This Week In University Counselling: Grade 12
November 24-December 4
Appointments to see a university counsellor
To see one of the University Counsellors, you must make an appointment using our on-line booking system.
To book an appointment, you need to be logged into the Brentwood system through your school email account. Also, you must ensure that you have opened your Google Calendar at least once to ensure that the times between the two systems are in sync.
To access our on-line appointment system, click HERE to go to the correct page on the University Counselling website...
Although we shouldn’t have to tell you, do not make an appointment during a class—academic, arts or athletics—you cannot skip to attend a University Counselling appointment!
November 30/december 1 deadlines...
November 30 and December 1 are some significant deadlines that are approaching for some applicants.
Thus, University Counselling will be available for DROP-IN on November 29, 30, and December 1. Be prepared to wait for assistance, but the wait will be worth it!
Do dates/Due Dates & University Counselling's ONE Commandment
At this stage of the year, it is time to remind EVERYONE—students and PARENTS—of the First (and only) Commandment of Brentwood University Counselling:
“Thou shall not submit any university application anywhere else except in the University Counselling office with one of the Brentwood University Counsellors.”
This is a commandment that applies to both Students and Parents... and some of you have already been guilty of breaking this commandment!!
It is critical that this commandment is followed, otherwise the potential is high that either mistakes on applications will be made, or transcripts will not be sent because we are unaware of where applications are sent. By submitting with us, the best possible applications are submitted, and the required follow-up is completed. Our system works, so please use it effectively!
A reminder to your about our Application Policy: For any application that requires supplementary writing of any kind, you must have the application completed (your DO DATE) ONE MONTH BEFORE THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE (the DUE DATE).
Here are some key DO DATES/DUE DATES coming soon:
University of California/ California State Universities
Submission deadline = this THURSDAY!
University of Texas; University of San Diego
Submission deadline = this Friday!
University of British Columbia Early Admission/ Scholarship Consideration
Submission deadline = this Friday!*
*If you are not ready, then it is far better to ensure that your Personal Profile is of the best quality rather than trying to rush this in. The Regular Admission Deadline of January 15 is a practical alternative!
MOST US Regular Decision (Jan 1st-10th)
Submission deadline = before you leave for december holidays!**
**If you applied Early Decision, then we don't necessarily want to submit before you get notification of your decision, BUT we want to ensure that ALL application material is ready for submission in case you need to pull that trigger.
University of British Columbia
DUE DATE = January 15th / YOUR DO DATE WAS November 24th
Richard Ivey School of Business HBA Application
DUE DATE = January 15th / YOUR DO DATE WAS November 24th
University of Toronto Engineering Supplement
DUE DATE = January 15th / YOUR DO DATE WAS November 24th
University of Waterloo Admission Information Form (AIF): Early Consideration for Engineering Applicants
DUE DATE = January 15th / YOUR DO DATE WAS November 24th
UK
DUE DATE = January 31st / YOUR DO DATE = December 8th
University of Victoria Commerce Application
DUE DATE = January 31st / YOUR DO DATE = December 8th
University of Toronto Supplements for Commerce, Computer Science, Architecture, Kinesiology
DUE DATE = Ferbuary 1st / YOUR DO DATE = December 9th
canadian university applications
In most cases (UBC is a notable exception), the application is straightforward and involves the submission of biographical and academic information, along with the application fee. While that sounds simple, it is still critical that it be done accurately and thus why it is non-negotiable that ALL applications be submitted with one of the University Counsellors.
In some cases, it might be worth waiting on some specific applications in order to see where you stand when your first term marks are collected; teachers will be submitting them on November 27th.
There are almost no application deadlines that fall before your December holidays for Canadian universities, although we would like to get the bulk of applications submitted by then.
If you were not present for your scheduled University Counselling/CLC block and the process of establishing your Education Planner BC and/or OUAC Application account, please find the links below to get this done:
ApplyAlberta
All universities in Alberta use the ApplyAlberta application.
Click HERE to access the ApplyAlberta.
Sign Up for your ApplyAlberta account.
Once you have established your OUAC account, please submit it to us using the UC Logins Form.
British Columbia Universities - Education Planner BC
ALL universities in British Columbia have now adopted the Education Planner BC application.
Click HERE to access Education Planner BC.
Sign Up for your Education Planner BC account IF YOU DID NOT DO SO ALREADY IN YOUR CLC BLOCK!
Once you have established your Education Planner BC account, please submit it to us using the UC Logins Form.
Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC)
All universities in Ontario use the OUAC application.
Click HERE to access the OUAC application registration page IF YOU DID NOT DO SO ALREADY IN YOUR CLC BLOCK!
Once you have established your OUAC account, please submit it to us using the UC Logins Form.
ALL Other Canadian Universities Applications
The application systems for other Canadian universities are either:
straightforward enough that we can easily get the applications set up (and even completed) during a regular University Counselling appointment, or
complicated enough that it is inadvisable for you to do any set up of it on your own; we must work through the process carefully with you during an appointment (or probably two).
