Our Approach to Learning
How the AcademyWorks
Professional video instruction. Self-paced progression. Credentialed teacher support at every step. This is structured online education — built by Silicon Valley, proven by a decade of results.
10+Years of Development
200K+Hours of Engineering
7AI Assistants Built In
The Academy Model
Three Pillars of Academy Learning
Every course combines professional instruction, flexible pacing, and real teacher support into a learning experience built for how students actually learn.
01
Video-Based Instruction
Professionally produced video lessons designed by credentialed educators and curriculum experts. Not lectures recorded in a dorm room — structured, engaging content refined over a decade.
- Professional video lessons in every course
- Visual explanations, not walls of text
- Pause, rewind, rewatch — learn at your speed
- 200,000+ hours of platform development
02
Self-Paced Progression
No bells. No fixed class periods. Move through material at the pace that works for you — faster when you’re locked in, slower when a concept needs more time.
- Courses available 24/7/365
- Accelerate or extend as needed
- No conflicts with training or rehearsals
- Learn from anywhere in the world
03
Teacher-Supported
Self-paced does not mean self-taught. Every Academy student has access to credentialed teachers who know them, track their progress, and provide personalized guidance.
- Monthly Supervising Teacher sessions included
- Semester Academic Advising included
- One-to-one Personalized Learning available
- Teachers grade all work with real feedback
Inside a Course
How Learning Actually Happens
Each course follows a clear structure — designed by educators, refined by a decade of student feedback, and powered by purpose-built technology.
Watch the Lesson
Each unit begins with professionally produced video lessons that break concepts into clear, manageable segments. Pause, rewind, or rewatch as many times as you need. No rushing to keep up with a class.
Study the Material
Supporting readings, interactive content, and study guides reinforce what you learned in the video. Sage AI Tutor is available around the clock if you need a concept explained a different way.
Sage AI Available 24/7
Complete Assignments
Quizzes, essays, projects, and labs — every assignment is graded by a credentialed teacher who provides meaningful, personalized feedback. Not auto-graded. Not AI-scored. A real educator reviewing your work.
Graded by Credentialed Teachers
Demonstrate Mastery
Unit assessments verify understanding before you move forward. Didn’t master a concept? Review the material, get help from your teacher or Sage, and try again. The pace is yours — the standard is ours.
Progress & Advance
Move through units at your pace. Your Supervising Teacher monitors your progress monthly and your Academic Advisor helps plan your semester and graduation pathway. You’re never navigating this alone.
Monthly Teacher Check-Ins Included
Your Support System
Never Navigate This Alone
We don’t just hand students courses and disappear. The Academy provides layers of personalized support — from monthly teacher check-ins to 24/7 AI tutoring.
Included
Supervising Teacher
Your assigned Supervising Teacher meets with you monthly via video conference. They monitor your academic progress across all courses, identify where you might need extra help, and keep you on track toward your goals.
Format: Monthly one-to-one video sessions · Included with every Academy enrollment
Included
Academic Advisor
Your Academic Advisor helps you plan each semester, select courses that align with your graduation requirements and university goals, and build a pathway that makes sense for your timeline — whether you’re accelerating or taking it steady.
Format: Semester planning sessions · Included with every Academy enrollment
Available
Personalized Learning Sessions
Deep-dive, one-to-one video sessions with a credentialed subject-matter teacher. Fifty focused minutes to work through difficult concepts, get guided lab support, prepare for major assessments, or explore a topic beyond the curriculum.
Format: 50-minute one-to-one video sessions · Available as add-on
Available
Tutoring Sessions
Quick, targeted help when you’re stuck on a specific problem or concept. Thirty minutes of focused, one-to-one attention with a credentialed teacher who can get you unstuck and moving forward.
Format: 30-minute one-to-one video sessions · Available as add-on
24/7
Sage AI Tutor
Stuck at midnight before a deadline? Sage explains it another way. And another. And another — until you understand. AI tutoring that adapts to how you learn, available every hour of every day, in every course.
Sage is one of seven AI assistants built into the Academy platform. It provides personalized explanations, works through problems step by step, and complements — never replaces — your human teachers.
24/7
Always Available
7
AI Assistants
∞
Patience
Every
Course Included
Self-Paced, Not Self-Lost
Structure That Respects Your Time
The most common question parents ask: "Can my child really manage self-paced learning?" Here’s how the Academy makes it work.
