All sixth form students not enrolled in Advanced Studies in English Literature begin the year with a Fall Term course that encourages students to develop their own authentic written voice. Using successful college essays from past Kent seniors and a variety of other narrative and personal essays as mentor texts, students workshop and revise their own personal and college essays. Students will then read a variety of texts to examine how different authors, from Shakespeare to Trevor Noah, have addressed the development of identity and the human desire to understand the self in relationship to the world and others.

In the Winter and Spring Terms, English 4 students can choose from a variety of elective courses (also open to Advanced Studies in English Literature students). The English 4 electives vary from term to term.