Honors
Builds on the College Prep pathway with additional classes and a GPA of 3.67 or higher.
High school academics
Courses & diplomas
Through the Academy’s honors, college prep, general, and resource programs, WCA provides one of the most comprehensive academic programs in the Wilmington area. The college prep and honors programs thoroughly prepare students for college admission and academic success.
Course of study
Three diploma pathways.
A minimum of 24 credits, including required classes, is needed for graduation. Subjects taken and passed at other schools count toward graduation at WCA.
College Prep
Meets and exceeds the University of North Carolina system’s entrance requirements.
General
Meets and exceeds accepted high school graduation requirements.
| Discipline | General | College Prep | Honors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bible | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| English | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Foreign language | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Health & PE | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| History & social studies | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Math | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Science | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Electives | 9 | 6 | 4 |
Credits needed to be promoted
- Ninth grade
- 5.5units completed
- Tenth grade
- 11.0units completed
- Eleventh grade
- 16.5units completed
- Twelfth grade
- 24.0units to graduate
Curriculum
High school courses.
APAdvanced PlacementDual creditCollege credit through CFCC or CCU
Bible
- Triumph of Christ
- Ethics
- Bible Doctrines
- Biblical Worldview
English
- Honors English I
- Honors English II
- Honors English III
- Honors English IV
- CCU ENG 102: Composition & RhetoricDual credit
- CCU ENG 201: Introduction to LiteratureDual credit
Math
- General & Honors Algebra I
- General & Honors Algebra II
- General & Honors Geometry
- Honors Discrete Math
- CFCC MAT 171 & 172Dual credit
- CFCC MAT 271Dual credit
Science
- Honors Physical Science
- General & Honors Biology
- General Chemistry
- CFCC CHM 151 & 152Dual credit
- Honors Anatomy
- AP PhysicsAP
History & social studies
- Honors Government
- Honors World History
- AP World History: ModernAP
- Honors U.S. History
- CCU HIS 206: The Making of Modern AmericaDual credit
- Honors Economics & Personal Finance
World language
- Spanish I
- Spanish II
PE & health
- Health
- Physical Education
Electives
- Architecture & Interior Design
- Art & Design
- AP Computer Science PrinciplesAP
- AP Music TheoryAP
- AP PsychologyAP
- Basic Accounting
- Choir
- Competitive Speech
- Concert Band
- Contemporary Issues
- Creative Writing
- Criminalistics
- Criminal Justice
- Drama
- Foundations of Education
- Healthcare Concepts
- Intro to Human Body Systems (Project Lead the Way)
- Intro to Engineering (Project Lead the Way)
- Lifetime Fitness
- Lifetime Sports
- Public Speaking
- Strength & Conditioning
- Studio Art
- Theology & Women
- Yearbook
Elective availability is subject to change.
Planning for college
Earning college credit in high school.
WCA students can get a head start on college credits through Advanced Placement, dual credit, and dual enrollment, as well as the College Board’s CLEP program.
- Advanced Placement (AP)
- AP courses prepare students for the College Board’s nationally recognized AP exams, and every student in an AP course takes that course’s exam. Colleges award credit based on AP scores. Admission to an AP course is based on grades and administrative and teacher approval.
- Dual credit
- WCA partners with Cape Fear Community College for math and science courses and Colorado Christian University for English and history. With few exceptions, WCA instructors teach these courses on campus. Grades appear on both the high school transcript, with added GPA weight, and the college transcript. Course fees are paid by the student directly to the college.
- CFCC College & Career Promise
- North Carolina’s dual credit program for qualifying juniors and seniors who are at least 16, with eligibility based on GPA or test scores such as the ACT or SAT. It requires a separate application, made through WCA College & Career services. WCA offers CHM 151 & 152, MAT 171 & 172, and MAT 271, a total of 20 hours of CFCC credit, with more courses as they are approved.
- Colorado Christian University
- WCA’s approved faculty teach HIS 206 (The Making of Modern America), ENG 102 (Composition and Rhetoric), and ENG 201 (Introduction to Literature), a total of 9 CCU credits. No separate application to CCU is needed, though admission is based on grades and approval. Students register with CCU and earn credit for classes passed with a C or higher.
- Dual enrollment
- Dual enrollment requires an additional application that often evaluates GPA and test scores, and any fees are paid by the student. Courses not approved by administration for dual credit appear only on the college transcript. WCA also facilitates online dual enrollment through other colleges as needed, with administrative approval.
- College placement testing
- Graduates are encouraged to take subject placement tests at their college. WCA students have scored well enough to waive freshman-level courses and be placed in more advanced classes.
Testing
Preparing for college entrance exams.
College tests
- PreACT 8/9
- Required for all freshmen, it helps identify areas for improvement before college entrance exams.
- PreACT
- Required for all sophomores, with practice sessions led by WCA faculty and online preparation programs.
- ACT
- Required of all juniors for graduation, with science and writing. WCA’s average composite scores regularly exceed state and national averages.
- PSAT/NMSQT
- For interested juniors, typically in the fall. High scores qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship program, with exposure to other scholarship programs too.
- SAT
- Not required, since virtually all U.S. colleges accept both ACT and SAT scores. Resources are available for students who choose to take it.
Standardized tests
- Star Reading
- A norm-referenced reading assessment from Renaissance Learning. Students in grades 9 and 10 take it at least twice a year so teachers can measure reading growth, spot learning hurdles, and guide independent reading.
- Iowa Assessments
- Taken every spring as a measure of academic progress. Faculty review the results each year to strengthen curriculum and instruction, and parents receive a copy of their student’s results.
GPA calculation
How grade point averages are calculated.
GPAs are calculated on 4.0 scales, with .33 points added or deducted for plus and minus grades. The .33 addition is not given for an A+, because the state does not allow more than a .5 addition for honors courses or a 1.0 addition for AP and dual enrollment courses.
| Grade | Range | General | Honors | AP & dual credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 98-100 | 4.00 | 4.50 | 5.00 |
| A | 93-97 | 4.00 | 4.50 | 5.00 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.67 | 4.17 | 4.67 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.33 | 3.83 | 4.33 |
| B | 83-86 | 3.00 | 3.50 | 4.00 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.67 | 3.17 | 3.67 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.33 | 2.83 | 3.33 |
| C | 73-76 | 2.00 | 2.50 | 3.00 |
| C- | 70-72 | 1.67 | 2.17 | 2.67 |
| D+ | 67-69 | 1.33 | 1.83 | 2.33 |
| D | 63-66 | 1.00 | 1.50 | 2.00 |
| D- | 60-62 | 0.67 | 1.17 | 1.67 |
| F | 0-59 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Come see for yourself
The best way to know WCA is to walk our halls.
Walk our 85-acre campus, peek into classes, and see why Wilmington families have trusted WCA since 1969.
1401 N. College Rd, Wilmington, NC 28405 · Get directions