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MOOCs are Massive Open Online Courses taught by university professors, including some from top universities in the US and worldwide. You can experiment with courses in web design, coding, biology or anything that interests you. http://www.mooc.ca/providers.htm.  Below are some details:   

• Courses are Fee Free.  They are practical and easy to use.   There are no barrier to entry.
• Platforms: Coursera. EdX. Future Learn (UK based), Canvas Network, Iversity (out of Germany).
• Class Central: put in a topic and it will show you courses available across different platforms.
• Users can hop in and hop out; you just need Internet. Take what you need and move on; it’s not necessary to finish the course.
• Course options offer Incredible breadth and depth in varied subjects.
• Coursera has 850 courses right now and can be accessed day or night. It offers a very large catalog of data science and computer science options: www.coursera.org
• EdX has more humanities and traditional college courses.
• Use ClassCentral or search on multiple sites.
• Course content is free but certificates and some graded assessments require payment.
• Financial aid is virtually guaranteed for applicants and requires just an essay about why you’re taking a course.
• There are no prerequisites – learners hail from all over the world and from all stages in life.
• Courses are available in a variety of fields from introduction to philosophy, photography, Chinese language, pre-calc, and some are even dedicated to high school learners. 
• Use MOOCs to explore majors – especially if you’re undecided- it will help you audition for courses.  Ask yourself: do you love it, hate it, or are you indifferent to it?  Remember, it’s all for free.
• Use it to watch lectures by professors at one university (example: University of Chicago) and see how that compares with professors at another university (for example, Northwestern University) which you might be interested in.

 

EXPLORE | ENGAGE | ENJOY

For those students who are academically inclined, it is a good idea to accelerate one or more subject areas, if your school allows it. Often, acceleration is not allowed within some schools which offer the IB Diploma Program. There is more flexibility in school systems offering the AP Program. Acceleration can be done by taking summer courses locally through the board of education or through your school’s summer program, if one is available. For example:

• Taking Science 10 during the summer between grades 9 and 10, will mean you can take biology, chemistry or physics in grade 10. This, in turn, will allow you to take AP courses in grade 11 and be more ready to challenge the SAT Subject Test in the science in which you are accelerated, by the end of grade 11.
• Students may also want to take chemistry 11, physics 11 or biology 11 during the summer between grades 10 and 11 to open up their schedule for a more advanced science in grade 11.
• In the same way, students can take the next level math/pre-calculus course in the summer between 9/10 or 10/11 or even both, in order to open up their schedule to take AP Calculus in grade 12. Many business or engineering programs require or prefer calculus (not pre-calculus) to have been taken in grade 12 for university admission.
• Some students take Planning 10 or Social Studies 11 as a summer course in the summer before or after grade 10 in order to open up their schedule for more electives in the following year.
• Occasionally students complete the highest level math or science course their school offers by the end of grade 11 and then choose to take one math or science course at a local university or college while they are in grade 12.

Regardless of why you choose to be accelerated, it is certainly one way to ensure you do well in your targeted SAT Subject Test/s, shows that you have passion in a particular subject area, and it certainly helps to set you apart from the majority of other applicants to university.

When it comes to STEM studies and engineering, it is important to note that STEM fields are not for everyone, and require a commitment and preference from an early age to this career choice.  Too many students select STEM because of employment prospects when they do not have the necessary aptitude, preference, and stamina for this most rigorous of all fields.  Just like an aspiring musician must be introduced to a musical instrument at a very early age and receive formal training – a STEM applicant, too, must show aptitude and commitment to STEM at a very early age.  In addition, unlike the humanities, ‘passion’ is not sufficient for a successful STEM career.  STEM fields are very intense, rigorous, demanding and oftentimes boring for the average student.  If the student believes that it is the ‘fun factor’ or ‘passion’ that will drive and maintain him or her within STEM-related fields, then s/he is mistaken and should be prepared for setbacks.  Successful STEM practitioners have a certain knack or talent for their fields – which brings value to the enterprise.  Students should discover if they have such ingrained talents or mental endowment before taking this giant leap to a STEM field.  Not everyone can be a professional musician.  Neither can everyone become a successful scientist or engineer.

