Documenting Your Process

It is recommended for all students to find a way to Document their research.    I recommend that all students get a notebook of some kind for them to write ( old school ) their notes.  When they are on their computers doing research it is challenging to write down notes on the same computer.  Also when you go to visit a University it is much easier to take notes when you are there and bring your questions and take notes with the answers in a notebook than it is on device.  

Getting Started: 

1. Write your name on the cover and write down what this notebook is for!  I encourage you to decorate it as you go!  Put stickers or pictures or whatever on it, as your ideas and research develops into possibilities-- make it yours!  

2. Think about the question "What do I want from my post high school experience (College, Gap, Work etc...) or "what would make the perfect post-secondary experience?"  Spend a few minutes writing down your ideas.  

3. Next-- Take a look at the Good Fit page on this website.  Then think about your answer to the question again?  What would you add or change or .... ?  Take a few more minutes to write down your thoughts.

4. Remember that there is no right or wrong- and that this is NOT- "the answer"-  rather it is an exploration of possibilities.   Please continue to come back to this idea/question over and over.  As your research continues, and the more you understand, the more you will develop/change/adapt your response.  This will give you ideas about where you might look next.

5. Where to start:  Go to the Where in the World page on this website, pick a country and a search device, find a University and spend 30 minutes on the website looking, and poking and taking notes in your notebook.

If you have a University on your "I am interested in List", or application list,  you should be able to answer questions about the University.   You should be able to say something about the University that you like or dislike.  I should be able to ask you questions about the dormitories, the professors in the course you are interested in, what research is being carried out by the attending students, what is the yearly weather around the University....etc...simply saying Just because it is X or Y is not enough!  

See Good Questions to Ask University Representatives for more ways to explore Universities.....