University and College Information Evening Student Services Mrs

University and College Information Evening Student Services Mrs. Ruth Fraser Mrs. Paula Manhas

Agenda § CHS University Program information § Factors to consider when applying § Choosing university programs § Admissions Landscape § Canadian universities § U. S. & International universities and colleges § Student Panel § Resources for post-secondary research – handout available as you leave § This power point will be available on the website

CHS University Program Overview • University Info Evening March 6 th 7 – 9 • Course Planning Evening – Mar 12 th 7 -9 • Research sessions (in Planning classes) – Grade 11 and throughout Grade 12 • Mandatory parent & student interviews (gr. 11) with assigned university counsellors • Students will be assigned to their university • counsellor by Graduation Transitions 12 classes in their grade 12 year

CHS University Planning & Research • Each student should keep a current filing system (paper or electronic) for all pertinent information • Students update their Naviance profile and information on a regular basis • Parents should also be on Naviance to engage in conversation with their daughters and with counsellors • Research specific programs and course descriptions in college and university catalogues and on websites

Important Considerations in Choosing any University program • • • Early, on-going, open, and un-pressured dialogue is key Your daughter is a unique individual with unique strengths, weaknesses, and needs Being accepted is different from choosing the school that is the right fit Emotional intelligence is key to transition 60% of first year students change programs , faculties or universities – need for flexibility and being open to new opportunities

Factors to consider when applying: • Academic program: content, structure, features, elective flexibility, rigour, balance • Facilities: availability to undergraduates, quality, maintenance, development • Profile of institution • Size and location • Campus culture, diversity • Availability of financial aid/scholarships: Canadian – University and private organizations US financial support available but in difficult economic times full fee students increase their chances of admissions to competitive institutions International – no substantial aid, although there are some scholarships available

Admission Landscape - CANADA • Admissions have eased over the last 15 years due to changing demographics of Cdn population (fewer 17 year olds) “Total fertility rate, Canada and the United States, 1940 -2000. ” 1/Jan. 2012. Statistics Canada. com. Web. 23/Feb/2012.

Canadian Admissions Landscape § +20 % of CHS students matriculate to UBC or Mc. Gill § UBC, Mc. Gill, U of T, Western and Queen’s remain competitive. These are large research universities with large first year classes in major urban centres § Coastal institutions and the Prairies have relatively lower admissions (Dal, UVic, U of C, U of Alberta, Concordia, Mount Allison, Bishops), many with smaller classes § Scholarship money is generously available – both entrance and private scholarships

Admission Landscape – U. S. § Demographics in the US are different than in Canada § Large and growing hispanic and black populations with a higher birth rate § No child left behind policies § CHS students apply to a narrow band of mostly private, top tier institutions § International students have better chances of admission if full fee paying § Parents can access a list of American institutions that historically provide Financial Aid for International Students on the school website

Admission Landscape – International • European countries reflect Canada’s experience with declining population • Asia is the reverse – North American applicants are generally discouraged from applying as application rates are very high • UK, Scotland, and Wales have different education systems • Direct entry is a draw for professional programs such as Medicine, Law, Dentistry, Physio, Veterinary, but growing interest from our students in Arts/Humanities

3 Application Processes Canada US International Admission Grade 12 marks Grades 9 – 12 marks Grades 11/12 marks Counsellor Teacher Recommend Not required One or except for Several special letters programs Teacher only for UK Essays/Profil es Varies by Institution *Required for Broad Based Faculties & Institutions Almost all Institutions require one or more - except state schools Short personal statement for UCAS (UK Application Service) SAT’s and SAT subject tests for most or ACT UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test), BMAT (Biomedical Admissions Test), LNAT(Law National Aptitude Test) for some Standardized Usually none Tests Hong Kong – Teacher reference Some essays required for others

Features of Canadian Universities § Excellent education, international reputation, and undergraduate research opportunities § Availability of co-operative programs § Tuition is subsidized by government § Following CHS, a continued focus on multi-cultural experience, co-operative education and research § Flexibility around faculty of choice and degree combinations

