All applicants undergo a competitive admissions process involving the review of grades, teacher evaluations, student essays, and SAT scores.Due to its nature as a public institution, there are no charges related to tuition, room, and board; however, there is an annual student fee that may be reduced or waived based on family income.IMSA has been consistently ranked by Newsweek as one of the top ten high schools in the country for math and science, and some of its graduates have become leaders in a variety of fields.[8] Prospective students, who are usually freshmen in high school but in some cases may be eighth graders, must complete an application to be considered for admission to IMSA.Some students who are invited to attend IMSA are admitted on the condition that they successfully complete a three-week, intensive preparation course, known as EXCEL, over the summer.[1] Unlike many other secondary schools, IMSA runs extracurricular and summer programs for the teachers and students of the State of Illinois.The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), is the division of the academy that directs and manages programs serving Illinois Educators and Students.The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.