Ontario University Fair in Toronto This Weekend

The Ontario University Fair will be held this weekend at the Metro Toronto Convention. I highly recommend attending if you’re in Grade 11 or 12.

It’s a great opportunity to communicate with and get information from a number of universities in one location. This will also help you to narrow your choices. I caution you, however, don’t make decisions based on the personality (or lack thereof) of the representative you speak to.

Here’s how to get the best out of the fair:

1.   Know which universities will participate

2. Do your preliminary research of each university from their website

3. Make a list of each university and your questions that weren’t answered on the website or you need further clarification. Yes, you should bring a small note pad and pen with you.

4. Get a new email address that both student and parent will have access to. This allows the parents and kids to receive and read emails from the universities.

5. Dress comfortably, you may be there longer than you anticipate

6. Metro Toronto Centre is quite large, once you enter review the floor plan and start your trek around the room

7. If current students or alumni are available, do make a point to ask about their experience. But the reality is – their experience was positive that’s why they are there. So try to ask more specific questions, for example, “what other universities they applied to and why they chose this one?” or “if they could change one thing what would that be?” or “what’s their personal highlight?” Also, ask the university representatives if there is anyone there specifically from the program you wish to apply to.

8. Make a note of the answers to your questions (you’ll forget or get confused later on at home)

9. Get the business card of any university representative you meet. Send them a quick note to thank them for their help a day or two later. This contact can be invaluable in the coming months.

10. Use your new email address to sign up to get further information from your short list of universities.

Good luck!

Top 12 Things to do in Grade 12, Part II

Yesterday you read the top 6 things to do in Grade 12, here`s the second half of the list.

7.       Do you want to study at a large or small university?
There is obviously a difference in environment between a large university in a large, urban city to small university in small town. What’s your preference? Pay attention to the student faculty ratio if a small university is better for you. Also, don`t forget that many large universities may also have some small, selective programs.

8.       What other variables are important to you?
University`s ranking and reputation, co-op, internships, career services, retention rates, extra-curricular activities, academic support services, varsity sport, intramural sport, study exchanges, reputation of faculty, employer reputation, campus facilities, residence, food services, etc. The list can be endless. 

9.      Visit your short list of universities
My preference is to avoid the open houses or other events that are specifically organized to showcase the university. They tend to be very busy and you`re not likely to get a real feel for the campus. It’s like visiting my house during a party as opposed to a normal day.

10.   Speak to current students and alumni
Try to get information from unofficial, unpaid sources. They tend to be more honest and straight forward. Bear in mind that most students cannot compare their experience at their university to another, so you’ll have to do the comparison yourself.

11.   How will you finance your education?
If you need to rely on financial aid, make this an important part of your research. Endowments vary from university to university and even from program to program.

12.   Extra-curricular activities

A number of universities do want to see that you do more than study; especially for competitive programs and in some cases for scholarships. Therefore, if after school activities are not part of your life now, pick one or two things that you enjoy. But don’t jeopardize your grades by devoting too much time on extra-curricular activities.

Stick with me, it`s not as daunting and complicated as it looks. Why don’t you follow the blog by email to get more advice delivered to your inbox? Simply complete the box on your right.

Top 12 Things to do in Grade 12, Part I

Number 1-6 is below. Number 7 – 12 will be posted tomorrow.

1.      Decide if you want to go to university

University is a great option for some but not for all. If you prefer to go to a community college or enter the workforce right after high school, that’s fine if you understand the lifelong consequences of that decision.

Ninety-three percent of university graduates are employed within six months of graduation. Also, these graduates earn 53% more than high school graduates. So think about this decision very carefully.

2.      Get the necessary grades
Aren’t you happy this is not number one? Well it probably should be number one. To be competitive, you should aim to get at least an 80% average. But there are some programs and universities where you’ll need a higher average. Likewise, you can get into some universities and programs with as low as a 70% average.

Check the universities’ website for admission minimums. If it’s not there, just ask an admission representative. But be careful, the pool of the current year’s applicants determines the admission cut-off, so aim to be comfortably above the average.

There is a correlation between the reputation of the university and program and the minimum Grade 12 averages. The higher the reputation, the higher the average.

3.      Choose your program to study in university
You may already know what you want to be when you grow up. But if you have no idea what job you'll like to have, think about what you want to study rather than job options.  Two out of every three entry level jobs require a university degree and this includes degrees in non-professional programs.

Research, research, research. It’s important to note there are a number of disciplines in university that you may not have been exposed to or heard of. Furthermore, remember a career or job does not always correspond with your academic strength.

Don’t be turned off if you discover you need a further degree to achieve your goals. For now, it’s best to take this one step or rather one degree at a time.  

4.      Attend a university fair
It’s a great opportunity to communicate with and get information from a number of universities in one location.  This will also help you to narrow your choices. I caution you, however, don’t make decisions based on the personality (or lack thereof) of the representative you speak to.

5.      Take the right high school courses
Once you figure out what you want to take in university, then be sure you are enrolled in the prerequisite high school courses. Also, while there may be some consistency in prerequisites, not all universities require the same high school courses. Keep notes to be sure you have the correct information.

If you go to a semester high school, you’re in luck because you can still change courses in the second term. If not, you need to super charge your research.

6.      Decide home or away?
Do you want to live at home or away? How close to home do you want to be? How easy and convenient is it to visit home during the school year? Big decisions. Another consideration is that you can also experience residence living even if your university is close to your home. Living on campus, however, increases your cost. Do you want to experience residence and can you afford it?

As you can see this is an overwhelming task, but it’s best for parents and students to work together as a team to make this process less daunting.

Tomorrow I’ll cover number 7 -12.  Why don’t you follow the blog by email to get it delivered to your inbox? Simply complete the box on your right. Hope to see you here tomorrow!