Academics
College Counseling
Hamden Hall Country Day School
Office Of College Counseling
1108 Whitney Avenue Hamden, CT 06517 Phone: (203)752-2621 Fax: (203)752-2622
E-Mail: kcarlson@hamdenhall.org
CEEB: 070258
College Counseling Staff
Robert J. Izzo: Head of School Kiki Carlson: Director
Frederick B. Richter: Director, Emeritus
T.S. Iampietro: Associate Director
Susan W. Toole: College Counselor
Academic Profile 2018-2019
The School, Accreditation, And Memberships
Hamden Hall Country Day School, founded in 1912, is a co-educational, college preparatory day school enrolling approximately 575 students in grades pre-school through twelve, with an average senior class size of 75 students. Upper School classes meet 225 minutes per week, 35 weeks per year, and homework exceeds three hours per night. Hamden Hall competes in 18 Varsity sports, and a full range of extracurricular activities is offered. Average class size is thirteen students; student-faculty ratio is 9-1.Generally, 99% of graduates enter selective four-year colleges. Hamden Hall is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and approved by the Connecticut State Department of Education. It is an active member of the following independent-school organizations: National Association of Independent Schools, Connecticut Association of Independent Schools, Cum Laude Society, Global Online Academy, National and New England Associations for College Admission Counseling, ACCIS, and the Fairchester Athletic Association, the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council.
Understanding the Transcript: Course Selection
Graduation Requirements:
To receive the Hamden Hall diploma, the student must successfully complete a minimum of 19 academic credits in Grades 9-12. One credit is earned for each full-year course passed; one-half credit is earned for each one-semester course passed. Five credits per year is the standard course load (four and one-half with three or more A.P. courses.) All transcript courses are college-preparatory in nature and designation. Completion of the athletic program, demonstration of basic computer skills, and satisfactory citizenship are also required for graduation.
Minimum Distribution Requirements:
English - Four credits
Fine Arts - One credit
History - Two and one-half credits
World Languages - Third-year level in one language
Mathematics - Three credits
Laboratory Sciences - Two credits
Fine Arts - One credit
History - Two and one-half credits
World Languages - Third-year level in one language
Mathematics - Three credits
Laboratory Sciences - Two credits
Honors and Advanced Placement® Course Offerings:
Honors sections are offered in most standard courses of the Departments of Mathematics, Science and World Languages and filled by faculty recommendation. Most other courses are grouped heterogeneously. A detailed list of Honors and A.P.® and other college-level offerings appears on page 3. Hamden Hall offers courses leading to the Advanced Placement® Examination in the following areas:
English - Literature; Language
History - U. S; World; Art; U.S. Gov't;Comp Gov't
World Languages - French; Spanish; Latin
Mathematics - Calculus AB; Calculus BC; Statistics
Science - Biology; Chemistry; Physics C: Mechanics; Environmental Science
Other - Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Computer Science A
History - U. S; World; Art; U.S. Gov't;Comp Gov't
World Languages - French; Spanish; Latin
Mathematics - Calculus AB; Calculus BC; Statistics
Science - Biology; Chemistry; Physics C: Mechanics; Environmental Science
Other - Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Computer Science A
School policy recommends a maximum of one A.P.® course in the sophomore year, two in the junior year and three in the senior year. A significant number of students each year petition successfully to exceed this limit. A.P.® examination grades and all standardized-test scores are property of the examinees and do not appear on transcripts. “AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission.”
Understanding the Transcript: Grades
Weighting Policy:
All grades appearing on transcripts are weighted. In determining weighted grades and averages, Hamden Hall applies this formula:
- College Level - Increment of 10% of grade
- Honors Level - Increment of 5%
- Standard Level - Increment of 2%
- Basic Level - No increment
100-Point Grading System and Conventions:
The Hamden Hall faculty grade on the traditional 100-point scale. The equivalent 4-Point System or letter Grade Point Average may be obtained by referring to the following chart. (Note that G.P.A. increases by .1 for each 1 point on the 100-point scale. A few grades may exceed 100 due to weighting.)
| HH Grade | 100-97 | 96-93 | 92-90 | 89-87 | 86-83 | 82-80 | 79-77 | 76-73 | 72-70 | 69-67 | 66-63 | 62-60 |
| "4-Point" | 4.7-4.4 | 4.3-4.0 | 3.9-3.7 | 3.6-3.4 | 3.3-3.0 | 2.9-2.7 | 2.6-2.4 | 2.3-2.0 | 1.9-1.7 | 1.6-1.4 | 1.3-1.0 | 0.9-0.7 |
| Letter | A+ | A | A- | B+ | B | B- | C+ | C | C- | D+ | D | D- |
The Princeton Peer Leadership Program
Hamden Hall’s Peer Leadership training program each year chooses six male and six female seniors to serve as group leaders with the freshman class. Known as “Freshman Mentors”, they are chosen through a highly selective process for their demonstrated leadership, their potential as role models, and their diversity as representatives of the entire school community. “Princeton Peer Leadership” is a challenging, Honors-level, full-year academic course in leadership training which entails rigorous writing, planning, presentation and evaluation components as well as group leadership and program planning and execution. For over 20 years, Hamden Hall has greatly benefited from the dedicated service of our Freshman Mentors as highly visible role models to younger students and builders of our school community.
