Laws/Regulations

Minimum Requirements for College Admissions

HEC Board’s Minimum High School Core Course Requirements: State law requires the Higher Education Coordinating Board to establish minimum requirements for freshman admission to Washington’s public four-year universities and college. To be admitted as freshmen, high school students must complete the following minimum core course requirements, adopted by the Board in 1987:

• Four years of English, including three years of literature and composition.
• Three years of mathematics, including algebra, geometry and advanced mathematics.
• Three years of social science.
• Two years of science, including one year of laboratory science (the equivalent of biology, chemistry, physics, or principles of technology) Note: Students applying for college freshman admission, beginning in fall 2010, will need to complete two years of laboratory science, including one year of algebra-based biology, chemistry or physics).
• Two years of the same foreign language, Native American language, or American Sign language.
• One year of fine, visual or performing arts or electives from any of the other required subjects.

Relevant Washington Administrative Code (WAC)

WAC 180-51-066 - Minimum requirements for high school graduation— Students entering the ninth grade on or after July 1, 2009
Five and one-half electives: Study in a world language other than English or study in a world culture may satisfy any or all of the required electives. The assessment of achieved competence in these subject areas is determined at the local district level.

WAC 180-51-050 - High school credit — Definition
The term "high school credit" shall mean: (1) Grades nine through 12 or the equivalent of a four-year high school program, and grades seven and eight under the provisions of RCW 28A.230.090 (4) and (5): (a) One hundred fifty hours of planned instructional activities approved by the district; or (b) Satisfactory demonstration by a student of clearly identified competencies established pursuant to a process defined in written district policy. Districts are strongly advised to confirm with the higher education coordinating board that the award of competency-based high school credit meets the minimum college core admissions standards set by the higher education coordinating board for admission into a public, baccalaureate institution.

WAC 180-51-025 - Local school district application of state requirements
The content of courses and the determination of which courses satisfy particular subject area requirements and whether a particular course may satisfy more than one subject area requirement shall be determined locally in accordance with written policies adopted by boards of directors of districts: Provided, That if a foreign language graduation requirement is established, credits earned in American sign language shall count toward the completion of the requirement.

WAC 392-210-025 - Credits earned in academic core subjects
To be considered for a Washington state honors award, a student must have earned, during grades nine through eleven, at least seventy-five percent of the credits required for graduation from his or her high school including a minimum of ten credits in the academic core subjects of English, mathematics, science, social studies, and foreign language.