C A R E E R
G U I D A N C E
W A S H I N G T O N
PREPARING FOR POSTSECONDARY
GR 9-10 ▲ POSTSECONDARY
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
LESSON GOALS
► Students will describe the College Admission Distribution Requirements for admission to a
Washington State four-year college or university.
► Students will identify a Washington State four-year college to research.
ALIGNMENT WITH STANDARDS
► Essential Academic Learning Requirements Grade 9/10 Grade Level Expectations: This
lesson is aligned with Writing 2.4.1 and Educational Technology 1.3.1 and 1.3.2. Students will
complete postsecondary research. They will plan strategies for using online data sources and will
use those sources to locate and organize information.
► Common Core State Standards Grade 9-10: This lesson is aligned with English Language Arts
Writing 6, 7, and 8. Students will conduct a short research project, gathering information from one
or more online information sources.
► American School Counselor Association National Standards: This lesson is aligned with
ASCA Academic C1.6 and Personal & Social A1.2 and B1.9. Students will learn about how school
success and academic achievement enhance future opportunities. They will identify values,
attitudes, and beliefs, and will identify short- and long-term goals.
MATERIALS NEEDED
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Computer, projector, screen for teacher to show Postsecondary Admissions Power Point.
Postsecondary Admissions Power Point file (script can be found in this document).
Internet access for your students (if doing Enrichment Activities)
Postsecondary Research Worksheet for students (if doing Enrichment Activities).
Preparing for Postsecondary Family Handout to share with families.
CORE ACTIVITY
Review postsecondary admission requirements. Ask students to meet in small groups and quickly
discuss what they plan to do after high school: community or technical college, the military, four-year public
college in Washington State; or a four-year private or out-of-state college. Ask each group to report out a
summary of their discussion. Explain to students that Washington State has six public four-year colleges
and universities, as well as 34 community and technical colleges. In addition, there are more than 3,000
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GRADE 9-10 ▲ POSTSECONDARY ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
other colleges and universities around the country. If students want to attend college in Washington State,
they must meet certain admission requirements. (2 minutes)
Show the Postsecondary Admissions presentation. Show the Postsecondary Admissions Power
Point, focusing on the types of courses students need to take and the process they should begin to prepare
for the admissions process. Remind students that the College Academic Distribution Requirements
(CADRs) are required for four-year college and recommended for two-year college; but that the CADRs
are just the minimum requirements for admission to college. (15 minutes)
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Research colleges. Give each student or group a copy of the Postsecondary Research Worksheet and
make sure each student has access to a computer. Tell them to use one of the following web sites to find a
college to research:
► www.CheckOutACollege.com for Washington State community and technical colleges.
► www.hecb.wa.gov for Washington State four-year public colleges and universities (have students
click on “About Our System” in the upper left of the page, and then “Washington’s Institutions.”
That will lead them to links to the six public colleges, including branch locations).
► www.CollegeBoard.org for information about any college or university in the country (including
community colleges and public colleges). (Click on “College Search,” which will take students to a
page where they can search for colleges by name or attributes.)
Ask each student to identify a college to research. They can choose a local college, such as the community
college in your area, or a four-year Washington State college, or somewhere far away. Then, either using
the information on the College Board web site or the admissions information available at an individual
college’s web site, have each student complete the worksheet. If you wish, ask for volunteers to share what
they learned. (15-20 minutes)
EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITIES
Provide postsecondary course counseling. Students should understand by now that the courses they
take during high school are important. If possible, have a school counselor meet with your students and
help them set postsecondary goals and refine their four-year course plan based on those goals. Students
should understand what courses they should take to meet the College Academic Distribution
Requirements, and that if they want to attend a highly selective college they will need to do even more.
Organize a Postsecondary Information Night for families. If you wish, you might want to welcome
families to your school for an evening about the postsecondary admissions process. You can introduce the
Minimum College Admission Requirements, share information about Washington State’s two-year and fouryear colleges, discuss financial aid, and give parents tips on helping their students prepare to apply to and
succeed in postsecondary.
