SchoolFinder Group
“School Application Strategies” Presentation
November 2011
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
The EDge Team
www.SchoolFinder.com
www.ScholarshipsCanada.com
www.StudyinCanada.com
www.GradSchoolFinder.com
2,000+ college and university profiles
33,000+ Diploma, Bachelor, Master’s and Doctorate programs
23,000+ scholarships
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
The EDge Mission
“Helping students find schools and
schools find students...
because our survival and prosperity
depends on an educated planet”
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
Sandie Matheson - Educator
Sandie Matheson is an educator with 20 years of diverse experience as a
teacher, professional tutor, guidance counsellor and career counsellor.
Sandie’s career path has included working in Saskatchewan and Manitoba in
both the private and public school systems. Now based out of Saskatoon, it is
Sandie’s passion to assist high school students with career planning,
scholarship applications and university advisement. Sandie holds a Bachelor
of Education degree from the University of Saskatchewan, and has studied
post-graduate courses in counselling and adolescent psychology.
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
Lauri Aesoph – ApplyBC
Lauri Aesoph is Manager of Operations for BCcampus, a systemic service that
supports BC's public post-secondary institutions by meeting their students'
learning needs through innovative and effective uses of educational
technologies.
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
Overview - Steps to School Application Success
1.
Searching for schools recap
2.
How to apply:
• Applying through a centralized system or directly to the school
• Writing personal statements, creating portfolios and collecting transcripts
3.
Ranking:
• Does ranking school/program choices in your application matter?
4.
Plan B:
• Is it important to choose a safety school?
• Considering other options for your education
5.
Funding your studies:
• Scholarships and other financial aid options
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
1. Searching for Schools - Considering Your Priorities
The search for schools can seem like a daunting task.
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
1. Searching for Schools - Consider Your Priorities
• Field of Study - Is the program you’re interested offered at this school?
• Proximity to Home - Do you want to live at home, in residence, or in off-campus housing?
• Location and Accessibility of School - Do you like the city, is there a public transportation route, or will you
drive to campus?
• Campus Size and Classroom Size - Do you prefer a large, a medium or a small campus? Are you interested in
personalized attention?
• Financial Aid and Scholarships - Does your school of interest offer scholarships, bursaries, or awards? Will you
be using government loans or bank loans?
• Community and Student Life - Are there student clubs, student unions, and opportunities for you to engage
with other students outside of class?
• Activities and Facilities – Are musical or drama societies, sports teams, communities or clubs that interest
you? Is there a gym, sports facility or library?
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
1. Searching for Schools – Pre-requisites
Prerequisites
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SchoolFinder Group
1. Searching for Schools - Research and Ratings of Schools and
Programs
Additional tools to help students with the decision making process:
• MacLean’s Magazine annual university ratings www.macleans.ca
•The Globe and Mail Canadian University report www.globeandmail.com/education
• Association of Canadian Universities and Colleges in Canada www.aucc.ca
• The Student’s Guide to Canadian Universities by Christine Ibarra and Blair Trudell: The
fundamental guide to choosing a university in Canada. Compiled by two university students and a
network of fellow students, this essential handbook is the most comprehensive and up-to-date
guide to 42 different universities across Canada. Organized from west to east, every university is
discussed in detail by the people who know best - the students themselves.
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
1. Searching for Schools - Research and Ratings of Schools and
Programs
SchoolFinder.com provides comprehensive information on college and university tuition, facilities, programs,
admission requirements and deadlines. You will also find information on scholarships and financial aid, events
and careers. www.schoolfinder.com
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
2. How to Apply - Online Application Preparation
On-line applications vary from province to province and university to university, but they are very straight
forward. Here are some points to aid you with the process:
• Do your homework
• Know when to apply. Pay attention to application deadlines on the university and college websites. Many
post-secondary institutions offer advance or early admission starting in October or November (based on Grade
11 Grades). Apply early.
• Research requirements and supporting documents. You will probably require a high school transcript. Some
universities require letters of reference, personal statements or letters of intent, or resumes. Plan ahead.
• Pay attention to prerequisites for your selected program. The university websites and view books provide
these details. Pay attention, also, to admission averages.
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
2. How to Apply - Online Application Procedures
Submitting your application
When you start to apply online, look for links on the website such as:
• Apply for undergraduate admission
• New student or secondary school student admissions
• You will need to create an account and a username and password. Keep a record of this information. You will
use it each time to access your account such as when you choose classes at a later date.
• Be prepared to pay the non-refundable application fee to register online. Fees usually range from $50.00 to
$100.00. A credit card payment online is preferred.
• Complete the application. Print a copy for your records file for future reference.
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
2. How to Apply - Applying to Schools in Canada
Application procedures vary from province to province. Ontario, Alberta and
British Columbia postsecondary institutions utilize central application
agencies.
Remaining Provinces
• Students apply directly to the school of choice (university or college) in
other provinces in Canada.
• AUCC, the Association of Canadian Universities and Colleges website is a
useful tool to explore post-secondary institutions in any province.
• www.aucc.ca
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
2. How to Apply - Applying to Schools in Canada
OUAC - Ontario Universities’ Application Centre
• Instead of applying directly to a university in Ontario, you must first submit an application
to OUAC – the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre.
• OUAC is a centralized application service for applicants to Ontario universities.
