Honors & AP Courses
Understanding the advantages
Studies have shown that the rigor of a student's high school curriculum is the single best predictor of success in college. The National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) annual State of College Admissions survey consistently finds that student performance in college preparatory classes is the most important factor in the admissions decision. With this in mind, encourage enrollment in honors and AP courses even if your students have the impression that only "top" students should take these courses or the fear that taking a challenging course might result in a lower GPA. Advanced-level courses are worth the extra effort.
Implications for admissions
Students don't understand how much weight college admissions officers give to advanced-level courses on an applicant's transcript. Explain to your students (and their parents) that admissions officers are not impressed by straight A's when they are all earned in easy courses. Gretchen Rigol, the author of Admissions Decision-Making Models: How U.S. Institutions of Higher Education Select Undergraduate Students (College Board, 2003), writes, "GPAs are 'weighted,' with extra points being given for honors or AP courses." (.pdf/239K) Requires Adobe Reader (latest version recommended).
Students should take a balanced load, one that allows them to devote the necessary time to each course. Colleges look for quality, not quantity. According to Dan Saracino, assistant provost for enrollment at the University of Notre Dame: "Nothing is more important than the quality of the course load."
If your school does not yet offer AP or honors courses, encourage students who have exhausted all your school offerings to enroll in courses at a local college.
Implications for college success
AP and honors courses can help students succeed in college. The results of a U.S. Department of Education study by researcher Clifford Adelman reveal that students who take rigorous high school classes are better prepared to manage the workload they'll face in college, more likely to receive higher grades, and less likely to drop out than their peers.
Honors or AP?
Honors classes often offer the same curriculum as regular classes, but are tailored for high-achieving students —covering additional topics or some topics in greater depth.
AP courses:
- Cover the breadth of information, skills, and assignments found in corresponding college courses
- Meet peer-review standards set by top educators in conjunction with the College Board
- Are designed for any student
The College Board is committed to an open-enrollment program and to expanding access to AP for all students.
Most U.S. colleges and many international ones have an AP Credit Policy which allows students who have taken AP courses or exams to earn college credit, placement, or both.