High School Graduation Requirements

Along with your essays, test scores, and high school GPA, colleges always look at what classes you've taken. Were they "easy A" classes or did you challenge yourself?

In Ohio, admissions officers at four-year colleges are looking for students who have successfully completed the Ohio Core curriculum. Ohio Core is a solid set of high school courses that cover English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

Effective with the graduating class of 2014, all students must complete the Ohio Core curriculum to earn their high school diploma. Students graduating from high school before 2014 will be evaluated by college admissions officers based on the requirements in place at the time of their graduation. Students who haven't met the Ohio Core standards may still be admitted to college on a conditional basis.

The Ohio Core curriculum includes:

• 4 years of math, including Algebra II or its equivalent
• 3 years of lab-based science, including physical science and biology, and one year selected from chemistry, physics or advanced biology, engineering science or biomedical science
• 4 years of English
• 3 years of social studies, including American History and American Government
• 1/2 unit of health
• 1/2 unit of physical education
• combination of 5 units to be chosen from among foreign language, fine arts, business, technology and Career Technical

Two-year community colleges have open enrollment (also known as open admission) policies. These institutions often have relaxed curriculum and/or standardized test requirements. Many institutions are also more flexible with requirements for first-year applicants who have been out of high school for some time.

Be sure to double-check the admissions requirements wherever you're applying, because specific academic requirements differ from school to school.