Latest / Upper Canada College Admission Community Conversation / UCC Admission Community Conversations | Episode 2 - How to Apply

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UCC Admission Community Conversations | Episode 2 - How to Apply · Upper Canada College Admission Community Conversation

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: Hi everyone, welcome to Upper Canada College Community Conversations.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_01: I'm really excited today because we have our own admissions team here sharing a little bit about admissions for all of you.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I know traditionally you'll be expecting a checklist or deadlines and documents like this, but we actually want to spend a little time to help you understand what admissions process is, because we think admissions is such an important part of your decisions and choosing the right fit school for your child, and also help you understand a little bit about what we're actually doing behind the scenes.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: So here with me, um, oh, I should probably introduce myself too, but I am Melody.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: I'm the vice principal of enrollment management here at Upper Canada College.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: And with me here, we have Alex and Riley.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: Alex, do you want to introduce yourself?
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: Hi, everybody.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Melody.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Alex Oranchos.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_02: I'm the director of admission for the upper school and the boarding school here at uh UCC.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_01: And Alex, what's considered upper?
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: What grade level?
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_02: Upper at UCC is year eight all the way to year 12.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_02: So we say year here at UCC, not grade.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_02: And then boarding starts in year eight as well.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: Great, awesome.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: And Riley?
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Hi everyone.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Melody.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Alex.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: My name's Riley, and I am the prep admissions lead here at Upper Canada College.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm responsible for admissions for students as young as junior kindergarten all the way through to year seven.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: And our prep school here, which is considered our junior school, is where we house our students from JK through to year seven.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_02: And um, I have to jump in there, Riley, because congratulations to you for leading um the first JK class ever that just started in September.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: They started today.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: They started just in September.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: And uh Melody and I had some fun greeting class of 2040 this morning.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: So they will be with us for 14 years.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I think the boys' backpacks were bigger than them.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: So an exciting morning for the college as we launched junior kindergarten.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and that's such a good point too, Riley, because for a family that's joining us in junior kindergarten, it'll be 14 years of partnership.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: And even if you're joining us in year nine, it'll be four years of your journey partnering with the school.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: So it's actually really important that we like each other, first of all, and that what we know that we'll be good partners for your son's journey here as well.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: So, one of the big questions I'd like to have both of you kind of take a crack on is why do we even have an admissions process at all?
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: And a lot of times I explain to families that sometimes it's actually longer than a job application and it is a long process.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_01: So why do we even do this?
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm happy to start.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: Alex, you jump in when you want.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, for us really, I mean, admissions, it's it's a partnership.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: And when a student and their family join UCC, they're they're joining something bigger than a school.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: They're joining a community, um, sometimes for 14 years, sometimes for four years.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: But through this process and that long commitment, our admission process, it's so integral that we take the time to get to know one another.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: And we have a really holistic approach to admissions because we want to get to know your son in so many ways.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: So we want to get to know about uh how he learns and what he likes to learn and what might be tricky for him and you know what he's interested in and what motivates him, what sparks joy or curiosity, um, and what are ways he wants to get involved in the UCC community.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we talk a lot about it, the admissions process being like a puzzle.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: And when you think of a puzzle, there's often many pieces.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and we're no single piece can tell us everything about a child or a family.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: And so we're bringing all those puzzle pieces together uh to form a picture of your child and who he is as a learner and who he is as a person.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_02: I I agree with all of that, Riley.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I also want to note, too, that families um come into the admissions office sometimes and think that, you know, it's just about a one-way evaluation.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_02: We are here to tell you today that you're evaluating us too.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_02: It's super, super important when families are deciding on which schools they want to apply to, um, that they visit and that they feel the energy on the campus and that they go and they learn about each uh institution.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_02: But you're trying to understand Upper Canada College just as much as we're trying to understand you.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's important because there really isn't one perfect school for every child.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_02: And what works beautifully for one student might not be the same as what works for another student.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: And Alice, I always tell families, you know, like you're choosing us too, and you're putting a lot of trust and responsibility in us.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I always encourage families when they visit the school, ask questions, talk to everybody, talk to the receptionist, talk to the caretaker, talk to the teachers, talk to the students, talk to the parents in the parking lots, but ask questions and really get to know a little bit more about our community uh from all different perspectives.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: And this leads very nicely into our next question.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: How do we know this is the right school for my family?