Canadian University Applications Research and selection beginning in Grade 11 – this includes a mandatory research assignment Apply by mid - December in grade 12 (Naviance) School transcript sent in January or March at student’s request Admission based primarily on grades, although many institutions now request a simple profile of student activities and interests Some Canadian universities will make early conditional offers, based on Grade 11 marks All universities require English 12 as part of the admission process

General Canadian University Admission Requirements §Entrance average calculated on English 12 + 4 or 5 grade 12 academic courses §For many programs: supplementary information (extracurricular, community service, leadership, awards, etc. ) is reviewed §Students allowed to apply to two faculties at most institutions

General Canadian University Admission Requirements § Requirements vary by university and faculty § In fall of grade 11, students research specific entrance requirements in Planning 10 B § Published cutoffs are based on the previous year’s data and may change § UBC is an exception – New Admissions process this year based on Profile and Grades (Broad Based Admission all faculties) Trial Year 2011 -2012 § Most schools finalize offers by mid-late April § Students should check specific schools and their prerequisites

Admission Averages - Examples *Varies from school to school and by faculty Arts: • • • UBC – 87% U o f T – low 80% Mc. Gill – 87% Western – 83% Queen’s – 80%min /86. 4% Carleton – 70% U Vic – 67% early 75% U of C— 72% Dalhousie – 70%

Admission Averages – Examples * Sciences * Varies from school to school & by faculty • • UBC 90% U of T – low 80% Mc. Gill - Physical, Earth Science – 85% - Biological, Life 90% Western - 85 -86% Queen’s – 84%min/ 90. 1%avg Carleton – 70% U of C – 80% for Bio Science and 90% for Neuro Sc • U of Alberta- 75%

Admission Average* - Examples Commerce (Business Management) *Varies from school to school & by faculty • • UBC— 84% plus supplement U of T—mid 80% Mc. Gill— 91% Western— 84% Ivey 90% plus supplement Queen’s— 87%min/91. 5%aver grade 2010 Carleton— 70% U of C— 78 -82% Uvic – 80%

Specialized Progams – Admission Averages & Requirements - Examples • Some programs that are competitive and small may have special averages and requirements, higher than the general admission to the faculty: • • • UWO – Richard Ivey – AEO – 90% UBC – Science one (3 Science 12’s) Mc. Master - Health Sciences (3 Science 12’s) Mc. Gill – Management – 91% U of Calgary – Nueuro Science – 90% University of Alberta – no entry for Business from high school

CHS Admission Stats – CANADA Institution 2011 Institution 21 2011 (65) 2 Concordia 1 21 2010 (55) 16 3 2 0 2 1 1 Dalhousie 12 Mc. Gill 7 1 14 6 7 12 8 2 10 Queens 0 U of Toronto SFU 4 7 2 2 2 0 1 3 5 U of Victoria U of 1 Toronto Waterloo 4 Waterloo Western 5 Western Other 8 Other TOTAL 65 4 1 7 7 1 0 1 4 6 8 3 2 7 55 52 55 UBC Concordia Dalhousie Mc. Gill Queens UBC SFU 2 1 5 8 200919 (52) 2008 (55) 10

U. S University Program Grade 11: § Students write PSAT in October § Research beginning in the fall of grade 11 § Mandatory interviews with parents & students § Student self-assessment and resume due in May of Grade 11 (Naviance) § Prepare and write SATs in late spring Grade 11 or early fall Grade 12 § Creation of ‘short list’ schools by April-May to be discussed and reviewed with university counsellor

U. S University Program § SAT prep – Naviance purchase of Prep Me will be available to CHS students in early May 2012, ($100 – 150 fee per student). § This will provide personalized learning with interactive lessons, practise quizzes, and intermittent full length tests. Parents, students, and administrators will receive weekly reports demonstrating student usage, performance, and improvement. § CHS collaborates with the Princeton Review to offer a real full length mock-SAT in spring of every year

SAT/ACT registration & prep § Testing dates spring of Grade 11 to fall of Grade 12 § Last SAT possible in January of grade 12 § The role of outside consultants § Look for IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association) certification and NACAC affiliation § Check the Website/Handout for : 12 Questions to Ask before Hiring an Independent Educational Consultant?

