Can taking honors classes in high school actually give me college credits?

I've been hearing mixed things about honors classes and college credits. Does anyone know if taking honors courses in high school can actually earn me credits before I even get to college, or is that just a myth? Trying to figure out if it's worth the extra effort.

Although honors classes are a fantastic way to challenge yourself academically and show colleges that you're willing to tackle more difficult coursework, they don't usually translate directly to college credit. Instead, honors classes help prepare you for the rigor of Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes, which do offer the possibility of earning college credits if you score high enough on the final exams.

Additionally, excelling in honors courses can boost your high school GPA, which is beneficial when applying to colleges because it demonstrates your capability to succeed in higher-level academics. Some colleges may use honors courses to adjust your GPA slightly if they recalculate it based on their own criteria, which can indirectly affect your college credits if the school offers credit for certain GPA thresholds. However, for direct college credit, you would usually need to look at dual enrollment, AP, or IB courses.