Big Changes to the UNC System Minimum Admissions Requirements
Foreign language is no longer required for incoming freshman applicants.
I’m taking a break from my College 101 series this week to bring you an update on the minimum course requirements for admission to the 16 University of North Carolina system colleges.
Starting with this year’s high school seniors (the class of 2025), two units of foreign language are no longer required for admission to UNC-system schools. Instead, students may choose to take two additional units from any of the following disciplines: English, math, social studies, science, world languages, or computer science.
Note that the first four of those disciplines already have minimum requirements, so if your student elects to meet the “two additional units” requirement using courses from English, math, science, or social studies, those units will need to be above and beyond the already required minimums. Those minimums include:
English: Four units, including grammar composition, and literature;
Math: Four units, including algebra, geometry, algebra 2, and at least one unit beyond algebra 2 or, if using the NC public school sequence, Math I-III and at least one unit beyond Math III. Geometry is optional, but students who elect not to take it will need two units beyond algebra 2 instead of just one;
Science: Three units, including at least one physical science, at least one biological science, and at least one lab;
Social Studies: Two units, including one in US history. Students who do not take US history in high school may still be admitted on the condition that they complete a three-hour course by the end of their sophomore year of college.
Should My Student Still Take a Foreign Language in High School?
One thing to keep in mind is that these are minimum requirements. If your student is aiming for one of the more selective universities such as UNC-Chapel Hill or NC State, he or she will likely need to exceed those minimums. Foreign language is still the recommended pathway for students who want to be competitive for admission at UNC schools.
Foreign language is also still a requirement at many non-UNC colleges, so for most students it will make sense to continue to pursue at least two years of foreign language in high school in order to keep their college options open.
And one last consideration: many colleges and universities include foreign language in their own degree requirements, meaning your student may need to take language classes as in college even if they don’t take them in high school. High school-level coursework can be very beneficial in preparing for the more difficult college-level classes. And if you have access to dual enrollment, your student can even kill two birds with one stone, taking foreign language for both college and high school credit and meeting both the admissions and the degree requirement. That’s an option I highly recommend for students who are capable of higher-level work. If you’re a North Carolina resident taking advantage of Career and College Promise, foreign language is included as an option on all college transfer pathways.
Intro to Dual Enrollment Using Career & College Promise
If you’re looking to save time and money on post-secondary education, dual enrollment is one of the most effective ways to do so. Dual enrollment allows high school students to take college and vocational courses for high school credit. College courses can culminate in a two- or four-year degree, and vocational courses…
Got questions about foreign language, planning your high schooler’s course schedule, or how to make the most of dual enrollment? Drop them in the comments or shoot me a message and let’s talk!
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