The Advanced Sessions are pre-college courses offered to students age 15-19 who have completed one year of high school science, preferably biology or chemistry (though these are not required). These two-week sessions are of a more analytical nature, and students are expected to prepare laboratory reports and analysis of their field work.
We offer students the chance to explore their collegiate options during the advanced sessions with college tours and discussions on internships to high school and college age students. Several of our AIO students have participated over the years in programs such as The Jackson Lab and The Mount Desert Biological Lab.
The caliber of our students is so well respected that College of the Atlantic, in Bar Harbor, Maine, offers $10,000/year scholarships to any AIO student (up to $40,000 for the 4 years) who is accepted into their program with a recommendation from one of our Directors.
Since 2012, AIO has offered students who attend the Advanced Program sessions the opportunity to receive college credit for the program through the University of Maine Machias. Students who are applying to receive College Credit for the Advanced Program session will incur additional fees which stands at an AIO tuition of $3,250 plus the cost of credits which was $553 in 2022 for 4 credits though UMM's Early College Program. We'll inform participants when UMM announces the 2023 cost and they will bill you directly. The tuition for the non-college credit 2023 Advanced Program is $3,150. Please review our College Credit page for more information on this program or our Tuition and Fees page for complete tuition details.
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Example of an Advanced Program Lesson
See a sample Advanced Program Lesson.
Program Schedule
Students should plan to arrive on the first Sunday between noon and 5 pm and students depart on the last Friday between 9 am and noon pm though some students will need to leave earlier to catch flights home. Parents are invited to join us for a tour and cookout on the last Friday between 11 am and noon. We're unable to accommodate students past Friday at noon since we need to deep clean and be ready for our next group's arrival on Sunday.
See a sample schedule for the Advanced Program.
COA Scholarships
College of the Atlantic is offering $10,000/year scholarships to AIO students accepted to their program.
