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Here are twelve ways you can take to transform your applications from qualified to compelling:

1. 1. Demonstrate rigor in your academics by taking the most challenging courses your school has to offer, whether these be in the IB or AP curriculum, while obtaining superb marks.
   2. Take part in competitions related to your areas of interest whether these be math, physics, history, philosophy, robotics, debating, writing or anything else that interests you or you are good at.
   3. Have a good array of activities, showing depth of engagement, initiative, and leadership in a few of them. If one or more of those few are relevant to your major, that would be even better.
   4. Community service that is sustained over a period of time and demonstrates initiative and the ‘kindness factor’ is an absolute must.
   5. Despite the fact that many universities are test-optional in the next few years due to the pandemic, prepare for the SAT or ACT, and obtain a high score.
   6. Have a ‘wow factor’ or a unique value proposition that differentiates you from all the other smart and talented students who are applying to your top choice universities. Make sure this comes through in your essays and interactions with the universities.
   7. Do not operate under the radar in school; make sure teachers and administrators are aware of your accomplishments in and outside of school as this may result in more opportunities coming your way and will make it easier to obtain stellar letters of recommendation for your applications.
   8. Demonstrate interest to universities by visiting their campus, doing extensive research on what they offer and why you are a good fit, and connect with students, professors, or admissions staff.
   9. Highlight any personal characteristics you might have that could contribute to the diversity of the campus community you wish to join.
   10. Put extra effort into doing a thorough job on your applications and in writing essays that are insightful and draw upon the extensive engagements you have had in and out of the classroom to showcase your authentic self, your values, and goals. Remember, this is an exercise in marketing and you are the product.
   11. If interviews are offered, be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to show your personality and why you are a good fit with the university.
   12. Submit your application early and give yourself time to review and make sure every piece you are submitting is perfect.

An application that is prepared with strategy, one that reinforces the picture of who you are and what you have accomplished to the colleges and universities you are targeting, will be compelling and likely to increase your chances of admission.

1. 1. Do your research BEFORE you decide to visit. Most students have limited time and visiting 2 dozen campuses will be expensive. Pare down your list by eliminating universities which do not fit the criteria you have in mind in terms of program offerings, size, location, proximity to home or to specific facilities, art museums for example or internship opportunities, etc.
   2. Evaluate the environment surrounding campus by checking the location and immediate surroundings on Google Earth. Upon arrival on campus, allow enough time to drive through the neighborhoods surrounding campus to get a feel for the location.
   3. Book an official tour and information session ahead of time- months ahead of time if you plan to travel during spring break which is the best time to visit campuses if they are in session. Keep in mind that universities close down during the winter break and often do not offer tours during exam times. During summers, it is often high school students or graduate school students who will be seen on campus.
   4. Check out the campus on your own in addition to the tour. The tours are designed by the admissions office to show parts of campus which would be most relevant to the average visitor. You might have your own priorities. For example, you might want to visit a computer lab, the athletic facilities, the theatre or fine arts department or meet with special services if you have learning differences that need to be accommodated for – so be sure to allow extra time for this.
   5. Arrange to meet a department head or professor for the subject area that interests you for the couple of universities that top your list. Go in with some questions (must do some research for this). Do this after touring campus so you can make some comments about your visit.
   6. Arrange to sit in on a class, if possible. Universities sometimes offer this opportunity to prospective students who are in grade 11 or 12. There will be a list of classes open for visits with the days and times they meet. You will likely have to email the professor and ask for permission so you don’t visit on a day when the students are sitting down for a test rather than on a day when there is teaching or discussion going on.
   7. Check out the student center, bookstore, and library. Talk to students and ask them about their personal experiences, pros and cons of the university, why they chose it and so on.
   8. Eat in the cafeteria, see what type of food they serve, how diverse the student body is, and watch how students interact – including students of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds.
   9. If this is a road trip, make sure to wake up in a hotel close to the college being visited, even if it means a late night drive the evening before.  Ask about parking ahead of time and allow plenty of time as finding parking near campuses is often a challenge.
   10. Be sure to take some notes during the tour and information session and jot down your impressions or dictate them into your cell phone after the visit. Rate each campus from 1-5.

