Commonwealth school profile 2017 2018

School​ ​Profile​ ​2017-​ ​2018 CEEB​ ​School​ ​Code:​ ​220222

William​ ​D.​ ​Wharton,​ ​Headmaster​​ ​bwharton@commschool.org​,​ ​617.266.7525​ ​x231 Sophia​ ​S.​ ​Meas,​ ​Director​ ​of​ ​College​ ​Counseling​​ ​smeas@commschool.org​,​ ​617.266.7525​ ​x242 Commonwealth​ ​School,​ ​an​ ​independent​ ​school​ ​for​ ​150​ ​students​ ​in​ ​grades​ ​9-12,​ ​is​ ​widely​ ​recognized​ ​for​ ​its academically​ ​rigorous​ ​and​ ​adventurous​ ​intellectual​ ​exploration.​ ​Most​ ​Honors​ ​(H)​ ​and​ ​all​ ​Advanced​ ​Placement​ ​(AP) courses​ ​are​ ​college​ ​level.​ ​Advanced​ ​Placement​ ​equivalent​ ​or​ ​higher​ ​(APE)​ ​courses​ ​surpass​ ​AP​ ​requirements.

Median​ ​combined​ ​SAT​ ​scores​ ​typically​ ​fall​ ​in​ ​the​ ​1450-1500​ ​range,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​average​ ​grade​ ​for​ ​academic​ ​classes​ ​is B+.​ ​100%​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Class​ ​of​ ​2017​ ​entered​ ​four-year​ ​colleges​ ​and​ ​universities.

Ranking​ ​Commonwealth​ ​School​ ​does​ ​not​ ​rank​ ​its​ ​students.​ ​Straight​ ​A's​ ​are​ ​very​ ​rare​ ​at​ ​Commonwealth.​ ​The information​ ​below,​ ​including​ ​the​ ​Grade​ ​Distribution​ ​chart,​ ​will​ ​put​ ​a​ ​candidate’s​ ​transcript​ ​in​ ​perspective.

Course​ ​Offerings​ ​Humanities,​ ​language,​ ​and​ ​computer​ ​science​ ​courses​ ​follow​ ​in​ ​numerical​ ​sequence.

Commonwealth​ ​offers​ ​a​ ​range​ ​of​ ​advanced​ ​science​ ​and​ ​math​ ​courses,​ ​which​ ​progress​ ​in​ ​difficulty​ ​as​ ​shown​ ​below.

Courses​ ​marked​ ​with​ ​an​ ​asterisk​ ​(*)​ ​are​ ​at​ ​AP/APE​ ​level​ ​or​ ​higher.

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Biology​ ​1 Biology​ ​2*

Chemistry​ ​1 Chemistry​ ​1​ ​Advanced Chemistry​ ​2​ ​(AP)*

Physics​ ​1 Physics​ ​1​ ​Accelerated* Physics​ ​1​ ​Advanced* Physics​ ​2*

Half-Credit​ ​Electives:​ ​Gene​ ​Expression​ ​and​ ​Regulation*,​ ​Theory​ ​of​ ​Relativity* Algebra​ ​&​ ​Geometry

Statistics

Calculus

Intermediate​ ​Algebra Geometry Geometry​ ​Advanced Algebra​ ​2/Precalculus Algebra​ ​2/Precalculus​ ​Advanced

Statistics Statistics​ ​(AP)​ ​(.5-credit)*

Calculus​ ​1 Calculus​ ​1​ ​Advanced​ ​(AP)* Calculus​ ​2​ ​(AP)* Multivariable​ ​Calculus* Theoretical​ ​Calculus*

Half-Credit​ ​Electives:​ ​Linear​ ​Algebra*,​ ​Abstract​ ​Algebra*,​ ​Medieval​ ​Islamic​ ​Mathematics* Faculty​ ​37​ ​teachers;​ ​14​ ​hold​ ​PhDs,​ ​14​ ​Master’s​ ​degrees.

