Upper School
The Upper School at The Crenshaw Academy is where years of preparation meet real ambition. Students arrive in 9th grade with strong academic habits, critical thinking skills, and the personal maturity that comes from growing up in a close-knit, rigorous school community. From there, the work deepens. The questions get harder. The expectations rise. And students rise to meet them.
Our Upper School program is built around one goal: preparing students fully for college and for life. That means honors coursework, elective exploration, dual enrollment opportunities at local colleges and universities, and the kind of small, seminar-style classes where students are expected to contribute, not just listen. Graduates of The Crenshaw Academy leave prepared to succeed at the next level, and our alumni record at universities across the country reflects that.
A Rigorous College Preparatory Curriculum
The Upper School curriculum is designed to inform, challenge, and stimulate students as they prepare for college and lifelong learning. Courses are taught in small, seminar-style classes that emphasize methods of inquiry alongside written and oral expression. The focus is not only on content, but on the acquisition of skills that enable students to solve complex, varying problems in an ever-changing world.
Students may also elect to take honors courses, pursue independent study for additional credit, and explore elective offerings that align with their individual interests and goals.
Core Disciplines
Advanced coursework building toward honors options and college-level readiness.
Literature, composition, critical analysis, and oral communication.
Physical and life sciences with a focus on inquiry and application.
History, humanities, and global perspectives.
Continued Spanish development and advanced language study.
Students continue to develop and refine creative skills across disciplines.
100 hours of community service are required as part of every student's Upper School experience.
Fitness, movement, and sportsmanship supporting both physical and mental well-being.
Electives
Because The Crenshaw Academy is a small school, elective offerings evolve from year to year based on student interest and faculty expertise. Past and current electives have included:
The Crenshaw Academy is also open to student suggestions. In fact, several of these courses exist because students asked for them! That is exactly how it should be.
Dual Enrollment: Get a Head Start on College
One of the most valuable opportunities available to Crenshaw Upper School students is dual enrollment. Dual enrollment is available to eligible students beginning in 6th grade. At the Upper School level, juniors and seniors with a B average or above are encouraged to take one to two classes per semester at Valencia Community College or the University of South Florida, earning real college credit while still in high school.
Students arrive at university with credits already on the books, saving time and tuition.
Students develop the independence, confidence, and time management skills universities expect.
Dual enrollment demonstrates academic ambition and real-world college readiness to admissions officers.
Crenshaw has utilized this program with consistent success, and the growth in confidence and maturity among participating students is a hallmark of the experience.
Flexibility When Life Demands It
For Upper School students with demanding schedules outside of school, The Crenshaw Academy's Professional Program offers a flexible enrollment path that keeps academic standards fully intact. Students attend like full-time students and receive complete academic credit for their coursework, with scheduling adapted to accommodate their unique commitments.
This is the level where flexible enrollment matters most, and it is why the program draws the majority of its participants from the Upper School. Learn more about Flexible Enrollment.
Where Crenshaw Graduates Go
Upper School graduates from The Crenshaw Academy have been accepted to universities across Florida, the country, and the world, from Stanford and Princeton to the University of Florida and beyond. Alumni have gone on to careers in medicine, film and entertainment, professional athletics, and more.
See the full list of universities on our After Crenshaw page.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you are considering The Crenshaw Academy for your high school student, we would love to talk. Schedule a tour and meet our faculty, see our Upper School classrooms, and ask every question you have.
Schedule a TourYou can also explore scholarship and tuition resources to help make a Crenshaw education possible for your family.
