College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADR)

Students are required to complete a minimum level of preparation in six subject areas in high school. Choose a subject in the table below to learn more about the college academic distribution requirements.

Using College Coursework to Complete CADR

Almost all applicants will have satisfied these requirements through high school coursework, which is generally defined as that completed in grades 9-12. However, there are several ways to satisfy CADR at the college level. In general, five quarter credits (or three semester credits) at the college level equals one credit of high-school study. If you completed a portion of the CADR in high school, you can pick up in college where you left off in high school. For example, if you completed three credits of English in high school, you can use one college English composition or literature course to bring your total to four credits.

Grading Restrictions

To satisfy these requirements (except mathematics), a passing grade, including a 'D,' is acceptable in either high school or college work. Intermediate algebra completed at the college level must be a 'C' (2.0) or better. Also acceptable is a grade of 'Pass' in a course taken on a 'Pass/Not Pass' basis. However, if you are completing CADR through college coursework, you are strongly encouraged to take courses for a letter/numerical grade, because you may later want to apply these courses towards requirements for your major or university or college graduation requirements, for which grading restrictions pertain.