Course of Study

Honors program

Builds on the College Prep program by requiring additional classes and a 3.67 GPA or higher. 

College Prep program

Meets and exceeds the UNC system requirements.

General program

Meets and exceeds accepted high school graduation requirements 

A minimum of 24 credits including required classes is needed for graduation. Subjects taken and passed in other schools will be counted toward graduation at WCA. Below are the credits required in each discipline for the 3 diplomas offered:

Discipline             General       College Prep      Honors

 Bible                         2                         2                   2

English                       4                         4                  4

Foreign Language     0                         2                  2

Health/PE                  1                         1                   1

History/SS                 4                          4                  4

Math                          3                          4                  5

Science                      3                          4                  4

Electives                    9                          6                  4

The following number of credits must be completed at each level in order to be promoted:

Ninth Grade            5.5 units

Tenth grade            11.0 units

Eleventh Grade      16.5 units

Twelfth Grade        24.0 units


Curriculum

Through the Academy's honors, college prep, general & resource programs, WCA provides one of the most comprehensive academic programs in the Wilmington area. In particular, the college prep and honors programs thoroughly prepare students for college admission and academic success at the post-secondary level.

Bible

  • Patterns of Christian Living

  • New Testament Epistles

  • The Early Church

  • Behold Your God

  • Proverbs

  • Old Testament Survey

  • Grasping God’s Word

  • Apologetics

PE/Health

  • Health

  • Physical Education I

Electives

  • Art & Design

  • AP Computer Sci. Principles

  • AP Psychology

  • Basic Photography

  • CLEP Courses

  • Competitive Speech

  • Concert Band

  • Contemporary Issues

  • Creative Writing

  • Criminalistics

  • Criminal Justice

  • Cultural Geography

  • Drama

  • Forensic Science

  • Journalism/Newspaper

  • Lifetime Fitness

  • Lifetime Sports

  • Performance Choir

  • Public Speaking

  • Skills for High School Success

  • Strength & Conditioning

  • Studio Art

  • Teacher Cadet program

  • Yearbook

Elective availability subject to change

    

English

  • Advanced English I

  • Advanced English II

  • Advanced English III

  • Advanced English IV

  • Dual Credit CCU ENG 102: Composition & Rhetoric

  • Dual Credit CCU ENG 201: Introduction to Literature

Science

  • Advanced Physical Science

  • General & Advanced Biology

  • General Chemistry

    Dual Credit CFCC CHM 151 & CHM 152

  • Advanced Anatomy

  • AP Physics

Math

  • General & Advanced Algebra I

  • General & Advanced Algebra II

  • CFCC MAT 171, 172

  • AP Calculus

  • General & Advanced Geometry

  • Advanced Discrete Math

History/Sociology

  • Advanced Civics

  • Advanced Geography

  • Advanced World History

  • Advanced U. S. History

  • AP U. S. History

  • Dual Credit CCU HIS 206: Making of Modern America

  • Contemporary World Views

  • Advanced Economics

Language

  • Spanish I

  • Spanish II

Planning for College

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Earn College Credits

WCA offers students the opportunity to get a head start on earning college credits while still in high school through the following options:  

Advanced Placement (AP)

These courses prepare students to take the national AP exams administered by the College Board.  College credits are awarded based on the AP test scores.  Admission into an AP course is based on grades and teacher recommendation.

Dual Credit program

(Colorado Christian University & Cape Fear Community College) WCA instructors teach these courses on campus. Grades earned and courses taken in this program appear on the student's high school and college transcripts.  

Dual Enrollment programs

Admission into dual enrollment courses requires an application process including additional entrance and/or placement testing. Additional fees associated with these programs must be paid by the student. Grades earned and courses taken in these programs appear only on the student's college transcript. No high school credit is earned. 

  • Pathways (Cape Fear Community College) Classes offered for this option are available to Juniors and Seniors who are at least 16 years old and meet enrollment requirements. Students will apply through the WCA College & Career services, and their application will be processed based on academic performance and maturity level. WCA is now offering CHEM 151 & 152 and MAT 171 & 172 as on-campus courses with a total of 16 hours credit from CFCC. Other courses will be available as they are approved.

  • Student Selected (Various Colleges) WCA facilitates online dual enrollment through other colleges and universities with the approval of the administration. Additional fees will be required.

The College Board’s CLEP program

The College Board’s CLEP program is an independent study option offering high school students an opportunity to earn college credits before high school graduation.  Each college participating in the CLEP program is allowed to determine the classes and minimal accepted scores. WCA has chosen to offer the following 8 courses accepted by UNCW for college credit: Western Civilization I, Principles of Microeconomics, US History I, Western Civilization II, Information Systems & Computer Applications, Introduction to Psychology, American Government, and Introduction to Sociology. 

College Placement Testing

After graduation, students are encouraged to take subject placement tests at the college they will attend.  WCA students taking these tests have scored well enough to waive freshman level courses and be placed in more advanced classes.


Testing & GPA Calculation

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College Tests

PreACT 8/9 The PreACT 8/9 is a required test for all WCA freshmen and helps identify areas for improvement in preparation for college entrance exams.

PreACT Like the PreACT 8/9, the PreACT is also a preparatory test for the ACT. All WCA sophomores are required to take the PreACT and participate in practice sessions provided by WCA faculty prior to test administration.

American College Test (ACT)  As a requirement for graduation, all juniors at WCA must take the ACT (American College Test), which is the most widely used college entrance test in the United States.  WCA’s average composite scores exceed state and national average scores.

*PSAT/NMSQT The primary purpose of this test is to give students the opportunity to qualify as National Merit Scholars. In the fall of their Junior year, exceptionally high scores qualify students for consideration in the NMS program. An added benefit is exposure to other scholarship programs.

*Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)  Virtually all colleges in the U.S. accept both ACT and SAT scores; therefore, we do not require students to take the SAT.  Some students may benefit by taking both tests.  Resources are available for those students electing to take the SAT. 

*Indicates that WCA does not currently offer these tests. As interest changes, they may become available at WCA in the future.

GPA Calculations

Grade Point Averages are calculated on 4.0 scales with .33 pt added and 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 or 1.0 addition for AP/Dual Enrollment.

Grading Scale/GPA Equivalents (Beginning with the class of 2019):

              Grade         Gen           Honors       AP/CC

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            4.0

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             3.0

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             2.0

D-              60-62           0.67                1.17             1.67

F                0-59             0.00                0.00             0.00