How to Reopen the Advanced Math (SN) Door if You Didn’t Take It in High School
If you skipped advanced math in high school and now realize you need it for CEGEP or university — don’t panic. You can absolutely reopen the door. Here’s how.
Understanding the SN vs CST Path
In Quebec, students usually take either CST (Cultural, Social, and Technical) or SN (Science Nature) math in Secondary 4 / Grade 10.
- CST is the “regular math” which allows you to graduate high school. You only need CST grade 10 math to graduate. Many schools add CST grade 11 into your schedule, but it could be replaced with another elective (I wrote an article how to do that here).
- SN is the “science” stream math, also considered the advanced math — it leads to pre-university programs like sciences, commerce, and health. To become eligible for these programs, you’d need to do SN for both grade 10 and 11.
Students who are missing grade 10 or grade 11 SN math are not eligible for certain CEGEP or university programs (i.e. programs in the sciences, for example). If you decide you want to join these programs, you still can! Obtaining SN math is always possible, even after graduation.
Bridging from CST 10 to SN 11 Over the Summer
If you’re currently in Grade 10 CST, you can take a summer bridge course to move into Grade 11 SN the following school year. Some schools have a minimum grade requirement for students coming out of CST — usually around 75-80%. This is to ensure the student can handle the bridge course, which is short, intensive, and fast-paced. It has a high fail rate.
Students in this program are usually a mix of two groups:
- High-achieving CST 10 students who want to make the leap to SN.
- SN 10 students who are retaking the material to improve their grade before advancing to SN 11.
Full disclosure: this bridge course is brutal. The fail rate is high — not because students can’t handle the math, but because it’s crammed into such a short timeline (usually 3–4 weeks) that it’s easy to fall behind or miss key practice.
When I was in grade 10, I was in CST. My average in the course was around 95%, and my teacher was excellent (if Mr. Potter is reading this: your influence still ripples). I took the summer bridge course and scored 33% on my first test. This was a sink or swim moment for me.
For the next three weeks, my father and I sat down for hours nightly. He retaught himself the material — I could not have done this without support. My second test was a 66%, and the final one a 99%.
As a lover of logic and algebra (even back then), this course tested my sanity. It was ultimately a massive accomplishment that opened doors to where I am today, but more importantly this was a lesson is how to react to failure.
My practical takeaway here is that the summer bridge is possible, but it’s demanding. Students need a solid CST 10 foundation, good study habits, and ideally tutoring or family support to keep up (yes, even for strong students — this course is not normal).
Obtaining SN 10 & 11 After Graduation
CEGEPS, universities and adult education programs offer SN 10 and SN 11 courses.
If you are missing both grade 10 and 11 SN, you will likely have to take two bridge courses. Consider that in post-secondary education, classes often last half the school year (i.e. autumn semester or winter semester). This means you can get both 10 and 11 SN within a year.
| Institution Type | How SN 10 / SN 11 courses are offered | Requirements / What you need | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Education / Continuing Education | Many adult education centres offer secondary-level math (Sec 4 & Sec 5) as “upgrading / prerequisite” courses. (emsb-aevs.com) | You usually need to be 16+ (or meet the age requirement) and show your transcript to see which courses you’re missing. (gaec.ca) | These are more flexible and meant for people getting prerequisites. Schools often allow registration even if you’re doing these in parallel with other studies. |
| CEGEP | Some CEGEPs have “Pathways“ or “Springboard” programs hat offer Sec 4 / Sec 5 math courses to fill gaps. They are called pathways programs because they serve as a “pathway” to your program of choice, which you are missing pre-requisites for. E.g. Vanier’s Continuing Education offers “Math 201-015-50 (Sec 5 TS/SN)” etc. (Vanier College) | You may need to meet minimum grade thresholds from CST 10/11 (depends on the CEGEP, around 75% for many schools). If you don’t meet these requirements, you would have to consider re-taking CST in adult education to improve your grade. | These courses may be offered in summer, evening, or term-based formats. Some of these programs allow you to get a head-start on other courses in your future program that don’t require the missing pre-requisites (think electives or humanities courses). So, while you are “adding time” to your overall trajectory, you can considerably minimize this by taking multiple courses for your future program now. |
| University / College Prereq / Upgrading | Some universities allow “non-program” or “pre-req” courses to fill in missing math prerequisites. | You’ll need to apply to the upgrading/prerequisite program, sometimes with a general admission. Some places will only let in students who already meet certain math marks (often around 75%). | Since you’re missing prerequisites for your program, you can temporarily join general admission / no program. In university, I enrolled in Philosophy — interestingly, I met a few students who were in the Philosophy program temporarily, with the plan of collecting pre-requisites and transitioning to their program of choice. They explained that the choice of Philosophy as a temporary program allowed them to collect multiple transferrable credits. These students disappeared or moved on within 1-2 semesters, meaning they’d reached their goal, and had a head start in credits! |
Key Takeaways
Even if you’re reading this years after graduation, here’s the roadmap:
- Request your official MEQ transcript from your school board.
- Confirm your CST4 final mark (not just your report card mark).
- Enroll in either adult education SN4, or a CEGEP/university bridge course.
- Complete SN5 (often offered in evening or summer school).
- Voilà — you’ve reopened the SN door and regained access to most CEGEP science and commerce programs.
Need help calculating your pathway or finding the right adult ed course?
Genesis Tutoring can help you interpret your transcript, contact the right school board, and map out your fastest route back to SN.
Contact Genesis Tutoring to get personalized guidance.