That is wonderful!
3 Likes
As noted in another post, you only report a-g courses so PE/Health etc… are non a-g courses. If you are a CA resident and your student attends a California HS, you can look up the HS’s a-g courses on this link. In general, a-g courses are Core academic courses.
The UC’s will ask for final transcripts once the student enrolls but the UC application academic area must match the transcript so be very careful when filling it out.
4 Likes
Is anyone else here preparing for next month (and beyond) when the ED & EA decisions come in? Are you preparing how you will support your kiddo when/if they get disappointing news? I know from previous experience that they remember more about your attitude/emotions/support than anything specific you say. Any other advice?
Sorry, if there is already a thread on this somewhere else 
10 Likes
Our default mindset is that D22’s REA will be a rejection. Anything else will be a pleasant surprise.
A bigger disappointment would be if her reach school in the UK doesn’t invite her for an interview. We’ll know in 2-3 weeks.
2 Likes
good point. we have been discussing off and on ,the college admin process and some of the community wisdom shared here. Even though we have been considering all options from gap year to community college to applied colleges, I expect there will be some visceral reaction ( for the students as well as the parents) when you see the rejections in black and white . Glad we have this forum where there are so many people who have been down this path offering pragmatic suggestions and encouraging words.
2 Likes
Was yoga her PE course or a course she took in addition to PE? Off the top of my head, the types of classes that I’ve seen students put in this category are things like yearbook, ASB, EdX/Coursera, Japanese school, etc.
1 Like
We’ve kind of avoided this issue because kiddo’s only EA application was to a likely/safety. He is also applying to a rolling admission school where he has a very good chance of admission and that could come around the same time. Later, I’ll be prepared to be supportive when he gets some “no’s” at schools that are more competitive. I don’t envy anyone whose kiddo is going for a top school in EA/REA/ED. It’s a hope for the best, prepare for the worst kind of situation - or there is always the purgatory of deferral to look forward to . . .
8 Likes
Pardon my ignorance, but what are a-g courses?
Thanks!
He’s been accepted to three “safety” schools already, all with merit $ and they pass the affordability test. His favorite school switched from one school to another, so he is already thinking that the worst case scenario of not getting accepted just means he would plan on applying as a transfer student.
He did not apply to any reaches, so I think he should be ok, even with just a couple more acceptances.
6 Likes
I talked with my D22 about this issue recently and she said if she gets a rejection from ED (a reach), it means she is not a good fit to the school, not her package isn’t good. I think that is a very healthy attitude but I am prepared to provide emotional support if she needs it. She is already preparing for her RD applications so that they will be ready to go if it is a rejection.
8 Likes
They’re how the UCs describe the high school course requirements. Basically the normal distribution of courses you would expect, but they are absolutely required.
1 Like
A-G Courses
A=History
B=English
C=Math
D=Science
E=LOTE
F=VAPA
G=college prep electives
1 Like
Thanks so much! That’s very helpful (especially the link).
Does there need to be a course from each of these 7 categories? My D22 should be good with all except F. Her school doesn’t have any courses that can be classified as “dance, music, theater, visual arts or interdisciplinary arts” 
Thank you!
I assume by your name that your daughter would be considered OOS. Is that correct? If so, you can read more about UC OOS applications here. UC Freshman Requirements OOS Students. Most importantly, you should look at the OOS tuition and fees for the UCs.
1 Like
VPA= Visual Performing Arts requirement for the UC’s is a 1 year (2 semesters).
One year of college-preparatory visual & performing arts required, chosen from one of the following disciplines: dance, music, theater, visual arts (e.g., painting, web/graphic design, film/video, inter/multimedia arts), or interdisciplinary arts.
Ways to fulfill the F VPA requirement besides HS courses.
AP or IB Examination
Score of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP History of Art, Studio Art or Music Theory Exam;
score of 5, 6 or 7 on any one IB HL exam in Dance, Film, Music, Theatre Arts or Visual Arts
College courses
Grade of C or better in any transferable course of 3 semester (4 quarter) units that clearly falls within one of four visual/performing arts disciplines: dance, drama/theater, music or visual art
With how competitive the UC’s can be, it is important to have all the a-g course requirements completed prior to HS graduation.
1 Like
Parent of 2x college freshman here. Both our kids applied ED - different schools. We asked them to think about how they wanted to view their results - in their room alone, us all together or ? This was helpful and gave them a little control. We tried really hard not to hover on decision day - not easy.
Both received positive news - a few days apart and one wanted us all there around the kitchen table as the portal was viewed and the other wanted complete privacy and we all waited and luckily heard happy screams.
Good luck to all your kids.
13 Likes
Mine is only applying to safeties/likelies. I expect she will get into all of them but there could be one that says no. She just didn’t want a stressful culture and is looking for more supportive LACs for the most part.
She got one acceptance so far and I was with her when she opened it.
9 Likes
It is a delicate dance. Realistic discussions about the difficulties about reach schools as she was building a list, but now a transition to excitement and seeing herself there as she writes the essays. I feel we’ve laid the groundwork about being excited for all her schools and we will focus on acceptances when the decisions roll in. It’s not a reflection on them. Having an acceptance already from a school she likes is a relief.
6 Likes
I am worried about the letdown of deny or defer from her ED reach school but D22 said she plans to film her reaction even if it’s bad news. I was telling her today how arbitrary the process seems with different kids getting reverse accepted/rejected decisions from the same two colleges last year. She said a lot of kids from her high school are applying to her ED school, but she thinks she compares favorably.
S20 did not get into his two top choices but is happy at his chosen school so I know it all works out.
6 Likes