<p>stephable</p>
<p>1) I hear stories like mine all the time. I think its particuarly worse in my area...which is kind of odd because it is relatively affluent.</p>
<p>2) 15 States are ranked in the top 50. Typically of a Canadian, you dont realize this to be an accomplishment because the large numbers fool you. How do you expect public universities to compete with the most well financed institutions in the world? I think they have done very well for themselves. You would be naive to believe Canada would have more than 3 in the top 50 (which is actually an accomplishment in itself if you factor in the disparity in populations). And 10 states are missing because, like I said it is a more federal system that was specifically advanced by President Reagan. Those states do not have enough electorate to need a Michigan or Berkeley. I suppose it is somewhat unfair to them so I grant you that, but it isnt as bad as you make it seem because those states are not very populated.</p>
<p>3) Well Im not sure how Mount Allison does it but Ontario only looks at 12th grade for admission. You can have a 50% avg in grade 11 as long as you meet the grade 12 avgs. However, you will most likely be ineligible for early admission</p>
<p>CDN - Yes those numbers are very similar but you have to think about the average tax payer in both countries. The average tax payer in Canada will be at more of a loss because he is substantially funding the heavily subsidized canadian universities. Florida doesnt even have a state tax or tax on primary residential home (Homestead Clause). Of course, Florida is extraordinary because it is a tourist state, but you get where Im going.</p>
<p>dkm - You make some incredibly unsupported statements. Let me begin by saying I have done the IB program, I have taken AP courses, I have been to a magnet school, I have been to a prep school (American), and I have been to Canadian school in two different provinces (Ontario, NF). Thus, you will realize that Im not manifesting jibberish. Alot of what I say is from personal experience but I support my arguments often with stats or at least some attempt at a proof.</p>
<p>1) Magnet schools are not private. They are always public schools.</p>
<p>2) I found AP's to be quite challenging. I believe IB is of the same caliber, perhaps a bit harder. But you have to realize that AP is not a program. IB is a program that harbors intelligent, driven students. I was told from day 1 that IB is for kids who work hard, not the exceptionally brilliant and I believe that statement is true. AP is the most challenging option left to students not in this program and who frankly dont want to participate in it. From my experience, IB didnt particularly aid me in college admission. My friends who took several APs were better off because IB credits were not rewarded out of my state and AP are seen in a better light in general (in the states). And perhaps only 10% of the kids in the US take APs, but at least they have the OPTION. Canada (well ontario) does not offer anything but University Track. I found that placing all university bound students into one level damaged the curriculum and the students because there should be different levels to suit students of different abilities.</p>
<p>3) "in most european/asian schools they are doing 2nd and 3rd year university model" Perhaps you are exaggerating but I have an extremely difficult time believing that statement. There may be several or some, but most is a strong word and I would hesitate to use it in that context.</p>
<p>4)"florida has the lowest IB scores in the world" For this Im going to need a source. You are telling me that among all the 3rd world countries and their provinces, Florida has the lowest scores? I will have to check about the IB scholarship thing because I did IB in Florida and I have absolutely no knowledge of this. Regardless, IB scores have little effect on the overall selectivity of a school. DKM, the world doesnt revolve around IB. I will tell you as a dual citizen, that getting into Florida out of state is more difficult than getting into Queens or McGill as an american (or canadian for that matter as anyone with above 80% gets in Queens arts and anyone with above 85 gets into McGill arts). I believe McGill and Queens routinely take people with scores at or above 1200. University of Florida has an avg SAT score of 1260 and you have to factor all the instate kids that bring that down. So the out of state is somewhere at or above 1300. At the least, their selectivites are comparable so you cannot bash UofF on the grounds of selectivity.</p>
<p>5) Overall, high school ed in the states is nothing to boast about, considering the wealth and influence of the US. I was not really heralding the US as I was expressing my belief that canadian high school is nothing special. I believe the 2004 Macleans has an article by the dean of the rotman school in which he says canadians have a superior attitude about their education when that attitude is without merit. Canadians believe their system is top of the line when, from my experience, it is bottom of the barrel. Apparently other provinces are doign something right but Canada is not the beacon of educational glory. Furthermore, I believe US should be proud of its public post-sec education. There is a ridiculous number of quality state schools and I dont buy the whole "Everything is expensive in the US" argument because as a domestic, the US is comparable if not cheaper than Canadian university for a domestic canadian.</p>