What Self-Paced Means
Your Schedule, Your Rhythm
No fixed class times means no conflicts with training, rehearsals, appointments, or travel. Study at 6 AM before practice or at 10 PM after a performance. Courses are available every hour of every day.
Accelerate or Extend
Ahead of schedule? Keep moving — there’s no ceiling on progress. Need more time on a tough subject? Take it. Self-paced means the timeline bends to you, not the other way around.
Learn From Anywhere
At home, on the road, in another country. All you need is an internet connection. Students attend the Academy from all 50 states and countries around the world.
What Self-Paced Doesn’t Mean
Not Unsupervised
Your Supervising Teacher checks in monthly. Your Academic Advisor plans each semester. Teachers track your progress and intervene proactively if they see you falling behind.
Not Unstructured
Every course has a clear sequence of lessons, assignments, and assessments. The structure exists — you just move through it on your timeline instead of a bell schedule.
Not Alone
Sage AI Tutor is available 24/7. Credentialed teachers grade your work and give real feedback. Personalized Learning and Tutoring sessions are always available when you want extra help.
"Self-paced learning works best for students who have motivation and support. That’s why we provide both."
— SVHS Academy
Choose Your Track
Two Paths to Your Diploma
Both tracks deliver a fully accredited diploma. The Honors Track adds weekly expert instruction, business education, and tech industry access.
Standard Diploma
The Academy’s core program — self-paced video courses across all required subjects, graded by credentialed teachers, with monthly Supervising Teacher sessions and semester Academic Advising included.
Self-Paced
Teacher-Supported
Sage AI 24/7
Dual Accredited
Explore the Course Catalog
Honors Pathway
Everything in the standard diploma plus weekly one-to-one sessions with expert instructors, +1.0 GPA weight, exclusive access to the Silicon Valley Business School.
Weekly 1-on-1 Sessions
+1.0 GPA Weight
SVBS Access
Explore the Honors Pathway
Your Next Step
Ready to Do School Your Way?
Take the next step — apply now or reach out to our admissions team to explore how the Academy fits your goals.
Cognia + WASC Accredited
NCAA Approved
UC A-G Approved
Self-Paced, Teacher-Supported
Honors Track
Excellence, Elevated
Advanced coursework. Weekly one-to-one instruction. Silicon Valley Business School. Real tech industry connections. The honors track transforms ambitious students into future leaders.
+1.0
GPA Weight
18
Weekly Sessions / Semester
14
Business Courses
UC
A-G Honors Recognition
What Honors Includes
Four Advantages No Other School Offers
The honors track goes far beyond weighted grades. It's a complete system designed to give ambitious students every competitive advantage.
01
Weekly One-to-One Sessions
50-minute sessions with a credentialed instructor every week—not monthly, not optional. 18 sessions per semester of focused, individualized instruction that goes deeper into advanced material and pushes your thinking further.
18 sessions/semester · 50 minutes each · Video conference with your instructor
02
Weighted GPA & Transcript Recognition
Every honors course earns an honors designation on your official transcript. Courses marked with * carry UC A-G honors recognition and +1.0 GPA weight, ensuring colleges see the rigor you've committed to. All other honors courses receive local honors designation from SVHS.
* = UC A-G honors + 1.0 GPA weight · All courses carry local honors designation
03
Silicon Valley Business School
Full access to 14 college-level business courses taught by Silicon Valley experts. Entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, intellectual property—real business education no other high school offers. Plus a curated resource library covering operations, strategy, and startup development.
14 courses · College-level · Explore SVBS →
04
SVBS Industry Access
Live business webinars with tech founders, venture investors, and industry experts in the SVBS immersive VR conference center—not pre-recorded lectures, real interactive sessions. Plus internship matching with vetted SVBS-affiliated startups that gives you hands-on experience inside actual technology ventures.
Live VR webinars · Startup internship matching · Learn more →
Available Honors Courses
12 Courses Across Four Departments
Each honors course pairs advanced curriculum with weekly one-to-one sessions and a substantive culminating project.
English
English 10
English 11
English 12
Social Studies
World History
US History
American Government
Economics
Mathematics
Geometry
Integrated Math 3
Algebra 2
Precalculus
World Languages
Spanish 3
Select honors courses carry UC A-G honors recognition and +1.0 GPA weight.
All honors courses receive local honors designation on the SVHS transcript.
View Full Course Catalog →
How Honors Works
Your Weekly Honors Rhythm
Honors students follow a structured cadence of self-paced coursework, weekly instructor sessions, and a culminating project that demonstrates mastery.
