In Boston, there are three major exam schools.  They are Boston Latin School (BLS), Boston Latin Academy (BLA), and O’Brian (O’B).  To get into one of them, you must take the ISCE test, and you can only take it in 6th or 8th grade.  Out of the three, Boston Latin School is the most prestigious.  The majority of people who take the ISCE will go to Boston Latin School if possible.  But Boston Latin School can only tale so many people, and eventually people will turn to Boston Latin Academy.  However, most people over look BLA, saying it is a dangerous school or not as good as BLS.  I must admit, as a person that goes to BLA (by my own free choice, I had the chance to go to BLS but I chose not too) it is not as good, but only due to financial differences.

Boston Latin Acdemy is located on 205 Townsend St, Massachusetts.  Here is taught what many other schools teach such as Math, Science, Latin, etc etc.  There are also Honors classes here, which are classes that are more advanced than regular classes and progress more quickly.  In 10th grade to 12th grade, there are AP courses (Advance Placement) which allow students to learn college level material, allowing these gifted children to possible skip semesters during their first year of college.

Our lovely school was founded in 1878, originally called Girl’s Latin School since many girls wanted to go to Boston Latin School, however they turned them away because BLS was a boys only school in those olden days.  Over the centuries, the school skipped around various locations, eventually settling down where it is today.  In 1979, the sex barrier ended and boys were also admitted into Girl’s Latin School, now renamed Boston Latin Academy.  The first graduating class of 1979 had less than 10 boys.  But hey, instead of the guys fighting over the girls, the girls would of had to fight for the guys!

The Academy also has several sports team.  People with a need for athletics can also indulge themselves in what ever they want.

Though BLA is almost on par with BLS in terms with Academics, I’m not saying it is the safest place.  In 2008, we had 2 fire drills, 1 real fire, a bomb scare, and a gun threat.  During the bomb scare the entire building was evacuated and the proper Authorities had to be called in.  Mainly a bomb square, a fire truck, and a squad of police cars.  During the Gun threat, a shot gun bullet was found in the boy’s bathroom.  The school went into lock down and the police were called in along with trained dogs to sniff out the possiblity of a gun.  Luckily there was no gun, but it was a tense moment for some people who had scratched their will on the tables of the school.

I believe the only reason why BLA is over shadowed by BLS is it’s glamor.  Famous people such as Ben Franklin and serveral Politicians have gone to BLS, thus making BLS richer than BLA.  If some famous people had gone to BLA such as Bill Gates or someone rich, then perhaps BLA would be in the top 100 high schools with BLS, who is the top 19th highschool.