My high school journey · 2026 to 2031

My High School Plan

8th grade, 2026–27 Plan Graduating spring 2031 (worked out from my grade) Plan Updated Oct 11, 2026 Plan

My goal: stay on the fast-track, STEM-ready path, with AP Calculus by 11th grade plus honors and AP science, so that as many science, engineering and college options as possible stay open. Plan

I haven't picked a college direction or a major yet. ME

Year titles and focus from my plan Plan

Every key date, 2026 to 2031

School & coursesTests & programsCollege & money

Hover a dot for details. Sources: HB26 p3, p5–6, p11–13 COSMOS PSAT UC GP Plan. Dates after 2026–27 follow this year's pattern and still need confirming.

Where I am right now

This year, in one look

The three things that matter most

  1. 1Get an A in Integrated I. It's the first gate on the way to AP Calculus. Plan
  2. 2Build strong essay skills in 8th-grade English. Plan
  3. 3Choose my 9th-grade courses in spring 2027. Plan

What I'm doing now

  • Taking Integrated I math in 8th grade. ME
  • On a VEX V5 robotics team, writing the robot code in C++ with PROS and EZ-Template. ME
  • In my school's required arts program, conservatory. High school needs 16 conservatory credits every year. HB26 p8

How my school day works

  • Six academic classes, three blocks a day. The days alternate between two sets of blocks. FAQ26
  • Conservatory is on top of that. HB26 p8
  • PE takes one of the six slots for two years, unless I'm in a dance conservatory. FORM9 HB26 p8

The fall semester clock: when I can still change a class

2026–27 dates HB26 p5–6 HB25 p5
Weeks 1–2Schedule changes allowed. Dropping leaves no mark.Ends Aug 21
Weeks 3–6Last chance to move down from Honors/AP to college prep (teacher recommendation and an open seat). Dropping still leaves no mark. Was week 7 in 2025–26.Ends Sept 18
Weeks 7–12Dropping leaves a W on my transcript. It doesn't hurt my GPA.Ends Oct 30
After week 12Dropping is a W/F, which counts as an F.From Oct 31

All classes last the whole year. Changes in second semester are usually not allowed. HB26 p5

Rules that apply every year

  • I choose next year's classes every spring. HB26 p3 Prerequisites use end-of-year or both-semester grades. Plan
  • If I took the earlier course but missed the grade, there's an AP/Honors waiver form. FAQ26
  • A grade below C can be made up at my school, another accredited high school, or a community college in summer. Outside courses must be UC-approved. FAQ26
  • Summer classes to get ahead must be UC-approved and pre-approved by my counselor. Graduation-requirement subjects must be taken at my school first. HB26 p6
  • College classes during high school need a counselor meeting and pre-approval. HB26 p6
  • AP and selected Honors classes passed with a C or better get extra GPA weight at my school: A = 5, B = 4, C = 3. HB26 p4

What I need to graduate: 240 credits

Grades 9–12 HB26 p8
Electives75
Lit & Comp (English)40
Social scienceWorld 10, US 10, Gov 5, Econ 530
Maththrough Integrated II20
PEnone in the day for dance conservatory20
Sciencebiological 10, physical 1020
World language10 may come from 7th/8th20
Fine arts10
Health5

Ethnic Studies was required in 2025–26 (electives were 70 credits then). It is not on the 2026–27 list. HB25 p9 HB26 p8

Words you'll see on this page

Gate
A grade I need in one class before I'm allowed into the next one. Shown as a gold chip, like A. Plan
COSMOS
A four-week residential STEM summer program for California students finishing grades 8–12 that summer. You can attend only once. COSMOS
PSAT/NMSQT
A test given in October. Only the 11th-grade score counts for National Merit. PSAT
Source tags
Grey tags like HB26 p30 show where each fact comes from. Tap one to see the source list.

My path at a glance

Five subjects, five years

First the road to my main goal, then every subject side by side, then how heavy each year gets.

The road to AP Calculus, and the backup roads

Main routeBackup routeB grade needed

Missing a gate doesn't end the road: a B in Integrated II still reaches AP Calculus in 12th. HB26 p5, p30–32 Plan

Every subject, year by year

Each row is one subject. The gold chip is the grade I need in the class before it.

