Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.*TAKE THIS COURSE AND GET COLLEGE CREDIT! *ONLY OPENS FOR ENROLLMENT ONCE A YEAR For students with a passion for storytelling and a deep curiosity about the human experience, AP English Literature & Composition offers a rigorous, college-level exploration of literature's power to illuminate the complexities of our world. Centered on close reading and critical analysis of fiction, poetry, and drama from diverse literary periods, this course strengthens analytical thinking while fostering empathetic understanding of the human condition. AP English Lit - Books required Frankenstein - Shelley Ella Minnow Pea - Dunn The Strange Library - Murakami The Stranger - Camus This course mirrors a college literature seminar and is ideal for students planning to take the AP English Literature & Composition Exam. Through guided close reading, literary theory exploration, and rigorous discussion, students will expand their understanding of how literature reflects and shapes human experience across cultures and centuries.
TAKE THIS COURSE AND GET COLLEGE CREDIT. Enrollment opens only once a year. With literacy and reading comprehension in decline, a course built around close reading and the human condition matters more than ever. AP English Literature is a rigorous, college-level exploration of how writers use language to move us, and of what literature reveals about ourselves and the societies we live in.
The course centers on careful reading and critical analysis of fiction, poetry, and drama written in or translated into English, drawn from a range of literary periods. Students examine each work's structure, style, and themes, along with figurative language, imagery, and symbolism. They look closely at the choices writers make and the techniques they use to generate meaning and evoke emotion. The course mirrors a college literature seminar and is ideal for students planning to sit the AP English Literature and Composition Exam.
Students can anticipate a range of literary analysis assignments and projects, including expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. They learn to build commentary around strong thesis statements, connect textual evidence to reasoning and context, and select the details and citations that strengthen a line of argument. The goal is control and intentionality over every element of composition.
AP English Literature prepares students to think critically and creatively when faced with challenging, abstract texts, and to understand storytelling's impact on society and on their own sense of self and agency. By the end of the course, your student will have engaged deeply with some of literature's most influential works and sharpened the analysis, writing, and empathetic inquiry that carry into college and beyond.
The thinking, collaboration, and confidence your child builds in this course do not stay in the classroom. Parents consistently tell us they see the difference at home, at school, and in social situations. When learning is driven by genuine interest, the growth is real and lasting.
For gifted and 2e kids, finding a place where they feel understood can change everything. This course surrounds your child with peers who think like they do and a mentor who celebrates what makes them different. Parents tell us this is the first program where their child truly felt at home.
Dive deep with an expert mentor who meets every student where they are and pushes them to grow 
Build confidence, critical thinking, and genuine expertise through hands-on learning and real engagement 
Connect with a small group of like-minded peers who share their interests, forming real friendships in the process 
Develop skills that transfer beyond the classroom, including communication, collaboration, and independent thinking 
Jake Noonan is a deep thinking, dynamic teacher and writer who approaches education in a creative and multidimensional manner. Jake has over 10 years of teaching at traditional and alternative K-12 schools. In each grade, Jake specialized in working with neurodivergent students while offering authenticity and understanding. Jake is passionate about collaborating with each student to ensure that the individual goals are supported in all projects and discussions. Jake graduated from American Public University Systems in 2023 with an MFA in Humanities and from Temple University in 2014 with a BA in Secondary Education with a focus on English and Philosophy. Jake is also an Academic Coach specializing in individuals with ADHD and/or giftedness. In this role, Jake also co-hosts and produces a podcast on neurodiversity. Outside of academia, Jake spends time working on a multitude of creative projects at once such as music production, playing drums in several bands, writing fiction, and digital illustration.
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
Parents don't just see happier kids. They see sharper thinking, stronger friendships, and a child who actually wants to log on.
★★★★★
"Beyond the classroom, beyond the lesson plans, lectures, and homework Jake has always been focused on the individual. He takes the time to listen to and learn who each student is. Doing his very best to give them exactly what they need to succeed within the classroom and beyond."
Emma B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter used to skim books for the plot. After a semester with Jake she reads for the language and the symbolism, all of it. She sounds like a college student when she talks about a novel."
Martha B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Beyond the classroom, beyond the lesson plans, lectures, and homework Jake has always been focused on the individual. He takes the time to listen to and learn who each student is. Doing his very best to give them exactly what they need to succeed within the classroom and beyond."
Emma B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter used to skim books for the plot. After a semester with Jake she reads for the language and the symbolism, all of it. She sounds like a college student when she talks about a novel."
