1. Applying to College & University in Ontario

2. Steps – Research!
Complete your IPP on Career Cruising (from D2L/HUB or Westmount web site – not through Google); explore your interests & personality (16personalities.com)
Regularly check the Post-Secondary Information icon on the Guidance D2L/ UB page for college program updates, open houses, special events, etc. as well as school account
Ask your friends, family, teachers, co-workers, and guidance counsellors for advice
Become highly familiar with which is the ultimate online resource for everything you ever wanted to know about applying to college in Ontario and for university information

3. College – Research continued:
Research your options to determine which college program is right for you:
Do not attend the College Fair at Mohawk College on October 16 (9am-noon) *CANCELLED*
Attend the College Fair in Toronto on Oct. 24 or 25; or
Attend the Post-Secondary Fair on Nov. 6, 5:30-7:30 at Westdale SS
College/University Info Fair at Westmount Nov. 7, 8:45-10:45
Mohawk College runs College Information Sessions (next session is Nov. 17).

4. University – Research continued:
Ontario Universities’ Fair - Metro Toronto Convention Centre: Sept
Complete and reflect upon IPP
Post-Secondary Pathways Fair – Westdale Secondary: Nov. 6, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
University and College Fair at Westmount Secondary: Nov. 7,
8:45 – 10:45 am
electronicinfo.ca
Application video tutorials

5. University – At a Glance:
Receive PIN codes by the end of November
Application made through Ontario University Application Centre – OUAC.on.ca
$156 for 3 choices (up to three programs per university unless limited by specific institution). Additional choices $50 each (Crown wards may be reimbursed)
Deadline - January 17, 2018 at 11:59 pm for equal consideration
Pay online with credit card easiest and fastest option
Online banking can be used – but takes three business days to process
You cannot use pre-paid credit or debit cards.
Acknowledgement Letter via after application has been submitted and payment verified

6. College - At a Glance:
Central application centre in Guelph: Ontario College Application Service (OCAS)
5 choices for $95 (non-refundable) (Crown wards may be reimbursed)
no more than 3 programs at any one college
application will not be processed until payment is received – credit card fastest
apply at (no PIN required)
Feb. 1 deadline for equal consideration
June 15 – earliest date colleges can request payment

7. University - Step Two: Check Program Requirements
Six Grade 12 U/M including all required courses is referred to as your admission average.
In general, ENG4U1 is required for all programs
Humanities (ENG4U1 + 5 others)
Social Science (ENG4U1 + 5 others plus check for math requirements)
Science (ENG4U1, math and science requirements plus others)
Engineering (ENG4U1, MHF4U1, MCV4U1, SCH4U1, SPH4U1 plus one other)
Business (ENG4U1 and almost always two of the three 4U math requirements plus others)

8. University - Step Two: Check Program Requirements
Some schools will use certain grade 11 marks for early offers (not McMaster).
Some schools have programs that penalize students who repeat courses.
Courses ending with a C or O and co-op courses do not count.
Your admission average is often the number used for automatic scholarships.
Check each program you are applying to for the approximate minimum cut-off average.

9. University - Step Three: Other Requirements
Some programs require a Supplementary Application, Portfolio, or Audition.
Check with university websites for specific requirements and deadlines.
- For example at McMaster:
Health Science, Arts and Science, Integrated Science I, & Midwifery require SA’s; Nursing requires CASPer
Studio Art - Portfolio Interviews
Music/Drama - Auditions

10. College – Steps continued:
Check program requirements – not all colleges have the same requirements for the same or similar programs
Check the admission policy of each college, including grade differentials (e.g. most colleges, including Mohawk, do not give bonus points for taking U or M level courses (exceptions are Conestoga as well as Centennial and Ridgetown for select programs) – check their policies!
Check for additional admission requirements (audition, portfolio, CPR, etc.)
Can apply for January 2018 programs as one of your 5 choices
If applying for a highly competitive program, do NOT miss the Feb. 1 deadline!

11. How mid-semester marks and final marks are used for admission purposes
College
Semester 1 mid-semester marks are used for early offers of admission for non-competitive programs
Semester 1 final marks are used for offers of admission (may be disadvantaged if required courses are not first semester for competitive programs)
Semester 2 mid-semester marks are sometimes used to keep an offer (ie. must meet minimum requirement)
Semester 2 final marks are used to keep an offer (ie. must have met the terms of the offer)
University
Semester 1 mid-semester marks are NOT considered
Semester 1 final marks are considered
Semester 2 mid-semester marks are considered – the majority of offers or rejections are released after this point
Semester 2 final marks are considered to keep an offer
Note – early offers of admission – where applicable – generally are based on grade 11 final marks and grade 12 semester 1 final marks. Your admission average is still recalculated at mid-semester second semester and at the end of second semester to determine whether you still meet the conditions of the early offer of admission (yes, some students do lose their offers – so work hard all year!).

