Investigative: How Does Exeter Makes Schedules?

By AUDREY KIM, JAYDEN OH, and JINMIN LEE

All Exonians know the moment when their friends spam their group chats: “SCHEDULES ARE OUT!” Students frantically switch apps, log into Blackbaud (or, for those who know, LionLinks), and check their teachers for the next term. Then, they take all the information and write in their notes app to post on their Instagram stories for advice from other students.

No two terms feel the same for students, even if they are enrolled in similar courses, because teachers always change. Some teachers can feel much harder than others, and the amount of effort students put into their studies fluctuates per term. Thus, many students believe that the scheduler holds a lot of power, and many people speculate about the scheduling process. This article does not aim to argue a point about Exeter’s scheduling system; rather, it aims to clarify how schedules are made and clear any misunderstandings. 

The scheduling process is extremely complicated, requiring the scheduler to manage thousands of data points. Scheduler Sarah Herrick explained, “The daily schedule consists of 32 format blocks (36 in the winter term) and each term, over 1,000 students and over 150 teachers are scheduled into 600 unique sections. In addition to that, into all the little nooks and crannies of free time, approximately 450 private music lessons are scheduled as well as 11 music ensembles (around 300 students) and three dance ensembles (around 50 students). It seems almost impossible to fit everything in, but that is the beauty and magic of it all.”

Students often wonder about how the scheduler builds everyone’s schedule. “Ms. Korogodsky and I build each term’s schedule,” Herrick continued, “by systematically assessing student course selections in conjunction with faculty teaching assignments, classroom availability, and the daily format rotation. It is an intricate process, and we are fortunate to use custom software to aid in our work.”

Students are often most curious about how the scheduler chooses which teachers to assign. In a recent Instagram post from an Exonian-run meme page called justiceforcvp, a short clip with over 200 likes mentioned a number of teachers with a caption saying, “the scheduler assembling the goon squad to tank my GPA.” Despite this belief, the scheduler does not consider teachers’ reputations. “’Reputation is an idle and most false imposition,’” elaborated Herrick, quoting Othello. “In other words, a teacher’s reputation is purely subjective and does not play a role in the schedule build.”  

“Also, there is no mechanism in the scheduling software to avoid repeat students or teachers,” added Herrick. “However, any student who is scheduled with the same teacher in a third consecutive term can request a different teacher (although there are no guarantees that a change can be made, particularly in smaller departments).”

Students also want to discover why the scheduler releases schedules only a few days before school. Often, students want to find out who their teachers are early. Herrick described why this happened: “Many schools construct their schedules in the summer for the entire school year, and there is little room for change once the school year begins. At Exeter, we build the schedule between terms, which allows students the flexibility to change courses during the add/drop periods.”

“Furthermore, because sports tryouts and dance and theater auditions take place at the end of the term, and because some of these activities are scheduled during the academic day, we cannot begin the schedule build until all rosters and cast lists are finalized; this ensures we have an accurate and complete set of courses for each student going into the schedule build,” she continued. “The breaks between fall and winter terms and winter and spring terms are just barely long enough to accommodate the schedule build, which is the reason why schedules are released only a day or two before the term begins.”

“Of course, this is not the case for the fall term, but it takes nearly the entire summer to enroll new students in their courses—which includes administering and grading placement tests in math and language—and to await the results of summer math acceleration for returning students; as such, the fall schedule build does not begin until mid-to-late August,” Herrick said.

Students can change their schedules for a few reasons: “The scheduling office holds three distinct add/drop periods (in October, January, and July) to allow students to change their courses,” Herrick said. “It is during these ‘open windows’ that students and advisers are encouraged to review diploma requirements to ensure their course selections are accurate. Once the term begins, course changes are no longer permitted; the only exception is for changes initiated by a department chair to adjust a student’s placement (typically in math and language).”

Ultimately, the scheduler works very hard to create the fairest and best educational experience for Exonians. Herrick remarked, “I am passionate about the schedule and am always happy to shed light on and demystify the schedule build process. Exonians are fortunate to have access to a robust curriculum and infinite opportunities to explore both in and out of the classroom.”