U. S. University Program Grade 12 § Students complete applications, essays, etc. to be sent -November 1 for early action and early decision -December 1 for regular decision § Decisions for early candidates may be released as early as December 1, continuing until mid-December § Some Schools offer ED 2 – in early January § Rolling admission decisions for all candidates § National response date: May 1 st (all decisions due)

Features of U. S. Colleges §Undergraduate research opportunities §Value of liberal arts education §Integrated cross-curriculum more common §College life includes automatic residence for four years §Single sex education – a unique learning opportunity – Scripps, Wellesley, Mount Holyoke

The U. S. Application Components Grades achieved in courses and rigour of academic program selected : School Transcript for grades 9 – 12. Character and personal qualities (Secondary School Report for US Schools) Student essays and personal statement are crucial Counsellor Recommendation Letter Teacher Recommendation Letters Context of school as reflected in School Profile

U. S. Application Components – cont’d SAT/ACT scores: should reflect a careful plan, thorough preparation, and balance. Score Choice is only used at some schools. Competitive schools will request ALL scores be sent Additional factors: talent (athletic, musical, etc. ), VIP, contribution, legacy Interviews with university representatives – can be conducted at CHS does not provide rank or GPA School does not provide rank or GPA

SAT Exams (SAT I and SAT II’s) Registration and Preparation *Consider most appropriate for your own learning and lifestyle. Studies conducted by the College Board concluded that commercial coaching programs for the SAT had little or no significant positive effect on SAT scores. This report did conclude, however, that challenging academic coursework was directly associated with higher test scores P. 51, Foundations of Standardized Admission Testing, Richard J. Noeth, PHD, NACAC, 2009. How to Select SAT Iis University and program specific requirements & recommendations – link to program of study Can be written in Grade 11 or 12 depending on curriculum RESEARCH SPECIFIC SCHOOLS’ SAT II REQUIREMENTS BY THE SCHOOL EARLY AND VERY CAREFULLY! (eg. History and French required for Brown ? )

Should I Apply Early Decision/Action? Checklist or considerations include: § an excellent academic record since Grade 9 § comprehensively researched colleges and universities and found the best match for them § outstanding talent(s) § parents who are alumni § a compelling reason to choose that school § School selects 45% or more of their candidates from the early pool § School offers highly competitive program with small enrolment

What’s the Difference? *Early Decision: early cycle – binding; if accepted MUST WITHDRAW all other applications and attend *Early Action: early cycle – not binding *Regular Decision: regular cycle *Rolling Admission: no cycle *Potential outcomes: Admit, defer, deny, waitlist.

CHS ADMISSION STATS - US Institution 2011 (20) 2010 (15) Berkeley 2 3 Johns Hopkins 1 Cornell 2009 (21) 2008 (16) 4 1 2 Duke 1 1 Georgetown/ George Washington) 1 (Georgetown) 1 (George Wash) New York University 1 2 2 Rhode Island School of Design 1 1 2 Stanford 1 1 UCLA/USC/UCSB 5 (UCLA) 4 (USC) 1 (UCLA) Ivy Leagues 3 (Brown, Cornell, Penn) 1 (Columbia) 1 (Yale) 1 (Brown) 1 (Princeton) 2(Penn) 3 (Columbia) 1 (Harvard) Other (Rice, Berkley, Wellesley, etc. ) 6 (Chicago, Pitzer, Scripps, Smith, UW, Carnegie Mellon 1 (Wellesley) 7 – FIDM, Chicago, Pomona Haverford, UW, Maine (2) 1 (USC) 5 - Marymount, Rice, Berkley, Boston, Claremont 2 1 (USC) 1 UCSB

