base equilibrium. There are no true "lectures," at least not in the sense that most other schools use the word. Sure, there will be days when the teacher stands at the front of the room and talks for a great deal of time, but those will always be peppered with students asking questions, questions that lead to discussions, new ideas, arguments, and an overall deeper understanding of the material. It's a way of being: interacting with other minds, listening carefully, speaking open-mindedly, accepting new ideas and questioning old ones, using new knowledge, and enjoying the richness of human interaction.
Although I have met many challenges along the way, coming to the
Academy was a decision that has provided me with extraordinary opportunities and resources that have opened so many doors for my future. I highly encourage you to apply to the Academy, because I'm sure it's a decision you will not regret.4
- And by mildly I actually mean incredibly.
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I am still only five feet tall. Please excuse me for a moment as I sob internally.
- Shameless advertising. I regret nothing.
- And if you do get in, be sure to sure to stop by and say hello!
~ Juliana Bogert, Fourth Year Davidson Academy Student
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The Right Fit for You?
While the deadline to submit applications for the 2014-2015 school year has passed, it’s not too early to think about 2015-2016. If you are looking for an environment to better fit your social and academic needs, The Davidson Academy of Nevada may be the place for you!
If you are interested in applying to The Davidson Academy for the 2015-2016 school year, the application will be posted
later this summer. Please review the
Qualification Criteria and
How to Apply pages of our website for more information. The Academy is specifically designed to meet the needs of profoundly gifted middle and high school students who score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ or college entrance tests, such as the SAT or ACT. On the
Application Review Process page, you will find detailed information about the on-site assessment.
Upcoming Tours for Prospective Students
Each month during the school year, The Davidson Academy hosts a tour for prospective students and their parents. At these tours, visitors meet current Academy students, parents, faculty and staff, and ask specific questions about the school.
Upcoming school tours will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the following
Fridays:
- Sept. 26, 2014
- Oct. 24, 2014
- Nov. 21, 2014
- Dec. 12, 2014
- Jan. 30, 2015
- Feb. 27, 2015
For details, including directions to The Davidson Academy and RSVP information, please visit the
Tours page. If you would like more information, please contact us at
outreach@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
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Academy Student Attends TellurideAcademy student Grace Hong recently
took part in the Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP). She describes his experiences below.
The Telluride Association Summer Program offers full ride scholarships to students all over the globe to take a
six-week humanities seminar at one of its university branches. The seminar topics range from "Identity and Belonging from Primates to Post-humans" to "Modernism in Modern Art and Theater", and in-class discussions can be just as eclectic. We'll begin our mornings talking about the Dada Manifesto and Duchamp's readymades, and three hours later (at the end) be wrapped in an intense discussion about how to approach oppressive systems in human society and thought, or whether trees are real.
However, the highlight of TASP is without a doubt the diverse group of 32 people who come from extremely different walks of life, and often have radically different views as a result. The only common trait among everyone is their thoughtfulness and open-mindedness, and debates are always marked by a friendly level of respect. Conversations have ranged from the highly intellectual (politics of disgust, or the mathematics of glass), to the just plain weird (a house-wide obsession with bagels, or whether we could acquire sheep), and people have bonded intensely over late-afternoon bubble tea runs and similar outlooks on life. During our six week stay, we also give 20-minute presentations on topics of interest, and conduct weekly house-meetings where the community is self-governed by democratic vote. All in all, TASP is an intense experience, where being pushed to question almost everything I took for granted has never felt so good; the people I've met over the last few weeks have definitely changed me for the better.
Academy Student - Summer ActivitiesAcademy
student Aman Patel shares some of his experiences this summer below.
I have been having a fantastic summer. Rinik
(another Davidson Academy student) and I just completed a camping trip to Mono Lake
through the
Three Spheres Leadership Academy in which we climbed a volcano, learned how to infer the quality of water based on its macroinvertebrate count, and did many other amazing things. In the previous weeks we traveled to places
in the Reno area related to the practice and education of sustainability. I have, so far, had the best sandwich of my life, learned
more about environmental issues and agribusiness, and experienced how not to pitch a tent inside out in the rain. In the next few weeks, we will be taking more camping trips to
Lake Tahoe and Black Rock as well as paddleboarding and removing invasive species such as cheatgrass.
Basically, I have had the most amazing experiences of my life.
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The College Advising team at The Davidson Academy of Nevada works closely with students to help them prepare for the next step of their academic careers. Students are directed with clear guidelines in the college application process on a year-to-year basis, with a detailed timeline provided on the
College Advising page. Using Naviance,
a web-based planning and advising system, students can manage
the college application process with the discipline and
responsibility required. For more information about Davidson
Academy graduates, including a list of colleges where they have
been accepted, please visit
Our Graduates page.
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“The Academy has very much shaped who I am, in a positive way. It allowed me to pursue my interests in Journalism and Astronomy, and allowed me to really explore what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. The staff is so amazing.”
Liam MacLean, Davidson Academy Graduate (pictured, left)
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