Tustin Unified School District uses the traditional high school math sequence of Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus, each with regular and honors sections. After that sequence, Foothill High School’s 2026-27 selection sheets list AP Precalculus, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Statistics, Statistical Reasoning and IB Math HL and SL. This page explains three math pathways, the entry points to calculus and IB Math, how UC weighting differs, and how students who take Algebra 1 in grade 9 can catch up to the IB path.
Three Math Pathways at Foothill High School
Standard pathway (Algebra 1 in grade 9)
- Grade 9: Algebra 1 or Algebra 1 Honors
- Grade 10: Geometry or Geometry Honors
- Grade 11: Algebra 2/Trig or Algebra 2/Trig Honors
- Grade 12: Pre-Calculus, AP Precalculus, AP Statistics or Statistical Reasoning
One year ahead (Algebra 1 completed in grade 8)
- Grade 9: Geometry or Geometry Honors
- Grade 10: Algebra 2/Trig or Algebra 2/Trig Honors
- Grade 11: Pre-Calculus, Pre-Calculus Honors or AP Precalculus
- Grade 12: AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Statistics or IB Math HL/SL
Two years ahead (Algebra 2/Trig in grade 9)
- Grade 9: Algebra 2/Trig or Algebra 2/Trig Honors (both are on the grade 9 selection sheet)
- Grade 10: Pre-Calculus, Pre-Calculus Honors or AP Precalculus
- Grade 11: AP Calculus AB or BC, which IB Diploma students count as year 1 of IB Math HL
- Grade 12: AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics or IB Math HL/SL
The counseling website also shows a 2022 math pathway chart that includes Algebra 2 and Data Science, courses replaced by the sequence adopted in 2023-24; for course selection, the 2026-27 selection sheets are the reference.
Requirements for AP Calculus and IB Math at Foothill High School
| Course (grades) | Prerequisites and notes |
|---|---|
| AP Precalculus (grades 10-12) | Course materials say to take it after Geometry and Algebra 2; it prepares students for AP Calculus BC or IB Math HL the following year |
| Pre-Calculus / Pre-Calculus Honors (grades 10-12) | Taken after Algebra 2/Trig; Pre-Calculus Honors is a UC-approved honors course |
| AP Calculus AB (grades 11-12) | Intended for students with a thorough knowledge of Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry and Pre-Calculus |
| AP Calculus BC (grades 11-12) | Intended for students with a solid foundation in Algebra 2 Honors, Geometry Honors and Pre-Calculus Honors; students take the Calculus BC exam or complete a major project |
| AP Statistics (grades 11-12) | The information session is for grade 10 and 11 students in Algebra 2 |
| Statistical Reasoning (grades 11-12) | Teaches the statistical process through sports and other real situations; priority to current grade 11 students |
| IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL (grade 12) | Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus; a UC-approved honors course |
| IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL (grades 11-12) | Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus Honors or higher; Pre-Calculus Honors or AP Calculus in grade 11 serves as HL year 1 |
| Grade cutoffs | The school lists prerequisites and teacher recommendations only and publishes no grade cutoffs |
AP Calculus AB and BC differ in their starting point: AB is for students who completed the regular sequence, while course materials for BC recommend honors courses throughout. AP Precalculus is described as preparation for AP Calculus BC or IB Math HL the following year. Students who do not plan to take calculus can choose AP Statistics or Statistical Reasoning in grade 12; both count as UC A-G “c” math and meet UC’s recommendation of four years of math.
Foothill High School Math Honors Courses and UC Weighting
Algebra 1 Honors, Geometry Honors and Algebra 2/Trig Honors count on a 5-point scale in the school GPA, but none is on the UC-approved honors list, so UC counts them as standard courses. UC counts only grades from grades 10 and 11, and during those years the math courses UC weights are Pre-Calculus Honors, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Statistics and IB Math; AP Precalculus is coded as Pre-Calculus for 2026-27 and is not yet on the UC A-G list. A student still in Algebra 2/Trig Honors in grade 10 therefore starts earning UC math honors points only in grade 11.
