Upper School
The Upper School curriculum respects the boundaries of the core academic disciplines so that students learn to distinguish the ways in which scientists, artists, mathematicians, historians, and others create knowledge and understand the world. The program of study in each discipline, however, also intersects across fields so that students may recognize patterns and illuminate big questions.
Thaden requires a minimum of 26 credits for high school graduation, distributed across the curriculum. One credit is equivalent to a year-long course. Students will exceed the minimum requirements by taking additional electives and advanced courses. Many of our courses have distinctive features that set them apart as particularly challenging and comparable to college level work.
At many schools, especially those serving students with an extremely broad range of academic trajectories, goals, and needs, courses that are specifically designed to prepare students for college often carry the Advanced Placement (AP) designation in order to signal their academic rigor. Thaden has not adopted an AP designation because our entire curriculum, as a whole, is quite challenging and designed to prepare students for admission to selective colleges and universities. Any student graduating from Thaden School will have met or exceeded Arkansas state graduation requirements.
Our college counseling program also provides a high level of individual guidance and support as students approach the college applications process.