Navigating the Avenues of A-G

UC Counselor Conference 2013

OverviewMethods to Meet the A-G Subject Requirements Online Course Policy Revisions Satisfying Specific Subject Areas U.S. and International Courses Repeating Courses Validation of Subjects New and Revised AP/IB Exams Resources

Options to Satisfy the A-G Subject Requirements

• High School Courses

• College Courses

• Exam Scores

The Options For Satisfying A-G Chart

Satisfying A-G with High School Courses

• Most common method of fulfilling the subject requirements.

• Must be on the high school’s “a-g” course list for the year in which the student completed the course.

• Can use approved courses from other California high schools and online schools.

• Career Technical Education (CTE) courses can also satisfy the subject requirements.

Satisfying A-G with High School CoursesThe A-G Course List Process

• List must be updated and published each year.– Course list update cycle is open February 1 –

September 15.– All new courses are reviewed by a subject area

analyst.

• Used with the UC online application system and by admissions evaluators during the review process.– Accuracy of your course list is important!

Satisfying A-G with College Courses

• 3-semester/4-quarter unit UC-transferable college course.– Each course receives the honors weight in the

GPA calculation (one honors point per grade).

– Non-transferable English and math courses are also acceptable (no honors point).

• One semester/quarter-long college course is equivalent to one year of high school coursework.

Satisfying A-G with College Courses

California Community College A-G Course Lists• Course lists available for all CCCs.

– Accessible on the “a-g” Course List website:http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/

• List identifies the college courses that satisfy each subject requirement.– It is a work in progress. Questions should be

referred to hsupdate@ucop.edu

California Community College A-G Course List

California Community College A-G Course Lists

• Course lists available for all CCCs.– Accessible on the “a-g” Course List

website: https://doorways.ucop.edu/list

• List identifies the college courses that satisfy each subject requirement.

Satisfying A-G with Examination Scores

• Earning a satisfactory score on Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or SAT Subject exams can fulfill a subject requirement (fully or partially).– AP scores of 3, 4 or 5.– IB HL scores of 5, 6 or 7.– SAT Subject scores vary by subject area

and discipline.

Satisfying A-G with Examination Scores

• How does using an exam score to fulfill a subject requirement affect the evaluation process?

– Does it disadvantage a student?– How is it reported on the application?– How does it affect the GPA?

Online Courses and A-G

UC Online Course Policy

• What is an online course?– More than 50% of instruction is conducted through

Internet-based methods with time and/or distance separating teacher and student.

• New 2-step review process for online courses.1)Assessment against iNACOL course standards.2)Review by UC for final “a-g” approval.

• Online courses approved for 3-year term.

• Effective for institutions that develop their own curriculum.– 2013-14 update cycle: Online institutions– 2014-15 update cycle: Non-online institutions

• For more information: http://www.ucop.edu/agguide/online-learning/index.html

Online Courses to Satisfy A-G1) High school purchased UC-approved online courses from a

publisher.– Publisher’s courses must be added to school’s “a-g” list.– School not required to complete 2-step online course review.

2) High school develops their own non-commercial online courses.– School required to complete 2-step online course review every 3

years.

3) Student independently enrolls in UC-approved online course.– Check online school’s “a-g” list to verify approval of courses.– Students list online school courses separately from high school’s

courses on UC application.

4) *Principal certifies non-UC-approved online courses.* – NOT applicable for online courses completed during the 2013-14

year and beyond.

Lab Science & VPA Online Courses

• Online courses in the laboratory sciences.– OK if it has required, supervised, on-site wet labs.– NEW process for lab science courses from online

publishers• Publisher receives “a-g” approval w/o labs.• Institutions include lab activities in the new course

submission form when adding the publisher’s course to their “a-g” course list.

• UC will review the proposed lab activities before awarding final “a-g” approval.

• Online courses in the visual & performing arts – NOT currently accepted.

• Online college-level laboratory science and visual & performing arts courses ok!

More Details on A-G

The “A-G Guide” website answers to many common questions on the “a-g”

subject requirements

Click on a subject area

• History/social science (“a”)

• Honors courses

• FAQs

http://www.ucop.edu/agguide/index.html

Integrated Math• A sequence of integrated math (IM) may meet the 3 year

mathematics (area “c”) subject requirement.• As can combinations of integrated or interactive math

program courses with algebra, geometry and other courses• Which of the following combinations are incorrect:

– IM 1 + IM 2 + IM 3– IM 1 + Geometry + Algebra 2 – IM 1 + IM 2 + Algebra 2– Algebra 1 + Geometry + IM 3– IM 1 + Algebra 1 + Algebra 2

Laboratory Science (“d”) Subject Requirement

• UC requires 2 years of lab science courses from 2 of the 3 disciplines (biology, chemistry, physics).

– Does Biology & Anatomy satisfy the requirement?

– Does Biology & Earth Science satisfy the requirement?

– Does Chemistry & Physics satisfy the requirement?

– Does Biology and AP Chemistry satisfy the requirement?

Interdisciplinary Science CoursesWhich of the following combinations are correct?– Biology & AP Environ Science

–Biotechnology, Biochemistry

–Anatomy & Forensic Sciences and Physics

–Bay Area Ecology and Biology

–Integrated Science 1 + Honors Chemistry

Mixed Records StudentsFor students who completed a portion of their secondary/high school education outside the U.S., there is common area of confusion is how they can satisfy subject areas “b” & “e”.

