BROOKS SCHOOL 1 1 6 0 G r e a t Po n d R o a d No r t h A n d o v e r, M A 0 1 8 4 5- 1 2 9 8 phone: (978) 725-6277 fax: (978) 725-6297 e-m a i l : c o l l e g e c o u n s e l i n g @ b r o o k s s c h o o l . o r g w w w. b r o o k s s c h o o l . o r g
A SHARPER FOCUS ON MISSION Brooks School aspires to be a preparatory school in every sense of the word. Our mission is to “provide the most meaningful educational experience our students will have in their lives.” We want our students’ time here to be aspirational, inspirational, and enduring. The broad range of challenging and innovative programs offered at Brooks—inside and outside the classroom, on campus and off, locally and abroad—prepares students not only for success in college but also for their future roles as informed, engaged, and culturally sensitive citizens of the world. Our school has worked intentionally to connect a strong traditional core curriculum and a caring and attentive residential program with exceptional extracurricular opportunities on campus and abroad. Curricular evolution ranging from Mandarin Chinese and Robotics, to environmental science and music production, complement a strong base of traditional AP, honors, and college preparatory courses. An expanded Learning Center capitalizes on tools and resources available to help traditional students discover their strengths and blind spots as scholars, in an academic world that has embraced the power of recognizing a variety of learning styles. Students from across the U.S. and from 17 foreign countries study at Brooks. By working collaboratively in a challenging curriculum, by learning from each other both in and out of the classroom, and by being pushed together to examine and solve problems and challenges facing their communities and their world, we prepare our students not only for the work they’ll face in college, but also for the work they’ll face as citizens and leaders in their communities long after their college years are through. INNOVATION OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM Science internships at locations off campus, such as the MIT Media Lab and the Quebec Labrador Foundation, combine with sustainability initiatives on campus that include the 20-20 Challenge, Green Cup Challenge, and the first-ever TellEmotion Polar Bear energyusage program at an independent school to give our students tools and vocabulary to understand and lead in the environment they’re entering as they depart Brooks.
and complement traditional extracurricular offerings, which include a first-rate athletic program and an array of outstanding opportunities in the arts and in community service. A NEW APPROACH TO WINTER In January 2012, students and faculty joined together to embark on the school’s first Winter Term, an intense, three-week, one-topic course of study. The goal of Winter Term is to put into practice the concept of “depth over breadth,” supporting the school’s mission to provide the most meaningful educational experiences its students will have in their lives. The single-course structure of Winter Term allows students and faculty to work together even more closely than they do in regular classes. In addition, Winter Term provides an opportunity for faculty to share with students a particular interest or passion that might not normally find its way into a regular lesson plan. Course topics in 2013 included the Vietnam war, astronomy, mock trial, sport science, leadership and group dynamics, and the cultural history of Ireland.
Brooks in Brief Founded: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1926 Total enrollment: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .376 Class of 2014: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 members Boarding: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67% Attending 4-year college: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100% Number of teaching faculty: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Average age of faculty: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Average years at Brooks: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Faculty with advanced degree: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75% Average class size: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Credit courses: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 AP courses: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Credits for diploma: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Interscholastic sports: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Interscholastic teams: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Departmental internships as local as Boston and as far-reaching as Lima, Peru, complement exchange programs in Uganda, Kenya, Hungary, Botswana, Spain, France, and Scotland, while students spend full academic years in Spain, Italy, France, and China. These and other opportunities both locally and abroad have informed the development of exchange-related curriculum in English and History,
Students on financial aid: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21% Amount of aid awarded: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.2M Classes conducted: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 days/week
BROOKS SCHOOL BROOKS SCHOOL ACADEMIC INFORMATION CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS Students customarily take five and a half credits per semester, on average. Specific requirements include 4 years of English, mathematics through Algebra II (4 years recommended), a world language through the third-year level (4 years recommended), two years of laboratory science (4 years recommended), 2 years of history including 1 year of US History (4 years total recommended), 2 years of arts, 3 semesters of theology, and a year-long Health and Wellness class in their junior year.
GRADING
Address 1160 Great Pond Road North Andover, MA 01845 www.brooksschool.org (978) 725- 6300
Head of School John Packard
College Counselors Peter Olrich Dean of College Counseling 978-725-6205 polrich@brooksschool.org Taylor Ware Director of College Counseling 978-725-6259 tware@brooksschool.org Andy Campbell Assoc. Director of College Counseling 978-725-6246 acampbell@brooksschool.org
The numerical system at Brooks is designed to give a precise evaluation of each student’s academic performance. All courses are given equal weight, and neither a rank in class nor a cumulative average is computed. Semester and year averages are computed to establish honor roll lists and academic goals for students. Brooks actively curbs grade inflation, and our grading standards are high. In the last four school years, an average of only 18 students per junior class earned an average of 90 or above during their junior year. The class of 2014 has achieved at a high level relative to these established norms.