Catching Up in Math and Summer Courses at Foothill High School
Foothill High School's IB schedule page states that students who take Algebra 1 in grade 9 must take Geometry in the summer after grade 9 to stay on the IB path (the IB presentation specifies Geometry Honors). District summer school starts the first Wednesday after the school year ends, and the counseling materials describe it mainly as credit recovery: students with a D, F or Incomplete in the first semester are advised to attend. Tustin Unified School District's middle school catalog lists accelerated Math 6 A and Math 7 A and middle school Algebra 1; the district website does not publish placement criteria for the accelerated courses and does not list a middle school Geometry course.According to Foothill High School’s selection sheets, a student who starts Algebra 1 in grade 9 without summer coursework reaches at most Pre-Calculus or AP Precalculus by grade 12 and cannot fit AP Calculus into high school. To take AP Calculus in grade 12, a student needs to finish Algebra 1 before grade 9 or complete Geometry in the summer after grade 9. The district catalog requires courses that meet graduation requirements to be taken on a district campus, and the school’s dual enrollment page states that community college courses cannot be used for advancement. Students should confirm the details of summer Geometry with a counselor in advance.
Foothill High School Computer Science, Engineering and Robotics Pathways
Computer science courses at Foothill High School sit in the Computer Science CTE pathway, engineering courses in the FEAT engineering pathway, and there is also a robotics pathway and robotics team.
- Computer Science CTE pathway: the introductory Computer Science and Software Engineering (PLTW) course, followed by AP Computer Science Principles or AP Computer Science A, with the AP courses open in grades 10-12
- AP Computer Science A teaches object-oriented programming, searching and sorting algorithms in Java and counts as UC A-G "c" (math); AP Computer Science Principles counts as "d" (laboratory science)
- Engineering (FEAT): the three-year sequence is Introduction to Engineering Design, then Computer Integrated Manufacturing, then Manufacturing and Product Development; the four-year sequence is Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering (grade 10 only), Computer Integrated Manufacturing, then Engineering Design and Development or Manufacturing and Product Development
- Robotics: Intro to Robotics (taught in seventh period) leads to Advanced Robotics; the FEAT page recommends the robotics course for students who want to join the robotics team and suggests taking it every year, like a sport
The UC A-G categories are worth noting: AP Computer Science A counts as “c” math and AP Computer Science Principles as “d” laboratory science; Principles of Engineering, Computer Integrated Manufacturing and Engineering Design and Development count as “d” on the UC list, while Introduction to Engineering Design meets the arts graduation requirement. The FEAT page states that Principles of Engineering can count as a fourth year of science.
Foothill High School Math Course List
Mathematics
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL | IB | 12 | Completion of Pre-CalculusListed as IB Math SL: Humanities on the selection sheet; UC-approved honors course; weighted in UC GPA | c |
| IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | IB | 11-12 | Completion of Pre-Calculus Honors or higherListed as IB Math HL: STEM; year 1 is Pre-Calculus Honors or AP Calculus, with HL2 in grade 12; UC-approved honors course; weighted in UC GPA | c |
| AP Precalculus | AP | 10-12 | Taken after Geometry and Algebra 2Course number 1533A, coded as Pre-Calculus for 2026-27; Prepares students for AP Calculus BC or IB Math HL; Not on the UC A-G list | — |
| AP Calculus AB | AP | 11-12 | Thorough knowledge of Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry and Pre-CalculusCourse number 1530 | c |
| AP Calculus BC | AP | 11-12 | A solid foundation in Algebra 2 Honors, Geometry Honors and Pre-Calculus HonorsCourse number 1531; Students take the BC exam or complete a major project | c |
| AP Statistics | AP | 11-12 | Completion of Algebra 2Course number 1536; Equivalent to a one-semester, non-calculus college statistics course | c |
