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Everyone is welcome

An early college high school.

AMES is a stimulating and inspiring place for bright, talented, and disciplined students.

What's happening this week?
Everyone is welcome

An early college high school.

AMES is a stimulating and inspiring place for bright, talented, and disciplined students.

What's happening this week?
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Since 2003

We are family.

AMES is a school where everyone has value and that everyone is a participant in a learning community.

Learn More
Since 2003

We are family.

AMES is a school where everyone has value and that everyone is a participant in a learning community.

Learn More
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Earn college credit

U of U Exclusive Partnership.

Earn high school and college credit by taking college-level course work.

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Earn college credit

U of U Exclusive Partnership.

Earn high school and college credit by taking college-level course work.

Learn More
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Since 2003

Extracurriculars for personal development.

Students enjoy Cottonwood Athletics, as well as the clubs, theatre and music programs.

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Since 2003

Extracurriculars for personal development.

Students enjoy Cottonwood Athletics, as well as the clubs, theatre and music programs.

Learn More
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Since 2003

A place for all students.

We are not about attracting students with the highest GPA or assessment scores.

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Since 2003

A place for all students.

We are not about attracting students with the highest GPA or assessment scores.

Learn More
since 2003

AMES—an early-college high school.

Our mission is to prepare a diverse student body for success in college or other post-secondary education. 

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A place for all students

We believe in inclusion, not elitism.

Are you good at debate, but not math or science? Like art, but not robotics? It's okay! We offer an exceptional teaching staff and small classes where individual needs can be met.

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01 8 Keys of Excellence

I focus on NOW and keep a positive attitude.

I own the choices I make and the results that follow.

02 The AMES Declaration

AMES is a school where everyone has value and that everyone is a participant in a learning community.

We’re a family!
Everyone is welcome.

AMES is exceptional in that we address the support of each other and our students. 

Our student-counselor ratio is 250-1 (most schools are 350-1).


No. Base intelligence will only get you so far here. The students who succeed at AMES work hard, ask questions, work together and actively participate in their learning.

One of the principles of an early college program is that students may earn an associate degree or up to two years of transferable college credit. Our higher education partner the University of Utah does not offer associate degrees. Students may earn up to 43 semester hours of University of Utah credit while attending AMES, which is the equivalent of two years of college.  

We have a good partnership with Cottonwood High School and you may participate in Cottonwood sports and extracurricular activities. Many of those activities are well represented by AMES students. As an incoming freshman you may compete in sports at your boundary school or with Cottonwood, however, once you establish where you are playing you may lose a year of eligibility if you try to transfer at a later date.

As a public charter school, AMES aligns with the state and federal policies that determine our operation. This includes conducting a blind lottery for all eligible 9th grade applicants. This gives any interested student an equal chance at acceptance. 

The application is opened at the beginning of January and remains open until mid February every year. The lottery is conducted at the end of February and accepted students are notified within a few weeks of the lottery. 

Upperclassmen applicants are notified in the summer and will be asked to meet with school officials before acceptance.

Come tour AMES!

We would love to show you around. Meet our students, meet our faculty, see all the amazing programs and things happening inside these walls!

Tour Our School