The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), located in Aurora Illinois, is a public, three-year residential high school for students who are academically talented in mathematics and/or science. The mission statement of IMSA is to "ignite and nurture creative, ethical, scientific minds that advance the human condition." This corresponds with the recent reform movements in science education that emphasize the development of scientific habits of mind through student engagement in the process of science. One program that focuses on developing scientific habits of mind is Scientific Teaching (ST). Students learning science through ST parallel the practice of science. They are active in questioning, investigating, analyzing, and discovering. Regular feedback is another tenet of ST. To replicate the practice of science in a classroom, an ST course is designed to give students an active part in their learning. This article examines the specific differences that exist between students' experiences in previous science classes at their home schools and Scientific Inquiries-Biology (SIB) course at IMSA in order to identify factors that make SIB unique and to identify areas for change so that they can help make transitions easier. (Contains 1 table.)