In determining which program is a good fit, some key factors students and parents should consider are:   

1. Does the university offer the type of engineering the student is interested in if s/he already knows what area s/he wishes to concentrate in? For example, Dartmouth offers a degree in general engineering. Aeronautical engineering is offered at a limited number of engineering programs.
2.  Is this a direct-entry engineering program (such as at Columbia or Tufts where the student is applying directly for engineering and will likely have to complete one or more essays about engineering) and is the student sure whether they wish to go into engineering?
3. Is the engineering program accredited (ABET-certified)?
4. Affiliation with industry and the amount of collaborative work between the university and industry innovators like Amazon, Microsoft, Google is important to note.
5. Are there opportunities to engage in research with professors at the undergraduate level? What about opportunities to attend conferences or to be published?
6. Are there co-op options, which allow the student to alternate between study and work, helping them narrow down their interests, determine what type of work environments suits them best, have some income to help with their expenses, and gain work experience for a more impressive resume. For some, this could be a foot in the door, leading to a job offer upon graduation.
7. Does the university offer resources for internships and does it hold one or more job fairs for engineers throughout the academic year to promote summer internships or career opportunities for those graduating?
8. For some students, 3-2 programs where they study mathematics or the sciences, for example physics, at the undergraduate level for 3 years in a liberal arts college and then move onto an engineering school, might be a good option. For example, Whitman College and Caltech have a joint 3-2 program (takes 5 years in total) which provides a Bachelor of Science degree from Whitman and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Caltech.

1. There are schools where you probably can’t go wrong when it comes to STEM education (MIT, Stanford, etc.) but what should a student or parent look for to find a good STEM school? Association with industry professionals? Internships? Characteristics of faculty? Facilities and tech? Employment of grads? Salaries and types of positions?

MIT and Stanford are well-rounded schools where a student interested in STEM can’t go wrong but with the admission rates to these schools being in the single percentage digits, it is imperative that students look at various other options depending on their interests. For a student who is artistic and interested in both STEM and the design aspect of products, the Rochester Institute of Technology would be a good option. On the other hand, a student interested in design solutions that make our world a better place would be better suited to the Olin College of Engineering. Caltech, Georgia Tech, Harvey Mudd College as well as Berkeley, University of Michigan and University of Illinois are other popular schools amongst our students.

2. Second, how do students determine whether they are well-suited to a career in STEM? With its popularity, STEM may be drawing students to the field who actually don’t have the aptitude or interest.

Scientists and engineers in the top echelons have been driven towards STEM from a very early age.  A decision to pursue engineering in the university freshman year will not produce a qualified or skilled engineer.  The applicant must show interest in ‘tinkering’ from age 7 or 8, and start building objects or constructing devices from that early age. For the sciences, the child must show an interest in some area of scientific knowledge and spend time and effort pursuing a scientific ‘dream’.  Naturally, this has to come with intense parental support, just as a musical prodigy would need parental support to achieve his or her goals as a musician. It is a combination of interest and employability that draws students to careers in STEM. With a bachelor’s degree in engineering, a student can find employment with a starting salary of about 80K+. To determine whether a student is well-suited for a career in STEM fields, I will generally look at their grades and the rigor of their coursework in subjects like calculus and physics and see if they are accelerated in those subject areas. I advise students in STEM to take SAT Subject Tests in math and physics to demonstrate their strength in these subject areas to prospective universities. I encourage these students to be active within clubs related to STEM at school or participate in national or international math exams like the AMC or science and math Olympiads. Many have taken part in science fair projects regionally, nationally and some even internationally. Some are active within robotics clubs at their school, taking part in competitions regularly. Often, they are exposed to programming through robotics and expand their knowledge of physics through their hands-on learning. There are maker labs within many communities which provide the space, tools and skills to make almost anything. At these maker labs, students can engage in designing products, 3-D printing, and in teamwork. There are community bio-labs where students try their hand at biotechnology. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), such as EDX, are free and accessible to all and often taught by top-notch professors from outstanding universities. These have made courses like programming and higher level sciences accessible to everyone. As well, attending a pre-engineering summer program often helps to confirm if a student is genuinely interested in STEM-related fields and gives them collaborative experience and some substance to respond to those ‘Why Engineering’ essays in their college applications. By talking about their passion for discovery, innovation, entrepreneurship, and hands-on learning, students are more likely to get into the STEM programs they are targeting.