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GRADE 9-10 ▲ POSTSECONDARY ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
WASHINGTON STATE RESOURCES
► Check Out A College: www.CheckOutACollege.com
Information about Washington State’s community and technical colleges
► Higher Education Coordinating Board: www.hecb.wa.gov
Information about Washington State’s public colleges and universities, as well as college
preparation and financial aid
► College Board: www.CollegeBoard.org
Information about colleges, careers, majors, entrance exams, and financial aid
► TheWashBoard.org: www.thewashboard.org
A scholarship matching service for students in Washington State
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C A R E E R
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POSTSECONDARY ADMISSIONS
POWER POINT SCRIPT
This presentation can be used by a school counselor or teacher to help students in 9th or
10th grade start researching postsecondary programs.
Students will learn about the Minimum College Admission Standards (which are
REQUIRED for Washington State’s public four-year colleges and universities and
RECOMMENDED for our community and technical colleges). These standards require
students to take specific courses during high school. In addition, students will learn that
many colleges and universities have admission standards that are even higher.
Therefore, if students think they might like to attend college, they need to be aware of
what is required.
Ask your students if they can name Washington State’s six public four-year colleges and
universities. They are: University of Washington, Washington State University, Western
Washington University, The Evergreen State College, Eastern Washington University,
and Central Washington University. Tell students that there are also 34 community and
technical (two-year) colleges in Washington State. In addition, there are more than 3,000
public and private colleges and universities around the country.
Tell students that if they want to attend a two-year or four-year college, they need to start
preparing right away. Students should research postsecondary programs based on their
career interests. They should learn which courses are required before they can apply and
then make sure they take those courses. They should plan to visit, both on the Internet
and in person, if possible. Then, during the fall of senior year, they will apply.
Tell students that Washington State’s four-year public colleges and universities have set
Minimum College Admission Standards that all students must meet. These standards are
REQUIRED for the state’s public four year colleges and RECOMMENDED for the twoyear community and technical colleges. These standards are the MINIMUM. Many
colleges around the country have even higher requirements.
To meet the minimum admission requirements for a Washington State college, students
must take the courses that are part of the College Academic Distribution Requirements, a
series of courses that are more than required simply to graduate from high school. They
must also maintain a 2.0 minimum grade point average (GPA) out of a 4.0 scale. And
when they are a high school junior or senior they must take a college entrance exam –
either the SAT or ACT – and have their scores sent directly to the college.
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POSTSECONDARY ADMISSIONS POWER POINT SCRIPT, Continued
Review this list of College Academic Distribution Requirements with students. Remind
them that ALL of Washington State’s public four-year colleges and universities require
these minimum course requirements and that our community and technical colleges
recommend these requirements. Remind students also that these requirements are
HIGHER than the minimum high school graduation requirements, but that colleges may
require them to do even more than this list.
Tell students that in addition to working hard in their classes, they should also get
involved in extracurricular activities. Colleges want to know about their interests and
skills. So, students should join clubs, participate in activities, play a sport, or volunteer at
school or in the community.
Students might want to know how they can learn more about college. There are many
ways they can research colleges, majors, and financial aid. A few good resources are:
www.CheckOutACollege.com: This web site includes detailed information about
Washington State’s community and technical colleges, as well as information about
careers and financial aid.
www.hecb.wa.gov: This site contains links to Washington’s public colleges and
universities, including branch campuses. Students can also find information about
financial aid.
www.CollegeBoard.org: The College Board has information about colleges and majors
around the country, as well as information about the PSAT, SAT, AP exams, and financial
aid.
www.theWashBoard.org: TheWashBoard.org is a scholarship matching service for
students in Washington State.
In addition to these web sites, students should try to visit colleges. While on campus, they
should sit in on classes and talk with college students. Students should also meet with a
high school counselor to talk about their postsecondary plans.
Graduation is only a few years away. To prepare, students should plan their course
schedules carefully, based on the requirements of the postsecondary programs they
might like to attend. They should join activities, clubs, and sports to develop skills and
build on their interests. They should take required exams for high school graduation and
college admissions. They should research college majors, careers, and financial aid.
They should visit colleges. And then they should make a list of schools and apply during
the fall of senior year.
