Academy question

I'm a noob, just got the game a day ago, but I read something online about Guild Wars players joining "the Academy"... and have yet to fully understand what this means. Does anyone know about this in depth and would please share their knowledge about it? Additionally, would the Academy entail a quest or require a certain skill lvl character?

Thanks and much appreciated for the help.

You have to be level 3 to "join the Academy". The Academy is one PvP fight followed by a short PvE section and then "The Searing". The Searing is the seperator between Pre-Searing Ascalon (The area you start out in) and Post-Searing Ascalon (where more than 90% of the game is.) After you join the Acedemy you can't go back to Pre-Searing Ascalon. So, I suggest that you do everything that you want to do in Pre-Searing before you join the Academy.

Oh, splendid. Very good in-deed my good fellow, very good in-deed. Thank you for being most gracious and kind. My question is fully answered now.

back in a moment with some help

edit

this might help

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...-10-id1195.php

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...lon-id1264.php