When applying to post-secondary programs, whether in Ontario or around the world, some key factors to understand will help improve your chances. Take a look at some of these tips from Brian Campbell Consulting and ask yourself the question: Do I have all I need to get this offer done?

Well, when applying to Canadian, and specifically Ontario, Universities and Colleges, there are some very key factors everyone should consider that other advice columns or posts may not reference. This is why Brian Campbell Consulting is your expert advice destination – we have all the knowledge needed to secure that offer! Let’s get into the tips:

#1 – Know Your Program

Yes, you should research the programs you are applying to at Universities, but there are ideas to consider beyond what you will learn and what you will get in the end. How big is the program – did they accept more students than last year, or less? If the answer is less, this program may now be more difficult to get into! Make sure you are ready. But there is something else even more important to know about your program – the job retention rate. Universities and Colleges track this data, so you can also discover what typical jobs people are employed in 5 years after graduation. But where do you to find out this kind of information? Try this site: https://www.employability-ranking.com/methodology-2024 – There, they rank programs of all types based on how employers feel about them – and this kind of data is vital for prospective students to understand before they begin their programs! So make the smart choice, and find out the answers you need today!

#2 – Tell your Story

Students who have good grades and good applications will have good choices for University programs. However, for many students, “good” may not be good enough for their chosen programs. Many students discover too late that their grades were not enough to sway an admissions officer who was faced with 500 other applications of the same type and style. Conformity will not help you in University and College applications – you need to stand out from the crowd. And the only thing you have that no one else does is your story. So tell it! Talk about how you overcame hardships to get here. Talk about how your application proves that you have already achieved the ambitions you set out to meet when you began this journey. Use that personal essay at every possible opportunity to showcase yourself as deserving of consideration. More information that separates could could be the difference between an offer, and no offer!

#3 – Be Flexible

I have seen too many students over the years put all their energy, focus, and time into a single application for a single University program, only to be rejected and have no backup plan. This is, unfortunately, depressingly common among very strong students, but the answer to this is very simple. Always apply to more than one program! I usually recommend students send double the number of applications they were already planning to, up to a maximum of 10. You can apply for more, of course, but there can be fees involved in some cases and diminishing returns set in after about 10 applications. But within those 10, you can differentiate between different schools and different programs to ensure the maximum opportunity of choice when those offer letters come in. Would it not be nicer to choose from 5 offers instead of hoping for one or zero? Be flexible in your approach, and you will do better! Brian Campbell Consulting can help you prepare a list of flexible applications that will ensure you will go to at least one program and you will not lose a year because you did not have enough programs on your list. Remember this!

So, to everyone reading today, remember – Brian Campbell Consulting works with families, schools, and students to ensure the most accurate information leads to the best possible outcomes. Nothing less will work. Contact us to find out more!