Navigating the Avenues of A-G
CSU/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
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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Part I: The A-G Subject
Requirements
CSU/UC Counselor Conference
September 15, 2014
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.
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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A-G Course Pattern
The 15 “a-g” courses are:
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
*Shading = difference between CSU and UC
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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History / Social Science (“a”)
 The requirement = 2 years
CSU
UC
– 1 year of U.S. history OR ½
year of U.S. history and ½
year of government
– 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
– 1 year of world history
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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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
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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Mathematics (“c”)
 The requirement = 3 years (4 years recommend)
CSU
UC
 Must complete coursework in:
 Must complete coursework in:
– Algebra 1
– Geometry
– Algebra 2
– Algebra 1
– Geometry
– Algebra 2
 May use coursework from
grades.
7th
and
8th
 Higher-level math courses validate
lower-level coursework.
– Exception: Statistics only validates
Algebra 1 and Algebra 2.
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
 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.
– Can no longer validate omission
of Geometry
8
Laboratory Science (“d”)
 The requirement = 2 years (3 years recommend)
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.
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
UC
 Coursework chosen from 2 of 3
disciplines:
– Biology
– Chemistry
– Physics
 Both courses must be from “d”
subject area.
 Chemistry cannot be validated.
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Language Other Than English (“e”)
 The requirement = 2 years (3 year recommended)
– Must be of the same language other than English
 May use coursework from 7th and 8th grades.
 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!
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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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.
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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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.
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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Part II: Options for Satisfying A-G
CSU/UC Counselor Conference
September 15, 2014
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.
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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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!
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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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
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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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.
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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Part III: Honors-level Course
CSU/UC Counselor Conference
September 15, 2014
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.
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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“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!
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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Questions?
CSU/UC Counselor Conference
September 15, 2014
Resources
 UC-CSU Comparison of Minimum Eligibility Requirements for
Freshman Admission:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/csu-uc-a-gcomparison-matrix.pdf
 A-G Course List website: https://doorways.ucop.edu/list
 CSU Admissions Handbook:
http://www.calstate.edu/sas/onestopkiosk/documents/AdmissionHandb
ook.pdf
 “Options for Satisfying UC’s ‘A-G’ Subject Requirements for
Freshman Applicants”:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/optionssatisfying-a-g.pdf
 ASSIST: www.assist.org
CSU/UC COUNSELOR CONFERENCE September 15, 2014
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