Hunter College High School - Academics

Academics

All Hunter students pursue an academically enriched six-year program of study. The curriculum is a rigorous college preparatory program that provides a liberal arts education. The majority of subjects are accelerated such that high school study begins in the 8th grade and state educational requirements are completed in the 11th. During the 12th grade, students take electives, have the option to attend courses at Hunter College or Columbia University (for transferable credit), undertake independent academic studies, and participate in internships around the city.

Students in grades 7 and 8 are required to take courses in communications and theater (a curriculum that includes drama, storytelling, and theater). Students in grades 7–9 must take both art and music, each for half a year, and then choose one to take in tenth grade. One of the three available foreign language courses (French, Latin, or Spanish) must be taken each year in grades 7–10, and AP language electives are offered through the 12th grade. A year each of biology, chemistry, and physics must be completed in addition to the introductory science classes of life science and physical science in the 7th and 8th grades, respectively. During 7th and 8th grades, students must also participate in the school's science fair; the fair is optional for older students. After the introductory 7th grade social studies course, 5 semesters (spanning two and a half years) of global studies must be completed, then 3 semesters of American history. A series of English and mathematics courses are taught from 7th through 11th grades. (The math curriculum is split into a track of "honors" and a track of "extended honors" classes for students of different strengths after 7th grade). If students pass a placement test, they are able to skip a grade and attend classes of a higher grade (for example, a student who passes the test in 7th grade and is currently in 8th grade can take 9th grade "extended honors" mathematics.) Two semesters of physical education are taught each year, including swimming in the 8th grade (held at Hunter College). In 9th grade, students are required to take a CPR course for one semester. Starting in their junior year, students are allowed to take a limited number of electives and Advanced Placement courses. The senior year, however, is free of mandated courses except for a year of physical education electives and courses to fulfill leftover educational requirements.

Hunter has a strong English Department, which incorporates reading dense novels and writing analytical papers beginning in the 7th grade. Students have historically graduated with strong writing and reading comprehension skills, reflected by the school's high average SAT scores in Critical Reading and Writing, and by the number of students who have earned recognition by the Scholastic Writing Awards.

Upper-level electives and advanced placement courses are offered by all six academic departments. Advanced placement courses include: AP Computer Science, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, AP Psychology, AP European History, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, AP Biology, AP Statistics, AP Spanish, AP French and AP Latin (Vergil). The English Department previously offered AP English and Literature but has since replaced it with the elective Advanced Logic and Composition. Other electives include: Intro to African-American Studies, "Race, Class, and Gender", International Relations, US Constitutional Law, Classical Mythology, Photography, Astrophysics, Advanced Art History I & II, Organic Chemistry, Creative Writing, Joyce's Ulysses, Shakespeare's Comedies & Romance/Shakespeare's Tragedies & Histories, and Physiology. Hunter's AP offerings are currently being evaluated by the Faculty and Curriculum Committee.

There are six guidance counselors serving the student population. Each junior and senior is assigned a college guidance counselor. In recent years (classes of 2002 through 2005), nearly 99% of Hunter's students have gone on to college, and about 25% of these students accept admission into an Ivy League school. In 2006–2007, 73 of the graduating seniors were accepted into the Ivy League schools, constituting approximately 40% of the whole class.

Hunter students win many honors and awards during their high school careers, including numerous Scholastic Writing Awards. Hunter wins approximately 23% of all New York State Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Of particular fame are the winners of the Intel Science Talent Search- the first-place winner in 2005 was Hunter senior David L. V. Bauer ('05), while the 1991 winner was Adam Cohen ('97, now a professor in the Chemistry and Physics Departments at Harvard). In addition, two of New York State's four 2005 Presidential scholars were Hunter College High School seniors. Sandra Fong ('08) represented the United States in the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing. She competed in the rifle shooting competition.

In light of its academic excellence, The Wall Street Journal recently identified Hunter College High School as one of the top public schools in the nation and a feeder to Ivy League and other leading colleges. Newsweek has also stated that Hunter College High School is one of the top public schools with the high performers on the SAT and ACT tests.

According to the National Center of Education Statistics, the average SAT score (verbal and mathematics) in the 2001–2002 school year was a 1390. The 2400-scale average for the class of 2007 was a 2156 (1436 on a 1600-point scale).