Students reside in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
The majority of new students begin in the fall semester, but students are also admitted any time during the school year. This means that major concepts and methods from the various disciplines are taught as part of the study of a unifying theme. The theme allows teachers and students to make connections across disciplines and to relate their study to real life situations, questions, and problems without the artificial boundaries created by separate class periods, separate teachers, and schedule constraints. Emphasis is placed on the student becoming an active learner, asking questions, finding answers, and working with others to present what they have learned. Central to this approach is the belief that learning in this way becomes more meaningful and taps into students' natural curiosity.