Honors and AP Courses | Junipero Serra High School

Serra students are challenged to push themselves academically and are encouraged to develop educational plans with their goals and interests in mind. With the support of his counselor and his teachers, each Padre designs a learning pathway based on his career interests and college goals. This allows him the flexibility to adjust each year as his focus on college becomes clearer. For many students, this includes the opportunity to take Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

It isn’t about the path, it’s all about the journey!

Some students start freshman year in honors, while others grow into the program. Typically, about 45% of incoming first-year students have one or more honors classes on their schedules. Many students opt into the program later, during their sophomore, junior or senior years. By graduation, more than 60% of students have honors and/or AP classes on their transcripts.

Students who qualify for and enroll in honors and AP courses will find teachers who are deeply knowledgeable in their subject areas. They see their students’ success as their own success.

Honors and AP Curriculum: Preparing Students for College-Level Success

The curriculum for AP classes is aligned to the College Board’s AP standards. In most cases, honors classes are designed to move students toward achievement of the AP standards. Students in honors and AP classes earn an extra grade point, which is factored into the weighted grade point average that colleges and universities request from all students.