CLASS OF 2014 UNWEIGHTED CUMULATIVE GPA’S* 40 30 20 10 0 96-100
93-95
90-92
87-89
83-86
>83
*Includes only academic major courses
SAT SCORES (MEAN/75TH PERCENTILE)
Critical Reading Math Writing
Class of 2012
Class of 2013
592/630 619/670 606/660
600/660 631/700 607/670
BROOKS GRADING SYSTEM: NUMBER/LETTER EQUIVALENCIES A+ B+ C+ D+
97-100 87-89 77-79 67-69
A B C D
93-96 83-86 73-76 63-66
A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 P Pass D- 60-62 F 50-59
SAT SUBJECT TEST SCORES The following are the mean SAT Subject test scores for the Classes of 2010-2013. Biology- E Biology-M Chemistry Chinese English Lit. French
645 647 626 675 597 607
Math I Math II Physics Spanish U.S. History World History
602 669 667 603 599 605
NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION
Christine Jackson Assistant Counselor 978-725-6277 cjackson@brooksschool.org
Class of 2014 Qualifying Students Dane Kim, Atlee Quarrier, Chao (Tommy) Tang Shannon Alvino, Zachery St. Pierre, Shunhui Liu
DISCIPLINE REPORTING POLICY Brooks School values honesty; both the student and the counselor will report, to all colleges that ask, all separations from school during grades 9-12, according to NACAC's Principles of Good Practice. Any change of status for disciplinary reasons occurring after the submission of a college application will be reported within ten days of the action taken.
COUNSELOR LETTERS In order to ensure objectivity, neither the student nor their parents see counselor letters.
At Brooks School, we seek to provide the most meaningful educational experience our students will have in their lives.
PROGRAMS OF NOTE STUDENTS ON THE FOREFRONT OF SCIENCE (SFS) Brooks’ SFS program first launched in 2004, awarding the school’s most talented and passionate junior math and science students with challenging internships in science-based research and cutting-edge industries. The summer experience impacts students’ approach to the sciences, as they return to the classrooms with an impressive set of lab skills, a more mature sense of the scientific process, and deep experience applying their classroom learning to the professional and intellectual worlds outside Brooks. In 2013, hosts and projects included: MGH Internships: Emma Crockett ’14, Rachel Feingold ’14, Kyle Lawrence ’14 NE Medical Center Orthopedic: Atlee Quarrier ’14 Quebec Labrador Foundation: Guillaume Harmange ’14, Brian Levenson ’14
BROOKS SCHOOL EXCHANGE PROGRAM Brooks School has cultivated longstanding relationships with schools throughout the world in order to provide unique exchange opportunities, for a program that sees Brooks students travel abroad and international students travel to the Brooks campus. In 2012-2013, 20 Brooks students were selected to go abroad for five to eight weeks in our exchange program, and 20 students from our partner schools joined us in North Andover. Maru-a-Pula School, Botswana Emma Gordon ’14, Heather Youngman ’13 Glenalmond College, Scotland Maddie Nash ’14, Will Adie ’14 Alliance Boys & Girls Schools, Kenya Jordan Katz ’14, Isabelle Washkurak ’14, Colin Burlingham ’14 King’s College Budo, Uganda Samantha Grant ’14, Catherine Perez ’14
Deak Ferenc, Hungary Delaney Blatchly ’14, Audrey Webb ’14 James Donohue ’14, Cameron Patch ’14 Colegio Trener, Lima, Peru Hannah Bordogna ’14, Elise O’Brien ’14, Max Traina ’14 El Instituto Mrillo, Seville, Spain Cata Robert ’14, Eli Adams ’14 Lycee Marguerite Yourcenar, France Danielle Arseneau ’14, Rebecca Holt ’14
Brooks School Curriculum ENGLISH English I, II, III English IV Electives: Creative Writing Essay Writing Fiction Writing Immigrant Voices Latin American Literature Literature of War Nature Writing Oratory Poetry Seminar Shakespeare The Hero in Literature The Short Story Theater in Performance AP English Literature MATHEMATICS First Year Algebra Geometry Honors Geometry Second Year Algebra Honors 2nd Year Algebra Topics in Pre-Calculus Discrete Mathematics Statistics Pre-Calculus Advanced Pre-Calculus Honors Advanced Pre-Calc. Honors Pre-Calculus Calculus I, II AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC Multivariable Calculus I, II SCIENCE Physics Honors Physics Biology Honors Biology Chemistry Honors Chemistry Forensic Science Psychology Robotics Sustainability Seminar Anatomy & Physiology Honors Anatomy & Physiology AP Environmental Science AP Physics AP Biology AP Chemistry THEOLOGY Philosophy of Religion I, II Ethics in the 21st Century HEALTH Life Skills & Wellness
