Qualification Guidelines & Course Lists

In order to qualify for CSF, students must accrue 10 total points from a maximum of five qualifying courses taken in the previous semester. Students must earn a set amount of points from each list. Course Lists are approved by the CSF State Board each year. 

Points for CSF are awarded as follows: 

A = 3 points B = 1 point C = 0 points

Students can earn an additional point for taking AP and Honors courses for TWO total courses for the semester. With a point bump, points would be awarded as follows: 

  A = 4 points   B = 2 points C= 1 point

College Courses, or any course that awards 10 credits over the standard 5 in a semester, award points as follows: 

A = 6 points   B = 2 points     C = 0 points

A grade of a D or an F in any course disqualifies students from membership for that semester, even if that course cannot be used to qualify for CSF (like PE). 

List I Courses

Freshman, sophomores, and juniors must accrue their first 4 points from List I on their membership applications. Seniors applying in February or June are except from this qualfier. 

List I: Core curriculum classes as defined in the state frameworks that must integrate the following: intellectually and academically challenging material, substantial amounts of reading & writing, critical thinking & problem solving skills, and individual lab work in the case of sciences. Approved Redwood courses listed below; only college classes with a similar title count for List I. 

List II Courses

The first 7 points, including the previous 4 points accured from List I, must come from Lists I & II. If students have not taken any courses from List II, all of the first 7 points must come from List I. 

Seniors: your first 7 points must come from Lists I and II; if no List II courses are taken, then all 7 points would need to come from List I.

List II courses are courses that are not specified on List I and that must integrate the following: intellectually & academically challenging material, substantial amounts of reading & writing, & critical thinking & problem solving skills. These classes aren’t considered part of the “core.” Some college classes, like Psychology or Geography, that meet the above qualifications, will count for List II. If you’re unsure, please ask! Approved Redwood courses listed below.

List III

The remaning 3 points of your total 10 can come from List III. List III is comprised of elective courses that do not have the same academic rigor as List I and II courses.

All other courses awarded credit which are not on the above specified Lists I & II with the following exceptions: physical education, courses taken in lieu of physical education, lab/teacher assistant/academic tutor, office/library aide, study hall, repeated courses even taken at COS, and courses taken on a pass/fail basis. Approved Redwood courses listed below; college electives will also count in List III.