Admissions Tips in the Globe & Mail
From yesterday’s Globe and Mail: (emphasis added)
Beyond grades, what’s the secret to impressing university admissions departments? While there isn’t one surefire way to guarantee acceptance, certain strategies can help give concerned students an edge. Admissions officers from across the country spoke with The Globe and Mail about what they’re really looking for — and what key pitfalls can send even the most well-meaning application straight to the recycling bin.
Just remember that although this article is Canadian, these strategies are valid in some parts of the country, but not for most people applying to non-competitive/prestigious programs in Ontario. If you’re applying out of the province, or if your application will include a personal profile, then yes, admissions counselors will take your extra-curricular activities into account. They may even compensate for lower grades. But, the average Ontario student should know that if you’re applying to most programs within the province, then your “Top Six” average is almost all that matters.
You’ll notice that the quotations from Ontario schools were under the headings about not missing deadlines and keeping on top of your applications. (That’s about all you have to do in this province for most programs!) Queen’s does require a personal statement from everyone, so yes, they were quoted under a non-obvious “tip” for success.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not disagreeing with the strategies in the article, nor am I being dismissing its content. This is a national paper, and some provinces do require more than selecting 3 schools from a drop down menu during their application process. But, if you’re one of the several thousands of students applying to a general arts or science program in Ontario (and not at Queen’s), then you really don’t have to “strategize” about the process. In fact, the only real strategy for most Ontario applicants is the order in which you list your universities on the OUAC application, and even then, only some universities care about that.
Why I felt the need to mention this is because we hear so much hype about the “college application process” that comes from the US and is totally irrelevant to our application system. When we have a Canadian source describing much the same thing, it’s important to do a reality check. I’ve seen too many teenagers kill themselves over acquiring a well-rounded resume to show off to the universities only to find that it doesn’t come into play with their application.
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