Honors Diploma Options & Requirements for the Class of 2020 and Beyond
AP Capstone Diploma Option
Students who are in the graduating classes of 2020 and beyond are eligible to earn the AP Capstone Diploma. This diploma program was developed and is sanctioned by the College Board, and it is listed as one of the Honors Diploma options on the “Common App” (a college application many students use when applying to multiple universities).
The AP Capstone Diploma can be earned by students who successfully complete the AP Capstone courses – AP Seminar and AP Research – with a score of 3 or above on the assessments, and earn a 3 or above on 4 additional AP courses taken at any point during a student’s high school career. AP Seminar is an elective course open to any student in grades 10 through 12. AP Research is an English Language Arts (ELA) course and can only be taken by seniors who have completed AP Seminar as a prerequisite. AP Seminar and AP Research cannot be taken concurrently.
Students may choose to take AP Seminar and AP Research as stand-alone courses, and successful completion of those courses with a score of 3 or above on the exams allows a student to earn an AP Seminar and Research Certificate. Students in the class of 2020 who want to earn the AP Capstone Diploma or the AP Seminar and Research Certificate must enroll in AP Seminar for the 2018-19 school year.
Beginning in 2018-19, students who are pursuing the Gold Medallion Honors Diploma are required to take the year-long AP Seminar course instead of the retired Research Methods and Research & Exhibition courses (each one semester). The shift from two one-semester courses to a year-long course does not change the number of credits required for the Gold Medallion Honors Diploma.
The AP Capstone Diploma can be earned as an extension of, or in addition to, the current Gold Medallion Diploma. The chart below provides a comparison of the requirements of both diploma programs, as well as the requirements needed to earn both challenging diplomas simultaneously:
|
Honor Diploma Program and Requirements |
Gold Medallion Honors Diploma (beginning 18-19) |
AP Capstone Diploma – (beginning Class of 2020) |
Combined Gold Medallion and AP Capstone Diploma |
|
Research Courses & Credit Awarded |
AP Seminar (1-year elective) |
AP Seminar (1-year elective) AP Research (1-year ELA) |
AP Seminar (1-year elective) AP Research (1-year ELA) |
|
Other Advanced Courses |
7 other advanced courses throughout HS |
4 additional AP Courses throughout HS (earning a score of 3+ on the exams) |
7 other advanced courses throughout HS, (including 4 AP earning 3+ on the exams) |
|
GPA |
3.2 Required |
No GPA requirement |
3.2 Required |
|
Community Service |
100 Hours |
None |
100 Hours |
|
Job Shadow/Internship |
40 Hours |
None |
40 Hours |
|
ACT/SAT Performance |
85% and above |
None |
85% and above |
|
Portfolio/Reflection |
Comprehensive |
None |
Comprehensive |
|
Public Presentation |
2 Multimedia Presentations 2 Oral Presentation Defense |
3 Multimedia Presentations 3 Oral Presentation Defense |
3 Multimedia Presentations 3 Oral Presentation Defense |
|
Academic Paper |
|
5,000 words |
|
|
National Recognition |
None |
Common App listing |
Common App listing |
|
Diploma Conferred |
Gold Medallion Honors |
AP Capstone |
Gold Medallion & AP Capstone |
