LISGAR COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE …

                 LISGAR COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE




                                  2007- 08
              UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE
                   NEWSLETTER
To Grade 12 Students:

Choosing a college or university is one of the most important decisions an individual may
make in their lifetime. Very few of us would buy a home or a car without giving the decision a
great deal of thought. It is therefore important that students planning to apply in December,
start their own research NOW! The actual procedure for completing an application form to
attend an Ontario college or university is structured and simple; the difficult part of the
process is searching for answers to such questions as: Do I really want to go to
university/college? Why? What program shall I take? Which university/college is the right one
for me?

Please consult your Counsellor, the Guidance Technician or the Guidance Secretary, for
assistance early in the term. They will direct you to the mass of information available in the
Counselling Reading Area for you to peruse and digest. Often meaningful dialogue takes
place once a student has done a little reading or research. Over the next two months many
college and university admission officials and representatives will be visiting our school (see
attached schedule) to provide information and field questions. Parents are encouraged to
attend these information sessions, especially when they are evening programs.




Counsellors -        Ms. Green
                     Mr. Grills
                     Ms. Langlois
                     Ms. Smith
         QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY


ACADEMIC
·   What are the admission requirements for the program I would like?
·   What grades will I need for early or late acceptance?
·   How big are the classes?
·   How many hours of classes will I have?
·   How are the classes structured? Eg: Tutorial, seminar, lecture or lab
·   Will I receive individual counselling when selecting courses?
·   How heavy is the workload?
·   Where does my choice of program lead? Eg: Employment opportunities, graduate school
·   How good are the academic resources? Eg: Staff, libraries, facilities
·   Do I have to choose a specific college or campus within a university or college?

FINANCES
·   How much money can I anticipate spending? Eg: Tuition, books, room and board,
    travel, entertainment
·   Am I eligible for a scholarship or bursary?
·   How do I apply for financial assistance through Ontario Student Assistance
    Program (O.S.A.P.)?

HOUSING
·   Is it possible to stay at home and get the courses I want in Ottawa?
·   What kind of residence facilities are available on-campus? Is it guaranteed?
·   Is off-campus housing available?
·   What are my chances of obtaining a room in residence?
·   What kinds of meal plans are there?
·   What are the relative merits/cost of living on or off campus?

SOCIAL / CULTURAL
· What kind of orientation program is there for first year students?
· How does one become involved in extra-curricular activities; clubs,
  organizations, etc.?
· What kind of personal adjustment has to be made in order to cope with
  college university life?

GENERAL
·   Do I really want to go to college or university?
·   Why?
·   What do I expect of college/university?
·   What does it expect of me?
·   When will I visit a college/university to get the "feel" of it before I apply to attend?


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                                  USEFUL WEBSITES

BOUGE WEBSITE www.bouge.ca

This is a virtual organization bringing together a group of socially minded young Canadian
professionals who act as on-line mentors to students interested in asking specific questions
about universities, colleges, careers, and professional experiences, in the areas of Business,
Engineering, Governance and Technology.

ONTARIO GOVERNMENT www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/postsec/choosing

CAREERS www.careercruising.com
(USERNAME: ocdsb PASSWORD: careers)

Do the Interest Inventory, "Career Matchmaker", to discover your interest pattern. Then use
the results to research careers in the "Occupations" part of the program. Then use the
"Education" part of the program to see which college and university programs are required to
enter the occupations that interest you.

                    GENERAL UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE RESOURCES

OUAC (Ontario University Application Centre)                          www.ouac.on.ca
OUAC eINFO (researching Ontario Universities)                    www.electronicinfo.ca
OCAS (Ontario College Application Services)                     www.ontariocolleges.ca
YOUTH CANADA (education, employment and more)                        www.youth.gc.ca
CAN LEARN (education planning)                                       www.canlearn.ca
TRAIN YOUR BRAIN (value of arts and science degree)              www.trainyourbrain.ca
UNIVERSITIES WORLDWIDE                                          www.univ.cc/world.php
COLLEGES (USA - SATs : Lisgar's College Board # 826462)         www.collegeboard.com
ACT (education & career planning USA)                                     www.act.org
COLLEGE VOICE ­ Colleges Ontario Newsletter             http://www.collegesontario.org

