Other Programs You Should Explore

The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts in Natchitoches belongs to an expanding group of state supported, residential high schools founded to serve the academic and creative needs of gifted and high-achieving 10th, 11th and 12th grade students. Sister schools now exist in fifteen states. Celebrating its 25th year, the Louisiana School remains unique among the state residential schools in offering a concentration or "focus" of study in three areas-Math/Science, Humanities, and Creative and Performing Arts. The school's accelerated curriculum consists of traditional college-preparatory courses as well as specialized electives and opportunities for independent study and research. Faculty hold master’s degree in their subject area, and up to 70% hold terminal degrees in the subject matter taught. Several indicators consistently place the Louisiana School among the top high schools in the nation. Michael Winerip of the New York Times, succinctly states the following: "You need good teachers and you need small enough classes so those teacher can do their work.” That statement also describes LSMSA. Newsweek magazine cited the Louisiana School as “one of 21 public elite high schools in the nation”, May 2006 and 2007. As a state-supported school, there is no tuition, only nominal room and board and activity fees. Students apply during the school year prior to when they are seeking admission. If you are not a resident of Louisiana, you should investigate the availability of a similar school in your state.

For further information visit the school’s web site, www.LSMSA.edu or contact (800) 259-3173 or swilliams@lsmsa.edu

The Louisiana Scholars’ College, the state’s only comprehensive selective-admissions honors college, provides numerous intellectually exciting options for undergraduate studies. Admission to the College is on a competitive basis, with consideration given to academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, and letters of recommendation. Students work closely, in innovative contexts, with faculty members who share their academic interests. The result of this close collaboration between highly motivated students and faculty is an intellectual experience increasingly rare in American higher education.

The Louisiana Scholars' College has its own designated faculty and its own building complete with classrooms, seminar rooms, computer and language labs, and with natural science labs only steps away. Classes are normally limited to twenty students or fewer and are usually conducted as seminars. The heart of the College’s unique character lies in its curriculum, an integrated, multidisciplinary series of courses extending throughout the undergraduate career. By combining a “Great Books” sequence known as Texts and Traditions with mathematics, lab sciences, and language study, the Common Curriculum familiarizes students with the best of human achievement. In addition, each student pursues a discipline-centered concentration or major of his or her choice. As a capstone experience, all students engage in research in a Senior Project— work that may take the form of a scientific study, a critical essay, or a project in the arts. This bold educational opportunity is the only one of its kind in this state—in fact, one of very few in the nation.

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