For a long time the school has had the reputation of being one of the best educational institutions in Switzerland.

[4] In 2014, 2020 and 2021 the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau received the School Prize of the Science Olympiad.

[5] Each year there is a separate sports curriculum for professional athletes[6] and an immersion class,[7] in which the pupils are taught in German and English.

Since 2006 there's also a NAWIMAT class,[8] which prepares students for a job in science for example at the ETH.

[10] At the school the small and large Latinum, the Graecum, the Hebraicum as well as the Cambridge Advanced and the Proficiency can be taken.

In addition to the option of taking lessons on various musical instruments, there is also a choir, an orchestra and numerous ensembles.

Since 2017, computer science is also a compulsory subject for all high school students.