THE AMERICAN SCHOOL IN Academic Profile 2017-2018

Headmaster: Christopher Nikoloff I Academic Dean: Dr. Mark Abisi • Phone: +41 91 960 5115 • [email protected] Director of University and College Counseling: Greg Birk • Phone: +41 91 986 5458 • [email protected] IB Diploma Coordinator and UK University Counselor: Howard Stickley • Phone: +41 91 960 5108 • [email protected] University and College Counselor: Carroll Birk • Phone: +41 91 986 5457 • [email protected]

Mission Statement private, co-educational boarding and day school, it is the oldest American in Europe. Now serving The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) is part of a students from Pre-Kindergarten to Postgraduate, TASIS family of international schools that welcomes young is accredited by the New England Association of Schools people from all nationalities to an educational community & Colleges and the European Council of International that fosters a passion for excellence along with mutual Schools. respect and understanding. Consistent with the vision of its founder, M. Crist Fleming, TASIS is committed to transmitting the heritage of Western civilization and Faculty world cultures: the creations, achievements, traditions, and ideals from the past that offer purpose in the present Of the 65 High School faculty members, 78 percent and hope for the future. Seeking to balance the pursuit hold advanced degrees and 54 percent come from the of knowledge with the love of wisdom, and promoting United States. TASIS actively encourages professional the skills of lifelong learning, an appreciation for beauty, development, supports faculty graduate study, and and the development of character, each school combines requires peer observation and dialogue about teaching a challenging academic program with opportunities and learning. for artistic endeavor, physical activity, and service to others. Believing in the worth of each individual and the importance of enduring relationships, TASIS seeks to Student Body embody and instill the values of personal responsibility, The High School is composed of 253 boarding students civility, compassion, justice, and truth. and 162 day students, with 58 nations represented. The majority of students (55%) come from Europe, with The School the remainder hailing from the US and Canada (17%), Asia (13%), Latin America (12%), or the Middle East and TASIS Switzerland is the first of several TASIS Schools Africa (3%). The Class of 2018 has 125 seniors and one founded by M. Crist Fleming. Founded in 1956 as a postgraduate. The High School retention rate is 87%.