Global Online Academy
Hamden Hall is a member of Global Online Academy, a consortium of the world’s leading independent schools whose mission is to translate into online classrooms the intellectually rigorous programs and excellent teaching that are hallmarks of its member schools. 23 Hamden Hall students will undertake 15 different courses from among GOA’s offerings in the 2017-2018 academic year.
Middle School Advocates
The Middle School Advocates are a group of senior volunteers who, through an intensive interview process, are chosen to befriend and mentor seventh- and eighth-grade students. They work with the faculty in daily study halls by taking attendance, answering questions, and acting as tutors. They also facilitate discussions and activities at least once a month addressing challenges of adolescence and other issues of importance to middle-schoolers. Advocates may also prepare assemblies, assist faculty members with clubs, and help coordinate annual Middle School events such as dances, the Olympics, Homecoming, and the Eighth Grade Celebration. Most important, Advocates act as role models, mentors, tutors and friends to all Middle School students. No academic credit or other compensation is awarded, and their responsibilities require a commitment from each of about two hours per week throughout the school year.
The Lower School Mentor Program creates an opportunity for Upper School student volunteers to learn leadership skills, gain knowledge of working with children, and serve as role models for students in PreSchool - Grade 5. As classroom assistants, Mentors participate in a wide range of interactions, including small group instruction in reading and math; support in art, science and music classes; recess help and after-school tutoring.
Honors and College-Level Courses Offered - by Department - Relevant to Class of 2019
| Department | Honors | AP® Equivalent | & Exceptions |
| English | E362 The American Experience |
E581 Literature & Composition E583 Language & Composition |
|
| Fine Arts | F460 Visual Art Portfolio |
||
| History | H363 U.S. History |
H583 World History H584 Art History H593 U.S. History H594 U. S. Government H595 Comp. Gov't & Politics |
New 2016-2017 New 2018-2019 |
| Languages | L261 French II L361 French III L461 French IV L262 Spanish II L362 Spanish III L462 Spanish IV L562 Spanish V L364 Latin III L464 Latin IV L563,4,5 Mandarin III, IV, V |
L581 French Language L582 Spanish Language 592 Spanish Literature L584 A.P. Latin L594 Advanced Latin Literature |
New 2018-2019 |
| Mathematics | M171 Algebra 1 M271 Geometry M371 Algebra II M475 Pre-Calculus (Accel.) |
M583 Statistics M584 Calculus AB M595 Calculus BC M582 Calculus I M696 Linear Algebra M697 Multivariable Calculus |
(alternating years) |
| Science | S171 Biology S272 Chemistry S371 Physics S473 Advanced Physics S361 Anatomy & Physiology S364 Genetics |
S581 Biology S587 Environmental Science S592 Chemistry S597 Physics C-Mechanics S582 Computer Science A |
New 2016-2017 |
| Other | X475 Princeton Peer Leadership | H587 Macroeconomics H588 Microeconomics |
New 2015-2016 |
| Global Online Academy www.globalonlineacademy.org |
20 students will take 14 different courses in 2018-2019 All are taught at Honors level. |
5-Year Distribution of Weighted 3-Year G.P.A.’s Classes of 2015-2019
| GPA | Average | Letter |
| Highest | 4.95 | A+ |
| 75% | 4.04 | A |
| Median | 3.66 | B+ |
| 25% | 3.32 | B |
SAT Score Distribution Class of 2018
| Range | Reading/Writing | Math | /1600 |
| 75% | 710 | 750 | 1460 |
| Median | 650 | 680 | 1330 |
| 25% | 600 | 590 | 1190 |
Advanced Placement Examinations 2014-2018
| Grade | Number | Percent |
| 5 | 295 | 27% |
| 4 | 337 | 31% |
| 3 | 267 | 24% |
| 2 | 138 | 13% |
| 1 | 59 | 5% |
ACT Score Distribution Class of 2018
| Range | Composite | Concordance |
| 75% | 32 | 1430 |
| Median | 28 | 1310 |
| 25% | 26 | 1240 |
Admissions 2014-2018 by Quintile and College Competitive Rankings (Barron’s 34ᵗʰ)
| Quintile | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Totals | % |
| Most | 66 | 52 | 30 | 17 | 7 | 172 | 47% |
| Highly | 6 | 17 | 31 | 26 | 18 | 98 | 27% |
| Very | 0 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 25 | 58 | 16% |
| Competitive | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 18 | 34 | 9% |
| Less | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 1% |
| Special | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/369 | <1% |
Graduates of the Classes of 2014-2018 matriculated at the following colleges and universities.
