For fall AOS and AET admissions, LCPS publishes four criteria: Algebra I or higher enrollment, qualifying math and science grades, the STEM Thinking Skills Assessment, and the Writing Assessment. That is the complete frame families should use. The application is not a contest to assemble the longest list of activities or the thickest packet.
The simplicity is useful, but it can also be misleading. Four criteria does not mean four boxes to check at the last minute. The academic record develops over several years, while the assessments ask a student to show reasoning and communication in one timed session. A sensible plan respects both timelines.
The short version
Start by confirming eligibility and the academic record. Then prepare for the two things a student can still improve directly before test day: working through unfamiliar STEM problems and writing a clear response under time pressure. LCPS does not accept extra materials beyond the published criteria.
The four published AOS and AET admissions criteria
The current LCPS Admissions and Outreach page lists identical admissions criteria for AOS and AET fall applicants:
| Criterion | What LCPS publishes | What families should verify |
|---|---|---|
| Math enrollment | Algebra I or above at the time of application | The student's actual course placement when the application opens |
| Academic record | Final grades of C or above in math and science in grades 6 and 7, plus semester I of grade 8 | Both subjects across every listed grading period |
| STEM assessment | 50 minutes for 33 multiple-choice questions | Reasoning, interpretation, and pacing on unfamiliar problems |
| Writing assessment | 45 minutes to type a response to a STEM writing prompt | Whether the student can develop and organize an idea clearly on the clock |
The first two columns above summarize LCPS requirements. The final column is a planning checklist from AcademiesPrep, not an additional admissions rule.
How LCPS says the criteria are evaluated
Two lines in the official admissions FAQ matter more than most rumors families hear. First, LCPS says there are no benchmarks or minimum assessment scores for enrollment consideration. Second, applicants are evaluated across the entirety of the published criteria.
That does not make an assessment score unimportant. It means families should not treat an unofficial cutoff shared in a group chat as an LCPS rule. The official process asks admissions to consider the full published record rather than one claimed magic number.
LCPS also says students cannot submit anything other than the listed criteria. Recommendations, an activity resume, a portfolio, certificates, and an additional personal essay are not part of this fall application. Activities can still be meaningful to a student and can build useful habits. They simply are not supplemental application materials.
What the criteria mean in practice
AcademiesPrep interpretation
The section below is practitioner guidance, not an LCPS formula. LCPS publishes the criteria, but it does not tell families to divide preparation into these exact steps.
1. Eligibility comes before test strategy
A family can spend months discussing assessment prep and still overlook a course or grade requirement. Confirm Algebra I or higher enrollment and review the specified math and science grades first. Our detailed guide to Algebra I and the AOS/AET academic record explains exactly which school terms LCPS lists.
2. STEM reasoning and school math are related, but not identical
The official STEM Thinking Skills Test description emphasizes scientific and technological thinking through graphic and scenario-based questions. A student who earns strong math grades may still need practice interpreting an unfamiliar setup, choosing a useful relationship, or abandoning an unproductive approach. Racing into harder textbook content does not automatically solve those problems.
3. Good ideas still need a visible structure
On the writing side, students sometimes assume that sounding sophisticated is the goal. It is not a useful goal if the reader has to hunt for the point. Under a 45-minute limit, a strong response needs a defensible central idea, deliberate organization, specific development, and enough time to revise confusing sentences.
That is where feedback earns its place. “Write more” is vague. “Your second paragraph introduces evidence but never explains why it supports the claim” gives the student something to repair.
A readiness audit that produces a real next step
Set aside one page and answer these questions honestly:
- Eligibility: Is the student enrolled in Algebra I or above?
- Grades: Are the required math and science grades easy to locate and understand?
- STEM reasoning: When a problem is unfamiliar, does the student misread it, choose the wrong setup, lose time, or make execution errors?
- Writing: Can the student plan, develop, and revise a STEM response within 45 minutes?
The first weak answer should shape the next action. If the record is unclear, talk with the school before buying prep. If pacing is the issue, another untimed worksheet will not reveal much. If writing lacks development, feedback is more valuable than collecting additional prompts.
This is also why we start with evidence. The free ACL Admissions Diagnostic gives families a compact STEM reasoning sample and writing response to examine before choosing a prep path.
AOS and AET admissions criteria FAQs
What counts in AOS and AET admissions?
LCPS lists four criteria for fall AOS and AET applicants: enrollment in Algebra I or above at the time of application, qualifying math and science grades, the STEM Thinking Skills Assessment, and the Writing Assessment.
Can families submit recommendations or an activity resume?
No. LCPS states that students cannot submit anything other than the listed admissions criteria.
Is there a published minimum assessment score?
No. LCPS says there are no benchmarks or minimum scores for enrollment consideration and that applicants are evaluated across the entirety of the published criteria.
Do AOS and AET use different criteria?
No. LCPS currently lists identical fall admissions criteria for the two programs, and students applying to either or both take the same assessments.
Keep reading
- See what stays outside the AOS and AET application
- Turn the admissions criteria into a prep plan
- Learn how applying to both AOS and AET works
- Read the complete ACL Admissions Overview
Source note
We checked the criteria and testing details in this guide against current LCPS admissions materials and the assessment publisher's official product page. AcademiesPrep by EduAvenues is independent and is not endorsed or sponsored by the Academies of Loudoun or Loudoun County Public Schools.
Official sources reviewed:
- LCPS Academies of Loudoun Admissions and Outreach
- Academies of Loudoun admissions FAQ
- Insight Assessment STEM Thinking Skills Test
Fact-checked July 16, 2026. LCPS can change criteria, testing details, and dates by cycle, so confirm time-sensitive requirements on the active admissions page.