Academic Requirements
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
St. Ignatius is a college preparatory school for young women and men operated under the auspices and direction of the California Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). As a Jesuit school, St. Ignatius brings the 450-year Jesuit tradition of personal care to bear on every facet of its program. The curriculum at St. Ignatius represents a combination of courses fundamental to the Ignatian spirit of education, and includes every aspect of the St. Ignatius experience: religious, social, and psychological, as well as academic. St. Ignatius College Preparatory strives to form students who are open to growth, intellectual, religious, loving, committed to justice and capable of leadership. The goal of the curriculum, therefore, is to help our students begin to meet this profile of the Grad at Grad: Profile 2020 outlined in the Student/Parent Handbook.
This catalog has been produced to assist in developing a course of study for the next school year. The keynote to planning a program of studies is personal responsibility. The student is to take an active role in the planning for his or her future. Students are encouraged to discuss their plans in depth with parents, counselors, teachers, and administrators.
When planning a program of studies, keep in mind the following graduation requirements. These requirements have been selected in a way that meet or exceed the prerequisites and recommended subjects for college admissions.
Graduation Requirements
English: Eight Semesters
Fine Arts: Two Semesters
Language: Four Semesters of same language
Mathematics: Six Semesters
Physical Education: One Semester
Religious Studies: Seven Semesters
Science: Four Semesters
Social Science: Six Semesters
College Preparatory Electives: 10 Semesters
Community Service Program: 75 hours, supervised
Students are required to enroll in six classes each semester at St. Ignatius. Study periods are not allowed unless the student has taken a pre-approved equivalency summer school course at St. Ignatius. All courses at St. Ignatius are equally valued. It should not be assumed that one type of course will prove less demanding or require less of a commitment than an offering in one of the other academic disciplines.
Honors and Advanced Placement Programs
It is our intention to make the best use of our students’ God-given talents by ensuring they are presented with the academic challenge and individual attention which have been a hallmark of Jesuit education at St. Ignatius since 1855.
Freshmen are admitted to the Honors classes based upon their elementary school GPA, recommendations, and scores on the entrance and placement examinations. In the sophomore, junior, and senior years, students who meet with academic success in one or more academic areas are encouraged to apply for Honors and/or Advanced Placement courses. Please see the Honors and AP course criteria.
Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses are required to take the AP exam at the end of the school year. Advanced Placement Examinations enable students to demonstrate their competence in college level courses by taking three-hour examinations in mid-May. These tests contain objective and written sections and, in the case of language exams, a listening and speaking portion as well.
While it is important to take a rigorous course load, taking too many Honors or Advanced Placement courses can be detrimental. Students should think carefully about an Honors or Advanced Placement course load, and discuss it with parents and counselors. This is especially true if students are considering more than two Honors or Advanced Placement courses.
Study Hall
If a student takes a summer school equivalency course at S.I. in the summer of 2021, he or she may take one study hall period for each semester of equivalency. Only one study hall per semester is allowed. Students eligible for only one semester of study hall will be assigned to the semester which best fits the schedule. No choice of semester or periods will be offered. If the student is eligible for study hall, he or she should check the appropriate box on the schedule request form.
Change in Schedule
Students should have a compelling reason to change their schedules. All Schedule Change Forms for changes to preferences in electives (includes Fine Arts, Psych, Econ, Sr. English, Sr. Religion, Sr. Govt) must be received by Aug. 1, 2024. All changes for non-electives must be received with all required signatures in the Scheduling Office by 8:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 24, 2024. Requests affecting only Spring single-semester courses may be submitted through Friday, December 6, 2024. However, students are encouraged to submit all requests for both semesters by the earlier deadline above, since, after that date, options for changing only Spring single-semester classes will be limited. After these deadlines, only students with academically compelling reasons may request a change in schedule. In many cases, this change would be initiated by the counselor or the teacher. Students are not allowed to “drop” classes after the deadline.