Academic Counseling

Academic Planning By Grade Level

Graduation Requirements

ACADEMIC GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: CLASSES OF 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026

To receive a diploma from Mater Dei High School, students who attend Mater Dei grades 9-12, must successfully complete (“D” or better) the following requirements. All graduation requirements must be taken at Mater Dei from the time a student enrolls in the school.

REQUIRED COURSE (1 semester = 5 credits)	REQUIRED YEARS	REQUIRED CREDITS
Religious Studies	4	40
English	4	40
Mathematics	3	30
Science	2	20
Social Studies	3	30
World Languages (same language)	2	20
Visual or Performing Art	1	10
Additional Credits/ Elective Courses*	7	70
TOTAL		260 CREDITS

*All credits earned in excess of the required courses in any subject area will count toward the “Additional/Elective” requirement

SERVICE REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION

CHRISTIAN SERVICE PROGRAM	REQUIRED HOURS
Christian Service Hours	80 Hours (40 Hours direct)
Reflection Essay OR Group Discussion	Completed in Senior Year after 80 Hours submitted

Students must meet minimum deadlines for their service hours during their four years at Mater Dei.

CLICK HERE for Christian Service Program page and see deadline schedule for more information.

Course Catalog

Course Catalog - What are the requirements for this class? What classes are offered?

Scheduling requests began in March and ended in May. Any requested changes may only be permitted if:

There is space in the class (many are full),
You meet the prerequisites from the Course Catalog
You have the subject's department permission, AND
You have parent permission

As a reminder, we are *NOT* able to change classes due to a teacher or block request.

Yes	No
My schedule is missing a graduation requirement. There is a conflict in my schedule. There is a mistake in my schedule (e.g., I am enrolled in a 10th grade class, but I’m in 9th grade).	I want to switch blocks. I want to be in a class with my friend. I want a different teacher. I want to have a different lunch time.
Please see your counselor to fix the problem with your current schedule.	The requests can NOT be approved. Please follow your current schedule.

MD Elective List – What are all the different electives?

Elective Change - “I want to take Elective A instead of Elective B.” Here’s the MD Elective List. Check that you meet the prerequisites in the Course Catalog. If you do, please have your Parent send an email request to the counselor. For example, “Dear Counselor, I approve of Marvin Monarch moving from Choir to Photography if it is available. Sincerely, Parent". Please note that approval depends on whether space is available in the course, and that it works with your overall schedule.

Math - For all questions regarding math placement or math pathways, please email the math department at [email protected] and [email protected] and copy your counselor. Counselors can make changes only with approval from the math department.

Athletic Block - “I want to be in the Sport Block. Can you add it?” Counselors can add students only with permission from the sport’s coach or if the student is on the athletic roster. I will check and add the class if you are approved for the class. If you are not yet, please speak with your coach and have your coach send an email to your counselor.

Leveling Down - Counselors recommend students to take the most rigorous classes that they met the prerequisites for. If you’ve considered your overall balance, interests, and discussed with your parent, and decided you want to move from an Honors or AP to a College Prep class, please have your Parent send an email to the counselor with approval. For example, “Dear Counselor, I approve Melvin Monarch moving from Honors English II to English II if it is available. Sincerely, Parent". Counselors cannot make this change without a parent’s approval (request cannot be an email from a student). Please note that approval depends on whether space is available in the course and that it works with your overall schedule.

Scheduling FAQs

Q: Is my schedule too much/too challenging?

A: School-life balance is very important, and often is a personal and family decision. Our recommendation is to pursue the most rigorous schedule possible where you’ll be successful. Consider where your interests/passions lie and what your extracurricular commitments are. Think about what time management skills or studying skills will need to be in place. Map out what your week would look like (including school time, activities, homework time, studying, social life, etc. Also, have a plan for how you’ll reach out for support if things get challenging, for example, committing to asking your teacher for help or going to tutoring, and identifying friends or trusted adults that you can share with about stress/life.

Q: How many Honors or AP classes should I take to be competitive?

A: There isn't a magic number of Honors/AP classes! Each university reviews students differently and the applicant pool can vary year to year. Colleges that use a comprehensive review often do consider rigor of schedule, but it is one of many factors in a holistic review. What’s important is for you to take the number of challenging classes that you will be successful with! Consider taking advantage of the opportunity to take as many classes as you qualify for, but also consider whether that’s the best choice given your other commitments and overall workload (health and balance are important priorities).“A-G Designation” = UC/CSU approval

Minimum requirements:
	Subject	MD	CSU	UC
A	History/Social Science	3 years	2 years	2 years
B	English	4 years	4 years	4 years
C	Mathematics(incl. Geometry)	3 years	3 years	*4 years
D	Laboratory Science (1 yr life + 1 yr physical)	2 years	2 years	*3-4 years
E	Foreign Language (same language)	2 years	2 years	*3-4 years
F	Visual/Performing Art	1 year	1 year	1 year
G	College Prep Electives	1 year	1 year	1 year
* = Number of recommended years

To meet the graduation credit requirements, all students must take at least 2 years with 7 courses, and 2 years with 6 courses. Your counselors will ensure that they are in the correct courses for graduation.

