Comparing High School Graduation and College Admission Requirements

The quality and level of high school course work and instruction and their level of alignment with college admission requirements determine how well prepared high school graduates are to succeed in college. States are uniquely positioned to try to improve students’ transition between high school and college by successfully aligning K-12 standards and post-secondary expectations, and thereby reducing college remediation rates and increasing college completion rates. Beginning in 2003, the Minnesota Legislature first adopted and then subsequently amended required and elective K-12 academic standards and coursework. The following table compares Minnesota’s current and future high school graduation requirements and current admission requirements at the state’s public colleges and universities.

	K-12 Graduation Standards* for students beginning 9^th grade in the 2004-2005 school year or later	K-12 Graduation Standards for students beginning 9^th grade in the 2011-2012 school year or later	Four-year College Admission Requirements 2006-07
*Language Arts*	4 language arts credits	No additional requirements	4 years high school English, including } writing } literature
*Mathematics*	3 mathematics credits, including } algebra } geometry } statistics and probability	Algebra I or equivalent by the end of 8^th grade, and 3 mathematics credits, including } 1 geometry } 1 statistics and probability, and } 1 algebra II credit or equivalent	3 years high school math, including } elementary algebra } intermediate algebra } geometry
*Science*	3 science credits, including } 1 biology	3 science credits, including } 1 biology and } 1 chemistry or physics credit } An agriculture science credit may fulfill the additional science requirement	3 years high school science, including: } biological science } physical science } lab experience
*Social Studies*	3½ social studies credits, including } U.S. history } geography } government and citizenship } world history and economics, or 3 credits of social studies, including } U.S. history } geography } government and citizenship } world history } ½ credit of economics taught by the social studies or business department	No additional requirements	3 years high school social studies, including } geography } U.S. history
*Foreign Language*	World languages is an elective standard	No additional requirements	2 years of a single second or world language
*Arts*	One arts credit	No additional requirements	1 year visual or performing arts, or 1 year world culture or fine arts
*Elective standards*	School districts must establish elective standards for: } vocational and technical education } health and physical education and } world languages School districts must offer courses in all elective standards		No additional requirements
* School districts decide if students meet course credit requirements by (1) successfully completing an academic year of study or (2) demonstrating mastery of the applicable subject matter. Minn. Stat. § 120B.024. One high school credit is equivalent to a year of study for college admission requirements.

For more information: Contact legislative analysts Lisa Larson at 651-296-8036 or Kathy Novak at 651-296-9253. Also see the House Research publication Minnesota’s K-12 Academic Standards and Assessments, August 2006.