Invicta Education

An important article from Macleans this week discussing the surge in A+ high school grades - issues raised in our recent blog post.

More students gaining top grades should be a positive trend. However, for Universities, it's harder to differentiate between the top students. Universities have to look harder at extra-curriculars, or provide their own entry assessments.

The situation for students is worrying. Some universities adjust high school grades using the previous performance of students on their courses from the same Province, District or even high school. This is to overcome the disparities in a non-standardized system.

More concerning, top universities report an increase in underprepared first year students. Strong high school grades should be a sign that a student has the right study skills, organisation and academic competencies to study at a top level.

With inflated grades, students do not receive accurate feedback to work on foundational skills needed for high level university study. Unfortunately for some students, this feedback finally arrives in the first semester of university.

The truth is: good grades do not guarantee a student is prepared for university.

And that’s not fair on students.

We need to do more - as educators and parents - to ensure students are properly prepared for long term learning and not just performing well on a report card.

25% of Canadian students fail to complete their undergraduate degree within 6 years. Of those 25%, 18% do not progress beyond their second year.

In this blog post, we explore 5 problems students face in the transition from secondary school to university.

1. Rising academic demands
2. The shift to independent learning
3. Lack of direction
4. Gaps in academic preparation
5. The change in lifestyle

In this blog post, we look at the key differences between traditional tutoring and student coaching.

When we employ a tutor, are we doing it for the right reasons? Tutors are fantastic for specific help with complex, subject specific problems.

But, what if the problems are more fundamental? Could these problems also affect other classes? And, are we ignoring bigger problems by seeking out subject specific advice?

Link in the comments.

What are the problems holding learners back?

All learners have something to work on, even those achieving the top grades. These are the most common.

Ineffective study techniques

Poor time management

Procrastination and avoidance

Poor organisation

Difficulty managing stress and pressure

Low confidence and the fear of failure

A lack of direction

Learners who fear asking for help

Students who fail to push themselves out of their comfort zone

If you recognize any of these problems, DM for a chat to see how we can help.