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: And you guys have mentioned a little bit already, but let's start from the beginning.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: Imagine if a family knows nothing about independent schools right now, how do they go about starting that process?
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, you know, we always tell families start with your child rather than the school.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you you know your child best.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so think about your son.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: Think about what gets him excited, what kind of environment have you seen him find success in?
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: What challenges him?
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: What's interested?
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: What's he interested in?
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then take the lens of your child and look at the schools through that lens.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: So look beyond things that may initially catch your eye or attention and really start to think about the school community, the not just what the students learn, but the approaches to learning taken in the school, maybe the student supports that are offered throughout the school.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're thinking about your child's well-being or um academic abilities.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: And then think about what the school's offering and how it meets your child, where he's at for who he is, whether it's athletics, it's arts, it's clubs, it's co-curriculars, um, it's outdoor education access to a variety of facilities.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and most of all, I think talk talk to the people.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: And then come.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, like come and visit us.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: Alex, why don't you tell everyone a little bit about that opportunity?
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I always hear families in the interview room or at Open House, which is coming up for us on October 27th and 28th, please, please register.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um, that, you know, they learn they hear about a school, they read about a school, but it's really the intangible feeling that they um can finally understand when they step foot on campus and they're like, oh, this is what the school is like.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_02: And that's why we want you to attend an open house, visit the school, do a tour, talk to a student.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_02: And as much as Riley, like I agree with everything Riley's saying, it's about does that school fit your child?
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, something you want to also look at is who is UCC graduating?
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: If you look towards our future, our past and our future, right now we have over 12,000 amazing alumni around the world.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_02: And that network is so um trusting, that network network is so helpful.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_02: And when you talk to those people and you connect with alumni, you can really see the impact that UCC had on them during their three, four, five, or 14 years.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_02: So you kind of want to look into where UCC goes in the future as well.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: And on that, I always love to remind families that when they look at our year 12s and our year 11s at the door greeting all of our prospective families.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: And remember that they didn't start off that way.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: Like a lot of families are like, oh wow, these boys look so confident, but my child is a little bit more shy.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: And I always remind them that's actually not how they were when they joined us.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: And this is kind of the magic of this place where it allows you to chart your own path and find your passion and find who you are, and through that gain confidence.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_01: So don't worry if your child is not there yet.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_01: That is our job at UCC to offer that opportunity for your son.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so don't worry about that at all.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I do want to encourage everybody when you're in the building, don't worry about asking difficult questions.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: That actually makes our job a lot more fun when you challenge us and when you ask questions that is, that is, that is hard and that is difficult and that is challenging.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: And all of our teachers here are very willing to share that with you too.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: So it's really, really important for you to look into that as well.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: Now, on the flip side, guys, what are we looking for when we're when we're meeting students and families?
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: That's the that's the age-old question.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_02: That's the that's the number one question we get from families, and we love this question because it families understandably want to know what we're looking for.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: And the simple answer is is kind of a hard answer because it's we're not really looking for one particular type of boy.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_02: We're looking for boys who are curious, who are engaged, hardworking.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we want to see basically that a boy is gonna come to UCC and have a willingness to grow.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_02: Here, we really value character.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_02: We deeply care about character.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_02: And of course, throughout the admission process, we naturally have academic checkpoints.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_02: We are an IB school, so the learning is rigorous and our students work hard.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_02: But while they're working, are they treating each other well?
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_02: You know, do they have a strong character?
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_02: Are they value aligned with UCC's values of well-being, service, learning, pluralism, and community?
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, do they have empathy?
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_02: Do they want to learn how to grow that empathy?
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_02: We want students to work hard, but we also want students to have fun doing it.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes we forget that school should be fun, right?