Advanced Placement and Honors Courses

The Art, English, Foreign Language, Math, Music, Science, and Social Studies departments offer Honors and Advanced Placement classes. Students must meet prerequisites, including GPA and grade criteria, teacher recommendation, placement exams, and/or approval of the respective Department Chair, which can be viewed in the Mater Dei Course Catalog.

Mater Dei offers 55 Honors courses and 22 Advanced Placement courses. To view a list of all Mater Dei's Honors and Advanced Placement courses, click HERE

Students earn an extra point in their GPA for both honors and advanced placement classes for C, B, and A grades. For advanced placement classes, a student who earns a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP Exams may receive credit and/or placement toward his/her B.S/B.A. degree. To find colleges and universities with AP credit policy information, please visit College Board.

To take a Mater Dei AP Exam, you must be enrolled at Mater Dei High School.

STEM Certificate

Students interested in the medical field, engineering, computer programming, animal science, forensics, as well as any general interest in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics, will find specially tailored pathways and assistance in further customizing their STEM experience to their unique interests and needs through our Science Department.

Students looking to specialize in STEM will take a Science and Math course, as well as a STEM elective in engineering, coding, or Computer Science throughout all four years. In addition to STEM electives, all Science students complete STEM projects in their classes.

Many students with an interest in engineering also join our Robotics competitive team. Our Robotics team is hands-on engineering and programming experience at its finest, and students have access to state-of-the-art equipment in a newly re-designed facility.

Students interested in medicine or any Life Science will find a one-of-kind learning experience through the use of BodyViz virtual dissection software. 3D BodyViz images are created from real CT and MRI data and allow students to experience real-world instruction of anatomy and professional-level diagnostics.

Many of our Science courses have partnered with doctors, hospitals, wildlife preserves, and government agencies, such as the FBI in the case of our Forensic Science class, to provide students with connections to career experiences and unique field trip opportunities.

Additionally, each year the Science Department offers a chance for students to experience Science abroad through trips to places like Australia and Costa Rica.

Students can even earn a STEM Distinction on their transcript if they are involved in STEM courses, clubs, guest speaking events, internship opportunities, and other STEM experiences throughout their time at Mater Dei.

Biotechnology

Biotechnology is a STEM field within the Life Sciences sector that continues to grow. Opportunities abound, and salaries continue to rise for those who choose this field. Whether they choose to remain in academia or accept positions in industry, these students have begun to acquire the skills they can leverage to obtain positions such as paid summer research interns or as lab technicians while college undergraduates. For more information about Mater Dei's Biotechnology Program, please speak with the Science Department

College-Bound Student-Athletes

College athletics encompasses a variety of different opportunities for students to compete in a sport at the college level, and there are several items that must be completed throughout your high school years from eligibility, standards, transcripts, test scores, and more. The two most prominent associations are:

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is divided into different divisions – Division I, Division II, and Division III. NCAA Guide to the College-Bound Student-Athlete
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) also offers athletic opportunities at 250 institutions. NAIA Guide to the College-Bound Student-Athlete

Each association and division maintains different initial-eligibility requirements and standards so it is important to be familiar with the one where you will be competing. If you are unsure where you will attend yet, it would be best to satisfy the most rigorous set of requirements (NCAA – Division I) as this will keep your options open for the most opportunities.

Please consult with your Mater Dei school counselor to be preliminarily evaluated on your progress for NCAA initial-eligibility academic requirements (Core Courses, GPA, test scores, etc.).

College-Bound Student-Athletes Timeline

Freshmen Sophmore Junior Senior

Academic Supports

Classroom Teachers: Schedule meetings with your teachers to review areas of concern. Your teacher should always be your first point of contact for academic assistance.

Office Hour: Meet with your teachers or quietly work in the Learning Center during scheduled office hours.

Peer Tutoring: Contact Mr. Ken dory at [email protected] to arrange peer tutoring on campus and submit the Tutoring Request Form

Paper.co: Access a tutor 24/7 via Paper.co, an online tutoring, platform accessible via your Cavas page.

Student Support Lab (SSL): Drop by the library after school for a quiet place to get work done, peer tutoring, or math tutoring with Mr. Dory. Email [email protected] for more information.

Monarch Academic Program For Success (MAPS): MAPS is a two-tiered, fee-based program available for students with documented learning and attention differences. Contact Dr. Kathleen Montemagni at [email protected] for more information.

The Learning Center (LC): The LC, located in the library, is available to all students as a quiet place to study and/or receive extra academic support (as available) during Office Hour and non-class hours.

Bridge: Bridge is an elective taken during the school day that assists with grade monitoring, executive functioning skills, and assignment completion.

Academic Assistance Program (AAP): Here is the AAP Calendar for the 2023-2024 school year