What are the SAT and ACT?

The SAT and ACT are timed standardized tests for admission into U.S. universities. They are multiple-choice tests with the exception of one portion of the SAT where students have to generate responses to 13 math questions and enter them on the answer sheet. These 3-hour tests have sections on English language, Reading, and Math. The ACT has a Science reasoning section as well. Both tests used to have an Essay section, but universities no longer require the essay portion. Universities do not have a preference as to which test you submit; both tests are equally valued.

Do all US universities require the SAT or ACT?

The majority of U.S. universities require the SAT or ACT.  There have always been universities that were test-optional as well as a handful of universities that had alternate options such as submitting AP scores or predicted IB marks instead of SAT or ACT scores. During COVID, when many test centers canceled test dates, the universities became test-optional for a period of 2-3 years but it is VERY likely they will be going back to requiring the SAT or ACT so our best advice is to prepare for these tests. Even if you have one or two universities on your list that are test-optional, the majority will require testing!

How are the tests different from one another?

The ACT is now a computer-based test internationally so you will be taking it on a computer. Since this policy has gone into effect, there are fewer test centers in BC. Students who prefer taking the test on paper, have gone across the border to test in Bellingham or elsewhere in the U.S. The ACT is a more straightforward test, covering what the student has learned in high school, but students have less time per question. The SAT is a more tricky test and includes material the student might not have encountered in high school to predict what the student is capable of learning. It includes questions on US history which Canadian students have to familiarize themselves with. The ACT has a distinct science section, whereas science is interspersed in the different sections in the SAT. For STEM students, it is an advantage to show a solid score on this science reasoning section (no facts need to be memorized). See the chart for details of the differences between the two tests.

How do I decide which test to prepare for?

The best way to decide whether the SAT or the ACT is right for you is to take a full-length timed practice test for each type of test. Factors such as how you handle time pressure and what types of questions you find more challenging can help us determine which test is a better fit for your style. This will be done through SCA’s Student Management Platform so let us know if you wish to have a test scheduled.

When is a good time to begin test preparation?

Grade 10 is the ideal time to begin preparation for the SAT or ACT test. Whether you decide to begin your tutorials in September or in January of grade 10 is up to you. However, don’t underestimate how much time and practice it will take to do well on the exam, especially given that the average student will likely be taking the test 2 or 3 times – occasionally more times than that. Keep in mind that once you take a test, you will have to wait about 3 weeks for the results in order to see your score and to determine the sections that need more work. That means another month or more of preparation prior to addressing your weaknesses prior to testing again. Meanwhile, there will always be school projects, assignments, and assessments interfering with test prep. What we want to avoid is students having to spend the summer between grades 11 and 12 on test prep instead of engaging in something more meaningful and forcing us to finalize their university list without having a test score in hand.

Can I self-study for the test?

We do not recommend tackling the test solely with self-preparation. If you wish to start working on learning SAT vocabulary words or getting familiar with the content of the test on your own, it is perfectly okay to start that way, but learning strategy and especially how to use shortcuts to find the correct answers more quickly on the multiple-choice questions on these TIMED tests is essential to success.

Which section should I begin with?

Since students will have covered more math by the end of grade 10 than at the beginning, you are advised to begin working on the English portions of the test and leaving the math portions for later in your test preparation when your math skills will be more advanced.

How big a role will your MATH score play in your final score?

The answer to this question depends on whether you’re taking the ACT or SAT. On the ACT, Math accounts for one-fourth of your total score (your Math section score is averaged with your other three section scores). On the SAT, however, Math accounts for half of your total score, making it twice as important on the SAT! So if math isn’t your strong suit, consider opting for the ACT. With the ACT, a lower Math score won’t negatively affect your total score as much as it will on the SAT.

The ACT allows the use of a calculator for all math sections while the SAT allows calculator use for some sections only. The SAT’s student-produced response questions or grid-ins account for 22% of SAT Math, or 13 questions in total. Students can program their graphing calculators so that they can use these programs as shortcuts to solutions on both the ACT math and the SAT calculator section.