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C A R E E R
G U I D A N C E
W A S H I N G T O N
PREPARING FOR POSTSECONDARY
POSTSECONDARY RESEARCH WORKSHEET (GR 9-10)
Name: _________________________________
What do you think you might want to do after high school graduation? Select one of the options below:
 Find an apprenticeship
 Attend a community or technical college
 Join the military
 Attend a four-year college or university
Choose a college to research:
Use one of the web sites listed below to select a college to research. Then use the College Board’s
“College Search” function or the college’s web site to answer the questions below.
► www.CheckOutACollege.com for Washington State community and technical colleges.
► www.hecb.wa.gov for Washington State four-year public colleges and universities (click on “About
Our System” in the upper left of the page, and then “Washington’s Institutions.”).
► www.CollegeBoard.org for information about any college or university in the country. (Click on
“College Search,” which will take you to a page where you can search for a college.)
Name of college:
Location:
Note: Many colleges have more than one campus. Write down the location of at least one campus.
Possible major:
Possible degree:
How many high school course credits are required in each subject to apply?
_____ Math
_____ Science
_____ English
_____ Social Studies
Which college entrance exams are required?  SAT
 ACT
_____ World Language
 SAT Subject Tests 
When are applications for fall term due?
What is most interesting about this college?
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C A R E E R
G U I D A N C E
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PREPARING FOR POSTSECONDARY
PREPARING FOR POSTSECONDARY
FAMILY HANDOUT
IT’S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT POSTSECONDARY!
Washington State has 34 community and technical (two-year) colleges. In addition, we have six public four-year
colleges and universities: University of Washington, Washington State University, Western Washington University,
The Evergreen State College, Eastern Washington University, and Central Washington University. And, there are
more than 3,000 public and private colleges around the country. There is a college for every student!
FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Students who would like to attend a public college must meet certain minimum standards. These are required for the
state’s four-year public colleges and recommended for two-year community or technical colleges:
► College Academic Distribution Requirements, which include specific courses students must take during
high school (see below). Year-long courses in high school results in one annualized credit. To graduate from
high school, students must earn a certain number of credits by taking approximately six courses per year.
► 2.0 Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) during high school, out of a 4.0 scale.
► Official SAT/ACT scores. Students must take an official college entrance exam, such as the SAT or ACT,
and have their scores sent directly to the college.
COLLEGE ACADEMIC DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS
SUBJECT
REQUIREMENTS (Note that requirements may change)
ENGLISH
4 credits
Including 3 credits of college prep composition or literature
MATH
3 credits
Algebra I & II + Geometry or Integrated Math I, II, III
Must take a math-based quantitative course during senior year
SCIENCE
2 credits
One credit must be in an algebra-based science course
One credit must be in biology, chemistry, or physics
SOCIAL STUDIES
3 credits
WORLD LANGUAGE
2 credits
ARTS
1 credit
History or other social science
Two credits must be earned in the same language
One credit may be earned during middle school
Fine, visual, or performing arts
Learn more about Minimum College Admission Requirements at
http://www.hecb.wa.gov/sites/default/files/RevisedMCASOverviewParents-April2011_1.pdf.
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Preparing for Postsecondary Handout, Continued
RESEARCH POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS
There are many wonderful resources to help students and families learn more about postsecondary programs. A few
of these include:
► www.CheckOutACollege.com for Washington State community and technical colleges. This web site also
includes information on career exploration and financial aid.
► www.hecb.wa.gov for Washington State four-year public colleges and universities and financial aid.
► www.navigation101.com for students in schools that have registered for Navigation101. The web site
contains additional resources on the college admissions process.
► www.CollegeBoard.org for information about any college or university in the country.
Use these resources to explore and learn more. You and your student can search for a college by location, by major,
or by career interest.
LEARN ABOUT FINANCIAL AID
College can be expensive, but there is financial aid available for qualified students. Washington State has a
wonderful resource to help students and their families research scholarship opportunities:
► www.theWashBoard.org is a free, web-based scholarship matching clearinghouse for Washington
students. It is supported by the Washington Scholarship Coalition, a public/private partnership of
foundations, non-profit organizations, and state agencies. TheWashBoard.org makes it easy to find
scholarships for postsecondary education.
GET READY FOR POSTSECONDARY!
High school will be over soon. Help your student identify great opportunities for life after high school.
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