Subject
8th · now
9th
10th
11th
12th
MathHB26 p29–32
Integrated I
Integrated IIA in Int I
Integrated III EnhancedA in Int I and II
AP Calculus (BC exam)B in Int III Enh.
AP Statistics and/or college mathC in Int III Enh.
ScienceHB26 p36–39
Science 8
Biology of the Living Earthno prerequisite
Chemistry HonorsA both sem. of Int II
AP Physics 1 or AP ChemistryC Int III Enh. / B Chem H
AP Physics 2, AP Chem or AP Bio
EnglishHB26 p22–24
8th Lit & Comp
Lit & Comp I
Lit & Comp II HonorsA both sem.
AP LanguageB both sem.
AP LiteratureB both sem.
HistoryHB26 p16–19
8th US History
Social Studies 9 + Health
AP World or World History3.25 GPA + B Lit & Comp I
AP US History or US HistoryB both sem. AP World
AP Gov + AP Macro, or Gov + EconB avg APUSH; 3.25 for Macro
SpanishHB26 p48–50
Spanish (level to check)
Next level, or Spanish III HonorsA both sem. Sp II
Spanish IV HonorsA both sem. Sp III
AP Spanish (optional)A both sem. Sp IV H
Spanish, or another elective

Which course goes in which year is from my plan Plan. Spanish depends on a decision I haven't made yet (see "Still open").

How many APs each year could hold

8th9th10th11th12th
AP in every version of my planAP if I choose it

Counted from my course plan. My plan says 11th could mean five or six APs. Plan

UC a–g: 15 courses

11 of 15 done by the end of 11th grade (June 2030)

Before senior yearSenior year

At least a 3.0 GPA in these courses, and no grade below C. HB26 p11–12

ELC: top 9% at participating schools

Needs these 11 UC courses before senior year:

History 1English 2Math 2 Lab science 1Language 1a–g electives 4

I'd hear at the start of senior year and must apply in November. HB26 p12–13

8th 2026–27 · this year

Lock in the gates You are here

The grade I earn in Integrated I decides which math and science doors stay open. Plan

Grade I needA in Integrated I, final grade June 2027
Big choice9th-grade courses, spring 2027
Summer 2027Preview Integrated II, robot code
Math

Integrated I ME

The most important grade this year. Grades 8–11; counts as UC "c" math, and math from 7th/8th grade can count toward UC. HB26 p29, p11

  • Aat year end (plus an A in Integrated II) → Integrated III Enhanced, the only route to AP Calculus in 11th. HB26 p30
  • Bboth semesters → Chemistry and Physics. HB26 p37–38
  • B→ AP Computer Science Principles. HB26 p39
English

8th Grade Literature & Composition

Builds the essay skills that Lit & Comp I grades on. Plan

World language

Spanish (level still to check) Plan

Up to 10 of the 20 required language credits can come from 7th/8th grade. HB26 p8 Spanish I is for grades 8–12. Spanish II is now listed for grades 9–12 only (it was 8–12 in 2025–26). HB26 p48 HB25 p49

Science

Science 8 Plan

History

8th Grade US History Plan

Other

PE or an elective, plus conservatory Plan

Activities and summer

  • VEX V5 robotics, writing the robot code (C++, PROS, EZ-Template), and conservatory. ME
  • Summer 2027: preview Integrated II (for example on Khan Academy) and keep improving the robot code. Plan
  • COSMOS takes students finishing 8th grade, but only a small share of 8th-grade applicants get in, and you can go only once. COSMOS So summer 2028 or 2029 is probably a better target. Plan

Deadlines

  • Oct 30, 2026Last day to drop with only a W. HB26 p5–6
  • Early Feb 2027COSMOS deadline, only if I try for summer 2027. The 2026 deadline was Feb 6. COSMOS
  • Spring 2027Choose 9th-grade courses: Integrated II, Biology of the Living Earth, Lit & Comp I, Social Studies 9 + Health, next Spanish level (Honors if I earn an A both semesters), and PE. Plan The 2026–27 form for new 9th graders asks for the fall grade in the math prerequisite, so my fall Integrated I grade already counts. FORM9
  • June 2027Final Integrated I grade. Target: A. Plan

Plan B: if I get a B in Integrated I

Integrated III Enhanced closes, but these stay open: HB26 p31–32, p37–39

Integrated III→Pre-Calculus→AP Calculus
  • Chemistry, Physics and AP CSP stay open too.
  • Ask my counselor whether the waiver covers Integrated III Enhanced. Plan
  • A grade below C can be retaken. FAQ26
9th 2027–28

Build the foundation

Six slots plus conservatory. The grades this year unlock honors science, honors English and AP history. Courses are from my plan Plan; each rule is tagged with its handbook page.