ADMISSIONS STATS - US College or University Overall Admissions % of students admitted % International Students Admitted CHS ** % of students admitted Boston 28 2. 9 71. 4 Brown 9. 3 8. 4 9. 3 Berkeley 22 5. 5 18 Cornell 16. 7 8. 2 20. 6 Columbia 10 10. 3 20. 6 Johns Hopkins 25 6. 1 47. 0 New York University 32 6. 3 40. 5 U of Pennsylvania 18 10. 3 20. 0 Pitzer 26 3. 2 100 University of Southern California 22 4. 8 37. 8 Stanford 7. 3 6. 9 8. 6 Carnegie Mellon 7. 5 8. 6 44. 4 Wellesley 36 7. 7 36. 4

UK & International Admissions* *Rationale for attending school abroad varies by family: nationality, culture, institution reputation, or availability of direct entry programs *Tuition is considerably more expensive but on a par with ending school in the U. S. *www. ucas. com early application deadline for Dentistry, Medicine, Vet Science and Oxford/Cambridge is Oct. Late of Grade 12 year. Late applications Jan – June

UKCAT / BMAT/ LNAT Standardized testing for admission § UKCAT (Clinical Aptitude Test) The test measures verbal reasoning, abstract reasoning, decision analysis, and noncognitive analysis; DEADLINE OCTOBER 10 th § UKCAT required by 26 universities, primarily medical & dental § BMAT (Biomedical Admissions Test) is required by 5 schools. The test measures aptitude, skills, scientific knowledge and writing – DEADLINE OCTOBER 31 § LNAT (Law National Admissions Test). It measures verbal reasoning DEADLINE OCTOBER 5 th

U. K. & International Admissions § One key to success for admissions has been having one or more relevant work experience opportunities § CHS has strong admission rates for medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy, visual arts (fashion), law, and veterinarian programs § Studying in foreign country requires students to be flexible and adaptable § Complex VISA process

CHS Admissions Stats – UK & International Institution 2011 (6 students) 2010 (6 students) 2009 (11 students) 2008 (3 students) Saint Andrews 1 (Medicine) 3 (Medicine) Edinburgh 2 (International Relations/Vet) 2 (Vet/Psychology) Oxford 1 (Law) 1 (Business) Birmingham 1 (Medicine) 1 (Physiotherapy) Bath 1 (Education) 1 (Sociology) Durham 1 (Law) Sheffield 1 (Medicine) 1 (Dentistry) Saint Georges 1 (Medicine) Hong Kong 1 (Law) 1 (General) King’s College Brighton Other 1 (Medecine) 1 (Business) 3 (Science, Design, Marine Biology)

The Campus Visit

Resources for University Planning &Research • Mrs. Fraser rfraser@croftonhouse. ca • Ms. Manhas pmanhas@croftonhouse. ca • Naviance - parent portal and registration is below: • https: //connection. naviance. com/croftonhouse This software allows parents, students and counsellors to manage the post-secondary application process

NAVIANCE FAMILY CONNECTION

Naviance https: //succeed. naviance. com Student Profile Student Journal and Resume Student Surveys Document Library Scholarships Career Research College Research – tracks applications & acceptances Regular e-mail from Counsellors

University Resources • University and College Visits from Representatives, admission offices, websites & Links • Articles & Books • Student Services – Counselors, Post-Secondary Resource Room • CHS Alumni, family & friends • Book List Available in Handouts

What Next? • Students search programs by region, state or province, majors, websites and viewbooks • Consider CHS Couse Seclections for 2012/2013 • Focus on 6 to 8 schools of interest, depending on geographical areas and interest • Connect with colleges and universities for information regarding admissions, financial aid – they want to hear from you if you are interested • Campus Tours/Online Tours/ Virtual. Tours

Student Panel And now…a few words from our special guests Bavenjit Cheema Rebecca Smith Madeleine Armstrong Alana Gross

Thank you “Admissions officers are looking for students who are motivated to succeed in college, students who are socially competent and emotionally intelligent enough to participate in college life and to contribute to its community. ” “Colleges are looking for students who are happily pursuing their own interests. It is best to be spending your out-of class time doing things you really enjoy, not doing what others tell you that you must do to be admitted to college. ” – Marilee Jones & Kenneth Ginsburg, Less Stress, More Success. (A highly recommended resource available through Amazon. com)

Q & A session