More Mundelein High School students are challenging themselves with advanced coursework than ever before. And as participation has grown, student success has grown with it.
In 2021, 420 MHS students took 744 Advanced Placement exams. By 2026, 604 students took 1,316 exams.
At the same time, the percentage of AP students earning a score of 3 or higher, the benchmark commonly associated with earning college credit, rose from 66 percent in 2021 to nearly 90 percent in 2026.
The results build on three consecutive years of recognition from the College Board's AP School Honor Roll, including Silver designations for the past two years.
But the numbers and recognition tell only part of the story.
Behind them is a years-long effort by MHS teachers and administrators to encourage more students to see themselves as capable of advanced academic work, and to give them the challenge and support they need to succeed.
Expanding who gets the opportunity
MHS’s approach to advanced learning begins with a simple premise: Students should have opportunities to demonstrate what they can do.
Years ago, school leaders recognized that enrollment in Honors and AP courses did not fully reflect the students MHS served. One response was Earned Honors, first implemented in World Studies in 2017 and expanded to freshman English and Biology in 2023. The model gives students the opportunity to earn honors credit based on what they demonstrate in the classroom rather than relying solely on a placement decision made before the course begins.
The results show students are taking that opportunity and continuing to challenge themselves. Among Class of 2027 students who earned honors credit in freshman English, 54 percent would not have been placed in honors under MHS’s previous system. By 11th grade, 95 percent of those freshman honors earners were enrolled in Honors English 3 or AP Language.
For students, advanced coursework is about more than a designation on a transcript or a score on an exam. It’s also about discovering what they are capable of.
“I learned study skills, how to manage my classwork, and how to work under pressure,” said MHS student Dayana Maldonado. “Most importantly, I learned to never hesitate to ask questions. My teachers were always willing to help.”
Mellany Rodriguez said balancing sports with Honors and AP classes strengthened her time-management skills while pushing her outside her comfort zone.
“AP classes pushed me outside my comfort zone and encouraged me to become more confident,” Rodriguez said. “They taught me that growth comes from challenging myself rather than choosing what feels easy.”
Those experiences reflect a larger goal at MHS: not simply getting more students into challenging classes but helping them develop the skills and confidence to succeed once they’re there.
Expanded opportunity doesn’t mean lowering expectations. It means pairing high expectations with the instruction and support students need to reach them.
MHS teachers provide substantial feedback and additional help, including evening and weekend review sessions as students prepare for AP exams. Students also have access to the Academic Resource Center (ARC), where teachers and instructional assistants are available every period to provide additional support.
Teachers say they see the impact not only in student achievement, but also in how students begin to think about themselves.
One teacher described a student who entered MHS believing AP courses were for “other kids.” With continued encouragement from her teachers, she eventually enrolled in one AP class, then another.
“By senior year, she was not asking whether she belonged in AP,” the teacher said. “She was asking which AP class she should take next.”
More than one path to advanced learning
AP is only one way MHS students can challenge themselves academically.
Across departments, students can choose from a broad range of Honors, AP and Dual Credit courses, with advanced opportunities in areas ranging from engineering and computer science to fine arts, world languages, business, education and broadcast media.
Dual Credit has become an increasingly important part of that picture. Through MHS’s partnership with the College of Lake County, students can take college-level courses while still in high school and earn both high school and college credit.
Enrollment in Dual Credit courses has more than tripled since the 2021–22 school year, growing from approximately 80 students to 268 in 2026–27.
Together, these options give students different ways to find the academic challenge that fits their interests, goals, and plans after high school.
MHS has earned recognition on the College Board’s AP School Honor Roll for three consecutive years, moving from Bronze recognition in 2023 to Silver in 2024 and earning Silver again for the Class of 2025.
But the larger story is what happens when students who may not initially have pictured themselves in an advanced class decide to take the next step.
Sometimes that means Honors. Sometimes it’s AP. Sometimes it’s Dual Credit.
For Tania Escobar, taking that step changed more than her academic experience.
“AP classes are designed to have you come out of your bubble and challenge you as a student in every aspect,” Escobar said. “It challenges you in ways you didn’t expect.”
Those challenges, she said, helped her grow.
“Those experiences definitely helped me build my confidence both as a student and personally.”
Parents see that growth, too.
“Advanced courses help students recognize their potential, open doors to opportunities they may not have considered, and give them the confidence and tools to pursue their dreams,” said MHS parent Onieda Huizar.