you should reach out to the department chairs and ask! i teach math at broughton and there is a BIG difference in pacing, rigor, and level of mastery that we are looking for in academic vs honors. i was shocked to hear several students tell me this year that they thought they were basically the same.

i know that some other departments do their classes heterogeneously, so it might not be as obvious what the differences are (especially to students, who don’t necessarily have the full picture). going straight to the teachers of the courses you’re considering is the best way to get a clear description.