Academic​ ​Honors​ ​Commonwealth​ ​does​ ​not​ ​confer​ ​academic​ ​honors.​ ​There​ ​is​ ​no​ ​Cum​ ​Laude​ ​Society,​ ​nor​ ​are​ ​there book​ ​awards​ ​or​ ​prizes​ ​for​ ​each​ ​subject​ ​in​ ​any​ ​year.

Arts​ ​Students​ ​are​ ​required​ ​to​ ​take​ ​one​ ​art​ ​course​ ​per​ ​year;​ ​40%​ ​of​ ​students​ ​take​ ​two​ ​or​ ​more​ ​even​ ​though​ ​they​ ​do not​ ​receive​ ​academic​ ​credit​ ​for​ ​these​ ​courses.​ ​Each​ ​class​ ​meets​ ​2-3​ ​periods​ ​per​ ​week​ ​all​ ​year.

Research​ ​and​ ​Writing​ ​Using​ ​primary​ ​sources,​ ​students​ ​write​ ​three​ ​long​ ​research​ ​papers,​ ​one​ ​each​ ​in​ ​Ancient History,​ ​Medieval​ ​World​ ​History,​ ​and​ ​U.S.​ ​History.

Class​ ​of​ ​2018​ ​Academic​ ​Profile There​ ​are​ ​a​ ​total​ ​of​ ​31​ ​students​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Class​ ​of​ ​2018.

Eight​ ​members​ ​of​ ​the​ ​class​ ​are​ ​National​ ​Merit​ ​Semifinalists.

SAT​ ​scores​ ​(as​ ​of​ ​June​ ​2017) EBRW MATH

Middle​ ​50% 720-770 680-780

Mean 750 735

AP​ ​Examination​ ​Scores​ ​By​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​June​ ​2017,​ ​31​ ​students​ ​had​ ​taken​ ​a​ ​combined​ ​total​ ​of​ ​155​ ​AP​ ​Exams.

82%​​ ​of​ ​scores​ ​were​ ​4​ ​or​ ​5​.​ ​94%​​ ​of​ ​scores​ ​were​ ​3​ ​or​ ​above​.

When​ ​AP​ ​exams​ ​are​ ​available​ ​for​ ​APE​ ​classes,​ ​most​ ​students​ ​receive​ ​a​ ​score​ ​of​ ​4​ ​or​ ​5​.

Grade​ ​Distribution​ ​Chart​ ​for​ ​11th​ ​Grade​ ​Courses​ ​This​ ​chart​ ​shows​ ​core​ ​curriculum​ ​courses​ ​with​ ​2​ ​or​ ​more 11th​ ​grade​ ​students​ ​taken​ ​during​ ​the​ ​2016-2017​ ​year.

Course​ ​Title A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D DE Algebra​ ​2/Precalc​ ​(H)

2

Biology​ ​2​ ​(APE)

1

1

Calculus​ ​1​ ​(AP)

2

4

2

1

Calculus​ ​2​ ​(AP)

1

2

1

1

Calculus​ ​1​ ​Adv.​ ​(AP)

2

5

1

1

2

3

1

Computer​ ​Sci.​ ​1​ ​(H)

1

1

Computer​ ​Sci.​ ​2​ ​(AP)

2

3

Computer​ ​Sci.​ ​3​ ​(APE)

2

1

English​ ​11​ ​(AP)

6

8

8

8

French​ ​4​ ​(APE)

3

Chemistry​ ​2​ ​(AP)

French​ ​3​ ​(AP)

Physics​ ​1​ ​Accel.​ ​(APE)

3 1 1

1

1 2

8

2

5

3

1

Physics​ ​1​ ​Adv.​ ​(APE)

2

Spanish​ ​4​ ​(APE)

3

1

1

Spanish​ ​5​ ​(APE)

2

2

4

1

Statistics​ ​(AP)

1

2

US​ ​History​ ​(APE)

3

11

10

3

The​ ​World​ ​Since​ ​1945 (APE)

