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Diploma with Merit & Distinction

Overview

Beginning with the Class of 2028, Arkansas adds two designations on top of the regular high school diploma: the Diploma with Merit and the Diploma with Distinction. Every student still earns the regular diploma. Merit and Distinction are added recognition for students who finish a Success-Ready Pathway and then show they are ready for college, a career, or the military. Both also qualify a student for state scholarships.

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Who it applies to

  • Class of 2028 and every class after it (students who started 9th grade in 2024-25).

  • Class of 2027: the state counts this class under separate transition rules. Seniors should ask their house counselor where they stand on Merit or Distinction.

How to Qualify

Step 1: complete a pathway. Three credits, in order (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3), in one Success-Ready Pathway.

Step 2: show readiness. Earn one item from the Merit list, or one from the Distinction list.

The pathway step is the same for both diplomas, and only the readiness item differs.

Four HBHS Pathways

  • H2 (high-wage, high-demand) career and technical education (CTE) program: Level 1, 2, and 3 in one program on the state's H2 list. At Har-Ber: Accounting, Animal Systems, Healthcare Services, Management, Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing (MEPS), Plant Systems, Pre-Educator, Residential Construction, Software Development. Through NWTI: Automotive Service Technology, Diesel Technology, Industrial Technology, Welding.

  • Advanced Placement: any three AP courses.

  • Concurrent credit: three levels of college coursework through NWACC or NWTI, or three sequenced levels of any CTE program, or a mix. This is how a CTE program that is not on the H2 list (Media Creation, Fashion & Interior Design, Architecture & Civil Engineering, Nutrition Science & Dietetics) still counts as a pathway.

  • World language: Levels I, II, and III of the same language.

Course lists for every pathway are on the HBHS Pathways and CTE Pathways pages.

Readiness Lists

Diploma with Merit (pathway plus one of these, 7 options)

  1. AP Scholar: a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.

  2. AP Scholar with Honor: an average of 3.25 or higher on all AP exams taken, and a 3 or higher on four or more of them.

  3. 12 or more college credit hours (NWACC or NWTI concurrent credit).

  4. An industry credential from the state's high-wage, high-demand list.

  5. Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal earns Merit on its own, with no pathway step.

  6. Arkansas Certified Pre-Apprenticeship that leads to a registered apprenticeship.

  7. ASVAB score of 31 plus an approved enlistment pathway.

Diploma with Distinction (pathway plus one of these, 5 options)

  1. AP Scholar with Distinction: an average of 3.5 or higher on all AP exams taken, and a 3 or higher on five or more of them.

  2. AP Capstone Diploma: a 3 or higher on both AP Seminar and AP Research, plus a 3 or higher on four more AP exams.

  3. Technical certificate or higher, such as an associate degree.

  4. Youth Apprenticeship that leads to a registered apprenticeship.

  5. Enlisted in the Armed Forces with a qualifying ASVAB score.

Some of these don't always reach your counselor's records. See what counts and send your proof.

Routes at Har-Ber

  • AP courses: Merit by AP Scholar or AP Scholar with Honor. Distinction by AP Scholar with Distinction or the AP Capstone Diploma.

  • NWACC or NWTI college courses: Merit by 12 or more college hours. Distinction by a technical certificate or associate degree.

  • A CTE program or NWTI: Merit by an industry credential. Distinction by a technical certificate.

  • World language: Merit by the Seal of Biliteracy. No Distinction route.

  • Military: Merit by ASVAB 31 plus an enlistment pathway. Distinction by enlisting, with a qualifying ASVAB.

Similar Names, Different Honors

  • Diploma with Distinction is the state designation on this page.

  • AP Scholar with Distinction is a College Board award for AP exam scores. It is one way to show readiness for the Diploma with Distinction.

  • Distinguished Scholar is Har-Ber's senior honor (a 32 or higher ACT, the AP Excellence Medallion, the AP Capstone Diploma, or National Merit). See AP Honors Requirements in the CAP Book. It is separate from the diploma.

State Scholarships

  • A Diploma with Merit is one of three ways to qualify for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, worth up to $15,000 across four years of college. No GPA or test cutoff applies on this route.

  • A Diploma with Distinction qualifies a student for the Governor's Scholars award, $5,000 a year for up to four years.

  • Students apply for every Arkansas state scholarship in one place: SAMS, sams.adhe.edu. Deadlines are March 1 for the Governor's Distinguished Scholarship and July 1 for Academic Challenge and Governor's Scholars.

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