WELCOME
PLANNING FOR
POST SECONDARY
EDUCATION
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Where did our grads go?
Grads of 2012
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Carleton
Ottawa
Algonquin
Queen’s
Waterloo
Toronto
Humber
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9
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One or two students:
 McMaster, York, Western, Laurier,
Lakehead,Dalhousie, Guelph, McGill,Trent, Mt.
Allison, Acadia, StFX, Ryerson, Sheridan, Georgian,
St. Lawrence, Fanshaw
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IT’S YOUR CHOICE!
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College
University
Apprenticeship
Work/Travel (GAP Year)
Part-time Studies/Work
Return, up-grade
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HOW TO DECIDE:
Top Resources
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View Books (GUIDANCE)
Open Houses
University/College Visits
E-mail/phone liaison officers/faculty advisors
 Websites:
www.ontariocolleges.ca
www.algonquincollege.com
www.electronicinfo.ca (Ontario universities only)
www.ouac.on.ca (Ontario University Application Centre)
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Career Cruising:
Pathway Planning Software
 Career Matchmaker software
(www.careercruising.com)
Username: elearningocdsb
Password: Ontario
 JVIS results from last year
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Graduation Requirements
 30 credits (18 compulsory)
 40 hrs. community involvement
Deadline: June 1, 2014
 literacy test
 To participate in the graduation ceremony final marks
for on-line courses must be submitted by June 1st
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TERMINOLOGY
 OSSD- Ont. Sec. School Diploma
 Undergraduate program- first university
program
 Honours Bachelor’s degree- first degree
in university/sometimes college (4 years)
 Diploma- obtained after completion of
college program
 OUAC-Ontario University Application
Center
 OCAS-Ontario College Application Service
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WHY COLLEGE?
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Over 2800 unique programs
designed to prepare for future
career-programs in the arts,
health sciences, technology,
trades, and business areas of
study
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Academic learning is blended
with practical experience
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Low student-to-teacher ratios
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Cost effective
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SPECTRUM OF PROGRAM
TYPES AT COLLEGE
Certificate (1 year)
Diploma (2 years)
Advanced Diploma (3 years)
Graduate Certificate (1 year- for those who
have already completed a post secondary
diploma or degree)
 Bachelor’s Degrees (4 years)
 Collaborative programs (college/university)
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Degree Programs At College
Algonquin College Examples:
Degree Program
Ex. Bachelor of Applied Arts-Interior Design
 University level courses required to apply
Collaborative Degrees
Ex. Bachelor of Science in Nursing
 Degree program-University courses required for
application
 Must apply on the university application site
 Some courses are at Algonquin College and others
at the University of Ottawa
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How To Apply For A College
Program In Ontario?
 OCAS = Ontario College Application
Service (located in Guelph, Ontario)
 www.ontariocolleges.ca
(For college programs outside of Ontario-consult specific
school’s website for application information)
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How To Apply For A College
Program In Ontario?
Begin your application at
ontariocolleges.ca
 Click the “Apply Now”
button and complete all
required fields
 Review and click the “I
Agree to the Terms and
Conditions” button
 Click the “activate your
account” link
 A prompt will appear to
“enter your account
username and password”
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Source: www.ontariocolleges.ca
Have ready:
Ontario Education Number (OEN)
And Student Number
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How To Apply For A College
Program In Ontario?
 Record your username, and password. (Keep your
password confidential)
 Complete your application including program choices
 Verify that the grades forwarded by your high school
are correct
 Pay your application processing fees online by VISA,
MasterCard or American Express
 Payments by phone can be made by calling OCAS
Customer Contact Centre
Source: www.ontariocolleges.ca
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How Much Does It Cost?
OCAS
 Cost is $95 for 5 choices maximum
 Maximum of 3 program choices at
any one college
 Can pay on-line (credit card)
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How To Apply For A College
Program In Ontario?
 Green check marks
should appear next
to ALL the
Categories on the
left side of your
application for it to
be complete
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What is left to complete
on this application?
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COLLEGE PROGRAM
SELECTION EXAMPLE
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How To Confirm An Offer?
