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Important for Year 12 | Accepting offers from Ontario universities

Many Year 12 students are beginning to receive conditional offers of admission from universities. They may have some choices to make—which is exciting. The University Counselling Office is happy to help students evaluate their choices. Students should know that the dates on which universities make offers vary by university and by program. Highly selective programs, for example, tend to be the last to make offers.

In the case of Ontario universities, students must respond to an offer of admission online through the OUAC website. Accepting an offer of admission from one university does not cancel the candidate’s application to other universities. However, an applicant may have only one acceptance of an offer from an Ontario university on file at any given time.

If students accept an offer of admission from one university, they may change their minds if they get a later offer from one that they would prefer to attend. They simply cancel the previously accepted offer and indicate their revised choice. 

In April, we once again send updates of student grades to OUAC. These grades will be transmitted to Ontario universities (and to out-of-province universities that subscribe to the OUAC database). As a result of these grades, some students will receive conditional offers of admission in April or May.

Important for Year 12 | Accepting offers from Canadian (non-Ontario) universities

Canadian universities vary in their deadlines for accepting offers of admission and may have earlier deadlines. All Ontario universities to which students have applied must respond to applicants by May 27 with either an offer of admission, a refusal, or a deferral pending receipt of additional information. For Ontario universities, June 1 is the earliest date by which universities may require a response from students. 

Out-of-province universities have no common deadline by which they require a response to offers of admission, so it is critical that students check the information sent to them by the individual schools from which they have received a conditional offer. Some of these schools (e.g. McGill, Sauder School of Business at UBC) may have a May 1 response deadline. If these deadlines occur before students have heard from all of their choices, they can ask the university for a deadline extension (which they sometimes grant). The only risk in doing so is that they may miss out on the opportunity for a space in residence.

UCAS applicants | Top 5 tips to support students after the deadline

1. If students have used all five choices on their applications but are not holding any offers, they may be eligible to use EXTRA when it opens on Feb. 28. Find out more about EXTRA here.

2. Students can make some changes to their application after submission, or they might need to contact the university or college. Click here for more information.

3. Once the application has been submitted, students can sign in anytime to track their application and find out about the different offers they may receive and the dates to reply.

4. It’s not too late to apply. Applications can be submitted until June 30, 2024 when they will be entered into Clearing.

5. Students can access the latest advice on finance and accommodation on ucas.com.

Standardized tests | SAT and ACT

Are standardized tests (SAT/ACT) about to make a comeback? Are you and your students ready?

Following the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic, high school students faced difficulties in taking the SAT and ACT exams. Consequently, numerous American colleges abandoned their mandatory testing requirements for applicants. Originally considered a temporary measure, the majority of these institutions have continued to adopt a test-optional policy. This shift not only responds to the pandemic's impact but also aligns with a broader trend of skepticism toward standardized tests, predating the pandemic. Many applaud this change as a step towards greater fairness in higher education.

Nevertheless, an increasing number of experts and university administrators are beginning to question the wisdom of this transition. Recent research indicates that standardized test scores provide valuable insights, aiding in the prediction of college performance, graduation likelihood, and success post-graduation. Notably, test scores are viewed as more reliable indicators than high school grades, partly due to the prevalence of grade inflation in recent years.

Last week, Dartmouth announced that they will be reinstating the requirement of either the ACT/SAT for domestic applicants applying for admission in 2025. M.I.T and Georgetown made similar announcements in 2022. 

There are basically three approaches colleges and universities adopt when it comes to standardized test requirements — test free, test optional or test required.

Now that Dartmouth, Georgetown and MIT require all applicants to submit standardized test scores, who will follow? In the short term, we are going to continue seeing the majority of colleges in the US continue with the test optional approach. Unfortunately, this choice causes a lot of consternation among applicants. What does “optional” really mean? If I don’t submit, am I at a disadvantage? Will they consider me equally if I do not submit test scores? These are all good questions that exacerbate the anxiety fueled mania around college admissions. 

In a perfect admissions landscape, it would be ideal for colleges and universities to come out and simply declare their preference and avoid this vague middle ground. Unfortunately, this is not the case. 

So what to do?

First of all, speak to your counsellor. They  can help you identify colleges in the US that would be good fits that may be test free. If you are considering schools that are test-optional, you are likely to be advised to take the test.

How and when to prepare for standardized tests:

Your perfect test date comes down to scheduling and planning. Consider how much time you’ll need to prep, how packed your schedule is, and how many times you plan to take the test.

ACT test dates

Every year, there are 7 ACT dates: September, October, December, February, April, June and July. Some take the ACT the spring of their junior year because the content of the math test includes topics some curricula do not cover before then. However, these topics appear in only a handful of questions, and many Year 11s can take their first ACT in the fall or winter.

SAT test sates

SAT is given 7 times a year: March, May, June, August, October, November and December. Although you may take the SAT any time starting Year 9, most students take it for the first time in the spring of their Year 11 and possibly retake it in the fall of their Year 12.

