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Welcome back from the University Counselling Office

Dear UCC Families,

It is with great excitement that I write to welcome you at the start of this new academic year as I begin my role as Director of the UCO. Having previously worked with the IB Offices in Singapore, I am thrilled to return to my home country of Canada and to a school-based role where the values of the IB truly come to life. I am honoured to share my IB, university guidance, and leadership experience with the UCC community.

Mr. David Hanna’s work with the UCO is impressive, and I am ready to embrace our next steps as a team.  I will continue to oversee his portfolio of students for advising and will lead the university and post-secondary pathways counselling programme, supporting our experienced and dynamic UCO team. I look forward to meeting each of the families I will be working with directly, as well as connecting with others who wish to get to know me better.

In line with Mr. Hanna’s approach, I will respect the counsellor-student allocation for services and maintain an open-door policy. We follow a teamwork approach to supporting the exciting and often challenging post-secondary journey for our students and families. Our UCC families are supported by all in our University Counselling Office.

I encourage you to book a meeting with me via Ms. Elia Lopez, our Administrative Assistant, or feel free to stop by my office, and I will be happy to say hello if I am free.

Once again, I look forward to meeting all of you and wish you a wonderful start to the 2026–27 academic year at UCC!

Sincerely,

Dr. Michèle S. Mindorff

Director, University Counselling

In addition, the University Counselling Office is thrilled to reconnect with all our upper school students as we kick off a new academic year.

We are ready to continue our partnership as you navigate your educational and personal journeys:

Year 12s: Let's work together on your college and university applications.

Year 11s: We'll provide guidance as you plan for graduation in 2027 and your future beyond.

Year 10s: We're here to help you make informed decisions about your IB course selections for September 2026.

The experiences you'll have this year are key to shaping your future. We are committed to supporting you at every turn.

We wish you all a successful and rewarding year ahead!

Feel free to reach out directly to your University Counselling Team:

Dr. Mindorff — Jackson’s

Ms. Isaacs — Orr’s, Scadding’s and Martland’s(A-K)

Ms. Rose — McHugh’s, Mowbray’s and Martland’s (L-Z)

Mr. Turner — Seaton’s, Wedd’s

Ms. Champ — Howard’s, Bremner’s

Register | Year 12: Oxford admissions test booking

All registered candidates with no access arrangements or approved standard access arrangements (including most time-based arrangements, a glucose monitor, a beverage or an access locker), will be able to book their test(s) via a link from their Oxford Admissions Registration Tests portal dashboard to the Pearson VUE test website any time from August 18 (1 p.m. BST) to September 26 (6 p.m. BST).

Bookings are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so the sooner candidates register and book their test(s), the more likely they are to find a convenient test centre and appointment.

All further details and guidance are available via the Oxford admissions test webpages on their undergraduate admissions website.

Register | Year 10 PSAT/NMSQT exam

The PSAT/NMSQT exam will be digitally administered on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. for students who wish to write it (not mandatory).   

Why would I take the PSAT exam?

The PSAT is a great way for students to get an idea of what it's like to write timed, standardized tests such as the SAT/ACT. It's a diagnostic test and is not used for admissions purposes, but to help you understand the style of questions that are used on standardized tests. Additionally, for some students who are being recruited as an athlete, this can give coaches an early “preview” of a possible test score during the recruiting process. American citizens can use their PSAT results as the qualifying exam used by the National Merit Scholarship Program. 

Registration:

Space is limited. Students who wish to write this exam, are required to register here by Monday, October 12.  Please note that students must register using their UCC email.

Accommodations: 

Any students taking the PSAT who require accommodations must receive approval from College Board's Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Families should check with the school’s SSD coordinator and our CFL to make sure accommodations are in place well in advance of the test date (4 weeks). 

Under standard conditions, the test takes 2 hours and 14 minutes with one break.

Save the date | September university visits 

• 15, 1:30 pm in Room 122 - Boston College

• 17, 7:00 p.m. - Evening Presentation. Weston Hall, Prep. School - Dartmouth College, Vanderbilt University, Northwestern University, Georgetown University 

• 21, 1:30 pm in Room 122 - University of California -Davis / University of California - Santa Cruz

• 21, 1:30 pm in Room 127 - University of New Brunswick 

• 22, 1:30 pm in Room 122 - Babson College 

• 23, 1:30 pm in Room 138 - Bentley University

• 23, 1:30 pm in Room 138 A - Washington University 

• 23, 1:30 pm in Room 128 - Wake Forest University 

• 24, 1:30 pm in Room 140 -  University of Chicago 

• 25, 1:30 pm in Room 138 A - Bocconi University

• 25, 1:30 pm in Room 128 - University of Leeds 

• 28, 1:30 pm in Room 138 A -  King's College Halifax

• 28, 1:30 pm in Room 127 - University of Toronto - Wolf Scholars 

• 29, 1:30 pm in Room 140 - University of British Columbia

• 29, 1:30 pm in the Manusha & Bellamy Theatre. Huron University College

• 30, 1:30 pm in Room 122 - Carnegie Mellon University