4 Years of English

Arizona universities require that all students admitted complete at least four years of English.  This means you should be taking English each year, at progressively more challenging levels.  This can mean taking honors, advanced placement (AP) or dual enrollment courses to show you are willing to take challenging, college-level courses.

Deficiencies

Although you should always plan to complete the Sweet 16 courses, you could have up to 1 year missing in the English and still be admitted (assuming you have completed all the coursework in at least four of the remaining five areas of study). 

How to Plan for English

Since English is also a requirement for high school graduation in Arizona, the English requirement is often the easiest to complete as most schools offer a variety of English courses, and have enough teachers to meet demand.  

In addition to your typical courses like "Freshman English" or "Sophomore English," consider taking courses like "Creative Writing," "American Literature," "Humanities" or "Advanced Composition."  These courses will typically meet the English requirement, and will help you develop skills in applying your English knowledge to other subject areas. 

This chart is only an example of possible course combinations a student might complete.  You should always consult your school counselor each year when designing your schedule, and identify yourself as a "college-bound" student.