| AP Computer Science A | AP | 10-12 | Level 2 of the Computer Science pathwayCourse number 1115; Java, object-oriented programming, searching and sorting; also listed in the math column for grades 11 and 12 | c |
| Algebra 1 Honors | Honors | 9-10 | —Course number 1504H; Not on the UC honors list; UC counts it as a standard course | c |
| Geometry Honors | Honors | 9-11 | Completion of Algebra 1Course number 1505; Not on the UC honors list; UC counts it as a standard course | c |
| Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors | Honors | 9-12 | Completion of GeometryCourse number 1550H; Not on the UC honors list; UC counts it as a standard course | c |
| Pre-Calculus Honors | Honors | 10-12 | Completion of Algebra 2/TrigCourse number 1529; UC-approved honors course; weighted in UC GPA; IB Diploma students can count it as year 1 of IB Math HL in grade 11 | c |
| Algebra 1 | CP | 9-10 | —Course number 1504 | c |
| Geometry | CP | 9-11 | Completion of Algebra 1Course number 1506 | c |
| Algebra 2/Trigonometry | CP | 9-12 | Completion of GeometryCourse number 1550; Replaced Algebra 2 for all students beginning in 2023-24 | c |
| Pre-Calculus | CP | 10-12 | Completion of Algebra 2/TrigCourse number 1533 | c |
| Statistical Reasoning | CP | 11-12 | Priority to current juniorsCourse number 9026; Teaches the statistical process through sports and real-life situations | c |
Foothill High School AP Exam Results for 2025-26
In 2025-26, 773 Foothill High School students took 1,402 AP exams in 23 subjects, and 89% scored 3 or higher. The School Profile reports only school-wide totals and does not publish pass rates for AP Calculus, AP Statistics or other subjects.
Foothill High School Math Pathways: Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine families ask: does Foothill High School use integrated math or traditional algebra and geometry?
Foothill High School uses the traditional sequence of Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus, each with regular and honors sections, as set by the Tustin Unified School District. Beginning in 2023-24, the district replaced Algebra 2 with Algebra 2/Trig for all students. After Pre-Calculus, students can take AP Calculus AB or BC, AP Statistics and IB Math, and AP Precalculus and Statistical Reasoning are also offered.
How early can Foothill High School students take AP Calculus, for Irvine families planning ahead?
Foothill High School's 2026-27 selection sheets list AP Calculus AB and BC for grades 11 and 12. Students who start grade 9 in Algebra 2/Trig take Pre-Calculus or AP Precalculus in grade 10 and can take AP Calculus in grade 11; students who finish Algebra 1 in grade 8 and take Geometry in grade 9 reach AP Calculus in grade 12. Course materials for AP Calculus BC recommend Geometry Honors, Algebra 2 Honors and Pre-Calculus Honors.
Irvine families ask: are Foothill High School math honors courses weighted for UC?
Foothill High School counts Algebra 1 Honors, Geometry Honors and Algebra 2/Trig Honors on a 5-point scale in the school GPA, but none of the three is on the UC-approved honors list, so UC counts them as standard courses. Among math courses, UC weights Pre-Calculus Honors, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Statistics and IB Math, and UC counts only grades from grades 10 and 11.
How should students choose IB Math at Foothill High School, for Irvine families comparing options?
Foothill High School offers IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at both HL and SL, open to students outside the IB Diploma as well. The prerequisite for SL is Pre-Calculus, and the prerequisite for HL is Pre-Calculus Honors or higher. IB Diploma students count Pre-Calculus Honors or AP Calculus in grade 11 as year 1 of HL and take HL or SL in grade 12.
Irvine families ask: can a Foothill High School student who takes Algebra 1 in grade 9 still follow the IB path?
Foothill High School's recommended IB schedule states that students who take Algebra 1 in grade 9 must take Geometry in the summer after grade 9, and the IB presentation specifies Geometry Honors. That allows Algebra 2/Trig or Pre-Calculus in grade 10 and year 1 of IB Math HL or AP Calculus in grade 11. Students should confirm the details of summer coursework with a counselor in advance.