Grades I needA in Integrated II · A in Lit & Comp I
GPA I need3.25 cumulative or higher, for AP World (10th) and AP Macro (12th) HB26 p17, p19
Summer 2028COSMOS, or preview Integrated III Enhanced topics like trigonometry; VEX code Plan
Math

Integrated II

  • Aboth semesters → Chemistry Honors. HB26 p37
  • Aat year end (plus A in Integrated I) → Integrated III Enhanced. HB26 p30
Science

Biology of the Living Earth

No prerequisite. HB26 p36 Covers the biology requirement and is needed later for AP Biology. HB26 p8, p37

English

Lit & Comp I

  • Aboth semesters → Lit & Comp II Honors. HB26 p22
  • Bboth semesters (plus a 3.25 GPA) → AP World History. HB26 p17
Social studies

Social Studies 9 + Health (one semester each)

Health is a graduation requirement. HB26 p8 Social Studies 9 replaced Ethnic Studies in 2026–27 HB25 p9 HB26 p8 and earns high school credit only, with no UC/CSU letter. FAQ26 HB26 p16

World language

Next Spanish level, or Spanish III Honors

  • Aboth semesters of Spanish II → Spanish III Honors. The honors chain is the only road to AP Spanish. HB26 p49–50
PE

PE, year 1 of 2

Graduation requirement; not needed in a dance conservatory. HB26 p8

Activities

  • VEX robotics (think about a bigger programming role) and conservatory. Plan
  • Start an activities log: what, when, hours, results. It makes college applications easier later. Plan

Deadlines

  • Fall 2027Week 2 / 6 / 12 rules. Exact dates will be in the 2027–28 handbook. Plan
  • Feb 2028COSMOS application (early Feb). Plan
  • Spring 2028Choose 10th-grade courses. HB26 p3

Plan B: if I miss a gate

B in Integrated II: HB26 p31–32

Int III (10th)→Pre-Calc (11th)→AP Calculus (12th)
  • Pre-Calculus needs a B in Integrated III; AP Calculus needs a B in Pre-Calculus. AP Statistics is another option (needs a B in Integrated III).
  • Science switches to Chemistry (college prep) instead of Honors. HB26 p37
  • No A in Lit & Comp I: take Lit & Comp II. AP Language is still possible with an A in Lit & Comp II. HB26 p22–23
10th 2028–29

Accelerate

The fast-track math year, plus honors chemistry and honors English. Plan

Grade I needB in Integrated III Enhanced → AP Calculus HB26 p32
TestPSAT/NMSQT in October, as practice PSAT
Summer 2029COSMOS or a STEM/coding project; start a college list; buy a TI-84 Plan
Math

Integrated III Enhanced

My school gives this class extra weight; UC/CSU don't, and it isn't on the UC/CSU course list. HB26 p30 FORM9

Science

Chemistry Honors

Needs an A both semesters of Integrated II; taken alongside Integrated III Enhanced.

  • Bboth semesters → AP Chemistry. HB26 p37
English

Lit & Comp II Honors

  • Bboth semesters → AP Language. HB26 p23
History

AP World History or World History

AP World needs a 3.25 GPA and a B both semesters of Lit & Comp I. HB26 p17

  • Bboth semesters of AP World (or A both semesters of World History) → AP US History. HB26 p18
World language

Next Spanish level (Spanish IV Honors on the honors chain)

  • Aboth semesters of Spanish IV Honors → AP Spanish. HB26 p49–50
PE

PE, year 2 Plan

Not needed in a dance conservatory. With PE and Spanish, AP Computer Science Principles (needs a B in Integrated I; grades 10–12; counts as UC "d") HB26 p39 doesn't fit this year. See "Still open." Plan

Activities, tests and summer

  • VEX robotics and conservatory. Plan
  • If I'm interested, apply for AP Seminar: it takes an application, is open to grades 10–11, and leads into AP Research the next year. HB26 p61–62
  • A 10th-grade PSAT score doesn't count for National Merit. PSAT
  • AP Calculus requires a TI-84 or similar graphing calculator. HB26 p32

Deadlines

  • Fall 2028Week 2 / 6 / 12 rules. Plan
  • Feb 2029COSMOS application. Plan
  • Spring 2029Choose 11th-grade courses. HB26 p3
  • May 2029AP exams (AP World, if I take it). Plan

Plan B: if math gets hard

  • A bad start in Integrated III Enhanced: move to Integrated III by the end of week 6 (teacher recommendation). HB26 p5
  • A C in Integrated III Enhanced: HB26 p31–32
Pre-Calc (11th)→AP Calculus (12th)
  • A low Chemistry Honors grade still leaves AP Physics 1 open, because that one depends on math. HB26 p39
11th 2029–30

