– Choosing between Academic and Applied courses is a very important decision and should be considered very carefully by students and their parents. Students who want to keep all post-secondary options open should choose academic courses in grades 9 and 10 if they are prepared for that level of curriculum.
– If you are not academically strong in Math or Science but you are in English, Social Science, History or Business, you do not need to take academic level Science after grade 10 and you do not need to take academic level Mathematics after grade 11. Although, taking one Grade 12 Math is recommended (MDM4U) to prepare you for your first year of post secondary as you will need to take one math credit in your first year of post secondary no matter what program you accept.
– We recommend that students take Civics (CHV2O) and Careers (GLC2O) in the same semester, as they are half credit courses. Based on your transcripts, they will be individually assessed for equivalent completion. Please ask if you are unsure of your status with these courses or any courses.
– Be sure to sign up for courses that align to your intended career, certificate, diploma, or degree, but also take courses that will be a positive outlet for you and try new ones whose content you’ve already loved exploring from personal experience. Try and balance out each semester with elective courses. For example: Grade 12 students should not take English 4U, Math 4U, Science 4U and Business 4U in the same semester if their schedule permits as it will be hard to keep up with the workload and obtain outstanding marks for your post secondary options.
– Students should try and plan out their core high school courses (English, Math and Science) to allow for age-appropriate levels each year. For example, English should be taken once a year over four years if your schedule permits. Grade 9 students that completed English in semester 1 should not rush into taking grade 10 English in semester 2.
– To improve your overall success and your well being, students should balance out courses with extra-curricular activities, part-time jobs or volunteer work, all of which could influence what career they end up choosing. The ultimate goal is for each student to be happy and feel confident for whatever academics or careers lie ahead. These experiences also help on applications to post secondary institutions so please keep a record of all extracurricular activities.