In a school inside a former IBM office building in San Jose, California, students in grades five through 12 take on some of the most rigorous classes offered at any American grade school.

Each student at Basis Independent Silicon Valley takes a minimum of six Advanced Placement courses and completes their graduation requirements before senior year, when they embark on capstone classes and independent research. Many go onto top colleges like Stanford and Cornell.

In class, kids develop a mastery of all things STEM — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. And for some students, the school could be just a stepping stone on their way to becoming the next Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg.

Founded in 2014, Basis Independent Silicon Valley belongs to a network of private and charter schools with 31 outposts around the world.

Basis was built by a pair of economists, Michael and Olga Block, who struggled to find a school that would provide a rigorous education for their daughter. They opened a charter school in Tucson, Arizona, in 1998 with the belief that the goal of a great education should be to provide students with limitless opportunities.

Business Insider spent a day at BISV to see what it's like to attend.