Bass Memorial Academy

We are a Seventh-day Adventist boarding high school owned and operated by the Gulf States Conference.  We are dedicated to training young people according to the principals found in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.  It is our primary objective to encourage young people to develop a love for Jesus Christ and dedicate themselves to live for Him.

We are located in the heart of the Mississippi Pine Belt between Purvis and Lumberton, Mississippi, which is one half-hour south of Hattiesburg and one and one half-hours north of New Orleans. BMA primarily serves students in Southern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Northern Florida;  however, students from Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and beyond also attend.

The Gulf States Conference of Seventh-day Adventists operates the school, which opened in 1961 on more than 300 acres of land donated by I. H. Bass, founder of Bass Pecan Company. The main campus is situated in the middle of an old pecan orchard where the friendly southern students grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

BMA is accredited by the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities.

2013-2014 Application (click here)

To complete online, you must fill out in one sitting.  Please allow enough time to complete.
Once your application has been submitted, you may be asked to submit additional documentation.

PDF Version Coming Soon!

Our Mission & Philosophy

Youth, Rightly Trained!

Bass Memorial Academy was founded on the principle of training young people to work for the Lord.  Young people have left our campus and taken up every kind of work imaginable.  Our utmost goal for our graduates is for them to use the skills gained here to be of valuable service to God and to man.  God has purposed to raise up an army of “Youth, Rightly Trained” to take the message of Jesus and His soon coming to a dying world.  It is our desire that each of our students will join that army.

With such an army of workers as our youth, rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Savior might be carried to the whole world!
Education pg. 271

There are many opinions today about how this “training” should be done.  Our staff are seeking the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy to establish principals of training upon which to form our program.  Through prayer and much discussion, we have established seven objectives chosen to be the foundation of our program.  They are as follows:

It is now our goal to make sure our program is balanced and aligned with these objectives.  This is an ongoing process that will end only when Jesus returns.  Our hope is that you will be able to see these objectives woven through the fabric of our school.

Admissions

 

Bass Memorial Academy welcomes applications from students regardless of race, sex, religion, or national origin, whose principles and interests are in harmony with the ideals and standards of the academy as expressed in its objectives and policies. Although religious affiliation is not a requirement for admission, all students are expected to abide by the policies and standards of the academy as a Seventh-day Adventist institution. Students must be able to graduate before turning 21 years of age in order to be accepted.

Application Process

Academic Information

A diploma will be granted to a student who has met the academic requirements as listed in the school bulletin, maintains satisfactory attendance and citizenship, completes financial obligations, and attends Bass Memorial Academy for at least the final semester of their senior year.

BMA offers two diplomas, General Education and College Preparatory, as well as a Certificate of Attendance. A General Diploma requires a minimum of 220 units while the College Preparatory diploma requires a minimum of 250 units.  The following chart shows the requirements for graduation.

Financial Information

2012 – 2013 School Year

The purpose of Bass Memorial Academy is to provide a Christian education to young people. Operation of a quality educational institution is expensive. The costs are financed by parent payments, sponsor payments, Gulf States Conference subsidies, student labor, and worthy student donations. In order to keep the tuition charges manageable, it is important that parent payment plans are fulfilled as contracted. All of these entities work together to fulfill BMA’s mission.

Scholarships

Academic
Scholarships for new or returning students will be awarded based on the previous years cumulative GPA’s calculated from an accredited academic program.  Amounts will be determined as follows:
$750 for a GPA of 3.85 – 4.00
$500 for a GPA of 3.70 – 3.84
$250 for a GPA of 3.50 – 3.69

Incoming Freshmen may receive scholarships based on 8th grade national achievement scores at the following levels:
$750 for a composite score of  95-100%
$500 for a composite score of  90-94%
$250 for a composite score of  85-89%

Achievement test scores must be made available before registration day. Scholarships will be distributed over the 10 billing periods.  Scholarships may be lost if appropriate GPA’s are not maintained.  Scholarship amounts will be recalculated at the beginning of each semester.

New Student Scholarship
First-time dorm students will receive a $250 discount on the August statement. First-time village students will receive a $125 discount.  Only one new student scholarship per student will be honored.

Academy Days
Special scholarships ranging from $50 – $500 are awarded at Academy Days. The entire scholarship amount will be applied to the amount owed on registration day. Scholarship certificates must be presented to receive a deduction at registration.  Expired scholarships will not be honored.  If a student leaves school before the close of the year, the unused prorated portion will be charged back to the student’s account.

Discounts

Family Discount
Families with more than one student enrolled at Bass Memorial Academy must pay the full charge for one student. The second student from the same family will receive a 25% discount on tuition only.  The third student will receive a 50% discount on tuition only. This discount will be applied to each billing on a pro-rated basis.

Pre-payment Discount
Payment of the entire year’s flat rate charges and entrance fee at registration will qualify for a discount of 5%.  To receive the full 5% discount, payment must be made with check or cash.  If you choose to pay with a credit or debit card, the discount is 3%.
Payment of a semester’s flat rate charges and entrance fee in advance (registration for first semester, Christmas break for second semester) will qualify for a discount of 2.5%.  To receive the full 2.5% discount, payment must be made with check or cash.  If you choose to pay with a credit or debit card, the discount is 1%.

