High School Placement Process

High School and Beyond

Much more on the High School Placement Process can be found in this edition of C&C’s Currents Newsletter. 

After serving their final year at C&C as role models for the twenty-two Groups beneath them, our C&C graduates begin 9th grade as the youngest in their new high school community. Before they encounter new curriculum and processes and see the satisfying ways in which their time at C&C has prepared them for this chapter, our students must grapple with standardized tests, craft applicant essays, and navigate interviews, all the while identifying who they are as students and making the big decision on which high school will be the best match for them. Applying to High School is a daunting process, but C&C students and families are supported every step of the way. 

Academic skills are critical—and our graduates find that they quickly match and surpass their high school peers in the realms of math and language arts. At the same time, we believe the overarching responsibility of a C&C education is instilling in our students a curiosity for learning; a foundation of competence, confidence, resourcefulness; and a commitment to collaboration and active citizenship. We believe that these are the skills that will matter in the next decades and know C&C students are well prepared. 

It is with these sharpened skills that our students apply to high school. Starting in the 11s (6th grade), students spend time in Academic Performance Lab (APL), where they focus on preparing for standardized tests and honing general test-taking skills. Our 12s continue APL and begin to learn about the high school application process—and life after high school—through meetings with the Director of Upper School and High School Placement Coordinator. At one of the most beloved events of the year—our annual Meet the Grads event—our high school-aged graduates describe how the process worked for them—and how C&C gave them a strong foundation for the next steps in their educational journey.

Our 13s balance the application process with their rigorous studies at C&C. And as each school year comes to an end, our graduates go on to a wide range of acclaimed high schools and colleges: