Students of the graduating class of 2003 will venture into uncharted territory when it comes to college requirements. On Sept. 15, University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) officials agreed to align their requirements for admission starting in 2003. This proposal was approved by the UC committee earlier this year in March. Currently, the non-aligned requirements for teh two systems lie within the history/social science, laboratory science and visual/performing arts courses. In 2003, the CSUs will add an additional year of lab science and history/social science to their admission requirements. The UCs, in turn will require a year of visula/performing arts. These requirements will make the requirements identical. Freshman Katherine Holzer favors these aligned requirements because she feels that her decision in choosing universities will be less stressful. "I think the identical requirements are very good because I will have an easier time deciding which college to attend," Holzer said. College and Career Advisor Janet Hobart sees benefits in the changing prerequisites. Hobart also thinks that students, starting in four years, will not be locked into positions where they are on the track to one university and cannot change to suit the needs of the other universities. "It will be less confusing for students now because students will not have to look at two different sets of requirements," Hobart said. "Also, you won't lock yourself out of any choices." Senior David Teas, however, is not as pleased by these modifications in college requirements in four years. Teas views the alterations as restrictive and unfair. "I think that the new requirements will be unfair because they will confine students to certain options," Teas said. "Before, the more art-oriented students and less science-oriented students would apply to CSUs, but with the new requirements being the same, students will not be able to choose from the options we have now. I'm just glad that these changes will not affect me." In four years, every college-bound student will be required to take a visual/performing art. Some people feel that this addition to the UC requirements will benefit students in that it will produce more well-rounded students. "I think that it [the new requirements] is great," photography instructor Rose Muscolino said. "I think that it is great for both the art department and the students. Students that take the art will be more well-rounded individuals." Similarly, counselor Cindy Leanos believes that the well-rounded students are more apt to succeed in college. Lenos feels that the demand could create more classes and perhaps even new art courses. "The major impact at the high school level is that these art courses are going to have to add more sections," Leanos said. Muscolino would like to see an art history course and a graphic design art course at Bear Creek but says that there will be a need for additional rooms and more teachers to teach the courses. Along with the required visual/performing art, UCs and CSUs in 2003 will require four years of English, three years of mathematics, two years of history/social science, two years of laboratory science, two years of foreign language, and one more year of an elective.