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What Are College Prerequisites? Everything You Need to Know
By
Cece Gilmore
Cece Gilmore is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cece earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University. While at ASU, she was the education editor as well as a published staff reporter at Downtown Devil. Cece was also the co-host of her own radio show on Blaze Radio ASU.
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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Scholarship Services at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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College prerequisites or pre reqs are classes students must complete before being enrolled in more major-specific or advanced courses. We pre-recommend that you keep reading to learn more about what college prerequisites are!
What are college prerequisites?
A prerequisite course is a class that needs to be completed before a student can continue on to more advanced courses. In undergraduate, typically these prerequisites are 100-level courses with more advanced courses being in the 200-level and beyond. However, some schools have different numerical values for their prerequisites.
Pre reqs were designed for higher-level courses to build upon the knowledge learned in the lower-level prerequisite courses. This allows students to gain a basic understanding of the concept that they can later build upon in more advanced courses.
Common college prerequisites by major
Here are some popular majors and a list of common college prerequisites those students will typically need to take. However, prerequisites can vary greatly depending on the school and program. The best way to find out accurate information regarding prerequisites at a school is to visit their course catalog page on their website.
Engineering
- Calculus I and II
- Physics (Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism)
- Chemistry
- Intro to Engineering
Don’t miss: Top engineering scholarships
Computer Science
- Calculus I
- Intro to Programming
- Computer Organization
Check out: Top computer science scholarships
Business
- Microeconomics
- Macroeconomics
- Accounting
- Business Statistics
- Introduction to Marketing
Also see: Top business scholarships
Biological Sciences
- General Chemistry I
- Organic Chemistry I
- General Biology I
- Physics (Mechanics, Electricity, and Magnetism)
Related: Top biology scholarships
Psychology
- Intro to Psychology
- Statistics or Research Methods
- Abnormal Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Don’t miss: Top psychology scholarships
Nursing/Pre-med
- General Chemistry I
- Organic Chemistry I
- General Biology I
- Anatomy I
- Physics I
Check out: Pre-med requirements: classes you need for medical school
Why do I need to take prerequisites?
Prepares you for more advanced courses
Prerequisites are a great way to prepare students for advanced courses and concepts. Prerequisites provide a strong baseline and background in a topic which allows students to then move on to more advanced courses with a better understanding than if they did not take any prerequisites.
Helps you develop critical thinking
Prerequisites help students develop critical thinking and other important skills that can apply to other aspects of their undergraduate education. They are a great way to meet like-minded students and professors and build connections early on in your undergraduate career.
Figure out what you like
Prerequisites are a great way to learn a lot of broad subjects at a beginner level. Typically, prerequisites are less-intense in comparison to more advanced courses, so it is a stress-free way to learn about subjects you may not take further into your degree. It is a good opportunity if you are an undecided major to explore potential major ideas while simultaneously taking your needed prerequisites for your degree.
Don’t miss: How to choose a college major
Where can I take prerequisite courses?
There are many ways students can take prerequisite courses in order to move onto more advanced courses in their degree catalog.
College
Taking prerequisite courses at your college or university is one of the most popular places and ways to take your prerequisites! Typically, your college will require you to take a few prerequisites especially during your first year of undergraduate. Be sure to look at your intended school’s course catalog to see how many prerequisites they require!
High school
You can technically take prerequisites in high school! By taking advanced courses in high school you can receive credit that can replace a prerequisite. Meaning, if you do well in certain high- school classes you can enter college taking the more advanced courses rather than beginner courses. Some popular ways students can obtain prerequisite credits is through AP, IB, dual-enrollment and CLEP exams.
Check out: How does AP credit work?
Online
Online prerequisite classes can help you simultaneously complete your courses online while attending college. Many schools offer introductory courses that can help students take more difficult and major-specific courses earlier and with more flexibility than a traditional learning setting.
Entrance exam
Some colleges offer entrance exams typically for math and language courses to allow students to skip over prerequisite courses if they feel they have a good background in the subject. Typically, once a student has enrolled in a college, the school will send an entrance exam for particular courses that students can take if they do not want to start in the basic 100-level class their first semester. Entrance exams are a great way to prove your knowledge in a subject.
Prerequisite course tips and tricks
Choosing your prerequisites
You should consider your academic goals and the requirements of your particular major when determining what prerequisites you should take. Be sure to use your school’s resources to aid you in this process such as their course catalog, school website and meet with your academic advisor.
Time management
It is important to learn how to manage your time when taking prerequisites. Typically, prerequisites are taken your freshman year so it can be a big transition from high-school classes to college classes. Therefore, it is important to stay on top of your deadlines and to always reach out to your academic advisor if you are feeling overwhelmed with your schedule. It is a good practice to write out your schedule and stick to it to ensure you are attending your classes and are aware of your deadlines.