Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School is not just for students interested in pursuing a career in the sciences. Any student with a love of learning and the outdoors is welcome to apply! The skills you learn and develop at CBGS are valuable for future educational experiences, and are applicable to almost any career. CBGS develops leaders who possess the research and technical skills, global perspective, and vision needed to address the challenges of a rapidly changing society.

The structure of district collaboration for CBGS means that the Director meets regularly with a point of contact for each school division, who serves on the Advisory Committee. This person is the district staff member with oversight of gifted services, be that an assistant superintendent, gifted coordinator, or similar. Your best communication within your district is to check in with your Advisory Board member. But know that the office staff (Director and office associates) are always more than happy to answer questions for you!

If your student is interested in CBGS, they should begin planning in the 8^th grade, or even earlier, to ensure that they take all prerequisite 8^th and 9^th grade math and science courses. Most students apply to CBGS in December – February of their freshman year of high school.

Students can pick up an application form from you, or download the application from our website. Please use our admissions checklist to make sure students are on track to meet the requirements for CBGS admissions. CBGS also asks guidance counselors to fill out a student profile for each individual application, including the student’s transcript and test scores. Please contact CBGS if you would like to set up an information session for your students to learn more about the school and admissions process.

• Students need to have successfully completed Algebra I, Geometry, and one or two high school credits in science (Earth Science preferred).
• The applying student should have a “B” average for 9th and 10th grade years.
• Students must also have scored in the 85^th percentile or higher on the composite/total score and math quantitative subtest sections of a standardized achievement test (Measures of Academic Progress- MAP).
• Students must complete the science article analysis and writing prompt provided in the CBGS application.
• Students need two recommendations, from a math and a science teacher.

Virginia Placement Test scores are not required for admission. However these scores (or the equivalent PSAT, SAT, or ACT scores) are used by CBGS to allow admitted students to enroll in the dual enrollment program with Rappahannock Community College (RCC). Students must meet the scoring guidelines set in place by the Virginia Community College System and RCC to be eligible for college credits for CBGS coursework. Students should plan to take the VPT before beginning school at CBGS. For more information, please visit https://www.rappahannock.edu/academics/testing-centers/va-placement-testing-instructions.

The local interview for CBGS admission is an optional interview conducted at the student’s home school. A rubric and standardized questions for the interview are provided by CBGS. The interview is weighted 10% of the selection criteria, if a student chooses to interview.

CBGS is not the body that makes student selection decisions; that is done by the district team. But CBGS staff, along with gifted advisors, created the admissions guidelines, so we are happy to answer questions. The committee from each home school will meet to carefully review applications and recommend qualified applicants for admission to CBGS. The MAP Math scores are weighted 30%, writing prompt is 20%, recommendations are 15% each, and GPA is the final 20%. If a student chooses to interview, the interview is weighted 10%, and each recommendation is then worth 10%.