AP & Honors

Opportunities for Motivated Young People

Pacifica students thrive as learners and as leaders, in part because they are challenged to push themselves to go beyond what they thought possible. The Pacifica experience is built on relationships, with the bedrock of the Pacifica student identity being forged in the classroom through courses that stretch them.

Both honors and AP courses are rigorous courses that most high schools weigh more heavily on your transcript. AP courses, however, culminate in the AP exam. Good AP scores show colleges you are ready to succeed at college-level work and can even earn you college credits, but are less important than the presence of these courses on a student’s transcript.

At Pacifica, we urge every student to take the most rigorous course load that makes sense for them. We value the academic diversity of learning styles while allowing students to challenge themselves in a healthy, supportive, and intellectually rich environment.

COLIN ON “GRACE & TRUTH”

a pacifica education

• Is a rigorous, college-preparatory program that prepares students to excel at any college in the country
• Uses teaching methods that are based on inquiry, rhetoric, and higher-level thinking skills
• Is founded on the Great Conversation of Western civilization where all topics, both secular and theological are explored
• Integrates faith into learning by asking students to consider and discuss the big questions in life
• Requires a high level of engagement between students and teachers
• Is highly customized and personalized for each student
• Is committed to the pursuit and formation of truth, beauty, and goodness
• Emphasizes and fosters genuine joy and interest in learning

“Colleges will not be impressed with the bare minimum. This is where academic rigor comes in. They want to see you pushing yourself. They want to see you stepping out of your comfort zone and working hard to accomplish good grades. College coursework will be more difficult and demanding than high school, so proving that you can handle tougher material ensures colleges that you will work just as hard while attending their own classes.” – Allison Wignall, Harvard Business Review

Advanced placement & HONORS COURSES