Grades 11-12 Registration Checklist

• COURSE PERIODS

During late February, rising 11th and 12th grade students will register for all of their courses for the 2024-2025 School Year (Fall and Spring Semesters). Each student has 8 course periods in their schedule. A student must be registered for 7 courses in order to be considered a fully registered student in good standing. Most students register for 7 courses, along with a study hall. Please consult with your advisor and complete this form if you wish to register for 8 courses.

• COURSE REQUIREMENTS

In their course selection, students should work with their advisor to ensure progress toward fulfilling the Upper School's Graduation Requirements (listed below). They should also consult with their College Counselor, as well as with the coordinator for any Diploma Program in which they are enrolled. Beyond the GCDS graduation requirements, most competitive colleges and universities will want to see the “core 5” courses all four years (Science, Math, English, Social Sciences, World Language). There can be exceptions to this (eg. students pursuing Engineering programs or Arts School), but this is generally our starting point. 

• RANK CHOICE REGISTRATION

For the 11th and 12th Grades, we ask that students rank their course selections (1 - 5) for Science, Social Sciences, and English. We register students sequentially, from 12th to 9th grade, and we cap courses at around 15 students. Rising 10th graders follow the same process for their Arts/Elective course selection. As we develop each student's personalized schedule, we make every effort to accommodate as many of their first choices as possible. In order to ensure this access, we may need to move to a student's second or third choice in a particular discipline. Please use the planning documents linked above to organize your registration preferences.

• DOUBLING A CORE COURSE

Starting in Grade 10, students may double up on Social Science, Math, Science, World Language, or English courses, taking a second full core course in place of an elective (for example, a 10th grade student could register for both Social Sciences 10 and an 11/12 Social Sciences course). This opportunity is designed for students who exhibit a particular passion for and advanced ability in a subject area. Students must complete this form with their advisor, securing the permission of their advisor and the Academic Dean.

• HONORS

Students should discuss Honors options with their advisor and with their teachers. The College Counseling Office guidance is that students should pursue these challenges only if they have demonstrated ability, authentic passion, and faculty placement support for that area of study. A grade that does not reflect strong performance in an Honors course will not serve as an advantage in the college process. Students should review the honors policy included in each of the program sections of this academic guide. 

At the 11th and 12th-grade levels, the Upper School offers Honors-level courses in English, the Social Sciences, the Sciences, and Math. These courses may be discrete Honors courses, in which all students in the class are taking the course at an Honors level. They can also be heterogeneous classes, including students in the same class taking the course at either the Honors or core levels. 

DISCRETE HONORS COURSES

Discrete Honors courses carry clear prerequisite requirements. Students who qualify should register for those courses during the February/March registration period. These 11th and 12th grade courses include:

• Honors Physics

• Honors Environmental Science

• Honors Math (Math faculty will confirm 24-25 course placement with every 11th and 12th grader in February)

HETEROGENEOUS HONORS COURSES

For heterogeneous Honors options (in English, Social Sciences and Neuroscience), each Department makes Honors placements in May of 2024. These decisions will be applied to the relevant department courses for which the student has already registered for the 2024-2025 school year. These placements should not come as a surprise to a student or family, but rather, should reflect a consistency of feedback from the department and represent the department’s professional assessment of the level of support and challenge that will best guide each student’s growth going forward. 

For more information, please review the Honors guidelines and process listed on each department section of this Academic Guide.

• ADVANCED APPLIED COURSES

Each academic program offers "Advanced Applied" designated courses. These courses represent the highest level of challenge, rigor, independent research, and student responsibility. Advanced level courses do not have a separate Honors component. Given the high expectations and fast pace of Advanced Applied courses, in addition to the importance of the students’ 11th and 12th grade academic records in the college process, students wishing to enroll in Advanced Applied courses should consult with their advisor, College Counselor, and relevant faculty. They will also need to take several steps in addition to general course registration, including the submission of an application via this link prior to March 4, 2024. Please consult the relevant department page above for specific standards and processes related to that department's Advanced Applied courses. 

Students should submit a separate application for each Advanced Applied course in which they wish to enroll. If a student ranks multiple Advanced Applied courses in their preferences for a department (e.g. ranking AAE courses for their top three English choices), they need only submit an application for their top choice. 

• INDEPENDENT STUDIES

Students wishing to engage in an Independent Study with a faculty member should consult the guidelines for Independent Study design and registration. Students must submit their proposal for approval by the Course Change Deadline of the relevant semester.

• ATHLETICS & TEAM PROGRAMS

In addition to their academic courses for the 2024-2025 School Year, students will also register for the athletic programs (fall, winter, and spring seasons), and team programs (eg. Dance, Math Team) in which they would like to participate. For any questions related to athletic or team programs, please contact Tim Helstein, Athletic Director.

Additional Registration Policies

• Course Changes: Students have until the course change deadline (Semester I:  Sept 13, 2024; Semester II: January 31, 2025) to make changes to add or drop a course. This, however, is not a course ‘shopping’ period. Students should be advised that most courses are fully enrolled upon the start of the semester, and space to move between courses is usually very limited. Students are encouraged to work closely with their advisor, teachers, and relevant diploma and program directors during the registration process to determine the best courses for their registration. If a student changes their registration following the course change deadline, then they will receive a Withdraw ‘W’ on their transcript. In order to make a change to their registration, a student must complete and submit a Course Change Request Form prior to the Course Change Deadline.

• Intersession: Students will register for Intersession 2025 during the fall semester.

• Seminar: Students will be automatically registered for the Seminar course required for their grade level.

• Abroad Programs: Should a student wish to consider a Semester Abroad, please contact the Academic Dean as soon as possible during Semester I of the academic year prior to proposed travel. The Academic and College Counseling Offices will need to approve any external program for credit.