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_02: School should be a place where students genuinely enjoy their day-to-day life and they feel inspired by the peers around them, the teachers around them, the staff around them.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um and we really want a positive experience for the parents or guardians as well.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_02: And this is why the school home partnership is super, super important.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_02: So we really, really value that.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: Alex, I just want to hone in on one thing you said.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: You talked about, you know, how we're not looking for one particular type of boy.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I taught here for a long time.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: So I always like to give parents the example of building a class is like building an orchestra.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: And as a grade one teacher here at Upper Canada College, I can tell you that a grade one teacher would have a really hard time with 20 sets of drums.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so we have to think about it in that sense, in that we are looking for diversity and that can mean so many things.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: It can mean um diversity of interest, of learning styles, of personalities, of backgrounds, of lived experiences.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: And we use that to build a community.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: So there's no one particular type of boy that we are looking for.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: Rather, we are building this orchestra and we are building this class.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: And on the same line of asking difficult questions.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna ask you guys a question now that I get a lot after this question is then, you know, I am three years away from a main entry year at UCC.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: So what can I do to prepare my child now?
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh, the other age-old question.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um I feel like parents won't like the answer, but it is the answer is nothing.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_02: We don't want you basically we we want families to come into the interview room, come into open house, come into conversations, just being their authentic self.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of families um or a lot of students might like, for example, fear the assessment that we do, which is an academic assessment, and we always want to let them know that it's nothing that you have to worry about.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_02: We just want to see where you're at right now.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_02: So there's no need to study um deeply and and hire tutors and prepare and a giant admission program or portfolio at home.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_02: We just want students to come in and be themselves.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_02: They're their authentic selves, really.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think, you know, while it's like it's worth emphasizing, like, we're not looking for perfection.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: There we're no one's perfect.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: We're certainly not perfect.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so we're children are always gonna have areas that they're continuing to develop.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um, that's true of every child.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so really just know that um authenticity is so important and we want to meet your child exactly as they are.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um, maybe not the version of your child who might walk out of these upper Canada College doors four years from now, but we want to meet them for who they are.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: And I think the biggest gift that any parents could do in terms of helping kids prepare, it's really allow them to follow what they're interested in and what genuinely intrigued them.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yesterday we were just at the office hallway and we're just chatting about this student that I had a few years ago, and I still vividly remember the interview because he's just loves and so passionate about rocks, and he could tell me all about rocks.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_01: And when you allow the space for them to follow what they're interested in and try out something and then realize they don't like it and stop it, and that's totally fine too.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and one thing that families could also do is help help your child kind of think about why they don't like something or why they like something and developing that kind of reflective skills is also going to be really helpful as they get to know themselves better.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Melody, I think I might turn to you because you know there's a question that um sometimes it it's difficult for families to ask, and that's about that's about affordability.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, sometimes families are wondering like, what if tuition is out of reach for my family?
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: Like, um talk to us a little bit about that.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_01: That is such a great question.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: And thank you for asking that because I feel like a lot of the times independent schools and not just UCC could sometimes feel very out of reach.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we want to acknowledge that we do have a lot of privilege in terms of what we're able to achieve over the years, our history, our traditions, but we really want to make sure that UCC is accessible for families that are able to contribute to the community.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_01: So UCC actually currently has a very significant financial assistance program.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we offer financial assistance on a need anonymous basis, meaning that throughout the entire admissions process, we actually do not consider the fact that you require or qualify for financial aid or not, but we will admit you and then we'll see what your family needs, and we're trying to support you and allow your child to come, um, whatever that need is.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so right now we do actually have um a little more than 20% of our student body on financial assistance, which is really exciting.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: And as a college, we're really committed to making sure that that number grows.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: So please do not let tuition um be something that you're worried about that is a barrier for you to apply.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and what you qualify for financial aid, um, you could also expect similar amounts throughout your entire journey here, and that helps your family plan as well.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_01: And later on, we will have a podcast more on our financial assistance and how do we support families while they're in the doors.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so do make sure you um check in on that one too.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's such a great example of you know questions.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes families might be a little bit hesitant to ask, but again, our admissions team here, we are your point person and we are really keen and excited to help you navigate this process.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_00: Well, we always say the best part of our job is getting to meet you and hear your stories and learn more.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: And that really, that really is true.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: So please um ask us, ask us all the questions.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's so important.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, I'm gonna throw a question at you, Riley, as well, because um this is another one that families often ask.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_02: And it is does it matter what school my child is at right now while applying to UCC?
