Applying to University Important Stuff to Know Including www.ouac.on.ca

School & Program Selections Choose a school and a program – research!! Choose 3 programs for $140.00 $47 for each additional program Remember “Alternate offers of Admission” – don’t waste choices! Choose at least one you are sure to get into! (safe choice) Hopefully you have almost completed your research and made some decisions. Are you applying to both college and university? Just one?How many schools? Programs? Have you decided to return to Applewood next year to take more courses? Now that you have done your research, and if you are sitting here today, you are probably planning on apply to University this year. Remember, $130 is the initial fee, which covers three programs, with every add’l program costing $44. Know which Universities will give you alternative offers if you do not get into the specific program of your choice, so you don’t waste $44. This information can be found on electronicinfo.ca.

Program Codes Find the school and the program you want by accessing www.ouac.on.ca web-site and ‘Browsing University Programs’ Record the 3 letter code for the programs you want OR do a program search once you have accessed your application You have received one print resource - information on electronicinfo.ca. Research there and make notes. Once you are ready to apply, you need to access the Compass 101 Companion Booklet to locate the program code. Every university program has a three letter code. Record the codes so you have them when you sit down to apply. Note: Some universities have “colleges” within the university. Smaller setting, still a degree from the University, access to courses on the main campus as well. Do your research.

Completing Applications We have NO access to your application PIN # needed – will need to pick up from Ms. McGee *with Identification* Deadline: January 14, 2015 Video Tutorial available (very helpful) online at ouac.on.ca – click OUAC 101, then tutorials Applying can be ongoing process - start early Submit and Pay steps very important (POINTS FLY IN - one by one) - go through them

Completing Applications Valid e-mail address important Record and print application # Keep a file *** very important Confirmation of application e-mail will be received as confirmation of application You can make changes to your application – when you log out, information is saved 1. Email address should NOT contain offensive words!! Needs to be accurate. 2. Reference number must be written down. You need this when you log back on at a later date. 3. Confirmation email/letter tells you that OUAC processed your application and sent your request to apply on to the universities. They will then start to correspond with you. No Confirmation? Something wrong!! 4. Can change your address, phone number, school/program choices but not marks!!

Mark Your Calendars January 14, 2015 Deadline for Ontario secondary school students to apply. February 3, 2015 Last date for students to submit changes to application. March 2, 2015 Universities receive, from the OUAC, all final first-semester grades. May 5, 2015 Universities receive, from the OUAC, second-semester midterm grades.

Mark Your Calendars May 28, 2015 The latest date by which all secondary school applicants shall expect a response from an Ontario university. Response will be an offer of admission or a refusal. June 1, 2015 Earliest date Ontario universities require a response to an offer of admission and a financial commitment. July 16, 2015 OUAC to transmits all remaining final grades to the universities

LOGGING INTO COMPASS 101

SELECTING YOUR PROGRAM Search Options while ‘in’ your application

THE FINAL STEPS

SUBMIT AND PAY

Finishing Up Print the screen displaying your OUAC Reference Number (2015-xxx-xxx) Record your Pin number and store in a safe place – you will need it to review your application and accept an offer

Grades Schools see ALL your grades from grade 11 on Transmission dates – check accuracy Early March – based on JANUARY UPDATE Early May – based on March Report Card July – based on June Report Card (Diploma granted? 40 hours? EQAO?) Error? Pick up the correction form in the guidance office All course information transmitted from grade 11 up!! Grade 11 results will be on-line and what you are enrolled in this year. You must go back into your application each time the grades are submitted and verify that they are correct. Only I can change a academic information. There is a form available in the guidance office to notify us of an error - you need to fill it in and return it to Mrs. Hubbard, the guidance secretary. One week after you hand in the form, you can go back onto your application to view the change.

Other Important Stuff Additional admission criteria Check requirements & deadlines (e.g. portfolio, audition, Personal Information Form) Language Proficiency Requirements – find on electronicinfo.ca (usually minimum of 3 yrs in English Medium Institution otherwise TOEFL or other) Personal Information forms, portfolios, interviews, auditions, essays etc…. YOUR responsibility to know the process for each school/program and the deadlines. They will not chase you. In May of last year, universities were reporting that a surprising number of applicants had not completed the additional criteria, and would therefore not be considered for the program. They made it very clear that they were not going to contact the students and chase them to do it.

More Important Stuff Taking night school, etc.? Taking summer school? Inform guidance counsellor, in writing Taking summer school? You arrange for grades to be sent Has a death/serious illness/serious problem affected your grades? It may be taken into consideration Taking night school through Peel? Dufferin Peel? Summer school results- you arrange and communicate to the University. Special circumstances?? Each school deals with it in a different way in terms of documentation required. They do tend to look back at your previous academic record to look for evidence of major changes

Scholarship Information Review Scholarship binder available in Guidance Office Consistently visit studentawards.com Explore electronicinfo.ca and Ontario Colleges websites for Scholarships/Bursaries available through various Institutions Check with Parents for Workplace Scholarships Apply for OSAP in the spring Questions? See the WALK-IN Counsellor on your lunch Leadership opportunities, volunteer experiences, and excellent grades are common requirements for Scholarships In the spring, you will receive your responses - with most of you receiving your offers in May. The majority of Universities this year are expecting acceptance to their offers to be done using the “Review and Change your complete application” system on the Compass 101 website. So you are accepting your offer online. Residence info goes directly to the school, not OUAC MONEY –, attend the Scholarship Assembly on Dec. 1, in the Chalk Forum, during your lunch period – former student sharing his experiences and successes. Applying for OSAP online is the fastest way. Very secure. Attend the workshop at the end of May. Students with special needs, including IEPS need to contact the individual institutions to see how they will be treated during the application process and what services are provided at the University.

Need Assistance? If you have an IEP or need support services they are available. It is your responsibility to contact the University to learn about their services. http://www.neads.ca/en/norc/edlink/

Admission Decisions Earliest offers February - April Universities MUST decide by May 28 Student response required by June 1 Keep the dates separate. Understand that the early offers of admission that come in February and March are a fraction of all the offers that are given out in May. Many of the Universities have stated their process around early offers of admission in the Info 71 guide. These early offers are based on grade 11 marks only, but conditional on grade 12 finals. Read the conditions of the offer carefully. It is a contract. School can rescind the offer well into August, long after you have paid residence deposits etc……………… Conditions of the offer are usually stated clearly in the offer of admission. Make sure you understand them. Contact the University if you need clarification. ALL OFFERS ARE CONDITIONAL!!!!

AMAZING NEW WEBSITE

‘Ready, Set, Go’ PICK UP GOLD INSTRUCTION SHEET- which is your proof of attendance on your way out. Pick up PIN NUMBERS from Ms. McGee, on your lunch starting today. Questions? There is a yellow sheet, which reinforces some of the key points today, which also acts as your proof of attendance for your period 1 teacher - pick it up on your way out the door - if you are staying for the ‘applying to college’ presentation, we will bring the yellow sheet to you. This concludes our presentation on how to apply to University: Those of you who are looking at both options around University and College, and who wish to apply to College as well, are encouraged to stay for the next presentation.