 The colleges will let you know directly of
their admission decision. Offers will also
appear on your OCAS account When you
receive an offer of admission:
1) Log back into your online
application/account
2) Click on “View Offers” to see your offers of
admission
3) Confirm your offer of admission-Click
“Confirm” (If after accepting an offer of
admission you do not receive a
confirmation email, contact ocas
immediately.)
Source: www.ontariocolleges.ca
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WHO CAN ANSWER MY
QUESTIONS?
 Step by step application procedures on
how to utilize OCAS
(http://www.ontariocolleges.ca)
 Live Help feature under “Contact Us”
 Email the Customer Contact Centre at
Ask-Us@ontariocolleges.ca
 Call the Customer Contact Centre at
1-888-892-2228 (toll-free within
Canada) Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m.5:00 p.m.
Source: www.ontariocolleges.ca
WHO ELSE CAN HELP?
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What Marks Do Colleges
See?
 Colleges receive final grades from 9-12
Grade 12 grades
-Mid Term Sem.1
-Final Sem.1
-Mid Term Sem.2
-Final Sem.2
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Additional Admission Criteria
 Consult program view book or specific college
to reference if there are additional admission
criteria
 Examples- tests, portfolios, interviews,
auditions and personal information forms
 Ex. Graphic Design at Algonquin College
 Submit a portfolio of 10-15 samples of your best
work
 Layout/Design test
Be aware of deadlines!
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Ontario College Application
Important Dates
 Feb. 1, 2014 - equal consideration
deadline for online application
 Feb. 1, 2014 - earliest release of
offers by colleges (apply early!)
 May 1, 2014 - applicants must confirm
their acceptance of an offer of admission
to their chosen program through
ontariocolleges.ca by this date
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College Articulation Agreements
 Business Administration at Algonquin
College-3 year Diploma
 Articulate to a B.Comm degree at U of Ottawa
 Up to 60 credits (equiv. to 2 years) of advanced
standing given towards B.Comm. degree (70%
average required from Algonquin)
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Highly Competitive Programs
Make sure you apply early
Applications will be ranked by the average of the required
courses and/or by the test results (English, etc.)
 Check list on the college web site
Example of SOME of Algonquin’s highly competitive programs
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University Program Selection
Research Steps
 Investigate program options (review
courses in each program)
 Visit university websites
 Attend post-secondary sessions
 Make contact with faculty advisors
 Keep up-to-date with changes
 Visit universities/colleges
 Talk to your counsellor
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Decisions
 Determine what to study (Research
universities that have desired program(s)
 Review courses studied
(all programs are not the
same)
 Check the prerequisites/required average
 Consider special programs – student for a
day/faculty visits
 Determine where to apply
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Ontario University
eINFO GUIDE
 The comprehensive guide to Ontario
universities for secondary school
students
 www.electronicinfo.ca
 OUAC = Ontario University
Application Centre (located in Guelph,
Ontario)
 www.ouac.on.ca/ouac-101 - online
instructional video is available
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Timelines
for University Applications
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January 15 deadline to complete online
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February 4 recommended last date for
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May 29 latest date students can expect a
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June 2 earliest date Ontario universities may require a response to
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Universities outside of Ontario will have their own timelines and
application process. eg. McGill
application
university/program changes & additions
response from an Ontario university
an offer of admission from students
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University Application Process
 Application is on-line through OUAC
(tutorial available)
 Access codes arrive in late October
(PIN number)
 Cost is $130 for 3 choices
 Additional choices are $44 each
 Can pay on-line/credit, etc.
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OUAC Reference Number
 After you SUBMIT, you will be
assigned an OUAC reference number
 Needed for other university
applications that are linked to the
OUAC
 Needed to get back in to your
application to track or change choices
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Sample Application
Scenario A ($130)
 1. CC
Commerce (no option)
Carleton
 2. OFE
Management (no option) Ottawa
 3. QC
Commerce
Queen’s
Scenario B ($130)
 1. OAS
Arts
 2. OLA
Social Sciences
 3. CH
Arts
Ottawa
Ottawa
Carleton
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Subject of Major Interest
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Specialization
Major
Double Major
Minor
Undeclared major
Depends on the university – very high
number of undergraduates change
major/program after first year
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Consider
Cooperative Education
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Paid at the university level
Gain hard skills
Develop a network
Future employer
Inform career decision
Check this field on application
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Alternate Offers ???
