When 94% is not 94: What University of Waterloo’s engineering admission tool reveals about high school grades

Unique to Waterloo engineering, the adjustment factor helps admissions sort through its annual flood of applications. A calculation of historical student performance, it is used to figure out if the grades at one high school may be more reflective of success in Waterloo engineering than grades at another. Last year, almost the entire incoming class had a high school average of more than 90 per cent and nearly two-thirds boasted at least 95 per cent. “All applicants are assessed individually on their merits, and none are excluded by the adjustment factor,” King’s said in a statement. Preston High School and the Waterloo Region District School Board said they will be reaching out to the university after being made aware that Preston had a high adjustment factor (20).