1)   The Common Application – US Admissions (10.30 – 11.15am)

• Overview of Common App sections
• Subjective and objective pieces: Essays vs SATs
• Additional Information section

2)   Trends in Canadian Post-Secondary Education (1.15 – 2.00pm)

• Applying to university or college
• Post-Secondary options
• Course planning, requirements and deadlines

Event venue: S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Social Service Centre, 28 West Pender St., Room 109

Come and join us at this event!

1) What led you to apply for a position at Options Solutions? Having worked as a university guidance counsellor and career advisor for over 12 years, I knew I wanted to continue helping high school students with planning for a career and seeking the right post-secondary education programs that best fit them. Choosing the right courses and preparing well for university or college can be a daunting and complex task. With my extensive knowledge and expertise, I hope to be able to assist students in making the right choice as they continue their studies in higher education, paving the path to a rewarding career

2) How would you describe your first month at Options Solutions? The professional consultants at Options Solutions have been tremendously welcoming and supportive in helping me get started. My first month at Options Solutions has been truly fulfilling and rewarding as I was able to transition smoothly to helping students and their parents with career planning and university or college applications. As a valued member of the OS team, I was able to contribute my experience with the PSAT and SAT by giving some useful, test-taking tips on our blog, and assist with our writing and application workshops. I have been privileged to attend this year’s UBC Counsellor’s Event, the Canadian Universities Event, and host a number of university visits at our West Vancouver office, which included the University of Victoria, University of Calgary, Bishop’s and Concordia universities. Hearing about the undergraduate program updates first hand and connecting with the student recruitment representatives in person have helped me to stay current with the latest admissions requirements and the new courses on offer.

3) What inspired you to go into education? I have always been curious about learning and the ways of learning. I did not come to realize what ‘life-long learning’ meant until I went into teaching. When I started out at UBC as an undergrad, I wanted to apply and share the knowledge I learned in a way that would directly benefit those who thrive on it, or even have a thirst for it. One summer, working as an ESL teaching assistant at the UBC English Language Institute, I discovered that special connection which fuels the teaching-learning process when I was leading a current affairs class. The way I approached the lesson brought on natural, unprompted discussions, focussing on the specialized vocabulary, written conventions and layouts that were key to successful Western news reporting and editorials. The students were picking up essential language points to improve their English usage because being able to talk about the news in an intelligent manner and give their opinions mattered to them. I was surprised at how as a facilitator I was able to make an impact on how information was learned. From there, I found my passion in teaching and went on to earn a B.Ed. degree in Secondary Science and Math Education and an M.A. in English Language Teaching. Throughout my career in Education, I have enjoyed being the Head of ESL at Richmond Secondary School and an English lecturer at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where I conducted research in language education. My vested interest in this field has also led me to recently complete the BC Principals’ and Vice-Principals’ Association course in order to gain more theoretical and practical knowledge about BC schools and to keep up-to-date on the emerging trends in learning..

4) What advice would you give to high school students today? I would advise students in their senior years of high school to think about some program choices at the post-secondary level well before Grade 12 by having an earnest discussion about their career plans with their family and friends. Students in Grade 11 can start to identify their subject strengths and work hard to improve their performance in those courses they struggle with. To be well informed about their university program options, students can do research and attend university information sessions when available. Armed with this knowledge, students should find it easier to select Grade 12 subjects that cater to their strengths, and this would open up more academic pathways come time for university choice and application. Research is key!

Study and Go Abroad will be hosting some of the top-ranked university and college recruiters from around the world and within Canada. It is important to prepare for the event in advance. Know which institutions you want to learn more about and come prepared with questions. This is a great opportunity to speak face-to-face with university and organization recruiters. If you already know which institutions you are primarily interested in, you should bring along a copy of your transcripts and resume.

The event is free and features many seminars. One of the speakers this year will be Jean-Marc Hachey, author of The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas. He will be discussing how to acquire global career skills. A full list of exhibitors and speakers can be found on the Study and Go Abroad website.

Below is a checklist to guide our grade 12 students and their parents:

Do you have a receipt from the university for your application?

Do you have a credit card receipt showing that you have paid for your application?

Did you record your application login and password? What is your student number?

Do you need to send a hard copy of your transcript (this is usually true for most universities outside of BC and Alberta)?

Are you responsible to self report your marks?

Are you required to fill out any supplemental application materials, including Personal Profiles, essays, activities lists, etc.?

Have you applied for residence (most places in Ontario don’t require this until after acceptance)?

Do you plan to file any Extenuating Circumstances paperwork?

Are you required to take the LPI (Language Proficiency Exam)?

What is the scholarship deadline?

Have you electronically signed your PSI form?

Have you logged in to your university Student Center or email?

High school students and their families can experience first-hand all that UBC has to offer by participating in “Discover UBC” at UBC’s Vancouver or Okanagan campuses. Join UBC for a full day of events to connect with students, staff, faculty, and other campus partners, and learn what your life could be like as a UBC student. Learn More 

SFU’s Supertour is a half day event at the Burnaby or Surrey campus that introduces prospective students and their families to SFU’s programs, campus, and current students. Students will be able to attend a campus tour, faculty information sessions and Q & A sessions, and a meet & greet with faculty advisors. Students in grades 10 – 12 and their families are encouraged to attend this Supertour. Registration is free, seats are limited, so sign up early! Refreshments included. Learn More

Score Choice allows students to select which SAT scores they want to send with their applications to different universities. It is important that applicants make note of each institution’s score-use practices, as they can differ from university to university. Some schools chose to opt out of Score Choice and require students to report every SAT score they earn. See this link for an overview of individual universities policies: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf

Anxiety can be very problematic for students who are getting prepared to write their SATs. They are unable to think clearly; they have trouble managing their time, and they cannot concentrate. The purpose of Score Choice is to reduce the stress and pressure high school students experience as they apply for university and write exams.