 What does this mean?
 Who gives them?
 Why are they important?
 Eg. Bachelor of Social Work alternate offer- Bachelor
of Arts Psychology
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Marks
 When you apply, grade 11 marks and
completed grade 12 course marks are
sent plus a list of courses you are
taking this year
 1st semester final marks
 2nd semester midterm marks
 2nd semester final marks
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Reminder:
Additional Admission Criteria
Programs that require more than marks only
Examples- tests, portfolios, interviews,
auditions and personal information forms
Be aware of deadlines
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Reminder:
Verify….verify….verify
 Log on to the OUAC and VERIFY the
following:
 Personal information
 Course history
 Current courses for both semesters
 Inform your counsellor about external
credits being taken
 Eg. night school, on-line courses etc.
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Important Information
 Make sure your e-mail address is up-todate
 Make sure e-mail messages from OUAC
and do not go to your junk mail
 Keep all your application information in a
separate file
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UNIVERSITIES OUTSIDE OF
ONTARIO
 Bishop’s, Concordia, McGill, Dalhousie, Simon
Fraser, UBC, UVIC, U of Calgary, U of New
Brunswick, St Mary’s are connected to OUAC
 Other universities: must arrange for transcript to be
sent; order in guidance
 Most American Universities demand testing ie. SAT
 SAT
www.collegeboard.com
TOEFL – for students whose 1st language is not English
Contact university for specific instructions
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What Happens Next
 Read ‘Welcome letter’
 Institutions will assign each applicant
a student number
 Use this student number to track the
status of your application on the
university’s web site
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University Offers of Admission
 Each university is different
 Early early offers are made using grade 11 marks &
any completed grade 12
 Generally should have a scholarship offer attached
 Most offers arrive after the mid-term of 2nd semester
 One offer does not cancel other offers
 Programs requiring portfolios have later offers
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General Offer Process
(not all universities are the same)
First Round Offers (mid December)
 A minimum of 5 grade 11 (3U/M) grades
must be available
 Average must be 80% or better (depends
on program)
 No refusals at this time
 Applicants who do not receive an offer at
this time will be evaluated in next round of
offers
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Second Round Offers (March)
*decisions are based on grade 12 and grade 11 marks
 A minimum of 3 grade 12 (4U/M) grades must be
available
 All prerequisites must be presented (grades or in
progress)
 A minimum of 6 courses are included in the
calculation of average (eg. 4-4U/M and 3-3U/M)
 Generally seats are kept open in all programs for the
final round of offers except for limited enrollment
programs: check with the university
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Third Round Offers (May)
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decisions based on grade 12 marks
 A minumum of 6 grade 12 (4U/M) grades must be
available- final or interim grades
 All prerequisites must be presented
 Minimum average will depend on program
 Offers, refusals are sent
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Upcoming Events
 Carleton University Parent Night
December 10
Register admissions.carleton.ca
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Information on Scholarships
Direct applications (not limited)
Sponsored applications (limited)
Automatic – based on marks
Scholarship tab on einfo (Ontario)
School websites (outside Ontario)
Family workplaces, community
organizations
 Scholarships Canada/Student Awards
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Financial Aid
WHAT IS OSAP?
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OSAP is the Ontario Student Assistance Program
OSAP helps fund a student’s post secondary career
The amount of assistance is dependent upon several
factors (detailed on-line application)
Financial Aid Calculator
30% Tuition Reduction
http://osap.gov.on.ca
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Our Message to Students
Be Realistic
Be Informed
Don’t Panic
Remember, it’s not
a life-long decision
 Work hard, but
enjoy this year!
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PRESENTED BY SRB’S
GUIDANCE
DEPARTMENT
2013/2014
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