Bergen County Academies (BCA), is a free, public, magnet high school of choice for Bergen County residents. The school offers seven specialized programs in the areas of mathematics and science, engineering and design, medical science, business and finance, culinary arts and hospitality administration, visual and performing arts, and technology and computer science.

The school is tuition-free and serves ninth through twelfth grade students.

Bergen County Academies’ strengths are its academics, extracurricular activities, and notable faculty, many of whom hold doctorates in their respective fields. While offering some 16 AP courses, BCA does not focus on them. Led by a faculty of which 20 percent hold Ph.D.s, students at BCA enjoy courses that often surpass AP courses in technical rigor and creativity. An early start to earning college credits is available through dual enrollment courses.

Admission to Bergen County Academies is highly competitive, as the school typically accepts about 270 of the 1,600+ applicants every year through a process that includes letters of recommendation, exams, and interviews. The school has a 16 percent acceptance rate.

BCA is a Blue Ribbon School; a member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology; admitted to the Coalition of Essential Schools; home to five Intel Science Talent Search finalists in the past five years; and a Model School in the Arts as named by the New Jersey Department of Education.