Congratulations! This is your graduation year. This is the year where you will be making choices about continuing your education at a post-secondary institution, staying in high school or going directly into the workforce. It is your responsibility to ensure you have all the necessary credits and community involvement hours to graduate high school and meet the expectations for post secondary options and opportunities.
Best of luck in your future endeavours!
Stay Informed
Staying informed is your responsibility. Here’s how you can keep up to date:
- Google Classroom - class code is sajbmgl
- Announcements: both over the PA and on the TV monitors
- Bulletin Boards: inside and outside the guidance office
- Guidance Counsellors: make an appointment!
Post-Secondary Planning
Upcoming Events
- September 27-28, 2025 - Ontario Universities Fair @ Metro Toronto Convention Centre
- October 16-17, 2025 - Ontario College Fair @ Direct Energy Centre
- Other YRDSB Post-Secondary Fairs
Post-Secondary Pathways
Sponsor
- Know someone in trade, work with their journeyman to gain apprenticeship hours.
- In-class portion of training at college or trade union (multiple levels depends on trade)
Union
- Apply directly to the union - they connect you with employer and will enrol you in training
- Approximately $500 membership fee, $40/month union fees
- Pension, benefits, security
College
- Trades Fundamentals (2-3 semesters) - If unsure of trade that best suits you
**In all trades, with initiative and hard work, ability to move up the ranks
Helpful Links:
- Apprenticesearch
- Apprenticeship Pathway Planning (Employment Ontario)
College offers:
- 1 year certificates
- 2 year diplomas
- 3 year advanced diplomas
- 4 year bachelor degrees
- 6 grade 12 U/M courses
A combination of applied & academic learning with career specific skills
Helpful Links:
- Ontario Colleges (college program research site)
- Ontario Colleges (application site)
University offers:
- 4 year bachelor degrees
- 6 grade 12 U/M courses
Requirements:
- ENG4U1
- 4M/U
- 4M/U
- 4M/U
- 4M/U
- 4M/U
Helpful Links:
- Ontario Universities Info (university program research site)
- Ontario Universities Application Centre (application site)
Applications
- Applications are done on-line
- Students apply to an application centre (not to individual schools)
- OCAS - Ontario College Application Service
- OUAC - Ontario University Application Centre
- There is an application fee
- Residence costs $10 000 - $15 000 / year
- All programs require an OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma) and specific prerequisite courses
- All offers of admission are conditional (they can be taken away)
- You cannot choose which marks get sent
- The university or college will choose which courses they use to determine their offers of admissions
- It is up to you to check each university’s or college’s policy on repeated courses *(It can vary depending on the program and school)
- The school at which you take each course is visible to the post-secondary institutions (e.g. private schools)
- Full disclosure: a mark for semester 1 courses dropped after this date will be permanently recorded on your transcript
- Applications are done online directly with each school
- Some out of province universities can get your marks if you give them your OUAC number
- There is a separate application fee for each school
- Book a guidance appointment!
Student Responsibilities
September-January
- Check Google Classroom & your GAPPS account regularly
- Research programs & visit schools
- Make a guidance appointment if you have questions/need help or if you have no clue what you want to do!
- Investigate finances
- Try the OSAP Aid Estimator
- Research scholarships (see links below)
- Mulock Scholarship Presentation
- Apply to college and / or university (don’t use GAPPS account)
- Adjust semester 2 timetable if needed
February-June
- Check Google Classroom & your GAPPS account regularly
- Check your email for verification & acknowledgement letters from each school
- Check your school specific portal sites regularlyto review your application / next steps
- Complete any supplemental application requirements
- Make a guidance appointment if you have questions/need help!
- Look into spring open house dates
- Accept your offer
- College - usually May 1st deadline
- University - June 2nd deadline *May 29 ( Group A applicants receive response from OUAC)
- Pay tuition &/ residence deposits
- Investigate finances
- Apply to OSAP
- Research scholarships (see links below)
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Here are some helpful websites:
- Canadian and International Scholarship Programs
- Scholarships Canada
- Yconic (formerly Student Awards)
- Scholar Tree
Frequently Asked Questions
- If you apply early, you may receive an early offer.
- Each school determines if / how many early conditional offers they give out. They use your grade 11 marks to decide this. E.g. * McMaster does not use gr. 11 marks * U of Toronto - Nov 7 - early
- College - Most offers get sent out Feb - March but can be as early as Nov
- University - Most offers get sent out in May however early offers can happen from Nov onward.
Many programs require student profiles, interviews, portfolios, auditions etc. (Art Portfolio, PSE -Personal Statement of Experience, AIF -Additional Information Form, S.E. Supplementary Essay) * These may have different deadlines.
Usually only if you are choosing more than one program at the same school.
The course is not required to get in, but you will likely have to take it as a part of the program.
You can request to defer your offer to the following academic year, however not all schools and programs allow deferrals. There may be a fee.
Yes, if you choose to tell the school that you have an IEP and share the documentation with them - this is done after you have accepted your offer.
- What are the prerequisite courses required for my program of interest?
- What is the projected cut-off average for my program of interest?
- For university programs, do you use top 6 grade 12 U / M marks including prerequisites or just top 6 grade 12 U / M marks?
- Is there admission testing required for my program of interest? Many colleges use a combination of admissions testing & high school marks.
- How big is the program (how many students are admitted)? How big will my classes be?
- Is residence guaranteed for first-year students?
- What entrance scholarships are offered? How do I apply for them?
- What marks are used to determine my entrance scholarship? If you use semester 2 midterm marks, can my scholarship change based on final marks?
- Is there a language test/requirement needed to get into the program?
- What kinds of jobs are graduates of this program entering?
- What percent of graduates of this program find employment in their field?
- Is there a co-op option or work placement experience for this program?
- Does the school give alternate offers if I don’t get into my 1st choice of program?
- What is the earliest date that I might have to pay a deposit?
- When is the latest date that I will hear back about an offer?