Boarding School Admission: FAQs
Printer-friendly versionBelow are some of the most frequently asked questions we received from families inquiring about R-MA. Please feel free to call us (800-272-1172) if you have would like to discuss them further or schedule a visit. For answers to these and many other questions you may have, check out our blog.
What is your total enrollment?
What is your average class size?
What is your college acceptance rate?
What Advanced Placement (AP) classes do you offer?
Does your school have a uniform? If not, what is the dress code?
Can you wear civilian clothes at all?
What is your international population?
What extracurricular programs does your school have?
What extra academic support can my child get?
What is your male/female ratio?
How far is your school from the airport? Do you provide transportation to and from the airport?
Do all students who go to a military school go into the military?
Will I have to cut my hair?
What time do I have to get up in the morning?
Can I have a TV in my room?
Do you have driver’s ed?
What is your total enrollment?
Our total enrollment for the school year is 359 students--292 at the Upper School (grades 9-12) and 67 at the Middle School.
Return to Top
What is your average class size?
R-MA understands that small class sizes mean more student-to-teacher attention. We don’t want our students to be another face in the crowd; we want them to have a name and a voice that can be heard. Therefore, it is very important to our school that our class sizes remain small. On the average a class size is somewhere between 12-15 students and we try our best to not have classes that have more than 20 students.
Return to Top
What is your college acceptance rate?
We have an average college acceptance rate of 99%; with the class of 2012 earning $4.2 million in college scholarships. Our College Counseling office understands the importance of finding a college that is the “right fit” for our students. To learn more about our College Counseling approach and view our college acceptances over the years visit our College Counseling section.
Return to Top
What Advanced Placement (AP) classes do you offer?
R-MA's AP classes for 2012-13 include AP Art History, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Chemistry, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, AP German Language IV, AP German Language V, AP German VI, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, AP US History, AP US Government.
Return to Top
Does your school have a uniform? If not, what is the dress code?
At both our Upper School and Middle School there are uniforms.
The standard Middle School uniform consists of our green polo shirt (with R-MA emblem), khaki pants, and tennis shoes. All of these items must be purchased at the school store.
The main Upper School uniform is the Air Force Uniform, also called the “duty uniform”. The “duty” uniform is Air Force blue trousers and either short-sleeve shirt or long-sleeve blue shirt with tie. It will include the blue jacket once the weather becomes cold. This will be worn from the time a cadet gets up in the morning until the completion of academic duty or drill (1600). When the Upper School students are not required to wear their duty uniform, they will be allowed to wear “activity uniform” which is the same as the daily Middle School uniform, but with a blue polo shirt.
On special occasions both schools will wear the “blazer uniform”; which consists of black shoes, gray trousers, the school tie, white dress shirt, and the R-MA blazer.
Return to Top
Can you wear civilian clothes at all?
Students will not wear civilian clothes except while on their respective dorm floors. Whenever students leave the dorm floor they must either wear an AFJROTC or R-MA uniform. Civilian clothes when worn will meet the Academy's standards of decency and will be allowed at the discretion of the dorm staff.
Return to Top
What is your international population?
One of the things we are most proud of at our school is our diverse student body. Students come from around the world and 23% of our student body is comprised of international students in the 2012-13 school year. The countries that are represented this year are Angola, Canada, China, Nigeria, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Vietnam.
Return to Top
What extracurricular programs does your school have?
We offer 20 varsity sports and eight middle school sports. Included in these options are baseball, football, basketball, cross country, soccer, track and field, softball, volleyball, swimming, golf, and cheerleading.
We also offer varying clubs from year to year. A standout extracurricular is our Community Service Program. This club, among other things, works closely with local civic organizations, churches, and shelters, as well as international efforts and on-campus activities. Other clubs include Alpha Readers Book Club, Chess Club, Philosophy Club, Debate, Art, Photography, and Journalism.
Return to Top
What extra academic support can my child get?
For those who need additional support, make up a test, or need a review, there are 25-minute tutorial sessions after lunch, Monday through Thursday. There are Night Study Halls as well as various study halls held in the afternoons, mornings, or Friday nights to provide students with extra time to complete work when needed, or to provide them with additional help in their studies. More information on the Upper School study halls can be found here, and the Middle School study hall information can be found here.
Return to Top
What is your male/female ratio?
Approximately 66% of our total school is male; 34% female. This is roughly the same percentage at both the middle school and upper school.
Return to Top
Do you provide transportation to and from the airport? How far is your school from the airport?
Yes, we take shuttles to and from the airports and Union Station for our major holiday breaks. Individual trips can be arranged as long as enough advanced notice is given. Charges will apply for these services. We are about an hour away from two major airports (Reagan and Dulles) as well as Union Station in Washington, D.C.
Return to Top
Do all students who go to a military school go into the military?
No. In fact at R-MA, one or two students may go directly into the military after graduation each year, but the majority of the students, over 95%, go onto college. A small percentage of those students will eventually enter the service, usually as an officer.
For more information on this topic, visit our blog, "Military Schools: What Happens After Air Force JROTC?"
Will I have to cut my hair?
Overall, hair should be clean, well-groomed and neat. It will not contain excessive amounts of grooming aids or touch the eyebrows. Hair color/highlights/frosting must be a natural color. Male hair when groomed correctly should not touch the ears or eyebrows. Hair should not exceed 1 ¼ inch in bulk and have a tapered appearance that when viewed from any angle, the outline of the hair on the side and back will match the shape of the skull.
Return to Top
What time do I have to get up in the morning?
During the school week, students will need to rise by 6:30am and be ready for breakfast at 7:15am. Students get up at 10:15am on the weekends, and by 10:50 they are on their way to brunch.
Return to Top
Can I have a TV in my room?
Television sets are not permitted in individual dorm rooms, but there are common areas in each dorm that do have televisions.
Return to Top
Do you have driver's ed?
Yes. Driver’s education courses are available through an independent company that works with R-MA and its students. The Upper School Academic Office will notify families when enrollment time is for the driver’s ed courses.
Return to Top
