A carefully planned program of high school courses provides you with the best preparation for university work. As a prospective university student, you should give priority to completing the high school courses required for admission--known as the "a-f" subject requirements; see http://www.ucop.edu/pathways/impinfo/freshx.html.
You should take college preparatory courses that will challenge you to work hard and will prepare you beyond minimum levels of competence in reading, writing and mathematics. A student who is well prepared for university work will have taken four years of English in high school, three to four years of mathematics, two to three years of foreign language, two to three years of laboratory science, two or more years of history/social science, and one or more years of art or humanities.
Reading: You should become proficient in reading and understanding technical materials and scholarly works. Learn to read analytically and critically, actively questioning yourself about the author's intentions, viewpoint, arguments and conclusions. Become familiar and comfortable with the conventions of standard written English, and with various writing strategies and techniques. Your reading experience should include original works in their entirety, not just textbooks and anthologies, and should encompass a wide variety of forms and topics.
Writing: Effective critical thinking and proficiency with the written language are closely related, and both are skills that every university student must master. By university standards, a student who is proficient in English composition is able to understand the assigned topic; select and develop a theme by analysis and argument; choose words that aptly and precisely convey the intended meaning; construct effective sentences; i.e., sentences that economically and successfully convey the writer's ideas and display a variety of structures; and demonstrate an awareness of the conventions of standard written English.
If you plan to attend the university, you must take English courses in high school that require the development and practice of these skills. You must take at least four years of English composition and literature classes that stress expository writing.
Mathematics: Many undergraduate majors require preparation in mathematics beyond the three years required for admission to the university. All majors in the natural and life sciences, engineering and mathematics require calculus. Many majors in the social sciences require statistics or calculus, or both. Calculus is also required for undergraduates preparing for careers in the environmental sciences, dentistry, medicine, optometry, pharmacy and biostatistics. If you select a major that requires either calculus or statistics, you should expect to take that course during your first year at the university.
Prepare yourself for university courses in mathematics while you are still in high school. Good preparation includes a year of mathematics beyond second-year algebra (such as precalculus, mathematical analysis, analytic geometry) and definitely a course in mathematics during your senior year.
Algebra is necessary for success in university mathematics courses. Students who do not take a mathematics course during their last year in high school often find they need to take a preparatory course at the university in order to renew their algebra skills. The need to take such a course at the university could delay your undergraduate studies that require mathematics as a prerequisite.
Finally, take advantage of any guidance your high school offers in study skills and diagnostic tests designed to help you assess your preparation for college. Managing your time well and studying effectively are critical to excelling at the university. Together with solid academic preparation, these skills should enable you to realize your educational goals and, ultimately, fulfill your career aspirations.
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