Course information for Corona del Mar High School comes from three school documents: the 2026-27 Course Pre-Req’s-Offerings Sheet, the course list in the 2026-27 School Profile, and the school’s A-G graduation requirements sheet. The prerequisite sheet lists the grade prerequisites, recommendation requirements and GPA weighting of each course, but most courses do not show grade levels. This page first explains the course selection rules and graduation requirements, then lists the course map by subject.
Corona del Mar High School Course Selection Rules
| Schedule | The school runs a rotating odd/even block schedule: periods 1, 3, 5 and 7 meet on odd days and periods 2, 4, 6 and 8 on even days, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:35 p.m., with each block lasting about 90 minutes. Zero period runs from 7:30 to 8:25 a.m. On most Mondays during the semester the school has a Late Start: 8:45 to 9:35 a.m. is teacher intervention time, followed by all eight periods at about 35 minutes each. |
|---|---|
| Course load | Students in grades 9 to 11 must enroll in at least six classes. Seniors who have 180 credits at the start of senior year may take five classes (Minimum Day), and one of them may be a community college, university or outside Regional Occupational Program (ROP) course. Students in grades 7 and 8 take eight classes. Students taking outside courses must still attend the school for at least 240 minutes a day. |
| Credits | Each course earns 5 credits per semester, and graduation requires 230 credits. |
| Course selection timing | Course selection for the next school year usually begins in March. For 2026-27, current NMUSD grade 8 students selected courses in Aeries from March 30 to April 24 and met one-on-one with a high school counselor from April 28 to May 2; a request does not guarantee placement, which depends on prerequisites, teacher or counselor recommendations and the master schedule. |
| Schedule changes and drops | The school asks students to request schedule changes before the prior school year ends. Classes are not changed because a student prefers another teacher, has a personal scheduling conflict or wants a particular period or friends; students generally cannot enter a new class after the third week, and dropping a class after the third week puts an F on the transcript and requires parent permission. Honors and AP courses cannot be dropped because they are difficult. |
| PE | Students must take PE every semester in grades 9 and 10, four semesters in all; athletics, dance, pep squad, marching band and similar activities can also earn PE credit. PE grades are not counted in the high school GPA. Nationally ranked athletes may apply for off-campus Independent PE with assistant principal approval. |
| Community service | Graduation requires 40 hours of community service; students who join after grade 9 need 10 hours for each year enrolled. |
| Grade 12 | The graduation Senior Project is completed through senior English; the 5-credit Health requirement is taken in grade 12, with a classroom section offered in fall only and an online section. |
| Repeating a course | Courses with a D or F may be repeated, and the higher grade is used in the GPA; all grades, including the original, stay on the transcript. UC accepts only one repeat of a course for grade replacement. |
| Outside courses | Courses taken at other institutions count for at most 10 credits per school year and need prior written approval from the principal or designee; the Outside Educational Course request must reach the district at least 10 school days before the class starts. Courses offered at the school cannot be taken elsewhere for graduation credit. College units convert as follows: a 1-2 unit class earns 2.5 high school credits, a 3-5 unit class 5 credits, and a 6-10 unit class 10 credits; a one-semester community college course counts as one semester on the transcript. |
Corona del Mar High School Graduation Requirements (230 Credits)
| Subject | Credits |
|---|---|
| English (4 years) | 40 |
| History / Social Science (3 years) | 30 |
| Math (2 years) | 20 |
| Science (2 years) | 20 |
| Humanities / Foreign Language / Visual & Performing Arts (1 year) | 10 |
| PE / Sport (2 years) | 20 |
| Applied Skills (half year) | 5 |
| Health (grade 12, half year) | 5 |
| Other Electives | 80 |
Graduation requirements and college admission requirements are two different standards. Students who plan only to graduate may find in grade 12 that their math did not reach Algebra II, their world language falls short of two years, or they have only one year of laboratory science. The sample four-year plan on the school’s graduation requirements page has students take math and laboratory science each year in grades 9 to 11, a world language in grades 9 and 10, and math again in grade 12, which meets both graduation and UC/CSU requirements.
Corona del Mar High School Course Levels by Subject
In the pathways below, CP means College Prep (regular courses that are neither honors nor AP), Honors means honors courses, and AP means Advanced Placement. The official name of the English courses is Comp/Lit (Composition and Literature).
