Course Registration

COURSE REGISTRATION PHILOSOPHY

When planning a student's course of study, several factors should be taken into account: the student's academic history, abilities, interests, co-curricular activities, college aspirations, and graduation requirements. The goal is to create a well-rounded educational experience with a strong academic core and opportunities for advanced study in areas of strength and interest. Students should also aim to:

Fulfill all graduation requirements.
Build upon their strengths and seek appropriate academic challenges.
Pursue opportunities for personal and intellectual growth.
Maintain a balance between academic coursework and co-curricular activities.

SCHEDULING AND REGISTRATION

Course enrollment is determined by a combination of factors, including placement test results, fulfillment of prerequisites, previous grades, and, in some cases, approval from the department chair or divisional leadership team. While we strive to offer a wide range of courses, scheduling is subject to constraints such as staffing needs, minimum enrollment requirements, and classroom availability. Therefore, some listed courses may not ultimately run.

Because enrollment in specific electives cannot be guaranteed, students must select alternate choices for every elective course they request.

The master schedule is built based on student course recommendations and requests submitted during registration. While the school makes every effort to accommodate student preferences, the courses offered, the number of sections, and the class schedule are all directly influenced by these requests. For this reason, changes to course requests after the end of April may be difficult, if not impossible, to accommodate. Students are strongly encouraged to make their course selections promptly, carefully, and thoughtfully, as these selections directly impact the following year's academic offerings.

COURSE REGISTRATION PERIOD

In exceptional circumstances, another course may be substituted for one of the requirements upon recommendation by the administration and the appropriate department head.

There are instances where it is appropriate for a student to seek a waiver of a graduation requirement. Although exceptions are rare, students and parents may explore and request the waiver of graduation requirements when an excellent educational reason suggests that this modification would better serve a particular student’s needs. The first step in the process is consultation with the student’s advisor, teacher, department head, and head of upper school. The student must submit a written petition to the Head of Upper School. Until the student and parents have received official written notice from North Shore Country Day that a waiver has been approved, the student is expected to be enrolled in the course that would satisfy the requirement.

Students do not receive credits for courses completed during eighth grade.

New students entering tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade will have their graduation requirements established at the time of acceptance at the discretion of the Head of Upper School.

Generally, students must make up a failed course in a pre-approved summer school or repeat the course the following year. The exception to this is English, which must be taken and passed at North Shore during the academic year. In most cases, failing English makes it unlikely that a student can remain at North Shore Country Day.

ADDING, DROPPING, AND CHANGING COURSES

Any changes to a student's course load must be made through the upper school office. Students may make course changes during a designated ten school days at the beginning of each semester. This period begins on the first day of school for the first semester and at the start of the second semester for second-semester electives. It is the responsibility of the students to be aware of the final date for course changes. Any course dropped after the mid-semester mark will appear as withdrawn on the student’s transcript (W/D). In certain circumstances, students may appeal this policy through their advisor and the department head to The Head of Upper School. Students may not withdraw from a yearlong course after the mid-semester mark of the first semester unless they have permission from the department head and Head of Upper School.

Course change forms are available on myNSCD and should be completed by the student. Once submitted, the form will require approval from the student’s parents/guardians, advisor, course teacher or department chair, and Assistant Head of upper school. The change will be finalized in the database by the School Registrar. Forms submitted by eleventh and twelfth-grade students will also need approval from one of the college counselors.

In cases where a student wishes to shift from a 15-level course to a 10-level course, the shift must occur by the week after the conclusion of the first mid-semester. Students who change before the week after the mid-semester deadline will receive credit for their work in the 15-level course but will not have any carryover of academic performance grades when moving into the 10-level course. After the deadline week following mid-semester, students may only switch from a 15 to a 10-level course at the end of the first semester. Students who shift from a 15-level course to a 10-level course at the semester mark will receive a grade for the 15-level course in the first semester and a stage for the 10-level course in the second semester. In certain circumstances, students may appeal this policy through The Head of Upper School. Students may take seven courses in a year, but one must be an art course that is not an AP art/music course.