California State Standards for Sciences

Requirements for high school graduation:

• Two years of science with a grade of D or better in all semesters.

  Requirements for high school graduation:

  • Two years of science with a grade of D or better in all semesters.
  • One year of biology and the other year a physical science (environmental science, chemistry, or physics)

  Requirements for four Year Colleges and Universities:

  • Two years of science with a grade of C or better in all semesters
  • Competitive students for UC admission will usually have three years of lab sciences.  Many other colleges require or recommend three or more years of science
  • UC requires a minimum of two years of laboratory science; all AHS courses in biology, chemistry and physics plus AP environmental science are approved as lab sciences

  Typical Student Science Pathways

  9th Graders:

  • Earth Science or Biology

  10th Graders:

  • Biology for those students who took Earth Science
  • Chemistry or Physics
  • For those who do well in science: Chemistry, or Honors/AP Chemistry or Physics

  11th and 12th Graders:

  • At least one science course per year, emphasizing AP courses:  AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Environmental Science

  Elective:

  • Physiology: relevant for health care fields