Canadian Schools
Are you thinking about what comes next for you after high school? Mr. Carignan participated in a tour of colleges and universities in Nova Scotia and this is what he found.
First, what makes Canadian Colleges and Universities different from those in the united states?
1. Cost-Canadian Tuition is paid in Canadian Dollars with is currently pegged between 90-93 cents American to the Canadian Dollar (10-7% savings in listed tuition costs). In addition to this, while Canadian schools have increased in cost over the past thirty years and there is a significant international fee, full-time, high-quality colleges and universities in Canada generally range between twenty and twenty-six thousand Canadian dollars a year. The only negative is that federal Pell grants cannot be applied to Canadian Tuition, though American's with a cumulative average of 85% or better will receive a merit scholarship, and other loans will still be available for students and parents. In addition, most universities have additional small scholarships or Bursar's awards that can be applied for every semester.
2. Admissions Process- First, is it shorter with rolling admissions starting on October 15th and responses reaching students in one to six weeks (smaller schools usually in one or two weeks). Your admission decision is based primarily on your 12th Grade work with 11th grade and the rest of your record being also being considered. Many schools do not require SATs (the largest schools do), and they clearly lay out the classes that they want you to take on their websites. The admissions process does not consider Alumnae relationships, Financial Gifts, or Need, and generally accept all the students that meet their standards.
3. Quality- Almost all Canadian colleges and universities (98%) are public institutions (receive some of their funding from the government) The impact (besides low cost and excellent facilities) is that the quality of Canadian Schools is relatively uniform with high standards practices and outcomes across the range of schools. Effectively this means that lower and moderately rated schools are very close to the top schools in the experience and outcomes they provide their students.
4. International Value-Canadian schools are recognized across the united states, the British Commonwealth, and the world as high-quality institutions that meet national and state licensure and certification requirements.
Here is information on the schools Mr. Carignan visited as well as his own impressions and insights.
Dalhousie University-
Overview-The biggest university (18,000 undergraduate students), in the biggest city (390,000) in Nova Scotia. It offers a huge range of majors 180, in addition to being a leading research center with thriving graduate programs. There are many programming options and students are encouraged to combine their interests in their course work. There are many students from 110 different countries and student support isone of the institutions defining characteristics. There are many highly regarded programs here, but one of the best know is a marine science program that is active in five oceans. Finally, there is a wide range of Co-Op programs that give students the opportunity to work in their fields of study while still enrolled in school while building their resumes and making connections with employers all over the world. Unlike many internships in the US, these are all paid positions.
Impressions-
This is the big one with a total population almost double that of Orono and a city almost four times the size of Portland. The Campus itself is a combination of class ivy-covered stone buildings and gleaming modern designs all grouped together in a surprisingly compact area only 300 meters (yes they use metric) from the ocean.
It offers the widest range of programming in the Province (think state, this is Canada) and has graduate as well undergraduate students. If you are looking for a large university with a wide range of options, and you already have a specific program in mind, this would be worth taking a look at. With a total cost of $26,000 Canadian, this provides all the opportunities of a large campus.
Another option is to attend the programs offered on Dalhousie's agricultural campus. It offers a wide range of specialized programs including a very popular Vet Tech program and the first two years of an engineering degree where first and second-year students benefit from demanding academics as well as hands-on problem-solving in the field.
Hidden Gem-International Food Marketing-a program that features an exchange semester working closely with students from other countries to learn how to develop new food products and markets across the world.
King's College
Overview-Founded by the Loyalist Members of Columbia University when they escaped during the American Revolution, Kings College provides a unique educational experience for all of its students. Its unique Foundation Year model provides all first-year students with a rigorous exploration of the great works of literature and culture through the lenses of the arts and sciences. The model's focus is the creation of an intellectually active and engaged student community. After the first year, students can continue to attend only King's College classes or can also take classes at neighboring Dalhousie University. Many students receive and Combined Honors Degree from both King's and Dalhousie.
Insights-
This is a school for questioners and thinkers. First-year students spend the 4 of 5 possible course slots (3 of 5 for science majors) in a group lecture followed by seminars with Professors and 10-15 students. If you want to live an active life of the mind, in a school where the great hall still holds formal dinners and the students and faculty are expected to wear their (Harry Potteresque) robes this is a unique school that provides an excellent classical liberal arts education undergraduate education as well as preparing an impressive 80% of its students for graduate degrees.
Hidden Gem-Check out the Journalism Program! The liberal arts approach is training journalists that will be able to remain relevant in a rapidly changing media world.
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
Overview-Located on the waterfront on Halifax with beautiful views of the harbor, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) has programs for many of the fine arts including drawing, ceramics, film, sculpture, woodworking, metalworking, jewelry, Painting, photography as well as offering programs that mix different media's together. Their goal is to help aspiring artists realize and refine their artistic visions. They offer a more flexible Bachelor of Arts Degree or a more structured Bachelor of Design degree
Students are exposed to a wide range of classes that focus on the fundamentals (you learn to weave before diving into textiles) and then rapidly moving on to more advanced work in their own studio space, providing 24-hour access to all workspaces except for metal and wood which need to be staffed for safety reasons.
