Each year, students choose courses that help you earn your diploma, explore your interests and prepare for future opportunities.
Students select courses in February for the following school year using My Pathway Planner.
You don't need to make decisions alone. Families, educators, guidance counsellors, Student Success staff and other school staff are available to help.
On this page:
- Make a Plan.
- Make Sure You Are On Track to Graduate.
- Understand Course Types and Prerequisites.
- Explore Your Options.
- Make Course Selections Using My Pathway Planner.
Step 1: Make a Plan
Use My Pathway Planner to:
- Complete/review your portfolio to identify your interests, skills, learning styles and needs.
- Look up course descriptions and prerequisites.
- Explore interests and possible careers.
- Find post-secondary pathway options.
- Build and adjust your plans as interests develop and change.
- Track your courses and graduation requirements.
- Complete course selection.
You may want to think about what subjects interest you, what opportunities you'd like to explore and your goals after high school.
Individual Pathways Plan
Step 2: Make Sure You Are On Track to Graduate
To earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, students must complete a combination of required and optional credits, along with key learning experiences that prepare them for life after high school.
Make sure you select courses that meet diploma requirements.
Graduation Requirements
Step 3: Understand Course Types and Prerequisites
Choosing the right courses means understanding course types and prerequisites.
A prerequisite is a course that must be successfully completed before taking the next course in a sequence.
You can use My Pathway Planner to look up course descriptions and prerequisites.
Before selecting courses:
- Review prerequisites carefully.
- Consider which course type best meets your learning needs.
- Think about future course and pathway requirements.
- Speak with your guidance counsellor if you have questions.
Course Types and Prerequisites
Step 4: Explore Opportunities
Secondary school offers many opportunities to explore interests, develop skills and gain experience while earning credits.
If you are enrolled in, or interested in, a secondary school program, make sure you are taking courses that meet program requirements.
Learn more about all secondary school programs or search for opportunities by area of interest.
There are also other ways to earn credits, including summer school, night school, online learning, Indigenous and International languages and more.
Secondary Programs and Opportunities
Explore Programs and Courses by Interest
Step 5: Submit Your Course Selections
Use My Pathway Planner to submit your course selection, following these steps.
"High School" will appear from the list of options in the menu on the left hand side of the screen.
Learn more about how to login to My Pathway Planner.
- In High School Planner, click + [Course].
- In the Course Selection and Details screen, explore the available courses.
- Click Add Course when you find the course you want.
- To make changes to your course selection, click on the icon to change or edit your selection.
Hint: The Graduation Indicator will help you keep track of your progress towards graduation. Click View Progress for a list of specific graduation requirements.
Make sure you are selecting courses that will help you meet graduation requirements and any program requirements, if applicable.
When you are ready to submit your course selections, click the blue Review Course Selections button and give your course selection one final look over.
Once you’ve carefully reviewed the Details page to ensure that you are meeting the requirements for the courses you have selected and that the courses that appear are correct, click on Submit Course Selections. Please note that you will not be able to modify your course selections once submitted.
After submitting your course selections, click the blue Send Approval Email to email your parent/guardian to approve your course selections.
Course Descriptions and Prerequisites
Frequently Asked Questions
Grade 9 and 10
Withdrawals and failures from Grade 9 and 10 courses are not recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript.
Grade 11 and 12
If you withdraw from a Grade 11 or 12 course within five instructional days after the first provincial report card is issued in a semestered course, the course will not be recorded on the transcript. In a non-semestered course, students can withdraw within five days after the second provincial report card, and the course will not be recorded on the transcript.
If you withdraw from a Grade 11 or 12 course more than five days after the reporting period, a withdrawal (W) is entered in the credit column. Your mark at the time of withdrawal is recorded as a percentage in the achievement column of the transcript.
If you repeat a course again in Grade 11 or 12, each attempt and the mark will be recorded in the transcript with only one credit granted. The course with the lower mark will have an “R” entered in the credit column. If you have questions about this, speak to a guidance counsellor or the principal.
Where you go to school is based on your home address. Use the School Locator to find your home school.
Your Pathway Planner and course selection has been set up at the secondary school serving your attendance area.
If you wish to attend a different secondary school, you must apply for a transfer and it must be approved by the school board.
French Immersion or Gifted Programs
If you are currently attending a French Immersion or Gifted program, your My Pathway Planner and Course Option Selection tool has been set up at the secondary school offering the French Immersion or Gifted program serving your attendance area.
If you do not wish to continue in either of these programs, please speak with your Grade 8 teacher, who will provide you with advice regarding your course selections.
Your My Pathway Planner and course selection has been set up at the secondary school you are currently attending.
If you wish to attend a different secondary school, you must apply for a transfer and it must be approved by the school board.