CLASSICS Greek III Latin I, II Latin Reading Latin Topics in Classical Civ. Honors Latin WORLD LANGUAGES French I, II, III, IV Honors French III AP French Language Advanced French Literature Spanish I, II, III, IV Honors Spanish III Advanced Spanish Literature AP Spanish Language AP Spanish Literature Honors Spanish Language Chinese I, II, III, IV Advanced Chinese HISTORY Pre-Modern World History I, II Modern World History I, II Building the Amer. Republic The American Century History of Human Rights Latin America and Caribbean The Middle East Microeconomics Macroeconomics AP World History AP US History AP US Government AP Art History FINE & PERFORMING ARTS Foundations in the Arts 2-D Design 3-D Design Advanced 2-D Design Advanced 3-D Design A Cappella Acting Workshop Advanced Acting Workshop Chorus Music Theory With Lessons Audio Recording Music Theory & Improvisation History of Jazz Jazz Band Advanced Jazz Band Chamber Ensemble Rock Ensemble Architectural Design Film Photography Playwriting & Performance Theatrical Direction AP Music Theory
BROOKS SCHOOL Five-year college enrollment Below you will find the colleges where our recent graduates have enrolled. The left column represents total enrollments for the past five years while the right column represents the Class of 2013. 2009–2013
Class of 2013
2009–2013
Class of 2013
2009–2013
Class of 2013
Agnes Scott College
1
Gordon College
1
Texas Christian University
Assumption College
1
Hamilton College
4
Trinity College
13
3
Babson College
3
Hampshire College
1
Tufts University
9
1
Tulane University
3
Barnard College Bates College Baylor University
4 10
3
1
Bentley College
1
Boston College
12
Boston University Bowdoin College
1
Harvard University
2
Hobart & William Smith Colleges
5
1
Union College
3
Indiana University at Bloomington 2
2
United States Military Academy
3
1
United States Naval Academy
3
Universidad de Navarra
1
1
Johns Hopkins University
4
2
Johnson & Wales University
1
12
1
Kenyon College
4
1
University of California at Merced
1
6
1
Lafayette College
4
3
University of Chicago
2
1
Brandeis University
4
2
Lake Forest College
2
1
University of Colorado, Boulder
5
3
Brigham Young University
1
Le Moyne College
1
Brown University
8
Lehigh University
7
1
University of Denver
1
1
University of Delaware
1
1
1
10
1 1
Bryant University
2
Loyola University Maryland
3
Univ. of Ill., Urbana-Champaign
1
Bryn Mawr College
2
Macalester College
1
University of Iowa
1
Bucknell University
5
Manhattanville College
1
University of Miami
5
Carnegie Mellon University
2
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology
3
University of Michigan
1
Case Western Reserve University
1
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
1
University of Minn., Twin Cities
1
Chapman University
4
McGill University
1
University of New England
1
Claremont McKenna College
2
Merrimack College
1
University of New Hampshire
1
Clark University
1
Michigan State University
1
1
UNC, Chapel Hill
3
1
Clemson University
1
Middlebury College
7
2
University of Notre Dame
1
1
Colby College
1
1
1
1
1
15
4
Mount Holyoke
1
University of the Pacific
1
1
Colgate University
5
1
Nazareth College
1
University of Pennsylvania
7
1
College of Charleston
9
1
New York University
5
University of Richmond
5
2
College of the Holy Cross
2
Northeastern University
8
3
University of San Diego
3
College of William and Mary
1
Northwestern University
5
2
University of Southern California
7
4
College of Wooster
1
Occidental College
2
Univ. of St. Andrews (Scotland)
2
1
Colorado College
1
Providence College
4
2
University of St. Thomas
1
Columbia University
1
1
Queen’s University
1
1
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
1
Connecticut College
7
1
Reed College
1
1
University of Vermont
8
Cornell University
9
4
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
3
1
University of Virginia
1
Dartmouth College
6
Rhodes College
1
Vanderbilt University
1
1
1
Davidson College
2
Rice University
1
Villanova University
5
2
Denison University
2
Roanoke College
1
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
2
1
DePaul University
2
Rollins College
1
Wake Forest University
7
1
Dickinson College
5
Rutgers University
1
Washington & Lee
5
1
Drew University
1
Sacred Heart University
1
Duke University
2
Saint Michael’s College
5
Wellesley College
1
Elon University
2
Salve Regina University
2
Wesleyan University
3
Santa Clara University
1
Whittier College
1
Skidmore College
3
Williams College
4
Smith College
1
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
2
2
1
Emerson College
1
Emmanuel College
1
Emory University
1
Fairleigh Dickinson University
1
Southern New Hampshire Univ.
1
1
Fordham University
1
St. Edward’s University
1
1
Franklin & Marshall College
4
St. Lawrence University
10
1
George Washington University
14
Georgetown University
4
Gettysburg College
6
1 1
1 1
Stanford University
3
SUNY Maritime College
1
Syracuse University
7
1
1
Washington University in St. Louis 1 1 1