Math is one of the core courses in every high school; one all students must grapple with, as the skills it imparts are key not just for myriad academic disciplines, but to function in society. Of course, not all students enjoy math, and this is fine. It is, however, expected of you for college admissions.
In this article, we’re going to explore what math classes colleges require, what they expect, and what they prefer. We’ll also look at how this can differ based on your intended college and major, and how admissions officers judge your involvement with math classes. Let’s get started!
Minimum Math Requirements
The minimum requirements for the math you take in high school are set by your high school. These are your graduation requirements, and generally proscribe three years of math classes. This varies of course; public school requirements are set by the state, and each state has their own priorities for their students.
The level of math proficiency you need to attain also varies, but most high schools set this as at least Algebra II. This means you must also take Algebra I and Geometry in order to complete high school requirements.
The minimum requirements of a college depend on several factors. Note that most colleges do have minimum academic standards for admission, but expect competitive applicants to far exceed these for an actual chance at acceptance. For example, Stanford’s minimum academic standards are:
- Four years of English, with an emphasis on writing and literature
- Four years of math, including Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry (with an appreciation of calculus and statistics)
- Three or more years of history or social studies, including classes that focus on essay writing
- Three or more years of science
- Three or more years of the same world language
Stanford technically does not require you to take these courses, but these are the minimum standard they have found prepares students academically for the rigors of a college education. If anything, you should exceed these; taking four years in each of the core academic subject areas.
College Math Expectations by Major
While the minimum is four years of math courses in high school, the actual subject matter you learn also matters. The minimum proficiency colleges require is through trigonometry in most cases. This is not a course offered by most high schools separately, but is covered in Algebra II and Pre-calc.
In addition, colleges want to see most of all that you have challenged yourself academically with the courses you have taken, including math. What this looks like depends on your high school and the courses offered, but this usually means taking courses through at least calculus, including AP Calc.
This does depend on your high school of course; not all high schools even offer calculus, while some offer math courses far beyond it. You should challenge yourself academically, and push your limits as a scholar; success while doing so is what colleges are looking for.
Certain majors, however, do require specific preparation in math. Engineering, the sciences, and business generally require you to have completed calculus. Many of them want you to have taken calculus in high school, so that you can hit the ground running when you arrive at college. These are the majors which generally require you to have completed calculus:
- Engineering (all majors within engineering rely on calculus)
- Hard sciences (Biology, chemistry, physics, and the other hard sciences all require calculus)
- Social sciences (from economics to sociology, most of these require significant statistical analysis. You may not need calculus coming into college, but you will need it for these majors)
- Computer science
High Schools Which Don’t Offer Calculus
This is all well and good for students whose schools offer calculus, but what should you do if your school doesn’t? While this is true for a minority of high schools, there are still a great number of schools out there which simply do not offer any calculus courses, often due to a lack of resources.
If this is the case for you, you should try to take the most advanced math courses available to you outside of calculus. Students are judged in the context of their schools, so you will not be penalized for not taking a course which is unavailable to you. That said, this will make it more difficult to complete certain majors, as many core classes in engineering and the sciences rely on knowledge of calculus.
For this reason, we recommend looking into calculus classes on your own if your school doesn’t offer them. You can find these at a local community college, or online; services such as Math Academy offer calculus among other subjects, and can be a good supplement for math topics not offered by your school. While you do not have to do this, your dedication to the subject will meet with approval from colleges.
University of California Math Requirements
The University of California system has specific academic requirements for all incoming students, referred to as the A-G requirements. Students who do not meet these are ineligible for entry into UC schools. These are courses you need to both take and pass. High schools in California require these courses as part of their graduation requirements; students elsewhere in the country may need to be more careful to get these courses in if they intend to apply to a University of California school.
The specific math requirement they have is three years of study, with a fourth highly recommended. You need to cover both introductory and advanced algebra, along with geometry. A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus exam (AB or BC) satisfies two years of this requirement, but not geometry. Scores of 5, 6, or 7 on the IB Mathematics exam also satisfies two years of this requirement (but again, not geometry).
Integrated math courses which cover these topics but which are not specifically designated as “Algebra” or “Geometry” are also approved. You must get a C or better in these courses to get credit. Courses taken in 7th or 8th grade can satisfy these credits if they are equivalent to high school courses.
Planning Out Your High School Math Courses
Now that you know what colleges are looking for in your math coursework, you can more easily plan around that. The first step is determining which courses your high school actually offers, as that generally defines which courses you can take.
Your high school will often have tracks it expects students to follow; these differ from state to state and even from school to school. Here are some of the most common we see:
- Algebra I in 8th grade, Geometry in 9th, Algebra II, Precalculus, then Calculus
- Algebra I in 9th grade, Geometry in 10th, Algebra II and then Precalculus
- Geometry in 8th grade, Algebra II, Precalculus, Calculus, and then advanced math
In general, students will be taking the same math courses, just at different times. Note that some schools use an integrated math curriculum, which combines these topics. Some schools also give you the option to take AP Statistics in place of AP Calculus. We recommend all students take calculus, even if statistics would be more useful for your eventual major.
Even students who intend to major in statistics are better served taking AP Calculus. AP Stats is a useful course, and if you finish AP Calc in your junior year, it is a good one to take senior year. It should not be taken in place of AP Calc however.
Final Thoughts
Math is often a student’s least favorite subject, but it is of key importance for a great many fields, in the sciences and beyond. The math courses you take in high school lay a foundation for the work you will do in college, so it makes sense that admissions officers care strongly about which courses you take and how you perform.
We hope that this article has clarified what admissions officers expect from your high school math achievements. For information about planning your high school courses generally, see our guide to the subject. If you have questions about your own unique situation, or want any other advice on planning out your high school coursework, schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a long experience guiding students through their high school experience and into top colleges, and are always happy to hear from you.