• Subject Area B is referred to as “English” but is defined as composition/literature in the language of instruction

The requirement can be met with the primary Language of Instruction (LOI).

• Subject Area E is referred to as “Language other than English” (or LOTE) but is defined as language other than the language of instruction

The requirement can be met with a second language other than the LOI, this can be and often is English

Mixed Records StudentsScenario: If a student studied in Mexico through the 10th grade, and he completed 2 years of English at a high school in Mexico, and then took 2 years of English at a high school in the US.

•Has the student completed the 4-year “b” subject requirement?

– Yes, with 2 years of Spanish (Comp/Lit) courses in Mexico plus

2 years of “a-g” approved English courses in the US.

•Has the student completed 2 years of the “e” subject requirement?

– Yes, with the 2 years of English courses taken in Mexico.

Repeating Courses• ONLY repeats of D or F grades allowed.

• Each A-G course can only be repeated once; but no limit on how many a-g courses can be repeated.

• Repeated course must have curriculum similar to the original course. Example--“D” in an AP US History cannot be replaced with a “C” or better in a “regular” college prep US History course.

• The higher grade of repeated course used in GPA calculation. Grades are not averaged.

• All “a-g” coursework (original and repeats) must be reported on the application. Courses repeated in 12th grade must be reported as “in progress” (1st sem) or “planned” (2nd sem).

Validation of Sequential Coursework

Mathematics and Languages Other Than English

ONLY• What is validation?

– Successful completion of an advanced course with a letter grade of C or higher in an area of sequential knowledge.

Presumes knowledge of the lower-level course content.

• Why validate?– Clear a D/F grade deficiencies and/or clear

subject omissions.

Validation of Math

Validation of Course Omission

• EXAMPLE: Algebra 2 is successfully complete without the lower-level Algebra 1 course.– Algebra 1 is validated by Algebra 2

Validation of Grade Deficiency

• EXAMPLE: Algebra 2 grades of D,F; Precalculus

grade of C,C.– Algebra 2 is validated by Precalculus.– D,F remain in GPA calculation if completed in grades

10 or 11.

Geometry 2015 and Beyond• For 2013-14 Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors

(UC Applicants for Fall 2015 and beyond) Students cannot validate an omission of Geometry with ANY

advanced level math course, but may validate a grade deficiency.

• For 2013-14 Seniors, the current rules still apply:

▲ Omission of Geometry validated by higher-level course▲Deficient Grades in Geometry validated by higher-level course, such as Pre-calculus, Trigonometry, Math Analysis, Calculus

► Grade of C or better first semester of any of these courses currently validates all lower-level math, including Geometry.

▲Algebra II/Trigonometry

►First semester of the Algebra II/Trig course, the Algebra content ,

does not validate Geometry; must complete Trig content.

▲ Statistics does not validates Geometry, only Algebra I & II

Validation of LOTEThe requirement can be defined as:• Completion of course work equivalent to the second (high school) year of a

language. Two full years of language courses may not be necessary. Note: California Community College LOTE courses. Language courses with a category of “LOTE Year 2” or higher meet the “e” subject requirement.

Validation of Course Omission– EXAMPLE: Spanish 3 is successfully completed without a prior lower-level

Spanish course. •Spanish 1 and 2 are validated by Spanish 3 = 3 yrs of LOTE

Validation of Grade Deficiency– EXAMPLE: “D” in French 1; “C” in French 2.

•Grade deficiency in French 1 is validated by French•D remains in the GPA calculation if completed in grade 10 or 11.

Senior Year Rigor

• UC Faculty encourage students to maintain a rigorous senior year class schedule. Student should: – Continue to maintain academic

achievement at same or higher level– Explain circumstances if unable to

complete 4 or fewer a-g courses – Expectation of completing courses with

strong grades – admission is conditional

Submitting Official Exam Scores

• Freshman applicants must complete examinations by December; and arrange to have official scores sent to UC.

• Official scores submitted to one UC campus will be shared with each campus to which the student applied.

– Applies for ACT, SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject Tests scores

– Submission of all scores is recommend; UC uses highest scores to the student’s advantage.

AP and IB Exams Credit

• New/Revised exams– Awarding of Credit by UC is Under Faculty Review

• The amount of unit credit UC awards to AP and IB exams with “credit-bearing scores” is standard across the campuses.– If subject content is duplicative, the University will award

credit for only one exam to the student’s advantage.

• Satisfaction of college and/or major requirements varies by campus.– Consult campus website for specific information.

Gap Year• Admission requirements are based on the year of

application.

• ACT Plus Writing/SAT Reasoning must have been completed by the time of high school graduation.

• The online application includes a question about any gap(s) in continuing education.

• Students should not enroll at a college/university after high school graduation; except summer afterward —prevents student from being a transfer applicant.

Resources• “a-g” Course List website: http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/

High school and CCC course lists

• “a-g” Guide website: http://www.ucop.edu/agguide/

• “Options for Satisfying UC’s ‘A-G’ Subject Requirements for Freshman Applicants”, including the use of international courseshttp://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/options-satisfying-a-g.pdf

• Revised Validation Matrixhttp://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/validation_matrix_math_lote.pdf

• AP/IB/A-Level Exam Credit http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/exam-credit/index.html

You have questions, we have answers: AskUC@ucop.edu

Thank You

Questions

UC Counselor Conference 2013