Their application process focuses on evaluating student's creative process and must be documented by 40 images (20 final/20 sketches) and three months of notes.
Admissions staff gave these helpful hints for students building portfolios:
Don'ts-No Unicorns, Superheroes, Anime, Floating Objects, Boring/Standard Projects, Drawings from photos or celebrities.
Do's-Do draw from difficult and unusual angles, make sure self-portraits reflect you, Show technical skills, Create art that moves beyond the assignment, Find beauty in non-traditional subjects and settings
Hidden Gem-The school has a creative loft space in New York City that students can apply to live in while studying there.
Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture (DFA)-
Overview-Formerly a separate school, DFA has a long tradition of bringing rigor into the hands-on classroom. Rising majors include Food Logistics, International Food marketing Aquaculture, and Vet Technician programs as well as the first two years of a Dalhousie engineering degree in an intensive hands-on setting.
Insights-Though part of Dalhousie University this is actually a separate campus that provides excellent access to natural resources and a small-town small college setting for programs usually only accessible in a larger school.
Hidden Gem- The Veterinarian Technician program is so rigorous and respected that some students waiting to begin their post-grad Veterinary Doctorate will complete this program to improve skills and knowledge in a program that at least one student found more challenging than their pre-vet undergrad degree!
Saint Francis-Xavier-
Overview-A highly regarded school of 3500 +/- provides a small liberal arts experience that is comparable to Maine and New England’s small liberal arts colleges. With an emphasis on service and global citizenship as well as academic excellence, St F-X has made a name for itself attracting students from across the globe. A beautiful campus with a rigorous construction and renovation program, school spirit is a palpable force on this campus, and this school’s traditions create a unified student body and an active campus that will define the experience of all the students that attend.
Undergraduate students can participate in published research projects, and the business program features guest instructors from across the globe that are entrepreneurial leaders and visionaries. Students mark their graduation by receiving the “X-ring”, a token of their membership of this active community, and the third most widely recognized ring in the world (Super bowl and Military Academy rings are one and two)
Hidden Gem-International leaders that are guests Leaders in Residence at the school offer Seminars to students. Hidden around the school are small classrooms and conference rooms where small gatherings of teachers and students work closely on joint projects and specialized topics that draw students into the close-knit communities that define this school and the St. F-X experience.
Hidden Gems The X-men cultivate a collegiate culture and spirit on campus that creates
a feeling of community hard to find in schools today.
Acadia-
Another highly regarded school with a tradition of excellence and school pride, Acadia can trace its traditions back to the Axemen that cleared the land where the college stands and that has become the school’s mascot. Formerly affiliated with St. F-X Acadia has grown into a liberal arts school that provides a range of programming usually associated with much larger universities on a campus dotted with construction and renovation projects. Complete with its own ghost, Acadia is rich in traditions as well as opportunities for students to become involved in research and service projects that build a rich college community. A rich college town, there are no barriers between townies and college students, and the town's residents flood the stands on game-day in a flood of student and citizen “Axemen”. Particularly strong in the sciences, Acadia features labs and greenhouses that are internationally respected. Co-op programs can place students across Canada and the United States and students are actively encouraged to participate in them by Professors/Academic advisors that advocate and mentor students through all four years.
Hidden Gem-Specialty programs and club like the Wine Institute that focuses on the development of local vineyards in the surprisingly mild climate of this region. Acadia leads Canada in the development of Co-Op opportunities and these paid professional experiences can alter and enrich a student’s professional pathway.
Cape Breton-
Located just a short distance from Cape Breton’s national park, this campus feels new as soon as you arrive. A rigorous building and renovation program gives students housing and labs that rise above the standard in most American schools. It features programs that range from Chemistry to Hospitality, providing undergraduates many opportunities for research and cooperative experiences. Cape Breton thoughtfully works hard to meet the needs of its’ international students and is has many programs to build a rich and diverse community. I was struck by just how well the Professors here knew their students and this caring made the school feel even smaller and more tightly knit than its actual size. One specialty program that you will find here is the opportunity to study the rich Acadian and Scottish cultures that thrive in this region. Students study and work with some of the leading artists and scholars from these communities to create a truly unique college experience.
Hidden Gem-A concerted effort was made to create a green and comfortable campus and to ensure the comfort of students from more temperate climes, many of the buildings linked together providing students with a warm walk past living walls of exotic plants on the way to class.
If you are considering Canadian Schools, don't stop here! All of Canada's provinces have colleges and universities that rival the greatest American schools. A great source for more information is MacLean's College Rankings for all Canadian schools. MacLean's functions like US News and World Report's American Listings and can give you insights into some of Canada's other educational treasures.