A RCHBISHOP M OLLOY H IGH S CHOOL

not for school but for life

ACADEMIC OVERVIEW FOR FRESHMEN ENTERING IN 2017

RELIGION
All students take four years of Religion.

ENGLISH
All students take four years of English.
Freshman placement in Honors English is based on TACHS scores. Subsequent Honors placement is
based on previous English grades.
A.P. Literature is available to qualified juniors; A.P. Composition is available to qualified seniors.

MATHEMATICS
All students take three years of Math; a fourth year is optional.
Freshmen typically take Algebra. Placement in Algebra Honors is based solely on the Math Placement
Test given at Molloy on May 13, 2017. Regents scores and elementary school grades are not considered in
determining Algebra Honors placement. Subsequent Math placement is based on previous Math grades.
Geometry Honors in freshman year is considered only for freshmen who meet all of these three criteria:
1. They qualify on the basis of their score on the Math Placement Test on May 13. They must take
this test to be considered for either Geometry Honors or Algebra Honors.
2. They score a 90% or higher (4 or 5 scaled) on the Algebra 1 Regents in June 2017. (Students with
85% or higher will also be considered, pending results of the Placement Test.)
3. Parents submit the Regents score to Molloy by June 30, 2017.
All students who do not take the Math Placement Test take standard Algebra as freshmen.

We strongly recommend that students who take the Algebra 1 Regents before coming to Molloy repeat
the course in freshman year and retake the Regents for a higher grade. Often, students acquire just
enough knowledge to pass the Regents but lack the depth of knowledge they need for further success in
Math. The typical Math sequence is Algebra 1 in ninth grade, followed by Geometry, Algebra 2, and Pre-
Calculus. All students have opportunities to advance to Calculus and A.P. Calculus, regardless of the Math
course they take as freshmen.

COMPUTER SCIENCE
All freshmen take a half year of Computer Applica8ons. A.P. Computer Science is available as an elective
to juniors and seniors, and additional electives are in development for 2017-2018.
SOCIAL STUDIES
All students take four years of Social Studies.
Freshman placement in Honors Global History or in Pre-A.P. World History is based on TACHS scores.
Subsequent placement in Honors or A.P. Social Studies courses is based on previous grades.
A.P. World History is available to qualified sophomores.
A.P. United States History is available to qualified juniors.
A.P. European History, A.P. Psychology, and A.P. Macroeconomics are available to qualified seniors.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
All students take a three year Foreign Language sequence in French, Italian or Spanish.
A Native-Speaker Track is available in Spanish for students whose first language is Spanish and who
speak Spanish at home. A student must be fluent in the language to take the Native Speaker course.
Additional information will be sent in the mailing you will receive prior to registration.
Students seeking the second level of a foreign language as freshmen must take a Foreign Language
Placement Test at Molloy on the day of registration. Elementary school grades or outside test scores are
not considered in determining Foreign Language placement.
Students placed in the second level of a Foreign Language as freshmen are expected to continue to the
third level as sophomores and to the fourth level as juniors.

SCIENCE
All students take three years of Science; a fourth year is optional.
Most freshmen take Biology and move on to Chemistry in sophomore year. Placement in Honors
Biology is based on TACHS scores. Subsequent placement in Honors Science courses is based on previous
grades.
Though we do not recommend that students take the Living Environment Regents before coming to
Molloy, those who do and score over 80 will be placed in Earth Science and will take the Earth Science
Regents at the end of the year, provided parents report the grade to Molloy by July 1, 2016. Students will
move on to Chemistry as sophomores. In rare circumstances, incoming freshmen who have demonstrated
extraordinary proficiency on the Living Environment Regents with a grade of 92 or higher may be invited
into the sophomore Chemistry class depending on space available.
A.P. Biology, A.P. Chemistry and A.P. Physics are offered to qualified students.

FINE ARTS
All students take a semester of Music as freshmen and a semester of Art as sophomores.
Most freshmen take Music Appreciation. Freshmen with some background in Music or who play a
musical instrument may apply for Music Theory. Freshmen with an interest in performance may apply for
Freshman-Sophomore Chorus.
A.P. Studio Art is available as a tutorial for seniors who create qualifying portfolios.
Molloy is a member of the New York State School Music Associa8on. Qualied students par8cipate in
the NYSSMA Festival.