Upper School Curriculum

Rowland Hall offers a wide range of Advanced Placement (AP) and Advanced Topics (AT) classes. Students should be aware that AP and AT courses carry increased homework requirements and possibly summer work, and all students enrolled in AP classes are required to take the AP exam. Rowland Hall’s advanced courses are viewed by college admissions professionals during the college application process as the most challenging courses taught at Rowland Hall. AP exam scores are not required by any college or university in the admission process. Students may submit AP exam scores to the college they attend for consideration for advanced placement and/or credit. Finally, students may opt to take AP tests in a subject even when the corresponding course is not offered.

In certain areas, Rowland Hall faculty members and administrators believe the school can offer a richer academic experience without teaching to the course requirements and test expectations of the AP program. We believe that our AT offerings prepare students to perform well on any AP test a student elects to take. Watch the video below to hear why our Upper School Science Department has shifted from AP to AT courses.

Admission to AP, AT, and honors classes is made on the basis of departmental recommendations and on what students, teachers, parents, college counselors, academic support, and administrators believe is the appropriate course load for the student. Every student completes a course-load planning form which is reviewed by the academic support counselors, the principals, and the student’s current teachers. Ultimately, the students—with guidance from the aforementioned parties—decide the best schedules for themselves, knowing their other interests and involvements outside of the academic school day.

View current Advanced Placement and Advanced Topics offerings in the digital course catalog above.