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, Alex, the million-dollar question.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: Such a great question.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: And the answer and the reality is no, there's no specific school that your child needs to be at um to be coming to UCC and to be considered for UCC.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we are looking at the whole child.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: Again, we talked about those puzzle pieces that we're bringing together.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: And um any school, you do not need to feel that you're not in the right place to apply.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: You are welcome to apply from any school that you are at.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's um, I think I see that especially in boarding.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, if we could bring in, um, obviously, I have a soft spot for boarding that is one of my main portfolios, and I love talking about it all the time.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_02: But, you know, in boarding, we have 88 students that represent 23 different countries in the world.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_02: That is incredibly, that's an incredibly diverse environment.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_02: So think about all the different curricula that um students are coming in with, right?
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_02: From Switzerland to um to Hong Kong to the Cayman Islands to Saudi, to Germany.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_02: And if we as a school, if our academic team and our university counseling officers and our teachers are able to transition these students in so well, then um the same goes for the student who is currently in year six at a local Toronto school or a um, you know, an outside of neighborhood school.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_02: So I think we're just set up very, very well here with people who really, really care about that transition.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um so so yes, you said it perfectly, Riley.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's also important for families to know that our teachers are very used to working with students from different backgrounds.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_01: So be it a completely different country or public school setting, we have the support here.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_01: And one of the coolest things about UCC is our center for learning.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that is such a great um opportunity for students to seek help, be it they need a little bit help to catch up, or they just needed more challenge in their learning.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_01: CFL is there to support.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_01: And um, what I loved seeing when I first joined UCC is that there is no stigma at all in asking for help.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we purposefully put the CFL center actually in the middle of the school.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: So then there's no stigma.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_01: And on in the hallway, you often hear students, oh, where are you going later?
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_01: And they're like, oh, I'm just going to the CFL and to do my homework there.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so there's really no stigma.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's a very supportive environment.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_01: And one of the biggest learning that we want boys to learn as they walk out of these doors is that it's okay to ask for help and it's okay to need help.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so that's something that I loved about the school as well.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_02: I think all three of us can talk about UCC for hours.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I can't wait to do that with families when they come and visit campus and come to open house and come in for an interview.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: But I think some families will also want to know um, what does the application process actually look like?
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_02: So I'd be happy to kind of start running through that process because it is a question.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_02: It is outlined on our out on our website very, very clearly, but sometimes uh families want to talk about the practical side.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, once you've decided that UCC is the school you like to explore, we wanna we wanna explain what happens next.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_02: And the first step, if we want to talk nitty-gritty, is you're gonna create an account in Blackbot, which is a platform that we use here.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_02: And then our application portal is called BlueNet.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_02: So something called BlueNet becomes your central hub throughout the entire admission process.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_02: And this is the hub where you submit your application, which includes uploading required documents.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um, this is where you can track your application status.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_02: This is where you receive official communication from our team.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: And if we want to give families any piece of advice, it is to start early.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_02: Our application is now officially open.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_02: So please get online and start that.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_02: And if you have documents that you'll need, um, you know, you want to start that early too.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_02: You want to get ahead of the game and maybe ask your current guidance counselor or your current teachers for um some report cards if you don't have them, and we will eventually ask for a teacher reference.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_02: So you want to start thinking about who that reference will be.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_02: And while this is all electronic, we are here to support you every step of the way.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_02: You will maybe run into a technical issue, but please don't panic because we're here.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_02: So just reach out and we'll and we'll help you out.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so besides the the uploading of documents, you then may get invited to an in-person or Zoom interview.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_02: And from there, we have other checkpoints throughout the application, such as a group activity where we invite applicants to campus so that we can see you kind of collaborating with each other in in a group activity setting.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um and our dates, Melody, do you want to run through some of our dates of application deadlines and um offer dates?
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, definitely.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: So um our deadline, our early deadline is November 1st, and our final absolute last deadline is December 1st.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: So make sure you get this application in early.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, our application for financial assistance will actually um end for day families on the 31st of December.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_01: And all of these dates are for day as only because for boarding applicants, um, we actually accept applications on a rolling basis.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_01: And an end of February is when you will get an offer from all of the Toronto Consortium schools, um, and we will guide you through how to make a decision when we're closer today.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, one very helpful resource for you is our website.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we designed our website so then you can just go into your grade level that you're looking into, and everything will be laid out for you in terms of what documents you need and et cetera.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_01: But one thing I want Riley, if you can chime in and actually share, is that every school has different entry years.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes that could be confusing to kind of maneuver because different schools are different, and sometimes they're not perfectly aligned with kind of the usual transition through in in Toronto school systems as well.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_01: So, Riley, do you want to share a little bit on that?