Martha B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Jake made Frankenstein and Camus feel urgent to a fifteen year old. My son actually argues with me about theme at the dinner table now."
Yvonne B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The essays my daughter writes for Jake are sharper than anything her old school asked of her. He pushes the analysis without ever crushing her confidence."
Diana B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Jake made Frankenstein and Camus feel urgent to a fifteen year old. My son actually argues with me about theme at the dinner table now."
Yvonne B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The essays my daughter writes for Jake are sharper than anything her old school asked of her. He pushes the analysis without ever crushing her confidence."
Diana B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I worried an AP course would overwhelm my 2e kid. Jake keeps the rigor and still meets her exactly where she is. She feels capable of the exam now."
Charlotte B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Eight students, real discussion, and a mentor who treats their ideas seriously. My son finally feels like his reading of a poem matters."
Priya B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I worried an AP course would overwhelm my 2e kid. Jake keeps the rigor and still meets her exactly where she is. She feels capable of the exam now."
Charlotte B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Eight students, real discussion, and a mentor who treats their ideas seriously. My son finally feels like his reading of a poem matters."
Priya B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Beyond the classroom, beyond the lesson plans, lectures, and homework Jake has always been focused on the individual. He takes the time to listen to and learn who each student is. Doing his very best to give them exactly what they need to succeed within the classroom and beyond."
Emma B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My daughter used to skim books for the plot. After a semester with Jake she reads for the language and the symbolism, all of it. She sounds like a college student when she talks about a novel."
Martha B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Jake made Frankenstein and Camus feel urgent to a fifteen year old. My son actually argues with me about theme at the dinner table now."
Yvonne B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"The essays my daughter writes for Jake are sharper than anything her old school asked of her. He pushes the analysis without ever crushing her confidence."
Diana B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"I worried an AP course would overwhelm my 2e kid. Jake keeps the rigor and still meets her exactly where she is. She feels capable of the exam now."
Charlotte B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Eight students, real discussion, and a mentor who treats their ideas seriously. My son finally feels like his reading of a poem matters."
Priya B.
YSA parent
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
WASC Accredited · 1,200+ Families · 93% Re-Enroll · 47+ States, 17 Countries, 6 Continents
Learn more about YSAQUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE
Everything you need to know before enrolling your child.
Our AP courses cover the full College Board curriculum with a critical advantage: 8 students max per section. Your child gets direct mentor attention, real discussion, and personalized support that a class of 30 cannot provide. Students also build college-level study skills, evidence-based note-taking, and test strategies. Many families use our AP courses to supplement or replace their school offering entirely.
Yes. YSA families join from 47+ states and 17 countries across 6 continents. All you need is an internet connection. We schedule sections across multiple time zones so families worldwide can find a time that works.
AP® English Literature (75 min) meets once per week for 75 minutes, every week from August through December. Your child joins the same tight-knit group of up to 8 students and the same mentor all semester long. Same friends, same mentor, a new challenge every week.
Our gifted and 2e students experience such asynchronous development that hard age limits rarely tell the full story. If your student should be aged up or aged down, contact us at support@youngscholarsacademy.org or click the chat in the bottom right corner of the screen. We do this all the time.
Please don't confuse reactive distance learning with what happens at YSA. When a kid is engaged in a course they chose, with a mentor who gets them and peers who share their interests, the screen disappears. They're not on a screen. They're with their people. Parents tell us their children fight to log on to YSA.
If your child isn't loving a course by the end of the first week, swap into a different course. Same semester. No questions. Not the right fit within the first month? We'll stop payments, switch courses, or issue credit toward any future course. The credit never expires. And you keep every bonus you've received. Over 93% of YSA families don't just stay. They add more courses.
No. Cameras are always optional. Always. Many of our students start with cameras off and turn them on when they're comfortable. Our mentors engage every student equally, cameras on or off.
No. If you're here, you're in the right place. We don't require paperwork, evaluations, or labels. Whether your child has been formally identified as gifted or twice-exceptional, whether you suspect it but haven't pursued testing, or whether you just know your kid's brain works differently and nothing else has fit, they're welcome here.
Yes. YSA is an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs including Arizona ESA, Utah Fits All, ClassWallet, My Tech High, Florida Step Up, and others. Enroll directly to secure your child's spot, submit the invoice to your ESA, and your payment method is refunded when funds transfer. Many families pay zero out of pocket.
Click "See Available Times" on this page, pick the section that fits your schedule, and your child's spot is secured immediately. No phone call. No placement test. No prerequisite.
Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a course they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.
Your child is one click from finding out what that feels like.
TBA