The most important year

This year could mean five or six APs on top of conservatory and robotics. Picking a realistic number is in "Still open." Plan

Big testPSAT/NMSQT, Oct 2029: the National Merit year PSAT
UC check, June 203011 of 15 a–g courses done HB26 p11–12
Summer 2030UC application opens Aug 1 UC
Math

AP Calculus

One full-year course covering all ten AP Calculus units (everything in AB and BC), aimed at the BC exam in May. Grades 11–12. HB26 p32 There's no separate BC class anymore; in 2025–26, BC was kept only for students who were in Calc AB in 2024–25. HB26 p32, p34 HB25 p35

Science

AP Physics 1 or AP Chemistry

AP Physics 1: a C both semesters of Integrated III Enhanced, or a B both semesters of Integrated III, or a B in Physics while taking Integrated III/III Enhanced. HB26 p39

AP Chemistry: a B both semesters of Chemistry Honors, or an A both semesters of Chemistry. HB26 p37

English

AP Language

  • Bboth semesters → AP Literature. HB26 p24
History

AP US History or US History

  • Baverage in APUSH (or A average in US History) → AP Government. HB26 p19
Slot 5

AP Computer Science Principles, if I haven't taken it yet Plan

Slot 6

Spanish / AP Spanish, AP Seminar, or a lighter class Plan

A workload choice. Study Hall exists for grades 11–12 with counselor approval (credit/no credit). HB26 p62

Activities, tests and college

  • VEX robotics (a leadership role or a season goal) and conservatory. Plan
  • SAT/ACT in spring only if my college list has schools that use scores. Plan UC doesn't use SAT/ACT scores UCSB TEST, and CSU announced in 2022 that it no longer uses them. TEST
  • Build the college list, visit campuses, and in spring ask two teachers for recommendations (for colleges that ask). Plan
  • The 11-of-15 a–g pattern is also what UC uses for ELC. HB26 p12–13
  • Summer 2030: draft the Personal Insight Questions and the activities list; visit colleges; VEX. Plan

Deadlines

  • Fall 2029Week 2 / 6 / 12 rules. Plan
  • Oct 2029PSAT/NMSQT. PSAT
  • Spring 2030Choose 12th-grade courses. HB26 p3
  • May 2030AP exams, including AP Calculus BC. Plan
  • June 2030a–g check. HB26 p11–12

Plan B: a rough start in AP Calculus

  • Move to college prep by week 6, or plan AP Statistics for 12th. HB26 p5, p32
12th 2030–31

Finish strong and apply

Seniors must take at least two blocks a day on campus, and senior courses must be completed at my school. HB26 p8

Big deadlineUC application, Nov 30, 2030 UC
MoneyFAFSA / Dream Act priority deadline Mar 2, 2031 GP
Senior grades still countUC needs a 3.0 a–g GPA, no grade below C HB26 p11–12
Math

AP Statistics and/or a college math class

AP Calculus is already done in 11th. Plan AP Statistics needs a C in Integrated III Enhanced (or a B in Integrated III); grades 11–12. HB26 p32 A college class through concurrent enrollment needs counselor pre-approval. HB26 p6

Science

AP Physics 2, AP Chemistry or AP Biology

AP Physics 2: a B in Physics or AP Physics 1, plus a C both semesters of Integrated III Enhanced (or a B both semesters of Integrated III). HB26 p39

AP Biology: Biology plus Chemistry or Physics with a B both semesters (C both semesters if Chemistry Honors). HB26 p37

Social science

AP Government + AP Macroeconomics, or Government + Economics

Each pair is two semesters taken together. AP Macro needs a 3.25 GPA and a B in Integrated III. HB26 p19

Elective

AP Research (if I took AP Seminar), another AP, or Spanish Plan

AP Research is for grades 11–12. HB26 p61–62

Activities

Final VEX season

Maybe mentor younger programmers; conservatory. Plan

College application deadlines

Based on the 2026–27 cycle; 2030 dates still need confirming Plan
  • Aug 1, 2030UC application opens. UC
  • Start of yearUC tells ELC students their status. HB26 p12–13
  • Oct 1, 2030UC submission window opens UC; FAFSA and California Dream Act open. GP
  • Oct–JanEarly and private college deadlines, depending on the school. Plan
  • Nov 30, 2030UC application deadline. UC CSU is usually in the same window (check). Plan
  • Mar 2, 2031FAFSA / Dream Act priority deadline for Cal Grants. GP
  • May 2031AP exams. Plan

What is still open

13 decisions and 17 questions

Decisions are mine to make, in order of when they're due. Questions need an answer from someone, grouped by who to ask. Plan

