An honors course in homeschooling is a high school class with increased rigor, depth, and expectations compared to standard coursework, typically involving more challenging materials, deeper analysis, and additional time investment.
What is an Honors Course?
An honors course covers the same content as a regular high school course but provides greater depth, complexity, and challenge. The key distinction is "more than usual or expected" at the high school level—not just more busy work, but higher-quality thinking and analysis. In homeschooling, where no external standard defines "honors," parents must intentionally design and document what makes their course honors-level. This designation appears on transcripts and can factor into GPA calculations.
Key Takeaways
- Honors means greater depth and rigor, not simply more assignments
- No standardized definition exists—parents define and document their criteria
- Legitimate designation requires curriculum labeled honors, additional rigorous components, or third-party validation
- HSLDA recommends at least 150 hours of work annually for honors-level courses
- Third-party validation (AP exams, CLEP, dual enrollment) provides strongest college credibility
Legitimate Ways to Designate Honors
Several approaches justify honors designation on homeschool transcripts. First, use curriculum explicitly labeled "honors" by the publisher. Second, add rigorous components to existing coursework—detailed research papers, science fair projects, or case studies requiring higher-level analysis. Third, supplement with college-level textbooks or resources. Fourth, earn validation through AP exams, CLEP tests, or SAT Subject Tests that demonstrate mastery. Whatever approach you choose, define the honors criteria before beginning coursework and document everything thoroughly.
GPA Weighting
Many homeschools add grade points for honors coursework: typically +0.5 for honors (A=4.5) and +1.0 for AP or college courses (A=5.0). However, colleges typically un-weight all grades during their review since every school weights differently. Some college admission experts recommend homeschoolers not weight grades at all, letting the course descriptions speak to rigor. If you choose to weight, clearly explain your system on the transcript and consider including both weighted and unweighted GPAs.
College Perception
Here's the honest reality: colleges view homeschool honors designations with some skepticism since standards vary widely. The designation is most credible when supported by third-party validation—AP exam scores, CLEP results, or dual enrollment transcripts carry far more weight than parent-designated honors. Strong course descriptions and syllabi help, explaining textbooks used, assignments completed, and why the course exceeded standard expectations. Colleges appreciate detailed documentation that demonstrates genuine rigor rather than inflated designations.
The Bottom Line
Honors courses can strengthen a homeschool transcript when they represent genuine additional rigor and are properly documented. The strongest approach combines challenging curriculum with third-party validation through standardized tests or college courses. Be conservative with honors designations—overuse diminishes credibility, while selective, well-documented designations demonstrate academic ambition. Remember that colleges value an A in a regular course over a C in an honors course, so match course difficulty to student readiness.
