Provincial Exams
- For which subjects must I write provincial exams?
- What if I am graduating on the old 1995-52 credit graduation program?
- What if I am on the Adult Graduation Program?
- How do I register for a provincial exam?
- I am registered in a high school for most of my courses, but taking a course with SIDES that requires a provincial exam. Where do I write the exam?
- I am registered in a high school for most of my courses, but taking a course with SIDES that requires a provincial exam. How does my mark get reported?
- I don't live near SIDES; can I write in my home town, or at my own school?
- I am currently living outside BC and/or Canada and need to write a provincial exam. How do I do this?
- When are provincial exams held?
- How much time am I allowed to write a provincial exam?
- When must I have my course work completed?
- how do I study for a provincial exam?
- I wrote a provincial exam for my English 12 last November, but I didn't get a very good grade. Can I rewrite the exam in hopes of improving my grade?
- How do I find out the results of the provincial exams I write?
- How do I get my PEN (Personal Education Number)?
For which subjects must I write provincial exams?
The current graduation program (2004 - 80 credits) requires all students to write five program exams:
- Grade 10 Language Arts
- Grade 10 Science
- Grade 10 Mathematics
- Social Studies 11 or equivalent (Social Studies 11, Civic Studies 11, BC First Nations 12)
- (These exams are worth 20% of your final mark.)
- Grade 12 Language Arts (Communications 12, english 12, Francais langue premiere 12)
- (This exam is worth 40% of your final mark.
All other Grade 12 exams are optional if you are on this program.
For a schedule of times and exams offered, click here. Students need to be sure of post-secondary admission requirements and meet with their counsellor before deciding whether or not to take an exam, as some post-secondary institutions do not requrie provincial exams for entry into their programs. Be sure to advise SIDES at least six weeks in advance of your intention to write a Grade 10 to 12 provincial exam.
What if I am graduating on the old 1995-52 credit graduation program?
If you are on the old 52-credit graduation program, you are required to write provincials for provincially-examinable Grade 12 sugjects. If you are unsure whether or not you need to write, please call Beth Eastgate (Student Records Department) at 250-704-4939, or Maureen Shenton (Counsellor) at 250-704-4942.
What if I am on the Adult Graduation Program?
Provincial exams are optional for adult students on the Adult Graduation Program. Students need to be sure of post-secondary admission requirements and meet with their counsellor before deciding whether or not to wirte an exam, as some post-secondary institutions do not require provincial exams for entry into their programs.
How do I register for a provincial exam?
You can inform your teacher, advisor, or counsellor as to when you wish to write, and have one of them pass the information on. You can also call directly to SIDES via Beth Eastgate (Student Records Department) at 250-704-4939 or via email at beastgate@sides.ca.
Where do I write the exam if I am registered in a high school for most of my courses, but taking a course with SIDES that requires a provincial exam?
Students who are enrolled in a high school and are taking a course through SIDES that requires writing a provincial exam have the option of either wirting at their home school or here at SIDES. However, you must make arrangements to write at your choice of location no fewer than six weeks prior to the exam date.
How does my mark get reported if I am registered in a high school for most of my courses, but taking a course with SIDES that requires a provincial exam?
Once a student completes a course at SIDES, his or her school % mark will be reported to the school of record for that school to report to the Ministry of Edeucation. In the event that the school of record is closed for the summer, SIDES will report our course mark(s) to the Ministry of Education.
I don't live near SIDES; can I write in my home town, or at my own school?
If students reside outside the Greater Victoria area, they must arrange with SIDES to order an exam to be sent to their home school or an approved test supervisor located closer to their home. This must be done six weeks prior to the exam session date.
I am currently living outside BC and/or Canada and need to write a provincial exam. How do I do this?
Youmust find a person who is willing to be your exam invigilator. He or she must be associated with a school, college, un iversity, or as a last resort, a public library. Required forms can be obtained from SIDES. this must be done six weeks prior to the exam session date. All exams will be e-exams, as the Ministry of Education no longer mails paper exams out of the province.
When are provincial exams held?
The Ministry of Education sets specific times for provincial exams - six times a year. The sessions are held in January, April, May (new in 2007), June, August, October, and November. SIDES is an exam centre for our students for provincial exams written in the January, April, June, August, and November sessions. We do not currently offer exams for the May and October sessions. For a schedule of times and exams offered, click here. Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, required Graduation Program exams offered in November, April, May, and August will be available electronically only.
How much time am I allowed to write a provincial exam?
Students are allowed two hours, plus one extra hour, to complete their exams. Students are not allowed to leave the exam room until one hour has passed, even if they have completed the exam.
When must I have my course work completed?
All course work should be completed and marked before you are eligible to write the provincial exam(s), as we have to submit your course mark to the Ministry of Education to be merged for a final mark.
How do I study for a provincial exam?
You can find practice exams (e-exams, as well as the paper versions) at the Ministry of Education website; please click here. Note: you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader which is available by free download from this site.
Students can also set up an appointment with a SIDES tutor to prep for a provincial exam, done either in person or online (250-704-4979). there are several websites available to help students prepare; for instance, LearnNow BC or BC Science.
I wrote a provincial exam for my English 12 last November, but I didn't get a very good grade. Can I rewrite the exam in hopes of improving my grade?
Students in both the 1995 and the 2004 Graduation Program may rewrite a provincial exam once within the twelve-month period following the first attempt at the examination. The twelve months are inclusive (e.g., from the June examination session one year through the June examination session of the next year). To rewrite a provincial exam more than once, a student must retake the course.
Students who retake a course will be allowed one rewrite opportunity, based on completion of the second course. Final marks will be based on the highest mark received for the exam.
How do I find out the results of the provincial exams I write?
You can obtain your exam results through the Ministry of Education website. If you have not visited this site before, you will be required to set up an account using your date of birth and Personal Education Number (PEN). A PEN is a nine-digit identification number assigned by the Ministry to each student registered in Kindergarten through Grade 12 in the public and independent school systems, and to students registered in BC'
s public post-secondary institutions.
Provincial exam marks are posted approximately one month after writing the provincial exam.
How do I get my PEN (Personal Education Number)? Each student requires a PEN to write provincial exams and to set up an account to access exam results and their Unofficial Transcript of Grades on the web. This allows the Ministry to match the exam result to the assigned school mark, to report results to students, and to record results on their transcript.
You can call your home school to request your number, or if you are registered with SIDES, we will also have it on file.
