top of page

College Admissions
William Mason High School: Overview

William Mason High School is a top-rated, four-year college preparatory public high school. The largest public high school in the Greater Cincinnati area, William Mason High School has approximately 3,450 students in grades 9 through 12.  Each year the school sends many students to T50 national universities and liberal arts colleges in addition to top Ohio public universities. With over 160 course offerings, 27 athletic teams, 80+ extracurricular activities, and an extensive music, arts and drama program, there many opportunities for student to get involved at Mason High School. They also have a multitude of academic and career programs to prepare students after graduations.

Understanding all the opportunities available will help you plan and match your priorities.

Mason High School AP Courses

Mason High School offers 28 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These are challenging courses and gives students a chance to take college-level courses. Through taking AP exams at the end of the course, students can earn college credit and placement. AP courses are weighted by 0.5 and increase a student's weighted GPA. Honors courses are weighted an additional 0.25. Colleges care about both weighted and unweighted GPA.  
 ​
It is impossible to take every single AP course. Nor should you try to take all of them. That is where strategy comes into play. We can help you map out your courses to best fit your student's academic skills and interests.

Mason High School CCP Courses

Mason High School offers College Credit Plus (CCP) courses, Ohio's dual enrollment program that allows students to earn both college and high school credit at Ohio colleges and universities. CCP courses are offered at little to no cost to students, covering tuition and books. Students can only take a maximum of 30-credits per year. Similar to AP courses, CCP courses are weighted by 0.5 and increase a student's weighted GPA. 
 
Current CCP courses on Mason High School campus are American Sign Language (ASL) 1128 and ASL 1229 through Sinclair Community College. These courses are subject to change so check the course list each year.
 
Why would a student take a CCP course vs a AP course?
If you plan on attending a public Ohio college or university, you can meet requirements and save time and money by skipping intro-level courses. Private or out-of-state public colleges will decide independently whether to accept these credits as transfer credits. These are semester-long courses. You are able to earn credit at an accelerated pace and freeing up valuable space in your busy schedule for other courses. Lastly, some of the CCP course offerings are different than the AP courses. For instance, there are theater and photography courses. And let's say you finished AP Calculus BC your junior year and want to take a CCP Multi-Variable as a senior.
​​
You must notify Mason High School if you plan to participate in CCP and submit a CCP Intent to Participate form by the school's deadline. We can help you decide which CCP courses to take and can help you meet enrollment deadlines.
 

Mason High School Credit Flex

Ohio's Credit Flexibility Options allows students to earn course credit outside the classroom.  Students can deepen their study in a subject and explore different learning settings and options.
 
Students can earn credit through:
  • Online courses through an accredited university or college
  • Independent study (educational travel, internships/field experiences)
  • Mastery assessments (World Language Assessments, AP exam, CLEP exam, State PE Assessment)
​
How can your student use Credit Flex? They can self-study for an AP exam and earn credit if they score at least a 3 or higher. Credits earned through Credit Flex will result in a letter grade and will be included in the calculation of a student's GPA. This is incredibly useful if you want to maximize your time or if you prefer a different learning environment. 
​​
You must apply and obtain approval from Mason High School before proceeding with a Credit Flex Plan. Let us help you customize a learning environment around your student's interest and needs. create you start Credit if you plan to participate in CCP. 
 

Mason High School Service Learning Credit

Mason High School juniors and seniors can earn a one-time non-weighted 0.5 credit by completing 50 hours of service work.  An application for service learning and a reflection must be completed for the grade to be reflected on a student's transcript. 
Students can earn credit through:
  • Online courses through an accredited university or college
  • After-school programs
  • Independent study (educational travel, internships/field experiences)
  • Mastery assessments (World Language Assessments, AP exam, CLEP exam, State PE Assessment)
  • Work-based learning 
​​

Mason High School Career Exploration

Career Exploration allows Mason High School juniors and seniors to earn a 1/2 elective credit by working at a place of business and/or completing various college/career exploration activities through the school's Experiential Learning program. Students will need to attend a weekly session to earn credit. The course is assessed Pass or Fail.
 
The Mason Experiential Learning Program allows students to get real-world learning experience through guest speakers, job site visits, job shadowing, partner-solution projects, and internships.
 
Mason Experiential Learning Partners include:
  • Kings Island
  • Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
  • P&G
  • Cincinnati Children's
  • Honda
  • Cintas
  • UC Health
  • Kroger
  • 84.51 
  • GE Aerospace
​
This is great opportunity to explore careers, gain real-word experience, and earn high school credit. Let us help you sharpen your resume and create an impact to around your student's interest and needs. create you start Credit if you plan to participate in CCP. 
 

High School Credit at Mason Middle School

High school courses completed at the middle school level will count toward minimum graduation requirement and high school GPA.
 
These courses include:
  • Health Education
  • Physical Education
  • Exploration of Art
  • Digital Image Design
  • Algebra I
  • Honors Geometry
  • Physical Science
  • Spanish I
  • Intro to HS Choir
  • Intro to Concert Band
  • Intro to Freshman Orchestra  
 
It is important to start looking at the math and science pathways in 8th grade to map out the prerequisites of each AP course and the grades which the class is offered. For example, an 8th grader can either take 8th Grade Math, Algebra 1, and/or Honors Geometry. If a student takes Algebra 1 in 8th grade, Geometry in 9th and Algebra II in 10th grade, that student will meet the math prerequisite for AP Chemistry and be able to take the course starting in 11th grade.
 
Earning high school credits during middle school will allow your student to take more advanced courses earlier during high school. This is why we start College Planning in 8th grade. Speak with our Counselor today to set your student on an accelerated path.
​​
 

Work with a Private Counselor

Our Private Counselor can assist you with every step of course planning at Mason High School. Our Prep programs for 8th through 11th  graders offers customized, one-on-one counseling with a dedicated Counselor. 

We can help you expand your student's interest beyond the classroom and develop academic projects and learning opportunities that best align with your goals.​
 
bottom of page