The academics at Newark Academy are exceptional - in some departments. While I was confident venturing to my English, some Math, Biology, and Humanities classes, going off to my language classes or Physics or Chemistry classes were not as exciting or promising. Now, I might have been bias towards some of these classes because of the teaching styles and techniques that just didn't work for me. However, I know for a fact that sophomore year I did terribly in my AP US History course but loved it because of the teacher. Mr. G was terrific, and although I did not grasp a lot of the concepts, I looked forward to every class. Like a lot of colleges, the best classes you have depend on your teachers. Although I have not started classes at Carleton yet, I'm confident NA has provided me with the education to succeed. At NA, they develop your intellectual curiosity by exposing you to all kinds of subjects. I found my strengths and can't wait to pursue the things I love at college. In the classroom, I was usually confident speaking up and sharing my opinion with others, and having a discussion about a certain topic. In the more philosophical courses (philosophy, theory of knowledge, english classes) we would have a discussion-based curriculum. In other more concrete courses (maths, sciences, some humanities), there are mostly lectures, but never a lecture where you can't ask any questions or voice your concerns. Most classes have about 8-15 people, depending on the difficulty of the course (as you increase in difficulty, it usually dwindles. For example, in my IB French Literature 2 course, there were three students). The weekly workload could differ. In middle school, of course, work takes about 1-2 hours a night. Freshman and sophomore year, work can take 1-3 hours, and in junior or senior year, work usually takes about 2-4 hours depending on challenging courses. Teachers were always available for any type of students' questions or help, but it is up to the student to voluntarily reach out and seek help (a lesson usually learned freshman or sophomore year). There was also a student-tutoring program. If you were having trouble in class you could simply fill out an application for someone with more experience to help, and (for free!) you created your own schedule for help. I was a student tutor at one point, and I believe it really helped the kid because they were more comfortable with an older student, rather than their teacher. If someone were to ask me, "Did you regret joining NA at such a young age?" I would say no. Yes, it's difficult. It's challenging. That's life, and joining Newark Academy from the beginning was one of the best choices my parents and I ever made. It really teaches you how to take on problems and challenges, and helps you deal with them rather than ignore them and let them develop. They really teach you putting your effort into something pays off.