After reading the article “Cash for marks gets kids into University” published by the Star, I became very frustrated. As a student who has experienced small private school learning at Academic Vision, I do not feel that I took the easy way out. I never thought people would be so inconsiderate as to think students who took a credit course at a different institution than a regular high school would not deserve a University spot. If you have not read it already, here is Academic Vision’s official response to this article.
Back at high school, I always remember students telling me, “You’re paying for your mark and it is so much easier than normal high school.” I avoided what they were saying. None of them knew how hard I was working or what private schooling was really like. One of my favourite days of my Grade 12 year was eating lunch with my friends when one of them asked a difficult calculus question they didn’t understand. I was not only able to solve the question, but could explain to my friend how I did it. I was learning the same things they were, and I was at a private school.
As a previous Academic Vision student, I can explain to you all the reasons why I loved the school and how hard I worked to be where I am now. In a previous post I talk about why I loved taking Advanced Functions at Academic Vision. The small class sizes were beneficial and the extra help was valuable, but I never had time to slack off. There was always homework assigned at the end of each class and projects to show we understood the chapters. I never once went back to class without having to ask the teacher a question. I found both Advanced Functions and Calculus hard at times, but I took the steps I needed to take to succeed.
One part of the article states that students may be going to private institutions to get the higher grades since applying to University has become very competitive with higher standards. I have already been through the process of applying and I can agree and say that the requirements are high but that does not mean I did nothing to be where I am.
The business program I am in at University requires me to take two math courses first year. I decided to take the Introduction to Calculus course with the pre-requisite MCV4U (grade 12 Calculus and Vectors). I brought my notes from my private school because I thought they might be beneficial. They are. Not only have I been able to help myself do my homework, I have been helping others.
I am a student who worked hard to be at University, and there are many others just like me. No one can ever tell me that I don’t deserve to be here just because I went to a small private school.
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