        FINANCIAL INFORMATION (SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND LOANS)
OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program ­ apply on-line)           http://osap.gov.on.ca
OSAP Access Window ­ increased info on financial aid and            http://osap.gov.on.ca
scholarships
SCHOLARSHIPS CANADA                                         www.scholarshipscanada.ca
STUDENT AWARDS                                                 www.studentawards.com
MILLENNIUM SCHOLARSHIPS                                   www.millenniumscholarships.ca
ABORIGINAL SCHOLARSHIPS/BURSARY GUIDE               www.ammsa.com/ammsabursary.html
ONTARIO UNIVERSITIES' SCHOLARSHIPS                                 www.electronicinfo.ca
LISGAR'S "SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION BULLETIN"                                      lisgar.ca
COLLEGE FINANCIAL WEBSITE                   www.ontariocolleges.ca/plan/money-matters




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                    UNIVERSITY APPLICATION INFORMATION

UNIVERSITY APPLICATION
WWW.OUAC.ON.CA

Each potential Ontario university applicant will receive the eINFO 2008 Newsletter, that
directs students to the important resources available on the eINFO website. The
"Companion Booklet" and the 101 Addenda will be available on-line as a PDF at
www.ouac.on.ca/101/ for students to download and print. Students can perform searches for
scholarships, using criteria such as grade range, university, monetary value and more. In
addition, eINFO continues to provide the most up-to-date information about university
programs.

DO YOUR RESEARCH:

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER - NOVEMBER, 2007

During this time, students are urged to become familiar with the reference materials available
in the Counselling Reading Area, check university websites, and request an appointment with
a counsellor to discuss their future plans. Students and their parents are encouraged to
attend the University Information Program sessions (UIPs) ­ please see the calendar posted
on the grad bulletin board and on the Lisgar website (lisgar.ca). All Ontario universities will
be at the UIP sessions to give first hand information and answer specific questions about
each institution. Students should attend some of the presentations this fall at our school,
given by visiting universities and colleges. Please watch the grad information bulletin board,
"University & College", located at the end of the main hallway, for additions to the schedule.
This schedule is also posted on the Lisgar website at www.lisgar.ca. The Counselling Office
has many books and videos on specific colleges and universities which you may want to
view. This office also has a computer with Internet access for students to research university
and college websites.

WHEN DO I APPLY?

It is best to apply early. PINS (Personal Identification Numbers) will be available to grads at
Lisgar, in late November. Listen for the announcement in November and check the grad
information board. Applications received by January 9th, 2008, will be given equal
consideration for admission by the universities.

APPLY ON-LINE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DEADLINE
          th
(JANUARY 9 , 2008) TO APPLY. WE RECOMMEND ALL LISGAR STUDENTS APPLY BY
JANUARY 1st, 2008.

HOW CAN I APPLY?

Apply online at www.ouac.on.ca/101/ when you receive your PIN. Each Lisgar grad will be
assigned a personal password (PIN) by OUAC (Ontario Universities' Application Centre).
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There will be a school announcement indicating when and where the "personal pin"
passwords can be picked up. The other items needed are the Lisgar school code (922960),
and your student number. Once you have accessed your online application, you can make
changes to all information (except academic data), complete your university and program
selections, and submit the online application and the application processing fee ($105.00 for
three choices and an additional $35.00 per choice). Once the application fee is received
and validated by OUAC, the online application is transmitted electronically to the
universities. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED BY OUAC until this service
fee has been received and validated. All payments are made directly to OUAC, not to
Lisgar Collegiate. On-line credit card payments are processed more quickly than
cheques or money-orders.

OUAC will produce and send an application acknowledgment letter directly to you once they
have processed your application.

HOW ARE MY MARKS TRANSMITTED?

Your Grade 11 and 12 marks will be transmitted electronically to OUAC mid-February, in late
April, and again in July.

BE SURE your counsellor knows about any night school, summer school, Saturday school,
on-line or correspondence courses you are doing, so this information can be sent to OUAC.
Students are responsible for bringing report cards for these credits to their counsellor.

The provincial government requires that all repeated subject marks at the Grade 11 and 12
level are available to post-secondary institutions for consideration in the admission process.
Each university determines its own institution's policy regarding the use of these grades.
Therefore, DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES WILL USE DIFFERENT METHODS to calculate
your admission average! It is your responsibility to find out how the universities that you have
chosen will calculate your admissions average.

