I’m a high school senior and I applied to UCLA and UCI for 2015. In the middle of the year, our family’s landlord kicked us out of our house, and I ended up transferring to a virtual high school, California Virtual Academies.
I was in the middle of completing my F requirement (visual/performing arts) at my last school through AP Studio Art, so last semester is the only credit I have for F. Last week I learned that California Virtual Academies doesn’t offer art classes that fulfill the F requirement. My counselor said my only options are either to take a community college course or pass the AP Art History exam. All of the local community colleges are now closed for spring reg, in late registration, or are not taking concurrently enrolled high school students. And I have never, ever studied for AP Art History.
I called UC Admissions to see if losing out on fulfilling the F requirement will ruin my admission chances, but they couldn’t give a straight answer. They said that they can’t “waive” the requirement, but it can possibly jeopardize my chances if I don’t finish it, and that I should continue to look for different ways to do so…
I’m at a total loss. Do I have any other options? Is it possible for me to study for and pass AP Art History within three months, or am I going to lose my mind before I do? Is it even worth banking it all on that one exam? I seriously feel like my new school royally screwed me over…
You need to look for a college level course that is held in a mini-semester, March-May 2015. That is a whole semester condensed into 6-8 weeks. You should be able to find an Art History type course. I doubt that a more traditional hands-on art course will be offered at the fast pace. This can also be done at an out-of-county community college via online courses. Start looking now!!
Thanks for the advice. I’ve been looking since I posted this and came up with Santa Monica College, which hasn’t started yet and may take me. They’ve got a lot of good online art/art history courses that I could take. Hopefully I find something that works.
There is Laurel Springs - an online school with UC accredited courses - it is pricey, but you can finish a course as quickly as you can/want. K12 is another online high school program that can be free/cheap, but I am not sure if it just takes full time students or if you can do a course here or there like Laurel Springs.
Hi,
If possible check around and do a google search for online high schools (make sure they have the proper accreditation AND that whatever HS you are currently enrolled in will accept the credit hour from them) and then just take a online class.
A kid I know came up short last year and was going to have to go to summer school to finish up. Her counselor told her about Texas Tech University’s online high school. The minimum class is 30 days, but she did it and finished in time to graduate and walk with her class.
She had to find and get her proctor approved for her final exam (she was in California and got her counselor approved) but it worked.
Here is a link:
https://www.depts.ttu.edu/uc/ec2k/Heading.asp?heading_id=270
Hang in there and good luck!
Thank you so much everyone, you’ve been a huge help. I’m taking mental note and exploring all the options you suggested. LS is too out of our family’s price range but I’m glad that you let me know. I’ll see about courses at TTUI but I’ll have to talk to my counselor first (she’s buried under enough e-mails from me as it is…)
I think I might have found an option at Santa Monica College. I’ll keep you guys updated, but anything could happen. Please keep giving me your suggestions so I have more options.