Yes, your grade point average (GPA) will have great bearing on what university you are eventually admitted to. However, it is not all about the GPA. May other factors are taken into consideration when universities review your application and make that final decision which will determine where you will spend the next four years. Here are some factors worth considering:

1. 1. Has the student taken a rigorous course load (honors, AP, IB, even a course at university) or did s/he protect his/her GPA by taking only standard courses where it was easy to get a straight A?
   2. Is the student a good writer? Some of the students we have worked with, who have been admitted to top schools, have had superb writing skills and lots of good material in their backgrounds to include in their essays.
   3. Does the student have diverse experiences to draw upon for writing good essays about teamwork, leadership, being the founder of an organization or club, and other experiences which have enabled him/her to be a leader, to grow, to mature, to learn to persevere and to demonstrate initiative?
   4. Does the student have solid scores on his/her standardized tests (SAT/ACT/Subject Tests)?
   5. Does the student demonstrate the ‘kindness factor’? In other words, is there considerable and sustained volunteering, showing compassion and impact?
   6. Has the student done enough research on the university to know why s/he is a good ‘fit’ for this particular university and is s/he able to articulate this in their essays?
   7.      Is the student a good role model for his/her peers and have the respect of teachers and the school administration?
   8. Has the student stepped outside of his/her comfort zone to try out new experiences whether this be research with a university professor, outdoor expeditions, summer programs, conferences, or exchanges with schools abroad, etc.?

1. Does the student have any special talents that will contribute to the university’s student life program? Some of our students have demonstrated their ‘Wow Factor’ through being on Canada’s National Debating Team, a National Sports Team, or playing a musical instrument at a professional level within a youth symphony orchestra. Others have made it to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
2. Can the student solicit superb letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors saying s/he is in the top 1% or top 5% of students they have encountered in their career?
3. Has the student demonstrated intellectual vitality or curiosity by being accelerated in one or more subject areas, for example demonstrating a passion for physics, philosophy, photography, coding, robotics, the environment, innovation or some other subject through unusual experiences such as summer programs, internships, fellowships, science fairs, research, or obtaining patents or even registering their own business in BC? In other words, is there a ‘Wow Factor’ to speak of, here?
4. Does the student have personal characteristics which will contribute to a diverse and interesting campus community? Examples of this would be being the first generation in your family to attend university or representing an underrepresented minority group such as being Mexican or from a First Nation’s tribe or being a Zoroastrian and highlighting this in the application.
5. Has the student demonstrated passion, initiative and leadership in sustained extracurricular activities? Can the student articulate this in university essays which provide insight into the student’s unique personality, values and goals?
6. Will the student be showcasing their accomplishments through videos, websites, artistic supplements or other methods along with their application?

Admissions is like a jigsaw puzzle. So many factors have to combine to allow a student to be competitive for the top universities. Many of our students who are admitted to the likes of Stanford and Harvard are head boy or head girl at school, member of the choir or band (and sometimes both), are active in theatre or the arts, are captain of a school sports team, and have substantial volunteering experience and so much more. To get into Ivy League level universities, you need ivy level grades and experiences. If you’re setting the bar really high, then begin the work today and persevere even when it gets stressful. If you enjoy the activities you join, it will be more effortless than you had imagined!

Each student’s Personalized Action Plan will include:

• What we have learned about the student by looking at results of student or parent surveys and assessments, standardized test scores (SAT/ACT), grades, and extracurricular activities in order to prepare a preliminary list of target universities
• Research we have student complete in order to learn more about each university and compare the suggested institutions; this often includes making campus visits
• The student’s needs, preferences, and career objectives as well as academic, social, emotional and financial aspects are paramount
• Creating a plan which will include application TYPE, organizing dates/deadlines, identifying key milestones
• Overseeing the execution of the Plan by setting assignments and meeting regularly to review student’s progress and to edit all work that has been completed

For students, this journey is part of their growing process and just as important as the outcome.