Upper School Academics

The upper school experience challenges young men and women to interpret their world through the lens of scripture, using all the skills and knowledge acquired at the lower levels.

The academic program is founded upon the classical liberal arts. Our purpose is to promote the Lordship of Christ over all areas of our students' education. In doing so, our goal is to produce generations of people who will be able to unleash their faith in all aspects of human endeavor. Over 90% of our graduates pursue higher education. The school offers a rigorous college-bound track of courses that meet or exceed the entrance requirements of colleges and universities nationwide.

The distinctives of our Upper School:

• The program is directed by a faculty that is unashamedly "Christian" in personal conviction and worldview. The Bible impacts the entire curriculum. This is most evident in the foundational biblical assumptions or presuppositions that provide a coherent and meaningful framework in all disciplines.
• The program is classical in framework and approach. Utilizing the developmental and incremental framework of a modernized trivium consisting of either dialectic or logic and rhetoric, students are encouraged to think clearly and express their thoughts in writing and through persuasive speech.
• The program is modern in that it includes full access to computer facilities and the Internet, fine arts, and laboratory sciences. While preparation for life is most critical, students need to develop the necessary knowledge base as well as skills for clear thinking and communication that will make higher education available to all who want it.
• The crowning achievement of this college preparatory approach is the senior thesis - an individualized cross-disciplinary project.

The Upper School Course of Study

(* indicates required core classes)

Grade Nine

• Bible
• Ancient and Medieval History*
• English* (grammar, composition, ancient and world literature)
• Foreign Language (French, Latin or Spanish)
• Math* (Algebra AB, Algebra I or II or Geometry)
• Biology*
• Physical Education (or team sport)
• Fine Arts Electives (Chorus, Band, Theater, Art, ½ credit for participation in Theater production)
• Electives

Grade Ten

• Biblical Studies* (Biblical Man/Womanhood & 1 elective)
• English 10* (World Literary Classics and Composition)
• Foreign Language (French, Latin or Spanish I or II)
• Math* (Algebra II, Geometry, or AP Statistics)
• World History*
• Chemistry*
• Physical Education (or team sport)
• Fine Arts Electives (Chorus, Band, Theater, Art, ½ credit for participation in Theater production)
• Electives

Grade Eleven

• Biblical Studies* (2 semester electives)
• English 11* (American Literature and Composition)
• Foreign Language* (French, Latin or Spanish I, II, or III or AP Latin)
• Math* (Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, or AP Statistics)
• Science* (Biotechnology, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, or Physics)
• History* (U.S. or AP U.S. History)
• Fine Arts Electives (Chorus, Band, Theater, Art, ½ credit for participation in Theater production)
• Elective

Grade Twelve

• Biblical Studies* (2 semester electives)
• English 12* ( British Literature and Composition, AP Literature and Composition)
• Foreign Language* (French, Latin or Spanish II, III, or IV, or AP Latin)
• Government* (1/2 credit)
• Economics* (1/2 credit)
• Math* (Precalculus, Advanced Functions and Modeling, AP Calculus AB and BC or AP Statistics)
• Science (Biotechnology, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology I or II, or Physics)
• Senior Integration Project* (1/2 credit)
• Fine Arts Electives (Chorus, Band, Theater, Art, ½ credit for participation in Theater production)
• Elective

Graduation Requirements

Graduation from Asheville Christian Academy requires 25 upper school level credits plus a passing grade on a senior thesis (an additional half credit). The 25.5 credit requirement must include the following:

• 4 Biblical Studies (Bible credits may be waived for students transferring from schools not offering Bible classes.)
• 4 English
• 2 Foreign Language
• 4 Math (This must include Algebra AB or Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and one math beyond Algebra II.)
• 3 Science (This must include Biology, Chemistry and one other lab science.)
• 4 Social Studies
• 1/2 Senior Integration Project
• 1 Physical Education (This requirement can be met by playing two seasons on an interscholastic sports team.)
• 3 Electives (Any credit earned above or outside of an area required for graduation..)

Senior Class Academic Profile

For entire class		For top 50% of class
Average UW GPA	3.40	Average UW GPA	3.77
Average W GPA	3.90	Average W GPA	4.43
Average SAT Verbal	578	Average SAT Verbal	645
Average SAT Math	568	Average SAT Math	643
Average SAT Writing	558	Average SAT Writing	618
Median UW GPA	3.57	Median UW GPA	3.78
Median W GPA	4.05	Median W GPA	4.50
Median SAT Verbal	570	Median SAT Verbal	630
Median SAT Math	560	Median SAT Math	640
Median SAT Writing	560	Median SAT Writing	600