The Odds

The College of Excellence - Prospectus

Potentia est imaginatiua

Along with CACA (the Central Academy for the Creative Arts), the IHEF (the Institute for Higher Education in Finance) and the SPES (the School of Politics, Economics and Sociographics), the College of Excellence (informally referred to as the Gamemaker Academy) is one of the most selective educational facilities in the Capitol, with an average intake per year of twenty three students. It is our job to ensure that only the best are able to take a position of control within one of the most important traditional aspects of our nation, and to be entrusted with preserving its rich and glorious history.

We firmly believe in a competitive atmosphere to bring out the best in our students. Of the twenty or so who begin this intensive course every year, only three or four make it to the final exams. However, all those who have progressed to any extent gain many invaluable skills to enhance their lives and College of Excellence drop-outs can be found in many positions of power across the Capitol. Current failed alumni include the Head of Research Journalism Tatiana Fae, Head of District Communications Darius Reed, Vice President of the Union of Peacekeepers Coriolanus Halfwood and Minister for Capitol Cinematography Lia Damask.

The Academy is patronized by the President, Head Gamemaker and Gamemakers and frequently enjoys the benefits of their expert instruction. They take up to three classes per term and supervize the students every step of the way. They are also the official examiners, so you can be assured that your child is being tested by the best!

With a prime location on the border between the Steel and Ferrous sectors and accommodating both day students and boarders whose family homes are too far from the main campus, the College is not cheap to run and the fees do reflect that. Each prospective case is individually analyzed and a final amount is reached after much deliberation. Our average fees are Pec.$8,000 per year for day students and Pec.$13,000 for boarders. However, scholarships are available and prospective students with exceptional potential may find themselves sponsored by one of our patrons, giving them access to unprecedented financial resources and guidance.

We accept students of all sectors subject to stringent family and background checks, several rounds of testing and an interview with the main Academy board.

Our boarding accommodation includes top-of-the-range facilities, with each student being allocated their own suite, complete with stunning views over the Capitol and mountains. All meals are provided and are created by chefs from the Quartz sector's finest restaurants, as well as being specifically designed to provide the right nutrition for growing young minds. In their spare time students also have access to an enormous research catalogue, three estates worth of gardens, a Health+ fitness gymnasium, a cinema and a relaxation studio. Please contact us to arrange a tour.

Our course runs for three years, with assessments at the end of each year. Students can begin at any age between thirteen and eighteen; our current crop of nearly seventy students range from thirteen years old to twenty one. Instead of being arranged by age, students are arranged according to their stage in the process and it is not unknown to have eighteen year old first-years. We prioritize Gamemaking excellence over age constraints and we firmly believe that this progressive attitude has contributed to the overall stability of the Capitol and, by extension, to the nation itself!

Our curriculum is designed to provide students with all the skills they will need for a career in Gamemaking, hopefully equipping them with the ability to go even further. All Presidents have studied here. All classes are divided into theory and practical, with examinations in each. The exact lessons vary according to the overall ability of the group, the talent of the individual and the availability of certain technologies and laboratories. However, core elements always remain: Arena Design, Mutt Design, Pod-Tech, Teamwork Theory, Politics, and Gamemaking History. Third-years also study Disciplinary Techniques (including the Avox procedure and hijacking) and spend a two-month period around the Games in an internship within the Gamemakers' Suite. End-of-year assessments for the first two years consist of individual randomly-selected tests featuring anything studied on the course so far. The final exam is entirely personalised, testing both knowledge, mental processes and imagination, and the student is awarded either a Pass or a Fail. The few who pass are automatically considered for the Gamemaking team, though we would like to remind all parents that this is no guarantee of a position. All Gamemakers must additionally be personally assessed and approved by the President after their graduation.

So why wait? If you want to study at a facility that will test your ability, ambition and determination and which will offer you a direct track into the Capitol's most rewarding and powerful career, apply today, and let the College of Excellence help you to realize your true potential!