Honors Classes
Avondale High School offers the following Honors Classes. CLICK on the one you want to take to find the required application DUE FEBRUARY 26, 2016.
Please complete applications neatly and in BLACK OR BLUE INK (not pencil). Biology OptionAdvanced Placement
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All new freshmen are expected to take an Academic Center. Students who have all A's and desire four years of band or choir may REQUEST an Academic Center waiver, but should sign up for an AC in their course requests. If the submitted waiver request is granted, we will change the student's schedule to include the desired course (instead of AC).
Click on the button above to access the waiver request form. |
The Importance of Academic Rigor
Studies have shown that the rigor of a student's high school curriculum is the single best predictor of success in college. In his seminal study, The Tool Box Revisted: Paths to Degree Completion from High School Through College(Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, 2006), Clifford Adelman demonstrated that the academic intensity of a high school curriculum is essential to student success in college.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) annual State of College Admissions survey consistently finds that student performance in college preparatory classes is the most important factor in the admission decision. With this in mind, parents and educators should encourage enrollment in honors and AP courses even if your students have the impression that only "top" students should take these courses or the fear that taking a challenging course might result in a lower GPA. Advanced-level courses are worth the extra effort.
Implications for Admission
Students don't understand how much weight college admission officers give to advanced-level courses on an applicant's transcript. Admission officers are not impressed by straight As when they are all earned in easier courses. Many colleges recalculate applicants’ GPAs, giving extra points for honors or AP courses.
Students should take a balanced load, one that allows them to devote the necessary time to each course. Colleges look for quality, not quantity. According to Dan Saracino, former assistant provost for enrollment at the University of Notre Dame: "Nothing is more important than the quality of the course load."
Honors Courses
Honors classes often offer the same curriculum as regular classes but are tailored for high-achieving students — covering additional topics or some topics in greater depth.
AP Courses
The National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) annual State of College Admissions survey consistently finds that student performance in college preparatory classes is the most important factor in the admission decision. With this in mind, parents and educators should encourage enrollment in honors and AP courses even if your students have the impression that only "top" students should take these courses or the fear that taking a challenging course might result in a lower GPA. Advanced-level courses are worth the extra effort.
Implications for Admission
Students don't understand how much weight college admission officers give to advanced-level courses on an applicant's transcript. Admission officers are not impressed by straight As when they are all earned in easier courses. Many colleges recalculate applicants’ GPAs, giving extra points for honors or AP courses.
Students should take a balanced load, one that allows them to devote the necessary time to each course. Colleges look for quality, not quantity. According to Dan Saracino, former assistant provost for enrollment at the University of Notre Dame: "Nothing is more important than the quality of the course load."
Honors Courses
Honors classes often offer the same curriculum as regular classes but are tailored for high-achieving students — covering additional topics or some topics in greater depth.
AP Courses
- Cover the breadth of information, skills and assignments found in corresponding college courses
- Align with the standards and expectations of leading liberal arts and research institutions
- Provide motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to study and learn at the college level