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Abington Friends School

Course Selection Timeline

  • February 22→ Upper School families receive the new curriculum guide and instructions for honors/AP application process
  • February 28-March 16→ 11th graders meet with their college counselor to discuss senior course requests and to make sure graduation requirements are being fulfilled; counselors will now “sign off” on senior course requests through email to the student, parents/guardians, and the student’s advisor
  • March-April→ College Counselors provide next year course recommendations to 9th and 10th grade advisors, based on student semester grades and department recommendations; Honors/AP process occurs for most departments
  • May 2→ Conference Day
  • May→ Summer Work guide sent home to families
  • Mid-June→ Students receive their next year’s course roster (only includes the classes)

Important Changes to the Curriculum

English→ The English curriculum will now offer semester-long electives for 11th and 12th grade students, to provide more academic options for students interested in humanities; AP English Language will continue to be offered and will now be open to 11th and 12th grade students
Science→ The Science department will now offer several more semester-long electives, in addition to the AP electives, to provide more academic options for STEM-interested students
Math→ The math department will now offer two, semester-long, non-AP Statistics courses that can be taken individually or in sequence

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT COURSE SELECTION

If every AFS student must be enrolled in at least 5 courses in a core academic subject, what is considered a core academic course?

“Core courses” include any course from the following departments:

  • English

  • History

  • Modern Language

  • Science

  • Math

  • Computer Science

  • Some non-departmental courses

  • Arts*

*Arts is a special category because not all Arts classes count as a full core course. Chorus, Concert Band, Jazz, and Strings only count as .5 of a core course because they don’t meet 3 times in the week. You can put two .5 courses together to get to 1 core course

Example: Concert Band+Jazz Band=1 core course

Arts is also special because unlike the other departments, you can only have one Arts course that contributes to your 5 core courses.

Grade-specific classes are required but don’t count towards the core courses. This includes Study Skills, Power and Identity, and Topics in College Admissions.

Also not included in the core course count are PE and Health classes.

 

Will I get all the classes that I request during Conference Day?

The short answer is maybe.

The small size of AFS is awesome for lots of reasons, but it also means that almost all the classes we offer have only 1 or 2 sections. When the master schedule gets put together, there are often scheduling conflicts. This is why we’re now asking students to choose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for electives, and to convey any priorities that they have. We will prioritize giving you the courses you need to graduate on time and then we’ll try to accommodate as many of your first choice courses as possible.

If a student is still unhappy with their schedule, there will be an opportunity to request a schedule change just before the new school year starts (using our online form). Know that it still might not be possible to get everything they want. Students need to remain flexible.

 

If a student plans to do summer work to move ahead (e.g. in the math curriculum), should they sign up for the next course in sequence or the course that they intend to be in (the course after next in sequence)?

Students should sign up for whatever the next course in the sequence is. Moving ahead in any academic curriculum isn’t a given (the move needs to be approved by a Department Chair).

If the summer work allows for a student to move ahead, we will make that change to the schedule just before the new school year starts.

THE HONORS/ AP APPLICATION PROCESS

All students have received instructions about the Honors/AP application process from Department Chairs, including deadlines for completing each process. Students must complete their Honors/AP application process, for each department that is applicable to them, by the stated deadlines. Extensions will not be granted.

Application Process by Department:

English

Deadline: Monday, March 15

To be considered for Honors English 10, a student must:

  1. Speak to Sheila (Department Chair)

  2. Complete each part of the application

  3. Submit the application and talk to Sheila by the deadline

Instructions for Application

  1. Make a copy of the 2022-2023 Honors English 10 Application. ADD YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME TO THE TITLE

  2. Copy and paste your writing samples into the document

  3. Write your reflection responses to the questions in the document

  4. Get signatures from your current English teacher, your advisor, the Honors English 10 teacher, a parent/guardian (you can either print the document out and get physical signatures OR share the document with these adults and have them type their name in)

  5. Share the Application document (or turn in a physical copy) with Department Chair, Sheila Pai (spai@abingtonfriends.net) and your current English teacher by Monday, March 15.

AP English Language and Composition Process

Deadline: Monday, March 15

*AP English Language is now open to both 11th and 12th grade students

To be considered for AP English Language, a student must:

  1. Attend the information meeting

  2. Complete each part of the application

  3. Submit the application and attend the information meeting by the deadline

Instructions for Application

  1. Attend the mandatory information meeting on Tuesday, March 1 @ 11:40am (during Clubs time). If you don’t attend this meeting, you CANNOT continue on with the application process

  2. Make a copy of the 2022-2023 AP English Application. ADD YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME TO THE TITLE

  3. Copy and paste your writing samples into the document

  4. Write your reflection responses to the questions in the document

  5. Get signatures from your current English teacher, your advisor, the Honors English 10 teacher, a parent/guardian (you can either print the document out and get physical signatures OR share the document with these adults and have them type their name in)

  6. Share the Application document (or turn in a physical copy) with Department Chair, Sheila Pai (spai@abingtonfriends.net) and your current English teacher by Monday, March 15.

History

Honors History 2 Application Process

Deadline:   Friday, March 4 (Discussion)

Tuesday, March 8 (Submit written application)

Placement process: The History Department considers student interest, written analysis and active listening and speaking in historical discussions. The Department looks at the student’s work in their current History course and their writing and discussion in the placement process. Students should demonstrate understanding and enthusiasm for the expectations and demands of the course.