English
- Grade 9: Comp/Lit 1 (Composition and Literature 1), no prerequisite
- Grade 10: Comp/Lit 2; AGS students also take AP Seminar, which counts in area b but does not replace Comp/Lit
- Grade 11: Comp/Lit 3 or AP English Language (recommended 3.0 GPA, information meeting, reading benchmark quiz and teacher recommendation)
- Grade 12: Comp/Lit 4 or AP English Literature (recommended 3.0 GPA, information meeting and teacher recommendation); the Senior Project is completed in senior English
History and Social Science
- Grade 9: AP Human Geography; the AGS section requires AGS enrollment, and a 3.5 GPA is highly recommended for the non-AGS section
- Grade 10: World History or AP World History (GPA of 3.2 or higher and a B or higher in Comp Lit 1)
- Grade 11: U.S. History or AP U.S. History (GPA of 3.4 or higher and a March meeting)
- Grade 12: one semester each of American Democracy and Economics (also online, with a 2.8 GPA), or AP U.S. Government and AP Macroeconomics (3.4 cumulative GPA); AGS students take AP Comparative Government and AP Macroeconomics
Science (regular sequence)
- Grade 9: Biology, no prerequisite
- Grade 10: Chemistry (C or better in Biology and Algebra I, with concurrent Geometry) or Marine Science
- Grade 11: Physics (C or better in Geometry) or Anatomy and Physiology (C or better in Biology and Chemistry)
- Grade 12: A science course not yet taken, or AP Environmental Science for students who meet the grade requirements
Science (honors and AP sequence)
- Grade 9: Honors Biology, with A grades in quarters 1 and 2 of grade 8 Physical Science and Math 8
- Grade 10: Honors Chemistry, with A grades in Biology and Algebra I and concurrent Enhanced Math II
- Grade 11: AP Chemistry, AP Biology or AP Environmental Science
- Grade 12: AP Physics C: Mechanics (B or better in AP Calculus or concurrent AP Calculus), or an AP science course not yet taken
Prerequisites for advanced science courses, one course per row:
| Course | Prerequisites and notes |
|---|---|
| AP Biology | B or better in Honors Biology or an A in Biology; B or better in Chemistry; GPA of 3.25 or higher |
| AP Chemistry | A in Honors Chemistry (a B needs teacher recommendation), or an A in Chemistry with teacher recommendation; B or better in Algebra 2 or concurrent Algebra 2 |
| AP Environmental Science | B or better in Honors Biology or an A in Biology; B or better in Chemistry and Geometry |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | B or better in AP Calculus, or concurrent AP Calculus; the school does not offer AP Physics 1 or AP Physics 2 |
| AP Computer Science Principles | Grade 10 or higher, with an A in English recommended; counts in UC A-G area d |
Math courses are covered on a separate page: Math pathways.
AP Capstone and AGS Courses at Corona del Mar High School
AP Capstone is the College Board diploma program built on AP Seminar and AP Research. At Corona del Mar High School, AGS students take AP Seminar in grade 10 and AP Research in grade 11, and all are AP Capstone Diploma candidates; non-AGS students can also take AP Seminar in grades 11 and 12. AP Seminar counts in UC A-G area b but does not replace Comp/Lit English, and AP Research counts in area g.Every social science course an AGS student takes is AP: AP Human Geography in grade 9, AP World History in grade 10, AP U.S. History in grade 11, and AP Comparative Government and AP Macroeconomics in grade 12; math and science courses are the student’s choice. Required AGS courses taken outside the academy do not count, and students who have taken them are not admitted to AGS.
World Languages at Corona del Mar High School
- Spanish 1 to 4 and AP Spanish Language and Culture (A (95%) in Spanish 3, an A in Spanish 4, and a diagnostic and speaking exam)
- French 1 to 3 and AP French Language and Culture (A- or higher in French 3 and teacher approval)
- Mandarin 1 to 3 and AP Chinese Language and Culture, which the school calls AP Mandarin (B or better in Mandarin 3 or teacher recommendation)
- American Sign Language 1 to 3
UC A-G requires two years of the same language and recommends three. The school’s world languages page states that all of its language courses meet UC and CSU requirements, but recommends against online language courses because upper levels and the AP exam require speaking practice. Students who have studied Mandarin at home can start at Mandarin 2 or higher through the placement test.