Financial Assistance Plans

Three-Way Plan* (subject to satisfactory job performance)                                                                           Parents or guardians that are members of the Gulf States Conference may apply for a three-way plan scholarship through their local church.  If the church contributes toward the students account, Gulf states conference and BMA will each match the contribution up to $500.  The maximum match for village students is $250.  The total contribution is credited to the student’s account equally over the ten billings (Dorm – $1500/10 = $150 / month.
Village – $750/10 = $75 / month).  The church’s portion should be received no later than registration. If a student leaves school for any reason, the unused portion of the three-way plan will be returned to the sponsoring church.

Two-Way Plan* (subject to satisfactory job performance)                                                                              The two-way plan is for parents or guardians that are not members of the Gulf States Conference. They may apply for a two-way plan scholarship through their local church. In this case BMA will match the church’s contribution up to $750.  The total contribution is credited to the student’s account equally over the ten billings ($1500 / 10 = $150 / month). If a student leaves school for any reason, the unused portion of the church’s contribution will be returned to the sponsoring church.

Financial Aid*(subject to satisfactory job performance)
(For families with extenuating financial circumstances)
Additional financial assistance may be obtained by filling out a confidential request for financial aid form. This application must be complete and must have a copy of the applicant’s most recent income tax return page showing the adjusted gross income. The Finance Committee will review the applications. Assistance will be granted according to a formula based upon a person’s need and the amount of funds that the academy has available. This is why any request for financial assistance should be received by June 15 when funds will first be distributed. When all funds are distributed there will be no more available except for a limited amount for new students making late applications.  Parents will be informed of the award granted by the Financial Aid Committee in July, so pre-registration may be completed before students leave for summer vacation.

Failure to keep an account current may result in the loss of future Financial Aid disbursement.

For a complete document of financial information, please refer to the 2012-2013 Student Handbook available on this site.

*Salaried Seventh-day Adventist employees are not eligible to receive two or three-way plan assistance or additional financial aid from BMA.

Work Opportunities

Summer Jobs
Bass Memorial Academy offers a 7 week summer work program. Students are able to stay in the dorms and meals are provided. The student will receive a 25% bonus at the end of the program based on performance to apply to the next year’s tuition. The Magabook program (literature sales) recruits students for their summer program. Students receive valuable training and experience tremendous spiritual growth. Bass Memorial Academy gives a 25% bonus based on commissions submitted to the academy. Camp Alamisco also hires students. Students employed at the camp receive the same incentive bonus.

School Year Jobs
Work Program Students must be at least fourteen years old before starting work at the academy and must be 16 years old or older to work more than three hours per school day. All students must work a minimum of two hours per day, but many jobs will require more hours. Students who receive financial aid are required to work 3-4 hours per day depending on age and job description. Students working on-campus that are under 16 could earn as much as $250 per month towards their tuition based on an average of 15 hours of work per week, while those 16 or over could earn as much as $350 per month towards their tuition based on an average of 20 hours of work per week. Students working at an off-campus industry have the opportunity to receive a percentage of their earnings in cash. The money is transferred to the student’s school bank account and may be withdrawn at any time.

Work Program

Teaching students to work is one of the goals of the Seventh-day Adventist educational system. Learning to work responsibly is a vital aspect of the educational experience at Bass Memorial Academy. Work experience develops self-confidence and trains students for future contributions to society.  Work opportunities are available on campus and in the school industries. Job assignments will be based on ability, financial need, and class schedule. Each student must accept the job assigned by the work coordinator. Students will not be allowed to miss work except for illness or school-approved trips and leaves.  Student work will be evaluated based on attendance and performance. The following conditions must be met in order to receive a satisfactory work evaluation:

Failure to comply with the aforementioned conditions will result in the following actions:

Skipping work will immediately put the student at the second infraction level.  Continued infractions will be submitted to the Ad Council and may jeopardize enrollment.  Job transfers may be granted upon request with the approval of the work coordinator, treasurer, and current work supervisor. Transfer requests must be submitted in writing to the work coordinator. Work absences must be approved by the Ad Council prior to the absence. Occasional incentives will be offered for good work performance. All student workers will be paid at least Federal Minimum Wage.

There are many things you will need while attending Bass.  Some of them are necessary, some are optional, and some are not allowed.  Here are some lists to help you determine which is which. If there is any confusion over whether you should bring an item or not, please contact the dean or the administration to find out.

What to Bring

Optional Items

What Not to Bring

2012-2013 Student Handbook

This handbook represents the combined prayers, discussion, and experience of our faculty and staff. It is our hope that this handbook will help us to deliver the kind of education our Lord has commissioned us to provide.

The final version of this handbook will be available at the beginning of school. All major changes have been made and only a final editing needs to be done. Please look through the handbook and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Student Handbook (click here)

FAQ’s about the policies found in our handbook (click here)