  1. Talk to your current history teacher about whether honors is the appropriate next step

  2. Pick up the reading material from Margaret’s room (U5)

  3. Bring your completed Honors History 2 Application and your annotated reading material to the mandatory discussion on Friday, March 4 @ 11:40am in U5 (Clubs time)

  4. Bring your annotated reading material and a fully charged device to the mandatory writing session on Tuesday, March 8 @ 11:40am in U5 (Clubs time)

  5. (Optional) Sit in on the Honors History 2 class (meets levels 1 or 7: see Margaret for details)

  6. (Optional) Write a paragraph explaining what strengths you will bring to the Honors class and what challenges you may face.

AP US History Application Process

Deadline: Tuesday, March 1 (Discussion)

 Tuesday, March 8 (Submit written application)

Placement process: The History Department considers student interest, written analysis and active listening and speaking in historical discussions. The Department looks at a student’s work in their current History course, and their writing and discussion during the placement process. The Department wants students to understand the expectations for AP US History and feel equipped to meet them. We strongly encourage students to consider their entire course load (including college application process for 12th grade students). 

  1. Talk to your current (or most recent) history teacher about how you might meet the challenges of the course.

  2. Pick up the reading material from Margaret’s room (U5) by February 28

  3. Bring your completed AP US History Application and your annotated reading material to the mandatory discussion on Tuesday, March 1 @ 11:40am in U5 (Clubs time)

  4. Bring your annotated reading material and a fully charged device to the mandatory writing session on Tuesday, March 8 @ 11:40 am in U5 (Clubs time)

  5. (Optional) Sit in on the AP US History class (meets level 6 in US 5)

  6. (Optional) Write a short piece explaining to the Department what strengths you bring to the AP course and what challenges you may find

Modern Languages

The Language Department will not be using a written placement exam. Any student interested in moving into an honors/AP level must:

  • speak with their current teacher to express interest

  • Meet the grade benchmark (consistent A-level work)

Placement into honors/AP will be based on teacher recommendation and confirmed (if necessary) with an oral interview after Spring Break

Math

Deadline: Friday, April 1

Honors/AP Math Application Process

If a student is interested in moving into honors/AP level math they must:

  • Meet the grade benchmark of an A in their current regular-level math course

  • Speak with their current math teacher about whether honors/AP is a good fit

  • (If both of the above are completed) See Erin Bengston, the math Department Chair, to receive the summer work assignment. Summer work is required to:

    • Close the content gap between the course the student is currently taking and the material covered in the next in sequence honors/AP course

    • Ensure the student enters the course with an honors-level understanding of previous content

Enrollment in an honors/AP course is contingent upon completion of summer work, which must be submitted to Erin (ebengston@abingtonfriends.net) by Friday, August 26. If a student is experiencing difficulty in successfully completing the summer work assignment, they should reach out to Erin over the summer

AP Statistics and AP Computer Science Application Process

A student interested in taking AP Statistics and/or AP Computer Science must:

  • Have completed Algebra II or higher and earned at least an  A-. If a student is in an honors math course, they need to have earned at least a C+

  • Speak with their current math teacher about whether AP Statistics and/or AP Computer Science is a good fit

  • (If both of the above are completed) The student can request the AP course

Science

Deadline: March 4 (to complete a scheduled meeting)

If a student is interested in moving into an honors science course, they must:

  • Speak with their current science teacher about whether honors is a good fit

  • (Any student in a non-honors Chemistry or Biology class) Take a placement test

If a student is interested in taking one of the AP science courses:

  • AP Biology

    • Have spoken with their current science teacher about whether AP Bio is a good fit and receive permission from the current science teacher

    • Complete the AP Biology Request Form

    • Have completed Chemistry and Honors Biology (or Biology and a placement test)

    • Be in good academic standing in the current science and math courses

    • Complete the summer work assignment

  • AP Chemistry

    • Have spoken with their current science teacher about whether AP Chem is a good fit and receive permission from the current science teacher

    • Complete the AP Chemistry Request Form

    • Have completed Honors Chemistry (or Chemistry and a placement test)

    • Be in good academic standing in the current science and math courses

    • Complete the summer work assignment

  • AP Physics

    • Have spoken with their current science teacher about whether AP Physics is a good fit and receive permission from the current science teacher

    • Complete the AP Physics Request Form

    • Have completed Physics w/ Linear Motion, Physics w/ Two Dimensions or equivalent AND completion of Precalculus with a grade of A or Honors Precalculus with a grade of B or higher

    • Be enrolled in AP Calculus AB or higher at the same time

    • Be in good academic standing in the current science and math courses

    • Complete the summer work assignment

*Even if a student is enrolled in an AP course, if they end the year with a science and/or math grade that is no longer considered to be in good standing and/or they don’t complete the summer work assignment, the student may be at risk of being unenrolled from the AP science course

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have specific questions about you or your student’s curricular choices, please contact your student’s advisor. Advisors are the best person to speak with because they have been getting to know your student throughout the year and have more understanding of how to balance student academic goals with what’s best for a student’s socio-emotional development.

If you have questions about the overall scope of the curriculum or about the process of signing up for courses, please Mal Goss, Director of Studies and Director of College Guidance (mgoss@abingtonfriends.net).