From its founding in 1995, the Lycée Français de Chicago, driven by our core values of respect, responsibility and the joy of learning, has empowered students to grow into active global citizens.
Through our inclusive, multilingual and pluricultural learning environment and our true immersion-based curricula—offering both French Baccalaureate and International Baccalaureate programs—we give students from pre-K through grade 12 an outstanding, unique experience.
The LFC’s educational excellence enables our students to thrive around the world, in college and throughout their academic, professional and personal lives.
Active Global Citizens The LFC’s educational excellence empowers students to become well-rounded, active global citizens ready to take on tomorrow’s challenges.
We educate our students to be responsible citizens of the world who employ critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and adaptability and who act with the utmost integrity. To accomplish this, we instill each student with a global perspective that includes awareness, respect and empathy for others. We teach them to understand diverse cultural nuances, to communicate in multiple languages and to navigate the world with confidence.
High School Students
International Baccalaureate
Illinois State Board of Education
School Profile 2021-2022
1929 W. Wilson Ave., Chicago, IL 60640 | 773-665-0066 | LyceeChicago.org | CEEB: 140-996
Eric Veteau, President Cécile Reynier, Interim Director of Secondary School
Lance Paulsen, Director of College Counseling: Lpaulsen@lyceechicago.org Anne Economakos, Associate Director of College Counseling: Aeconomakos@lyceechicago.org
Joëlle Parisot, College Counselor: Jparisot@lyceechicago.org
25 17
French Baccalaureate
+ 42 GRADUATES
731
184
Total Honors % in USA
2020 36 100% 97% -
Common Core Courses
French
History-Geography
Mathematics
Science
Technology
LFC students in the French Baccalaureate program follow the curriculum established by the French Ministry of Education. Instruction is primarily in French with the exception of English and OIB courses (see below). This program, which culminates in rigorous examinations over the course of grades 11 and 12, fosters self-discipline and organization while encouraging the development of critical thinking and analytical skills.
In grades 9-12, students take courses from the common core. In grade 11, students add three advanced specialty courses, each of which meets for four hours per week. In grade 12, students narrow their specialty courses to two, each of which meets for six hours per week. (See tables on the left.)
Students complete the equivalent of high honors-level coursework in specialty courses. All coursework in grade 12 is on par with the college level; as a result, many universities grant French Baccalaureate students up to a full year of credits.
French Baccalaureate
Graduation Standards and Requirements LFC French Bac students usually graduate with two diplomas: a U.S. High School diploma and the French Baccalaureate.
Coursework in the French Bac program prepares students for a series of French national qualifying examinations known as the Baccalauréat (Bac). With the new Bac, a student’s final average is determined by national final examinations (50-60%) and students’ annual averages (40-50%). Final exams, both written and oral, are evaluated by outside examiners. One of the hallmarks of the new Bac is Le Grand Oral, an oral defense of a two-year research project related to one or both of their grade 12 specialty courses.
Changes to the French Baccalaureate The class of 2022 is the second class to graduate with the new version of the French Baccalaureate. While students previously chose a curriculum track (Science & Mathematics, Economics & Social Sciences, or Literature & Languages) with a prescribed set of courses, they now have more flexibility to study subjects of particular interest to them in greater depth.
American Section – Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB) Recognized and developed by both the College Board and the French Ministry of Education, the American Section of the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB) combines the breadth and rigor of the French Baccalaureate with additional subjects taught in English, resulting in a bilingual and bicultural diploma. The OIB is considered a very rigorous specialization within the French Bac, and is pursued only by approximately 1100 students worldwide. OIB students complete additional coursework in English Language, Literature, and History and Geography taught by both French and American faculty. The OIB makes academic and linguistic demands on an equal level in English and French, providing students with a university entrance qualification valid in both the U.S. and France. For non-native English speakers, enrollment in the OIB serves as proof of English proficiency (in lieu of the TOEFL, IELTS, etc). In the class of 2022, 21 students are enrolled in the OIB.
Electives
• Latin • Visual Arts
Additional Options for Grade 12 Students:
• Applied Mathematics (for students who drop the Mathematics specialty after grade 11)
• Advanced Topics in Mathematics (most advanced Mathematics course offered; available to students taking the Mathematics specialty in grade 12)
Speciality Courses
Year Students Avg. points World Average Passed Bilingual
Diploma
2017 6 36 29.9 6 4
2018 6 30 29.9 5 3
2019 10 28.8 29.6 8 6
2020 13 32 30 13 9
2021 16 35 33 16 12
LFC is an International Baccalaureate World School and offers both the IB Diploma Programme (DP, grades 11 and 12) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP, grades 9 and 10). In grades 9 and 10, students take at least one course from six different groups (see table). In addition, students complete a Community Project (grade 9), during which they create and implement a research-based service project, and a Personal Project (grade 10), which is a year-long exploration allowing students to pursue interests outside their daily school work. In grades 11 and 12, students choose three subjects to pursue at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL) in order to qualify for the IB Diploma. In addition to these subjects, students complete several core requirements: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), a course about critical thinking and inquiry; Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS), a continuation of the Community Project culminating in a portfolio; and the Extended Essay (EE), an externally-assessed independent research paper on a subject of the student’s choosing. Students may also take additional courses not offered at LFC through Pamoja, an accredited online provider of IB courses.
LFC became accredited as an IB World School in 2013 and graduated its first IB Diploma class in 2015. In 2019, LFC became authorized to offer the Middle Years Programme in addition to the Diploma Programme.