TASIS is accredited by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges and the European Council of International Schools • College Board CEEB Code: 796612 • International Baccalaureate School Code: 0834 Via Collina d’Oro 15, 6926 , Switzerland Tel: +41 91 960 5151 Fax: +41 91 994 2364 Website: www.tasis.ch Course Offerings English • Introduction to Literature • World Literature • World Literature Honors • American Literature • British Literature • AP English Language and Composition • AP English Literature and Composition • IB English A Literature 1 and 2 (SL/HL) • IB English A Language and Literature 1 and 2 (SL/HL) English as an Additional Language • English Grammar & Composition 1 • English Grammar & Composition 2 • English Grammar, Composition & Literature 1 • English Grammar, Composition & Literature 2 • IB English B 1 and 2 (HL) Mathematics • Mathematics 1 Core • Mathematics 2 Core • Mathematics 3 Core • Mathematics 4 Core Curriculum • Mathematics 1 Extended • Mathematics 1 Advanced Honors • Mathematics 2 Extended (includes second-year Algebra topics) TASIS offers an American college preparatory program with • Advanced Precalculus Honors International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement programs, • AP Statistics • AP Calculus AB • AP Calculus BC emphasizing a strong liberal arts education and requiring • IB Mathematics 1 and 2 (SL/HL) components of community service and project-based academic • IB Math Studies 1 and 2 (SL) travel experiences at all grade levels. Students are expected to History complete a minimum of 19 credits and to enroll in a minimum of • Ancient & Medieval History • Modern History five full-credit courses each semester. (An alternative program of • United States History • Art History studies may be designed for students with special talents, interests, • International Relations • United States Government or needs. Such a program must follow established guidelines and • EAL Ancient & Medieval History • EAL Modern History requires the approval of the Academic Committee.) • AP European History • AP United States History • AP Art History • AP Government and Politics • AP Economics • IB History 1 and 2 (SL/HL) Graduation Requirements • IB Business Management 1 and 2 (SL/HL) • IB Economics 1 and 2 (SL/HL) The minimum requirements for graduation are 19 • IB Theory of Knowledge 1 and 2 (SL/HL) • IB Art History (SL) credits, including the following: Science • Four years of English. All seniors must pass either a 12th-grade • Biological Sciences • Physics • Biology • Chemistry • Ecology English course offered by the English Department or IB English • EAL Biology • AP Biology • AP Physics B 2 HL (IB Diploma candidates only). • IB Biology 1 and 2 (SL/HL) • Three years of Mathematics, completing through Mathematics 3 • IB Physics 1 and 2 (SL/HL) at a minimum • IB Chemistry 1 and 2 (SL/HL) • Three years of History, including Modern World History and either • IB Environmental Systems and Societies 1 and 2 (SL) US History or an IB Group 3 course, and successful completion of Modern Languages the Civic Literacy Exam • Level 1: French, German, Italian, Spanish • Three years of Laboratory Science, including one physical and • Level 2: French, German, Italian, Spanish; IB ab initio 1 one biological science course • Level 3: French, German, Italian, Spanish; IB ab initio 2; IB B SL 1 • Third-year proficiency in a modern language other than English • Level 4: French, German, Italian, Spanish; IB Language B HL 1, SL 2 that is offered at TASIS. Native English speakers arriving in grade • Level 5: French, Italian, Spanish; IB B HL 2 11 are required to demonstrate second-year proficiency in a • IB Italian A Language & Literature 1 (SL/HL) modern language that is taught at TASIS from the introductory • IB Italian A Literature 2 (SL/HL) level or continue on to third-year proficiency if they have a • IB Russian A Language & Literature 1 and 2 (SL/HL) background in French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Native • IB Native Language A Literature 1 and 2 (SL: SSST) English speakers arriving in grade 12 or for a postgraduate year are expected to continue their study of a modern language or 9° Grado - Sezione Italiana / 9th Grade Italian Section* complete one year of French, German, Italian, or Spanish. • Lingua Italiana 9 • Storia Italiana 9 • Storia dell’Arte 9 • One Fine Arts credit in visual arts, music, or theater *Required for local residents according to cantonal law. • All students in grades 9-10 are required to take Physical Fine Arts Education. • Drawing & Painting • Advanced Drawing & Painting • One Senior Humanities credit, fulfilled by AP US History, • Photography 1 and 2 • Architecture 1 and 2 • Ceramics & Sculpture Art History, AP Art History, IB Art History, or, for IB Diploma • Instrumental Ensemble • Choir • Music Theater Arts • Music Literacy candidates, Theory of Knowledge • Drama 1 and 2 • Participation in the Global Service Program each semester for • AP Studio Art: Drawing grades 9-11 • AP Studio Art: 2-D Design • Completion of all Academic Travel assignments and obligations • IB Visual Arts 1 and 2 (SL/HL) • Fulfillment of the Sports and Activities requirement each semester TASIS POLICY ON REPORTING GPA AND CLASS RANK

The school year is divided into two semesters, ending in January and June. The year-end grade is cumulative, covering the full work in a year’s course and reflecting a 50%/50% weighting for the first and second semesters, respectively. The Academic Honor Roll is calculated each midterm and end-of-semester grading period. Students with a GPA of 3.8 or higher in a given semester receive Highest Honors while those with a 3.5 or higher receive High Honors and those with a 3.2 or higher receive Honors. TASIS does not rank students or report cumulative GPA because the majority of TASIS seniors have been at TASIS for fewer than four semesters at the time of university application.

Recent Test Scores

IB EXAMS TASIS 2017 TASIS 2016 Worldwide Average Number of diploma candidates 58 57 28.7 (2016) Percentage earning diplomas 98.3% 98.2% 79.3% (2016) Mean diploma score 31.7 31.4 30.0 (2017) Highest IB score 42 41 – Percentage earning Bilingual Diplomas 53% 63% 22.9% (2017)

In 2017, 82 students took 369 IB subject exams (scored 1-7): 91% of scores were 4 or above, 69% were 5 or above, and 37% were 6 or above.

AP EXAMS In 2017, TASIS students took 107 AP exams: 43% of scores were 4 or above, and 24% were a 5. Students recorded more 5s (26) than 4s (20), and 11 students were named AP Scholars.