When is the ideal time to take the actual SAT or ACT?

Some students manage to take their first test in the fall of grade 11; others test in December or January of grade 11, while some take their test in the spring of grade 11. Occasionally, we have students finishing all testing by the end of grade 10 but that is rare.

When should I be done with all testing?

The number of students we see still testing in the fall of senior year is too many. Ideally, we want students done with testing and all retesting prior to the end of grade 11 and certainly BEFORE the start of grade 12; the sooner they reach this milestone, the better!

How do I register for testing?

Register for taking the SAT through Collegeboard.org and for the ACT through ACT.org. It is best to register when your test prep tutor tells you that you are ready for testing and definitely after you have been consistently getting the score you are targeting on TIMED mock tests. You must register for tests months in advance of the test date and keep in mind that some test dates are very popular and book quickly. Each test is offered about 7 times per year at various test centers or schools.

How are the tests scored and what is a good score?

The SAT is scored out of a total of 1600 points and the ACT out of 36 points. A good score is one that is above the median scores of admitted students for the universities you are targeting. If you are targeting Stanford and Harvard, 33+ is a good ACT score and 1550+ would be best for the SAT. If you are targeting MIT and Caltech, then a perfect score on the Math sections is essential.

Final words of advice:

Once you begin test preparation, students have to take it seriously and move forward full force. You cannot close the books for 3 months of the summer or not do any practice for several months. You will have to take several timed mock tests to determine your readiness prior to tackling the real test. In other words, we do not want you to take a real test to ‘just see’ how you do until we are sure you are ready; some universities require the results of ALL your tests – while others allow you to send in the results you choose to share. The goal is to get the testing over with as soon as you can. It is a burden off of your shoulders and one less thing to spend precious time on – not to mention, savings for your parents if you don’t spend two years in test prep classes or tutorials.

Canadian universities are a popular choice for international students for a variety of reasons. These include an enviably high standard of living and quality of life, prestigious universities with relatively high global rankings, lower tuition/room & board costs, better acceptance rates, affordable health insurance, and the fact that Canada is a diverse, welcoming, safe and well-organized country. Hence, looking at Canada as an alternative option to education from one’s home country can make good sense for some international students. Obtaining a visa to study at a designated learning institution in Canada is relatively simple and can be completed online.

Educational Options Abound – Students studying in Canada have a range of choices, the majority being public, from large research institutions like McGill University, University of British Columbia, and University of Toronto which consistently rank high among top universities worldwide (see Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2021) to the smaller universities like the ‘Maple League’ institutions which make up a consortium of four similar schools in Eastern Canada and Quebec: Mount Allison University, Acadia University, St. Francis Xavier University and Bishop’s University. The focus of the Maple League is a liberal education for undergraduate students. Canadian universities, as a whole, offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees which pretty much cover the entire spectrum of academic offerings ranging from the Sciences, to Business and Commerce (a very popular undergraduate option), Fine Arts, Humanities, and Engineering. Study abroad and other co-curricular programs are available. Bachelor degrees are generally four years in duration.

Acceptance Rates are High – Additionally, top Canadian universities have relatively high acceptance rates which vary by faculty.  There are programs, however, such as Commerce at Queen’s University, Business at Richard Ivey (University of Western Ontario), and Health Sciences at McMaster University which are highly selective with admission rates in the single digits. Admission requirements vary by institution and are quite transparent, resulting in fewer ineligible students applying haphazardly just in case they might get in. Typically, students are evaluated based on their academic transcript from grades 11 and 12. Unlike their US counterparts, Canadian university applications are not essay-intensive, with some exceptions like UBC where essays and a list of activities are required. Essays are, however, becoming more prominent, particularly for Commerce and Engineering programs. Canadian universities are generally easier to gain admission to than their US counterparts and the process is simpler and much less stressful for applicants given that no letters of recommendation or in-person interviews are required and ‘demonstrated interest’ is never a factor. Some competitive programs, such as UBC’s Sauder School of Business, University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, and University of Waterloo’s engineering program, among others, do require an online automated short interview.

