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OFFICE OF THE
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ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AND ASSOCIATE PROVOST
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MEMO
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Bitt Krane, Chair,
Senate Committee o
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Admission Requirements (SCUS 07-36A)
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December 18, 2007
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Based on discussion and a similar recommendation approved by SCUS, I recommend
that the following motion be considered by Senate:
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That Senate approve that optional BC Provincial examination results no
longer be required for admission to the University for BC 12 students.
Provincial examination results will be required for any subject where the
examination is a mandatory requirement for high school graduation. If
optional BC Provincial examinations are written, the results from them would
be used only if they increased a student's admission average. If the
mandatory requirements for high school graduation change, the University's
admissions policy will be reviewed.
Background
The Canadian admission landscape changed significantly with the decision implemented
last year by the BC Ministry of Education to eliminate mandatory BC Provincial
examinations for graduation except for five subjects, which include English 12 (or
alternative Language Arts 12). (See "At a Glance Requirements" attached for a complete
list of graduation requirements.) Inmost other provincial jurisdictions, the role of final
grades, which include provincial exam results, in the admissions process has changed
since the time that they were first introduced. (Please see Appendix A for a list of
selected universities and their provincial exam requirements.)
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Rationale
The following factors should be taken into account in considering this motion:
1. If the motion is adopted, SF13 will stay competitive with central Canadian and
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other BC universities in attracting and recruiting the best and the brightest
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students. This policy change will also allow SF0 to make unconditional offers
at an earlier date.
2.
Presently, almost all BC grade 12 students admitted to SFU are given admission
offers prior to writing provincial exams based on self-reported or interim grades.
Final marks are only used to revoke admission offers.
3.
BC Transfer students from the colleges and university-colleges are admitted
based on their college grades. Most colleges eliminated the requirement for
optional BC 12 examinations last year.
4.
Students from other provinces are admitted without the equivalents of BC grade
12 examinations.
5. BC 12 final grades arrive in August, making it
all but impossible to effectively
use the grades in our present admission process.
C
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
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THINKING OF THE WORLD
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At a Glance Requirements - What You Need to Graduate
In order to graduate with a Dogwood, every student in the Graduation Program has to
pass certain basic courses, like English, mathematics and science. The table below is an
overview of what you need to graduate:
-48 credits from required courses,
- 28 credits from elective courses, and
-4 credits from Graduation Transitions.
Graduation requirements are introduced in your Planning 10 class. For more help, talk to
your teacher or school counselor, and refer to the Grad Planner for more details.
[]
REQUIRED COURSES:
Subject Area
Minimum Credits
Planning 10
4
a Language Arts 10'
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4
• Language Arts 11
4
• Language Arts 12
4
• Mathematics
101
4
• Mathematics 11 or 12
4
•
Fine Arts and/or Applied Skills 10, 11 or 12
4
Social Studies 10
4
a Social Studies 11 or
121
4
Science
101
4
a Science ll or 12
4
Physical Education 10
4
48 credits
ELECTIVE
COURSES:
Students must earn at least 28 elective credits.
Minimum Credits
Additional Grade 10-12
credits*
28
credits
GRADUATION
TRANSITIONS
Students must earn 4 credits for Graduation Transitions
4 credits
OVERALL TOTAL:
80 credits
*Of
the 80 credits for graduation, at least 16 must be at the Grade 12 level, including a Grade
12 Language Arts course. Others may be required or elective courses.
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mandatory Provincial examination
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English 12
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Appendix A - Survey of Selected Canadian Universities
Admissions Requirements - BCl2 Provincial Exam
University
Provincial Exams
required
Future Plans
University of Alberta
YES
dependent on BC Universities
University of British Columbia
YES
University of Calgary
YES
dependent on BC Universities
Dalhousie University
NO
University of Guelph
NO
Under review for next year
McGill University
NO, OPTIONAL
Queens University
NO
University of Toronto
No
Trent University
NO, OPTIONAL
They do not use the BC12
provincial exam results unless
they are higher than the course
marks
University of Victoria
NO
University of Waterloo
NO
University of Western Ontario
YES
19 December, 2007
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