The required course in religion, which students take during the senior year, provides a general survey of the Old and New Testaments. Electives include three courses in computer science, art, band, business, and others. Students are assigned to academic classes on the basis of their past performance and the results of achievement tests administered by the guidance office. Class sizes range from 10 to 15. There is a 2-hour study period each night, Sunday through Thursday, which is supervised by faculty members.
Students spend a considerable portion of their science class time in well-equipped labs.
Hargrave is known for its strong reading program. The program is offered to any student who wants to become more proficient and effective in reading, regardless of his or her present reading level. All students are tested upon entering Hargrave, and those who want to participate in the reading improvement program are grouped according to their scores. Hargrave's student body is composed of students from thirty states, the District of Columbia, and twelve other countries. The largest number of boarding students comes from Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Florida, and Georgia.