Other Electives

Approaching the College Process (Uncredited, Spring, Pass/Fail) 

You may have been thinking about college long before junior year, but how do you approach the process once the time has actually come to do so? Many students aren’t sure how to determine what sorts of colleges or universities are the best fit for their goals, interests, talents, and personalities. Size, location, cost, program, research opportunities, extracurricular and social activities, and access to academic, professional, and personal support are just some of the points to consider as you explore options beyond Winsor. This course is designed to help you consider your college and career goals in a supportive, exploratory group setting. It will also provide guidance for approaching the application process, including navigating college websites and the online tool MaiaLearning, using the Common App and other application portals, considering international schools, applying for financial aid, and making the most of college tours.  A significant portion of the course will be devoted to the personal essay. We will read samples, brainstorm topics, draft and revise; as a result, you will leave the course with at least one essay completed. We will also discuss how to plan for supplemental essays. Finally, we will explore how to create a unified and balanced story about yourself to present to colleges, and we will help you develop a timeline for completing the various tasks required during the application process. Deciding what to do after Winsor might feel daunting, but our goal is to help you see this process as exciting and inspiring. Open to students in Class VII. This course meets one period per cycle.

Winsor Action Research Cohort (0.5 Credits, Yearlong, Pass/Fail)

The Winsor Action Research Cohort (WARC) is a minor course that focuses on student participatory action research, a type of research that challenges students to formulate and research a question that will benefit the Winsor community as a whole. Students will learn about social science research, including the differences between canonical and modern methodologies, design a process to explore their question, gather data (quantitative and qualitative), and analyze, synthesize, and communicate their results. Throughout the course, students will work collaboratively to identify potential areas of interest and opportunities for action. After developing their research question, they will explore possible methodologies for data collection and analysis, and will engage with community members and experts in the field. The students’ research will culminate in a group research paper and a presentation. Students who sign up for this course will be contacted with an application form. Students who are selected will be scheduled based on availability. Open to students in Class VII. Minor electives are meant to be taken in addition to a full course load of five major courses. Students who would like to take two minor courses in the same semester must submit a petition for an additional minor course (see appendix for petition process).

Class VIII Independent Learning Experience

A graduation requirement introduced in 2008, the Independent Learning Experience (ILE) gives Winsor seniors an opportunity to pursue a specific interest independently. Students design their own projects, guided by a faculty seminar leader and a mentor/supervisor in an area of interest. Winsor students engage in the ILE during the final month of their senior year.

The ILE encourages seniors to explore their passions by pursuing projects of their choosing. Students can complete an off-campus internship, conduct research, engage in the arts, or serve in the community, among other things. Perhaps most importantly, the ILE seeks to give students a chance to rely on their own self-discipline and motivation to accomplish their objectives, which include a final product that synthesizes their learning. Each project also includes repeated opportunities for reflection. The ILE culminates in presentations by students to their peers, their parents, and the greater school community. The independence of these projects helps to prepare seniors for the transition from secondary school to college. 

ILE Seminar (Uncredited, Spring, Pass/Fail)

This course is designed to help students prepare for their ILE projects and is required for all Class VIII students. Students work with a seminar leader on designing and planning a project to be executed in May. Seminars meet two times per cycle. With guidance from their ILE leaders, students will write their own mid-semester comments and complete a self-evaluation of their learning habits.