Psst! Have you sent us your PSE?

If not, do it as soon as you can! The last date to submit is March 1.

Because I like you, I’ll also tell you that when thousands of people leave their PSE to the last minute, our server becomes EXTREMELY busy, making it difficult—if not impossible—to access. After March 1, the PSE system will be shut off and we won’t accept late submissions. Without a PSE, your application will be considered incomplete and will be closed.

This blog post is going to be short and sweet because if you have yet to send in your PSE, you need to go work on that and not spend any more time reading this!

Go now! Run, don’t walk!!

Thinking internationally?

Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.

-Maya Angelou

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

-St. Augustine

When I was 15 years old I went on a student exchange to Grenoble, France. After I finished my degree at Queen’s, I taught English at a high school in the Japanese Alps for a few years. I guess this indicates two things: a) I should be a much better skier than I actually am and b) I enjoy checking out life in foreign countries.

What it also indicates is that I was fortunate to have access to these opportunities as a young person. However, when I compare the international experiences that were open to me to those available today, I can’t help but feel a little envious. The world is literally at your doorstep and here at Queen’s we make it easy for you to walk on out and take a peek.

Queen’s has exchange relationships with over 100 universities in almost 40 countries and we are adding new partners every year. For a full list, click here. But exchange is just the tip of the iceberg if you are looking for an international experience. You can spend a month in Africa during the summer studying biology, archaeology, and anthropology through the Canadian Field Studies in Africa Program. Or, if you major in Global Development Studies, you can complete work-study placements and earn course credits in China or Cuba. Of course, you can also choose to spend some time abroad on a volunteer basis. There are plenty of opportunities to do so.

Yet another alternative would be to get involved in one of the many student-run Queen’s clubs that have an international component. One of the most popular and well-known of these is The Queen’s Project on International Development (QPID), whose mission is to assist developing communities in Canada and abroad in improving their quality of life through local partnerships in country.

Of course, there is also the jewel in the Queen’s international crown, which has been written about in earlier entries on this blog: The International Study Centre at Herstmonceux Castle.

Finally, when your studies are winding down in a few years and you’re looking for a way to apply your degree to an international setting, there are resources at Queen’s to help you conduct a successful search.

I’ll leave you with one more travel quote (I love quotes!) by John Hope Franklin which is particularly fitting to the university context:

“We must get beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.”

Happy trails!

Matt Reesor

International Admission Manager

University Decisions? No Secret Decoder Ring needed!

For those of you who have applied to Queen’s for Fall 2008 and for those of you who are waiting to do so – BIG reminder that February 1st (tomorrow) is the last day to apply if you are studying in North America and February 15th is the last day to apply for those in all other corners of the globe – one of the things that will be happening over the next few months is the process of making decisions on your applications.

One of the things to point out is that sometimes the world of university jargon and lingo can seem like a language unto itself and we realize this so not to worry!  When using the ASQ system you will see a small description telling you what the status of your application(s) is and this can change over time according to where we are in the admission cycle or depending on what information we still might need from you.  One day it could say “Your Application is Missing Information” and the next it could be “Your Application has been Kept Open for Future Consideration”, but what does all of this mean?  You think you know but do you?  That’s why at the bottom of the ASQ page you will find a link that will take you to our University Decision Code Glossary.  This glossary will further explain the definition you see on ASQ and will hopefully save you a phone call and stress as you try and decipher our secret codes.  So there you go, now when you head to the grocery store to buy cereal you don’t have to look for the box with the secret decoder ring inside – instead I’ll suggest something with a bit less sugar!

Dan Seneker – Senior Admission Coordinator

London Calling

So last night you were perusing your friend’s Facebook wall, when you noticed that the older brother of this guy you met at camp three summers ago is now in first-year at Queen’s. Hardly noteworthy in and of itself, were it not for his most recent post: “Dude,” he writes, “just got back from a field trip to Westminster Abbey – it was AMAZING! You’ll have to come visit me at the Castle sometime soon!”

Huh? Castle? What in the name of Hogwarts is this crazy person talking about?

Well, after a visit to the Queen’s web site, this seemingly hallucinogenic post makes a bit more sense. Turns out, Queen’s has an overseas campus in England. And – get this – the campus is a 15th Century castle in southeast England! A FREAKIN’ CASTLE!!

After a bit more research, you discover that if you’re doing an Arts degree at Queen’s, it’s actually possible to spend your entire first-year studying at this castle in England. After first-year, you come back to Queen’s and resume your studies in Kingston.

