Four Year College Admission (page 1 of 2)	College & Career Publishing. Permission to use with usworkworld.com subscription.
Colleges look for students who earned good grades in hard subjects.  Admissions 
requirements listed below are typical of four-year colleges and universities.  
Students who earned Associate degrees from community colleges are considered 
to have met four-year college admission requirements.  For exact requirements, 
visit college's website or call the Counseling Office.  Make sure to take classes that 
qualify for college admission.  Your counselor has a list of the classes that qualify.
• 	English:  4 years of college-prep English	
• 	Math:  3 years to include Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.  Some colleges 
may require Trig, Pre-Calculus, or Calculus.	
• 	Lab Science:  2 or 3 years to include Biology, Physical Science, Chemistry, or 
Physics.	
• 	Social Sciences:  2 or 3 years to include U.S. History, U.S. Government, World History, World Cultures, 
Civics, Economics, or Geography.	
• 	Foreign Language:  2 years of same foreign language such as Spanish, Fre
nch, German, Latin, Russian, 
or Japanese.  Also, American Sign Language (ASL) may be accepted as a foreign language.	
• 	Visual and Performing Arts:  1 or 2 years to include Art, Dance, Drama, or Music.	
• 	Electives:  1 to 3 years of additional English (such as speech, communi
cations, or journalism), math 
(such as calculus, statistics, or other), science (lab sciences prefe
rred), social sciences (for example,    
economics or psychology), foreign language, and computer science.	
Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Classes
Selective four-year colleges prefer that students take AP and/or IB classes and exams.  AP and IB classes 
taken in high school are considered to be equal to college level classes
.  AP exams are scored 1-5 with 5 
the highest score possible; IB exams are scored 1-7 with 7 the highest s
core possible. Students who receive 
high scores may receive college credit for the AP or IB class.  To find out a college’s policy for AP and IB 
test scores, ask your counselor, call the college's Counseling Office, or visit the college website.
School Activities
Colleges want students who are involved in activities that improve the h
igh school or 
community.  Colleges want students who can answer "yes" to these questions: 
1. 	Have you joined clubs and participated as a leader in these clubs?	
2. 	Have you participated in sports programs, student government, or band?	
3. 	Have you volunteered in city activities, recreational programs, or event
s?	
4. 	Have you held a part-time job while earning good grades in high school?	
PSAT/NMSQT Practice Test
Although not required, the PSAT (Preliminary SAT National Merit Scholarship 
Qualifying Test) may be taken during the sophomore or junior year of high school to
 
practice for the SAT or ACT college entrance tests.  A high score on the PSAT/NMSQT may qualify 
students for National Merit Scholarships of $2,500.
Four Year  College Admission

Four Year College Admissions (page 2 of 2)	
QUICK CHECK:
1. a) Who is considered to have met 4 year college 	
admission requirements?  b) List 2 ways to find 
exact admission requirements.  	
2. a) How many years of college-prep English are 	
required?  b) What 3 types of math?  c) How 
many years of lab science are usually required?  
d) How many years of same foreign language?  	
3. a) To what are AP and IB classes equal?  
 What is the highest:  b) AP test score? c) IB test 	
score? d) List 3 ways to find the college's policy 
for AP and IB test scores.	
4. Write down your answers to the 4 questions.
5. a) When do high school students take the PSAT/	
NMSQT test?  b) Why?  c) For what may a 
student with a high score qualify?	
7. List 2 types of college entrance tests.  
8. What is the total number of questions in the: 
 a) SAT?  b) ACT?
9. a) Would you decide to take the optional essay 	
or optional writing test?  b) Give a reason for 
your answer.	
10. What does the TOEFL and IELTS evaluate? 
11. a) What does the special English and math 
 placement tests find out?  b) What happens if 	
you do not pass the English or math placement 
test?  c) Do you have to pay for the remedial 
class?  d) What grade must you earn to pass a 
remedial class?  e) Do you think it is fair that a 
college can require you to take remedial math 
or English?  f) Give a reason for your answer.	
SAT or ACT College Entrance Tests	 (if required by the college of your choice)	
The SAT or ACT tests are taken in high school during the spring of junior year or fall
 of senior year.  
Colleges may accept either the SAT or ACT test for students to qualify for admissions.  Some colleges do 
not use SAT or ACT test scores for admissions.  To find what a college requires, read the college website or 
call the Counseling Office staff.  The SAT includes: Reading (52 questions), Writing & Language (44 
questions), Math (no calculator 20 questions; calculator 38 questions)
; and Optional Essay.  The ACT 	
includes: English (75 questions), Math (60 questions), Reading (40 
questions), Science (40 questions), and Optional Writing Test.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS 
(International English Language Testing System)	.  Colleges may 	
require students, whose native language is not English, to pass the TOEFL 
or IELTS as part of the admission requirements to evaluate English 	
language skills.  Check the college website or call the college Counseling Office to ask what is required.
English & Math Placement Tests
After acceptance into a four-year college, you may be required to take a 
special English and math placement test to find out which college-level 
English class and math class you will take during your first (freshman) year .  
If you do not pass the English or math placement test, you will be enrol
l into 
remedial (lower than college level or brush-up) English class or remed
ial math 
class.  You will have to pay tuition costs for each remedial class but the class 
will not count towards the college degree.  You must pass remedial English or 
math with a grade of C or better before you are allowed to enroll into 
college-level English or math class.	
Practice
questions
Free online