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College Credit and Honors Program

St. Joseph’s Academy offers the opportunity for students to take honors courses for honors credit, college credit, and/or to prepare for the Advanced Placement exam. The terms ACC (Advanced College Credit), ACP (Advanced College Program), and AP (Advanced Placement) are used to designate these options. ACC and ACP courses at St. Joseph’s Academy are offered through the Saint Louis University 1818 ACC Program and through the University of Missouri-St. Louis ACP program. The AP courses prepare students for the AP exams that are sponsored by the College Board.

All Honors, ACC, ACP, and AP classes are more challenging, and carry an additional GPA weight of .5. A student’s course load is based on her talents and her ability to handle the challenges she faces. These courses are taught at a more rigorous level and require more from the student. The following are expected of all St. Joseph’s Academy students, but to be successful in college credit and honors courses, students must demonstrate:

  • The ability to work independently
  • A strong work ethic
  • A greater time commitment to the course material
  • Higher-order thinking skills reflected in writing, speaking, and reading comprehension
  • Higher levels of class discussion

AP/ACC or AP/ACP classes carry both designations because the student has the opportunity to earn SLU or UMSL college credit directly or through scoring well on the AP exam. Students at St. Joseph’s Academy may be recommended by their teachers to take Honors, ACC, ACP, or AP courses. Criteria for recommendations are determined by the teachers in each department. 

honors

Honors courses are more challenging high school courses with greater expectations; they carry extra GPA weight, but they do not carry any college credit or potential for college credit.

 

acc/acp

ACC/ACP courses are more challenging, as they are taught at the university level. They carry extra GPA weight, and can provide college credit. An additional fee is required to be paid to the sponsoring university to receive college credit. 
 

advanced placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are more challenging than honors courses. They carry extra GPA weight and provide college credit at many colleges for successful scores on the AP exam. The College Board charges a fee for the AP exam, which must be paid in the fall.