Do honors classes boost your college application like APs?

Yo, quick question. I know AP courses are weighted and look good for college, but do honors classes also give a similar advantage when applying to colleges? Are they weighted similarly, and do they hold as much significance?

Hello there! Great question. Yes, honors classes do play a positive role in your college applications, but their impact can be a bit different from AP classes. Honors courses, while rigorous, are generally not as advanced as AP courses, which are college-level classes that give you the opportunity to earn college credit, depending on your AP exam score. That being said, colleges valuing APs over honors courses is not universally the case—at some high schools, AP courses aren't offered, and honors classes are the highest level you can take.

Regarding your GPA, different high schools have different course offerings and different weighting systems for GPAs, and colleges often recalculate your GPA based on their own standards. So if your school offers a weighted GPA for honors or AP classes, colleges might consider that, but they will look at your transcript within the context of your school's offerings. Ultimately, admissions committees want to see that you're challenging yourself beyond the basic curriculum, as that speaks well of your potential to thrive in a higher education setting. The key is to show that you're taking the most challenging courses available to you.

In short, honors classes are a step up from regular classes and will boost your application, but AP classes usually carry more weight. Keep on challenging yourself with the most rigorous courses you can manage, and good luck with your college process!