📖
Throughout the Week
Advanced Coursework
Self-paced study through the honors curriculum with supplemental materials that go deeper than the standard course.
🎯
Every Week
One-to-One Session
50 minutes with your instructor via video conference. Dive into difficult concepts, receive feedback, and accelerate your learning.
🏆
End of Semester
Culminating Project
A substantive research or analytical project that demonstrates advanced thinking and deep engagement with the subject.
The Culminating Project
Demonstrate What You've Mastered
Every honors course concludes with a substantive project that goes beyond standard assessments. This is where you prove advanced analytical thinking, original research, and the kind of intellectual depth that colleges notice on applications.
What Projects Look Like
- ✓ Original research papers with cited sources
- ✓ Analytical essays demonstrating critical thinking
- ✓ Scientific reports with data analysis
- ✓ Creative works with academic commentary
- ✓ Portfolio-worthy pieces for college applications
College Admissions Advantage
What Admissions Officers Actually See
The honors track doesn't just make your transcript stronger. It signals to admissions committees that you chose rigor when you didn't have to.
Weighted GPA
The +1.0 grade point weight means an A in Honors Physics counts as a 5.0 rather than 4.0. Multiple honors courses can significantly lift your cumulative GPA above what's possible with standard courses alone.
Transcript Signal
Every honors course is clearly marked on your official transcript. Admissions officers see that you pursued the most rigorous path available—a factor that consistently matters more than GPA alone.
Business Education Edge
SVBS courses on your transcript demonstrate initiative and intellectual curiosity beyond typical high school academics. Few applicants arrive with college-level business coursework already completed.
SVHS Academy Transcript
Physics HON
A — 5.0
US History HON
A — 5.0
English 11 HON
A- — 4.7
Precalculus HON
B+ — 4.3
Credentials That Open Doors
Academy honors transcripts carry the same dual accreditation (Cognia + WASC) that validates traditional schools—plus honors designations and UC A-G recognition that colleges trust. Transcripts are accepted at 300+ institutions worldwide, including every Ivy League school.
Cognia
WASC
NCAA
UC A-G
Quality Matters
Requirements & Eligibility
What It Takes to Join Honors
The honors track is designed for students ready to commit to a higher level of engagement. Here's what's required.
Prerequisite Grade
Minimum grade of "B" in the prerequisite course. This ensures you have the foundation to succeed in advanced material.
Weekly Commitment
Attend all 18 weekly one-to-one sessions per semester (50 minutes each) via video conference with your assigned instructor.
Advanced Curriculum
Complete the full honors curriculum including supplemental materials that go beyond the standard course requirements.
Culminating Project
Produce a substantive culminating project that demonstrates advanced analytical thinking and deep subject mastery.
Can I take some courses as honors and others as standard?
Absolutely. Many students take one or two honors courses alongside standard courses. There's no requirement to go all-in—you can choose the subjects where you want to push yourself furthest. Talk with our admissions team to design the right mix for your goals. See more FAQs →
Honors-Only Access
The Silicon Valley Advantage
Honors students unlock Silicon Valley Business School—a comprehensive business education experience no other high school can offer.
Honors Exclusive
Silicon Valley Business School
College-level business education taught by Silicon Valley experts. While other students learn theory from textbooks, you'll learn entrepreneurship, finance, and business strategy from people who've built and led real companies—plus live events in our immersive VR conference center and real startup internships.
14
College-Level Courses
Beyond the Classroom
Live VR Business Webinars
Interactive sessions with tech founders, venture investors, and industry experts in our immersive VR conference center
Startup Internship Matching
Hands-on experience at SVBS-affiliated startups through teacher-supervised placement channels
Business Resource Library
Curated materials built on the Silicon Valley Business School methodology for aspiring entrepreneurs
Full Course Catalog
Entrepreneurship
Business Organizations
Valuation
Raising Finance for Startups
Finance & Accounting
IPO & Securities Regulation
Sales & Business Development
Marketing
Patents & Intellectual Property
Patent Strategies
Contracts
Mergers & Acquisitions
Trusts
Bankruptcy & Cash Crisis Mgmt
Ready for Honors?
Your Ambition Deserves This Advantage
The honors track is for students who want more than a diploma—they want every competitive advantage available. Explore pricing, see the full enrollment process, or talk to our admissions team about building your honors path.