<p>When I look at college web sites they have requireemnts, or sometimes guidelines, of how much Math/English/Science etc my child should have. They typically say that the child should have "3 years of Math, 4 preferred" or something like this. </p>
<p>Exactly what does that mean ? My sons school has block scheduling, so he only 4 classes per semester (8 classes per year, 32 for his 4 years in HS). If he has taken, say 4 math classes in those 4 years how many years of math has he taken ? </p>
<p>The answer would seem to be 2, since that is whats required for an entire year of study. But if I add up all of what some colleges are requiring (4 yrs Engish, 4 years Math, 3 years science, 3 years social science, 3 Years Foreign language) I get to a number which exceeds the number of classes possible in a 4 year program.</p>
<p>I only know a little about block scheduling and it sounds like yours is a semester block rather than quarter. The requirements or recommendations given by colleges are based on a typical semester system without block scheduling with each course daily being about 50 minutes. That does not readily fit block scheduling where you take a course perhaps for one semester but due to block scheduling you having almost double the class time per day for one course, and you may finish what is usually done in a full school year at another school in one semester.</p>
<p>Realistically, you should look at it more as what course work has been completed. For example, if the student has taken 4 math classes and the last one was calculus then he has the four years recommended, and if in three years he has completed what is called Pre-Calc or Algebra 2 and Trigonometry, he has the three years required. For science they are usually looking for three lab science courses completed, such as biology, chemistry, and physics.</p>
<p>For math and foreign language, they are usually more concerned about the level completed. “Three years of math” usually means that the high school student has completed at least geometry and algebra 2. Completing a higher level math course like precalculus or calculus would normally be seen as fulfilling that as well. But check each college to find out exactly what it means.</p>
<p>Similarly, for “three years of foreign language”, completing level three or higher of high school foreign language is generally accepted.</p>
<p>A course taken is considered “1 year”. This is because block classes are twice as long as regular classes so you are actually completing a year of coursework in 1 semester (instead of an entire year). Colleges are well aware of this.</p>