Orange Lutheran High School uses the traditional sequence of Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, with trigonometry folded into Algebra 2 under the course name Algebra 2/Trigonometry. This differs from the integrated sequence (Integrated Math I, II, and III) used by the Irvine Unified School District, and grade-level equivalents between the two systems cannot be converted directly. The mathematics department’s flowchart lists four tracks based on the grade 9 starting point. This page covers each track and explains the percentage grade required at each step, how summer online credit acceleration works, and the highest course available.
Four Mathematics Tracks
Modified pathway (starting with small-class Algebra A)
- Grade 9: Algebra A
- Grade 10: Geometry A
- Grade 11: Intermediate Algebra 2
- Grade 12: Intro to Finite Math
Standard pathway (starting with Algebra 1 in Grade 9)
- Grade 9: Algebra 1 or Enriched Algebra 1
- Grade 10: Geometry or Honors Geometry
- Grade 11: Algebra 2/Trigonometry or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry
- Grade 12: Pre-Calculus, Honors Pre-Calculus, Statistics, or Intro to Finite Math
Advanced pathway (starting with Geometry in Grade 9)
- Grade 9: Geometry or Honors Geometry
- Grade 10: Algebra 2/Trigonometry or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry
- Grade 11: Pre-Calculus, Honors Pre-Calculus, or Statistics, with AP Statistics possible concurrently
- Grade 12: AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, or Calculus, with AP Statistics possible concurrently
Fastest pathway (starting with Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry in Grade 9)
- Grade 9: Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry (requires passing the challenge test)
- Grade 10: Honors Pre-Calculus
- Grade 11: AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC
- Grade 12: AP Statistics or Statistics; online AP Computer Science A can be added
The tracks differ in their starting point, which is set by the grade 8 course and the tests taken at enrollment. The standard track reaches Pre-Calculus or Statistics in grade 12 and does not enter calculus. The advanced track reaches AP Calculus AB or BC in grade 12. The fastest track reaches AP Calculus in grade 11, leaving AP Statistics for grade 12. The mathematics department states that students who want five years of mathematics must take two mathematics courses in the same school year; AP Statistics can be taken in the same year as Honors Pre-Calculus or AP Calculus.
Prerequisites at Each Step
The table below is compiled course by course from the 2026-27 Curriculum Guide. Prerequisites are based on semester grades; both semesters must meet the requirement, and the two are not averaged.
| Course (grade levels) | Prerequisite |
|---|---|
| Algebra 1 (Grades 9-12) | Freshman placement test, or passing the Algebra challenge test |
| Honors Geometry (Grades 9-12) | Incoming freshmen: placement test or passing the Honors Geometry challenge test; current students: Algebra 1 at 90% or higher each semester or Enriched Algebra 1 at 85% or higher |
| Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry (Grades 9-12) | Incoming freshmen must pass the Honors Algebra 2 challenge test; current students: Algebra 1 at 90% or higher each semester or Enriched Algebra 1 at 85% or higher, and Geometry at 90% or higher or Honors Geometry at 85% or higher |
| Algebra 2/Trigonometry (Grades 10-12) | Enriched Algebra 1 at 70% or higher each semester or Algebra 1 at 75% or higher, and Geometry at 70% or higher or completion of Honors Geometry |
| Honors Pre-Calculus (Grades 10-12) | Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 85% or higher each semester |
| Pre-Calculus (Grades 11-12) | Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 80% or higher each semester, or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 70% or higher |
| Calculus (Grades 11-12) | Pre-Calculus at 80% or higher each semester or Honors Pre-Calculus at 70% or higher; the school notes that this course does not prepare students for the AP exam |
| AP Calculus AB (Grades 11-12) | Honors Pre-Calculus at 85% or higher each semester, or regular Calculus at 90% or higher each semester with department chair approval |
| AP Calculus BC (Grades 11-12) | Same as AB: Honors Pre-Calculus at 85% or higher each semester, or regular Calculus at 90% or higher each semester with department chair approval; meets every day |
| AP Statistics (Grades 11-12) | Calculus or Pre-Calculus at 90% or higher each semester, or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 85% or higher each semester |
| AP Computer Science A (Grades 10-12, online only) | Geometry and Algebra 2 at 80% or higher each semester, or Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 70% or higher each semester |
The prerequisites follow three patterns. First, moving between honors levels generally requires 85%, and moving from a regular course to an honors course requires 90%. Second, regular Pre-Calculus is open only to grades 11 and 12, while Honors Pre-Calculus is available in grade 10, so whether a student is in the honors sequence in grade 10 determines whether the student can enter AP Calculus in grade 11. Third, AP Calculus AB and BC have the same prerequisites, and BC does not require AB, so students can move directly from Honors Pre-Calculus to BC. The school also offers Intermediate Algebra 2, which satisfies the UC requirement of three years of mathematics but cannot serve as the prerequisite for Pre-Calculus.
Summer Acceleration and Outside Courses
In summer, Orange Lutheran Online offers Accelerated Classes for Advancement, which cover a full year in 8 weeks; mathematics options are Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry, and Pre-Calculus (each in regular and honors levels). In 2026 they run June 8 to July 31, asynchronously with no fixed class times but with daily assignment deadlines. AP courses are not offered in summer.
