Freshman Guidelines

English

All freshmen are automatically enrolled in English I.

Math

At this point you do not sign up for a mathematics course. Based on information in your admission folder, the Mathematics Department will send you a placement test in the near future. They will decide your placement based on the results of both the placement test and your previous performance in math.

Science

All freshmen who want to take science should enroll in physics, and the chair of the Science Department will review your record to determine the appropriate level.

Language

Indicate the language you intend to study at Deerfield. If you have not studied this language previously, you will be enrolled in level 1. If you have already taken at least a full year of this language, teachers in the Language Department will review your record and determine your placement. For students interested in taking Arabic, Chinese, and Latin, the decision is based on your transcript. Placement for French and Spanish is determined by the results of an online placement test.

History

If you want to take history, you have three choices: Africa and Latin America; The West in the Ancient/Medieval World; and The West in the Modern World. Please rank all three of these choices preferentially.

Visual and Performing Arts and Philosophy/Religion

Deerfield has a two-term Visual and Performing Arts requirement and a one-term Philosophy/Religion requirement. Because these two requirements can share one slot in a year’s program, we couple them together under the heading “Humanities.” Students should complete their Humanities requirements before the end of the tenth grade, and many students choose to fulfill these requirements in the freshman year. There are several one- and two-term Visual and Performing Arts courses from which to choose. Read the course catalog and pay close attention to the terms in which these courses are offered. Some Visual and Performing Arts courses–Chorus, Bands: Wind/Rock/Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Music/Orchestra, and Dance–can be taken either as a fifth graded course, or as a sixth course pass-fail. In Philosophy/Religion choose from among three one-term courses: Ethics; Eastern Philosophy; and Judeo-Christian Traditions.

Computer Science

Computer Science will be offered pending sufficient enrollments.

General Advice

1. In the worksheet provided, map out your four-year course program to ensure that you will fulfill all of Deerfield’s graduation requirements. Try for a gradual increase in the level of difficulty of your course load from freshman to senior year.
2. Remember to sign up for exactly five credit courses each term. (You may choose a 6th pass-fail performing arts course.)
3. If you’re requesting history, be sure to rank preferentially all three non-U.S. choices.
4. Be sure to choose alternates for Visual and Performing Arts and Philosophy/Religion. (Note: Alternate choices do not have to be in the same discipline). PLEASE DO NOT USE A FIRST CHOICE AS AN ALTERNATE.

Example:

Humanities (2 Arts; 1 Phil. Rel.)	1st Choice	Alternate Choice
Fall	Intro. to Studio Art	Intro. to Performing Arts
Winter	Intro. to Ethics	Judeo Christian Traditions
Spring	Graphic Design	Intro. to Performing Arts