Keep A-G courses on track
UC requires 15 year-long A-G courses, 11 of them completed before grade 12. In the grade 9 schedule, English, mathematics, science, and world language should all be A-G courses.
UC A-G requirements explainedCollege Admissions · Roadmap by grade · 2026-27 school year
Grade 9 College Roadmap:The First Year of High School in Irvine
Grade 9 grades do not count toward the University of California (UC) GPA, but the A-G courses taken this year count toward the 15 courses UC requires and must be passed with a grade of C or better. The work of grade 9 is to place mathematics, world language, and science on suitable pathways and to find one or two activities worth a long-term commitment.
- UC GPA
- Not counted
- A-G courses
- Count toward the 15 required
- In-school testing
- PSAT 8/9 in October
- Focus this year
- Course pathways and activity direction
Grade 9 Dates at the Student's High School
After a school is selected, this section shows the grade 9 dates listed in that school's guide, such as course selection dates, in-school test days, and parent meetings.
The list covers the 28 high schools with a guide on this site. For other schools, follow the school's own notices; the month-by-month checklist below applies to California high schools in general.
This school's guide does not list separate grade 9 dates. See the guide for the school calendar and course selection dates.
UC systemwide figures: a student who applies to multiple campuses is counted once.
School dates are taken from the school guide on this site; sources are listed on the guide page, and the school's notices for the current year take precedence.
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.
- Aug2026This month
- After school starts, check the schedule: confirm that English, mathematics, science, and world language are all A-G courses and that the levels match the course requests.
- Note the school's deadlines for adding and dropping courses; schedule changes must be requested before them.
- Sep2026This month
- Attend club recruitment and try two or three clubs for a semester.
- Attend the school's grade 9 parent night to learn how graduation requirements line up with UC A-G.
- Oct2026This month
- Oct 1–30In-school testing window for the PSAT 8/9. The school sets the exact date, and families do not register separately.Source: College Board
- After the first progress report, talk with the teacher promptly about any subject below a B.
- Nov2026This month
- First-quarter grades are released. UC requires a grade of C or better in A-G courses; a course with a lower grade must be repeated to count.Source: UC Admissions
- Confirm the math and world language pathways in the four-year plan with the school counselor.
- Dec2026This month
- Prepare for first-semester finals; semester grades go on the official transcript.
- Browse summer programs. Many programs for grade 9 students open applications in winter. Top US summer programs
- Jan2027This month
- The second semester begins. Use first-semester grades to decide which subjects need support outside class.
- Submit summer program applications by their deadlines; each program's deadline is in the summer program deadline calendar. Summer program deadline calendar
- Feb2027This month
- Prepare for grade 10 course selection. UC begins counting GPA in grade 10; honors courses earn 1 extra point per semester, and at most 4 points can be used in grade 10. UC GPA calculatorSource: UC Admissions
- Find out which AP and honors courses the school opens to grade 10 students, and the prerequisites of each.
- Mar2027This month
- Irvine high schools schedule grade 10 course selection between February and April; the dates appear under the school dates for the student's high school.
- During course selection, ask the current teachers for recommended levels, then confirm with the school counselor.
- Apr2027This month
- Confirm the grade 10 courses, and note the school's deadline for changing course requests.
- Review this year's activities and decide which one or two to continue in grade 10.
- May2027This month
- May 3–142027 AP Exams. Grade 9 students enrolled in an AP course take the exam during these two weeks.Source: College Board
- Prepare for finals; second-semester grades also go on the transcript.
- Jun2027This month
- A-G courses taken in the summer after grade 9 count toward the UC GPA as grade 10 courses. Before enrolling, confirm that the course is on an A-G course list.Source: UC Admissions
- Plan one summer commitment that lasts at least two weeks: a summer program, volunteer service, or a personal project.
- Jul2027This month
- Keep reading and writing. The writing load in grade 10 English and history courses rises noticeably.
- Review mathematics before school starts to prepare for the grade 10 course.
Four Priorities for Grade 9
Draft a four-year plan
At several Irvine high schools, counselors visit grade 9 classes to explain graduation requirements and UC A-G. Turn what the counselor covers into a personal four-year plan that states the level of mathematics and world language to be reached each year.
