Many students begin a STEM degree in Ontario with grades above 80% in Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, or Mathematics of Data Management. Yet, a significant number struggle in Calculus I/II and Linear Algebra—courses that function as academic gatekeepers, particularly in engineering. The dissonance between high entrance averages and difficulties with algebraic fluency, trigonometric reasoning, and proof-oriented thinking raises questions about the nature of mathematical preparedness of incoming students.

While concerns about transition are well documented in the literature, current patterns suggest that something more structural may be occurring. Rather than framing this solely as a deficit in secondary curriculum, this talk situates transition within a broader ecosystem: university mathematics pedagogy, assessment practices, students’ mathematical resilience and institutional responsibility.

I conclude with a call to action: a shared responsibility between secondary and post-secondary educators to build coherence, share expectations, and design first-year experiences that both uphold standards and cultivate resilience. The transition from school to university mathematics is not merely a problem to diagnose—it demands collective leadership.

Francis Duah is an Assistant Professor in Mathematics and Undergraduate Mathematics Education. His research focuses on student transition from school to undergraduate mathematics, resilience in mathematics education, widening participation in the mathematical sciences, and tertiary mathematics pedagogy. Francis has a multidisciplinary academic background as such he devotes time to researching quantitative social science and its teaching.