Bilingual Education – It is no wonder that students from across the world seek higher education in this bilingual country where they can study in French or in English. In addition to the province of Quebec which is Francophone, bilingual study options are available across the country at institutions such at the University of Ottawa and at Glendon College at York University. Bilingual studies enrich the students’ educational and cultural experience while also improving future job prospects elsewhere in the world, including in Francophone countries.

Co-op Education for Experiential Learning – Canadian education is known for its co-op programs which can take place locally, nationally, or internationally. This type of experiential learning was initially pioneered by the University of Waterloo and has since become the hallmark of Canadian post-secondary education. For those who take advantage of this on-the-job learning option, they will have the opportunity to work in three or more organizations within their industry while gaining income and experience. For most, this will add an additional year to their program of study and work. However, co-op is also a foot-in-the door for employment opportunities and will help students decide what type of work setting appeals to them most – often even allowing students to further narrow down their educational path.  The academic year at Canadian universities begins after Labor Day and ends in late April, allowing for a longer summer break, an added advantage for gaining work experience. For information on work permit programs and eligibility criteria, visit www.cic.gc.ca

Finances and Affordability –Tuition fees in Canada are generally lower than those of the US and UK and vary by program.  For the 2020/21 academic year, an international student will pay approximately $50,800 ($38,100 USD) per year for tuition if enrolled in applied science versus about $39,600 ($29,700 USD) if enrolled in the humanities. Given that living costs are generally dollar-for-dollar equivalent with the US, and the fact that the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar is 25% lower than the US dollar, education and living costs are quite affordable for international students. Healthcare costs are subsidized by the government, making them very reasonable. Tuition for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, whether residing in Canada or elsewhere, is at a much lower rate and extremely affordable.

Lifestyle –The majority of Canadian universities offer housing in first year, after which students move to off-campus housing in the vicinity of the university or in the city where they are attending university. Some move back home and commute to classes. Given the cosmopolitan and peaceful backdrop, the university experience in a Canadian city is more of a European type lifestyle than the typical American university experience where students live on campus, eat together in dining halls, and attend football and basketball games to cheer on their teams. As such, this type of cosmopolitan city life is well-suited for students who are slightly more mature than their peers. Canada and its major cities consistently rank in third place or better in the world for quality of life

An Open Path to Citizenship – Canada is an ideal place for international students to spread their wings and broaden their horizons especially as they will have an opportunity to work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and full-time during school breaks. International graduates of Canadian universities may be eligible to transition to permanent residency and eventually to citizenship in Canada which may be a very attractive option to some.

Canada is Welcoming & Embraces Diversity – Canada welcomes those seeking higher education and many of its largest urban centres, Toronto and Vancouver included, boast a foreign-born population of 40% or higher. This multicultural country is very welcoming to students from across the world both in its cities and campuses. International students pay higher tuition rates than domestic students, hence they support the educational institutions they attend while also boosting the economy through their labour, tax payments (if working), and general spending.

Educational Support Services – Support services make the transition to study in Canada easier and include orientation events, language support, student advising, disability-related accommodations, and career counseling.  There are a variety of extracurricular clubs and associations to engage the student in campus life and academics.

Outdoor Life – For students who are environmentally conscious and for those who seek active adventure and enjoy spending time outdoors, Canada offers a myriad of experiences. Adventures abound from windsurfing to kayaking, from sailing to white water rafting, from hiking to mountain-climbing, from spending time in world-class ski resorts to visiting rainforests and pristine national parks.  In fact, students in Vancouver can ski and surf the ocean on the same day!

Finally, in Canada, the culture of kindness, tolerance, and inclusion is more the norm than the exception. Nobody asks you “where are you from”.  It is, therefore, no wonder that more and more students, from across the world, flock to the shores of this safe and beautiful country which is ranked sixth on the global peace index. www.EduCanada.ca is the official government of Canada website for study in Canada information and a good place to begin your research.

