Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Who runs USAD?

The United States Academic Decathlon Association is a non-profit,California public-benefit corporation founded in 1981. The corporation is governed by an elected Board of Directors under the auspices of an approved set of bylaws. The Board of Directors sets policy and direction, has ultimate fiscal responsibility, and hires an Administrative Consultant to manage the corporation. The current full-time staff of USAD consists of a Director of Operations/Customer Service and Accounts, Testing Director, and Curriculum Director.

USAD is funded and operated primarily through sales of curriculum and study materials. In addition, a modest level of corporate support and state fees contribute to program revenue. Retained revenue is held in reserve to fund special initiatives, such as our "Every High School in America" campaign.

How do I get information about the Academic Decathlon^®?

Email or send your name, school, and address to:

USAD
PO Box 1834
Council Bluffs, IA 51502-1834

We will mail you current program information.

Ordering Materials

Can I fax in my order?

Orders being paid by credit card (MC/Visa) may be faxed to our office. All other orders must be mailed.

How long will it take to get my order?

After we receive your order, it will be filled and shipped within 2–4 weeks.

Can I order only 1 item instead of a set of 10?

Yes. Please contact Mylene at 866.511.8723 for pricing.

Can I reproduce the materials?

We want people to share information about the United States Academic Decathlon^®. Information such as program dates, names of state directors and USAD. Board of Directors, program eligibility requirements, list of our available products and other non-copyrighted material may be reproduced and shared with others.

However, no part of our copyrighted materials (see listing of "Program Materials") may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior permission in writing from USAD.

United States Academic Decathlon, USAD, Academic Decathlon, US Academic Decathlon, Super Quiz, and On-Target Products are trademarks of the United States Academic Decathlon Association and may not be used in any way for commercial or non-commercial purposes without the express written permission of USAD. All rights reserved.

Do I have to have an order form to order materials?

No. Orders can be made on any sheet of paper provided the proper information is included. Orders should include: material item number(s), and quantity, billing address, shipping address (if different), contact person, phone number and if paying by credit card, please include credit card number and expiration date, and county tax (if applicable).

Will I receive an invoice with my order?

All invoices will be mailed separately.

Can I use a P.O. Box as my shipping address?

No. UPS requires a physical address.

When is the best time to reach customer service?

Customer service is available from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (CST) Monday thru Friday.

How do you ship materials?

All orders are shipped via UPS unless otherwise noted.

Curriculum

Do we need to purchase materials from commercial companies?

No. USAD materials are all that is needed to participate and compete successfully in the Academic Decathlon^®. USAD provides the official curriculum and official tests for the entire country. USAD test writers also write the study materials.

How can I be sure that the material that our team is studying is the "right stuff"?

USAD Subject Area Resource Guides, Practice Tests, CD’s and other study aids are the official study materials of the Academic Decathlon^®. Many of the test questions for the actual competition are derived from our study materials. Our practice test materials assist students in researching the subject areas. References are given for additional research.

Competition

Where do USAD tests come from?

Our tests are written by experienced educators in each subject area and are reviewed by additional content area experts before they are printed either in practice materials or tests for competition. In addition, all competition tests and practice tests are subject to a further review by content area and assessment experts at Educational Testing Services (ETS) and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC). ETS and DRC do not write any of our testing or study materials, but their reviews are an important part of our test development. We are committed to producing high-quality tests and study materials for the students who participate in the Academic Decathlon^®.

Who is eligible to compete in the Academic Decathlon^®?

The Academic Decathlon^® is open to high school students anywhere in the United States. A team is made up of nine students all from the same high school, and it includes three A students, three B students, and three C students. For more on eligibility, see Eligibility Guidelines.

Which courses count for computing GPA to determine a student's eligibility?

Academic business courses, art appreciation, art history, computer science, economics, English/Language arts, foreign language, humanities, journalism, mathematics, music theory, music appreciation, music history, science, speech, and social studies. Inquiries regarding borderline courses should be referred to your State Director.

Are accommodations available for students with special needs?

Yes. Students with documented disabilities may contact their state director to make arrangements for special accommodations.

Is there a list of calculators that students should or should not use in an Academic Decathlon^® competition?

Because new brands and models are always being introduced, it is impossible to maintain a list of all calculator brands and models allowed for use in the Academic Decathlon^®. Currently, USAD permits students to use calculators for the Math exam only. Coaches are encouraged to review our current calculator policy.