Getting Ready for College
College Entrance Requirements
The University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) require entering freshmen to complete certain courses in high school, commonly known as the "A-G requirements" because of the letter each subject area is assigned.
To be considered for admission to a UC or CSU, students must take a minimum of 15 UC approved college preparatory classes. Students must earn a minimum of a 'C' grade in the A-G courses in order for the course to count towards meeting the requirement. To be eligible for admission to a University of California campus, students must also earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better in these courses. A barrier is the grade of 'D' for which a student gets credit toward high school graduation but not toward the A-G requirements.
A-G Requirements:
- A. History/Social Science - 2+ years including 1 of World, 1 of U.S. and/or Government
- B. English - 4 years of college preparatory English
- C. Mathematics - 3+ years of including topics covered in basic and advanced algebra and two-and three-dimensional geometry
- D. Laboratory Science - 2+ years of laboratory science in at least 2 of the 3 disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- E. Language Other than English - 2+ years of the same language (other than English)
- F. Visual/Performing Arts - 1+ years of dance, music, or visual arts.
- G. College Preparatory Elective - 1+ years (additional year of any requirement above or other elective)
Important Tests to take in High School
- At this moment, many college campuses have waived the ACT and SAT due to COVID-19. Refer to individual campuses that your student is applying to for further information.
- Students can speak with their high school counselor to see if they are eligible to receive a fee waiver for either test.
ACT
The ACT is a national college admission test that covers English, Math and Science. Students can register and find study materials for the test. It's recommended to take it in Junior and/or Senior Year.
SAT
The SAT is an admission test accepted by all U.S. colleges. Students can register and get ready by taking an official, free practice test. It's recommended to take it in Junior and/or Senior Year.
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)
This assessment is administered in 3rd-8th grade and 11th grade as part of California’s state testing program. It assesses students mastery of the Common Core State Standards. SBAC results provide a measure of student knowledge of the subject matter, critical thinking, analytical writing, and problem-solving skills.