STANDARDIZED TESTS

SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing Math Middle 50% Middle 50% Class of 2017 (49 took the SAT) 530–625 530–640

ACT English Math Reading Science Middle 50% Middle 50% Middle 50% Middle 50% Class of 2017 (15 took the ACT) 19–28 20–32 17–31 18–29

Additional Program Strengths requirement for all students. Some travel assignments are related to courses of study, some are related to particular Opsahl Global Service Program student interests, and others are assigned by grade level. The Opsahl Global Service Program was envisioned by Jan Opsahl ’68, the School’s first international student, who believes that the experience of serving those in need should be required for every TASIS student. Global Service groups partner with an array of organizations, from international nonprofits to country-specific institutions to local charities, and students attend weekly service meetings throughout the year to prepare for service trips throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Academic and Independent Travel Travel is an integral part of a TASIS education. Whether academic or independent travel, students have an exceptional opportunity to take advantage of their location in the middle of Europe. Academic Travel is part of the Middle and High School curriculum and is a graduation University Acceptances for the Classes of 2013-2017 Boldface type indicates schools where TASIS students matriculated

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Purdue University Wheaton College, Massachusetts SWITZERLAND Academy of Art University Quinnipiac University Wheelock College Accademia di architettura di Mendrisio (USI) Alliant International University Radford University Whitman College The School of Business American University Regis University Whittier College Business & Hotel Management School Babson College Rice University Whitworth University Business School Lausanne Barnard College Roanoke College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Cesar Ritz Colleges Switzerland Barry University Roger Williams University Wright State University École Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) Baruch College of the CUNY Rollins College EU Business School, Geneva Bates College Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology UNITED KINGDOM EU Business School, Montreux Baylor University Salve Regina University Academy of Contemporary Music Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (FHNW) Beloit College San Diego State University Anglia Ruskin University Franklin University Switzerland Bentley University San Jose State University Arts University Bournemouth Glion Institute of Higher Education Berklee College of Music Santa Clara University Birkbeck University of London International University in Geneva Boston College Sarah Lawrence College Bournemouth University Les Roches International School of Hotel Boston University Savannah College of Art and Design Bristol University Management Bowdoin College School of the Art Institute of Chicago British and Irish Modern Music (BIMM) Montreux School of Business Brandeis University School of Visual Arts Brunel, University of London Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera Bryant University Seattle Pacific University Buckinghamshire New University italiana (SUPSI) California College of the Arts Seton Hall University Canterbury Christ Church University Swiss Business School California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Sierra College Cardiff University Swiss Hotel Management School Obispo Skidmore College Cass Business School, City University, London Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI) California State University, Monterey Bay Snow College City, University of London Universität St. Gallen Chapman University Sonoma State University Coventry University Webster University, Geneva Clark University Southern California Institute of Architecture De Montford University Zürich Business School (UIBS) Colgate University Southern Methodist University Durham University Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte College of the Holy Cross St. Cloud State University European Business School, London Wissenschaften (ZHAW) College of the Redwoods St. Edward’s University European School of Economics London College of William and Mary St. John’s University, Queens Goldsmith’s, University of London REST OF THE WORLD Hereford College of Arts Colorado College St. Leo University The American University of Paris, France Herriot-Watt University Colorado School of Mines St. Mary’s College, Indiana The American University of Rome, Italy Hull-York Medical School Colorado State University St. Mary’s University of San Antonio Amsterdam University College, The Netherlands Hult International Business School Columbia College Chicago Stonehill College ArtEZ Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, Imperial College London Cornell College Stony Brook University The Netherlands Istituto Marangoni London Cornell University Suffolk University Bard College Berlin, Germany Davidson College Syracuse University Keele University King’s College, University of London The Bernstein School of Musical Theater, Italy Dean College Temple University BI Norwegian School of Management, Norway DePaul University Texas A&M University Lancaster University Leeds Beckett University Capilano University, Canada Dowling College Texas Christian University Carleton University, Canada Drake University Texas State University Leeds College of Art & Design London Metropolitan University Concordia University, Canada Drew University Texas Tech University Erasmus University College, The Netherlands Drexel University Trinity College London South Bank University Loughborough University ESADE, Spain Duke University Trinity University ESMOD Berlin International University of Art for Duquesne University Tufts University Middlesex University New College of the Humanities Fashion, Germany Eckerd College Tulane University EU Business School, Germany Elon University Union College, New York Newcastle University European School of Economics, Italy Emerson College University of Alabama Northbrook College Sussex Florence Institute of Design International, Italy Emmanuel College University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks Nottingham Trent University Georgian College, Canada Endicott College University of Arizona Oxford Brookes University IE University, Spain Fairfield University University of California, Berkeley