Revised Minimum College Admission Standards

and College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADR)

(formerly High School Core Course Requirements)

College Academic Distribution Requirements

Some high school students in 2008-09 will be affected by new College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADR).

In 2007, the Higher Education Coordinating Board revised the  minimum college admission standards for students entering Washington State’s public baccalaureate institutions (four-year colleges) as freshmen.

The revised standards will require all freshman applicants, including Running Start students, to complete a minimum level of preparation in six subject areas known as College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADR).

The Board revised the standards in order to help ensure that students entering Washington’s public four-year colleges and universities have an appreciation for the liberal arts and are adequately prepared to succeed in college. 

While the revised standards will not be implemented by the public four-year colleges until 2012, 9th grade high school students in the 2008-09 academic year should begin taking courses that meet the revised standards if they intend to seek regular admission to any of the following public baccalaureate institutions: 

• University of Washington
• Washington State University
• Central Washington University
• Eastern Washington University
• Western Washington University
• The Evergreen State College

Also, 11th grade students in 2008-09, if they have not already, should begin taking the laboratory science courses that will be required for admission to a public four-year college beginning in 2010.

High school students are strongly encouraged to exceed minimum admission requirements whenever possible in order to further enhance their potential for admission to and success at a baccalaureate institution. 

It also is recommended that prospective students consult their high school counselors for additional information regarding minimum college admission standards, and obtain information from the institutions where they plan to seek admission. 

The link below provides a brief explanation of the revised minimum college admission standards, including the CADR, and it explains how they affect high schools students beginning in 2008-09.

Minimum College Academic Distribution Requirements

An Overview for Students and Parents

For more information:

E-mail: Ricardo Sanchez, ricardos@hecb.wa.gov

Phone: 360-753-7833

E-mail: Randy Spaulding, randys@hecb.wa.gov

Phone: 360-753-7823