On February 28, 2025, State School Superintendent Richard Woods named Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools from Georgia's school districts for 2025.
Pickens High School received honors in both AP STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and AP Honor Schools Expansion.
Requirements for honor in AP STEM Schools include a minimum of five students testing in at least four AP STEM courses, and a minimum of 25 exams administered. Additionally, to be recognized as an AP Honor Schools Expansion School, you must have a 25% growth in AP student participation from May 2023 to May 2024 and a minimum of 25 students testing in May 2023.
"We are very proud of our teachers and our students," said Dr. Travis Thomas, superintendent of Pickens County School. "We are offering these AP classes to help prepare our high school students for the rigors of college, and we are continuing to find ways to expand these opportunities for our students."
AP exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP courses are one of several ways Georgia students can access college-level learning at the high school level; students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam may receive college credit. The Georgia Department of Education began recognizing AP Honor Schools in 2008.