Plymouth University Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Florida Institute of Technology University of California, Davis Queen Margaret University College Monterrey, Mexico Florida International University University of California, Irvine Queen Mary, University of London International School of Hospitality, Tourism and Florida Southern College Regent’s University London University of California, Los Angeles Languages, Spain Fordham University University of California, Merced Richmond, The American International International University of Monaco Franklin & Marshall College University of California, San Diego University in London Roehampton University Istituto Europeo di Design, Italy George Mason University University of California, Santa Barbara Royal Holloway, University of London Istituto Marangoni, France The George Washington University University of California, Santa Cruz Istituto Marangoni, Italy Goucher College University of Central Florida School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London John Cabot University, Italy Guilford College University of Colorado, Boulder Sheffield College Keio University, Japan Hamilton College, New York University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Southampton Solent University Koç University, Turkey High Point University University of Denver St George’s, University of London Hofstra University University of Hawaii, Manoa Leiden University College The Hague, St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis University of Illinois, Chicago The Netherlands The London School of Economics and Political Les Roches International School of Hotel University of Illinois, Springfield Iowa State University Science Ithaca College University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Management, Spain University College London Jacksonville University University of La Verne Marist College/Lorenzo de Medici Institute, Italy University for the Creative Arts McGill University, Canada James Madison University University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Aberdeen MODUL University, Austria Johns Hopkins University University of Massachusetts, Boston University of Bath Moscow State Institute of International Relations Johnson & Wales University, Providence University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth University of Birmingham Kenyon College University of Massachusetts, Lowell (MGIMO), Russia University of Brighton Knox College University of Miami Ontario College of Art & Design, Canada University of Bristol Paris College of Art, France La Salle University University of Mississippi University of Buckingham Lake Forest College University of Nevada, Reno Paris School of Business, France University of Cambridge Politecnico di Milano, Italy Lasell College University of New Hampshire, Durham University of Central Lancashire Lehigh University University of New Mexico Ryerson University, Canada University of Derby Saxion Hogeschool, The Netherlands Lenoir-Rhyne University University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of Dundee Lewis & Clark College University of North Carolina, Wilmington Schiller International University, France University of East Anglia Schiller International University, Spain Long Island University, Brooklyn University of North Texas, Dallas University of East London Long Island University, Post University of North Texas, Denton St. Louis University, Spain University of Edinburgh Suffolk University, Spain Louisiana State University University of Notre Dame University of Essex Loyola Marymount University University of Oregon Tilburg University, The Netherlands University of Exeter Touro College, Germany Loyola University, Chicago University of Pennsylvania University of Glasgow Trent University, Canada Loyola University, New Orleans University of Pittsburgh University of Greenwich Trinity College, Ireland Lynn University University of Puget Sound University of Hertfordshire Universidad CEU San Pablo, Spain Manhattan College University of Rhode Island University of Hull Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia Manhattanville College University of Richmond University of Kent Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico Marist College University of Rochester University of Lancaster Marymount Manhattan College University of San Diego University of Leeds Universidad Metropolitana, Venezuela Merrimack College University of Southern California University of Leicester Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico Michigan State University University of Tampa University of Liverpool Università Bocconi, Italy Millsaps College University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of Manchester Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy Montana State University, Bozeman University of Texas, Arlington University of Nottingham Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Italy The New School - All Divisions University of Texas, Austin University of Oxford Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands New York Institute of Technology University of Texas, San Antonio University of Reading Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands New York School of Interior Design University of Virginia University of Roehampton Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands New York University University of Washington University of Sheffield University College Dublin, Ireland Newbury College Utah State University University of St Andrews University of British Columbia, Canada Northeastern University Vanderbilt University University of Surrey University of Guelph, Canada Northwestern University Virginia Commonwealth University University of Sussex University of Ottawa, Canada Occidental College Virginia Wesleyan University University of the Arts, London University of Toronto, Scarborough, Canada Ohio State University Wabash College University of Warwick University of Toronto, St. George, Canada Pace University, New York City Washington and Lee University University of West London University of Victoria, Canada Pace University, Pleasantville Washington College University of Westminster Vancouver Island University, Canada Pennsylvania State University, U. Park Washington State University University of Winchester Waseda University, Japan Pepperdine University Wentworth Institute of Technology University of York Webster University, Austria Pratt Institute Westminster College, Missouri University of Southampton York University, Canada