Some students' interests and abilities go beyond the limits of The Hill's challenging standard curriculum. To encourage intellectual curiosity and enable students to develop their individual talents, we offer two opportunities for students to pursue independent study.
Underform independent study:
Fourth and fifth form (10th and 11th grade) students are encouraged to submit a proposal on a subject of interest to the Academic Council. Approval for independent study is based on the student's academic record; therefore, very few third formers (ninth graders) participate in this program. Upon approval, the independent study will be conducted under the supervision of the student's independent study adviser, with whom the student will meet on a regular basis. At the conclusion of the independent study, the student will receive a mark of Pass, Fail, or Pass with Distinction in lieu of a letter grade. Independent studies may not duplicate courses currently offered at The Hill.
Honors Independent Study (HIS):
Sixth form (senior) students who wish to pursue further study on a subject of interest not offered in the standard curriculum may conduct a formal research project as an Honors Independent Study. Students must have an HIS adviser with whom he or she will meet on a weekly basis. The student must submit a proposal outlining the subject matter to the Academic Council and appear before the Council to support his or her proposal. The Council will vote on the grade the student receives; that grade then appears on the student's official transcript. Upon completion of the independent study project, the report will be catalogued in the Ryan Library as a future reference for other Hill students.