Next, let's look at the provincial examination section of BC's graduation requirements:
As everyone knows, Grade 10 students are required to take provincial exams in English and Math, while Grade 12 students only need to take the provincial English exam. Passing these exams satisfies the graduation requirements.
However, it's important to note that if a student plans to apply to UBC, their Grade 12 English score typically needs to be at Level 3 or higher to have a chance of admission.
Other Canadian universities generally do not have provincial exam score requirements, primarily considering students' course grades and overall performance.
Next, let's look at the career education (volunteer) section of BC's graduation requirements:
Career education includes Career Life Education and Career Life Connections, totaling two courses and eight credits.
In Career Life Connections, students are required to have 30 hours of work experience or complete exploratory activities related to their future career direction. It's worth noting that any practical or exploratory activity related to a career path is acceptable, such as:
• Internships or experiences in a workplace;
• Volunteer or community service;
• Paid student part-time jobs;
• Practical or entrepreneurial endeavors in areas of personal interest;
• Participation in projects or research.
Especially the last point, for example, a student who loves programming might develop projects that even involve optimizing transportation systems, such as improving Vancouver's transportation system or researching railway line optimization. Such interest-based project practices can also count towards these 30 hours, as they represent tangible achievements and experiences.
In recent years, our Hillhouse students have participated in a variety of practical activities, such as:
Participating in the editorial work of well-known journals, interning as business analysts at AI companies, assisting in grading math or Olympiad competitions, working on mental health hotlines, being ski instructors, maintaining sports equipment, art design, pharmacy work, lab assistants, teaching assistants, pottery teachers, sports team assistants, part-time work in catering (bubble tea, McDonald's...), law firm assistants, volunteering at children's hospitals, and food bank volunteers, among others.
These opportunities are often closely related to students' academic abilities and interests, for instance, students with strong writing skills entering newspaper editorial positions, or students with excellent math scores participating in competition tutoring or grading. Of course, if students don't have a clear direction yet, they can participate in community service or public welfare projects. The key is whether the student genuinely invests themselves and gains something, rather than just completing it perfunctorily to get the required hours.
Overall, completing these 30 hours of volunteer work is not difficult, and career education teachers also assist with volunteer placements. So far, we have not seen any student unable to advance to higher education due to uncompleted volunteer hours.