Applying Early Decision (ED) is pretty straight-forward. You apply early – typically a Nov. 1 deadline, and you’re notified early – typically by mid-December. If you’re accepted, it’s binding – you must go. Since it is binding, you are allowed to apply to only one college ED. This commitment will require your signature, that of a parent, and your counselor stating that you understand that this is a binding commitment. In some instances, ED universities you are applying to might allow you to simultaneously apply to one or more colleges and universities that offer the Early Action option, which is non-binding. However, if the ED comes through and you are admitted, then that is where you will HAVE TO go. Breaking an ED commitment can have its consequences for both you and your high school!

Now, a small number of colleges/universities have added an Early Decision 2 option (ED2), with a January deadline (often January 1). ED 2 is frequently used by students who applied ED elsewhere and were either rejected or whose applications were deferred to be reviewed again in the Regular Decision (RD). ED2 also gives students a boost in admission rates, but not quite as high as in ED1. Students are generally notified of their ED2 decision around mid-February – versus late March when RD decisions come out. Colleges/universities love students who apply ED1 and ED2. It allows them to have a better grasp of the number of students they’ll need to accept in regular decision. Many institutions have a surprising bump in their ED acceptance rates compared with regular decision. This admissions boost is tracked by colleges/universities and can be viewed in this chart.

As you can see in the above chart, some universities double their regular acceptance rate in ED1 and ED2. The University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League institution, jumps from 7.1 percent in ED to 19.5 percent in RD, and accepts an astounding 54.1 percent of its incoming class in the early round. The University of Chicago, a highly ranked private university, offers ED1, ED2, as well as an EA option. Naturally, its ED options have much higher admission rates than its EA option.

There are trade-offs with Early Decision. Even though the numbers can be very appealing, families need to understand that the applicant pool for ED is typically stronger. Early Decision applicants are frequently athletes who are being recruited to play a sport for the university, legacy students whose parents attended the university, development cases (where the family has donated to the university), etc.

Since any ED and ED2 decisions is binding, once students are accepted ED, they are asked to withdraw their applications from all other colleges and universities where they applied. Applying Early Decision eliminates any possibility for a family to compare financial aid offers (for those who have applied for aid) or to even find out about need-based or merit-based aid at other schools. They will also never know if they would have been accepted to some of the universities from which they had to withdraw.

Early Decision is a great option for students who are ready with their applications in early fall, have finished their testing, their grades are the highest they will be, and who have visited the university to which they will be applying ED or ED2 and know that it is a good fit for them. Remember, this is BINDING!

Please note that a handful of universities offer a Restricted Early Action option (REA is offered by Stanford) or Single Choice Early Action option (SCEA offered by Harvard, Yale, Princeton). These allow you to apply to one single university early but they are non-binding and hence do not have as high an admission rate as ED1 and ED2 have!

Given all the changes that came about due to COVID-19, the 2021 graduating year was one of much uncertainty. Below are some trends we saw that will likely impact elite university admission next year as well. I will be using Columbia as an example of an elite university to make my points:

Angular Students are always in demand. Elite universities are on the lookout for what we call “Angular Applicants.” These are students who have already demonstrated a deep independent intellectual curiosity or expertise in a given area, ranging from scientific research to in-depth immersion in the humanities, to outstanding athletics or performing and fine arts endeavors.

More push to admit low income and first generation students. The fact that so many elite universities were suddenly test optional this year because of the cancellation of test dates resulted in many more students, many who would not have otherwise applied due to lack of testing or due to low scores, applying to elite schools. There has been a push due to Black Lives Matter and increased scrutiny after the Singer college admissions bribery scandal to give more opportunity to these historically underrepresented minorities.

Supplemental Essays are more important than ever. For students to get a sense of what a specific university looks for in its candidates, the supplemental essay questions are a good place to start. Since Columbia values students who read and their core curriculum is reading heavy, they ask specifically what students have read both as a class assignment and on their own. Supplemental questions often require research.