An Algebra Bridge course is also offered: in 2026 the on-campus section meets mornings from July 6 to 17, and the online section runs June 8 to July 17. The school’s public pages do not describe the content or intended students of the algebra bridge course, so families who need it can confirm the details with the mathematics department after admission.
The rules for outside courses are stricter. Courses taken outside the school must be approved by the department chair, the counselor, and the Director of Counseling before they can be recorded on the school transcript. Outside honors or AP courses that are judged equivalent to the school's courses may be weighted; community college courses are not weighted even if approved for the transcript. Courses with a D or F cannot be retaken at the school during the school year and must be made up through the school's summer school, OLO, or another approved institution; credit made up at other institutions is generally limited to 2 credits. For this reason, students who want to reach calculus one year early usually use the school’s own online summer courses: Geometry or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry in the summer after grade 9, and Honors Pre-Calculus in the summer after grade 10, then confirming placement in the next course with the counselor before fall classes begin.
The Highest Course Available
The endpoints of the mathematics sequence at Orange Lutheran High School are AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics. AP Statistics is open to grades 11 and 12 and requires 90% or higher each semester in Calculus or Pre-Calculus, or 85% or higher each semester in Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry. The Curriculum Guide does not include multivariable calculus, linear algebra, or differential equations, and there is no AP Precalculus or dual credit mathematics course.
Computer science courses are mainly housed in the science department. AP Computer Science A is offered only online and is available from grade 10; it requires 80% or higher each semester in Geometry and Algebra 2, or 70% or higher in both honors courses. For UC, it counts as a category c mathematics course and is a UC-approved honors course. On campus, Computer Science and AP Computer Science Principles are available from grade 9, and Honors Computer Programming is available from grade 10.
Mathematics Course List
Mathematics
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus AB | AP | 11-12 | Honors Pre-Calculus at 85% or higher each semester, or regular Calculus at 90% or higher each semester with department chair approvalCourse number 4610; HyFlex course; AP exam fee $120; transcript abbreviations: (AP) Calculus, AP Calc AB | c |
| AP Calculus BC | AP | 11-12 | Honors Pre-Calculus at 85% or higher each semester, or regular Calculus at 90% or higher each semester with department chair approvalCourse number 4620; meets every day (double period); AP Calculus AB is not a prerequisite; AP exam fee $120; transcript abbreviations: AP Calc BC, AP Calculus BC | c |
| AP Computer Science A | AP | 10-12 | Geometry and Algebra 2 at 80% or higher each semester, or Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 70% or higher each semester; a prior programming course is recommendedOffered online only (980-OLO); UC c (mathematics); online course; transcript abbreviation: AP Computer Science A | c |
| AP Statistics | AP | 11-12 | Calculus or Pre-Calculus at 90% or higher each semester, or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 85% or higher each semesterCourse number 4420; may be taken in the same year as Honors Pre-Calculus or AP Calculus; AP exam fee $120; transcript abbreviation: AP Stat | c |
| ALGEBRA 2 / TRIGONOMETRY (H) | Honors | 9-12 | Incoming freshmen must pass the Honors Algebra 2 challenge test; current students: Algebra 1 at 90% or higher each semester or Enriched Algebra 1 at 85% or higher, and Geometry at 90% or higher or Honors Geometry at 85% or higherOne of two UC list entries for the same course as Honors Algebra 2/ Trig (on-campus course 4520); school-designated honors course; not weighted in the UC GPA; transcript abbreviations: (H) Algebra 2/ Trig, (H)Alg2/Trig | c |
| Geometry (H) | Honors | 9-12 | Incoming freshmen: placement test or passing the Honors Geometry challenge test; current students: Algebra 1 at 90% or higher each semester or Enriched Algebra 1 at 85% or higherCourse number 4510, online 725-OLO; school-designated honors course; not weighted in the UC GPA; online course; transcript abbreviation: (H) Geometry | c |
| Honors Algebra 2/ Trig | Honors | 9-12 | Incoming freshmen must pass the Honors Algebra 2 challenge test; current students: Algebra 1 at 90% or higher each semester or Enriched Algebra 1 at 85% or higher, and Geometry at 90% or higher or Honors Geometry at 85% or higherCourse number 4520, online 745-OLO; school-designated honors course; not weighted in the UC GPA; online course; transcript abbreviations: (H) Alg 2/Trig, (H) Algebra 2/ Trig, ALGEBRA 2 / TRIGONOMETRY (H | c |
| Honors Precalculus | Honors | 10-12 | Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 85% or higher each semesterCourse number 4530, online 785-OLO; the first UC-approved honors course in the mathematics sequence; UC-approved honors course; weighted in the UC GPA; online course; transcript abbreviation: (H) Pre-Cal | c |
| Algebra I | CP | 9-12 | Freshman placement test, or passing the Algebra challenge testCourse number 4110, online 720-OLO; a small-class modified version, Algebra A (4025), is also offered; online course; transcript abbreviation: Algebra 1 | c |
| Algebra II/Trigonometry | CP | 10-12 | Enriched Algebra 1 at 70% or higher each semester or Algebra 1 at 75% or higher (or Algebra A at 85% or higher and Geometry A at 80% or higher), and Geometry at 70% or higher or completion of Honors GeometryCourse number 4310, online 750-OLO; online course; transcript abbreviation: Alg2/Trig | c |
