Course Selection for
Rising Lower Mids
Course load
The course load for all lower mids is six academic courses plus human development. This is equivilant to a five-course load for upper mids and seniors.
In Humanities Arts, English, and H&SS courses, homework is limited to 30 minutes per class period to make a six-course load possible.
An overview of the course numbering system can be found here.
Rising lower mids: discipline-by-discipline
Humanities English and History
All lower mids enroll in:
HE250Y Lower Mid Humanities: American Literature
HS250Y Lower Mid Humanities: U.S. History
Humanities Arts
Almost all students will continue in the same Arts course to the next level. Changing a Humanities Arts course requires conversation with the current Arts instructor and the program director of the new Arts discipline, as well as the Head of the Arts Department. Enter the appropriate Arts selection:
Dance: HA220Y Lower Mid Humanities Dance
Ceramics: HA256Y Lower Mid Humanities: Ceramics & 3D Design
Music: HA241Y (Brass), HA242Y (Guitar), HA243Y (Percussion), HA244Y (Piano), HA245Y (Strings), HA246Y (Voice), or HA247Y (Woodwinds)
Studio Art: HA255Y Lower Mid Humanities: Studio Art
Photography: HA230Y Lower Mid Humanities: Photography. (Note: There is a hard cap on photography classes at 12 students per section, which can limit the number of students switching in from other art disciplines.)
Theatre: HA260Y Lower Mid Humanities: Theatre
Languages
Which level? Your Languages teacher will inform you if you are being recommended for a level other than your current trajectory (i.e. if you are in CN150Y and they are recommending you for CN270Y, they would let you know; if they are recommending you for CN250Y they will not). If you have any questions about your placement, please reach out to your current Languages teacher.
Diploma requirement. Students who enter Hotchkiss in their prep or lower mid years are required to complete study in Languages through the 300 level to be eligible for a diploma. More information about languages course selection.
Math
Which level? Your Math teacher will inform you if you are being recommended for a level other than your current trajectory. You should contact the Head of the Math Department, Mr. Justin Almeida, <jalmeida@hotchkiss.org> if you intend to complete summer work to advance in math or you struggled in math over the past year. If you have any questions about your placement, please reach out to your current Math teacher and/or reach out to the Head of the Math Department.
Geometry. If you are a student in MA120Y or MA150Y and are unsure whether you have geometry credit, please consult with the Head of the Math Department, Mr. Justin Almeida.
Diploma requirement. Successful completion of any 300-level math course satisfies the graduation requirement, but students should still continue taking math as almost all colleges expect students to have 4 years of math. Your advisor should consult with the College Office if you have any questions about the details about how math fits into the college application process. More information about math course selection.
Science
What options do I have? Most lower mid students will enroll in a course at the 300 level for science. Your three options are:
BI350Y Biology
CH350Y Chemistry
CH380Y Honors Chemistry (please note this includes math prerequisites)
If you are considering CH380Y or an upper-level (400 level) science course, please carefully review the prerequisites and consider speaking with your current Physics teacher. Lower mids are busy and honors science courses are demanding. More information about science course selection.
Human Development
All lower mids enroll in HD250Y Lower Mid Human Development.
Course flexibility
Lower Mids may add a course in computer science, a second foreign language, or even an additional course in H&SS. Typically this requires that students wait until upper mid year to continue in science. If you are considering attempting an alternative course structure it is essential that you complete a four-year course plan (Google Doc) with your advisor.
If you hope to pursue the classics diploma, please consult with Classics Program Coordinator, Mr. Doug Kneeland <dkneelan@hotchkiss.org>. Note that after the first year, all students take Greek as an honors course.