Remember: we aim to get most of the basic canadian applications submitted before december holidays! let's get on with it!!
Scary emails from ouac
If you have applied to OUAC, you may have received an email from OUAC soon after submitting the application that says something is wrong/missing involving your BC Ministry transcript or PEN. OUAC will eventually be handling and distributing your BC Ministry transcript to the universities to which you have applied.
You need not worry about the email; it just means you did not order your transcript to be released to OUAC before you applied. You can order your transcript any time once you have created your BCeID (in CLC), and we are happy to assist you, if required.
Time to Self-Report marks? ...Should I be worrying about marks?!
Reporting/Self-Reporting of Marks
If you have applied to some Canadian universities, you may be getting instructions about next steps, including the Self-Reporting of marks. Until your Fall Term marks come in, there is nothing to report!
University of Toronto and Western University, for example, will allow you to enter Grade 11, completed Grade 12 marks, and in-progress Grade 12 courses.
Those schools that require interim Grade 12 marks... we will report them once we get Fall Term marks at the end of November.
If you are unclear about reporting, see one fo the University Counsellors for assistance.
Grade 12 Marks: "Everyone Just Needs to RELAX!"
With fall term marks being collected very soon, the anxiety and nervousness from some Grade 12s is running hot! …Everybody just needs to relax!
On the issue of Marks and what is being sent to Universities, here’s the official word:
While the marks collected for the Fall Report Card are reported to the Ministry of Education, and many Canadian universities have the ability to consider these marks for admission, Universities look at marks throughout the next several months for admissions.
Some universities put more weight into marks that are only available at midyear (end of January) or at the end of the Winter Term (like UBC).
Some universities only consider marks that you report to them, and their systems may not open until midyear for you to do so (like McGill).
US universities to which some students have applied will receive a transcript that includes those marks, BUT…
...US universities will also receive a Midyear Report at the end of January that includes updates marks, and those are the marks that are more relevant to the admissions process.
Updated marks will be requested from teachers at the end of January—6 weeks or so after the upcoming collection—and tend to be ones that universities consider most seriously.
There will be more opportunities over the coming months for universities to consider your marks data. Keep working hard to improve your class marks!
supplemental applications - Canadian Universities
While most Canadian universities have very simply applications, initially, many of them do require supplemental material to complete the application process. It is critical that you review the communication that they initiate with you to ensure that you fully understand the supplemental requirements and associated deadlines.
Here are JUST A FEW of the notables...
University of Toronto
Each of these programs has a requirement to submit supplemental material. The deadline for early consideration is December 15th (December 1st for Engineering). The final deadline to complete it is February 1st.
For Commerce: Rotman Commerce Supplemental Application This supplemental includes a video interview!
For Engineering: Online Student Profile This supplemental includes a video interview!
For Computer Science: Supplemental Application for Computer Science.
For Architectural Studies: One Idea Supplementary Application.
McMaster University
For Arts & Science: the deadline for the Supplementary Application is February 1st.
For Health Sciences: the Supplementary Application system will open in February and be due a few days later.
Queen's University
The deadline for the Supplementary Essays required for Commerce and Health Sciences and strongly recommended for Nursing is February 15th.
University of Waterloo
The deadline for the Admission Information Form is February 16th. It is required for anyone applying to Engineering, January 15 for Engineering.
University of Calgary
The deadline for the Supplementary Application required for the Health Sciences programs is March 1st.
If you are uncertain whether the program that you applied has a supplemental application, please review its admission requirements carefully and look out for instructions from the university. If you are still uncertain, come and see us in University Counselling.
UC Logins Form
While you are always advised to protect your login credentials for websites on which you establish accounts, it is vital that you share those credentials with University Counselling so that we can fully support your applications. We do promise absolute discretion in protecting your credentials... you can put your trust is us!
To easily share your Application Account Login Credentials, please use this Form:
US Applicants
Those students planning to apply to universities in the US should be well on their way to getting their applications in order. Here are some key matters to be thinking about:
Those of you who submitted Early Decision and Early Action applications... you cannot ease off on your applications, you must work to complete all that remain. For ED applicants, you must be ready to submit the second you hear the news about your application (in case its not the news you were hoping for).
There is only 3 weeks to get nearly all us applications fully submitted!
Applicant Autobiography
All applicants who must have a Counsellor Recommendation Letter submitted will need to complete the Applicant Autobiography process.
Recommendation Letters
Most US schools will require the submission of Recommendations Letters from Teachers and a Counsellor.
Come into University Counselling to discuss which teachers you would like to ask for a Recommendation Letter. We can then discuss the process of requesting and inviting them to do so. You will need to fill out a Student Request Form for EACH Teacher from whom you are seeking a Recommendation Letter, and you will see those teachers IN PERSON to make you request, offer this form, and discuss what the information you provided. The form is below or hard copies are available in the University Counselling office.
