| The MATCH School offers a challenging, college preparatory curriculum aimed at developing students who are responsible, articulate thinkers, writers and problem-solvers--that is, students who can not only compete, but can excel in the college classroom. Many of our students arrive well behind grade level in terms of reading, writing, and math skills, and yet by 10th grade, all of them pass the MCAS on their first try. By junior year, all students take an Advanced Placement class; by senior year, our students are ready to move on to more challenging classes (such as AP courses and classes at Boston University) that will truly prepare them for the academic world of college. We attribute our students' academic success to our rigorous, no-shortcuts work ethic, small class sizes, supportive community and one-on-one attention.
Our course of study covers traditional academic subjects like History and Algebra, and aims to reflect the richness of experience and culture in our student body. Students at all grade levels are expected to participate in challenging classes; the work load is heavy, but we offer extensive support in the forms of tutoring, homework lab, after-school help, and staff availability in out-of-school time.
All freshmen and sophomores take 5 classes and also have one hour of supervised reading every day. Juniors take 5 classes, including a mandatory AP U.S. History course. In addition to their core classes, seniors select one or two Advanced Placement courses and also must pass two BU courses. We believe that a college preparatory program must require true college-level challenges of all students.
Over and above these academic classes, every MATCH School student receives two hours of individualized, one-on-one tutoring every day. This way, students receive the support they need to make great strides during their time at MATCH, and they build the foundations that they need for future success.
How do we fit all of this into so little time? The answer is MATCH's extended school day, running from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many students stay even later for clubs, sports, or extra academic help, and some of them are also here on weekends. The hours may seem long, but we believe that this hard work, discipline and perseverance are what will lead our students to achieve at the levels of which they are capable.
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