Graduation Requirements

The academic goal of Tassajara Prep is to prepare every student for entrance into a traditional four-year college or university. Based on the UC A-G graduation requirements, our curriculum far exceeds state minimum requirements for high school graduation. Tassajara Prep will have partnerships in place with regional higher education institutions including California community colleges like Las Positas College, Diablo Valley College, and Ohlone College; California State University at East Bay, San Jose, and San Francisco; University of California at Berkeley, Davis, and Santa Cruz; and private universities like Stanford University, University of San Francisco, University of the Pacific, Mills College, and St. Mary’s College. These partnerships will form the cornerstone of the Tassajara prep College Pathways Program, in which Tassajara Prep juniors and seniors are expected to take college-accredited courses. Successful graduates of the College Pathways program will be offered direct acceptance into our partner post-secondary institutions.

The following classes must be passed with a grade of ‘C’ or better to be eligible for UC/CSU admission:

• A = U.S. History and Social Science (2 YEARS REQUIRED) – Two years of history/social science, including one year of world history, cultures and geography; and one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civics or American government.
• B = English (4 YEARS REQUIRED) – Four years of college-preparatory English that include frequent and regular writing, and reading of classic and modern literature. No more than one year of ESL-type courses can be used to meet this requirement.
• C = Math (3 YEARS REQUIRED; 4 YEARS RECOMMENDED) – Three years of college-preparatory mathematics that include the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry. Approved integrated math courses may be used to fulfill part or all of this requirement, as may math courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades that your high school accepts as equivalent to its own math courses.
• D = Laboratory Science (2 YEARS REQUIRED; 3 YEARS RECOMMENDED) – Two years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in at least two of these three foundational subjects: biology, chemistry and physics. Advanced laboratory science classes that have biology, chemistry or physics as prerequisites and offer substantial additional material may be used to fulfill this requirement, as may approved engineering courses or the final two years of an approved three-year integrated science program that provides rigorous coverage of at least two of the three foundational subjects.
• E = Foreign Language (2 YEARS REQUIRED; 3 YEARS RECOMMENDED) – Two years of the same language other than English. Courses should emphasize speaking and understanding, and include instruction in grammar, vocabulary, reading, composition and culture. Courses in languages other than English taken in the seventh and eighth grades may be used to fulfill part of this requirement if your high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses.
• F = Visual and Performing Arts (1 YEAR REQUIRED) – A single yearlong approved arts course from a single VPA discipline: dance, drama/theater, music or visual art.
• G = College Preparatory Electives (1 YEAR REQUIRED) – One year (two semesters), in addition to those required in “A-F” above, chosen from the following areas: engineering, technology, visual and performing arts (non-introductory level courses), history, social science, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science and language other than English (a third year in the language used for the “e” requirement or two years of another language).