One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Academy's curriculum is that all students take the same sequence of courses. Each subsequent year of learning is built upon the foundation laid in the prior years. For this reason, the Academy accepts students only at the 6th and 7th grade level. Because the curriculum is built on the belief that understanding grows from exposure to ideas and concepts developed over time, subjects are taught over a multi-year timeframe. For example, students take biology every year from 6th through 12th grade, gradually progressing in their understanding from simple to more complex concepts in a linear progression. The courses will emphasize theory and will be designed to move from general concepts to concrete ones.