Independent Intellectual Curiosity is key.  Columbia wants to see students who not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. It wants students who truly have a deep intellectual curiosity and pursue knowledge across a wide range of sources. Students will have to illustrate their curiosity through independent research, summer study programs, the books they read, the events they attend, and letters of recommendation they submit, etc.

The need to Demonstrate Match is more critical than ever. Most students say they want to go to Columbia because of the core curriculum and its New York city location. But there has to be more compelling reasons beyond these obvious and COMMON answers. Is there a particular professor or course of study that resonates with you? What about the student body do you like? How does the academic culture of a given institution match the way you like to learn?  The more specific, the better.

Increase in waitlists and rejections. With universities receiving more applications than they could handle this past year, we saw more outright rejections instead of the usual deferrals from the early round to the regular round than we had seen in past years. As well, universities waitlisted more students than usual to deal with the uncertainly of how many accepted students would actually enroll.

It is, therefore, more important than ever to be more conservative in your choice of where to apply and make a wise decision regarding your early application option/s. Everyone can have a couple of somewhat reach universities on their list but a balanced list will include several target institutions and definitely some safe or likely options where admission is predictable.

1. 1. According to Charles Dickens, “procrastination is the thief of time.” My best advice to you is to not underestimate the amount of time it will take you to get your applications done – especially once the academic year begins and you have to juggle coursework with extracurricular activities. Most students start a Common Application account, take a look at it and leave it for later. That’s always a mistake!
   2. Think BEFORE you Write: Take a look at the full list of essays each university requires, have a list of characteristics or experiences you’d like to highlight in your applications for reference, and decide how this is best done with the essay prompts you have for this particular university. In other words, brainstorm and plan for every essay for a given university, before beginning the writing process. Make sure you come across as a well-rounded applicant by including something about your community service, your leadership/collaborative skills, and so on.
   3. Fill out the supplement and choose your intended major BEFORE you begin your essays. For one, you don’t want to write an essay about how you intend to major in x when the university does not offer that field.  Two, some universities have phantom essays which only appear after you choose which faculty or college you will be applying to.  Engineering majors might have one essay to tackle while Business majors might have a completely different essay to write.  You do not want these to suddenly appear the night before the deadline as you’re getting ready to press Submit.
   4. Avoid controversial or risky topics. These include politics and sex as well as the 3 D’s: Death, Divorce, and Depression. Produce a personal statement or essay that is upbeat, interesting, and insightful in order to engage the reader.
   5. When asked why you wish to attend X university, do not produce generic essays talking about small classes, professors that are accessible, the positive campus vibe, the weather, or state-of-the-art labs. Remember that specificity matters so do in-depth research and be original.
   6. Don’t rush your work before deadlines. A rushed job is often a poor job, and will likely be followed by regret about having made mistakes which might have been avoidable given more time. Plus, if you suddenly realize that you must enter information (such as your grade 9 marks) before you submit on Sunday (night of the deadline) but have no access to your school counselor to provide these to you before submitting, then you’re in trouble.
   7. Always remember that nothing worth having comes easy. You will have to make some sacrifices in order to have time to produce high quality applications and essays. That will likely entail less time with friends, on social media, watching Netflix, or playing videogames!

Most successful students begin their work early, keep a steady pace, get things done in advance of deadlines, and end up reaping the benefits of being organized and on top of tasks! Keep in mind that there is an end in sight and the tassel will be worth the hassle!

Congratulations 2021 Grads!

Once again, we are proud of our current year graduating students for their many accomplishments, continued hard work, perseverance & stellar results. Despite COVID and it being the most competitive and unpredictable application season, our grads have put in extraordinary effort, time and patience to reach their goals.  We have watched them mature, become better writers, gaining confidence throughout the process.