Career Technical Education Pathways at Corona del Mar High School
The school offers three career technical education (CTE) pathways: Engineering Design; Design, Visual and Media Arts; and Stage Technology. Each pathway is a sequence of courses totaling 300 hours or more, and students who complete one in sequence and graduate receive a CTE Medallion. The four Engineering Design courses, in order, are Design Engineering, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, and Advanced Design Engineering; the prerequisite sheet still uses the older Project Lead The Way (PLTW, an engineering curriculum) course names. The media arts pathway consists of Regional Occupational Program (ROP) courses.
Corona del Mar High School UC A-G Course List
UC’s official A-G list covers every course the University of California has approved, which is broader than what the school actually offers in a given year: it includes many online courses (with EDGE or CA- prefixes), English learner courses, and courses such as AP Spanish Literature and Mandarin Chinese 4 that are not on the 2026-27 prerequisite sheet. The list is useful for two things: confirming which A-G area a course counts toward, and confirming which honors courses UC weights. The 2026-27 list does not include AP Cybersecurity or Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
These courses are designated honors on the school transcript but are not on the UC-approved honors list, so UC counts them as standard courses in admission
- Honors Algebra 2
- Honors Biology
- Honors Geometry
Corona del Mar High School Complete Course Map
Expand each subject below. Every course shows its level, grade levels (where the prerequisite sheet lists them), prerequisites and UC A-G area; the notes for honors and AP courses show the school GPA boost and whether UC weights the course, for line-by-line comparison with the school’s prerequisite sheet.
English
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP English Language and Composition | AP | 11 | Recommended GPA of 3.0 or higher; must attend an information meeting and pass a reading benchmark quiz; teacher recommendation requiredAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | b |
| AP English Literature and Composition | AP | 12 | Recommended GPA of 3.0 or higher and an information meeting; teacher recommendation requiredAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | b |
| AP Seminar | AP | 10 (AGS); 11-12 (non-AGS) | The grade 10 section is required for the Academy of Global Studies (AGS); a separate section for non-AGS students is open to grades 11 and 12 onlyOne of the two AP Capstone core courses; does not replace Comp/Lit English. AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | b |
| Comp/Lit 1AB | CP | 9 | — | b |
| Comp/Lit 2AB | CP | 10 | Comp/Lit 1 or equivalent | b |
| Comp/Lit 3AB | CP | 11 | Comp/Lit 2 or equivalent | b |
| Comp/Lit 4AB | CP | 12 | Comp/Lit 3 or equivalentThe graduation Senior Project is completed through senior English | b |
History / Social Science
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Human Geography | AP | 9 | AGS section: 3.5 GPA, information meeting, enrollment in AGS; non-AGS section: 3.5 GPA highly recommendedAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | a |
| AP World History: Modern | AP | 10 | GPA of 3.2 or higher and a B or higher in Comp Lit 1Required for AGS in grade 10. AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | a |
| AP United States History | AP | 11 | GPA of 3.4 or higher and a meeting in MarchRequired for AGS in grade 11. AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | a |
| AP U.S. Government and Politics / AP Macroeconomics | AP | 12 | Cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higherOne semester each. AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | a / g |
| AP Comparative Government and Politics / AP Macroeconomics | AP | 12 | Taken by AGS students; the prerequisite sheet does not list it separatelyAGS seniors take this pair to meet the government and economics requirement. AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | a / g |
| Modern World History/Geography 1AB | CP | 10 | — | a |
| U.S. History 1AB | CP | 11 | — | a |
| American Democracy 1A / Economics | CP | 12 | —One semester each of American Democracy (government) and Economics | a / g |
| Online American Democracy / Economics | CP | 12 | GPA of 2.8 or higher; must be self-motivated and able to work independentlyOnline course | a / g |
Mathematics
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus AB | AP | — | B- or better in both semesters of Enhanced Math III, or B- or better in both semesters of Pre-CalculusAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | c |
| AP Calculus BC | AP | — | A- in both semesters of Honors Enhanced Math III; teacher recommendation requiredAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | c |
