The Truth About Grade Inflation in Alberta—and Why Course Grades Matter More Than Ever

If you’ve been watching university admission trends in Alberta over the past decade, you’ve probably noticed something strange: the average grades needed to get into competitive post-secondary programs have been steadily climbing. And no—it’s not because today’s students are magically smarter than those from 10 or 15 years ago.

We’re seeing the long-term effects of grade inflation in Alberta high schools—and it’s creating a whole new level of pressure for students and families aiming for top university programs.

A 90 Is the New 80

Once upon a time, a mid-80s average could land you a solid spot in programs like engineering, business, or science at the University of Calgary or University of Alberta. Today? That same 85 might not even get you shortlisted.

University admission requirements for competitive programs have crept into the high 80s and low 90s. In some cases, students are now being told they need 92%+ just to be considered. It’s not that universities have become more selective—it’s that high school course marks in Alberta have gone up across the board, even though overall student performance hasn’t necessarily improved.

What Caused This?

There’s no single culprit, but one of the biggest shifts happened when Alberta changed the weighting of diploma exams. Until 2015, diploma exams made up 50% of a student’s final grade. Then, that number dropped to 30%.

While this move was intended to reduce student stress and recognize in-class learning, it had an unintended side effect: it gave schools and teachers more control over final marks—and opened the door to inflated course grades.

Now, with 70% of a student’s final mark coming from coursework, there's more room for generous marking, flexible re-writes, and policies that often reward effort over mastery. And it’s not just between schools. Alberta students in the same course, at the same school, can end up with wildly different assessments—just depending on who their teacher is.

We regularly see cases where one class writes rigorous, exam-level unit tests while the class next door uses open-book tests or unlimited re-write attempts. Some students benefit from extremely lenient grading, while others are marked more harshly for the same answers. It’s not uncommon for grading policies in Alberta high schools to differ not just between schools—but even between classrooms.

The result? A student’s final mark may reflect their environment more than their true understanding of the curriculum.

What This Means for Students Today

Here’s the reality—your course grade matters more than your diploma exam. Whether or not you agree with the system, this is what high school students in Alberta are working with right now:

• Diploma exams are worth 30%

• Course marks (assignments, quizzes, unit tests, class participation) make up 70%

• Universities in Alberta and across Canada use the blended final mark for admissions

That means if you fall behind on classwork, miss key concepts, or struggle with one major assignment, your overall high school grade can take a serious hit—and so can your university admission chances.

So... What Can You Do?

If you’re aiming for competitive post-secondary programs, you can’t afford to treat your course work casually anymore. Strong day-to-day performance is just as important as end-of-semester review.

That’s where high school tutoring in Calgary becomes more important than ever.

At Ace It Tutoring, we help Alberta high school students stay on track all semester long—so they’re not scrambling before finals or relying on the diploma exam to lift their grade. Our drop-in tutoring model means students can come as often as they need, stay as long as they want, and get help with exactly what they’re struggling with. Whether it’s Math 30, Chem 30, Physics 30, or Biology 30, we help students build academic habits that lead to higher marks and deeper understanding.

Final Thought

You don’t have to love the system to learn how to work with it.

In today’s grade-inflated Alberta high school environment, consistency and course performance are everything.

Don’t leave 70% of your final mark to chance—stay ahead, get support, and give yourself every advantage possible.

We’re here to help you do just that.