IVLA’s Honors courses offer the same curriculum as regular courses but are designed for high achieving and independent students. Honors courses cover the same topics, but in greater depth. These courses require students to achieve a higher level of critical thinking. IVLA offers more than 30 honors course subjects, from Honors Algebra 1 to Honors Physics. Honors courses are more rigorous than standard level courses and require extra effort in terms of course work and studying. Honors courses are weighted an additional 0.5 quality points in a student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation. For example, an A will be awarded 4.5 quality points instead of the 4.0 quality points awarded for a standard course. Students tend to spend 1-2 extra hours per week on honors courses as compared to standard courses.

IVLA’s AP® courses are college-level courses that are available to IVLA’s eligible part-time and full-time high school students in grades 9-12. Certified by the College Board, AP® courses cover a range of information, abilities, and assignments found in college courses. Students enrolled in AP® courses have the opportunity to earn college credit by passing the AP® exam (the AP® exam is optional, students are not required to take the AP® exam to earn High School credit at IVLA for AP® courses completed). AP® courses prepare students to take the AP® exams and whether they earn college credit will be determined by each individual college, based on the student’s AP® exam score. 

There are 38 AP® subjects ranging from Computer Science to Spanish Language & Culture. These courses provide students the opportunity to study and learn at a collegiate level. These courses are fast paced, cover more material in more depth, require more reading, have higher expectations, and require independent work such as research and analysis. AP® courses will be weighted an additional 1.0 quality point in a student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation. For example, an A will be awarded 5.0 quality points instead of 4.0 quality points awarded for a standard course. Students tend to spend 2 or more extra hours per week on AP® courses as compared to standard courses.