| AP Statistics | AP | — | A in both semesters of Algebra 2, or C or better in Honors Enhanced Math III; teacher recommendation requiredAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | c |
| AP Computer Science A | AP | 11-12 | A in Geometry or B or better in Enhanced Math II, and an A in EnglishCounts in UC A-G area c (the school A-G sheet lists c or g). AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | c |
| Honors Geometry | Honors | — | Teacher recommendation and A grades in Algebra or Enhanced Math 8No school GPA boost; not on the UC honors list, so UC counts it as a regular course | c |
| Honors Algebra 2 | Honors | — | Teacher recommendation and A grades in GeometryThe prerequisite sheet lists a 0.5 school GPA boost; not on the UC honors list, so UC counts it as a regular course | c |
| Honors Enhanced Math III (with Precalculus) | Honors | — | C or better in Enhanced Math II, or an A in Geometry with teacher recommendationAdds 0.5 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | c |
| Algebra 1 | CP | — | — | c |
| Geometry | CP | — | C or better in both semesters of Algebra 1 | c |
| Enhanced Math II | CP | — | A- in Enhanced Math I, or an A in Algebra 1 with teacher recommendationThe Enhanced sequence is being replaced by honors courses (school math pathway) | c |
| Algebra 2 | CP | — | C or better in both semesters of Geometry | c |
| Pre-Calculus | CP | — | B or better in Algebra 2, or a C with teacher recommendationYear-long course | c |
| Statistics 1AB | CP | — | C or better in both semesters of Algebra 2 | c |
Science
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Environmental Science | AP | — | B or better in Honors Biology or an A in Biology; B or better in Chemistry and GeometryAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | d |
| AP Biology | AP | — | B or better in Honors Biology or an A in Biology; B or better in Chemistry; GPA of 3.25 or higherAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | d |
| AP Chemistry | AP | — | A in Honors Chemistry, or a B with teacher recommendation, or an A in Chemistry with teacher recommendation; B or better in Algebra 2, or concurrent Algebra 2 with a B or better in GeometryAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | d |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | AP | — | B or better in AP Calculus, or concurrent enrollment in AP CalculusThe only AP physics course the school offers. AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | d |
| AP Computer Science Principles | AP | 10-12 | A in English recommended; grade 10 or higherThe prerequisite sheet lists grades 9-12 but also states grade 10 or higher. AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | d |
| Honors Biology | Honors | 9-12 | For grade 9: A grades in quarters 1 and 2 of both Physical Science and Math 8; for grade 10: A grades in both semesters of Algebra INot listed among GPA-boosted courses on the prerequisite sheet; not on the UC honors list, so UC counts it as a regular course | d |
| Honors Chemistry 1AB | Honors | — | A in (Honors) Biology and Algebra I, with concurrent enrollment in Enhanced Math IIAdds 0.5 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | d |
| Biology 1AB | CP | 9-12 | — | d |
| Chemistry 1AB | CP | 10-12 | C or better in Biology and Algebra I, with concurrent enrollment in Geometry | d |
| Anatomy and Physiology | CP | — | C or better in Biology and Chemistry | d |
| Marine Science 1AB | CP | 10-12 | Both semesters of Biology | d |
| Physics 1AB | CP | — | C or better in Geometry | d |
World Languages
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP French Language and Culture | AP | — | A- or higher in French 3; teacher recommendation and approvalAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | e |
| AP Chinese Language and Culture (AP Mandarin) | AP | — | B or better in Mandarin 3 and/or teacher recommendationAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | e |
| AP Spanish Language and Culture | AP | — | A (95%) in Spanish 3 and an A in Spanish 4, plus a diagnostic and speaking exam; teacher approvalAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | e |
| American Sign Language 1 | CP | — | — | e |
| American Sign Language 2 | CP | — | C or better in ASL 1; teacher recommendation for grade 8 students | e |
| American Sign Language 3 | CP | — | C or better in ASL 2 | e |
| French 1AB | CP | — | B or higher in the previous year's language arts and math recommended | e |
| French 2AB | CP | — | C or better to move to the next level | e |
| French 3AB | CP | — | C or better to move to the next level | e |
| Mandarin 1 | CP | — | — | e |
| Mandarin 2 | CP | — | C or better in Mandarin and/or teacher recommendation | e |
| Mandarin 3 | CP | — | Not listed separately on the prerequisite sheetThe School Profile course list includes Mandarin 1, 2 and 3 | e |
