Application Preparation
Prepare for the pieces ASMS reads
ASMS reads grades, test scores, two teacher recommendations, a parent questionnaire and an interview. It lists no application essay. Start with the ACT or SAT plan.
Checked against ASMS's published admissions pages on November 5, 2026.
Testing
The ACT or SAT.
ASMS does not run its own entrance exam. Applicants submit an ACT or SAT score, except in 9th grade.
- Rules
- ACT or SAT scores are required, except for students applying for 9th grade. PSAT or Pre-ACT scores are also accepted.
- Details
- ASMS has no preferred test and uses superscoring for both. The ACT Science section is required. Scores can be self-reported, but admitted students who enroll that way must have scores sent by the testing organization first. ACT code 4707, SAT code 1032.
- 01
Pick a test date that leaves time for a retake before February 6, and send scores to ASMS when you register.
- 02
Remember that the ACT Science section is required.
Essays
The interview and the parent questionnaire.
The ASMS application page lists no application essay. Two parts are where your family speaks in its own voice.
- Essays
- The application page lists no application essay. The ACT and SAT essay sections are not required.
- Parent or guardian questionnaire
- Applicants complete a Student Application Form, and a parent or guardian completes a Parent/Guardian Questionnaire themselves. The forms ask about academic interests, experiences, readiness, family background and support systems.
- Interviews
- Interviews run from January to February. Applicants who submit all required materials may be invited, in person or virtually, for a conversation that typically lasts 30 to 45 minutes.
- 01
Let your student answer the Student Application Form alone, and complete the Parent/Guardian Questionnaire yourself, as ASMS asks.
- 02
Practice talking about interests in math and science with your student, so an interview feels like a conversation.
- 03
Be specific and honest about family background and support. The forms ask about it.
Preparation plan
A plan that works backward from the deadline.
Adjust the pace to your student's schedule. The order matters more than the exact days.
First
Check eligibility
Confirm your student is a current 8th, 9th or 10th grader, and ask about residency if you live outside Alabama.
Early
Create the admissions account
Allow one business day for the account request to be processed.
Next
Book an ACT or SAT date
Send scores to ASMS when you register. The ACT Science section is required.
Winter
Ask two teachers
One math or science teacher and one English or history teacher. Tell them before you send the request.
Before the deadline
Submit and confirm
Materials are due February 6, 2027. An incomplete application is not reviewed.
After submitting
Prepare for an interview
Interviews run January to February, by invitation once all materials are in.