Ninth Grade
An Overview:
The challenge of the freshman year is making a smooth transition into the Upper School. Students entering ninth grade face new academic expectations and multiple opportunities for extracurricular involvement. This is the year to establish a strong academic foundation by taking five academic courses as well as electives in the Arts. Students are also encouraged to get involved in extracurricular and co-curricular activities. Students should also seek out leadership and service opportunities that will enable them to develop their interests and promote personal growth.
Freshman and parents are invited to attend the College Forum for Ninth and Tenth Grade Students and Parents in the spring. Freshmen and parents are also invited to attend College Forums for Upper School families which are given at various times throughout the school year.
Summer Enrichment:
Students are encouraged to participate in summer enrichment programs. General informatoin on a broad range of summer programs for grades nine through twelve is available in the College Guidance Office. Students are also encouraged to get involved in volunteer activities and community service.
Tenth Grade
An Overview:
Students are expected to build on the academic base established in the freshman year, taking five courses in addition to electives in the Arts. Students continue to engage in athletics, community service, clubs, and other extracurricular and co-curricular activities that build on their special strengths and interests.
Summer Enrichment:
Students are encouraged to build on areas of interest by doing summer enrichment, which may mean studying abroad in a language immersion program, doing a community service project, or taking special courses for high school students offered at leading colleges and universities. Resources on summer enrichment programs are available in the College Office. Students are also encouraged to seek summer employment. (See link on Summer Enrichment Programs).
Eleventh Grade
An Overview:
College admissions professionals look closely at the academic performance in the junior year. Students aspiring to attend a highly selective college or university should be enrolled in demanding courses which will challenge their academic abilities. It is important to maintain a healthy balance between course work and extracurricular activites, and therefore students are encouraged to enroll in classes where they can manage their achievement. All students take English or Honors English as well as United States History or Advanced Placement United States History. Most colleges like to see a program of study that also includes advanced courses in mathematics and foreign language.
The College Guidance Program begins officially in January when juniors and parents attend a College Information Night to hear leading admission professionals discuss trends in competitive college admissions. After this meeting, students and parents meet individually with the college counselor to discuss the preliminary college list. Beginning in January, juniors attend weekly College Seminars to study each stage of the college process. During the spring break, students and parents are encouraged to visit colleges. Students typically take the SAT I in March or May and the SAT II tests in June (if needed). In addition, they may also take the ACT in April or June. Over the summer, students are expected to complete their college travel, and begin writing their college essays.
Summer Enrichment:
Many students elect to study at pre-college programs offered at many major universities, including Georgetown, Stanford, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Duke, Northwestern, Davidson, among others. For more information on these programs, visit the College Gudiance Office. Students are also encouraged to get job experience, do volunteer work or community service.
Twelfth Grade
An Overview:
As the culminating year of Upper School, seniors are challenged on many fronts. They are taking their most demanding course load; they are the leaders of the school; and they are moving through the final stage of the College Guidance Program as they finish their standardized testing and complete their college applications. During the fall term, they continue taking weekly College Seminars and meet individually with the college counselors to discuss questions relating to their college applications. All early applications need to be mailed by students by the deadline date, typically November 1 or 15. Regular decision applications need to be mailed by students by the deadline date, but are encouraged to mail by the first week in December regardless of deadline date. The College Guidance Office mails all Mid-Year Reports to the colleges by Winter Break. Decision letters are usually mailed by colleges during the first week of April and students submit their enrollment deposit May 1st.
Graduation: The End and the Beginning
Commencement ceremonies in early June mark the culmination of the Upper School experience for GFA seniors. Final transcripts are sent to the colleges where seniors plan to matriculate. The college process is now officially complete.