OLSH is a leader among Pittsburgh-area public, private, and Catholic high schools in the area of Advanced Placement (AP) programming and success. The school’s Gold rating on the College Board’s AP School Honor Roll further distinguishes OLSH as a premiere choice for students seeking opportunities in AP coursework and validates the investment the school has made in its AP Advantage Program. The College Board initiated the AP School Honor Roll to recognize schools for their work in creating AP programs that are delivering results for students while increasing access. This recognition aligns with the goals of the OLSH AP Advantage Program, which has encouraged wider participation in AP courses throughout a students’ four years at OLSH, and included a significant expansion in the number and quality of AP courses offered at OLSH.

To earn this recognition, the OLSH class of 2024 reached several College Board benchmarks including: 74% of seniors took at least one AP Exam during high school, 63% of seniors scored a three or higher on at least one AP Exam, and 18% of seniors took five or more AP Exams. This is the second consecutive year that OLSH has been recognized on the AP High School Honor Roll, last year being recognized at the Platinum level in the Honor Roll program’s inaugural year.

Now in its ninth year, the OLSH AP Advantage Program has been built upon a unique partnership with the University of Notre Dame’s AP Teacher Investment Program. OLSH AP course teachers receive training and other support from experts; resources and opportunities for practice exams for students; and assistance as they build and refine their course lesson plans. Exposing more students to the rigor of AP is another important goal of the AP Advantage Program. Using tools from the College Board, OLSH identifies students with potential for success in AP courses and invites them to enroll - even if it’s not something they previously considered. Students participating in AP courses gain much more than content knowledge; AP courses teach students skills that will help them in college classes. It is typical for an AP student to become an independent learner, a time manager, and a researcher of reliable information while honing skills of reasoning and logic, as well as perseverance.

To view the full AP School Honor Roll, click here.