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Registration for the 2024-25 season is now open!

Click HERE for more information!

testing Ashland team photo at Nationals 2018! 2008 Super Quiz 2020 States at MIT Quincy winning 2nd place in Large Schools at 2018 States! Last-minute cramming at States! Avon High School 2014 2013 State Interview at St. John's Tewksbury High School 2015

What is Academic Decathlon?

Massachusetts Academic Decathlon is an academic competition in which teams of 9 high school students battle in 10 different events:

  • 7 objective tests based on a college-level, academically rigorous curriculum linked by a common theme
  • 3 subjective events that challenge us to develop, connect, and communicate ideas and personal experiences under pressure
  • one high-pressure, high-stakes Super Quiz relay open to the public
Along this epic adventure, beginning when the new theme is released in May and continuing until the United States Academic Decathlon National Finals the following April, students from all academic backgrounds have the opportunity to be a part of something greater than themselves, to discover and embrace the thrill of learning and academic exploration that soon turns into a lifelong pursuit of knowledge, and to gain the skills and build the relationships that no classroom experience could ever hope to match.


It's about daring to push your limits, to master college-level material and to practice skills, like public speaking, that might be wholly new to you. It's about the people you'll meet along the way -- the coaches who will mentor you, the competitors who will challenge you, and the teammates who will become your lifelong friends.

Dr. Les Martisko

Latest News

Massachusetts teams impress at USAD Nationals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!

Wellesley High School, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, and Westwood High School all represented Massachusetts at the United States Academic Decathlon National Finals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from April 25-27, 2024.

Wellesley High School, the Massachusetts State Championship team, competed in Division II, finishing in 6th place and winning nine medals.

Acton-Boxborough Regional High School and Westwood High School competed in Divisions IV and V, winning three and five medals each, respectively.

All three teams competed in immensely competitive brackets and emerged with impressive medal counts.

Milford High School also represented Massachusetts in the online Medium Schools competition!

See a full list of scholarship awards and medalists HERE!

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you! Connect with us through social media, or send us your questions, comments, and ideas at info@massdecathlon.org

Competition Schedule

Date Competition Location
November 23, 2024 Round 1 TBD
February 1, 2025 Regionals TBD
March 1, 2025 State Finals TBD
May 1-3, 2025 USAD Nationals Des Moines, IA

Curriculum

2024-25 Theme: Our Changing Climate

Our Changing Climate

Click HERE to order this year's curriculum!

From the State Director's Desk

The Golden Turtle award
The Golden Turtle beckons!
Two Thumbs Up - Eric Zhou, Aisha Chandraker, Jimmy Thai
Two thumbs up for our volunteers!
Developed and maintained by Massachusetts Academic Decathlon. Academic Decathlon, United States Academic Decathlon, U.S. Academic Decathlon, USAD, Super Quiz, and the USAD logo are trademarks and service marks of The United States Academic Decathlon Association and are used under license.