What Makes Soowees Unique

[Principal Terisa Avau]

As an American magic institute, Soowees works differently - listed on this page are a few of those differences. Firstly, SMA is not a seven-year institute; SMA is more like a traditional non-magic high school, in most aspects. One of these is that you attend SMA for five compulsory years, up to six if you decide to specialize in a certain field of magical study. So you can be a freshwix (year 1), sophomore (year 2), junior (year 3), senior (year 4), graduate (year 5), or scholar (year 6). The ages are as follows:

Freshwix: Start at 14, end the year age 15
Sophomore: Start the year at 15, end age 16
Junior: Start the year at 16, end age 17
Senior: Start the year at 17, end at age 18
Graduate: Start the year at 18, and at age 19
Scholar: Start the year at 19, end the year at 20

If a student's birthday is within the first month of school (for example, they are 13 but turn 14 in September), they will be accepted as the next grade up. However, any later than that and they will have to wait until the next year to enter that grade like everyone else. Any questions, please contact Principal Avau or Vice Principal Ahmed.

Classes work differently here and there are also added subjects. For full details, see the Academics thread (coming soon). In essence, you have core classes and electives, like in American high school. Scholars can choose their own classes and schedules similar to college, though. Classes and Professors can be found in the Who of SMA thread in the Handbook.

( Sports - Coming Soon! )

Magical students from any country can attend SMA and SMA also has a Student Exchange program so students from across the nation and around the world attend this school. While students are typically invited to attend SMA when they are of age (turning 14 the year you are invited), if a student who is not invited seeks to attend (i.e. young under exceptional circumstances), we will not push them away. We welcome all students.

Another key difference is that our school has themes based on your year. It goes, i as follows:

YEAR 1 - River Year: allows students to flow into the way the school works, testing the "waters" and starting to adapt to the curriculum here.
YEAR 2 - Sky Year: grants students some more freedom and a wider sampling of classes in order to encourage curiosity and a free-spiritedness - the sky's the limit!
YEAR 3 - Sun Year: hopes to ignite any brightly shining passions and really allows that passion to blossom with a healthy glow, shining a more focused light on particular subjects.
YEAR 4 - Clay Year: seeks to protect that passionate flame and ground students by preparing for their careers and options post-SMA.
YEAR 5 - Mescal Year: encompasses all learnings like watering the roots of a tree (Mescal being a locally indigenous tree species) while still feeding the flames of Sun year, ultimately fostering ambition and drive into the future.
YEAR 6 - Graduate Year: optional specialist year where a student may study and research more or perhaps seek an apprenticeship as well.

If you have any suggestions on more differences or would like to amend a current difference, please PM me, Principal Avau. The list is fairly tentative, but any changes and I will notify all of you.

Thank you for joining us and happy writing!