Please refer to the individual university calendars, websites and eINFO Newsletter for details
regarding their admission/selection process. You can also ask the university representatives
for this information when they visit Lisgar, during the lunch hours, in Room 202, this fall.

WHERE DO I SEND SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL?

Should you wish to send supplementary material to the universities, such as letters of
reference, testimonials or documents regarding any special circumstances, do not send them
to OUAC. OUAC will not copy, process or forward any of this material.

Send any such supplementary material directly to the universities of your choice, and
identify it by your OUAC reference number. It is best to send this material as soon as you
receive your application acknowledgment letter.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR CHANGING CHOICES?

The recommended last date to submit a program choice change is February 5, 2008.
Note: This is not a firm deadline. Changes will be accepted and processed by OUAC at          5
any time.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE AN OFFER OF ADMISSION?

Universities can make offers of admission to you anytime beginning in December, 2007, but
most offers will be made in March, April and May. The dates by which the universities make
offers, varies by university and program. May 26th, 2008, is the date by which all Ontario
universities must respond to your application for admission. This response will either be: an
offer of admission, a refusal, or a deferral pending receipt of specific additional information.

WHEN DO I ACCEPT AN OFFER OF ADMISSION?

May 28th, 2008 is the earliest date by which an Ontario university can REQUIRE that you
respond to their offer of admission. If you wish, you can accept or decline an offer before
May 28th, 2008.

APPLYING FOR JANUARY 2008 ADMISSION

We do not recommend that a student do this because there is approximately one month of
overlap between the start of university courses (start of January) and when high school
semester one ends (end of January). There is a special paper application process in
October. Please see your counsellor for details.

WHAT ARE DEFERRALS?

Sometimes students are given a deferral by universities in May or June. This means that the
university requires the student to submit his/her final marks from June directly to the
university in early July, before an offer of admission will be made. IT IS THE SOLE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT TO SEND THESE FINAL MARKS DIRECTLY TO
THE UNIVERSITY IF THE MARKS ARE REQUIRED PRIOR TO JULY 12TH, 2008. By mid-
July, final marks will be sent from Lisgar to OUAC. The OUAC will transmit your final standing
to the universities by late July, 2008.

WHAT DO I DO ABOUT 2008 SUMMER SCHOOL RESULTS?

Final marks obtained at summer school should be sent to universities by students who have
been given a conditional acceptance or a deferral in June. These marks must be sent BY
THE STUDENT AS SOON AS THEY RECEIVE THEM.

You may call OUAC or visit their website to find out which universities still have places open in
programs AFTER you receive your admission decision.

The OUAC phone number is 1-519-823-1940
Office Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, the website is www.ouac.on.ca
WHAT DO I DO ABOUT ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS?

See each university calendar or website to see if you need to prove your proficiency in
English. The language of instruction at most of the universities in Canada is English.
Students whose first language is not English, may need to demonstrate that they can cope
with the language demands of an English language university. Under certain conditions,
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applicants who have at least three years of full-time high school or university-level course
work in English in a country where English is an official language may be exempted from the
language proficiency test. Check with the university or college and also check the TOEFL
website (see below). TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language.

All international applicants and Canadian citizens and residents whose first language
is not English may be required:

a) to present transcripts to indicate that they have studied (full-time) for the last three years
   in a high school in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom or any other country in
   which the primary language of instruction is English; OR

b) to present proof that they have successfully completed one of the following
   language tests: TOEFL, CAEL, Can. Test. The most commonly used test is the
   TOEFL. www.toefl.com Note: fees are usually charged for these tests.

                                        KEY DATES

SEPTEMBER ­ NOVEMBER - Research universities and programs using Einfo ­ the new
searchable on-line tool, located at www.electronicinfo.ca. Attend the university and college
lunch hour visits at your school, and the Information Programs available in your city.

JANUARY 9, 2008 - The deadline for Ontario secondary school students to submit
completed applications to the OUAC. However, the earlier you apply, the better; applications
can be modified after submission.

FEBRUARY 5, 2008 - Recommended last date for students to submit all information to the
OUAC, including university and program changes, as well as additional active choices, to be
eligible for consideration for early admission. Changes will continue to be accepted and
processed by the OUAC after this date.

MAY 26, 2008 - The latest date by which all secondary school applicants can expect a
response from an Ontario university.

