Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
Is that really true? Outside of a handful of specialized programs, one Calgary high school is much like the other in terms of getting in to university.
Which is a good thing. I'd hate to see Canada become like the US and UK, where parents obsess over getting their kids into the right school.
|
Well, maybe things have changed. When I was in junior high school in the mid-80s, there was a common belief that if you wanted to compete in the universities out east, especially in math or engineering or computer science, enrolling in the IB program was going to be immensely helpful because students in Ontario benefited from having an extra year of school (Grade 13). And when I got to Waterloo, I definitely appreciated the fact I had taken IB calculus because the kids in Ontario were clearly more advanced in math than an average student in Alberta with Math 30. But I know Grade 13 in Ontario was eliminated in 2003 so maybe school curriculums across the country have become more uniform since then. I do not have kids anywhere near high school age so I haven't done any research but I thought high school curriculums have become more customized since the 80s and 90s, not less. For example, I know Ernest Manning High School offer specialty courses on "pre-engineering" and that the courses are tailored to kids who want to get into engineering in university. I thought there were other alternative high school programs available as well.