College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADRs)

Students are required to complete a minimum level of preparation in six subject areas in high school. More information about each of these requirements is available on the Office of Admissions website.

Minimum CADRs
Subject Requirement
English 4 credits
Mathematics 3 credits*
Social Studies 3 credits
World Language 2 credits
Lab Science 3 credits**
Fine, Visual, Performing Arts 0.5 credits
Academic electives 0.5 credits

*All applicants must complete either three years of high school mathematics through intermediate (second-year) algebra or complete intermediate algebra or higher in college with a 2.0 grade or better.

Note: During the senior year of high school, students must also earn a credit in a math-based quantitative course. This may be met through enrollment in one of the three required math courses listed; or by completing a math-based quantitative course like statistics, applied math or an algebra-based science course. The senior-year math requirement does not mean a fourth credit of math is required.

Exception: Completion of higher-level math prior to the senior year exempts students from the senior-year quantitative course requirement (e.g., pre-calculus, math analysis, or calculus).

**One lab science credit must be an algebraic-based science. Note: 3 credits for students entering college in autumn 2021.

Using College Course Work to Complete CADRs

Almost all applicants will have satisfied these requirements through high school course work, which is generally defined as that completed in grades 9-12. However, there are several ways to satisfy CADRs 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 a portion of these requirements are completed in high school, the student can pick up in college where they left off in high school. For example, if a student completed three credits of English in high school, they can use one college English composition or literature course to bring the total to four credits. For details, please visit the Office of Admissions website.

Test Scores

Scores from the SAT or ACT Plus Writing are optional for general undergraduate admission*. Test scores are valid only if they are sent directly from the testing agency to the UW. Test scores reported on high school transcripts are not considered official.

  • Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I) — UW Tacoma Institutional Code: 4445
  • American College Test (ACT) — UW Tacoma Institutional Code: 4493

*Official scores are still required for homeschool work and for those who are using SAT/ACT scores to meet ELP.

Grading Restrictions

To satisfy the college academic distribution requirements, a passing grade, including a D, is acceptable in either high school or college work for most courses. Intermediate algebra taken at the college level must be completed with a C (2.0) or better.

If completing CADRs through college course work, it is strongly encouraged to take courses for a letter/numerical grade, because you may later want to apply this course work towards requirements, for which grading restrictions pertain.

UW World Language/Language of Admission Credit Restrictions

High School World Language

UW students who completed two or more years of world language are not allowed to earn UW credit for the first quarter college language course. For example, a student who has earned two years of Russian in high school is not eligible to apply credit earned in RUSS 101 towards their degree.

Native Language

UW students who meet the classification for native language speaker (i.e., attends school in a non-English speaking country grades 1-7) are not eligible for college level course work through the 200 level.

Transcripts

Submitting Transcripts If Home-Schooled

An official home-school transcript is required for home-schooled coursework. For each subject, the transcript must include:

  • Course title
  • Duration of study
  • Short description of course content
  • Grade for performance (or comparable qualitative assessment)

To be considered official, the home-school transcript must be signed by the teacher of record; this may be a parent.

Official transcripts are also required for any coursework completed at other high schools or regionally accredited colleges.

Home-schooled students are required to provide official test scores for all courses met through home-school work.

Submission of Final High School Transcript

Newly admitted freshmen are required to submit their official final high school transcript as soon as their high school transcript becomes available after graduation. Failure to successfully complete course work reported in the application for admission or dramatic changes in reported GPA could cause the offer of admission to be revoked.