Academic Rigor HTHM 

Honors Courses and Dual Enrollment

Honors Courses

What: 10 semester courses of honors credit are offered in junior year. 10 semester courses of honors credit are offered in the senior year. 

When: Honors options are available in 11th and 12th grade. 

Why: Honors options are a way for students to demonstrate exceptional rigor in specific subject areas. College admission evaluations take into consideration which courses students elect to challenge themselves in and the balance of how much rigor they can successfully manage. IMPORTANT: A standard college admissions practice is to evaluate students relative to the level of rigor that is available to them within the context of their school environment. And to assess a student's potential academic path relative to the rigorous course of study they have chosen. 

How: Honors course options are presented at the beginning of each semester, and students elect which honors options they will take throughout that semester. Students must remain committed to the honors curriculum for the entire semester. 

Dual Enrollment 

What: Through partnerships with the San Diego Community College District and the University of San Diego, HTHM students have access to various college-level courses. Dual enrollment courses are not embedded within the HTHM curriculum, and credits earned do not count towards graduation from high school (exceptions are made for students who have transferred into HTHM and are credit deficient). Because dual enrollment courses are not part of the HTHM curriculum, these course credits are not transferred onto the HTHM transcript. 

When: Beginning in the spring semester of 9th grade, some college courses become available. 

Why: Dual enrollment courses are available to students who seek enrichment in specific subject areas beyond the HTHM curriculum. Note: A standard college admissions practice is to assess the rigor of a student's academic profile by first evaluating their choice of rigor within the high school course offerings, then subsequently, taking into consideration supplemental academic enrichment a student has pursued beyond their high school’s graduation requirements. 

How: At the end of each semester, registration opens for the following semester's dual enrollment offerings. Through HTHM's dual enrollment coordinator, students go through the college registration process. 

FAQs: 

• If a student does not take honors in the first semester of a course, are they eligible to take the honors option in the spring semester? 

Yes, honors options are presented each semester, and students can opt into them on a semester-by-semester basis. However, it is essential to check with each teacher to ensure that a student has the preparation needed for the honors requirements of that given semester.

• If a student does not take Pre-Calc Honors in junior year, will they be prepared for Calculus in senior year? 

Yes, the core content of Math 3 will give the students the foundation they need to move on to Calculus in their senior year.

• Can non-native Spanish speakers take Spanish 3 Honors?

Yes, students who have demonstrated a strong foundation in Spanish coursework (native speakers and non-native speakers) are eligible to take honors.

High Tech High Mesa (HTHM) goes beyond merely ensuring that its graduates meet the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) admissions standards—our curriculum and graduation requirements are intentionally designed to surpass these benchmarks. While California’s A-G requirements set a foundational standard for college readiness, HTHM equips students with a deeper, more comprehensive academic experience that prepares them to thrive in higher education and beyond.

HTHM students not only fulfill but exceed the A-G requirements in critical areas such as Math, Science, and Social Sciences. For example, while the UC and CSU systems require a minimum of three years of math, HTHM encourages students to take advanced courses that prepare them for college-level work in calculus, statistics, and beyond. Similarly, in Science, our students engage in hands-on, project-based learning across disciplines like biology, chemistry, and physics, often taking more years of science than required. In the Social Sciences, HTHM fosters critical thinking and civic engagement through in-depth exploration of history, government, and economics, ensuring students are well-prepared to engage in complex societal issues.

Beyond academics, HTHM places a strong emphasis on real-world learning experiences through its mandatory internship program. This requirement sets HTHM apart from traditional high schools, as students gain valuable industry and workplace exposure before they even graduate. These internships provide practical skills, professional networking opportunities, and a clearer understanding of career paths, giving HTHM graduates a unique advantage in both college admissions and future employment.

Our rigorous expectations and innovative educational model ensure that HTHM graduates are not just college-ready but college-competitive, particularly for UC and CSU campuses, which rank among the nation’s most prestigious public universities. HTH students leave with more than just a transcript; they graduate with the confidence, skills, and experiences necessary to succeed in a dynamic, rapidly changing world.