Why Your School Should Offer AP® and Honors Courses and How to Do It

March 2025

For Catholic Schools with a goal of providing students with robust, college-ready academic opportunities, offering a diverse range of advanced courses is essential. Advanced Placement® (AP®) and honors are two options. But what’s the difference and how can schools add them without adding more staff and space are the questions. This article defines these popular course options and explores ways that Catholic schools can offer them in a way that benefits both students and the schools.

This shift is reshaping how colleges operate, and high schools need to follow suit. By incorporating online learning into your curriculum, you're giving students a head start in navigating the digital platforms they’ll encounter in college, while also broadening your school's course offerings and enhancing student outcomes. This article explores the growing trend of online learning and offers practical steps to integrate it into your school to ensure your students are fully prepared for higher education.

What Are AP® Courses?

AP® courses are college-level classes offered in high school. Students who take these courses are expected to complete rigorous assignments and end the year by taking a national AP® exam. AP® exams are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with a score of 3 or higher generally required to earn college credit.

What Are Honors Courses?

Honors courses are designed to provide students with a more challenging curriculum compared to regular high school classes. These courses are often curated by individual schools or districts and vary from one institution to another. Honors classes delve deeper into topics than standard courses, encouraging critical thinking and independent learning.

Honors and AP® Courses Comparison

Feature/Program	Honors Courses	AP® Courses
Course Level	High school enrichment, more rigorous than standard	College-level content; standardized by College Board
Opportunity for College Credit	No	Yes, through AP exams
Focus	Critical thinking, independent learning	College readiness, advanced academics
Difficulty Level	Advanced, but less rigorous than AP® or University	College-level rigor; exams required for credit
Class Size	Generally smaller, more personalized	Typically larger, lecture-style format
Admission Advantage	Enhances college applications	Strong indicator of academic rigor
Benefits for Students	Personal growth, academic challenge, college readiness	College credit, academic challenge, and admissions boost

The Value of Offering AP® and Honors Courses for Students

Prepare Students for College and Beyond

Offering AP® and Honors courses equips students with the skills and academic preparation they need to succeed in higher education. These advanced classes challenge students to think critically, manage their time effectively, and tackle complex material. They learn how to thrive in a rigorous academic environment, which is key to their future success in college and beyond.

AP® Courses: These college-level courses provide students with a structured curriculum and the opportunity to earn college credit if they perform well on the exams. Offering AP courses gives students the ability to get a head start on their college education, potentially reducing the time and money they will need to complete their degree.
Honors Courses: Designed to provide more in-depth study of core subjects, Honors courses help students develop higher-level thinking and research skills. Offering Honors courses shows that a school is committed to providing students with a challenging academic experience, preparing them for the competitive nature of college admissions.

Increase College Admissions Opportunities

Today’s college admissions process is highly competitive, and students are looking for ways to stand out. Offering a wide range of AP® and Honors courses gives students a significant advantage when applying to college. Colleges and universities look for students who have taken on challenging coursework, and a rigorous high school curriculum signals to admissions officers that a student is academically prepared for the demands of higher education.

In the webinar, The Power of Offering AP® Courses to Your Students, President of Catholic Virtual Rob Birdsell spoke with Hayley Mendes, a former University of Notre Dame Admissions Officer from InGenius Prep, about the importance of offering advanced courses to students to help them stand out and prepare for higher education.

Ms. Mendes shared that AP® courses can be very important for college applications for today’s students.

“When someone like me, who’s trained to review applications, are doing so we are looking very closely at a student’s academics, and AP® courses are a good way to give us, the application reader, the confidence that the student is going to be able to handle the rigor of the university that they're approaching,” said Mendes.

When a university reviews a student’s application, beyond seeing they were able to handle rigorous coursework, it is beneficial to see they’ve taken courses across different subject areas, particularly in the area in which the student plans to study. AP® courses are “a great way to show their intellectual curiosity,” said Mendes. And there are so many subjects from which to choose—from core subjects to art history and computer science.

