The journey to college begins with a single step… or maybe at least a single decision. Students who take college prep courses are generally more prepared for the responsibilities of higher education, and they are typically more likely to get into the colleges of their choice compared to students who never took such classes.
That said, it can be confusing to navigate all the different high school course options. For example, students can often choose between standard courses, college prep courses, honors and AP or IB courses. How exactly can you know which classes to take?
Don’t worry—we got you covered! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about college prep courses.
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(click to skip ahead)What are college prep courses?
While you might think that “college prep courses” are easy to define—after all, the name seems to more or less spell it out: these are courses that are intended to help prepare students for success as a college student—the truth is that there are different kinds of college prep curricula that prepare students for college in different ways, so the question “what are college prep classes in high school?” can have multiple possible answers, which we’ll break down below.
Core high school curriculum
Strictly speaking, the standard high school curriculum is intended to prepare students for college. That is why students must take a minimum number of certain courses before they graduate. Typically, those classes include the following:
4 years of English
3 years of science
3 years of math
3 years of social studies
2-4 years of world language
Students who succeed in these classes at the high school level should be fairly well prepared for success at the college level. However, virtually every high school also offers more advanced versions of these classes, and the advanced classes generally offer a better level of college preparation for students. Since the standard classes are already de facto “college prep” courses, you can (somewhat ironically) better prepare for a university education by taking a more challenging curriculum.
The advanced high school curriculum (and why it’s beneficial)
Because certain colleges are very selective (for example, hi MIT), it can be beneficial (and can to some degree be considered required) for prospective students to go above and beyond when it comes to their high school education. When possible, it’s recommended to take the most challenging courses that are available. In particular, if you have some highly-selective colleges on your list, they will generally expect you to take the most challenging courses available to you, so in many cases
4 years of English
4 years of math
4 years of science
4 years of social studies
4 years of world language
Including Honors courses and AP classes depending on what your school offers. (For more on understanding what colleges look for in students, check out that in-depth guide.)
What if your school doesn’t offer some of those things? That’s fine—colleges have access to your School Profile, so admissions officers can understand what options were available, what you took advantage of, and what opportunities you left on the table. For more on Honors, AP, IB, and “rigor”, check out that podcast episode.
Useful Tip: Visit the website of any universities you are interested in applying to and checking the admissions requirements. Often, the college will outline which courses are required vs which ones are simply recommended. By taking as many of the recommended courses as possible, you can improve your own college preparation while making yourself look like an ideal applicant to the institution.
College prep high schools
Sometimes, “college prep” doesn’t simply refer to a type of class or specialized curriculum. Instead, the term may be applied to an entire high school. While such high schools vary in their curricula and educational focus, all of them have something in common: they are intended to provide students with the best possible level of college preparation.
Some of these schools are a bit more rigorous than others. At one of the Gary Lighthouse Charter Schools, for example, researching colleges and applying for admission is a standard part of the curriculum. In fact, students can’t even receive their diplomas until they have been accepted by at least one college they apply to!
A more common type of college prep high school is one that allows students to earn college credits while in high school, like the Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College. These institutions are beneficial because they give students hands-on experience actually taking college classes, and students may be able to complete as much as half of their college coursework before receiving a high school diploma!
Programs to increase access to college
In addition to college prep courses and high schools, there are also various programs also referred to as “college prep” that students can take to better prepare them for college. As an added bonus, participation in such programs may provide the edge a student needs in order to gain admission to a competitive institution.
First of all, the federal government offers a number of programs designed particularly to assist students who would be considered nontraditional college applicants. For example:
Upward Bound (part of the Federal TRiO Programs) helps low-income students prepare for university by exposing them to a simulated college environment, complete with an extensive support system.
Talent Search, meanwhile, offers both low-income students and first-generation college students counseling services needed to achieve success in higher education.
The Student Support Services program offers a range of tutoring and academic advising services as well as career counseling and financial aid information to students who are low-income, first-generation, and/or disabled.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (aka GEAR UP) provides similar tutoring, advising, and counseling services to low-income and minority students starting as early as 7th grade.