Albertus Magnus College
American International College
American University
Amherst College
Assumption College
Babson College
Bard College
Bates College
Bentley University
Berklee College of Music
Binghamton University
Boston College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brandeis University
Brown University
Bryant University
Bucknell University
University of British Columbia
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Cruz
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
College of Charleston
Clark University
Clarkson University
Colby College
Colgate University
Columbia University
Connecticut College
University of Connecticut
Cornell University
Curry College
University of Delaware
Dickinson College
Drew University
Duquesne University
Elmira College
Elon University
Emerson College
Emory University
Endicott College
Fairfield University
Fordham University
Franklin and Marshall College
Georgetown University
George Washington University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Gettysburg College
Gordon College
Goucher College
University of Hartford
Harvard University
Haverford College
High Point University
Hofstra University
College of the Holy Cross
Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Iona College
Iowa State University
Ithaca College
Johns Hopkins University
Keene State College
Kenyon College
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
Lesley University
Loyola University, Chicago
Manhattan College
Marist College
University of Maryland
Univ. of Massachusetts, Lowell
McGill University
University of Miami
University of Michigan
Middlebury College
Morehouse College
Mt. Holyoke College
Muhlenberg College
University of New Haven
New York University
Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Northeastern University
Oberlin College
Ohio State University
Pace University, New York City
University of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State University
University of Pittsburgh
Plymouth State University
Pomona College
Princeton University
Providence College
Purdue University
Quinnipiac University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of Rhode Island
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
Rochester Institute of Technology
Roger Williams University
Rollins College
Rutgers University
Sacred Heart University
Saint Anselm College
St. Lawrence University
St. Michael’s College
Salve Regina University
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
Sarah Lawrence College
Scripps College
Seattle University
Simmons College
Skidmore College
Smith College
University of Southern California
Southern Connecticut State Univ.
Spelman College
Springfield College
Stanford University
Stetson University
Stonehill College
Suffolk University
Syracuse University
University of Tampa
Temple University
University of Texas
The New School
Trinity College
Tufts University
Tulane University
Union College
United States Air Force Academy
Vassar College
University of Vermont
Villanova University
University of Virginia
Wake Forest University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wesleyan University
Western Connecticut State Univ.
Wheaton College
Williams College
College of Wooster
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Yale University
American International College
American University
Amherst College
Assumption College
Babson College
Bard College
Bates College
Bentley University
Berklee College of Music
Binghamton University
Boston College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brandeis University
Brown University
Bryant University
Bucknell University
University of British Columbia
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Cruz
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
College of Charleston
Clark University
Clarkson University
Colby College
Colgate University
Columbia University
Connecticut College
University of Connecticut
Cornell University
Curry College
University of Delaware
Dickinson College
Drew University
Duquesne University
Elmira College
Elon University
Emerson College
Emory University
Endicott College
Fairfield University
Fordham University
Franklin and Marshall College
Georgetown University
George Washington University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Gettysburg College
Gordon College
Goucher College
University of Hartford
Harvard University
Haverford College
High Point University
Hofstra University
College of the Holy Cross
Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Iona College
Iowa State University
Ithaca College
Johns Hopkins University
Keene State College
Kenyon College
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
Lesley University
Loyola University, Chicago
Manhattan College
Marist College
University of Maryland
Univ. of Massachusetts, Lowell
McGill University
University of Miami
University of Michigan
Middlebury College
Morehouse College
Mt. Holyoke College
Muhlenberg College
University of New Haven
New York University
Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Northeastern University
Oberlin College
Ohio State University
Pace University, New York City
University of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State University
University of Pittsburgh
Plymouth State University
Pomona College
Princeton University
Providence College
Purdue University
Quinnipiac University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of Rhode Island
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
Rochester Institute of Technology
Roger Williams University
Rollins College
Rutgers University
Sacred Heart University
Saint Anselm College
St. Lawrence University
St. Michael’s College
Salve Regina University
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
Sarah Lawrence College
Scripps College
Seattle University
Simmons College
Skidmore College
Smith College
University of Southern California
Southern Connecticut State Univ.
Spelman College
Springfield College
Stanford University
Stetson University
Stonehill College
Suffolk University
Syracuse University
University of Tampa
Temple University
University of Texas
The New School
Trinity College
Tufts University
Tulane University
Union College
United States Air Force Academy
Vassar College
University of Vermont
Villanova University
University of Virginia
Wake Forest University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wesleyan University
Western Connecticut State Univ.
Wheaton College
Williams College
College of Wooster
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Yale University
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
About Us
Hamden Hall Country Day School is a nurturing and inclusive community with a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.
