For many Grade 12 students, early spring is a time that can generate both anxiety and excitement. While many students have already received offers of admission, some are still waiting. For those still waiting, we encourage to you to diligently check your emails, as well as each university’s student portal for updates on the status of your application and to verify if they might be missing any information in order to process your file. Some may require additional grades, official transcripts, or information on your activities. Note that it’s not unusual for some universities and programs to admit well into early summer (May – June).
For those who have received offers of admission, now’s the time for decision making!
According to an article by Academica, influential decision-making factors include:
- Reputation (is the institution/program known for excellence?)
- Academic (what’s the perception of the university’s faculty, libraries, and resources?)
- Financial factors (do they offer sufficient scholarships, is the university close to the student’s home?)
- Outcomes (do graduates go on to get good jobs?)
- Campus (do students tend to find the campus attractive?)
- Extracurricular factors (does the university/program have a good reputation for student experience, and/or strong recreational facilities?)
- Nurturing factors (how big are class sizes? Do students get much opportunity to interact directly with their instructors?)
So how does this translate into a concrete plan for evaluating offers of admission and confirming decisions? A great first step is laying out a comprehensive pro-con list for each university that has sent an offer of admission. Items to include in the pro-con list can be taken from the list of factors above, but can also include specific program features (courses, specializations, facilities), experiential education options (co-op, internships, study abroad), personal connections (faith-based, family and friends, personal interests), and more. Make it as personalized as possible, so that the decision is truly a reflection of personal values and experiences with the university.
Keep in mind that each university will have specific confirmation, residence application, and registration deadlines. Make sure to include those on your document, and mark your calendar as a reminder.
Once a decision is made, it will be important to prepare and organize the next steps for the journey into first year. These include housing decisions and applications, registration advising and course selection, finalizing document submission (final transcripts), and move-in/orientation details.
Need assistance with weighing the decision-making factors and evaluating your admissions offers? We can help! Book an appointment with an educational consultant to discuss your options. Contact our office at (604) 922-8456 or e-mail info@options-wp.chhdev.com for more information.