4

Spanish​ ​3​ ​(AP)

1

2

Latin​ ​3​ ​(H)

Mandarin​ ​3​ ​(H)

4

2

2

Grading​ ​Scale:​ ​A​ ​(100-93);​ ​A-​ ​(92-90);​ ​B+​ ​(89-87);​​ ​B​ ​(86-83);​​ ​B-​ ​(82-80);​ ​C+​​ ​(79-77);​​ ​C​ ​(76-73); C-​ ​(72-70);​​ ​D+​​ ​(69-67);​​ ​D​ ​(66-63);​​ ​D-​ ​(62-60);​​ ​E​ ​(below​ ​60).

College​ ​and​ ​University​ ​Matriculation​ ​2013-2017 University​ ​of​ ​Chicago,​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Massachusetts​ ​-​ ​Amherst​ ​7 Brown​ ​University,​ ​Cornell​ ​University,​ ​Harvard​ ​College​ ​6 Brandeis​ ​University,​ ​Haverford​ ​College,​ ​Smith​ ​College,​ ​Swarthmore​ ​College,​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Toronto​ ​5 Boston​ ​College,​ ​4 Boston​ ​University,​ ​4 Carleton​ ​College,​ ​4 Columbia​ ​University,​ ​4 Mass.​ ​Institute​ ​of​ ​Technology,​ ​4 Tufts​ ​University,​ ​4 Wesleyan​ ​University,​ ​4 University​ ​of​ ​St.​ ​Andrews,​ ​4 University​ ​of​ ​Southern​ ​California,​ ​4 Bryn​ ​Mawr​ ​College,​ ​3 Carnegie​ ​Mellon​ ​University,​ ​3 Middlebury​ ​College,​ ​3 New​ ​York​ ​University,​ ​3 Northeastern​ ​University,​ ​3 Univ.​ ​of​ ​Massachusetts,​ ​Boston,​ ​3 Washington​ ​University,​ ​St.​ ​Louis,​ ​3 Yale​ ​University,​ ​3 Case​ ​Western​ ​Reserve​ ​University,​ ​2 Georgetown​ ​University,​ ​2 King’s​ ​College​ ​London,​ ​2 Mount​ ​Holyoke​ ​College,​ ​2

Northwestern​ ​University,​ ​2 Oberlin​ ​College,​ ​2 Princeton​ ​University,​ ​2 Skidmore​ ​College,​ ​2 Stanford​ ​University,​ ​2 University​ ​of​ ​Rochester,​ ​2 Worcester​ ​Polytechnic​ ​Institute,​ ​2 American​ ​University,​ ​1 Bates​ ​College,​ ​1 Bowdoin​ ​College,​ ​1 California​ ​Inst.​ ​of​ ​Technology,​ ​1 Clark​ ​University,​ ​1 Colby​ ​College,​ ​1 Cooper​ ​Union,​ ​1 Dartmouth​ ​College,​ ​1 Emerson​ ​College,​ ​1 Hamilton​ ​College,​ ​1 Hunter​ ​College,​ ​CUNY,​ ​1 Johns​ ​Hopkins​ ​University,​ ​1 Maryland​ ​Institute​ ​College​ ​of​ ​Art,​ ​1 Marymount​ ​Manhattan​ ​College,​ ​1

McGill​ ​University,​ ​1 New​ ​College​ ​of​ ​Florida,​ ​1 The​ ​New​ ​School,​ ​1 Pitzer​ ​College,​ ​1 Pomona​ ​College,​ ​1 Purchase​ ​College,​ ​SUNY,​ ​1 Reed​ ​College,​ ​1 Rhode​ ​Island​ ​School​ ​of​ ​Design,​ ​1 Rollins​ ​College,​ ​1 Royal​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​Music,​ ​1 St.​ ​John’s​ ​College,​ ​1 St.​ ​Michael’s​ ​College,​ ​1 Sarah​ ​Lawrence​ ​College,​ ​1 University​ ​of​ ​Connecticut,​ ​1 University​ ​of​ ​Edinburgh,​ ​1 University​ ​of​ ​Oxford,​ ​1 Vanderbilt​ ​University,​ ​1 Vassar​ ​College,​ ​1 Wellesley​ ​College,​ ​1 Wheelock​ ​College,​ ​1 Williams​ ​College,​ ​1

