A report from the University of California Office of the President to the UC Board of Regents shows that the average grade freshmen earned in Calculus 1, precalculus, and preparatory math courses fell from 2.95 to 2.71 over five years, and the share receiving a D or F, withdrawing, or not passing rose from 13% to 18%. The UC admissions committee is using these figures in its discussion of whether to reinstate the SAT and ACT. For Irvine students, the more immediate question is how far to go in high school math so that the first college math course does not become an obstacle.
The Decline in UC Freshman Introductory Math Grades: What Happened
The report is a discussion item for the September 16, 2026 meeting of the Regents’ Academic and Student Affairs Committee, titled “UC STEM Outcomes and Math Innovation.” Its conclusion is that incoming students are better prepared by conventional measures, with introductory mathematics as the exception.
| Measure | Data |
|---|---|
| High school A-G math courses taken by incoming freshmen | 4.1 in 2016, 4.6 in 2025 |
| Advanced courses (AP, IB, college-level, honors) taken in 10th and 11th grades | Average rose from 9 in 2016 to more than 11 in 2025 |
| Enrolled freshmen with a high school GPA of 4.00 or above | 52% in 2015, 66% in 2025 |
| Average unweighted high school math GPA of enrolled freshmen | 3.70 in 2022, 3.62 in 2025 |
| Average grade in Calculus 1, precalculus, and preparatory math | 2.95 in 2021-22, 2.71 in 2025-26 |
| Non-pass rate in those courses (D, F, withdrawal, not passing) | 13% in 2021-22, about 18% in 2025-26 |
| Overall non-pass rate in lower-division courses | Stable at about 7% over five years |
The report also lists the starting points of freshmen who entered in fall 2023: 31% took Calculus 1, precalculus, or preparatory math in their first two years, with 20% starting in Calculus 1 and 11% starting in precalculus or below; 41% enrolled in a course beyond Calculus 1; and the remaining 28% took no course in the calculus sequence.
As reported by EdSource on November 5, UC’s Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) reviewed two reports, on introductory math and on student outcomes since testing was removed, at its November 6 meeting, and is expected to make a recommendation by February on whether to reinstate the SAT and ACT, with the Board of Regents making the final decision. The process is covered in the earlier brief Brief: UC Continues SAT and ACT Review on Nov. 6.
What UC Freshman Math Readiness Means for Irvine Families
The “underprepared” signal in the UC data is tied directly to how far students go in high school math. The April 2026 study “Subtraction and Substitution” by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) tracks math course-taking among California public high school graduates:
| Measure | Class of 2017 | Class of 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Share who took precalculus in high school | 45.9% | 33.4% |
| Share who took calculus in high school | 17.8% | 14.2% |
The same study finds that about 75% of graduates reach Algebra 2 or higher, a share that has not changed across eight cohorts, while statistics enrollment rose only 2.5 percentage points over the same period, not enough to offset the decline in precalculus and calculus. The minimum requirement for UC and California State University (CSU) is three years of math including Algebra 2, and both systems recommend a fourth year. The study’s assessment is that stopping at Algebra 2 may not be sufficient for competitive colleges and programs or for college-level math, particularly in STEM fields.
In other words, meeting the A-G math requirement and being ready for the first college math course are two different things.
Differences in Introductory Math Across UC Campuses
Introductory math is organized differently across UC’s nine undergraduate campuses, and the lower a student’s starting point, the more courses come first.
- University of California, Irvine: Offers precalculus and discipline-specific calculus, with no preparatory math course and no co-requisite support course. In 2025-26, its average introductory math grade was 2.87 and its non-pass rate was 15.9%, and these courses made up 2.3% of freshman lower-division enrollment, the lowest of the nine campuses.
- University of California, Santa Barbara: Does not offer precalculus; students place directly into Calculus 1.
- University of California, Riverside and University of California, San Diego: Offer a full preparatory math sequence, and reaching Calculus 1 from the lowest starting point can take five or more courses.
- Preparatory math is growing: It approached 9% of introductory math enrollments in 2025.
The report also points to improvements. Eight campuses offer calculus for the life sciences. At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the Life Sciences division offers Life Sciences 30A and 30B, whose non-pass rates have generally stayed below the systemwide calculus average, and the University of California, Santa Cruz recently introduced MATH 16A, modeled on that approach, with early results the report says “appear promising.”
Connecting High School Math to College Majors
The report states that not every UC student must complete calculus: many majors do not require it, and those that do may accept AP or IB credit or a math placement result instead. For students planning to study engineering, computer science, physics, or biology, the first college math course affects the pace of later major courses, and starting one level lower can add a term or more of prerequisites.
Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) math placement begins in middle school, and the checkpoints and summer bridge windows are summarized on the IUSD Math Pathway page. The weight of calculus in STEM admissions is covered in the earlier article Calculus in Engineering Admissions: IUSD Math Paths.
EDUBUS Recommendations on High School Math Course Selection
- Students heading toward STEM should reach at least precalculus, and preferably calculus. The rise in UC non-pass rates is concentrated in Calculus 1 and below, and students who complete that level in high school start college further along.
- Do not stop taking math in 12th grade. The PACE data show a growing number of students stopping at Algebra 2. UC and CSU both recommend a fourth year of math, and stopping early widens the gap to college math.
- Value consistent math grades, not only course titles. The UC report shows that freshmen’s high school math GPA has declined since 2022 while introductory college math grades have fallen; course level and mastery should be considered together.
- Check the math starting point for the intended major when building a college list. Campuses differ in whether they offer preparatory math and in how many courses separate the lowest starting point from Calculus 1; plan the last two years of high school courses against the major’s requirements.
For high school course planning, see the EDUBUS Irvine High School Guide; for college list and major planning, see the College Planning service.
Sources
- University of California Board of Regents: UC STEM Outcomes and Math Innovation (September 16, 2026 meeting, item A1) (accessed November 7, 2026)
- Policy Analysis for California Education: Subtraction and Substitution: Shifts in High School Math Course-Taking (accessed November 7, 2026)
- EdSource: University of California’s math preparedness crisis spurs search for answers and solutions (accessed November 7, 2026)
- Calculus in Engineering Admissions: IUSD Math PathsA University of Michigan study finds engineering applicants without calculus were 16.4 points less likely to be recommended. What it means for IUSD math placement.
- Two New AP Exams in 2027: Cybersecurity and BusinessAP Cybersecurity and AP Business with Personal Finance launched in fall 2026, with first exams May 4 and 5, 2027. Content, format, credit status, and Irvine availability.
- How AP English Language Essays Are Scored: 6 PointsEach of the three AP English Language essays is scored on 6 points: thesis 1, evidence and commentary 4, sophistication 1. A row-by-row guide for Irvine families.
- How UC Calculates GPA: Five Honors-Point RulesUC counts only 10th- and 11th-grade A-G courses, with at most 8 honors points and 4 in 10th grade. The five rules and what they mean for IUSD course planning.