Such federal programs are available to prospective students regardless of where they live. However, be sure to research potential resources unique to your own state: for example, California’s EOP program is designed to help state residents who are low-income or otherwise educationally disadvantaged. You may also qualify for community college prep programs such as AVID, which aims to close the educational gap and help students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to make it to college to achieve a higher education.
College Prep Classes, Honors/AP Classes, and IB
In most high schools, there is effectively a kind of course hierarchy. Typically, higher level classes will be labeled as “Honors.” These are more challenging courses, and they offer prospective students some major advantages when it comes to applying to college. For one thing, these courses may offer college credit, which looks great on your applications and also prepares you for the rigors of a college curriculum. For another thing, these classes may boost GPA by offering more weighted credit than other courses, which can help with both college and scholarship applications.
The next “step up” in the hierarchy are the AP and IB courses. Typically, these are the most challenging courses a student can take, and they always end with a major exam. If students score high enough on an AP exam (typically, 4 out of 5 points), they can usually get college credit for the course they just completed. If students pass the IB exam, they may receive college credit for the class, and with enough IB credits, they could position themselves as the strongest possible applicants and possibly skip freshman year altogether!
College prep courses on the Common App
To receive full credit for the college prep courses you have taken, it’s important to enter them into the Common App (here’s our how-to Common App guide). While we always recommend you consult with your school counselor about the best way to approach your application, just to be sure, the instructions below should help you enter all of your classes into the App before you start applying to colleges.
Use “Advanced Placement”: for AP Calculus AB/AP Biology, etc.
Use “Dual Enrollment” for things like Community College courses
Use “Honors” for things like Honors English 11, Honors English 10
Use “College Prep” for all other English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language (e.g. Spanish)
Use “Regular/Standard” for electives
By following the instructions above, you can make entering this info much easier while also greatly improving your chances of gaining admission to the university of your dreams.
“Easier” courses vs more rigorous course load
Sometimes, students struggle to pick the best classes to take because they face a unique dilemma: by definition, easier courses are going to be easier to complete, and that can help keep their GPA as high as possible. With that in mind, why would someone ever take more rigorous courses instead?
One practical answer that we touched on before is that more rigorous courses could offer benefits such as college credit or a weighted advantage for the overall GPA. Mostly, though, admissions offices simply prioritize more rigorous courses over easy ones. Situationally, that means that a student with a lower GPA who constantly took Honors, AP, or IB classes will still generally be more attractive to a university than a student with a higher GPA who took the easiest courses possible.
FAQ on college prep courses
Are college prep courses harder than Honors?
Depends on how you’re using the term “college prep” (see the first section of this post). With that caveat in mind, core college prep courses typically are a bit easier and go at a slower pace than honors classes.
What does the Common App consider “college prep courses”?
In the Common App, “College Prep” is typically used to refer to non-elective classes that are not otherwise labeled AP, IB, or Honors. When in doubt, always check with your guidance counselor to be sure.
Uplevel your understanding and applications
Now you hopefully have a clearer sense of what college prep courses are and how you can use that understanding to your advantage as you craft your applications. If you’re looking for more, here at College Essay Guy, we offer students a full range of services intended to support their academic success, from pay-what-you-can courses and tons of free resources to 1-1 support. Want to make sure your applications truly shine? Check out our one-on-one college admissions counseling today!
Special thanks to Chris Snellgrove for writing this blog post.
Chris Snellgrove is an English Professor at Northwest Florida State College who specializes in literature, rhetoric, and business writing. As a freelance writer, Chris specializes in sales, marketing, pop culture, and video games. He has a B.A. in English from Troy University and both an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from Auburn University. When he’s not writing or talking to others about writing, Chris loves reading books, playing video games, watching horror movies, and disappearing into a comic book. He currently lives in Northwest Florida and would probably rather be at the beach right now.
Top values: Diversity / Equality / Social Justice