| Spanish 1AB | CP | — | — | e |
| Spanish 2AB | CP | — | C or better to move to the next level | e |
| Spanish 3AB | CP | — | C or better to move to the next level | e |
| Spanish 4AB | CP | — | C or better to move to the next level | e |
Visual & Performing Arts
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Drawing | AP | — | Portfolio evaluation and teacher recommendation required; workshops or classes recommendedAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | f |
| AP 2-D Art and Design | AP | — | AP Studio Art 1AB or teacher approvalAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | f |
| AP Art History | AP | 11-12 | Grade 12 has priority; grade 11 students must be recommendedAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | f |
| Art 1AB | CP | — | — | f |
| Art 2AB | CP | — | C or better in Art 1 | f |
| Art 3AB | CP | — | C or better in Art 2 | f |
| Ceramics 1AB | CP | — | — | f |
| Ceramics 2AB | CP | — | Ceramics 1 | f |
| Intro to Animation | CP | — | Art 1; recommended GPA of 2.5 or better | f |
| Animation 2 | CP | — | Intro to Animation | f |
| Animation 3 | CP | — | Animation 2 | f |
| Choir 1AB | CP | — | — | f |
| Choir 2AB / Choir 3AB / Madrigals | CP | — | Approval from the vocal music teacher | f |
| Jazz Band 1AB | CP | — | Approval from the instrumental music teacher; limited guitar and drum positions | f |
| Stage Band | CP | — | — | f |
| Symphonic Band | CP | — | Audition; one year of experience and ability to read music notation | f |
| Drumline | CP | — | Audition required | f |
| Orchestra 1, 2, 3 (Wind Ensemble) | CP | — | Approval from the instrumental music teacher; one year of experience and ability to read music notation | f |
| Drama 1AB | CP | — | — | f |
| Drama 2AB / 3AB / 4AB | CP | — | Audition and teacher approval | f |
| Dance Production 1AB | CP | — | None (beginning dance)Listed under PE/Dance on the prerequisite sheet | f |
| Dance Production 2CD / 3EF / GH (Orchesis) | CP | — | Tryout requiredOrchesis is the dance company | f |
Electives
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Psychology | AP | 11-12 | Recommended GPA of 2.5 or higherAP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | g |
| AP Research | AP | 11 (AGS) | Required for AGS in grade 11; follows AP SeminarThe second AP Capstone core course. AP courses add 1.0 to the school GPA; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC applications | g |
| AP Cybersecurity | AP | 11-12 | —Not on the 2026-27 UC A-G list; the School Profile lists it in the g column | — |
| Psychology 1A / Sociology 1A | CP | 9-12 | None; one semester each, fall or spring | g |
| Journalism / Trident Magazine | CP | — | Not listed separately on the prerequisite sheetListed by the School Profile as a g college-prep elective | g |
| Yearbook Production 1, 2 AB | CP | — | TryoutThe prerequisite sheet notes UC approval | f |
| Student Government 1AB | CP | 9-12 | Application required | g |
| Health (classroom / online) | CP | 12 | Seniors only; the classroom section is offered in fall only5 credits required for graduation | — |
| Athletic Turf Management | CP | — | —Counts as Applied Skills | — |
| Work Experience | CP | 9-12 | Work permit required | — |
| Tutor Corp | CP | 9-12 | —Support class for general education students who need help | — |
Career Technical Education
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design Engineering | CTE | 9 | —First course in the Engineering Design pathway; listed as Intro to Engineering Design (grade 9) on the prerequisite sheet | f |
| Electro-Mechanical Engineering | CTE | 10 | Previous pathway courseSecond course in the Engineering Design pathway | d |
| Robotics and Artificial Intelligence | CTE | 11 | Previous pathway courseThird course in the Engineering Design pathway; no course of this name is on the 2026-27 UC A-G list | — |
| Advanced Design Engineering | CTE | 12 | Previous pathway courseCapstone course of the Engineering Design pathway | g |
| ROP Introduction to Media Arts & Photography | CTE | 9-12 | —First course in the Design, Visual and Media Arts pathway (Regional Occupational Program course) | f |
| ROP Intermediate Media Arts & Photography | CTE | 10-11 | Introductory course; not open to seniorsSecond course in the Design, Visual and Media Arts pathway | f |
| ROP AP Studio Art 2D - Media Arts | CTE | 11-12 | Intro and Intermediate Media ArtsThird course in the Design, Visual and Media Arts pathway; the UC list treats this ROP course as a regular course | f |
| Technical Theatre | CTE | — | Stage crew and productionFirst course in the Stage Technology pathway | f |
| Advanced Technical Theatre | CTE | — | Drama teacher approvalSecond course in the Stage Technology pathway | f |
| ROP Broadcast News (Trident TV) | CTE | — | Application requiredCampus television station | f |
