TIPS for improving grades - preparation for grade 12

doctor80 wrote: ↑ Wow! Thank you

doctor80 wrote: ↑ "if you judge a fish by its ability climbing a tree, it will die stupid"
I am happy that in 21 century ADHD is diagnosed.
In 80s you would be told that you are an idiot.
I grew up like that.
Luckily I ended up somehow ok:)

Mars2012 wrote: ↑ Have they decided what they want to take in post secondary? Sometimes that's a good motivator, knowing they need to hit a certain average in order to get into their desired program. My youngest was an average student for most of his schooling life...it wasn't until grade 11 that he decided to improve his grades enough to get into engineering. I don't think he liked grade school or high school too much but he thrived in university.

Mars2012 wrote: ↑ Have they decided what they want to take in post secondary? .....

doctor80 wrote: ↑ Biophysics or Astrophysics/Astronomy
The kid does not believe in computer science.
Only science direction is relevant.

doctor80 wrote: ↑ What tips do you have? We are targeting Science major. Next year is Grade 12 and we want to improve as much as possible.
The student in question has ADHD that they are managing reasonably good, without pills.
Using Pomodoro technique also relatively helpful. Grades are in high 70s to low 80s, we want to be 80-90 at least.
Will be happy to hear how and what had helped your kids to raise their average and overall improved study ethics and habits. Thanks.

"If a 96 isn't good enough, what is?" said Hamilton in an interview. "Where does it stop? Is everyone going to be needing 100 averages to get into these programs?"

“There’s a credit mill around here, you just walk over, plunk down your $600-$800 and sometimes, depending the school, they may ask you what mark you need for what course and you don’t have to go to a class.”

CanadianConsumerYEG wrote: ↑ Location: GTA

Honestly Grade inflation in ON is so whack that you should just BUY your way into a science major; everyone else is.

For STEM programs in 2025 even for average schools the cut offs are low to mid 90s. 80s are waitlisted until the 90s choose their school.

Your kid can be insanely smart, hard worth ethic, study all night and day... but could not get above a mid 80 or 90 for ANY reason (Teacher doesn't like you, teacher way too tough on the class, teacher sucks, teacher has favourites, etc) because the game is rigged and it's not a fair fight.

And English 12U is still a common complaint I find, teachers act like they're God and play favorites. A low 12U will hold back a STEM applicant, even if their English is fine, but the teacher is insecure because they didn't end up like Stephen King or something.

So people just go to private school, pay $600 a course, where they are basically guaranteed a 95+ as long as they show up and submit their assignments.

When I went to public school, I got an 82 in MHF4U and worked my ass off for it (Studied everyday after school for hours, doing HW, etc). Class average was 52 as well (After 1/4 of the class dropped out at the halfway point before the mark was on your transcript permanently). Meanwhile some other kid that dropped out because he was getting a low 60 went to private school in the evenings, got a 92, and got accepted to Schulich, Lol!

Massive downfall of Canadian education; lack of standardized testing. If Canada had a SAT, Gaokao, Suneung, there wouldn't be this problem.

If anything, this is a lesson for your teenager going into real life. Honesty is often a weakness and you get left behind... people with money and willing to cheat/abuse the system get ahead in life.

And I'm not talking out my ass.

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/en/news ... admissions



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/students ... -1.6867102

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/07/29/ ... -for-cash/

zeddy wrote: ↑"We are targeting Science major." If they don't want to be a science major and feel pressured to be a science major, you are wasting their time and yours. Grade 11 marks matter as much as grade 12. Consider retaking the required Grade 11 classes to get higher marks and then doing a 5th year to get the Grade 12 classes. The better schools/programs do early admissions in October (or as soon as applications open) so waiting for grade 12 marks is too late. My daughter is in Grade 12 and most of her classmates have already applied and accepted offers before Christmas. They are conditional on Grade 12 marks being similar to Grade 11 marks so they need to keep their marks up and get required courses, but admissions were based on Grade 11.

If their grade 11 marks aren't great - try different universities. They can still get a degree without the pressure of trying to get in and stay at a top school. York, Lakehead, Ontario Tech vs. U of T, Waterloo.

doctor80 wrote: ↑ I wanted computer science.
But the kid wants science, preferred astronomy physics.
So by saying "we" I imply to decision made by my daughter which I support as well:)