Student Services
Grades 9 – 12
POST-SECODARY PLANNING
PostSecondary
Admissions
Counselling &
Applications
Group / Grade
Meetings
Orientation &
Exit
Programs
Peer Mentors
Individual
Counselling
Career
Exploration
Student
Services
Grades
9-12
Parent
Information
Sessions
Personal / Social
Counselling
Academic
Counselling
Career Studies
Curriculum
Peer Tutoring
Study
Skills
Future
Goals
Course Planning
for IB
Diploma Program
We are here to work with You

CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY
We are here to work with You
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RESEARCHING A
UNIVERSITY
We are here to work with You
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STUDENT
RESPONSIBILITIES
We are here to work with You
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PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES
We are here to work with You
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COUNSELLORS
RESPONSIBILITIES
We will discuss…
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Naviance / Family Connection
Applying to Canadian Universities
Applying overseas (U.K)
Applying to U.S. Universities
How to become a strong applicant
Factors to consider when choosing
IB grades vs. Ontario grades
Scholarship opportunities
Counselling Support / Resources
Using Naviance / Family
Connection
Preparing for University
The Student Services department at The
York School proactively supports you in
this process through:
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Individual planning (each year)
Monitoring academic progress
Meetings with student groups every cycle
Evening Presentations
Drop in times / request to see counsellor
YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS!
We are connected
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International Baccalaureate Organization, IBO; IB Schools of
Ontario, IBSO; Ontario Ministry of Education
Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario, CIS;
Canadian Association of Independent Schools, CAIS
Ontario Council of Universities, Ontario Universities
Application Centre, OUAC; Ontario Colleges Application
Service, OCAS
Association of Universities and Colleges Canada, AUCC
University and College Application Service, UCAS (U.K.)
Ontario School Counsellors Association, OSCA; National
Association of College Admission Counsellors,
NACAC (U.S.)
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
Visits to campuses and University Admission Offices
Know Yourself and Your
Reasons for Attending University
 Recognize your strengths and
weaknesses
 Analyze your interests and values
 Know Your Reasons for Higher
Education?:
 To achieve a personal goal
 To increase your earning power
 To prepare for a career and expand learning
 To participate in extracurricular activities and
social life
What makes a “good” university?
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A subjective question
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Do Rankings matter?
◦ Toronto, Queens, McGill, Oxford, Harvard,
Yale, Trent, etc.
or
◦ Mt. Allison, Brock, Union College, Truman
State, etc.
◦ You must be aware of your own goals, preferences,
interests, and values
So …. What makes a good university?
The Best Fit !!!
 Majors & educational programs
 Type of school & degrees offered
 Admission policy
 Location & size
 Opportunities for Success
 Costs & financial aid
 Campus activities
 Support services
List, Compare and Visit
Universities
 Compile information from several resources:
– Internet / Websites
– Naviance / Family Connection
– College catalogs, viewbooks, videos, and
computer-based services
– College representatives and college fairs
– Counsellors and teachers
– Parents, students, and alumni
– Visit, Visit, Visit
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Remember, decision making is a
PROCESS, not an event.
Applying to Ontario
Universities1
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OUAC (Ontario Universities Application
Centre)
$130.00 for 3 choices
◦ $44.00 each additional choice
E- Info for programs
and requirements
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January 15, 2014
Deadline for you to submit completed applications to the OUAC.
Note: Applications received after this date will still be processed by the OUAC and distributed to the universities. However,
specific university deadlines will apply.
The original application procedure will include the collection of all final grades from previously completed Grade 11 and 12
courses and a list of all current-year courses in progress.
February 13, 2014
Deadline for the OUAC to receive, from Ontario secondary schools, all final first-semester grades and current full-year
November grades for 4U/M courses.
March 3, 2014
Target date for Ontario universities to receive (from the OUAC) all final first-semester grades and current full-year November
grades for 4U/M courses.
April 24, 2014
Deadline date for Ontario secondary schools to report, to the OUAC, midterm grades for second-semester courses and interim
grades for full-year courses. Grades that the OUAC receives earlier will be transmitted to Ontario universities when received.
May 6, 2014
Target date for Ontario universities to receive, from the OUAC, second-semester midterm grades and interim grades for fullyear courses. Grades that the OUAC receives earlier will be transmitted to Ontario universities when received.
May 29, 2014
The latest date by which you can expect a response from an Ontario university. Such a response will be one of:
an offer of admission;
a refusal; or
a deferral pending the receipt of specific additional information.
June 2, 2014
The earliest date by which Ontario universities may require a response to an offer of admission and a financial commitment of
any kind
(e.g., registration deposit, residence deposit, etc.) from an Ontario secondary school student. All other admissions-related
elements including scholarships, other forms of student assistance or financial incentives, and offers of residence are
considered part of the offer of admission. Therefore, a student may accept these other offers prior to June 2, 2014, but
Ontario universities shall not compel a student in any way to make an earlier decision.
July 8, 2014
Deadline for the OUAC to receive final grades for current semester/year courses from Ontario secondary schools.
July 17, 2014
Target date for the OUAC to transmit all remaining final grades to the universities. By this date, the OUAC will have attempted
to contact all schools that have not provided their grades.
August 1-29, 2014
The OUAC collects summer school grades from Ontario secondary schools and boards.
OUAC DATES
OUAC
Applying to Ontario Universities2
•Some offers come earlier than
others
•Additional information?:
•Personal profile
•Audition
•Portfolio
•Confirm offer by June 1st
•Residence: application or
guaranteed or both?