IB Bilingual Diploma (BD) LFC’s IB students may choose between the standard IB Diploma and the Bilingual IB Diploma (BD). Students may earn a BD by achieving a grade of 3 or better in two languages selected from the Languages and Literature group. Approximately half of LFC IB students opt for the BD.
International BaccalaureateMiddle Years Programme Grades 9–10
Each subject area is mandatory; 2 languages min. are required
Language and Literature
• English Language and Literature • French Language and Literature • German Language and Literature
Language Acquisition
Sciences
The Arts • Visual Arts
Graduation Standards and Requirements The majority of LFC IB students graduate with two diplomas: a U.S. High School diploma and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
The IB Diploma Programme culminates in six final exams, evaluated by outside examiners, in each of the student’s chosen HL and SL courses. Students must receive a minimum of 24 points total on their exams (each graded on a scale of 1-7) in order to receive the IB Diploma, with at least 12 points coming from HL subjects and 9 from SL subjects. In addition, students may not receive more than two 2s and no more than three 3s. Finally, students must successfully complete the IB Core (TOK, EE, and CAS). The maximum number of points awarded is 45 (7 per subject + 3 additional points for TOK and EE).
Diploma Programme Grades 11–12
Language and Literature
Language Acquisition
Individuals & Societies
The Arts*
• Visual Arts (SL/HL)
*Students may choose to take a second science or third language instead of Visual Arts.
University Matriculation: 2017–2021 100% of LFC students go on to attend institutions of higher education after graduation, most frequently in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and France. Names in bold represent class of 2021 Matriculation.
United States Arizona State University Barnard College (2) Bates College (2) Bentley University Boston College Boston University (4) Bowdoin College Brown University California Polytechnic State University Carleton College (2) Chapman University Colby College Columbia College Chicago Concordia University Chicago Cornell University Denison University DePaul University (8) Drake University Eckerd College Georgetown University Goucher College Harvard University (3) Indiana University Kenyon College (2) Lake Forest College (2) Lewis & Clark College Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago (5) New York University (4) Northeastern University (3) Northwestern University (4) Oberlin College Parsons School of Design (2) San Diego State University San Francisco Art Institute School of the Art Institute of Chicago Smith College Southern Methodist University St. John’s College Stanford University Syracuse University Temple University Texas Christian University The New School (2) Tufts University Tulane University University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles (2) University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara (2) University of California, Santa Cruz University of Chicago (3) University of Florida University of Illinois at Chicago (2) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (7) University of Iowa University of Maryland University of Michigan (2) University of Minnesota (2) University of San Diego University of Southern California University of Virginia University of Wisconsin (6) Vassar College (2) Wake Forest University Warren Wilson College Yale University
Extracurricular Activities and Cultural Exchanges The Lycee offers a variety of student-run clubs, including Model UN, Diversity Project, Yearbook, Musical Theater, and Student Government. Students also have the opportunity to participate in special programs throughout the year such as Maths en Jeans, Start-Up Lycee, projects in our school’s innovation lab, Francophone Youth Theater, literary workshops, and art festivals. LFC’s sports program, the Flames, is an opportunity for students to gain leadership skills, learn to work as part of a team, and play in a competitive league. Many language courses also take students on international field trips, and students are encouraged to participate in international school exchange programs.
Community Service The Lycée Français de Chicago is committed to educating students to become well-rounded members and leaders in a global community. Service learning projects and experiences engage students in ways that expand their awareness of the world outside themselves and of the needs of others. LFC high school students must complete ten hours of community service each year in grades 9–12. Additionally, IB students follow the CAS guidelines and complete the requirement to be eligible for the IB Diploma.
Course Load/Hours LFC students often carry a course load of 30-40 hours per week. School hours and schedules vary, but many students are in class from 8:20 a.m. until 5:20 p.m. Given the long school day and heavy academic load, participation in extracurricular activities can be challenging.
A C T
Standardized Testing English is a second or third language for many of our students. In addition, our students are unfamiliar with the multiple-choice testing format. Consequently, SAT and ACT scores do not accurately predict our students’ ability to undertake and excel in college-level work. The sequencing and terminology of the French curriculum and absence of test preparation does not allow for true achievement of students’ standardized test scores.
US French Bac IBDP IBMYP
A+ 15-20 7 8
A 14 6 7
A- 13 5 6
F 3 1 1
Grading & Ranking The French Bac & IB grading scales differ from those used in traditional U.S. schools. Please refer to the Grade Conversion Table rather than calculating a percentage - both programs’ grading systems differ in philosophy from the American system (i.e. a 11/20 in the Bac or a 4/7 in IB are considered good - equivalent to a B). Almost all evaluations are based on essays and free-response questions, and grades take into account aspects such as reasoning, form and presentation of proofs, and written expression.
Official transcripts sent to American colleges reflect the American letter grade equivalents as established in the Grade Conversion Table. All courses are unweighted and the GPA calculation uses a 4.0 scale. LFC does not calculate or publish class rankings.
Class % Tested Middle 50%* Average 2017 41% 29-33 30 2018 70% 25-31 28 2019 50% 25-33 29 2020 54% 26-30 28 2021 43% 26-30 28
*As a small number of students take the ACT, score ranges are also provided.
Grade Conversion Table
United Kingdom Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design Durham University (3) Imperial College London London School of Economics (3) Regent’s University Royal Holloway, University of London University College London University of Edinburgh University of Exeter University of the Arts London
Other Bocconi University - Italy EAE Business School - Spain École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne ESCP Europe IE University - Spain RWTH Aachen University - Germany Sciences Po - UC Berkeley, Dual Degree Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera - Spain
Canada Concordia University (5) Dalhousie University McGill University (12) Université de Montréal Western University