College Prep Resources

Planning for college is an exciting time for students. But for many it can prove to be a daunting task. The resources in this section are intended to help parents and students understand the steps that they should be taking in high school to prepare them for post-secondary education.

Graduation Requirements

students wearing graduation caps and gowns

We offer every student a high-quality education. Our graduation requirements exceed those at most school districts in California. The high school graduation requirements represent the minimum students must take to earn a diploma. Students are highly encouraged to enroll in A-G courses that prepare them for college or university entrance.

Comprehensive High School Course Completion Requirements

In order to graduate from the district, students in comprehensive high schools must earn a minimum of two hundred-twenty (220) credits, in grades nine (9) through twelve (12), complete all required courses and a Validating Experience (as defined in this regulation), demonstrating College and Career Readiness.

To obtain a high school diploma, students shall complete the coursework identified below in grades 9–12. Courses taken in EGUSD Middle Schools that have the same course codes and requirements as high school courses shall be granted high school credits toward graduation. Grades for such classes will not be counted toward high school grade point average.

Continuation high school and comprehensive high school students will have different sets of credit and course requirements for graduation.

Credit and Course Requirements for Comprehensive High School Students

Forty (40) credits of English.
Thirty-five (35) credits of social science including World Geography; United States History; World History; American Government, and Economics.
Twenty (20) credits of Physical Education, unless the student has been exempted pursuant to the Education Code or effective July 1, 2007, is mandated to enroll in additional Physical Education classes due to failure to meet state fitness standards.
Thirty (30) credits of Mathematics* including Math I, and thirty (30) credits of Science, including Life and Physical Sciences; or Forty (40) credits of Mathematics*, including Math I, and twenty (20) credits of Science, including Life and Physical Sciences.
Ten (10) credits of World Language* and ten (10) credits of Visual and Performing Arts; or twenty (20) credits of the same World Language*.
Five (5) credits of Health.
Five (5) credits of Technology*.
Thirty-Five (35) elective credits[SB1] .

*Students may demonstrate proficiency in identified subject areas through specific district proctored assessments.

Validating Experience

We believe it is important for students to validate their educational experience and demonstrate College and Career Readiness. In order for students to demonstrate College and Career Readiness, and graduate from EGUSD, students must pass ten (10) credits in one (1) of the following in their Senior Year:

AP/IB Course;

JROTC Senior Course;

AVID Senior Seminar;

Math Course; or

Career Technical Education (CTE) Capstone Course;

Alternatively, seniors may also demonstrate College and Career Readiness and graduate by the following:

Meeting UC/CSU A – G requirements; or

Earning a Seal of Biliteracy.

Credits for Work Experience

Seniors may enroll in a maximum of twenty (20) credits of work experience (ten [10] per semester) in their junior or senior year. Students may earn up to a maximum of forty (40) credits of work experience during their junior and senior year combined.

Credits for Teachers' Aides

Schools shall limit the number of teachers’ aides (TA) per teacher/department
Unless approved by the principal, students may not earn more than ten (10) TA credits during high school.
Unless approved by the site principal, only juniors and seniors may work as TA's.
Teachers' aides and work experience may not be taken concurrently.

Continuation High School Graduation Requirements

Our credit guidelines for continuation high school operate on the philosophy that students will earn credits through satisfactory completion of course objectives as demonstrated in coursework and assessments assigned by classroom teachers. The special nature of continuation education also provides the opportunity for students to earn credits through completion of project contracts. The issuance of credits and the corresponding credit options are provided as a direction to site administrators and teachers. Granting of any credit in variance with the credit guidelines must be authorized in advance by written approval of the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education and site principal.

Specific credit and course requirements for continuation students in the class of 2022 and thereafter are:

English: 40 Credits
Mathematics*: 30 Credits (includes Math 1) Life Science: 10 Credits
Physical Science: 10 Credits US History: 10 Credits World History: 10 Credits
American Government: 5 Credits Economics: 5 Credits
World Geography: 5 Credits Physical Education: 20 Credits World Language*: 10 Credits,
and/or 10 Credits Visual/Performing Arts, and/or 10 Credits Career Technical Education Health: 5 Credits
Technology*: 5 Credits
Electives: 55 credits

Total credits: 220

*Students may demonstrate proficiency in identified subject areas through specific district proctored assessments.

Because the prescribed course of study may not accommodate the needs of some students, the Board shall provide alternative means for the completion of prescribed courses in accordance with law.