Très cool, I know. But it gets better…

Instead of your first-year Psychology class rivaling the population of a small town, it’ll have less than 30 students. That’s because there are only 180 students at the castle, which means class sizes can be kept nice and small. And, as you might expect, small class sizes translate into higher marks!

Sitting next to you in your classes will be students from all around the world. You see, this isn’t just a “Queen’s bubble” in England. On the contrary, the castle welcomes students and professors from universities worldwide.

And of course there are the weekly course-specific trips throughout the UK. Not to mention the many optional excursions and the week-long midterm trips to Edinburgh and Paris!

“But it must be expensive,” you say. And sure, the fees are higher than a traditional Arts programme, but they’re not unreasonable and just look at the added benefits: small class sizes, top students and professors from around the world, living in England, and traveling throughout the UK and Europe. Oh, and did we mention it’s a FREAKIN’ CASTLE! And if the price tag is what’s holding you back, consider also that there is a very generous bursary programme for castle students. Twenty years from now you won’t even remember that you might have paid a bit more for your first-year of university; what you will remember is the amazing year you spent going to school in a castle!

And here’s the really good news: It’s not too late to apply! If you go to school in Canada or the U.S., you’ve got until February 1st to make your application through the OUAC; if you go to school outside Canada or the U.S., you’ve got until February 15th. Trust me, it’ll be one of the best decisions you ever make!

If you have any questions or would like more information, please leave a comment.

Cha gheill,
Jesse Campling, ISC Admission Coordinator

Some important dates for your shiny, new calendar…

Welcome to 2008!

Today is my first day back at work after a long and restful holiday, so I must confess that this blog entry is coming to you from a bit of a turkey- well, tofurkey – and pie-induced haze. Since I have something very important to tell you, I’ll try to fight that off…

Through my food-related reverie, I happened to notice that when I changed my calendar, there are a few very important deadlines coming up in the next couple of months. For those of you who are applying to university this year, you’ve likely heard your parents and your guidance counsellors say over and over again that deadlines are important, and the fact of the matter is, they’re right. It is really important that you keep an eye on deadlines this year since they can often really affect your application. That said, since most universities have slightly different deadlines, keeping track of all of them can be a bit confusing. Since there are a couple of them coming up – and since a few of them are close together – I thought I’d highlight a few that are worth marking on your shiny, new calendar:

If you’re currently attending school in Ontario:

1. January 9, 2008 – There has been a bit of confusion about this date, so hopefully we can clear that up. This is the date by which the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) would like you to have applied. If all of you apply by this date, it makes it a lot easier for the OUAC to pass on your information to the universities and makes it easier for us to start processing your application (i.e. because of the sheer number of applications). You can still apply after that, depending on the university’s specific deadline; for example, at Queen’s, you can still apply up until February 1, 2008, but we would encourage you to do it by January 9^th.
2. February 1, 2008 – See above note. This is the final deadlines for applications and amendments, meaning that if you want to change your program options (e.g. you originally applied to Arts but recently realized that your soul is really meant to be in Engineering), you need to do it by this date.
3. March 1, 2008 – Deadline for your Personal Statement of Experience (PSE) and any other documents (e.g. TOEFL test, portfolio). After you apply to Queen’s, you’ll receive information – either online or in a paper format – which will tell you what we need you to do next. We’ll also tell you about ASQ, which is where you’ll go to find out exactly which documents you need to send to us. Please note that this is a very firm deadline, so it’s important that you submit your information by this date. This is also the deadline for Entrance Bursary (needs-based financial assistance) applications for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

If you’re currently attending school full-time in Ontario, your high school will submit your grades for you. Ask your guidance counsellor for more info!

If you’re currently attending school outside of Ontario:

1. February 1,2008, if you attend school in Canada or the US; February 15, 2008, if you attend school outside of Canada and the US – Of course, we would love for you to apply earlier than this, so please feel free to keep sending in those applications! This date is the final deadline to apply and to amend your application, meaning that if you originally applied to Commerce and now feel the urge to explore Computing, it’s important that you make changes by this date.
2. March 1, 2008 – Deadline for your Personal Statement of Experience (PSE) and any other documents (e.g. TOEFL test, transcripts, portfolio). Just as with Ontario students, after you apply to Queen’s, you’ll receive information about ASQ and what we need you to do next. We will continue to accept your transcripts and other documents (except the PSE – it must be submitted by March 1) until April 30, but if you’d like to be considered for early offers of admission, you’ll need to try to get everything in by March 1, 2008. This is also the deadline for Entrance Bursary (needs-based financial assistance) applications for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
3. April 30, 2008 – Final deadline for documents (except the PSE, which is due March 1).