• The OUAC Council of Ontario facilitates the process of applying to first-year
undergraduate programs (bachelor’s degrees) and to advanced standing in these programs.
• The base application fee is $125.00.
• www.ouac.on.ca
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SchoolFinder Group
2. How to Apply - Online Applications
OCAS - Ontario College Application Service
• Students applying to Ontario colleges have access to OCAS.
• OCAS serves as a centralized, one-stop, processing centre.
• OCAS also serves applicants by transmitting (and in some cases collecting) their grades so
that they no longer need to supply multiple colleges with transcripts.
• OCAS is affiliated with 28 colleges in Ontario.
• The application fee is $95.00.
• www.ocas.ca
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
2. How to Apply - Online Applications
Apply Alberta – Alberta Post-Secondary Application System
• ApplyAlberta is a web-based post-secondary application and transcript transfer system offered to students
applying to post-secondary institutions in the province.
• First time students use ApplyAlberta to create a profile with their personal and academic history. This
information is filled in automatically on each of their Alberta post-secondary applications.
• Students using ApplyAlberta authorize post-secondary institutions to request the transfer of their Alberta
high school and/or post-secondary transcripts.
• Students do not pay a fee for transcripts transferred through ApplyAlberta but do pay the application fee
required by the school(s) of choice.
• 22 schools (colleges, universities, university/ colleges are affiliated with ApplyAlberta.
• Students apply through the application centre for the participating schools, otherwise applications are sent
to the schools directly.
• www.applyalberta.ca
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
2. How to Apply - Online Applications
ApplyBC – British Columbia Post- Secondary Application Service
• ApplyBC is an online tool that lets students anywhere in the world apply to B.C.'s 25 public
post-secondary institutions through a single portal.
• ApplyBC collects the applicant's basic personal information and submits it as a common form to
institutions of the applicant's choice, beginning the application process.
• Prospective students may apply to any of the province’s 25 post-secondary institutions, which
include colleges, universities and institutes. (For more information, go to
http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/publicpsed/welcome.htm).
• https://applybc.ca
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SchoolFinder Group
2. How to Apply - Online Applications
What happens next?
• Most institutions send an acknowledgement letter and /or offer of admission (pending
documentation) within a few weeks of receipt of your application by the admissions office.
• Keep this letter for your records. To check the status of your application, contact the admissions
department of the institution you’ve applied to. There may be an option to check your application
status online through the institution’s website.
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
3. Ranking Program Choices
When using a centralized application service, for example, OUAC, one application
allows for 3 program choices.
“Your numbered list of choices does provide valuable information to the university
admission offices. This is particularly true for limited enrolment programs. Admission
officials use this data to project the number of applicants who are likely to accept offers
of admission, so that the university can plan its resources accordingly.”
- OUAC, Common Questions
Source: http://www.ouac.on.ca/faq/how-i-number-my-choices/
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
4. Plan B - School Application Strategy
• Look beyond your "dream school”, even if you think there cannot possibly be
another school worth considering.
• By narrowing your choices to only one school or only applying to schools with
low admission rates/highly selective admissions process, you are limiting your
options.
• Even with excellent grades and test scores, admission averages change from
year to year and so does eligibility criteria. Good grades are important, but for
some programs, additional requirements are assessed.
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
4. Plan B - School Application Strategy
Build your foundation by looking at the following:
• Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Take a realistic look and think about what you need to
be happy and successful during your post secondary school experience.
• Identify some schools where you have a good chance of admission. These are the schools where
your grades put you in the top of accepted students, or schools that accept a large percentage of
applicants.
• Fall in love with at least one school where you have a good chance of admission before you move
on to choose more selective schools. Working from the bottom up, allows you to go through your
school search and applications with an open mind.
• Once you’ve laid your foundation, you'll be able to start writing your applications knowing that
ALL of the schools you're applying to, including your "safety" schools, are ones where you would be
happy attending (the hard part will be choosing which offers to accept)!
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SchoolFinder Group
5. Funding your studies - Calculate the cost
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SchoolFinder Group
5. Funding your Studies - ScholarshipsCanada.com
© 2011 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
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SchoolFinder Group
Social Media
Facebook, Twitter and other Social Media platforms are
other ways of accessing information. Follow, Like and
subscribe for quick tips and reminders.
SchoolFinder.com Twitter
ScholarshipsCanada.com Twitter
@myschoolfinder
@scholarshipsca
- Updates on schools and events across Canada
- Insider information on study tips and school
applications
- News on student life, careers, and technology
SchoolFinder.com Facebook
Facebook.com/myschoolfinder
- Highlights on news in education and careers
- Discussion and poll questions
© 2009 EDge Interactive - SchoolFinder.com / “School Application Strategies” Presentation 2011
- #TakeCharge2011 Twitter contest
- Insider information on study tips and
scholarships
- Money saving tips with #GetMoneyWise
ScholarshipsCanada.com Facebook
Facebook.com/scholarshipscanada
- Highlights on news in education and scholarship
applications tips
- Discussion and poll questions
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Webinar Series
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Do you have any suggestions on future webinar topics? Let us know at info@edgeip.com.
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SchoolFinder Group
Feedback and Questions?
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EDge Interactive
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info@edgeip.com
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cwilkins@edgeip.com
Or Karen Lam at:
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