Tools & Resources

How to Qualify for a 4-year College after High School

The A-G course requirements are classes that a student must take, and pass, in order to apply to four year colleges, specifically California State Universities (CSU) such as Cal State Northridge, Cal State Los Angeles, and Cal State Dominguez Hills, as well as University of California (UC) schools, such as UCLA, UC Riverside, and UC Berkeley.

Below is a list of the A-G requirements, including the subjects that A-G represent, and the MINIMUM number of years a student must take a class in that subject for during high school (grades 9-12).

• Requirement A: 2 years of History/Social Studies

• Requirement B: 4 years of English

• Requirement C: 3 years of Math

• Requirement D: 2 years of Laboratory Science

• Requirement E: 2 years of Language other than English

• Requirement F: 2 years of Visual/Performing Arts

• Requirement G: 2 years of other College-Preparatory Electives

*It is still HIGHLY recommended by your high school counselors that you take 4 years of classes in core subjects of History, Science and Mathematics.

A-G Requirements - English PDF

The Difference Between "A-G Completion Rate" and "Graduation Rate"

A high school’s A-G completion rate represents the percentage of students that have completed and passed classes that meet the A-G requirements listed above. Students need at least a ‘C’ to ensure the class qualifies for the A-G requirements.

A high school’s graduation rate represents the percentage of students that have completed the school’s requirements for graduating.

According to recent data, about 78% of 12th graders in LAUSD graduate every year, while only 49% meet the A-G requirements. This means that about 30% graduate unable to attend a four-year university in the fall, and 22% do not graduate at all.

If a high school’s A-G completion rate is the same as the graduation rate, then the school’s graduation requirements align with A-G requirements.

If a school’s graduation rate is HIGHER than the A-G completion rate, that means that some students are graduating and are NOT eligible for admission to CSU or UC schools. It is up to YOU to ensure that you are meeting the A-G requirements!

Using SBAC Passing Rates to Assess Public School Academic Performance

Another key data point for high schools is SBAC scores, or scores on the California state test known as CAASPP. In high school, students at public schools only take this test in 11th grade, so it is important to consider other data and information about the high school as well. SBAC passing rates represent the percentage of students who either met or exceeded grade level standards on the 11th grade state test.

For the most recent available year (2018-2019), the State of California's average for 11th grade is as follows:

• 57.27% meet or exceed the English-Language Arts standard in California

• 32.24% meet or exceed the Math standard in California

Click here to access the SBAC website and look up the most recent data for any school in Los Angeles. Keep in mind that newer schools may not have this information available if they do not yet have an 11th grade.