Navigating the Avenues of A-G

Navigating the Avenues of A-G

CSU/UC Counselor ConferenceSeptember 15, 2014

2CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014

Workshop Topics

Part I: The A-G Subject Requirements

Part II: Options for Satisfying A-G– High school courses– College courses– Exam scores

Part III: Honors-level Courses

Part I: The A-G Subject Requirements



Purpose of A-G Courses

Prepare students to participate fully in their first-year program at the University.

Provide students with a foundation of general knowledge for new and advanced study.

Help students develop critical thinking and analytical skills.


A-G Course Pattern

Subject requirement Required # of years

History / social science (“a”) 2 years

English (“b”) 4 years

Mathematics (“c”) 3 years

Laboratory science (“d”) 2 years

Language other than English (“e”) 2 years

Visual and performing arts (“f”) 1 year

College-preparatory elective (“g”) 1 year

The 15 “a-g” courses are:

*Shading = difference between CSU and UC


History / Social Science (“a”)

CSU

– 1 year of U.S. history OR ½ year of U.S. history and ½ year of government

– 1 year of history / social science from either the “a” or “g” subject area

UC

– 1 year of U.S. history OR ½ year of U.S. history and ½ year of government

– 1 year of world history

The requirement = 2 years


English (“b”)

The requirement = 4 years

May use 1 year of ESL/ELD English– Must be on “a-g” course list!– Can’t be taken during student’s senior year


Mathematics (“c”)

CSU

Must complete coursework in:– Algebra 1– Geometry– Algebra 2

May use coursework from 7th and 8th grades.

Higher-level math courses validate lower-level coursework.

– Exception: Statistics only validates Algebra 1 and Algebra 2.

UC

Must complete coursework in:– Algebra 1– Geometry– Algebra 2


Higher-level math courses validate lower-level coursework.

– Exception: Statistics only validates Algebra 1 and Algebra 2.

– Can no longer validate omission of Geometry

The requirement = 3 years (4 years recommend)


Laboratory Science (“d”)

CSU

Must complete coursework in:

– 1 year of physical science

– 1 year of biological science

May use 1 course from “g” area to satisfy either physical or biological science requirement.

A grade of C or better in the 2nd semester of chemistry will validate a D/F in the 1st semester.

UC

Coursework chosen from 2 of 3 disciplines:

– Biology– Chemistry– Physics

Both courses must be from “d” subject area.

Chemistry cannot be validated.

The requirement = 2 years (3 years recommend)


Language Other Than English (“e”)

The requirement = 2 years (3 year recommended)– Must be of the same language other than English


Higher-level LOTE course will validate lower-level work.

Certification of competence in a language other than English.

– Formal schooling in a language other than English.– Assessment by exam or University.– Certification by high school principal.– CSU: Additional methods!


Visual and Performing Arts (“f”)

The requirement = 1 yearlong course

Coursework completed in either:– Dance– Music– Theater– Visual arts

Single course must be completed sequentially.– Not required to complete within the same academic year.


College-Preparatory Elective (“g”)

The requirement = 1 year – An “a-f” course beyond those used to satisfy the requirement.

OR– Course that is approved solely for use as “g” electives.

Part II: Options for Satisfying A-G



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.

Student must earn grade of C or better.– No Pass/Fail or Credit/No credit grades!

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


The A-G Course List

A-G Course List website: https://doorways.ucop.edu/list – View any school’s or program’s course list.

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. – NEW! A-G Course Management Portal (A-G CMP)

Used by CSU and UC admissions evaluators during the admissions process.

– Accuracy of your course list is important!

https://doorways.ucop.edu/list


Satisfying A-G with College Courses

3-semester unit / 4-quarter unit transferable college course.– CSU: Must be CSU-transferable– UC: Must be UC-transferable

Non-transferable English and math courses ok!

Student must earn grade of C or better.

1 semester / quarter-long college course = 1 year of high school coursework.

Each course receives the honors weight in the GPA calculation.– Non-transferable courses = no weight.

Use your resources!– www.assist.org – CSU-transferable courses– https://doorways.ucop.edu/list - UC-transferable courses

http://www.assist.org/



Satisfying A-G with Examination Scores

Earning a satisfactory score on an exam can fulfill an “a-g” subject requirement (fully or partially).

Advanced Placement (AP)– Score of 3 or better.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level (HL)– Score of 5 or better.

ACT, SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject– Scores vary by exam and by system.

Part III: Honors-level Course



Types of Honors Courses

Advanced Placement (AP) courses– Only allow AP courses that have passed the AP Audit (or are in

progress) to be placed on the “a-g” course list.– Schools must manually add AP courses to their list.– All AP courses (currently) receive the honors designation.

International Baccalaureate (IB) courses– Not all IB courses are “a-g” approved and not all automatically

receive honors designation.

College courses– 3-semester (or 4-quarter) unit transferable college course.


“Other” Honors Courses

Honors course policy revisions, effective 2015-16:– No limit on designated honors courses approved for an “a-g” list.

– School-created, college-preparatory elective (“g”) honors courses eligible for honors designation.

– Honors courses must have a non-honors equivalent, but simultaneous offerings not required.

– Allow 10th grade courses to qualify for honors designation.

Designated “other” honors courses will receive extra point in GPA calculation.

Honors courses not eligible for honors designation should still be submitted for “a-g” review!

Questions?



Resources

UC-CSU Comparison of Minimum Eligibility Requirements for Freshman Admission: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/csu-uc-a-g-comparison-matrix.pdf

A-G Course List website: https://doorways.ucop.edu/list

CSU Admissions Handbook: http://www.calstate.edu/sas/onestopkiosk/documents/AdmissionHandbook.pdf

“Options for Satisfying UC’s ‘A-G’ Subject Requirements for Freshman Applicants”: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/options-satisfying-a-g.pdf

ASSIST: www.assist.org

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/csu-uc-a-g-comparison-matrix.pdf





http://www.calstate.edu/sas/onestopkiosk/documents/AdmissionHandbook.pdf

http://www.calstate.edu/sas/onestopkiosk/documents/AdmissionHandbook.pdf

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/options-satisfying-a-g.pdf



http://www.assist.org/

Documents

Navigating the Avenues of A-G