Every school in the country regards the SAT and the ACT as equals and receives them interchangeably. The tests themselves are different. Whereas the ACT is a subject-based test designed to measure what you have learned in the classroom, the SAT is a deductive reasoning test. Try one of each. Which one suits you best? Focus on preparing for and taking that test. You own the results and can control where they are sent.

Choosing your best test dates

Consider your own schedule and plan ahead when picking your test dates. Do you act in the spring musical or are busy with spring sports? Have you been dreaming of applying early? We recommend taking your first SAT or ACT test as early as your schedule allows. If you plan to take both tests, plan to take them in consecutive months for the most efficient prep. Comprehensive prep courses can start as many as 8 to 10 weeks before the test.

How many times should you take the ACT and/or SAT?

For security reasons, ACT will not let you take the exam more than twelve times, and technically the SAT is unlimited. We recommend that you plan to take the ACT and/or SAT 1–3 times. Once you get the score you want, there’s no reason to take it again. Taking standardized tests is not an extracurricular activity!

ACT’s and SAT’s serve as competitive credentials—the bigger the scores the better. The following are a few tips to consider as you factor testing and test prep into your plans for applying to U.S. colleges. Students can “super-score” test results by compiling the best combination of subscores from the tests (ACT or SAT) you have taken. For example, if you have taken the SAT several times, they will match your best evidence-based reading and writing score (that might have come on your third test) with your best math result (that might have come on your second test). You must therefore disclose all attempts to the colleges for them to find the best subscores.

Colleges are fond of reporting high scores for their entering classes. The further your “scores” fall below the mid-point of the reported range of scores at a college, the less likely you will be admitted at that college. Target places, then, where your scores are in the top half, if not the top quartile, of the distribution of scores for admitted students in the past year.

Both testing agencies (SAT and ACT) concede that the tests can be “coached.” As a result, test prep may be a viable option for you. In considering test prep, be discriminating about the provider. Make sure you are comfortable with the style of instruction and, frankly, the instructor. A bad match can negate the potential good that can come from the exercise. Time your test prep so the instruction ends no more than two weeks prior to the test you plan to take. Proven—and less expensive—test prep alternatives include reviewing practice tests (available in bookstores) and personal reading in various genres.

Finally, don’t obsess on it. Although test results can be pivotal in many objective selection processes (where “numbers” carry the day), they are merely one part of the selection processes at other places that are more holistic in their assessments. Finding the best college “fit,” then, is vital to your eventual success. Places that value you for what you have to offer will be more inclined to look beyond your test results out of respect for what they might gain by admitting you.

Year 10 | University of Waterloo updates 

Students and their supporters are invited to join the University of Waterloo online or in person for an information session on admission requirements, financing their education, and advice on preparing for university on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 from 5:30–8:30 p.m. ET.

Students unable to attend in person can tune in for the livestream of the presentation from 6:30–8 p.m. ET. A link to the livestream will be emailed to them after they register.

SIGN UP | Canadian universities open house and campus tours 

Year 9 to 12 | Summer enrichment opportunities

To view details of many summer enrichment opportunities, please click here. This is a working document of curated programs students and families may consider. TeenLife, listed first in this document, is a helpful database of summer and gap year programs and is a good starting point. We do not endorse nor recommend any particular program. It is up to the student and family to evaluate the suitability of the programs listed. Some applications will ask you to submit a transcript and/or teacher recommendation — please contact your counsellor if this is required. Finally, be aware of application due dates and program fees.

Year 12 | Scholarships

Laurier Scholars Program

Year 12 students who have applied to Wilfrid Laurier University are encouraged to explore the Laurier Scholars Program. The prestigious Laurier Scholars Award is an annual entrance scholarship to offer high-achieving students the opportunity to participate in a dynamic learning environment that will foster innovative thinking and ethical, visionary leadership. Seven students will be selected to receive this $40,000 entrance scholarship. This application is open to domestic and international applicants who have applied for a full-time undergraduate program at Laurier. Students are selected for the Laurier Scholars Award based on their academic achievement (an admission average of 90 per cent or higher) and their submitted scholarship application. Applications are due on Feb. 22 and interested students are encouraged to check out the website or speak with their counsellor for more information. 

Washington University in St. Louis Signature Scholar Programs

All Year 12 students interested in applying to Washington University in St. Louis are encouraged to explore the Signature Scholar Programs. There are three different scholar programs, so explore the website for more details on eligibility for each one. Any UCC student who is eligible and feels like they are a good fit based on the scholarship criteria can apply through the common application by the regular decision deadline. 

St. Lawrence University Canadian Scholars Program

All Year 12 students interested in applying to St. Lawrence University are encouraged to explore the Canadian Scholars Program. The Canadian Scholars Program seeks students who have excelled academically and demonstrated leadership in some compelling way in their communities. This leadership may be school-related, service-related or any other avenue in which the student has invested substantive time. The scholarship value for the Canadian Scholars Program ranges from $25,000 to $50,000 USD per year, with four-year total values of $100,000 to $200,000 USD. Any UCC student who is eligible and feels like they are a good fit based on the scholarship criteria can apply. Interested students are encouraged to speak with their university counsellor for more information.