Finding a Post-Secondary Program
Be PreparedEach year dozens of students leave their communities to attend Colleges, Technical Schools or Universities. One of the key things you should learn before they go is: that massive differences exist between admission, instruction, atmosphere and costs between different schools and even between two programs that sound almost the same.
Prepared students or those who have set themselves up to be successful by choosing the best school and program for YOU. That is our hope for every student and this page is a great place to start. |
Prospective Student Checklists and Resources
Most college or universities will have a prospective students page and the link is usually on the main page of that school. Talk with the Career Practitioner at your school for help finding information - we love researching things.
Understanding Admission
There are three common ways a student can gain admission into a College, Technical School or University
1) Competitive - In the case of competitive admission a school will pick the students with the highest academic average. For example if a University has 30 available seats for a program they will choose the students with the highest academic average. These 30 students are then offered Conditional Acceptance which is usually conditional on the student maintaining a specified admission average. Students can apply and gain conditional acceptance in their grade 12 year. They do not have to wait for their final marks to apply. Each university or college will have their own specific rules and methods of managing competitive admission so do not assume that information that is accurate for one school is relevant to another.
2) First Come - First Qualified - First Accepted - The college or uni will set a standard (certain high school classes and a certain average) and if a student meets that standard and there are available seats in the course, the student will likely be admitted. In this case it is important to apply before the program has assigned all of the available seats. An early application is key for these programs and applicants are not given priority if their grades are higher.
3) Early Admission - At some post-secondary schools you will find they have an early admission period that offers students a few advantages if they apply before a specific deadline (often Early December). Often the program includes access to scholarships and in some cases more seats are awarded in Early Admission than in the regular admission.
1) Competitive - In the case of competitive admission a school will pick the students with the highest academic average. For example if a University has 30 available seats for a program they will choose the students with the highest academic average. These 30 students are then offered Conditional Acceptance which is usually conditional on the student maintaining a specified admission average. Students can apply and gain conditional acceptance in their grade 12 year. They do not have to wait for their final marks to apply. Each university or college will have their own specific rules and methods of managing competitive admission so do not assume that information that is accurate for one school is relevant to another.
2) First Come - First Qualified - First Accepted - The college or uni will set a standard (certain high school classes and a certain average) and if a student meets that standard and there are available seats in the course, the student will likely be admitted. In this case it is important to apply before the program has assigned all of the available seats. An early application is key for these programs and applicants are not given priority if their grades are higher.
3) Early Admission - At some post-secondary schools you will find they have an early admission period that offers students a few advantages if they apply before a specific deadline (often Early December). Often the program includes access to scholarships and in some cases more seats are awarded in Early Admission than in the regular admission.
Find a Post-Secondary Program
For Alberta post-secondary schools we have a one stop shop with a great deal of information all in one spot. Find checklists starting at Grade 10 to help you get ready for college or university. By clicking the Post-Secondary Programs link you will go to a search engine that will help you find programs by the field of study, length of study or other criterial. Just click the ALIS Explore Education button below.
Links
Great Resources
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Notes |
Links |
Campus Tours |
Before you decide on a college, university or private college you should at the least tour the campus |
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Student 4 A Day |
Attend campus with a student currently enrolled in the degree or diploma you are interested in |
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Career Practitioners or Off Campus Staff |
Feel free to contact us to book an appointment or to ask a question |
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Teachers and Education Assistants |
Often staff have experience in both college and university |
no link sorry |
College and University Staff |
If you arrange a tour or student 4 a day you can often talk to an admissions or program advisor. If you are an accepted student you would usually find contact information in your student portal. The Career and Off Campus staff are happy to help you make appointments |