Why High School Graduation Does Not Equal College Admission

In a number of Arizona high schools there is a deficit between what coursework is required for graduation from high school and what is required for entrance to an Arizona university. Below is an example of the requirements from a southern Arizona school district compared with course requirements for NAU, ASU and UA:

This chart shows that the course requirements for high school graduation are often less than what is required for college admission. For college admission, you should make sure your child takes four years of math, four years of English, three years of lab science, at least two years of social science (often the school will require three), two years of the same foreign language and one year of fine arts. Although it is possible to be admitted without completing all these courses, it is highly recommended that you plan to complete all of these requirements with a grade of "C" or better to ensure your best chances for admission.

As you can see, the requirements differ in virtually every area but English and Fine Arts, only further demonstrating the importance of early planning in preparation for college enrollment.

This difference in requirements only furthers the idea that college planning needs to begin before your student’s junior year. Minimally, families should be planning for college as early as 8th grade, when many academic decisions with long-term consequences are made. For example, if a student is not ready for high school algebra (the most basic course accepted for the math requirement) during their 9th grade year, they would then be a year behind on completing the minimum of four years of high school math. Course planning for the freshman year often begins early to mid spring semester of the eighth grade year, and it is important that parents and school personnel help young students design a plan for college enrollment beginning then.

Finally, begin conversations with counselors about college aspirations early in the student’s high school career. The counselor can then advise the student on the necessary steps for both meeting their academic goals and planning for college.