Exemptions from District-Adopted Graduation Requirements

District students are required to complete graduation course requirements as specified earlier, including the requirements imposed by Education Code 51225.3 and those adopted by the Board. However, a foster youth, homeless student, former juvenile court school student, child of a military family, or migrant student who transfers into the district or between district schools any time after completing the second year of high school, or a newly arrived immigrant student who is in the third or fourth year of high school and is participating in a newcomer program, shall be exempted from any graduation requirements adopted by the Board that are in addition to statewide course requirements. This exemption shall not apply if the Superintendent or designee makes a finding that the student is reasonably able to complete the requirements in time to graduate by the end of the fourth year of high school. Within 30 days of the transfer or of the commencement of participation in a newcomer program, as applicable, the Superintendent or designee shall notify any eligible student of the availability of the exemption and whether the student qualifies for it. (Education Code 51225.1)

Retroactive Diplomas

Any student who completed grade 12 in the 2003-04 through 2014-15 school year and met all applicable graduation requirements other than the passage of the high school exit examination shall be granted a high school diploma. (Education Code 51413)

In addition, the district may retroactively grant high school diplomas to former students who: (Education Code 48204.4, 51430, 51440)

Departed California against their will while in grade 12 and did not receive a diploma because the departure interrupted their education, provided that they were in good academic standing at the time of the departure Persons may be considered to have departed California against their will if they were in custody of a government agency and were transferred to another state, were subject to a lawful order from a court or government agency that authorized their removal from California, were subject to a lawful order and were permitted to depart California before being removed from California pursuant to the lawful order, were removed or were permitted to depart voluntarily pursuant to the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, or departed due to other circumstances determined by the district that are consistent with the purposes of Education Code 48204.4. In determining whether to award a diploma under these circumstances, the Superintendent or designee shall consider any coursework that may have been completed outside of the United States or through online or virtual courses.
Were interned by order of the federal government during World War II or are honorably discharged veterans of World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War, provided that they were enrolled in a district school immediately preceding the internment or military service and did not receive a diploma because their education was interrupted due to the internment or military service in those wars. Deceased former students who satisfy these conditions may be granted a retroactive diploma to be received by their next of kin.
Are veterans who entered the military service of the United States while in grade 12 and who had satisfactorily completed the first half of the work required for grade 12 in a district school.
Were in their senior year of high school during the 2019-20 school year, were in good academic standing and on track to graduate at the end of the 2019-20 school year as of March 1, 2020, and were unable to complete the statewide graduation requirements as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Honorary Diplomas

An honorary high school diploma may be granted to:

An international exchange student who has not completed the course of study ordinarily required for graduation and who is returning to the student's home country following the completion of one academic school year in the district. (cf. 6145.6 - International Exchange)
A student who is terminally ill.

The honorary diploma shall be clearly distinguishable from the regular diploma of graduation awarded by the district. (Education Code 51225.5)

College Entrance Requirements

High school students who receive A, B, or C grades in A-G courses get a boost towards college and careers.

The A-G course pathway is designed around the minimum course requirements students must have to enter a University of California or California State University school. While the A-G courses are only required by UC and CSU, many other colleges and universities require similar classes for admission. In addition, the A-G classes are a strong foundation on which students can build careers.

“The A-G requirements are submitted by the CSU Chancellors office and the Regents of the University of California and are, generally, the most rigorous for the development and preparation of skills needed by a student to gain entrance into honors, AP courses and admission into the four year colleges and universities,” said Ralph Robles, district head counselor. In order for a student to earn an A, B, or C in an A-G course they must develop discipline, academic skills, note-taking, organizational and writing skills that increase a student’s motivation towards career awareness.”

A-G requires a minimum 15-unit pattern of courses for admission as a first-time freshman to the UC and CSU systems. A grade of C or higher is required for the course to count as an admission requirement to a UC or CSU school.

“In today’s competitive market for college acceptance, students looking for ways to best improve their college competitiveness should access their school’s A-G course list to view and select academic electives above and beyond the minimums,” said Sandi Allen, a college and career counselor at Franklin High School.

While the A-G courses fulfill many of our district’s graduation requirements, there are some classes that students will have to complete in addition to A-G courses in order to receive a diploma.

Please refer to the High School Course Catalog and College/Career Planning Guide for more information on graduation requirements.

Year-by-Year Planning Guides/Timelines

The following guides provide parents and students year-by-year planning tips for college preparation.

Calculating Your GPA

A = 4.0 B = 3.0 C = 2.0 D = 1.0 F = 0

AP classes may add 1 point (i.e., A = 5.0, B = 4.0, etc.)

A student’s high school grades are one of the key factors in college admissions. Students are advised to keep track of their GPA. To calculate your semester’s GPA, see the points above. You may notice that a 4.0 is an A average.

Place your grade and points on the lines provided
Add all points for your classes and place in the total
Now divide the total number of classes taken ( 6, 7 or 8 ) by the total points you have earned.
See the following example and fill in your grades and points.