12. College – Prepare to Apply:
The Ontario Colleges web site is separated into categories:
APPLYING (application process including a user guide)
COLLEGES (information about colleges, locations, etc. and financial information)
PROGRAMS (search for college programs)
FAQ (frequently asked questions)

13. College – Prepare to Apply continued:
Be sure to have a valid address – you cannot apply to college online without one!
Have your Ontario Education Number (OEN) and student number handy – they are located at the top of your mid-semester and final report cards and on your student card.
View the user guide - takes you through the online application step-by-step

14. College – Apply Online:
Now that you’re ready to apply, go to and click “apply”, then “create new account”, then “sign up”
Fill in the required fields, including username and password (which you will create)
You will be sent an from ontariocolleges.ca with your login information and will have to click the link to log back in
Simply follow all the prompts – skip over the “experience” section unless you have job or volunteer experience RELATED to the program for which you are applying
Do NOT make a transcript request – Westmount will forward your grades electronically
If you have fewer than five college programs in mind so far, go ahead and apply now – you can always add additional programs later (but before Feb. 1 for equal consideration)

15. College – Accept an Offer:
Accept offers online by the deadline(s) stated in the offer(s) – in most cases, the deadline to accept an offer will be May 1:
Go to and click “confirm”, then “confirm now”
Sign into your account and click the “View Offers” tab
You may accept only one offer in one 24 hour period
You will receive an from ontariocolleges.ca, confirming your acceptance (contact OCAS if you do not receive an confirmation)

16. College – Accept an Offer:
Can accept only one offer at a time
OCAS will inform the college that you have accepted its offer, and your current acceptance will automatically cancel your previous acceptance.
*Remember* to pay tuition fees by the deadline set by the college, which will be no earlier than June 15 (residence fees are different – follow the college’s policy, if applicable).
If you become “stuck” during any stage of the application process, check the user guide. If you are still stuck, click the Live Chat tab at the bottom of the main web page, click “Help”, or phone/ OCAS directly. If you are still stuck, see your guidance counsellor.

17. The College Application in a Nutshell:
Watch this short and informative video and you’ll know everything you need about applying to college:
Applying to College

18. University – apply online: ouac.on.ca

19. University – Apply Online continued:
101 Online Application
Follow the steps on creating an application.

20. University - Accepting an Offer:
Accept online through Review and Change your Application -Choices/Offers.
Can change your mind about an offer but can only accept one offer at a time.

21. University – Timelines:
January 17, 2018 – Deadline for application
February 6, 2018 – Recommended last date to make changes to your application
May 29, 2018 – Date by which universities must respond to your application
June 1, 2018 – Earliest date universities may ask you to respond to their offer of admission

22. College Application Tips:
Check the grades data on your account regularly and report any errors or omissions to your guidance counsellor ASAP.
Starting Feb. 1, check for offers on your online account – usually later (end of March) for highly competitive programs.

23. College – Options Beyond the Typical:
College to University – stepping stone
(see the Ontario College University Transfer Guide)
Applied degrees – conferred by the college
Collaborative degrees – conferred by the university (eg. “MoMac” Nursing)
Depending on the institution, must apply through college or university (or either). Click + next to the name of a college program on to find out which
Can search by type on the ontariocolleges web site, including “highly competitive”

24. Further Planning: TOUR the campuses in which you are interested.
Be sure to determine residence availability, criteria, costs, and fee deadlines (if you do not plan to live at home).
If you have a disability (physical, learning, psychological, etc.), be sure to contact the “disabilities office” early in the application process. Refer to the Transitions Resource Guide for comprehensive information.

25. Financial Assistance:
For more detailed information, go to the Post Secondary Information icon on the Guidance page on D2L/HUB:
Money Matters – yconic.com, scholarshipscanada.com, etc. as well as overview of financial aid opportunities/procedure for school-nominated scholarships
**Bi-monthly Scholarship Reports**
Also:
Check einfo and Ontario college websites/parents’ workplaces, etc.
Apply for OSAP (starting in May) and check to see if you are eligible for the new Ontario Student Grant program – watch this informative video

26. Follow-up:
*NEW* Community hours are due by Feb. 2/18 – submit to Ms. Abbott in the guidance office
*NEW* Book a guidance appt before you apply to college or university to discuss your plan

27. Web Site Demos: www.ontariocolleges.ca www.electronicinfo.ca
Remind service:
Enter this number on your cell:
with this message:
@wsmt
Follow us on Instagram: westmountguidance
Let’s take a look:

28. Questions: Let’s take a look: www.ontariocolleges.ca