Navigating HMI and AP

We often get questions about the AP courses that we do and do not offer. This page is designed to guide families through the AP course selection processes at HMI and their sending school. This page will also aid spring semester families navigating AP testing at HMI.

AP Courses Offered at HMI

Students at HMI can enroll in the following two AP courses, and take the final AP exam on our campus in the spring: 

  • AP US History
  • AP Calculus AB (Calculus BC offered based on enrollment numbers)

Please refer to our Curriculum Guide for more information.

Preparing for AP Courses Not Offered at HMI

Spring semester students may elect to take any AP exam on our campus. Each spring, some students who took a fall AP course at their sending school (that is not offered at HMI) choose to take that AP exam at HMI. Please refer to the following information when deciding if this is the right option for you/your student. 

The most common additional AP exams taken at HMI are AP Spanish Language & Culture, and AP English Language & Composition, and AP Environmental Studies. These three courses have some content overlap with HMI’s Advanced Spanish, Literature of the Natural World, and Natural Science courses. However, it is essential to keep in mind that our Spanish, English, and science courses are not taught to the AP exams. Students who have found success with these AP exams are typically enrolled in the AP course at home in the fall and take on additional self-paced practice while at HMI in the spring. This can look like working with a practice book, signing up for a self-paced online course, or meeting with an online tutor during free time. We recommend that students confer with their sending school counselors before committing to additional AP exams at HMI. 

A full course load at HMI is five or six in-person classes. Independent studies do not count towards this total.

(Literature of the Natural World, Natural Science, Practices and Principles: Ethics of the Natural World, Math, and Spanish or History)

As a general rule, students with strong time management and autonomous study skills have found greater success with extra AP exams. Taking additional AP exams is also easier for a student taking five classes than the maximum course load of six classes. When students ask us about taking on additional AP study duties, we encourage them to think about why they are coming to HMI, and how adding to their schedule will impact their experience. We work with students to find the right balance of academic load, program engagement, and community development, while advocating for their physical and mental wellness.

HMI's Advanced Spanish course is not taught explicitly to the AP exam. Students will, however, study AP vocabulary words weekly and review the subjunctive moods, as well as other grammatical concepts. Students taking the AP exam will need to study outside of class in order to be well prepared.
Dylan Barnes
Spanish Faculty

Advanced Placement FAQ

Yes. That said, please refer to the “Preparing for AP Courses Not Offered at HMI” section above. If you’re planning on taking an independent study at the AP level, we would recommend that you only take the base course load of five in-person classes.

All classes at HMI are taught at the honors or AP level. AP classes are denoted accordingly on transcripts.

Talk to your sending school! We can’t guarantee that our classes will prepare you, so it’s really up to you and your sending school to work together on a plan.

Curious about the PSAT/SAT/ACT? Visit the HMI & College page.