The
Experience
Welcome to Academic Decathlon!
Academic Decathlon isn't about proving how much you already know.
It's not about being the smartest student in the room or having all the
answers. It's about challenging yourself to go beyond what you thought
possible. It's about mastering college-level material, developing new skills,
and discovering strengths you may not even realize you have yet.
Just as importantly, Academic Decathlon is about the people you'll
meet along the way. It's about the coaches who will encourage and mentor you,
the competitors who will inspire and challenge you, and the teammates who will
share every success, setback, and unforgettable memory with you. Home
I have had the privilege of watching thousands of students
participate in Academic Decathlon over the years. Time and again, I hear the
same message: while the medals, trophies, and accomplishments are meaningful,
it is the personal growth, friendships, and confidence gained through the
experience that leave the greatest impact. Many former Decathletes tell us that
no other activity better prepared them for college, careers, and life.
As a Decathlete, you'll explore an exciting new theme each year
and study subjects ranging from art, economics, and literature to science,
mathematics, music, and social science. You'll sharpen your critical thinking
skills, strengthen your ability to communicate effectively, and learn how to
work as part of a team united by a common goal.
One of the most unique aspects of Academic Decathlon is that it
brings together students with diverse academic backgrounds. Success is not
determined by a single test score or GPA. Every member of the team plays an
important role, and every contribution matters. Together, you'll learn that
some of the greatest achievements come from supporting one another and striving
toward a shared purpose.
I encourage you to join Academic Decathlon not because it will be
easy, but because it will challenge you. There may be moments when the material
feels overwhelming, when the hours of studying seem endless, or when success
feels uncertain. Yet those are often the moments when the greatest growth
occurs.
Academic Decathlon invites you to embrace that challenge. It asks
you to reach higher, think deeper, and discover what you can accomplish when
you commit yourself to something meaningful.
I invite you to learn. I invite you to grow. I invite you to lead.
Most of all, I invite you to become part of the Academic Decathlon family.
We cannot wait to see what you will achieve.
Amy Dosch
Executive Director
Academic Decathlon® isn’t about mastering a single event, but ten different skills and disciplines.
Every
Academic Decathlon competition, whether it’s a local round or the national
finals, will follow the same multidisciplinary format.
You’ll
deliver speeches, one on a topic of your choice and one on a topic you’ve never
seen before.
You’ll write an essay demonstrating not just what you’ve learned but how powerfully you can argue an idea.
Judges will
interview you, asking thoughtful questions about your past experiences and your
goals for the future.
You’ll take
challenging exams in Art, Economics, Literature, Math, Music, Science, and
Social Science.
And, at the
exciting Super Quiz™, you and your teammates will take turns solving the most
stimulating challenges of all from across every subject you’ve studied—while a
live audience cheers you on.
You’ll always learn something different.
Each year, the Academic Decathlon selects a new theme for teams all over the country to explore. The theme shapes an entire course of studies - and brings it all together. The more years you participate in Academic Decathlon, the more themes you’ll master. And, since our curriculum team develops these themes with special attention to national content standards, you’ll find you’re becoming not just a more knowledgeable Academic Decathlete, but a stronger all-around student.
Check out this year's curricular topics here!
As a Decathlete, you'll participate in five different types of events.
Below are the rules and guidelines you'll need to master them, one team practice session at a time.
Super Quiz™
In the Super Quiz, you and your teammates will take turns solving tough multiple choice
challenges in front of a live audience. At the national finals, you'll collaborate with two of your teammates to
figure out the best answer to each question before time runs out. (You'd better have a plan for when you
disagree!) The exact format of the Super Quiz varies from state to state, but it is always the last event, the
loudest, and the most intense: a high-stakes celebration of all the subjects you've learned.
Speech
In the prepared speech, you'll speak for up to four minutes on any topic you'd like. A word of
advice: choose early, practice often. Afterward, you'll be asked to speak off the cuff for up to two minutes on a
topic you haven't seen before. If you've never given a speech, don't worry: you're not alone. Many Decathletes cite
learning to speak in public as one of their most transformative experiences in the program.
Interview
In the interview, you'll have seven minutes to answer questions about a subject you shouldn't
need to research very much: yourself. Learning to listen closely and to present yourself in a compelling way is
another skill that will benefit you for the rest of your life, whether it's during your college interviews, on the
job, or at dinner with your future parents-in-law. Be ready to answer questions about your background, your
interests, and your goals, and never forget to thank your judges for volunteering.
Essay
You'll have fifty minutes to write the strongest paper possible. To get ready, you'll want to
practice outlining and writing compelling arguments related to six of the seven Academic Decathlon
subjects—excluding only math. The more clearly you can learn to write, the more persuasive you'll be—and the
more you've studied the theme, the more evidence you'll be able to cite on whatever topic you face on competition
day.
Tests of Knowledge
The Decathlon is more a marathon than a sprint. To round out the events above, you'll
take seven multiple choice exams, one in each of the Academic Decathlon subjects: Art, Music, Social Science,
Science, Economics, Literature, and Mathematics. You'll find yourself developing better critical thinking and
test-taking skills that will serve you well on everything from the SAT to your college finals. In the short run
you'll also have the chance to win something much shinier: medals in every subject. The more well-rounded you
are, and the further you go outside your comfort zone, the more you'll win—a chance, even in a team sport, to
demonstrate individual excellence.
USAD Nationals
Show off everything you remember at a competition you'll never forget; once a year, we invite qualifying teams in every state to join us for an electrifying finale to the Academic Decathlon season. The national competition is more than ten challenging events and a championship to be won—it’s your chance to meet fellow Decathletes from across the United States. You’ll trade not just speech topics, but war stories; not just Instagram invites, but lifelong insights.
Future USAD Nationals:
– Bloomington, MN; April 29 – May 1 2027
Individual Competition
Our new individual competition offers students a way to experience all the excitement and learning of the United States Academic Decathlon even without a team.
You’re eligible if:
- You’re in a non-traditional school setting.
- You’re at a school that doesn’t participate in United States Academic Decathlon.
- You’re at a school that does participate in United States Academic Decathlon, but you’re not a competing member of
the team.
The individual competition offers students a way to experience all the excitement and learning of the United States Academic Decathlon event without a team. Please reach out to your local state director for more details.