Honors & Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

What are Honors/AP courses?

For the academically qualified and/or highly motivated, Person High offers challenging AP and Honors level courses; these courses are accelerated, demanding, stimulating and time-consuming.

Honors Courses:

Honors classes cover the same or similar material as regular classes but provide more depth and insight into the subjects at hand. More challenging content means studying takes more time, projects require more work, and tests are more challenging. As a result, honors students can develop better study habits and more effective test-taking skills. Fast-paced and interactive honors classes can also simulate a college classroom better than regular classes. Students who take Honors level courses will also have the added benefit of an extra .5 weight for the course applied to their GPA.

AP Courses:

Advanced Placement classes introduce high school learners to rigorous college-level training. AP classes require a considerable amount of after-school studying and conclude with a very important exam. AP exams are scored on a scale of 1-5, with scores of 3 and above considered passing grades. Colleges sometimes count scores of 3 and above for college credit, although the most prestigious schools may only consider scores of 4 or 5. Additionally, students who take AP level courses will also have the added benefit of an extra 1 point weight for the course applied to their GPA.

Eligibility for Honors/AP Courses

(Placement Criteria)

Because of the rigorous pace and content load of advanced courses, students are required to meet a minimum requirement to be eligible to take an Honors / AP course.

Rising seniors for the 23-24 school year are required to have at least 2 of the following criteria met and rising freshmen, sophomores and juniors will be required to have at least 3 met:

70%-79% probability of Level III Projection on EOC/EOG
EOC/EOG Score of 3 or higher in the subject area* of the honors course
iReady Reading and/or iReady Math on an Early to Mid Grade Level or higher in the subject area* of the honors/AP course
Pre-ACT / ACT Composite Score of 20 or higher
Course grade in prerequisite course (or last course in the subject area) of B or higher
AIG Classification

*Math and reading are considered for honors and AP science courses. Reading scores are considered for honors and AP social studies courses

How Do I Know if Honors/AP Courses Are Right For Me?

What if I don't meet the minimum criteria to be placed in a Honors/AP course but really know I'm committed to challenging myself by doing so?

The first step would be to read the questions below to determine if an Honors/AP course is right for you. Then, talk with your parent, current teachers, and school counselor to see if submitting a waiver to enter the class is a good choice for you. You will then hold a meeting, including your parents, to discuss the minimum guidelines and complete a waiver form if you decide Honors/AP courses are the right choice for you.

Honors/AP Course Waiver

Why are you choosing an AP/Honors course?

Do you want the intellectual stimulation? Do you want to learn more (and in more depth) than you would in a regular class? Motivation plays an important role in the selection process. Your intense desire to learn contributes to your success in a challenging course, sometimes even more than your ability. If you are interested in a course, you are receptive to everything that takes place in the class and are willing to accept demanding requirements. How motivated are you? If you need to change your attitude, do so now; it is worth the effort!

Can you handle the accelerated pace, increased workload, and the additional time required by an AP or Honors course while at the same time pursuing other school activities and interests?

When you choose an AP or Honors course, you commit yourself to hard work; you commit yourself to more work at a higher level than a regular course. Are you prepared to make that commitment? Look specifically at the requirements of the course, especially the amount of time and effort needed. After reviewing these requirements, ask yourself: “Is there enough time in my day for everything that I want?” While you may be able to handle one Honors course, will the cumulative effect of your choosing several courses overwhelm you with work and cause you to earn lower grades than you expected? Strength of program is important, but not at all costs. Your other courses and activities should not suffer because you have chosen an Honors course.

Honors vs. AP Classes: Which Is Right for You?

To choose between honors and AP classes, think about your educational goals. While you may need to take several AP classes to qualify for certain prestigious schools, taking too many can be overwhelming and may do more harm than good. If you're seeking college credit, you may want to select AP classes only in your strongest subjects while taking honors or regular classes in other areas. If you're pursuing highly selective colleges, you should consider taking many AP and honors classes so you can boost your GPA.

How many AP or Honors courses should I take?

While there is no blueprint for determining the precise number of AP or Honors courses to take or if you should take any at all, you can ask some helpful questions. When you are considering an Honors level courses in history or English, ask yourself: “How well and quickly do I read?” If your reading rate is low and you are expected to read 50 pages a night, will you be able to complete your reading for the Honors class and all your homework for your other courses? Another question to ask is, “How strong is my writing?” If you require many hours for each essay or writing assignment, will other assignments suffer? When you are considering an Honors level courses in Mathematics or Science, ask yourself: “How quickly do I comprehend new concepts?” If you take a long time to grasp new concepts, when will you have enough time to devote to your other courses?

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