Decisions, by when I need to decide

Spring 2027
  • How far to take Spanish: stop at the school/UC minimum, go to a third or fourth year (UC recommends three), or aim for AP Spanish through the honors chain. It competes with AP CSP and other electives for slots. First choice: regular or honors next level.
Spring 2028
  • Where AP CSP goes: 10th (only if something else moves), 11th (current plan), or 12th.
  • 10th-grade history: AP World History or World History.
10th–11th grade
  • AP Seminar → AP Research: apply or not.
  • College direction (revisit by end of 10th): engineering, computer science, physics, the arts, or still undecided. It shapes 11th and 12th-grade electives.
Spring 2029
  • 11th-grade science: AP Physics 1 or AP Chemistry.
  • 11th-grade workload: how many APs alongside conservatory and robotics.
Spring 2030
  • 12th-grade math: AP Statistics, a college math class (with pre-approval), or both.
  • 12th-grade science: AP Physics 2, AP Chemistry or AP Biology.
Along the way
  • Summers: which summer to try COSMOS (one attendance only) and what to do with the others.
  • Testing: SAT/ACT at all, and whether to prepare for the 11th-grade PSAT.
  • Robotics goals: my VEX role and what I want to achieve by senior year.
  • If I miss a gate grade: use a waiver or take the backup route.

Questions, by who can answer them

Me 3

1Which Spanish level am I in now?An earlier chat assumed Spanish II, but HB26 lists Spanish II for grades 9–12 only.
2Which conservatory am I in, and do its classes earn UC "f" fine arts credit? (Also ask the counselor.)Never stated; HB26 p8 and p12 say some conservatory classes don't count.
16Is my VEX team a school team or outside school, and when is its season?Not stated.

My counselor 9

3Does the AP/Honors waiver also cover Integrated III Enhanced and Chemistry Honors?FAQ26 says "AP/Honors"; FORM9 has a waiver box for math.
4Which years must PE be taken in? (Or the 2027–28 handbook.)FORM9 says 2 years; my older plan only had 9th.
5Does "Integrated III" in the AP Macro prerequisite include Integrated III Enhanced?HB26 p19 wording.
6Can AP CSP fit before 11th grade? (Ask at spring course selection.)Six-slot limit plus PE and Spanish.
7How do continuing 8th graders choose 9th-grade courses, and when? (Or the course-selection page, spring 2027.)FORM9 is for new students.
9Can AP Calculus students choose the AB exam instead of BC, and how hard is the one-year pace? (Or my math teacher.)HB26 p32 says the course prepares for the BC exam.
10Which college math classes are allowed in 12th, and how do they show on the transcript?HB26 p6 only mentions pre-approval.
11Could Ethnic Studies come back as a requirement for my class?In HB25, gone from HB26.
12When is the AP Seminar application?HB26 p62 says it takes an application but gives no date.

Check later online 5

8Exact week-2/6/12 dates for 2027–28 onward. Where: each year's handbook.Only 2026–27 dates are published.
13Does my school offer the PSAT in 10th grade, or a PSAT 8/9? Where: the school's college testing page.Not in HB26.
14UC and CSU deadlines for fall 2031, and FAFSA dates. Where: UC, CSU and studentaid.gov sites in 2030.The plan uses the 2026–27 pattern.
15COSMOS deadlines, cost and eligibility for 2027–2029. Where: COSMOS sites each December.Only 2026 details so far.
17AP exam dates for May 2029–2031. Where: College Board.Only the pattern is known.

Where every fact comes from

Sources

Each grey tag on this page points here. Handbook page numbers are PDF pages.

Plan
My journey plan, built with Claude in chat, Sept–Oct 2026 (handoff.md, last updated Oct 11, 2026).
ME
Things I told Claude in earlier chats.
HB26
My school's Curriculum Handbook 2026–27 (official PDF from the school's course-selection page, read Oct 11, 2026).
HB25
My school's Curriculum Handbook 2025–26.
FAQ26
My school's "FAQs for incoming 9th–12th grade students, 2026–27".
FORM9
My school's 9th-grade course selection form for 2026–27 (new students).
UC
admission.universityofcalifornia.edu (fall 2027 dates)
UCSB
admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/how-to-apply
GP
gradpilot.com UC PIQ cycle guide 2026–2027 (a secondary source that summarizes UC's dates page)
PSAT
ivystrides.com
COSMOS
cosmos-ucop.ucdavis.edu · cosmos.uci.edu · jacobs.ucsd.edu/cosmos
TEST
edsource.org (2021) · feed.georgetown.edu