May 28, 2008 - The earliest date by which Ontario universities may require a response to an
offer of admission from an Ontario secondary school student.

EARLY JUNE-AUGUST ­ The Admission Information Service is available at the OUAC for
applicants not admitted by June. Find all of the information you need to apply to an Ontario
university, including the on-line line application here: www.ouac.on.ca/101/




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COLLEGE APPLICATION


www.ontariocolleges.ca
October 2007

To Grade 12 Students:

Why College? College can help you to fulfill your potential. From animation to underwater
skills, Ontario's colleges deliver unique programs which offer education, experience, and
training in practical skills. Gradates can become active leaders in government, industry,
social services, business, and the arts.

College Admission is Competitive: Approximately 60% of college applicants are adults
planning to upgrade, redirect or further their skills. Younger students make up 40% of
applicants and enter college directly after high school. The proof is in the numbers: 89% of
college graduates were employed within six months of graduation. 92% of employers who
hire college grads are more than satisfied with their new hires.

Types of Program Delivery: Post-secondary programs are the most common type of
program offered by the colleges and require a high school diploma for admission. Usually the
colleges assume that students have no prior knowledge or experience in the field. Some
programs have additional admission requirements.

Applied Degree programs offer the best of both worlds ­ the practical, technical strengths of
a college education and the theoretical foundation of a bachelor's degree. Joint
college/university programs, co-op, apprenticeships, and post-college and post-degree
programs are also offered in some disciplines.

Do your Research: Attend the College Info Program (CIP) - All Ontario Colleges will be at
Algonquin, Woodroffe Campus, 1385 Woodroffe Ave., on Friday, October 26, 2007, from
9:00am ­ 4:00pm. There will be a bus going from Lisgar to Algonquin that day. Come to
                                             th
Lisgar's counselling office before October 15 to register.

Go Shopping: You'll find lots of useful information about Ontario's 29 colleges of applied
arts and technology, the three agricultural colleges, and the Michener Institute for applied
health sciences, online: www.ontariocolleges.ca.

When do I apply? Apply as soon as the application becomes available in November. Lisgar
will make announcements to let you know when the application is available, and this
information will be posted on the "University & College" bulletin board. Applications and fees
received by OCAS (Ontario College Application Service) by February 1st, 2008, will be given
equal consideration by the colleges.

How can I apply? Apply online! www.ontariocolleges.ca Create your username and
password when first logging in to the online application. Once you have accessed your           8
online application, you can make changes to all information (except academic data).
Complete your college and program selections and submit the online application and the
application processing fee ($85.00 for five choices, with no more than 3 choices at any
one college). Once the application fee is received and validated, the online application is
transmitted electronically to the colleges. The colleges will evaluate your application and
make admission decisions. Check your email on a regular basis for updates from OCAS.
Check the status or make changes to your application online, including program choices and
personal information. Current Ontario high school students should verify their grades online
(early December, early March, mid-May and mid-July).

How are my marks transmitted? Your Ontario Secondary Transcript (OST) will be
transmitted electronically in late October, mid February and again in early July. Effective
September 1999, the OST includes "full-disclosure". Full disclosure is required by the
Ontario Government. All repeated Grade 11 and 12 subject marks are available to post-
secondary institutions for consideration in the admission process. Each college determines
its own institution's policy regarding the use of these grades. Please refer to the individual
college calendars and web sites for details regarding their admission/selection process.

What financial aid is available? Go to this website: ontariocolleges.ca/plan/money-matters

                                         KEY DATES

October, 2007 ­ Access to online application www.ontariocolleges.ca

November 30, 2007 ­ First date that 2008-09 application data is sent to the colleges.

November 30, 2007 ­ Earliest date that colleges may acknowledge your application.

February 1st, 2008- Earliest date that you can receive an offer of admission. Applications
received by OCAS on or before this date will be given equal consideration by the colleges.
Offers of admission will continue to be issued until programs are filled or wait-lists are
established.
      st
May 1 , 2008 - Applicants must confirm their acceptance of an offer of admission through
www.ontariocolleges.ca Some colleges may provide a different confirmation date. Check
your offer letter for details.

June 16, 2008 - The earliest date the colleges can require payment of tuition fees.

Apply and pay by December 14, 2007, for a chance to win up to $2,500 in cash! Visit
www.ontariocolleges.ca for details.




Sept. 28/07

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