Honors classes vs regular classes in high schools

[Anonymous]

My oldest is in middle school, so I have no experience with anything at the high school level. It seems like for a student entering 9th grade, most classes required are core classes. Most kids would take English and U.S. History, but honors English and honors U.S. History are also options. What's the difference between regulars and honors classes at the 9th grade level?

[Anonymous]

They are supposed to be more difficult in terms of going more in depth into the material, and require more or more advanced work. Honors courses will frequently require longer writing assignments, or be held to a higher standard of work than the non-honors course because it is assumed that the student in honors has more interest in the subject and stronger academic abilities. I don't know the extent to which the courses actually are more difficult or more interesting than the non-honors version, but that is the theory and the claim.

Another consideration is that honors courses in English and History usually have summer assignments that must be completed, while non-honors versions might not depending on the school. So during the summer between 8th and 9th grade a student entering honors is likely to have a few required reading assignments that will count in his/her 9th grade honors class's first quarter grades. If you think this will be a sticking point for your kid, it is something to consider.

The major benefit aside from maybe a more challenging/enriching academic atmosphere, is that being on the honors track in 9th allows the student to take the most rigorous courseload he/she can, which looks good to universities, who often consider rigor of courses in admissions decisions. Also, the honors track allows students to take AP courses in junior and senior (occasionally sophomore) year. These are considered "college level" classes taught to high school students and at the end of the course students can pay to take a standardized exam over the course material that may or may not give them college credit (depending on the score they receive and the college they go to).

Hope this helped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are supposed to be more difficult in terms of going more in depth into the material, and require more or more advanced work. Honors courses will frequently require longer writing assignments, or be held to a higher standard of work than the non-honors course because it is assumed that the student in honors has more interest in the subject and stronger academic abilities. I don't know the extent to which the courses actually are more difficult or more interesting than the non-honors version, but that is the theory and the claim.

Another consideration is that honors courses in English and History usually have summer assignments that must be completed, while non-honors versions might not depending on the school. So during the summer between 8th and 9th grade a student entering honors is likely to have a few required reading assignments that will count in his/her 9th grade honors class's first quarter grades. If you think this will be a sticking point for your kid, it is something to consider.

The major benefit aside from maybe a more challenging/enriching academic atmosphere, is that being on the honors track in 9th allows the student to take the most rigorous courseload he/she can, which looks good to universities, who often consider rigor of courses in admissions decisions. Also, the honors track allows students to take AP courses in junior and senior (occasionally sophomore) year. These are considered "college level" classes taught to high school students and at the end of the course students can pay to take a standardized exam over the course material that may or may not give them college credit (depending on the score they receive and the college they go to).

Hope this helped.

I am not the OP but I also have a child entering high school next year. This is a very helpful explainer. Thank you for taking the time!

[Anonymous]

I have heard the differences are not very big. Same concepts maybe a higher level book for the honors class. No summer homework that I have known about.

[Anonymous]

Are the honors classes at high school level being grouped heterogeneously now, as they are in middle school? I assume so…that really changes the classroom dynamic.

[Anonymous]

One benefit is that the honors grades are weighted. So an honors "c" grade is factored as a regular "b" grade when calculating GPA

[Anonymous]

Also, anyone can decide to sign up for an honors class..you don't need teacher approval.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the honors classes at high school level being grouped heterogeneously now, as they are in middle school? I assume so…that really changes the classroom dynamic.

During BCC parents info night for rising 9th graders several teachers and a counselor said that most honors classes were heterogeneously grouped -- i.e. both on grade level and honors in the same class but with some different assignments/expectations. The con to this may mean that the classes are not actually that challenging. The pro is that a student can "try" honors and drop back to "regular" in the same classroom without creating a lot of problems -- they likely won't have to move to a new class section that might necessitate a larger change in schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the honors classes at high school level being grouped heterogeneously now, as they are in middle school? I assume so…that really changes the classroom dynamic.

During BCC parents info night for rising 9th graders several teachers and a counselor said that most honors classes were heterogeneously grouped -- i.e. both on grade level and honors in the same class but with some different assignments/expectations. The con to this may mean that the classes are not actually that challenging. The pro is that a student can "try" honors and drop back to "regular" in the same classroom without creating a lot of problems -- they likely won't have to move to a new class section that might necessitate a larger change in schedule.

Yes, this is how they do it at Westland and what it really means they don't actually do it! DD has always been designated as honors/advanced/GT whatever and she rarely gets any different work.

[Anonymous]

When we were transferring into FCPS at 9th grade from a private DC was offered Honors. We asked what the difference was. Answer: "Double the Homework; double the projects". That was the last thing we needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One benefit is that the honors grades are weighted. So an honors "c" grade is factored as a regular "b" grade when calculating GPA

+1. This makes a big difference when calculating GPA.

OP, when I was in high school, there was an energy to some of the honors classes that didn't exist in my regular classes. Kids were a little more switched on, and of course working harder, since there was more challenging work. Sometimes - though not always - the more experienced (or "better") teachers got to teach the honors classes. though not always. Tests were sometimes different - more short answer in the regular classes, more long essay in the honors classes. The honors classes provided a better preparation (in reading, writing and study skills) for college.

The important thing is to choose how many honors classes, and which ones. This depends on your child's academic interests and personality.

[Anonymous]

Not being snarky but I thought like 80 percent of the population takes honors now and regular classes are really like special ed. My kids are in private but I attended MCPS many moons ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not being snarky but I thought like 80 percent of the population takes honors now and regular classes are really like special ed. My kids are in private but I attended MCPS many moons ago.

This is what I'm looking for...straight talk. Is this still the case today? Does the average A/B student take "honors" everything?

[Anonymous]

Does this look different in a "w" school vs. a school like einstein?

[Anonymous]

Honors courses are faster paced and, therefore, cover more material than on grade level classes. They truly are more of a challenge than on grade level courses.