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, for sure.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_00: Well, our first um entry point into the college now is junior kindergarten.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um, our first class joined us uh this week, so super exciting.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: So our Entry points into the prep school are junior kindergarten, year three, year five, year six, and year seven.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: And our main entry point into the upper school is year nine.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: And as Alex mentioned, our boarding program begins uh in year eight.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and Riley, I know usually year six, a lot of families would ask.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_01: Like, that's not a typical transition year.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um, what do you what do you think would be some of the reasons why families want to consider a year six entry?
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, totally.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: So here at Upper Canada College, we are an IB school.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: And in the junior school, we have two programs.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_00: We have the primary years program, which we call the PYP, and we have the middle years program, which is the MYP.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: And why we have year six as an intake year is because year six is actually the first year of the MYP program.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's a big transition year.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: You're transitioning into the middle years program, which runs year six, year seven, year eight, year nine, and year 10.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: And um, so in that middle years program, um, year six is our first point.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and it's a really exciting time to enter the college and get familiar, sort of, with the routines of that and the routines of, you know, being on a rotary schedule, um, visiting a different classroom and a different teacher teacher for your different um your different subjects.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_01: Great, awesome.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_01: Now, guys, what makes a strong application?
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_01: What would be the biggest tip you'll give families?
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_02: Oh I think application is um, I don't know if I I think I'm answering it properly, but I would just say don't overthink it and be thoughtful.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and just give us a genuine picture of your child and your family.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_02: Just give us a genuine, authentic picture of your child and your family.
• 23:58
  unknown: Yeah.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: I think for me, from I'm gonna come from a lens of meeting some of our youngest learners.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: And kids are kids.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: We know that sometimes kids have an off day, and parents will think, oh no, my kid, you know, we had an off day today.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I just I really want to remind families that what makes a strong application is that we're we're we're gonna bring the whole application together.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna look at everything.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: So one answer to a question or one assessment question or one small moment isn't gonna define your child.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: And please know that there's so many components that go into this application.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_01: And like both of them have mentioned already, like authenticity is so important because we truly want to get to know your family.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_01: And it's hard for us to design our class when we don't really know um your child well.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_01: So please help us with that by by encouraging to be authentic.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_01: But one practical advice that I actually have is interview setting is a it's not a very natural setup.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, for a lot of these students, um, interview this interview might be their first time interviewing ever.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_01: So one of the things that families can actually help um prepare their child is help them be engaged in a conversation with adults that they might not know very well with and try to encourage them to say, you know, when what if their favorite food is chocolate?
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_01: Why is it that they like chocolate?
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: Um and that would be helpful in helping them get comfortable um having a casual conversation with adults that they've never met before as well.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, we're I think the clock is ticking, but I thought maybe we could do like a quick blast off, a little bit of like, you know, myth busting.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_00: So a few questions I'm gonna ask you guys and sort of you're gonna give me like a true or not true.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: How do we feel about that?
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, rapid fire myth busting.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, here we go.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_00: Alex, do you need to come from a particular school to be able to get into UCC?
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: No, you do not.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_00: Melody, do you need to hire a tutor or consultant to help prepare your child?
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: No, you do not.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: Alex, do you need perfect report cards?
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: You do not need perfect report cards.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, awesome.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe perhaps the biggest one, but is there some secret formula, perfect child that we are looking for to get into UCC?
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_01: No, there really isn't because we just really want to get to know your family and we really genuinely want to partner with your family to make sure we give your son the best and help them become the best version of themselves.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_01: So, really, we just want to get to know you.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for myth busting for me.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_01: Great, awesome.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_01: So if we do a big one last each person, one item of biggest advice as they prepare their independent school application journey.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: Go, Alex.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_01: Visit, visit the schools, ask questions.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_00: Uh ask questions.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_00: Ask all the tricky questions, visit us, ask questions, and start with your child.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_01: Great.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, everybody.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_01: And um, to close here, if you're listening to this before end of October, I really encourage you to register for our open house.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_01: Our application is now open and can be found on our website.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and if you're still debating and not sure, I would encourage you to submit um an incree form on our website as well, just so then we can keep you updated on all things admissions.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, everybody, and I look forward to you so much person.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.