Our European acceptances range from Oxford and Imperial College to University of St. Andrews and University College, Dublin. In the US, our grads have secured acceptances – some with Merit Scholarships – to Stanford, University of Pennsylvania (including the super selective Penn’s Management and Technology program at the Wharton School of Business), Yale University, Dartmouth College, University of Chicago, Rice University, University of Southern California (USC), New York University (NYU), Georgia Institute of Technology, Boston College, Boston University, Barnard College, Johns Hopkins University, University of Notre Dame, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Claremont McKenna College, University of Michigan, University of Illinois, University of San Diego, Loyola Marymount University, Santa Clara University, Pepperdine University, Whitman College, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of California at Berkeley, UCLA & other UC’s, among many other outstanding institutions. Likewise, our applicants to Canadian Universities have our accolades for admission to their top choices including University British Columbia, Simon Frazer University, McMaster University, Queen’s University, University of Toronto, Western, McGill University, University of Waterloo & others.

As admission to US universities, particularly the more selective ones, is getting more and more difficult, it is important that students choose to do something meaningful with their summer. Summer is also an opportunity to set yourself apart from the thousands of other applicants applying to the same universities you are targeting.

For those of you wanting to accelerate your study of biology or math, the summer after grade 9 would be a good time to do this – not the summer before entering grades 11 or 12.  Leave the last summer or two prior to graduation for activities such as internships, research or to attend summer programs at university campuses that will both help you solidify the field you wish to focus on at university and get a taste of university life – maybe even on the campus of one of the ones you are targeting.  Universities like students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity by engaging in learning during the summer.  Some of them even ask in their applications how you spent the last two summers.  Telling them that you took Social Studies 11 online and went to an SAT prep class is not going to impress them.  That is not to say test prep is unimportant; it just does not have to take such a prominent role in your summer – you can do test prep along with other activities.

Keep in mind, that you can engage in more than one activity during a summer. For example, you can attend a 3 or 4-week summer program and have a 2-week summer job or internship. It is important not to overdo activities in the summer prior to entering grade 12 as this could be a summer for attending a shorter summer program (2-3 weeks on length) and spending time on completing university applications and writing essays to lessen our burden in the fall when school starts. IB students will likely be spending part of their summer on their Extended Essay.

Summer is a good time to do a variety of things such as the following:

• Put together a résumé of your activities and skills and look for an internship – this is valuable whether it is a paid internship or not. Job-shadowing is another option to help you narrow down your future career.
• Get a job.  We’ve had students who were lifeguards, ran sports camps for little kids, or worked for a start-up company by helping out with a variety of tasks including programming or managing the company’s social media campaigns. Tutoring is another option.
• Be entrepreneurial. Whether you start a business designing websites for start-up businesses or for high school students wanting to showcase their many extracurricular engagements to universities or whether you start a dog-walking business or power washing business in your neighborhood, you learn from these valuable life experiences and you could save money to buy that new laptop for college.
• Send your résumé to several dozen university professors with a cover letter stating that your interests are within their area of expertise and you would like to take part in the research they are conducting. Of course, if you can work with them for a few weeks of the summer, that would be a wonderful experience, will be impressive to universities, and sometimes might even lead to you having your name on published research. This option requires perseverance and a tough skin, as unsolicited emails often go unanswered so start early and apply widely.
• Leave some time to research universities and take some notes for when you have to narrow down your list of campuses to apply to and also for when you have to write all those essays about why you want to attend each particular university or why you wish to study X there. This research can include some real and some virtual campus visits. If you visit in person, book both an information session and a tour.
• Community service is important so engage in service projects.  One group of students put together a musical quartet and played at weddings and events and donated their income to a charity of their choice.
• There are a variety of summer programs that train you in leadership.  This is a useful skill that will help you out in your high school life, during college, and later on with your career and personal life so it is worth investing in.

Regardless of what you choose to do, summer is a time for stepping out of your comfort zone and engaging in something interesting. Last but not least, you must leave a little time for rest and relaxation so that you can begin the next academic year refreshed and ready to tackle any and all challenges that come your way.

For high school students, an internship can be a transformative experience. This is likely their first foray into a professional environment and into a real-life scenario. There are diverse opportunities in a variety of industries which students can pursue. In addition to providing experience in a work environment, internships look good on a résumé. For students with multiple internship experiences, these provide valuable insights, a peak at a possible future career, often helping narrow down both their major at university and what type of work environment suits them best. This is certainly also true for co-op programs offered at some U.S. universities and most Canadian universities in almost every field imaginable.

