Pacific Academy Irvine uses the traditional sequence of Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II, which differs from the integrated sequence (Integrated Math I, II, and III) used at Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) high schools; courses in the two systems cannot be converted directly. Because the school starts in grade 7, the mathematics starting point comes two years earlier than at a typical grades 9 to 12 high school. The school does not publish a mathematics pathway on its website. Using the middle school courses on the Curriculum page and the high school courses on the UC 2026-27 A-G list, this page lays out three possible tracks and explains which courses UC weights and the highest course available.
Three Mathematics Tracks
Starting with Pre-Algebra in grade 7
- Grade 7: Pre-Algebra
- Grade 8: Algebra I
- Grade 9: Geometry or Geometry Honors
- Grade 10: Algebra II or Algebra II Honors
- Grade 11: Pre-Calculus or AP Precalculus
- Grade 12: AP Calculus AB or AP Statistics
Starting with Algebra I in grade 7
- Grade 7: Algebra I
- Grade 8: Geometry
- Grade 9: Algebra II or Algebra II Honors
- Grade 10: Pre-Calculus or AP Precalculus
- Grade 11: AP Calculus AB
- Grade 12: AP Calculus BC or AP Statistics
Starting with Geometry in grade 7
- Grade 7: Geometry
- Grade 8: Algebra II
- Grade 9: Pre-Calculus or AP Precalculus
- Grade 10: AP Calculus AB or BC (the school has not published the sequence between the two)
- Grade 11: AP Calculus BC or AP Statistics
- Grade 12: Multivariable Calculus (online course; UC-approved honors course)
The tracks differ in their grade 7 starting point. Students who start with Pre-Algebra reach AP Calculus AB in grade 12; students who start with Algebra I can take AP Calculus BC in grade 12; and students who start with Geometry still have room in high school to take the online Multivariable Calculus. The school’s graduation requirement is completion of Algebra II, which means students who take only the mathematics required for graduation may not reach calculus.
How UC Treats Each Level
The school does not publish prerequisites or grade cutoffs for its mathematics courses. The table below uses the UC 2026-27 A-G list to show the in-person and online versions of each level and whether UC weights them.
| Course | Versions and UC treatment |
|---|---|
| Pre-Algebra | Grades 7 to 8; middle school course, not on the UC A-G list |
| Algebra I | In-person and online versions; also offered in grades 7 and 8; UC category c, not weighted |
| Geometry / Geometry Honors | In person and online; also offered in grades 7 and 8; Geometry Honors is labeled honors by the school but not weighted by UC |
| Algebra II / Algebra II Honors | In person and online; also offered in grade 8; required for graduation; Algebra II Honors is not weighted by UC |
| Pre-Calculus | In person; UC category c, not weighted |
| AP Precalculus | In person; UC-approved honors course |
| AP Calculus AB | In person; UC-approved honors course |
| AP Calculus BC | In person; UC-approved honors course; the school does not state whether AB is required first |
| AP Statistics | In person; UC-approved honors course |
| Multivariable Calculus | Online only; UC-approved honors course |
| AP Computer Science A | In person; UC category c, can count as a fourth year of mathematics, UC-approved honors course |
The table shows a clear pattern: no honors course before Algebra II is weighted by UC, and UC-weighted mathematics begins with AP Precalculus. When a student chooses between regular Pre-Calculus and AP Precalculus in the same grade, the AP version adds one honors point to the UC GPA.
Summer Acceleration and Outside Courses
The school’s 2026-27 calendar includes summer school, running from June 8 to July 17 in 2026 and from June 7 to July 16 in 2027, but the school does not publish which mathematics courses are offered. The school offers three routes related to mathematics acceleration.
| Online courses | The school offers online courses (Pacific Virtual Academy) for enrichment or acceleration; UC's 2026-27 list includes 31 online A-G courses, about 30% of the school's 103 courses |
|---|---|
| College courses | Students may take college courses at UC Irvine and Irvine Valley College (IVC) |
| Talented Student Program | The school states that it can provide support or accelerate coursework based on the student's situation, for athletes and artists with training and competition schedules |
The school does not publish how outside courses and college courses are recorded on the school transcript, nor which tests are required to skip a level. EDUBUS recommends that students who want to skip a course confirm in writing with the school before course selection and keep a record of the confirmation.
The Highest Course Available
According to the UC list, the highest mathematics course at Pacific Academy Irvine is the online Multivariable Calculus, which UC approves as an honors course. The endpoints of the in-person sequence are AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics. The list includes no linear algebra or differential equations; students who want to continue with such courses can use the college course route the school describes and take them at UC Irvine or Irvine Valley College. For California resident applicants, college courses transferable to UC are weighted as honors courses in the UC GPA.
