AP Courses vs. Honors Courses: What's the Difference?

AP and Honors courses both give high school students opportunities to take more challenging classes, but they are not the same.

In general, Honors courses provide a more rigorous version of high school-level coursework, while AP courses are designed around college-level academic content through the Advanced Placement program.

The best choice depends on a student's academic preparation, interests, workload, and future goals. For many students, the right high school schedule may include a combination of Regular, Honors, and AP courses rather than choosing only one level.

What Is an Honors Course?

An Honors course is typically a more academically challenging version of a regular high school course.

Compared with a standard course in the same subject, an Honors course may move at a faster pace, explore topics in greater depth, or require more advanced reading, writing, analysis, and problem-solving.

Honors courses can be particularly useful for students who are ready for additional challenge but may not yet be prepared for college-level AP coursework.

The exact curriculum and expectations of an Honors course can vary from school to school.

What Is an AP Course?

AP stands for Advanced Placement.

AP courses are based on the Advanced Placement program established by the College Board and are designed to provide high school students with college-level academic coursework.

Students can take AP courses in many subject areas, including English, mathematics, sciences, history and social sciences, world languages, and the arts.

AP courses are generally more standardized in their academic expectations than Honors courses because they are connected to the broader AP program and corresponding AP Exams.

What Is the Main Difference Between AP and Honors?

The biggest difference is the academic level and structure of the courses.

Honors courses are advanced high school courses whose curriculum is generally determined by the school offering them.

AP courses are designed around college-level content and expectations established through the Advanced Placement program.

Both can demonstrate that a student is willing to take academically challenging coursework, but they serve somewhat different purposes within a high school curriculum.

Are AP Courses Harder Than Honors Courses?

AP courses are generally designed to be more advanced because they introduce college-level material.

However, that does not mean every AP course will feel harder to every student.

Difficulty depends on the subject, the student's strengths, previous preparation, course structure, and workload.

A student who is particularly strong in mathematics, for example, may be ready for an AP math course while preferring an Honors course in another subject.

Course selection should reflect the individual student rather than simply choosing the highest available level in every subject.

Do AP and Honors Courses Affect GPA Differently?

That depends on the school.

Some high schools use a weighted GPA system that assigns additional weight to Honors or AP courses. Others calculate GPA differently.

The amount of additional weight may also vary between Honors and AP courses.

Because GPA policies are determined by individual schools, students should check their school's grading and GPA policies rather than assuming that every Honors or AP course will be weighted in the same way.

Which Looks Better for College Admissions?

There is no single course type that automatically makes a student more competitive for college admission.

Colleges may consider the rigor of a student's academic program in the context of the courses available to that student.

AP courses can demonstrate experience with college-level academic work, while Honors courses can also show that a student pursued greater challenge within the high school curriculum.

However, course rigor is only one part of an application.

Academic performance matters as well. Taking the most difficult possible schedule is not necessarily helpful if the workload prevents a student from performing well.

A thoughtful academic plan should balance challenge, preparation, performance, and the student's individual goals.

Does Taking an AP Course Give You College Credit?

Not automatically.

Completing an AP course is different from earning college credit.

Students may take an AP Exam associated with the subject, but colleges and universities establish their own policies regarding which AP Exam scores qualify for college credit, advanced placement, or course exemptions.

An Honors course does not normally have a standardized national exam comparable to the AP Exam.

Should Students Take Honors Before AP?

Not always.

The appropriate sequence depends on the subject, the student's previous coursework, and the school's prerequisites.

In some subjects, Honors coursework may provide useful preparation before moving into an AP course. In other cases, a qualified student may be ready to move directly into AP coursework.

Students should consider their academic foundation and any course prerequisites before deciding.

What If My School Doesn't Offer the AP Course I Want?

Students may have strong academic interests that extend beyond the courses available at their current school.

In some cases, a student can take an individual AP course through another school while remaining enrolled at their current high school.

This can provide access to advanced coursework without requiring the student to transfer schools.

Before enrolling in an outside course, students should understand how the course will be taught, graded, and documented and should check whether their current school has policies regarding external coursework.

How Does SIS Structure Advanced Coursework?

Solomon International School offers different levels of academic coursework based on grade level and student readiness.

Students in Grades 7–8 may take Regular or Honors coursework, while students in Grades 9–12 may have access to Regular, Honors, and AP coursework based on their academic program and preparation.

Students who attend another school may also take individual AP courses through SIS without enrolling in the SIS U.S. Full-Time Program.

SIS offers a wide range of AP courses, with Teacher-Led Live instruction available for selected courses and Self-Paced options that include SIS teacher instruction, grading, feedback, and academic support.

Which Option Is Right for You?

Choosing between Regular, Honors, and AP coursework should not be about collecting the greatest number of advanced course labels.

The goal is to build an academic program that provides appropriate challenge while allowing the student to learn successfully.

Students should consider:

• Their performance in previous courses

• Their strengths and interests

• The difficulty of their overall schedule

• Course prerequisites

• Extracurricular and personal commitments

• Future academic interests

• The amount of time they can realistically devote to each course

For some students, Honors may be the right next step. For others, AP coursework may provide the level of challenge they are ready to pursue.

Explore Advanced Coursework at SIS

Solomon International School offers Honors and AP coursework for students seeking greater academic challenge, as well as individual AP course options for students who remain enrolled at another school.

EXPLORE AP COURSES →