Find one or two core activities
UC comprehensive review looks for sustained commitment and results, not a count of activities. Grade 9 is a good time to try several clubs during club recruitment and to keep, by the end of the school year, the one or two the student most wants to continue.
Learn the high school's grading rules
Adding a course, dropping a course, and changing levels all have deadlines in high school, and a late drop leaves a record on the transcript. Each school's deadlines are in its guide.
Grade 9: Courses, Testing, Activities, and Applications
- Courses and grades
UC counts only A-G courses taken between the summer after grade 9 and the summer after grade 11, so grade 9 grades do not enter the UC GPA. Grade 9 A-G courses do count toward the 15-course requirement and must be passed with a grade of C or better. Private universities that use the Common App receive the full transcript, grade 9 included.
- Standardized testing
Grade 9 students take the PSAT 8/9 at school. The score serves only as a baseline and is not used for any scholarship or application. There is no need to prepare for the SAT or ACT this year.
- Activities, competitions, and summer programs
Grade 9 is the year in which trying something and changing direction costs the least. Try one or two options each among clubs, competitions, and volunteer service, keep the direction the student most wants to continue at the end of the school year, and use the summer to take it deeper through one complete project.
- How this year relates to college applications
The academic record for college applications begins in grade 9. The UC application asks for every high school course and grade, including those from grade 9. The record made this year appears unchanged in the application three years later.
Print the four-year plan
Four-Year College Timeline for Irvine High Schools
2026-27 school year editionWhat to do each month from grade 9 through grade 12, one grade per page, with checkboxes, ready to print and keep at the student's desk.
- A four-year overview: the year in which course selection, testing, activities, and applications each begin
- Month-by-month checklists for grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, with test dates and deadlines for the 2026-27 school year
- The period the UC GPA covers and the cap on honors points
- Sources and the date checked
Download the free PDF
Registered. The documents are ready to download.All three documents are now available. To have a counselor walk through them for the student's grade and school, book a 30-minute initial assessment.
This device is registered. The PDF can be downloaded directly.
Grade 9 College Roadmap: Frequently Asked Questions
Do grade 9 grades in Irvine count toward the UC GPA?
For Irvine students, grade 9 grades do not count toward the UC GPA. UC counts only A-G courses taken between the summer after grade 9 and the summer after grade 11. Grade 9 A-G courses do count toward the 15-course requirement and must be passed with a grade of C or better.
Do Irvine grade 9 students need to take the SAT or PSAT?
Several Irvine high schools give grade 9 students the PSAT 8/9 on an in-school testing day in October. Families do not register separately, and the school's notice gives the details. The score is not used in college applications. Preparation for the SAT and ACT generally begins in the summer after grade 10.
How many honors courses should an Irvine grade 9 student take?
Honors offerings for grade 9 differ among Irvine high schools, and there is no standard number. UC honors points are counted only from grade 10, so the value of grade 9 honors courses lies in preparing for AP and honors courses in grade 10. The number of courses should be one at which the student can maintain A or B grades.
How can an Irvine grade 9 student plan the summer to help with college applications?
For Irvine students, the summer after grade 9 suits one commitment that lasts at least two weeks: a summer program, a period of volunteer service, or a self-initiated project. A-G courses taken in the summer after grade 9 count toward the UC GPA as grade 10 courses, so confirm that a course is on a UC-approved list before enrolling.
Sources6 sources · checked 2026-11-11
School-specific dates are sourced on each school guide on this site.
- admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/first-year-requirements/gpa-requirement.html
- admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/first-year-requirements
- admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-first-year/how-applications-are-reviewed.html
- admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-first-year/filling-out-the-application.html
- satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/dates-deadlines
- apstudents.collegeboard.org/exam-dates
Unsure about the grade 9 plan? Start with an initial assessment
Leave the grade and high school, and an Irvine-based counselor will be in touch within one business day. The initial assessment takes 30 minutes, in person at the Irvine Ivy Center or online, and ends with a first set of recommendations.
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