I know this has been asked like 5 million times, but most posts on this i've found to be from a few years ago, so i just want a general updated idea of this year's most likely engineering cutoffs for second year. i am doing next to garbage in all of my courses, with an average of probably a low 70 rite now, and im really worried that im not gonna make it past first year and get into any second year programs. really not used to getting shit on in school like this, came out of grade 12 with a 92.5 top 6 average, and now i legit feel like committing suicide cuz im just getting destroyed in like almost every course. my original plans for second year were: biomed, biochem, tron and management, and chem and management, but now i feel like i wont make it into any of those streams (dont have free choice, wouldnt have mattered anyways to those 4 streams). really stuck between a rock and a hard place about wat to do rite now

First and FOREMOST, let's make sure you get a hold of these wonderful folks after you read this post, no matter how much better you may feel: http://wellness.mcmaster.ca/resource...resources.html

Now, about your concerns: I want to divert your thoughts from this question of, "What is the numerical cut-off to get into these streams of engineering", and I want to encourage a critical review of what you actually enjoy doing. You're struggling with the course content (who didn't in their first year? Am I right, fellow engineers!?) --- are you enjoying it? If not, there is a possibility that you get through this year (even just this term) and take the credits into another stream of study. Or you take a year to explore other opportunities, expanding your own preferences. If you're hesitant to take a year off, PLEASE, challenge my point of view on this --- I've been building my support for this option to be exercised more often, and would love to pitch it to someone who doesn't believe the year off is worth it.

About your current performance: Failing out of first year is not a significant likelihood when you are carrying a low 70. In reality, if you maintain performance, you'll see mid to high 70 after various mark adjustments in some courses. It's also only first term.

In the short term, you can take a deep breath, relax, and take a night off if you are so concerned that you felt motivated to write about these concerns. Please, do chat with the folks available at that link. If you want to chat about my suggestions, feel free to do so publicly or to PM me.

Cheers

Don't kill yourself.
Those programs do have higher cut offs.
Why don't you have free choice, don't you need 90+ to get it and you had 92.5.
Anyway, it not the end of the semester or even the year. Look at what isn't working and change that so it does work... that's about the best advice I can give you. Anyway, there are 12 programs, you don't get into those 4 (I get it you want to get into those programs) you can still get into other 8, even get management since that requires only a 6 and you're above a 6.

Start studying for exams NOW, go to TA and ask for help, ask the prof before and after lecture, and go to office hours... I myself have made the mistake of doing none of these things first year and doing so would have meant higher marks for sure. First year has a lot of place to go for help, 1d04 has help center, physics has help center, math has help center, hell chem (still?) has a help center, materials (2nd semester) has a help center. Go help yourself and stop screwing yourself over (I say this to myself every day ... "Stop screwing yourself over") ... and don't kill yourself.

Man up and cope with the toughness.

High marks in high school don't mean anything, most likely anyone in your program had marks just as high, yet I bet you anything the averages in your program aren't even close to those high school marks.

Just relax and look around.

Or you know, take a break or change programs. A viable and in many cases a good option.

its only november 5th. if youre in eng, youve only done like 30-40% of course work in your courses. you can easily rip your second set of midterms and finals. there is so much time left to improve. see where you went wrong in studying for the past month and improve on that. you have so much coursework left to improve your average to 85+ even. in eng and science, final exams matter the most. you have plenty of time to get 90+ on those which is perfectly doable.