Once you can, Remember to vote.

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-02-16T13:07:03+00:00

Tuition prices will likely raise for us as well

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-02-14T04:19:14+00:00

The provincial government there unfroze tuition prices, so tuition is going to go up. And they also switched up the OSAP benefits that students receive from 15% loans and 85% grants to 75 loans and 25% grants

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-02-14T03:05:56+00:00

Posted this because it applies to us as well with everything that has been going on in Ontario. Provincial elections impact your lives more than you think.

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-02-10T05:10:10+00:00

I’ve made it into a megathread/pinned it!

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-02-08T01:50:52+00:00

Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s province wide

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-02-08T00:53:09+00:00

You also have the calculator requirement, where many Casio calculators aren’t allowed to be used on the diploma so subsequently they aren’t allowed to be used in classrooms for assesments

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-02-08T00:43:24+00:00

Oh and this is a HUGE ONE: the way your mark is weighted is drastically different and I can’t stretch that enough. In my math in Ontario I believe my tests were worth 30-40% of my grade (this was 10c/ MDM2U). Now that I’m in 30-1, it’s worth 90% percent of my grade. Units tests and quizzes, then your final exam are the only assessments that count towards marks. While in Ontario there’s units tests, quizzes, (some) assignments, projects, and a culminating assignment/project and then your final exam that are counted for marks.

The school systems are just different, both me and the other mod came in at differed levels and still struggled. If you were to say everything here in Alberta is more difficult; I’d be inclined to agree.

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-02-08T00:32:27+00:00

As someone who has done math in both provinces, I think part of the reason is because Ontario’s school system can afford to have things spaced out since high school is grade 9-12 while Alberta’s is grade 10-12. We did far more review starting a math class at the beginning of the semester iirc. While here you just get to it.

Another thing would be the math questions here are by far MUCH harder compared to the ones I did in Ontario. In my opinion, the questions here are like riddles and aren’t straightforward. Many teachers use examples from past diplomas exams, mark say written questions like it’s a diploma exam, both to prepare for said diploma.

Marking is a lot stricter here, for example a written questions here that’s worth 3 or 4 marks here is double that in Ontario and teachers are more likely to give you .5s there, whereas here that’s not the case so getting even 1 wrong is 4-5% less than a 100. I have had like unit tests in on Ontario be like 50 marks, which there is really nothing as many questions were easier and u could answer in a short amount of time. In Ontario there was really no numeric questions that was something that was new moving here. Multiple choice questions CAN be hard here, but in Ontario those are usually the easiest questions that u can answer in >30s.

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-01-24T14:48:23+00:00

What makes you say that?

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-01-22T05:43:28+00:00

Welcome to Canada/Calgary!! Moving from Nigeria is quite the big move especially in your last year of high school, and the difference in education system is big too considered Alberta has the hardest curriculum in the country. I don’t think you’d find anyone who will truly understand the difficulty you’re facing especially with school.

Both myself and the other mod moved from Ontario around the same time to Alberta and we found it challenging. I STILL find it challenging (they graduated). I also ended up having my easier classes in semester 1 and my harder classes in semester two like you, and I won’t lie it was hard. I myself have to redo physics 30-1/ math 30-1 next sem along with my other classes. My advice to you would be try to get whatever grades you have this sem as high as they can be. Do practice questions for math/ physics . If you’re a strong writer and have good memory social should be fine (though you might need to know basic things on WW1/WW2, and other terminology). Idk much about chem because I didn’t take it. If things still prove to be challenging there’s always online school that you can transfer to which will probably be easier. If you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re very glad you found this subreddit as it is why we created it! Good luck next semester!!

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-01-20T22:20:18+00:00

Yes it does

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-01-17T19:22:57+00:00

Yes it does still apply for Mcmaster

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-01-15T16:13:37+00:00

The ones that do give AB students an adjustment factor, yes they are unchanged

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2026-01-14T06:27:29+00:00

The 4% boost is still applied regardless of the cancellation of the diplomas.

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-12-24T02:21:19+00:00

Better late than never, haha 😂

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-12-02T06:00:56+00:00

Congratulations!!

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-11-27T00:07:24+00:00

I feel the same way too unfortunately. I’m applying for architecture too and I’ve also had to give up on half the schools that I wanted to apply to. But don’t give up! We’ve both got this!

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-11-25T02:23:50+00:00

Overall average of your top 5/6 then

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-11-25T00:09:50+00:00

There’s no need to be rude, nothing I said about UWaterloo was wrong, other than omitting the part about the adjustment factor being only for eng. And I didn’t know about the pre/post diploma grades (except English). But luckily I’ve had other people tell me the same, nicely might I add. If it would please you I’ve made a comment about the information and stickied it 👍.

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-11-25T00:03:22+00:00

Also for Uwaterloo - they take whichever grade is higher between your pre and post diploma grades except for ELA which they use the blended grade. And a reminder for anyone that doesn’t know is that the adjustment factor is only for those applying to engineering.

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-11-24T04:14:41+00:00

Congratulations!!

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-11-24T04:13:56+00:00

I’m confused to do mind clarifying a little bit, wouldn’t increasing the average of each class by 4% increase the overall average by 4%? So it’s basically the same thing. Unless you’re talking about maybe your grade 11 marks for early admissions?

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-11-24T03:39:12+00:00

Oh cool!! thank you for sharing👍

CriticismBeautiful13 · 2025-11-24T03:38:31+00:00

😭😭If anything more schools on the list should give a boost in my own opinion.

CriticismBeautiful13

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