Private School Application

The answer to this question is simple: It depends on the individual.

First, we need to understand the pros and cons of single-gender schools versus co-ed schools.

Single-Gender Schools and Academic Excellence:
Single-gender schools tend to excel academically. For example, many of the top private schools around Toronto, such as UCC, Crescent College, Branksome Hall, and Havergal College, are single-gender institutions.

Single-Gender Schools and Gender Awareness:
Another significant social advantage of single-gender education is that it creates a relatively pure gender space for students, subtly reducing the inherent stereotypes and biases surrounding gender.

Co-ed Schools and Social Skills:
The major advantage of co-ed schools is that students learn to interact and collaborate with the opposite sex. This gives them a stronger foundation for social skills, and when they graduate and transition into society, they adapt more smoothly.

The limitations of both single-gender and co-ed schools are simply the opposite of these benefits. So, how should you choose a school based on this information?

Neither single-gender nor co-ed education is inherently better or worse, as the impact of each on students of different genders varies. Generally speaking, single-gender education tends to have more positive effects on girls, while co-ed education benefits boys’ development.

Parents should choose between a single-gender or co-ed school based on their child’s characteristics and needs.

IBDP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Program) is one of the three programs offered by the IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization), with the other two being the PYP (Primary Years Programme) for grades 1 to 5 and the MYP (Middle Years Programme) for grades 6 to 10. It is a high school program offered by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) for students worldwide, and it also serves as a university preparatory course. The program lasts for two years, with courses taught in English. The main goal is to provide students with an international education and lay a solid foundation for further studies at prestigious universities around the world.

All IBDP students must choose one course from each of the six subject groups, with at least three of them being at the higher level. The highest score for each subject is 7, and with the addition of 3 bonus points for the extended essay and theory of knowledge, the maximum possible score is 45.

Group 1: Language A1 and World Literature
Group 2: Language B (Modern foreign languages, other than the student’s mother tongue)
Group 3: Individuals and Societies (History, Geography, Economics, Philosophy, Psychology, etc.)
Group 4: Experimental Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Design Technology, Environmental Systems, etc.)
Group 5: Mathematics (Mathematics Higher Level, Mathematics Standard Level, Mathematical Studies, Mathematical Methods)
Group 6: The Arts and Electives (Visual Arts, Music, Theatre Arts, etc., or a third modern language, or an additional course from Groups 3 or 4, or Mathematics Standard Level)

The AP (Advanced Placement) program is an educational initiative established by the College Board (CEEB) in U.S. high schools. It is designed to provide talented and high-achieving high school students with the opportunity to take college-level courses while still in high school.

AP courses are typically taught by experienced teachers who follow the curriculum set by the College Board (CEEB). The difficulty level of these courses is comparable to the foundational college courses in the first year of university. The AP program offers 19 subjects and 34 courses, including subjects like Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, English Composition and Literature, U.S. History, various foreign languages, and more. The scope of the curriculum is extensive, and each subject is studied for one year. Students can choose to take one or more AP courses based on their school’s regulations and their own capabilities. If students perform well in the AP exams, they may be eligible to receive college credit, which is one of the key benefits of taking AP courses.

The ETS (Educational Testing Service) holds AP exams every year in May, with exam results available in July. The scores range from 1 to 5, with scores of 4 and above generally considered good by most universities and eligible for college credit (though some universities may not accept this for credit replacement). For example, if a student scores a 5 on the AP Calculus exam, and the university they are applying to accepts the score, they can skip the introductory calculus course in their first year of college and still receive credit for it. This allows them to take other courses of interest. The more AP exam scores that are recognized by a university, the more college credits the student earns, giving them more flexibility to explore other university courses. In some cases, students may even finish their degree early or complete a double major within the standard four-year period.

Strictly speaking, private secondary schools in the U.S. and Canada, like public schools, do not have official rankings.

If you see any “private school rankings” anywhere, they are not officially recognized rankings. The rankings available online are created by various organizations, and the rankings are not necessarily acknowledged by the private schools themselves.

In general, secondary schools, which deal with the education of minors, are not officially ranked.

However, if you want a list with some degree of credibility, the Fraser Institute in Canada is a resource you can refer to. But keep in mind that this is not an official ranking and is not widely recognized.