IB grades vs Ontario grades
Universities will
compare and
use the scores
that put the
student in the
best position
Applying to Other Provinces
•Individual applications and fees
•Different dates, different processes
•For Atlantic universities: only require five
4U/M credits. $35-100 depending on university.
•Watch deadlines:
•UBC – Jan 31,
•McGill February 1.
•Many get grades from OUAC
•(e.g. McGill, UBC, Dalhousie, Concordia,
Bishop’s, Calgary)
Scholarships
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www.studentawards.com
www.scholarshipscanada.com
Admission scholarships
Merit scholarships
Bursaries and grants
Student Awards Offices and
publications at each university …
check websites
Applying
Overseas
United Kingdom:
UCAS.com
•Over 300 schools, over 50,000 courses
•Apply by mid-January
•Mid-October for Medical, Dental and
Veterinary programs, Oxford or
Cambridge
•Personal Statement: 4000 characters;
why?, reasons, evidence of understanding, interests,
experiences and abilities
Applying To non US/UK
Universities
◦individual university
application
– check websites
So many choices …..
 3,800+
degree granting post-secondary
educational institutions in the U.S.
◦ 2,629 four-year colleges
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Colleges and universities may be more or
less selective, depending on the
institutional mission that each college
individually determines.
Ivy League vs. others
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Ivy League schools are not the only
schools of stature and quality
Ivies:
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– Harvard, Yale, Princeton,
Dartmouth, Penn,
Brown, Cornell, Columbia
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HiddenIvies:
– Stanford, Chicago, Duke, Georgetown,
Johns Hopkins, MIT, USC, Notre Dame
…etc!
IV≠
Applying to U.S. Universities
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Much more involved
◦ Application and fee
◦ Essay
◦ Letters of Recommendation
 Teacher Recommendations
 Counsellor Recommendation
◦ Transcript
◦ SAT or ACT (or Test Optional)
◦ Interview? (On-Campus or Alumni)
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Early Decision Nov. 1 (binding)
Early Action
Regular Decision (Jan. 1)
The application process (from their perspective)
Becoming a Strong Applicant
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What are the most important factors for
college admissions?
• SAT/ACT scores. Universities will take either score. Super
scoring.
• SAT II Subject tests
• Rigor of secondary school record
• Academic GPA (from grade 9-12)
• Volunteerism/Extra Curricular Activities
• Application essay
• Recommendation letters
Becoming a Strong Applicant
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Work to improve your IB levels
Balance your life
Discover and develop your strengths and
interests
Commit to what you are interested in
(Scouts, Sports, Music Lessons, Model UN,
Debate)
Give back: Volunteer / Service opportunities
Go beyond the minimum: commit to 3-4
years of same class/club/etc.
Admission Factors
Percentage of Colleges Reporting “Considerable Importance”
Source: 2007 NACAC State of College Admissions
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Grades in university prep courses (along with
Strength of Curriculum)
76 %
Standardized admission tests
60 %
Grades in all courses
51 %
Essay or writing sample
28 %
Class rank
23 %
Student’s interests
21 %
Counsellor recommendation
21 %
Teacher recommendation
20 %
Interview
10 %
Work/extra curricular activities
8%
Test Prep Courses ?
THE BEST PREPARATION IS A SOLID
HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM
 Become familiar with the test content and
format
 Review academic results to identify
weaknesses
 Learn appropriate test-taking strategies
 Use Naviance / Family Connection online
test preparation program
 Take practice tests
 See your counsellor for other
test preparation materials
Check Subject Requirements
for Schools
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Naviance / Family Connection
Other School
Check Subject Requirements
for Schools
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Collegeboard.com
Other School
The Changing
Landscape of U.S.
College Admissions
I am Perfect! So why am I not
accepted?
–As the number of high school graduates grows, so, too,
does the number of applications they are submitting to the
nation’s four-year colleges and universities
–The increasing number of applications students submit
contributes to a more complicated admission environment
–Other trends
• Continued Increase in number of High School
Graduates.
• post-secondary education has become the standard
for economic advancement
• Admission Offices identify Grades, High School
Curriculum and Test Scores as Top Factors
U.S. universities fill their needs
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Diversity mandated by Federal Gov’t
Institutional need: fill each program /
faculty
Gender
Age
Racial / Ethnic
Socio-economic
First generation students
Special talents
Legacy
State / National diversity
International by region
Acceptance rates in the U.S.
Some schools admit less than 10% of
applicants
 Highly selective < 25%
 Moderately selective, 25% - 50%
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(Only 17 percent of four-year colleges in the U.S.
admit fewer than 50 percent of applicants.)
Apply for Admission and Observe
Deadlines
Narrow your choices
Review college admission test requirements
(including the optional Writing Test)
Know application fees and deadlines
Submit application materials
(paper/electronic)
–Application for admission
–High school transcript
–Recommendations
–Admission test results
Know scholarship requirements
The York School Supports
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PSAT’s, SAT preparation workshops
Naviance / Family Connection
Representatives’ visits
Teacher letters of recommendation
School / Counsellor report
Monitoring application submissions
Keeping students on deadlines
Counsellor support and guidance
IMPORTANT!
Keep your communication
lines open.
Finish Strong!
Thank you !
www.ouac.on.ca
www.electronicinfo.ca
www.ucas.com
www.collegeboard.com
www.studentawards.com
www.scholarshipscanada.com
Q & A