<p>Hey guys :) I have just "said YES to SPS" via the Internet and I was wondering who else has decided to attend SPS as well. Hopefully, we can all get acquainted before we actually attend SPS.</p>
<p>Feel free to comment below whenever about whatever. I, myself, was wondering about what sports/arts/language/math classes people have decided to take.</p>
<p>I’ve also been accepted, and was wondering how to figure out how many courses to take? Do you know if we have to take placement tests, and how many courses on average?!</p>
<p>@futureboarder25 SPS sent me a package with the courses and the curriculum… Did you get it? It lists everything in detail there.</p>
<p>I checked the Course Descriptions brochure they sent me and a minimum of 5 courses are required (where you get credit) in 3rd Form. (I’m not sure which form you’re entering into, but since I’m going to 3rd Form this fall, I decided to check the stats for that.) These 5 courses are: Arts, Humanities, Languages, Mathematics, and Sciences. You also have to take an Athletics class (non-credit, and the sports you play alternate between 3 terms (so you have to take 3 different sports a year).</p>
<p>I’m not sure about the placement test thing :-/ but I know you definitely have to take them if you want to enter into a course that’s harder than what average students are doing (e.g. Alg 2, French 1 Honors in 3rd Form)</p>
<p>Hope this helps 
and I hope you attend SPS too!</p>
<p>I am probably attending next year (3rd form) and am looking to be taking geometry for my math because I currently take Algebra and Latin Review or Latin II for my language. Arts wise I have no clue (so many offerings!). For sports I am going to be doing field hockey in the fall, ice hockey in the winter, and probably crew in the spring. What about you @boardingschoolx ?</p>
<p>@bruinsgirl9 yay, cool we might be classmates!</p>
<p>I’m not sure about what I should do for math… I’m doing Geometry enrichment this year, and Alg 2 might be too big of a jump, so I’m probably going to take Geometry again next year. Btw, I don’t think you can jump to Latin II in 3rd Form (only 4th Formers and older, I think), but I think you CAN do Honors Latin I if you do well on the placement test… I’m probably going to do French for my language class, and I’m vying for Honors French I. (I’m in my school’s Advanced French III class)</p>
<p>For my arts course, I’m probably going to do visual arts. I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT SPORTS haha.</p>
<p>@boardingschoolx if you are already in French III then I am sure you can take a higher level class with older students. I am on my third year of Latin, but I am still in Latin I so during revisits I will ask my tour guide about that. If necessary, I might be taking the Latin Review course which goes through all of what you learn in Latin I. </p>
<p>@bruinsgirl9 I’m pretty sure the French/Latin classes at SPS are at the HS level, and that they aren’t coordinated with MS Language programs… that probably means that French I at SPS would probably be French IV at my school. I’m not sure, though. I think Honors French I is the hardest French class available to 3rd Formers.</p>
<p>I’m not going to revisits, so I would appreciate it if you asked them for me :)</p>
<p>@boardingschoolx okay I will ask at revisits! My current school has a highschool and I would be on Latin II next year there, however, I wouldn’t mind a review year because languages are always a bit confusing to me!</p>
<p>@bruinsgirl9 Thanks! I would really appreciate it if you asked them about it for me!</p>
<p>does anyone know if it is possible to take the mandatory humanities course as well as one of the options (not sure about the name but they’re single credit and last a semester), or can only sixth formers take them?</p>
<p>My son is in the 4th form at SPS. The school has worked with him exclusively for course selection and placement - this is a place that is all about the students, and doesn’t coordinate with parents. For those of you seeking higher placement in math and languages: go for it! My son is very strong in languages and had a big background in French from 2nd-8th grade. He did a French exchange program, outside tutoring for enrichment, and scored a perfect score on the National French Exam. People from his school typically place in French 2 or French 3 for High School. If he had stayed at a day school in town, he was planning to go for French 4. The language dept at SPS sent him a placement test, and we also gave them the contact information for his school French teacher and his tutor - not sure if they ever checked with these two re: curriculum, etc. He took French 3 Honors last year and is now in French 4 Honors. Next year he will be in French 5 Honors - there isn’t an official AP French class, but he will take the AP test next year (5th form year). He will take a seminar/independent study in 6th form. He also wanted to take a second language, but he wasn’t excited to continue with Latin. He wants “living languages” and is interested in foreign service, international affairs, counter-terrorism, global health, business, etc. He started taking German 1 along with French 3 Honors last year. He has loved German and will stay with it all 4 years. The teacher, Frau Hornor, seems to be the best teacher at the school. She is just fun and exciting and wonderful. In order to make room in his schedule for a second language, he chose Music for his arts requirement. This allows for some flexibility because you take a music theory class and then private lessons on an instrument of your choice. He was able to meet with the music teacher in the evenings/weekends rather than during the regular academic blocks. </p>
<p>My son took Geometry last year, but he knew 3rd Formers who took Pre-Calculus and higher. They are flexible with this. Please know that everyone at SPS isn’t a genius. There are plenty of kids who struggle academically, and some who just don’t care that much. Don’t be intimidated just because you are attending an elite prep school. Grab the bull by the horns and make it your own experience. Get as much out of it as you can! </p>
<p>I don’t know when they allow electives, but my son is taking a computer science elective during this spring term. So now he has Humanities 4, Algebra 2, Chemistry, French 4 Honors, German 2, and Computer Science, plus he is playing JV lacrosse. It is busy - but I think he does better this way. Last term he had a much lighter schedule and only played a club sport… and I think he got worse grades because he was less structured.</p>
<p>Hope this helps. He loves the school. It is tough on me as a parent, as I feel like I basically dropped him off a cliff. That said, he has really loved the kids there, the campus, the spirit, the general feel of the place. And he has really grown up a lot. Congratulations on your admission! </p>
<p>@IndyMom4 I really appreciate all the extensive info you’ve provided! To clarify, your son was able to skip French 1 & 2 to go to French 3 in 3rd Form year? (I thought that wasn’t an option for 3rd Formers)…</p>
<p>I’ve said yes to sps too!! 
</p>
<p>Congrats everyone!</p>
<p>@boardingatschool Great Which grade are you going to be in this fall?
@mathman1201 Thanks! Best of luck with your applications… I genuinely hope you get into your dream school!</p>
<p>Hi I’m going to be a third former at SPS this fall! and I was also wondering whether you’re allowed to take two languages during the same term or not?</p>
<p>@boardingschoolz while it is possible to take two languages in a trimester it isn’t suggested. I will be attending in the fall as a third former and my sister recently graduated. The way your schedule is set up is that you have 5 classes, but it is possible to have six with special permission. I hope I helped!</p>
<p>Thank you! @readyforwork</p>
<p>no problem @boardingschoolz </p>
<p>@boardingschoolz @readyforwork @boardingatschool @bruinsgirl9 Did you guys complete your foreign language/math/science questionnaires yet?</p>