Junior Guidelines

English

Rank preferentially your top 6 choices from among eight junior English options, each of which emphasizes a particular genre, historical context, or unifying theme in American Literature. American Studies is an interdisciplinary course which fulfills both the junior English and U.S. History requirements. If you are requesting American Studies, you must contact the Registrar as soon as possible, and be sure to select it under history as well.

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

If you want to take science, continue whatever sequence you have already begun. The Science Department recommends that students take one year of each science before returning for a second year of any one. 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. If you are placed in level 1 of a language, you are expected to take two years in order to fulfill the Language requirement “as best you can.”

History

If you have not taken a year-long, U.S. History course which includes significant research paper experience, you have three choices: U.S. History, Honors U.S. History, and American Studies (an interdisciplinary course that fulfills both the junior English and U.S. History requirements). If you have already taken a full-year U.S. History course, you can sign up for ModernTimes; Honors European History; AP Art History; or Ordinary People/Extraordinary Times.

Visual and Performing Arts

The entire Arts curriculum, including five AP courses and other term-long, two-term, and year-long courses, is available to you. Two-term courses can be complemented either by a spring-term elective (for which the catalog is distributed, and sign-ups are gathered, in January) or by one-term courses published in the Course Catalog. Some Visual and Performing Arts courses–Chorus, Band: 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.

Philosophy/Religion

Two, two-term courses–Political Philosophy and Religions of the World–and one one-term course–Eastern Philosophy–are available. Two-term courses can be complemented either by a spring-term elective (for which the catalog is distributed, and sign-ups are gathered, in January) or by one-term courses published in the Course Catalog.

Computer Science

AP Computer Science will be offered pending sufficient enrollments.

General Advice

1. In the worksheet provided, map out your two-year course program to ensure that you will fulfill Deerfield’s diploma requirements as best you can. These requirements can be found in two online resources: Diploma Requirements; and the Course Catalog (page 4). Please note that you may be given credit for 9th- and 10th-grade courses taken in your previous school if they are similar to ones we offer.
2. Remember to sign up for exactly five credit courses each term. (You may choose a 6th pass-fail performing arts course.)

Be sure to choose alternates for Science, Visual and Performing Arts, and Philosophy/Religion courses. (Note: Alternate choices do not have to be in the same discipline). PLEASE DO NOT USE A FIRST CHOICE AS AN ALTERNATE.