FAQ: High School College Prep Base Curriculum

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

This was posted before in the College Admissions section at http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1995563-faq-high-school-college-prep-base-curriculum.html , but it looks like the questions about high school course selection are mostly here, so it may be more helpful here, with some additional information.

High school students aiming at highly selective colleges should consider meeting the following base curriculum that is commonly expected. Of course, additional academic electives beyond the base curriculum are fine and expected to fill in free elective space in the schedule.

  • **English**: 4 years.
  • **Math**: At least to precalculus. Students who complete precalculus in 11th grade or earlier should take calculus if available. Statistics should be considered an additional elective, not a substitute for precalculus or calculus. *Note:* not completing precalculus in high school may result in needing to take it as a remedial course in college. Not taking calculus if available after completing precalculus in 11th grade or earlier may make a student less competitive at a highly selective college where most applicants have taken calculus. A small number of colleges explicitly state that calculus is required or expected: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/2015601-what-us-universities-explicitly-state-that-calculus-is-required-or-expected-for-frosh-applicants-p2.html .
  • **History and social studies**: 4 years generally preferred.
  • **Science**: 4 years including a year each of biology, chemistry, and physics. If only 3 years are taken, it is best to include a year each of biology, chemistry, and physics. *Note:* many colleges' frosh-level courses in these subjects list the high school course as a prerequisite, so prospective science majors, engineering majors, and pre-medical students in college should be sure to include all three.
  • **Foreign language**: Completion of level 4 (4th year) of high school language or equivalent generally preferred; having only level 2 or lower is likely to be significantly disadvantageous. *Note:* many colleges have foreign language graduation requirements; completing a higher level in high school may allow fulfilling the college foreign language graduation requirement in fewer (or no) courses, allowing more elective space in college. See http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1802227-faq-foreign-language.html for additional information.
  • **Art or music**: 1 year. *Note:* not listed by many colleges, but sometimes a surprise for high school seniors considering a college that does list it.
  • **Academic electives**: Select according to interest to fill free elective schedule space.

High school students aiming at less selective colleges may not need to complete as many or as high level courses as listed above for admission purposes. However, completing the pattern suggested above will prepare the student for college better than if the student only takes the minimum required high school base curriculum for the less selective college. See the notes above.

1 Like
2

This should be a sticky.

3

This was incredibly helpful and simply put. Thank you for the info!!

4

About history/Social Science, what if your school does not allow 4 years to be taken? Am I put in disadvantage?

5

@kindoflost
No, because colleges look at your class choices in the context of your school, so if your school doesn’t offer a fourth year, then you’re not at a disadvantage.

6

for the UC schools, the requirement is doing 2 years of social science/ history. I am currently taking World history honors as freshman and next year imma take either AP human geo or AP euro. After i finish these two courses, am i cleared for the requirement?

7

@Cadmissionsnerdz

UC history admission requirement is follows:

So you’ll need US history, too.

8

@OhWhatsHerName so senior year if i do Civics and US gov (1 each semester) both its fine?

9

@Cadmissionsnerdz Make sure that not only do you meet UC requirements but your own school district’s too. Ours requires World or European History in 10th, US History in 11th, and Government and Economics in 12th. So in order to graduate, in our district, you need a minimum of three years of social science credits in those specific areas.

10

As per federal law, all students must take one year of us history (or a combination of us history and us gov) to graduate high school.

11

I’m not sure that’s correct; curricular policy is generally left to the states. Although USH is a (almost) universal requirement, I am not aware of any federal statute governing this. But I’ll be happy to stand corrected @MYOS1634

12

I don’t know the name of the policy, but it was one example of counter intuitive move on federal policy/ over reach decided during the Reagan era and the only federal requirement (beside Carnegie units or their equivalent). All other matters are left to the States indeed.

My guess is that, once it was mandated, which state would have announced US znd state history aren’t mandatory anymore? :slight_smile: