First-time freshmen under age 21 who enroll in a four-year degree program at a Kentucky public university must complete the PCC. Students who transfer to a four-year degree program or convert to baccalaureate status with fewer than 24 semester credit hours may be subject to PCC requirements.

A student may substitute an integrated, applied, interdisciplinary, or higher level course within a program of study if the substituted course offers the same or greater academic rigor and the course covers or exceeds the minimum required content.

Rigorous electives should have academic content at least as challenging as that in courses required in the minimum high school graduation requirements. These electives also should be in social studies, science, math, English and language arts, arts and humanities, foreign language, and, above the introductory level, in agriculture, industrial technology, business, marketing, family and consumer sciences, health sciences, and technology education and career pathways. Electives in physical education and health are limited to one-half unit each.