Based on a recent BOARS report, this information is an update regarding the UC Math requirement recommendations for 2025-2026 applicants courtesy of the UC counselor report.
- First, and most importantly, UC’s area C math admissions requirement is not changing.
UC will continue to require three foundational years of math coursework that include the topics covered in elementary algebra, two- and three-dimensional geometry, and advanced algebra (typically Algebra I-Geometry-Algebra II or Integrated Math I-II-III). A fourth year of math is strongly recommended for all students.
*Advanced math courses will fall into two categories: courses that validate Algebra II/Math III because they require knowledge of advanced algebra (e.g., precalculus), and courses that are suitable as a fourth year of math but will not validate Algebra II/Math III (e.g., statistics). More information about the expansion of the math categories will be forthcoming.
- **These recommendations will take effect in the 2025-2026 academic year,**ensuring schools have adequate time to review and revise courses as appropriate. Students who complete a math course that validates Algebra II/Math III at the time it was taken, prior to fall 2025, will not be affected.
1 Like
Based on the above, it seems like the change is that some or all high school statistics courses will not validate algebra 2 or integrated math 3 for students who did not take those courses or earned D/F grades in them, unlike current policy.
This may be related to very basic statistics / data science courses that only require algebra 1 starting to be offered in high schools (note: AP statistics, or the college introductory non-calculus statistics courses that it emulates the content of, has prerequisite of algebra 2 or equivalent).
Wasn’t the discussion about whether or not to allow Data Science?
1 Like
I’m guessing this will impact all STEM majors who will need a validating 4th year math, so there’s no confusion wrt the Algebra1 pre-req Data Science HS course and pre-reqs for the College Data Science courses.
Actually, it may be more relevant to students who want to stay as far away from STEM as possible and are looking for the earliest off-ramp from the traditional math sequence, which the basic statistics / data science high school courses may offer.
Prospective STEM majors will continue to take the usual algebra 1 - geometry - algebra 2 - precalculus - calculus sequence (depending on initial placement, with integrated math 1 - 2 - 3 in place of the first three at some high schools).
It means STEM majors will need a validating course and know that some courses that SOUND like they would be, aren’t. It will be clear for them and all GCs will know not to schedule these courses for students with STEM goals so students don’t end up in a dead-end by mistake.
Re: https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/committees/boars/documents/boarsacwphase1report-20240221.pdf
Looks like they are saying that typical basic statistics / data science / data literacy courses would not be suitable for the recommended fourth year of math, which is supposed to be more advanced math.
Applicants to UC or CSU only need a validating course if a lower level course is not taken or was completed with a D or F grade.
It is unlikely that prospective STEM majors will take a math off-ramp instead of continuing the traditional sequence to precalculus and calculus. It is more likely that students who want to go nowhere near STEM are the ones tempted by math off-ramps like basic statistics / data science / data literacy and who may need their counselors to tell them to continue to algebra 2 at least.
Unfortunately, this rests on parents or students knowing what courses are “math off-ramp” which is less likely for FGLI& non native speaker students unless overworked GCs have very clear instructions to this effect, which this does. So, to me, this update is a clarifying update for HS students currently planning their HS math courses.
The impact of taking the wrong course is especially problematic for future STEM majors: taking precalculus or AP Stats when they could potentially have taken a less advanced class is near zero for a future Russian major, whereas taking Data science after Math III because you want to be a Data Science major and don’t know any better would have significant consequences. Obviously we would hope all students who want to be Data Science (or CS) majors would know they’re supposed to take Precalculus and Calculus if possible but this update makes it cristal clear if you didn’t know before.
1 Like