Almost all four-year colleges and universities require four years of English. Some schools might let you test out of this requirement based on your SAT or ACT scores. Washington State public schools, for instance, require four credits of English and do not offer a testing option; however, Arizona State University requires four years of English or a score of 21 on the ACT English test or 530 on the verbal section of the SAT.
Most colleges and universities require between three and four years of math in high school. This requirement is usually further specified as at least one year of algebra, one of geometry and either another of advanced algebra or an advanced math like trigonometry or calculus, or all four. More competitive colleges and universities usually require all four years of math, including at least one advanced math class. Washington State public schools, beginning with the Class of 2012, will require at least one math class taken during the senior year of high school.
Most schools require two years of science, with many requiring those to be lab science credits. Many colleges recommend at least two semesters of biology and two of chemistry or physics. Some more competitive schools suggest another year of advanced chemistry or physics or an earth science.
Almost all schools require at least two years of social sciences. Most require at least one of those years to be in U.S. history. Some schools are more specific about these requirements. Collegeboard.com, a college preparation Web site, suggests taking two semesters of U.S. history, one semester of U.S. government, one semester of economics, one semester of world history or geography and one additional social science course.
Many colleges and universities, but not all, require at least one year of a fine art taken in high school. This can include a year of music or visual or dramatic arts.
Many colleges and universities require at least two years of the same foreign language studied in high school. In many cases this can include Native American languages, American Sign Language or other foreign and world languages. More competitive schools may require more than two years.
Many schools will recommend taking more than just the required courses in order to set your application apart from others. Collegeboard.com suggests taking at least five academic classes every semester. Some more competitive schools may suggest taking a second foreign language, Advanced Placement (AP) classes or computer science classes.