Placement

Students entering their first year are sent placement materials, including forms for present teachers to complete and self-administered diagnostic tests in elementary algebra, music, and some world languages. These items are used by the Academy to aid in proper placement or recommendation of course levels. New students are also asked to complete to the best of their ability a course selection form indicating the courses they wish to take during the coming year. Although the placement material may alter a student’s preliminary selections somewhat, it is helpful, for planning purposes, to know the levels each student thinks he or she is ready to enter.

Placement in the level of a subject may be independent of a student’s grade level in school; through advanced placement at entrance or by taking accelerated courses, many students fulfill requirements early, thereby gaining increased opportunity for college-level or other elective courses.

For full membership in a given grade, students should have credit for the work of the previous grade or its equivalent. However, students are rated as members of a given grade if their deficiencies for full membership in it do not exceed a certain number of trimester courses.

Grade levels at Andover have unusual names: ninthgraders are called Juniors, 10thgraders are called Lower Middlers or Lowers, 11thgraders are called Upper Middlers or Uppers, and 12thgraders and postgraduates are Seniors.