Quote:
Originally Posted by twitchyzero
few of my hs teachers were tupper grads and said it used to fare better (in the 2000s a student was beaten to death, the suspect was from my school)
now i work in the area and see a fair number in tech, medicine etc.
wouldn't be surprised if it's a pretty decent school now
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Barring properly bad schools (i.e. unsafe), I don't think going to a lower-ranked school is going to hold back students that are driven and academically inclined. Family values/upbringing (and genetics) are probably the primary drivers of that. I went to a school that doesn't rank well - Centennial in Coquitlam - and had a solid experience overall. Many of my peers have gone on to be traditionally successful in their careers.
Anecdotally, my UBC med class had students from all over, including some of the "worst" high schools in Metro Van (QE in Surrey). Was there a disproportionate number of people from WPG, University Hill, etc.? Yeah, but I suspect that's more to do with their family environments being one that value education/career, and in having opportunities that come with higher SES - e.g. not having to work part-time, being able to study, volunteering, and so on. I don't think they were any smarter for it, although I may be biased.
I think where the lower-ranked schools perhaps do lag is in support for students who are struggling, or need extra resources - in that case, yes, there are tangible differences (funding availability, bandwidth/energy from teachers, etc.). I've had friends and family members struggle in some public schools (e.g. learning disability, behavioural problems) and do better in a setting that affords them more attention.