We have made several modifications to our program this year based on feedback from previous prep students. There are four main options for SAT/ACT prep at Options Solutions:

1. Full Length Practice Exams and Debriefs – This option includes a 4 hour exam (SAT or ACT), exam marking and a 2.5 hour debrief. In order to get the best estimate, we use only officially released SAT and ACT exams.
2. Group Sessions – Group sessions are geared prep sessions to conquer the elements of the exam: test taking strategies, reading, math, writing, essays, and science (for ACT). Weekly prep is a graduated program to introduce, practice and master each area of the SAT and ACT. Students can attend each session or pick and chose what they need.
3. Super Saturdays – These are 3-hour power sessions. They are meant to provide students an in-depth focus in a single area. These are especially beneficial to students who have a weakness in one area or trying to make ground in a single session.
4. Individual Sessions – It is also possible to book one-on-one prep time with Melinda. There is limited availability for one-on-one sessions, so if you are interested please contact us immediately.

Right now, all sessions will occur in the West Vancouver office. If we have the demand for it, Vancouver sessions will be added. See our online calendar for dates and times. Join us for our first full length SAT exam on Saturday, January 30^th from 3:00 – 7:00pm.

Students are encouraged to attend the next three workshops, as different topics will be covered in each session. New students may join the sessions now as well.

Workshop 2, held on January 25^th, will cover essay specifics – all the specifics of format, grammar and style that students need to know to prepare them for university writing. Students should come ready with any specific questions they have regarding essay writing.

Workshop 3, held on February 8^th, will cover more of the writing process, focusing on the beginning process of free writing and the final process of proofreading and editing.

Workshop 4 will introduce students to all forms of writing they will encounter in university. From formal e-mails and letters to research papers, in-class essays, short paragraphs, technical writing and creative writing pieces, the students will leave the workshop prepared for any form of writing university has to hand to them.

Students must have proper writing, organizational, and grammatical knowledge in order to excel in essay composition. However, for many students we realize that this is not the reality. In high schools today, the focus seems to be on forming an opinion rather than organizing a complex argument. The Class of 2011 has been taught to express their every thought on Twitter, Facebook and on innumerable blogs. Often these teens have something of importance to say; however, the subject matter is buried in a quagmire of bad grammar, incorrect spelling and inadequate punctuation.

Students who enter university armed with the skills it takes to produce a university level paper will excel far beyond their classmates who lack this ability. Those who have not been taught basic writing skills will struggle. Professors do not have the time to cover language and writing basics; they have more important material to teach. It is up to the student to learn, on their own, the correct way to write at a university level.

At Options Solutions, we aim to bridge the gap between what high schools teach and what universities require. We want to ensure that all of our clients are armed with a solid writing foundation. Options Solutions is proud to introduce a series of Essay Writing Workshops. In these sessions, students will be taught the basic tenants of solid writing. Students are encouraged, but not required, to attend all sessions. Each of the four workshops will focus on a different topic; these topics include:

Outlining an Essay - Clarity and organization in writing

Free-writing - Editing

Essay Specifics - Formal letters and emails

Research Papers - Creative Writing

Schedule:

Tuesday, January 11^th      5:00 – 7:00

Tuesday, January 25^th    5:00 – 7:00

Tuesday, February 8^th     5:00 – 7:00

Tuesday, February 22^nd  5:00 – 7:00

You can reserve your spot by contacting the West Vancouver office: (604) 922-8456 or westvan@optionssolutionsed.com

Many other disciples are also viewed negatively by high school students because of an inaccurate or incomplete understanding of the subject matter. The number of women enrolled in engineering programs has dropped from 21% to 17% in the past nine years. This is a surprising statistic considering that females make up more than half of the undergraduate population across Canada. A 2009 Engineers Canada survey of female high school students found that most equated engineering with construction work, outdoor work, working in a cubical and relating primarily to computers and machines, rather than people.

These students are not just limiting their post-secondary options by harbouring such negative Impressions, but additionally, the lack of enrolment in science and technology related programs could have an adverse, long-term impact on our society. We need to correct these mistaken beliefs and get young people interested in science and technology programs.

The Angus Reid survey asked teens- what would help them become more successful in science. Eight out of ten students answered that a mentor or assistance with homework would help. Many female engineers credit mentors with helping them discover their passion and with inspiring them to enrol in an engineering program.

Mentors can help students to develop realistic expectations, to gain an understanding of the culture of an institution and to discover what it is really like to work in their chosen field. They can also help students acquire skills and knowledge not readily available in a classroom environment. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to a mentor. Therefore, it is very important to support educators in an effort to engage students. 70% of teens say their science teachers have influenced their perception of science. Many organizations, like ‘Let’s Talk Science’, are attempting to expose students to more science programs and keep them interested and engaged.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2010/09/c2135.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/managing/on-the-job/why-more-women-arent-becoming-engineers/article1792386/singlepage/#articlecontent