Internships come in all shapes and sizes, some with more responsibilities and some with less. They range from 2 weeks to several months but keep in mind that the learning opportunities will be more limited with internships that are less than 2 weeks in length. One internship might be heavily supervised while another might have a student working independently on a project. Entry-level internships might entail repetitive tasks. Some internships offer pay while others are unpaid. Given a choice, students are well-advised to choose an internship in a field that genuinely interests them rather than making the decision solely based on pay. Sometimes, that unpaid internship can turn out to be a much more valuable experience than the paid one. In either case, internships are of value in that they provide practical and transferable skills, and can sometimes be a foot in the door in an organization – leading to a full-time job upon graduation from university.

At the high school level, internships are not easy to come by.  Students who manage to obtain internship positions usually do so through parental or family contacts and sometimes even work in the company where their mom, dad, or a close family member is employed.  Whether the student is programming all day, designing an app for a start-up company, creating short animated videos for a non-profit, or building architectural models, the responsibilities can vary a great deal.  However, that first internship, showcasing the fact that they held a nine to five job for several weeks of the summer could lead to bigger and better opportunities in future summers. For students applying to direct-entry programs such as medicine in the UK or engineering programs, having RELEVANT work experience can give them an advantage as well as some substance to draw upon for the personal statement and essays they will have to write, increasing their chances of admission to their target program. High School seniors graduating early next May, can try to procure a local summer internship to build up a strong résumé, laying the foundations for the following summer when they will be looking for something more serious or a job offering financial compensation.

Sometimes students who are creative and entrepreneurial come up with an idea and approach a company, offering their services either for no pay or at a reduced fee. For example, one of our students reached out to a small start-up business and offered to design their first website for them.  Often, young people, having grown up with social media, can use this tool to set-up a marketing strategy for a new company with a small operating budget, helping them connect with more customers through Facebook and Instagram. Students must not underestimate their skills and talents and should see what opportunities they can create for themselves. The first step to doing this is to put together a presentable résumé. To make things easier, students can pick a free ready-made résumé template, easily accessible through Microsoft Word or Apple Pages. A simple one-page résumé is ideal for a high school student. Over time, as they add their post-secondary education, more activities and skills, including work experiences, the résumé will expand.

Over the years, we have had students engage in a variety of internships including working at Science World and the Vancouver Aquarium.  One student, interested in studying medicine, worked 3 summers (during high school and university summers) at a laboratory in Burnaby testing the urine of racehorses for performance-enhancing drugs.  Another student interned at an engineering consulting company and was told to come back and look them up after graduation. He did exactly that and has been employed there since. One student who was interested in business, took on an internship at a financial firm entering data in an Excel sheet all day while his close friend worked in a commercial real estate firm doing some marketing for them. We have had students who have been able to job shadow in doctor’s offices, dental clinics, and architectural firms.  For one, her internship in an architectural firm confirmed the fact that she wanted to go into architecture and for another, it did exactly the opposite; he realized this was not his true calling and he would not enjoy sitting at a desk drafting all day. He was happy that he came to this conclusion BEFORE applying to university. One student saw an Instagram ad for an internship at Lululemon’s parent company, applied and got the position. The next year, another one of our students applied for the same intern position even before it was advertised and had success. For some students, an unpaid internship one summer may lead to a paid internship the following summer at the same firm given that the employer sees the student has potential and is adding value to their organization. For others, the fact that they have a strong reference letter from a paid or unpaid internship can impress the next employer evaluating their résumé.

Without a doubt, internships have many benefits for students, allowing them to interact with adults (sometimes even gaining a mentor), learn on the job, refine their skills, establish trust, gain leadership, grow in confidence, as well as network. These are only a few key points about how youth can benefit from paid and unpaid internships in both the short term and the long term. Clearly, the pros outweigh the cons here and putting in the effort to find an internship by tapping into all their contacts will be a worthwhile endeavor for both high school and university students.  In the end, internships might make more sense to young people if we remind them that everyone started somewhere!