<p>I will be a junior (9th grader) at Exeter this fall.</p>
<p>I would like to know how the six History credits are typically fulfilled for four year students. I understand that the US History courses are taken in the Upper (11th grade) year. How are the other three credits achieved? Are their any recommendations for what specific courses I should take?</p>
<p>Also, I would like to know about the three credits required for Art. In the Diploma requirements, it says "two terms must be in studio and/or performance courses. At least two areas must be studied from among art, music or theater." Could you please explain what exactly this means?</p>
<p>Thank you very much. I appreciate the time you take to reply.</p>
<p>Re the art courses, you must study at least two different areas. You can’t fulfill the requirement by taking private music lessons for 3 years (1/3 credit per term) because they want you to take both music and something else. You don’t have to take music. That’s just an example. You can take 2 credits of studio art like ceramics and one of theatre. Basically, they want to make sure that you actually create in 2 of your arts courses and not just study theory or art history.</p>
<p>As for history, take what interests you. The courses available to preps is limited to the 100 level courses, but they are very interesting and challenging. The only requirement for the 3 non-US courses is that one be nonWestern history and the courses that are so considered are marked in the catalog. The history courses will require a lot of reading and writing (as pretty much all classes at Exeter do!). I imagine that there are some preps who don’t even take history. You have a number of requirements for that elective spot. Some preps might take Computer Science, a religion course, and an art course and not take any history until later. I don’t think it really matters when you fulfill those requirements. Last year, they assigned a temporary advisor for new students to help them with registration.</p>
<p>Thanks neato. I have all the Math prerequisite to take physics and my PEA adviser suggests I take that first. But since I have already taken biology for three years (two for physics) since 6th grade, I want to keep biology going. As it has to be one of the two, I am wondering if there is any significant difference which one to take first so I can get the most from what PEA has to offer.</p>
<p>btw, my adviser was a former Olympian. Yikes!!</p>
<p>If your adviser suggests physics, I’d go with that—partly because the advisers give good advice and partly because it sets you up to take a higher level biology your second year, if you want–one that will prepare you for the biology SAT2 exam (or the AP?–can’t remember which). The prereq. for physics is just a solid grasp of Algebra 1. </p>
<p>Students who take Biology first can still take the SAT2 exam–there are other, more compressed classes that prepare them for it as uppers/seniors–so those who don’t want to take physics first shouldn’t feel they have to to make the most of their time at Exeter. Most kids take bio. More mathematically inclined kids tend to take physics. </p>
<p>To echo what Neato said about the arts: lots of kids will complete their arts elective by taking lessons or joining a musical ensemble (3 terms in a row of one or the other equals one arts credit) and then one art class. My kid this year took lessons, joined an ensembe, and is now taking an art class that is making him want to take even more art classes down the road.</p>
<p>My son got lots of good advice about classes from current students at the school through pm’s on Facebook.</p>
<p>If you have a Facebook account, join the group Exeter class of 2015. There are members from the class of 2014 who are helpful for answering questions about Exeter. The group picture has a cake with the word Exonian.</p>
<p>Exeter holds to course prerequisites pretty tightly, at least for the sciences. If you want to take AP Bio eventually (Bio 410/420/430), you need intro bio and chemistry first. Doesn’t matter what bio you’ve had in prior schools, they require the intro bio course at Exeter. Same for Chemistry. If you’ve had prior chemistry, better chance you’ll get into AP Chem if you get good grades in intro bio or physics, however, they won’t wave the Exeter Chem requirement for AP Bio. Difficult to pursue both AP Bio and AP Physics. AP Physics requires intro physics plus part of the calc math sequence (420 or 430). One possible heavily science weighted course load would be intro Bio 110/120/130 in Junior year, Chemistry 210/220/230 and Intro Physics 210/220/230 Lower year, AP Bio (410/420/430) in Upper year, and AP Physics Senior year (410/420/430). With the US History in Upper year, you really wouldn’t want to double up on science courses. Definitely wouldn’t want to double up on two AP science courses the same year (advisor probably wouldn’t let you). If you start with Intro Physics, really pushes your time frame for advanced Bio out to senior year, and makes it near impossible to also fit in AP Physics. Hope this helps a bit.</p>