Mathematics Course List
Mathematics
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus AB | AP | — | —Transcript abbreviations: AP Calc AB, AP Calculus AB | c |
| AP Calculus BC | AP | — | —Transcript abbreviations: AP Calc BC, AP Calculus BC | c |
| AP Precalculus | AP | — | —Transcript abbreviations: AP Precalc, AP Precalculus | c |
| AP Statistics | AP | — | —Transcript abbreviation: AP Statistics | c |
| Algebra II Honors | Honors | — | —School-designated honors course, not weighted in the UC GPA; transcript abbreviation: Algebra II Honors | c |
| Geometry Honors | Honors | — | —School-designated honors course, not weighted in the UC GPA; transcript abbreviation: Geometry Honors | c |
| Multivariable Calculus | Honors | — | —The school's most advanced mathematics course; UC-approved honors course, weighted in UC admissions; online course; transcript abbreviations: Multivariable Calc, Multivariable Calculus | c |
| Algebra I | CP | — | —Graduation requires completion of Algebra I and Geometry or equivalent courses; also offered in grades 7 and 8 (school Curriculum page); transcript abbreviation: Algebra I | c |
| Algebra I (AVT) | CP | — | —Online course; transcript abbreviations: ALG I, Algebra 1 | c |
| Algebra II | CP | — | —Graduation requires completion of Algebra II; also offered in grade 8 (school Curriculum page); transcript abbreviation: Algebra II | c |
| Algebra II (MTH302) | CP | — | —Online course; transcript abbreviation: Algebra II | c |
| Geometry | CP | — | —Graduation requires completion of Algebra I and Geometry or equivalent courses; also offered in grades 7 and 8 (school Curriculum page); transcript abbreviation: Geometry | c |
| Geometry (AVT) | CP | — | —Online course; transcript abbreviations: GEOM, Geometry A/Geometry B | c |
| Pre-Calculus | CP | — | —Transcript abbreviations: Pre-Calc, Pre-Calculus | c |
| Pre-Algebra | CP | 7-8 | —Middle school course (school Curriculum page); not on the UC A-G course list | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine families often ask: does Pacific Academy Irvine use integrated math or the traditional algebra and geometry sequence?
The traditional sequence. Mathematics at Pacific Academy Irvine runs from Pre-Algebra to Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calculus or AP Precalculus, followed by AP Calculus or AP Statistics. It is not the integrated sequence of Math I, Math II, and Math III used at Irvine Unified School District high schools. Students transferring from Irvine public schools should first confirm with the school which course their previous mathematics course corresponds to.
How is mathematics placement decided for students transferring to Pacific Academy Irvine from an Irvine public middle school?
By the school's mathematics placement test. The Pacific Academy Irvine application procedure states that students take the school's English proficiency test and mathematics placement test after admission and before classes begin. The school does not publish the content or cutoff scores of the placement test. According to the Curriculum page on the website, grade 7 mathematics is offered at three levels (Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, and Geometry), and grade 8 adds Algebra II. When transferring, EDUBUS recommends bringing previous transcripts and course descriptions so the school can determine the starting point.
Irvine families want to know: what is the highest mathematics course available at Pacific Academy Irvine?
According to the UC A-G list for 2026-27, the highest mathematics course at Pacific Academy Irvine is Multivariable Calculus, an online course that UC approves as an honors course. The highest in-person courses are AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics. The Curriculum page also states that students can take college courses at UC Irvine and Irvine Valley College. The list includes no linear algebra or differential equations.
Irvine families ask: are honors mathematics courses at Pacific Academy Irvine weighted by UC?
Geometry Honors and Algebra II Honors are not weighted; they are not on the list of UC-approved honors courses. The mathematics courses at Pacific Academy Irvine that UC weights are AP Precalculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science A, and the online Multivariable Calculus. Regular Pre-Calculus is not weighted. International students on F-1 visas are nonresidents of California, and when UC checks the minimum GPA of 3.4 it adds honors weight only for AP and IB courses, not for school-designed honors courses; for how UC-certified honors courses are treated outside the minimum GPA check, EDUBUS recommends that families confirm with UC admissions.
For Irvine students entering Pacific Academy Irvine in grade 7, do Algebra I and Geometry taken in middle school count toward UC A-G?
They can count toward subject requirements. UC A-G rules state that mathematics courses taken in grades 7 and 8 can satisfy the category c mathematics requirement, provided the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses. Pacific Academy Irvine offers Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II in grades 7 and 8. Note that grades in these courses do not count toward the UC GPA, which includes only grades 10 and 11.