| Calculus | CP | 11-12 | Pre-Calculus at 80% or higher each semester or Honors Pre-Calculus at 70% or higherCourse number 4603; HyFlex course; the school notes that it does not prepare students for the AP exam; transcript abbreviation: Calculus | c |
| Enriched Algebra | CP | 9-12 | Freshman placement testListed in the school catalog as Enriched Algebra 1, course number 4120; transcript abbreviation: Enr Algebra | c |
| Geometry | CP | 9-12 | Incoming freshmen must pass the Honors Geometry challenge test; current students: Algebra A at 85% or higher each semester, or Algebra 1 or Enriched Algebra 1 at 70% or higher each semesterCourse number 4130, online 730-OLO; a small-class modified version, Geometry A (4125), is also offered; online course; transcript abbreviation: Geometry | c |
| Intermediate Algebra II | CP | 10-12 | Algebra 1 or Enriched Algebra 1 grade between 59.5% and 76.4%, and a geometry course at 60% or higher each semesterCourse number 4210; does not qualify as a prerequisite for Pre-Calculus; transcript abbreviation: Int. Alg 2 | c |
| Introduction to Finite Mathematics | CP | 11-12 | Intermediate Algebra 2 or Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 70% or higher, or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 60% or higher, or Pre-Calculus at 70% or higherCourse number 4415, online 775-OLO; online course; transcript abbreviation: Finite Math | c |
| Pre-Calculus | CP | 11-12 | Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 80% or higher each semester or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 70% or higherCourse number 5508 (HyFlex), online 790-OLO; online course; transcript abbreviation: Pre-Calculus | c |
| Statistics | CP | 11-12 | Algebra 2/Trigonometry or Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at 70% or higher each semesterCourse number 4418; transcript abbreviation: Statistics | c |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine families often ask: does Orange Lutheran High School use integrated math or the traditional algebra and geometry sequence?
The traditional sequence. Mathematics at Orange Lutheran High School runs from Algebra 1 to Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry, and Pre-Calculus, followed by calculus or statistics. It is not the integrated sequence of Math I, Math II, and Math III used by the Irvine Unified School District. Trigonometry is taught within Algebra 2, which is why the course is named Algebra 2/Trigonometry. Families moving from an Irvine middle school should first confirm with the school's mathematics department which course the student's middle school mathematics corresponds to.
An Irvine student who completed Algebra 1 in grade 8: can the student take Geometry directly in grade 9 at Orange Lutheran High School?
Yes, but only by passing a challenge test. The Curriculum Guide of Orange Lutheran High School states that incoming students who want to take Geometry directly must pass the Honors Geometry Challenge Test; entry into Honors Geometry is based on the placement test or on passing the same challenge test. Students who completed both Algebra 1 and Geometry in middle school and want to take Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry in grade 9 must pass the Honors Algebra 2 Challenge Test. The placement test begins in late January, and the school states that it does not affect admission.
Irvine families want to know: what is the highest mathematics course available at Orange Lutheran High School?
AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics. At Orange Lutheran High School, AP Calculus BC has the same prerequisites as AB: 85% or higher each semester in Honors Pre-Calculus, or 90% or higher in regular Calculus with department chair approval. Students can therefore go directly to BC without taking AB. BC meets daily. The Curriculum Guide does not include multivariable calculus, linear algebra, or AP Precalculus, and there are no dual credit mathematics courses.
Can students take mathematics early in the summer at Orange Lutheran High School, and what should Irvine families keep in mind?
Yes, through the school's online division. Orange Lutheran High School offers summer online credit acceleration courses that cover a full year in 8 weeks; mathematics options include Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry, and Pre-Calculus, at both the regular and honors levels. In 2026 the session ran from June 8 to July 31. Courses are asynchronous with no fixed class time, but assignments are due every day, and the school recommends setting aside 1 to 2 hours per course per session. AP courses are not offered in summer.
Does Orange Lutheran High School accept mathematics courses that Irvine students take outside school?
Only with prior approval. Orange Lutheran High School requires approval from the mathematics department chair, the counselor, and the director of college counseling before an outside course can appear on the school transcript; community college courses are not weighted even when approved for the transcript. The mathematics department also requires students to repeat any semester that does not meet the prerequisite grade for the next course, and courses with a D or F cannot be repeated at the school during the school year. Students who want to accelerate over the summer usually enroll in the school's own online summer courses.
Irvine families ask: are honors mathematics courses at Orange Lutheran High School weighted by UC?
Most are not. According to the UC A-G list for 2026-27, Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra 2/Trigonometry at Orange Lutheran High School are not UC-approved honors courses; they are weighted on campus but count as regular courses in UC applications. The mathematics courses that UC weights are Honors Precalculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, and AP Computer Science A, which is offered only online.
