He stumbles into the room, says hi, and sits in the chair. He is nervous about the upcoming interview, which could decide if he is accepted into the school he has been wanting to go to since seventh grade.  The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts is a public residential high school in Hot Springs. The school is only for eleventh and twelfth graders, and this year a few tenth grade students from Bryant are interested in going.

“I feel like the challenge and classes provided by ASMSA can give me a better chance to reach my goals in life,” sophomore Wyatt Hoyt said. “There are only 250 students at ASMSA compared to the 2500 at Bryant, and I think that will be a very big change.”

Bryant students attending the residential school is not uncommon, with at least nine former students attending ASMSA now.

“I’m excited, if I get accepted, to meet new people, especially people who have different ideas and perspectives,” sophomore Jade Ma said. “I have gone to Bryant since kindergarten, so it’s all I have ever known.”

Sophomore Alex Ball recently decided to not pursue attending ASMSA because of his dream of swimming in college.

“Hot Springs High School does not have a swim team, and neither does ASMSA, so I would have to abandon my dream,” Ball said. “As much as ASMSA fascinates me, I love swimming much more.”

ASMSA allows students to play sports with Hot Springs High School; however, the amount of schoolwork deters students from doing this.

“I won’t be wrestling or playing football at ASMSA,” Hoyt said. “I’m going to shift my focus to academic work over athletics.”

At ASMSA, students can put more of an emphasis on math and sciences or humanities. This decision will decide which area of academics the students will focus on.

“I personally want to go to the U.S. Naval Academy, and I believe my chances of getting in are higher by going to ASMSA,” Hoyt said. “It is very appealing for colleges to try and receive students from ASMSA, which results in much more opportunities for graduates.”

Jade Ma has mixed feelings about leaving Bryant.

“While it is a bittersweet place to leave, a bigger part of me is just ready for something new,” Ma said.