Since AP® exams are standardized, Mendes shared that a high score on an AP® exam lets colleges know that students have taken on the challenge of rigorous coursework and are ready to contribute more deeply to the conversation in college courses. Taking AP courses also shows students are self-led and self-driven, in charge of their own preparation. They have challenged themselves and succeeded.

Catholic high schools that offer a large variety of AP® courses give their students a huge advantage. The courses open opportunities for students to explore subjects more deeply and differentiate themselves in a crowded college admissions pool.

The Power of Offering AP® Courses to Your Students Webinar

Strategic Advanced Placement® (AP®) implementation benefit both students and Catholic Schools. Watch the recording of Birdsell and Mendes’s discussion to learn how Catholic School administrators can enhance college preparatory offerings and offer courses that distinguish students during the admissions process.

Watch Now

Enhance Student Engagement and Satisfaction

When students are given the opportunity to challenge themselves and explore subjects at a higher level, they are more likely to stay engaged in their studies. Offering a variety of advanced courses, including AP® and Honors options ensures that students have choices that align with their interests and academic goals. This variety fosters a sense of ownership over their education and encourages them to take responsibility for their learning.

An expanded course catalog can also boost student satisfaction and retention, as students feel that their school is invested in their future and is providing them with the academic resources and choices they need to succeed!

Offering AP® and Honors Classes Without More Space or Teachers

Honors and AP® courses are desirable for today’s students, but it can be a challenge for schools to offer a variety of rigorous course options to a small group of students. For schools looking to expand their course offerings without the burden of additional infrastructure, expert staffing, or curriculum development, partnership can be the solution.

Partnership with online learning providers like Catholic Virtual allows schools to significantly broaden their course offerings without the need to invest in physical infrastructure or additional teaching staff. Schools can offer AP® and Honors courses to students, even in subjects that may not currently have enough demand to warrant hiring additional full-time faculty. Online learning platforms provide schools with ready-made curricula and virtual classrooms, enabling schools to scale their academic offerings quickly and efficiently.

In the webinar, Mendes pointed out that the AP® course expectations and tests are standardized, offering a consistent measure to evaluate what a student has accomplished. It doesn’t make a difference if the course is taken online or in person.

“Whether the class was in person or virtual reads the same in terms of what we're seeing and what we're considering,” said Mendes. “But I do think that there's a lot to be benefited from in terms of taking the online courses.”

Since an increasing amount of life, work, and studies is done through the virtual setting, Mendes feels it is important that students have the experience. Plus, online learning offers the experience of independence, which will be an expectation in college where teachers will not be checking in and making sure students stay on top of their work. “One of the big benefits of some virtual coursework is that you have that self-autonomy and independence already as an experience in terms of your education,” said Mendes.

When Catholic Schools works with an online learning partner like Catholic Virtual, students have access to a broader range of subjects and advanced classes without the school needing to hire specialized teachers or create costly new programs. It’s a win-win situation that enhances the academic reputation of the school while meeting the needs of students who are looking for more challenging coursework. This model allows schools to offer high-level courses without adding significant overhead or having to stretch existing resources.

There’s a variety of ways Catholic Schools can prepare their students to succeed in higher education. By offering a variety of advanced courses, schools not only improve students’ chance for college success, but increase student engagement and strengthen their reputation as institutions committed to academic excellence.

Working with an online learning partner to offer AP® and Honors courses is a smart strategy for schools looking to enhance their academic offerings. This partnership not only allows schools to provide a diverse and challenging curriculum but also saves them from the financial and logistical burden of expanding infrastructure and hiring additional staff. Ultimately, this partnership creates a win-win situation for both students and schools—one that fosters growth, opportunity, and achievement in the ever-evolving landscape of education.

Advanced Placement® and AP® are trademarks registered by College Board.