Each year, virtually 100% of Immaculate Heart students enrolled in AP Capstone earn passing scores on the annual exams. The two-course sequence focuses on inquiry, research and writing skills. (photo courtesy of Immaculate Heart)

Immaculate Heart High School has earned gold recognition on the 2023 AP School Honor Roll for optimizing college readiness and broadening student access through advanced placement classes.

The College Board selected Immaculate Heart for the ranking based on criteria for its AP program, which enables students to pursue college-level studies – with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement or both – while still in high school. Immaculate Heart also received the College Board’s AP Access Award for providing all students a chance to participate in its AP program, including students from underrepresented populations.

Immaculate Heart offers 16 AP courses, including the two-year AP Capstone Diploma program. Immaculate Heart was one of 600 high schools worldwide that were initially invited by the College Board to offer AP Capstone, and Immaculate Heart became the first all-girls school in Los Angeles to introduce the program in 2016. AP Capstone’s two-course sequence focuses on inquiry, research and writing skills with the foundational class AP Seminar, and ends with a defended research project in AP Research.

Each year, Immaculate Heart students excel in AP Capstone and other AP courses, based on their high passing rate on the rigorous AP exams. For example, of the 191 students who took AP exams last spring, 81% achieved passing scores of three or higher on a five-point scale

The College Board cited several additional Immaculate Heart statistics for its gold Honor Roll ranking. During the 2022-23 school year, 79% of Immaculate Heart seniors took at least one AP exam before graduating. Additionally, 67% of seniors received a score of three or higher on at least one AP exam, and 25% of seniors took five or more AP exams during their four years of high school.

“What is most impressive about our AP program is that course grades very closely align with AP scores,” Immaculate Heart High School Principal Naemah Morris said. “This demonstrates that our teachers understand the expectations of the AP program, prepare students effectively and hold them accountable to that preparation throughout the entire school year.”

Founded in 1906, Immaculate Heart High School and Middle School educates young women in sixth through 12th grades. Immaculate Heart is located at 5515 Franklin Ave. For information, visit immaculateheart.org.