Student Request Form_Teacher Recommendations.pdfIn the CommonApp, please Invite Mr. Rodrigues for the Counsellor Recommendation and Invite and Assign the Teachers who agree to provide Letters. Come into University Counselling for assistance if you need it.
There are no Recommendation Letters required for your UC application... that is the notable exception!
English Proficiency
If your first language is not English, regardless of your citizenship, you inevitably will have to do a test of English Proficiency as part of the admissions process. That would be TOEFL or IELTS... but it might be the much better, cheaper, and easier-to-access Duolingo. Regardless, it is critical that we review the English Proficiency requirements of EACH of your schools to ensure that you have a plan to meet their requirements.
International Certification of Finances
Any non-US citizen will, at some point, have to demonstrate that they have financial resources to pay for at least a year's expenses to attend school in the United States. Some schools require you to submit an International Certification of Finances (official proof of available funds from a financial institution) as part of the admissions process, while others only require it after you are admitted. It is critical that we review the requirements of EACH of your schools to ensure that you have a plan to meet their requirements. Your parents need to stand by to acquire and provide that financial documentation.
applicants to UK universities
The application deadline for courses in the United Kingdom is January 31st.
The main component of the UCAS application is your Personal Statement, thus following the DUE DATE/DO DATE Policy...
You need to have it and the rest of the application ready for review by December 8.
Please take time to register for your UCAS application. There is a complete guide on our Moodle page to starting up your UCAS application. As well, there are lots of resources out there to help you begin your Personal Statement. Get to work!
You must also complete the Applicant Autobiography process whereby you fill out the Applicant Autobiography and meet Mr. Rodrigues to be interviewed, all in anticipation of the School Recommendation that must be submitted WITH YOUR APPLICATION BY JANUARY 31.
university visits
We are excited to welcome our colleagues from universities to present to Brentwood students this fall!
Here are some UPCOMING visits that have been scheduled. Click on the School Name links for more information about them and their programs:
These and more presentations are scheduled, as you can see in the Calendar below:
For university presentations, you MUST SIGN UP to attend...
Procedure for Signing-Up for University Presentations:
If they occur during a sport or fine art, you MUST get permission from your coach/instructor to attend the Presentation. You must do this AHEAD OF TIME.
Once you have permission from your coach/instructor, if required, Email University Counselling to request to be signed up for a presentation, and be specific about which one it is.
You must Email University Counselling with your request no later than the night before the day of the presentation. Last minute requests are not permitted.
International Students whose First Language is Not English
Students whose first language is one other than English, you may very well have to prove your English proficiency to universities by means of a test like TOEFL or IELTS. If you have been at Brentwood since Grade 9, that is often enough for many Canadian universities. If you have been at Brentwood for 3 years or less, and/or you are planning to apply to universities outside of Canada, you must come in to review the Proof of English Proficiency policies of your universities of choice. These policies can vary wildly, and if require a test at even one university on your list, then we need to make plans for you to write TOEFL or IELTS sooner rather than later.
TOEFL and IELTS tests are available locally in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Vancouver, as well at locations around the world. Please come in to discuss options. If you are in doubt about whether you will need to write, come in. IF ENGLISH IS NOT YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE, COME IN TO CONFIRM REGARDLESS!
Major Scholarships
For now, the scholarships that are most relevant are considered to be Major awards—usually national awards that are tough to get. Most of you will be automatically considered for Entrance awards to the universities you apply to, without a separate application.
Between those are other scholarships that need to be found by looking at resources such as the following sites: scholarshipscanada.com and yconic.com. On these sites, you need to set up a profile and search through matched awards.
If you think you would be a suitable candidate, be sure to investigate the Major Entrance Scholarship process for the schools to which you are applying. Each will have a different process for scholarships, so better to do your research now to ensure you know what exactly to do and when to submit!
There are some major scholarship programs that require work to be done and application submitted early this fall. Here is a list of scholarship opportunities, and information about the work you need to do to apply.
Terry Fox Humanitarian Award
Values at $28,000, the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award is one of Canada's most established and prestigious awards.
The award is highly competitive, but is open to students of all abilities and all fields of study.
Terry Fox Humanitarian Award recipients are selected for their dedication to the humanitarian ideals of Terry Fox, their courage in overcoming obstacles, and definite marks of distinction and persistence in the pursuit of excellence in academic, athletic, and civic life. We are looking for humanitarians, those who improve human welfare, make a difference, and have a positive impact on community and others. While Terry faced many obstacles, and quite clearly a physical one, candidates may face different types of obstacles. A myriad of obstacles exist, and we consider any adversity that calls for a demonstration of courage, compassion, and fortitude. Financial need is not in itself a criteria of our Award. It can, however, be included as an obstacle.
For more information about the Award and how to apply, click here. The application submission deadline is December 1st.
British Columbia Scholarships
Click HERE to see what scholarship/award/grant opportunities are available to students who attend a school here in British Columbia.