School Fit
Decide whether a residential STEM school fits your student
Look past selectivity to the daily life of a residential school.
Checked against ASMS's published admissions pages on November 5, 2026.
School fit
Is ASMS a fit?
- The school
- ASMS describes itself as Alabama's only fully public and residential high school, with a history of more than 35 years
- Academics
- ASMS has 10 academic departments, a college-level curriculum, and faculty who are college-credentialed with a PhD or a master's degree in their field. Each term is 11 weeks, including one for exams.
- College credit
- Students can take AP courses and dual enrollment courses with Bishop State Community College. ASMS also lists articulation agreements with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of South Alabama.
- Research
- The ASMS Research Fellows Program pairs students with a faculty mentor and ends with a presentation at the Spring Research Forum
- Clubs and sports
- Clubs, intramurals and sports (basketball, cross country, archery, tennis, e-sports and soccer, plus volleyball and cheerleading for girls), and a gym, indoor track, weight room, outdoor pool and fields
- After acceptance
- After admission, families accept in the admissions portal, complete an enrollment contract with a $150 enrollment fee, and attend a required orientation that includes biology and math placement tests. The school sets these dates each year.
- 01
Ask your student whether they want to live away from home during the school year, and let them answer honestly.
- 02
Visit on an ASMS Day or take a Monday or Thursday tour, and ask what a typical week looks like.
Residential life
Life on campus.
All ASMS students live on campus. These are the details ASMS publishes.
- Living on campus
- ASMS is a residential school. All students live in dormitories under the supervision of professional staff.
- Supervision
- Residence Life Coordinators are full-time live-in staff. Security staff is on duty 24 hours a day, with guards in both residence halls at night.
- Cost
- There is no tuition, and room, board and meals are paid for by the state. The annual student activity fee is approximately $1,575 and can be paid in installments, and financial assistance is available for those who qualify.
- Meals
- Three meals a day are served in the cafeteria, with vegetarian and vegan options
- Evening schedule
- On school nights students must be in their dorm by 9:00 p.m. and in bed by midnight. On weekends, in the dorm by midnight and in bed by 1:00 a.m.
- Weekends
- Students have only one or two required weekends on campus and may check out on all other weekends
- Roommates
- Each room houses two students. Students may choose a roommate or be matched from surveys they fill out.
- Cars
- Incoming students may not have cars on campus
- Health
- A nurse is on site Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- 01
Talk through shared rooms, curfew and no car with your student before applying.
- 02
Ask the admissions office about the current activity fee and how financial assistance works.