Navigating the Avenues
of A-G
UC Counselor Conference 2013
Overview
Methods 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 Courses
The 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-G
1) 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 Courses
Which 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 Students
For 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 Students
Scenario: 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 LOTE
The 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 courses
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/options-satisfying-a-g.pdf
• Revised Validation Matrix
http://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