Stuyvesant High School

Stuyvesant High School, often nicknamed Stuy by its staff and students, is one of New York City's specialized math- and science-based public high schools. The school was founded in 1904. Admission to Stuyvesant, which is run by the New York City Department of Education, is by competitive examination, and there is no tuition. The school is noted for its many accomplished alumni, its rigorous academics, and for sending the most students to Harvard, Yale, and Princeton of any public school in the United States.

Academics

Stuyvesant students undergo a college preparation curriculum including four years of English, history, and a lab-based science, three years of math (though most student opt to take four years) and foreign language, and a semester each of introductory art, music, health, computer science, and a lab-based technology course.

Related Topics:
English - History - Health - Computer science

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Stuyvesant offers students a broad selection of electives; some of the more unusual offerings include robotics, physics of music, astronomy, and the mathematics of financial markets. Most students take calculus, and the school offers math courses through differential equations and linear algebra. A year of technical drawing used to be required; in its first semester students learned to draft by hand and in the second drafting was done by computer (CAD). Now, students take a one-semester class called Technology Graphic Communications (equivalent to the former year of drafting), and a semester of introductory computer science, in order to introduce the mainly science-oriented students to computer programming early in their career.

Related Topics:
Robotics - Astronomy - Financial markets - Calculus - Differential equations - Linear algebra - Technical drawing - Computer science

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A variety of Advanced Placement courses (55 are available http://www.stuy100.org/about.html) offer students the chance to earn college credits; a few students earn enough to start college as a sophomore. In 2004, after long resisting the change, Stuyvesant began complying with Department of Education regulations mandating that Advanced Placement courses be weighted by a factor of 1.1 in grade point averages. Later in 2005, Stuyvesant reverted the weight of AP courses back to 1.

Related Topics:
Advanced Placement

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Computer science enthusiasts can take two additional computer programming courses after the completion of advanced placement computer science: systems level programming and computer graphics. There is also a 2 year computer networking sequence which can earn students CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification.

Related Topics:
Systems level programming - Computer graphics - Computer networking - Cisco

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Stuyvesant's foreign language offerings rival those of many colleges, including the basics like French and Spanish as well as German, Latin, Hebrew, Japanese, and Italian. In 2000, Mandarin Chinese and Korean for native speakers were introduced in response to Stuyvesant's burgeoning Asian American population. The Muslim student body has been pushing for Arabic to be taught, and although it was expected to be offered in 2004, it has been cut due to budgetary constraints.

Related Topics:
French - Spanish - German - Latin - Hebrew - Japanese - Italian - 2000 - Mandarin Chinese - Korean - Asian American - Muslim - Arabic

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Stuyvesant's Biology and Geo-science department offers courses in oceanography, meteorology, Molecular Genetics/Biology/Science, human physiology, medical ethics, medical and veterinary diagnosis, human disease, nutrition science, anthropology and sociobiology, vertebrate zoology, laboratory techniques, medical human genetics, botany, and psychology. The Chemistry and Physics department offers organic chemistry, physical chemistry, calculus-based physics, modern physics, astronomy, engineering mechanics, and electronics.

Related Topics:
Oceanography - Meteorology - Molecular Genetics/Biology/Science - Human physiology - Medical ethics - Nutrition science - Anthropology - Sociobiology - Vertebrate zoology - Laboratory - Genetics - Botany - Psychology - Organic chemistry - Physical chemistry - Modern physics - Astronomy - Engineering - Electronics

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Although primarily known for its strength in math and sciences, Stuyvesant is also home to a robust music program and offers students eight music groups, ranging from a symphonic orchestra and jazz ensemble to a chamber choir. Comprehensive programs in the humanities offer students courses in British and classical literature, philosophy, existentialism, debate, acting, journalism, and a host of creative writing and poetry classes. The history core requires a year of ancient, European and American history, as well as a semester of economics and government. Humanities electives include American foreign policy, civil and criminal law, Jewish history, "prejudice and persecution", "race, ethnicity and gender issues", small business management, and Wall Street.

Related Topics:
Humanities - Philosophy - Existentialism - Debate - Acting - Journalism - Creative writing - Poetry - History - Ancient - European - American history - Economics - Government - Foreign policy - Civil - Criminal law - Jewish history - Prejudice - Persecution - Race - Ethnicity - Gender - Management - Wall Street

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Stuyvesant has recently entered into an agreement with City College of New York, in which the college funds advanced after-school courses that are taken for college credit yet are taught by Stuyvesant teachers. Some of these courses include physical chemistry, linear algebra, advanced Euclidean geometry, and women's history. http://spectator.stuy.edu/display.cgi?id=1361 http://spectator.stuy.edu/display.cgi?id=1360

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Grade point averages at Stuyvesant are calculated to two decimal places; some argue that the distinction is overly fine and encourages excessive grade competition, while others use the theory of significant digits to argue that they are irrelevant. Nevertheless, the practice continues. The practice is not entirely unprecedented; in calculations for honors and other designations, the University of Chicago calculates grade point averages to four decimal places.

Related Topics:
Significant digits - University of Chicago

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Extracurricular activities

Stuyvesant offers clubs, publications, teams and other opportunities with a system similar to that of many colleges. It hosts over 100 clubs and 30 publications ranging from "PottyRings", a club dedicated to Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings, The Sleight of Hand Club dedicated to sleight of hand magic, and even Pink LEMONed, a Japanese rock culture club, to the Key Club, dedicated to community service to the "Cheese Club", dedicated to cheese. http://www.stuysu.org/cp The Stuyvesant Theater Community puts on 3 student-run productions a year (the Fall Musical, Winter Drama, and Spring Comedy) as well as a one-act festival and several smaller studio productions. http://www.stuytheater.org An annual theater competition known as SING! pits seniors, juniors and "soph-frosh" against each other in a battle for the finest student-written, run, and funded performance.

Related Topics:
Harry Potter - Lord of the Rings - Key Club - Cheese

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Stuyvesant fields 26 varsity teams, including a swimming team, as well as golf, bowling, volleyball, soccer, basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, fencing, baseball/softball, handball, tennis, track/cross country, and football teams. Stuyvesant does not, however, have a football field, baseball field, or tennis court, though the new building does have a pool. Unofficial club teams include men's and women's ultimate frisbee teams. http://physed.stuy.edu/sportsteam.html

Related Topics:
Swimming - Golf - Bowling - Volleyball - Soccer - Basketball - Gymnastics - Wrestling - Fencing - Baseball - Softball - Handball - Tennis - Track - Cross country - Football - Ultimate frisbee

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Its academic teams include speech and debate, chess, and math, which regularly compete successfully at major regional, national, and — at least in the case of the math team — international tournaments. Stuyvesant also has a Model United Nations, Junior State of America, and a Model Congress team which compete at regional colleges.

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