To 09s and younger: gr11 isn’t everything

I’m an 08, and a year ago today, as I was finishing up grade 11, my average was in the low 50s. I wasn’t taking courses I was particularly interested in, I was doing very poorly because of extraneous circumstances, and I really just could not convince myself to do the work. I ended grade 11 marketing, a famously easy class, with a 25. I didn’t know what my future had in store, but it clearly wouldn’t have university.

Today, I have a 91.5 top 6 average. I got into every program I applied to, and have committed to McMaster socsci with guaranteed residence, which isn’t nothing at McMaster! I figured out what I liked and didn’t like, started taking classes that actually interested me, and things got better. For a long time I was under the impression that grade 11 was the most important year, the one you really needed to lock in for, and while it is true that you should do as well as you can in grade 11, don’t stress yourself out too much. If you underperform, you have another chance. You will be okay. Best of luck!!