It takes more than just good grades and a vague idea of where they can take you to help navigate the road to the right post-secondary school.
“It’s a matter of determining what best fits the student,” said Robin Barton, a university career counsellor.
“There’s also the question of finding out if the student likes exams, or do they prefer group projects? Do they want to be in a big city or a small town? And how important is it that they know the teacher?”
The way schools approach their programs can also greatly determine a student’s decision. For example, UBC’s Sauder School of Business plunges students directly into business courses, whereas at the University of Western Alberta students can spend the first two years studying arts, and then focus on business, added Barton, a Steveston resident who is putting his 15 years of experience as a university counsellor at high schools to use with a newly formed service called Osgoode Consulting.
With schools having different deadline (many are in February) and application requirements — some ask for essays, others lean much more heavily on academic records — the process can seem overwhelming.
“One thing I encourage parents and students to do is apply to a range of universities that meet their social and academic criteria.”
It’s also a chance to turn the tables.
“Remember, you’re interviewing the university as much as they are interviewing you,” Barton said, adding that, if done successfully, the student should be satisfied with their choice.
“In Canada it’s a $30,000 gamble that, if it doesn’t pay off, you’re going to have to start from scratch and apply to another university and convince them that this time you’ve got it right,” Barton said.
Barton aims to provide a clearer route to selecting schools that are a good fit for the student’s academic and career plans.
There’s also often a lot of emotion invested when post-secondary school selection talks happen in a household, so it can help if families start early — ideally when a student enters Grade 10. That allows time to explore universities and careers starting in Grade 10, leaving the Grade 12 year as the time set aside for applications.
For more information about Osgoode Consulting, call 604-600-2366, or email [email protected].
