***Please
see the new requirements for the Class of 2011 and beyond at the bottom of this
page***College Preparatory Course Prerequisite Requirements
The following are requirements set by South Carolina colleges and universities admissions offices. If a student is planning to attend a four-year college in the state of South Carolina, they must meet all of these requirements to be competitive for admission to these schools. Due to the current South Carolina high school graduation requirements, most of these courses are taken in the natural sequence of the Dorman College Preparatory curriculum. However, a student must keep all of these requirements in mind when they are choosing courses during registration. Please see your counselor if you have any questions.
***Please
see the new requirements for the Class of 2011 and beyond at the bottom of this
page***
COLLEGE PREPARATORY COURSE PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS
EFFECTIVE DATE: ACADEMIC YEAR 2003-2004
FOUR UNITS OF ENGLISH: At least two units must have strong grammar and composition components, at least one must be in English literature, and at least one must be in American literature. Completion of College Preparatory English I, II, III, and IV will meet this criterion.
THREE UNITS OF MATHEMATICS: These include Algebra I (for which Applied Mathematics I and II may count together as a substitute if a student successfully completes Algebra II), Algebra II, and Geometry. A fourth higher-level mathematics course is strongly recommended. The fourth course should be selected from among algebra III/trigonometry, precalculus, calculus, statistics, or discrete mathematics.
THREE UNITS OF LABORATORY SCIENCE: Two units must be taken in two different fields and selected from among biology, chemistry, or physics. The third unit may be from the same field as one of the first two units (biology, chemistry, or physics) or from any laboratory science for which biology and/or chemistry is a prerequisite. Courses in earth science, general physical science, or introductory or general environmental science for which biology and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite will not meet this requirement. It is strongly recommended that students take physical science (taught as a laboratory science) as a prerequisite to the three required units of laboratory science outlined in the section.
TWO UNITS OF THE SAME FOREIGN LANGUAGE
THREE UNITS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE: One unit of U.S. History is required; a half unit of Economics and a half unit in Government are strongly recommended.
FOUR UNITS OF ELECTIVES: Four college preparatory units must be taken from at least three different fields selected from among Computer Science, English, Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, Humanities, Laboratory Science (excluding earth science, general physical science, general environmental science or other introductory science courses for which biology and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite), Mathematics above the level of Algebra II, and Social Sciences. It is suggested that one unit be in Computer Science which includes programming (i.e., not just keyboarding) and one unit in Fine Arts (appreciation of, history, or performance).
ONE UNIT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR ROTC
NOTE: Each institution may make exceptions in admitting 1) students who do not meet all of the prerequisites, limited to those individual cases in which the failure to meet one or more prerequisites is due to circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student or 2) students who have taken the Tech Prep (Applied Academics) courses rather than the required college preparatory curriculum described above and who meet all other institutional admissions criteria.
Updated March 2003
For the class of 2011, new requirements will be in place. See below for details
College Preparatory Course Prerequisite Requirements
Effective Date: Academic Year 2011-12
FOUR UNITS OF ENGLISH: At least two units must have strong grammar and composition components, at least one must be in English literature, and at least one must be in American literature. Completion of College Preparatory English I, II, III, and IV will meet this criterion.
FOUR UNITS OF MATHEMATICS: These include Algebra I (for which Applied Mathematics I and II may count together as a substitute, if a student successfully completes Algebra II), Algebra II, and Geometry. A fourth higher-level mathematics course should be selected from among Algebra III/trigonometry, precalculus, calculus, statistics, discrete mathematics, or a capstone mathematics course and should be taken during the senior year.
THREE UNITS OF LABORATORY SCIENCE: Two units must be taken in two different fields of the physical or life sciences and selected from among biology, chemistry, or physics. The third unit may be from the same field as one of the first two units (biology, chemistry, or physics) or from any laboratory science for which biology and/or chemistry is a prerequisite. Courses in earth science, general physical science, or introductory or general environmental science for which biology and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite will not meet this requirement. It is strongly recommended that students take physical science (taught as a laboratory science) as a prerequisite to the three required units of laboratory science outlined in this section. It isalsostrongly recommended that students desiring to pursue careers in science, mathematics, engineering or technology take one course in all three fields.
TWO UNITS OF THE SAME FOREIGN LANGUAGE
THREE UNITS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE: One unit of U.S. History is required; a half unit of Economics and a half unit in Government are strongly recommended.
ONE UNIT OF FINE ARTS: One unit in Appreciation of, History of, or Performance in one of the fine arts.
ELECTIVE: One unit must be taken as an elective. A college preparatory course in Computer Science (i.e., one involving significant programming content, not simply keyboarding) is strongly recommended for this elective. Other acceptable electives include college preparatory courses in English; fine arts; foreign languages; social science; humanities; laboratory science (excluding earth science, general physical science, general environmental science, or other introductory science courses for which biology and/or chemistry is not a prerequisite); ormathematics above the level of Algebra II.
ONE UNIT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR ROTC
NOTES
1. Each institution may make exceptions in admitting (a) students who do not meet all of the prerequisites, limited to those individual cases in which the failure to meet one or more prerequisites is due to circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student; or, (b) students who have taken the Tech Prep (Applied Academics) courses rather than the required college preparatory curriculum described above and who meet all other institutional admissions criteria.
2. The College Preparatory Course Prerequisite Requirements are minimal requirements for four-year public college admission. Therefore, students should check early with colleges of their choice to plan to meet additional high school prerequisites that might be required for admission.
3. It is the responsibility of each school district to disseminate this set of requirements to entering freshmen students interested in pursuing a four-year college degree in South Carolina upon graduation from high school and to provide the web address for their viewing: http://www.che.sc.gov/New_Web/GoingToCollege/CollPrepPrereq.htm.Please note the __ (underscore) character between the words "New" and "Web" in the URL.
4. This revision of the College Preparatory Course Prerequisite Requirements shall be fully implemented for students entering colleges and universities as freshmen beginning in Fall 2011. In the interim period, either the 2003-04 version of the Prerequisites or the version approved by the Commission on October 5, 2006, is acceptable.
Approved by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, October 5, 2006