Corona del Mar High School Course Selection Timeline
Grade 8
- Jan 15 to Mar 15District Parent School Choice Transfer window (2026)
- Mar 30 to Apr 24Current NMUSD grade 8 students select grade 9 courses in Aeries (2026)
- Apr 22AGS information meeting; applications due May 1 (2026)
- Apr 28 to May 2One-on-one meetings with high school counselors to finalize schedules
- SummerAccelerated students take summer Geometry (subject to district offering); world language placement tests on May 26 or August 11 (2026)
Grade 9
- All yearPE both semesters; AGS students take AP Human Geography; start the 40 hours of community service
- Early NovemberAP exam registration and payment deadline (November 6 in 2026)
- From MarchSelect grade 10 courses: AP World History requires a 3.2 GPA
- MayAP exams; final exams May 28 to June 3 (2027)
Grade 10
- All yearThe UC GPA starts counting; AGS students take AP World History and AP Seminar
- MarchAP U.S. History meeting and grade 11 course selection (3.4 GPA threshold)
- MayAP exams; PE credits for grades 9 and 10 must be complete
Grade 11
- All yearAGS students take AP U.S. History and AP Research, completing AP Capstone
- SpringSelect grade 12 courses: students with 180 credits may apply for a five-period Minimum Day; athletes planning on Division I or II register with the NCAA
- Before grade 11 endsTalk with teachers about letters of recommendation (formal requests go through SchooLinks once the new year begins)
- MayAP exams; grades 10 and 11 determine the UC GPA
Grade 12
- From Sept 1Counselors accept College Packets; packets for early deadlines are due by September 30
- Oct 1FAFSA opens (2026)
- Nov 30UC and CSU application deadline
- Fall or all yearHealth; the Senior Project in senior English
- Mar 2Cal Grant priority deadline (2027)
Corona del Mar High School Courses: Frequently Asked Questions
How many classes do Corona del Mar High School students take, and how is the schedule organized, for Irvine families planning ahead?
Corona del Mar High School students in grades 9 to 11 take at least six classes on a rotating odd/even block schedule: periods 1, 3, 5 and 7 meet on odd days and periods 2, 4, 6 and 8 on even days, each block about 90 minutes, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:35 p.m., with zero period from 7:30 to 8:25 a.m. Seniors who have 180 credits at the start of the year may take five classes, one of which may be a community college or university course. Each course earns 5 credits per semester.
How many credits does Corona del Mar High School require for graduation, for Irvine families asking?
Corona del Mar High School requires 230 credits: English 40, history and social science 30, math 20, science 20, humanities, world language or arts 10, PE 20, Applied Skills 5 and Health 5, with the remaining 80 credits in electives. Students must also complete the Senior Project in senior English and 40 hours of community service. The school requires only two years of math, while UC and CSU require three years including Algebra II or higher, so course plans should follow the A-G standard.
Can Corona del Mar High School students drop an honors or AP course, a question Irvine families ask?
Corona del Mar High School's counseling FAQ states that honors and AP courses cannot be dropped because they are difficult, since sections are built from initial enrollment. As a general rule, students cannot enter a new class after the third week, and dropping a class after the third week puts an F on the transcript and requires parent permission; the school also does not change schedules because a student prefers another teacher, has a personal time conflict or wants to be with friends.
Can Corona del Mar High School students take courses outside school, for Irvine families considering it?
Corona del Mar High School allows courses at community colleges, UC, CSU or approved private schools, up to 10 high school credits per school year, with prior approval from a counselor and an administrator and an Outside Educational Course request sent to the district at least 10 school days before the class starts. Courses the school offers cannot be taken elsewhere for graduation credit, and college units convert to high school credits, with a 3-5 unit college class earning 5 credits.
How do students choose grade 9 courses at Corona del Mar High School, for Irvine families planning ahead?
Corona del Mar High School's grade 9 students take at least six classes, and the school's framework is Comp Lit 1 English, math, Biology or Honors Biology, a world language, an elective and PE. For 2026-27, current NMUSD grade 8 students selected courses in Aeries from March 30 to April 24 and met one-on-one with a high school counselor from April 28 to May 2. A request does not guarantee placement, which depends on prerequisites, recommendations and the master schedule.
