Ideally, the student should have one year of high school biology, chemistry, mathematics (Calculus or pre–Calculus if this is the highest level course offered), and physics. For those students who did not have the opportunity to enroll in these science courses while in high school, programs will be created to provide the necessary sequence of courses during the early portion of their college career.

Additional high school courses in any one of the basic sciences might permit immediate entry to an advanced course at the college level. A set of pre–college courses in the humanities and a foreign language is also necessary to both satisfy the general college entrance requirements and serve as preparation for the general IU baccalaureate degree requirements. A solid preparation in high school will permit the student to enroll in the BSES core curriculum immediately upon enrollment at IU.