Grade 10 College Roadmap:The Year the UC GPA Starts Counting

Dated items come from official websites, with sources listed at the end of the page. Undated items are tasks suited to that month and can be moved earlier or later to fit the student.

1. Aug2026
   • School starts. From this school year on, every semester grade in an A-G course counts toward the UC GPA.Source: UC Admissions
   • Check whether the honors and AP courses on the schedule carry an honors designation on the school's UC A-G course list. UC GPA calculator (honors courses by school)
2. Sep2026
   • Seek a specific responsibility in a core activity, such as leading a project or an event.
   • Attend the school's grade 10 parent night; the dates appear under the school dates for the student's high school.
3. Oct2026
   • Take the in-school PreACT or PSAT. Which test grade 10 students take, and on which day, is set by the school.
   • Students who need to register for AP Exams should do so within the in-school window the school announces.
4. Nov2026
   • First-quarter grades are released. Compare each subject with the target grade, and arrange support early for any subject below a B.
   • Book the school's grade 10 planning conference. Several Irvine high schools hold a planning conference in grade 10 that students and parents attend together.
5. Dec2026
   • Prepare for first-semester finals. This is the first semester grade that counts toward the UC GPA.
   • Screen summer and research programs, and note each application opening date and deadline. Summer program deadline calendar
6. Jan2027
   • Submit summer program applications. Selective programs require essays and recommendation letters, so allow at least four weeks to prepare.
   • The second semester begins. Adjust the study plan in light of first-semester grades.
7. Feb2027
   • Draft the grade 11 courses: settle the levels of mathematics and science first, then the number of AP courses.
   • Calculate the current UC GPA to see how many honors points remain available for grade 11. UC GPA calculator
8. Mar2027
   • Irvine high schools select grade 11 courses between February and April. For courses that need a teacher recommendation, talk with the current teacher in advance.
   • Keep the intended major in view when selecting courses: for engineering and computer science, protect progress in mathematics and physics first.
9. Apr2027
   • Confirm the grade 11 courses, and note the school's deadline for changing course requests.
   • Start learning how the SAT and ACT differ, and take one full practice test in the summer before deciding which test to take. SAT prep
10. May2027
    • May 3–142027 AP Exams, administered at school over two weeks.Source: College Board
    • Prepare for finals; second-semester grades count toward the UC GPA.
11. Jun2027
    • A-G courses taken in the summer after grade 10 still count toward the UC GPA as grade 10 courses, and their honors points fall within the 4-point limit for grade 10.Source: UC Admissions
    • Begin structured SAT or ACT preparation in the summer, aiming for a first sitting in the spring of grade 11.
12. Jul2027
    • Take part in a summer program, research, or an internship, and keep a record of what was done and learned; it becomes material for application essays.
    • Preview the grade 11 AP courses before school starts.

Four Priorities for Grade 10

Grade 10: Courses, Testing, Activities, and Applications

Courses and grades

Every semester grade in grade 10 counts toward the UC GPA. UC converts A, B, C, and D to 4, 3, 2, and 1 points and ignores pluses and minuses; UC-recognized honors courses earn 1 extra point per semester, up to 4 points in grade 10. The weighted GPA on a school transcript usually follows rules different from UC's, and the two numbers cannot stand in for each other.

UC GPA calculatorHow UC calculates GPA

Standardized testing

In-school tests in grade 10 are for practice. The National Merit Scholarship Program accepts only the PSAT/NMSQT taken in grade 11, so a student on a four-year high school plan cannot qualify by taking it in grade 10. Structured preparation for the SAT and ACT begins in the summer after this year.

Test date calendarSAT prep

Activities, competitions, and summer programs

The summer after grade 10 is the main window for applying to selective summer and research programs, and most of them have deadlines in winter. In competitions, one or two substantial events in a subject where the student already has a foundation are a good fit.

Top US summer programsAcademic competitions guide

How this year relates to college applications

UC comprehensive review looks at the number of and performance in courses beyond the minimum A-G requirements, and at the number of and performance in honors, AP, and college courses. Grade 10 course rigor and grades are the first entries in both records.

Print the four-year plan