Course Information

Course Selection Process

Freshman placement is determined by standardized test scores, academic performance, teacher recommendations and Lauralton Hall placement tests. After freshman year, course selection takes place in guidance sessions during February. Guidance counselors explain the process to students and help the students choose courses that will best prepare them for college. Objective criteria, as stated in course descriptions, are used to determine eligibility for Honors and AP level courses; students sign up for the level for which they are qualified at the time of course selection.

Curriculum Overview

The one-page curriculum overview chart provides a quick look at all courses offered at Lauralton.

Course Offerings Catalog

The Course Offerings Catalog describes courses in all departments in detail.

Course Levels

Advanced Placement courses are taught at the level of a college course. Open to juniors and seniors, Advanced Placement courses require students to follow a prescribed and standardized curriculum that prepares them to take an externally prepared exam which may allow them to receive college credit and/or be exempt from introductory college courses. Eligible sophomores may elect to take AP Chemistry. A student who is accepted into these courses should possess the skills necessary to perform college level work during high school. AP students must take the AP exam and are charged a fee for each exam taken. While students may apply for a waiver to enroll in four AP classes (the maximum), students are generally limited to taking three AP classes per academic year. Enrollment in some Advanced Placement courses requires that summer assignments be completed before the beginning of class. Students should expect an hour of homework each night if enrolled in an AP class.

Honors courses offer a curriculum designed to challenge the student who has demonstrated a high degree of proficiency in a particular subject. The student who is accepted into an honors course should be an independent, self-directed learner with the commitment necessary to pursue an in-depth exploration of the course content. The student should also possess the ability to develop responses to assignments which are not predetermined by a teacher. Students should expect 45 minutes of homework each night if enrolled in an Honors course.

College Prep courses may require a research paper, independent work, or project which demonstrates the application of skills and knowledge. The application of previously mastered skills, techniques and the introduction of advanced skills and techniques are emphasized. The courses contain complex material and emphasize in-depth application of that material. Students should expect 30 minutes of homework each night if enrolled in a College Prep course.

UConn ECE

Lauralton Hall offers the following six UConn ECE certified courses: Advanced Biology Honors, Economics Honors, Environmental Science AP, European History AP, Music Theory Honors and U.S. History Honors and  AP. These are the same college-level courses offered at UConn. Lauralton faculty members teaching these courses are certified through UConn as adjunct faculty. Click here for more information about Lauralton's UConn ECE offerings.

Course Weighting

All courses in English, History, Math, Science and World Languages are weighted according to level of difficulty. After a student completes one credit in Fine Arts, future Fine Arts courses may be taken for academic credit or non-academic credit. Fine Arts courses taken for non-academic credit are not weighted.

Criteria for Changing Levels

Students must have a minimum final average of A (93) to move from CP1 to Honors.

  • To remain in an Honors level course, students must maintain at least a C+ (77) average.
  • Criteria for moving into an Advanced Placement course can be found in the individual course description.

Schedule Changes

Changes in electives after May 1 are possible only if the requested elective is available within the student's schedule and if the change will not cause a significant imbalance in class sizes. Full year courses are never altered to accommodate an elective change. Elective changes at the beginning of an academic term will be considered only during the first cycle (eight days) of the class. Requests for changes in course level will be considered only during the first two cycles (16 days) of the course. After the second cycle, level changes will be granted only if a student’s grade in the course is lower than 70. After the 16-day limit, level changes will appear on a student's transcript. Under no circumstances will a level change be allowed during the last two weeks of a marking period. (Under extraordinary circumstances, the Dean of Academics reserves the right to grant an exception to this policy.) Enrollment balance is the primary consideration when schedule changes are requested.

Enrollment in Courses Beyond Campus

Juniors and seniors may submit a proposal to Dean of Academics Jan Powers for enrollment in a non-Lauralton Hall elective course during the school year as part of the six credits per year requirement. Acceptable courses are those taught by a university or college or offered through One Schoolhouse. Click here for more information about opportunities for Lauralton students through One Schoolhouse.

Tuition for courses taken for a sixth academic credit may not be covered by Lauralton tuition. These courses become part of the student's transcript and are included in the student's GPA calculation.

Detailed information regarding courses taken over the summer for enrichment or to complete a prerequisite for another course can be found on the Summer Off -Campus Request form. Tuition for these courses taken over the summer is not covered by Lauralton Hall tuition and is the sole responsibility of the family. Approved online providers currently include One Schoolhouse and Laurel Springs for summer work. Credits earned through summer courses do not count towards credits required for graduation.

Students interested in these options need to see their guidance counselor to obtain the Off-Campus Course Request Form which must be completed and submitted to the student’s guidance counselor before leaving school for the summer.

Auditing Classes

Seniors may elect to audit a course for self-enrichment or academic exploration. Juniors may audit selected semester courses. Students may obtain an Audit Request form from their counselor and must return the completed form in May to their counselor. Audited classes appear on a student’s transcript at the conclusion of the class and are graded on a pass/fail basis. They are not included in a student's calculated GPA. Students may not audit AP courses.

Calendar List

Professional Development- No Classes