Disciplinary​ ​Reporting​ ​Policy​ ​Commonwealth​ ​chooses​ ​to​ ​treat​ ​some​ ​first-offense​ ​disciplinary​ ​sanctions​ ​as​ ​private matters​ ​between​ ​the​ ​students,​ ​their​ ​families,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​school.​ ​When​ ​we​ ​have​ ​expunged​ ​offenses​ ​from​ ​students’ permanent​ ​records,​ ​we​ ​instruct​ ​the​ ​students​ ​to​ ​answer​ ​“no”​ ​on​ ​their​ ​college​ ​applications​ ​if​ ​asked​ ​whether​ ​they​ ​have been​ ​found​ ​responsible​ ​for​ ​a​ ​disciplinary​ ​violation.​ ​In​ ​no​ ​case​ ​will​ ​we​ ​expunge​ ​an​ ​offense​ ​involving​ ​harassment​ ​or cruelty​ ​toward​ ​or​ ​bullying​ ​of​ ​others.

Notable​ ​Facts​ ​about​ ​Commonwealth​ ​School Community​ ​Service​ ​Students​ ​must​ ​complete​ ​30​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​community​ ​service.​ ​Many​ ​exceed​ ​the​ ​requirement.

Projects​ ​Every​ ​year,​ ​students​ ​in​ ​grades​ ​9-11​ ​design​ ​and​ ​complete​ ​a​ ​one-week​ ​project​ ​or​ ​participate​ ​in​ ​a​ ​two-week overseas​ ​exchange.​ ​During​ ​senior​ ​year,​ ​students​ ​create​ ​and​ ​complete​ ​a​ ​three-week​ ​project.

Jobs​ ​Nearly​ ​all​ ​students​ ​serve​ ​once​ ​every​ ​two​ ​weeks​ ​on​ ​a​ ​crew​ ​that​ ​cleans​ ​up​ ​the​ ​kitchen​ ​and​ ​lunchroom.

Each​ ​year,​ ​twenty​ ​students​ ​are​ ​chosen​ ​as​ ​head​ ​waiters​ ​and​ ​supervise​ ​the​ ​clean-up​ ​crews.

Leadership​ ​Student​ ​government​ ​is​ ​voluntary;​ ​there​ ​are​ ​no​ ​class​ ​officers.​ ​Club​ ​leadership​ ​is​ ​shared​ ​or​ ​fluid.​ ​Twice​ ​a year,​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​school​ ​travels​ ​to​ ​rural​ ​Maine​ ​on​ ​a​ ​student-run,​ ​adult-chaperoned​ ​trip.​ ​Some​ ​students​ ​serve​ ​as​ ​Day Heads,​ ​overseeing​ ​work​ ​and​ ​activities​ ​for​ ​the​ ​day.​ ​Other​ ​students​ ​are​ ​Head​ ​Cooks,​ ​who​ ​plan​ ​meals​ ​for​ ​200​ ​people and​ ​direct​ ​crews​ ​of​ ​some​ ​dozen​ ​sous-chefs​ ​and​ ​waiters.​ ​Students​ ​also​ ​supervise​ ​and​ ​serve​ ​on​ ​clean-up​ ​crews.

Sports/Fitness​ ​Students​ ​participate​ ​in​ ​a​ ​sport​ ​or​ ​fitness​ ​program​ ​for​ ​2-3​ ​seasons.​ ​(Spring​ ​season​ ​is​ ​optional.)​ ​The minimum​ ​requirement​ ​is​ ​three​ ​afternoons​ ​per​ ​week.