COLLEGE READINESS

This indicator tracks the number and percent of students who graduate from high school having completed the course requirements to be eligible to apply to a University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU). The UC/CSU eligibility requirements are presented below.

The UC/CSU minimum course requirements are centered on a well-rounded curriculum that fosters content mastery and ensures that students are ready to take college courses without remediation. Courses include an applied learning component to help students improve comprehension and practice critical thinking skills. The more students master the content in conjunction with these skills, the more likely they are to pursue and succeed in college, as well as in the workforce.1

• In 2015/16, Orange County had 37,185 high school graduates, of which 51.1% were UC/CSU eligible, higher than California’s eligibility rate of 45.4%.2

• UC/CSU eligibility in Orange County increased 13.8% in 10 years, from 44.9% of graduates in 2006/07 to 51.1% in 2015/16.

UC/CSU Requirements

• 4 years of English

• 3 years of Math, including Algebra, Geometry and Intermediate Algebra

• 2 years of History/Social Studies, including one year of U.S. History or one-half year of U.S. History and onehalf year of Civics or American Government; and one year of World History, Cultures and Geography

• At 77.1%, Asian students had the greatest proportion of graduates who were UC/CSU eligible, followed by White (59.0%), American Indian (55.0%), Black (38.5%) and Hispanic (35.6%) graduates.

• Hispanic graduates comprise the largest group of total graduates (44.3%), while accounting for only 30.9% of those UC/CSU eligible, lower than Asian (15.5% of total graduates accounting for 23.3% of UC/CSU eligible) and White (32.1% of total graduates accounting for 37.1% of UC/CSU eligible) graduates.

• Since 2006/07, the UC/CSU eligibility rates for graduates have increased the most among students in the Migrant Education program (105.7% increase), followed by students in the Socioeconomically Disadvantaged program (75.5% increase). The eligibility rate for graduates of the English Learner program has declined 72.6% since 2006/07.3

• 2 years of Science with lab required chosen from Biology, Chemistry and Physics

• 2 years of Foreign Language and must be the same language for those two years

• 1 year of Visual and Performing Arts chosen from Dance, Drama/Theater, Music, or Visual Art

• 1 year of Electives