I have a major dilemma..I just recently found out that I fall just below the cut off for Life science this year, and don't have a high chance of being accepted into the program.

However, I have been offered to look at an alternative method since mac has been my dream school since the day I can remember. I have been told to either apply for Social science then switch into bsc, Life science, in my second year (no guarantee I will get in my second year tho), if I don't get accepted for a bachelor of science, I will have to stick through with my BA......I really didn't want to do a bachelor of arts, I was hoping to graduate with a bachelor of science. :(

OR apply for Math and Stats...although math is not my strong suit..

Could anyone give me some advice on this situation? If math isn't my strong suit (81 in both adv.f and calc) , is the program worth sticking through with? Or would the route of sociology be a better option????

apply to environmental science. cutoff is lower for that. at end of 1st year, all science ppl in all programs apply to 4 science programs such as biology, biochemistry, physics, etc. dont do social sci first year.

also, u only need a 6 avg at mac to switch into honours life sci after first year. life sci isnt special or anythin. it takes anyone who has a 6 avg at mac (C+ avg or around there)

I don't think I'd be interesting in doing environmental science. It's just that life science seems like it's the perfect fit for me and I only fall 0.6% below the average cut off.
Why should I not take social science first year if you don't mind me asking?

being first year environmental science is the exact same as being in life sci first year. the only difference is that you will take 1-2 enviro courses which almost all science kids take anyways. why would u do 1st year soc sci if you wanna switch to life sci? and i dont think you fully know what life sci is yet. its just a bunch of electives.

Originally Posted by sbarbs

I don't think I'd be interesting in doing environmental science. It's just that life science seems like it's the perfect fit for me and I only fall 0.6% below the average cut off.
Why should I not take social science first year if you don't mind me asking?

You have absolutely no way of knowing that you fall 0.6% below the cutoff.

I'm not saying you shouldn't consider other options if you're in the anticipated cutoff range, but there's no way you could possibly know what the cutoff is that precisely.

Originally Posted by starfish

You have absolutely no way of knowing that you fall 0.6% below the cutoff.

I'm not saying you shouldn't consider other options if you're in the anticipated cutoff range, but there's no way you could possibly know what the cutoff is that precisely.

I spoke to the student recruitment center and was informed that the first round cutoff was a 90% and she doubts that it will drop to an 88 by the last round. I currently have an 88.4. She has said that if I could somehow get that to an 89, I would be safe..however, I can't because my midterms were already sent in. Either way I'm below, whether by 0.6% or 2...

Originally Posted by Silver

being first year environmental science is the exact same as being in life sci first year. the only difference is that you will take 1-2 enviro courses which almost all science kids take anyways. why would u do 1st year soc sci if you wanna switch to life sci? and i dont think you fully know what life sci is yet. its just a bunch of electives.

How are the environmental science courses? Because I have no interest in any course that looks into environmental stuff...so I don't want to take course in which will only kick my ass in the process. I was thinking i'd take soc because I feel like i'd like it more..than enviro

Please keep in mind, I am no a student at mac, yet, still in highschool, I'm new to all this info. I'm just looking for advice for those who know more than I do in the area.

Anyway, so the suggestion is i'm better off with enviro science than soc?

Originally Posted by sbarbs

I spoke to the student recruitment center and was informed that the first round cutoff was a 90% and she doubts that it will drop to an 88 by the last round. I currently have an 88.4. She has said that if I could somehow get that to an 89, I would be safe..however, I can't because my midterms were already sent in. Either way I'm below, whether by 0.6% or 2...

That was a guess on her part though. She can't know exactly what the cutoff is, and it most likely won't be a nice round number like 89...chances are it will be a decimal, somewhere in between.

Anyways, you shouldn't give up completely, but as I said before it's good to have a back-up plan.

If you register in enviro sci I, you can just not take the enviro sci courses and instead take life sci courses, and then at the end of the year apply for whatever second-year programs you have the prereqs for.

Level 1 programs are different from degree programs. After level 1, you need to apply for whatever degree you want, and then you get in based on GPA cutoffs, same as now.

If you can get into enviro sci, take it. If not, take an extra year of highschool you can and spend the year/summer working or doing volunteer work (I don't know what you want to go into exactly, but hospital is a good overall choice)

i see you want a bsc degree right? science here at mac in first year is general. it doesnt matter what science program youre in. life sci, enviro sci, physical sci..theyre all competing to get into the 2nd year program of their choice. higher gpa in first year gives you priority and will get you in whatever 2nd year programs you apply for. most universities are like this. first year science is just general so you shouldnt worry if youe 'enviro sci' or 'life sci' or physical sci in first year. what you go into in 2nd year is what your degree is.

If you apply to enviro sci and have no interest in majoring in enviro sci after first year, you do not have to take the 2 enviro sci courses! You can take 2 other courses that will help you get into the major you plan on applying for in second year. I was in enviro sci first year and I had planned on taking the two anatomy courses but they filled up really fast so I took the enviro courses. I found them to be really boring but they're pretty easy! I would be much easier for you to start in a science program than social science! In second year I went into honours life science after being in enviro first year!

It's easier and cheaper to just improve your gr12 marks

you should stick with enviro sci since there is a lot of overlap between the courses of both the programs. Soc sci will end up being a bunch of courses that'll not come in handy for life sci, except filling in some of your elective space since you have to basically take courses based on prereqs. Say you want to take a biology course in second year that has a first year prereq, then you'll basically be behind making up the prereqs in your second year. Enviro sci will get you into your dream school for one, and then you can keep taking the courses you want, like bio, chem or whatever it is to get the cutoff for life sci for second year. A lot of life sci students take first year enviro courses and soc sci anyways as was pointed earlier. They are fun and are considered very easy. But program wise, enviro sci will be the closest. Make sure you take psych 1X03 and 1XX3 in whatever program you choose as its a prereq for life sci. Check all the prereqs for life sci basically and make sure you take them in your first year so you don't fall behind. Check the course calendar for all the programs and their requirements for all levels. That will also give you an idea of what life sci is like. Also, the cutoff changes till the very last round of offers, depending on who actually accepts the offer or declines, so don't lose hope Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions.

^i wouldnt even recommend planning your courses on the basis of going into 2nd year life sci. they accept you even if you dont fulfill the prereqs since you just need to do the psychs by the time you graduate to get the degree. just to the regular science courses first year (math, chem, bio, physics, psych if youre interested, enviro if youre interested/w.e you want) with those courses done in 1st year, you can apply to most of the science programs. just worry about getting in right now though.