We want our graduates to shape our world, to serve, and to lead.

The search officially begins! Students are enrolled in their Career-Life Explorations and Career-Life Connections classes and start learning about themselves, what careers they might pursue, what programs may interest them, and what universities they might attend. Students take aptitude and personality tests to increase their self-awareness, begin career exploration, and take part in an extensive university search which is led by and tailored to each student’s desires and interests. Students will finish the course with an initial university and program list.

To complement the research phase of the process, students are encouraged to begin taking active steps towards building their portfolios: documenting their extracurricular and leadership activities, opting to write the pSAT, and more.

Meadowridge hosts a number of university visits each year, and students are encouraged to begin attending university events and fairs. Information is also provided to families to make the most out of university visits, including what questions to ask and what to look for.

Students complete their Grade 10 Career-Life Explorations class by completing their IB course selection. Information sessions about the IB and university admissions are followed up by one-on-one family meetings.

Starting in Grade 11, students are helped through the academic transition to the Diploma Programme. Students have weekly Counselling 11 classes and one-on-one meetings with their counsellor to decide their direction for their senior years. Students also begin learning about standardized testing, including the SAT, ACT, BMAT, LNAT, TSA, and UCAT; scholarships opportunities; and application requirements.

In Counselling 11, students also begin putting together aspects of their applications, such as their activity list and supplemental application essays. Our counsellors also host additional writing workshops for our students who are applying internationally. This sets them up to begin working on their application essays over the summer before Grade 12. These students are also supported in gathering their application references.

Students begin refining and re-evaluating the work completed in their Grade 10 Career-Life Exploration and Career-Life Connections classes, including their university and program list, by attending university fairs and touring local universities. Students are also guided to create a list of application deadlines in order to manage their time come fall.

In the Spring of grade 11, students and their parents will meet with their counsellor for their Junior Interview, where they will refine their university list, prepare their application timeline, and clarify the university application process.

In the Fall of their Grade 12 year, students are supported through the application process of their select universities through weekly Counselling 12 classes, additional workshops, and one-on-one meetings. Counsellors support students in navigating university application platforms, applying for housing, scholarships, and financial aid.

As part of the process, students are able to get feedback on their written essays and work with counsellors to refine their writing and get their essays prepped for send off. Students also work with counsellors to identify key references and how to go about requesting a reference letter.

In the Spring of Grade 12, students meet a new challenge: deciding which offers to accept. Students are supported by counsellors through the entire decision-making process, and consider multiple factors, including financial implications.

Finally, throughout the Spring, Counselling 12 also provides support in helping students think about the transition to university. This includes discussing expectations and realities about the academic, social, and personal elements of the transition. Students will be left with tips and tricks about how to make the most out of their undergraduate experience.