Those are all the big ones! It’s important to check over letters and emails for any other little dates, but this is a good start. I think I hear your new calendar calling…

Happy 2008!

P.S. Oh, I forgot something (I did say that this blog had to fight through tofurkey and pie): don’t forget that if your address changes this year, you need to let us know! If any of your contact information changes, you’ll need to update your information on your OUAC account (then, they’ll pass it on to us). Also, don’t forget to keep an eye on your email account over the next few months!

Danyal Martin

Admission Coordinator

One Night in Doha

So here I am sitting in my hotel room on the other side of the globe in Doha, Qatar which for those of you who are geographically challenged is located on the Arabian Gulf in the Middle East.  What makes it even more surreal is that tomorrow I fly to Kuwait with approximately 20 other representatives from Canadian Universities as we’ve been visiting with students in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait.  I’m guessing that the phrase “see you in Kuwait” can only be uttered so many times in your life.

I decided to take a look at what people who were viewing our blog were searching for on the site and I was intrigued by two things.  The first was the fact that someone was looking for my name (thanks mom) but the other one that grabbed my attention were the international inquiries.  I figured that since I’m about as international as I can get at the moment, when will I have a better opportunity to talk about this.

I believe that this year Queen’s will be visiting 20 different countries and a few weeks ago Queen’s opened an office in Shanghai, China in an effort to have more of a presence in the area.  Added to this is the fact that our School of Business has begun a Graduate program in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the fact that faculty, staff and students travel the globe to conduct research, attend classes, participate in conferences and study abroad opportunities.  We also have 129 different countries represented on campus!  Plus don’t forget that we have the International Study Centre at Herstmonceaux Castle in East Sussex England.  These things truly makes Queen’s an international campus with international experiences as we set out to “engage the world”.

I’ve also learned that no matter where you are students’ concerns are very similar.  Everyone is very focused on their academics and extra curriculars and asks the same questions about admissions, scholarships, fees and residence; however, it is the cultural differences that make it all so interesting.  Not to get into a rant but learning about different cultures makes us more understanding and that’s why it is important for us to step outside our comfort zone from time to time and embrace something different.   Do you think you can learn something from the student who has to go through a military check point on a daily basis just to attend school in Riyadh?  I bet you can and I bet you can share your experiences with them to help them make a smooth transition to the Canadian culture.  All I’m trying to say is embrace the international experiences that are out there and we hope that if Queen’s University is in your future that you are prepared to “engage the world”.

Dan Seneker – Senior Admission Coordinator

MCB, MGA, MDM, MCV, MHF – Oh my!

(Picture Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz: “Lions and tigers and bears – oh my!”)

That’s quite a mouthful!

For those of you completing high school this year in the province of Ontario, you’ve likely heard that the grade twelve Math curriculum changed this year. We’ve gotten quite a few questions about how we will calculate admission averages for students who’ve done the “old” Math, or who’ve done a combination of the “old” and the “new” – that is, students who have completed MCB and/or MGA in their grade eleven year (or before this year). This is a really good question to ask, especially because some universities and faculties will deal with these combinations a little differently.

Essentially, we will not mix the “old” and the “new” courses when selecting which courses we will use for your admission average – but note that we can still use the old Math courses if they fulfill the admission requirements for your program. If this is a bit confusing, we’ve prepared handy charts for each program, which you’ll find here. There is a section for each program, and if you look at the top of each chart, you’ll see all of the possible combinations (e.g. if you’re interested in Commerce and you’ve taken MCB and both of MHF and MCV, we will use…).

A special note for students in Ontario who are completing IB Mathematics courses (for anyone else reading this, students in Ontario who are completing the IB diploma must also complete an Ontario Secondary School Diploma): there have also been some questions about how your IB courses will translate into Ontario credits and how this might be affected by the changes to the Math curriculum (e.g. if your SL Math will translate into MCV and MHF, or some other combination of Ontario Math courses). Your IB coordinator or guidance counsellor will have more information about this – specifically about which Ontario credits you will receive for your IB courses – so it might be a good idea to touch base with him or her, just to make sure that you’re on the right track.

If you’re still feeling unsure after looking at this site, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information! Better yet, you can respond to this posting, and either Kevin or I will post a reply – if you have the question, likely others do too! We know that the transition might seem a bit confusing right now, but we’re committed to being as flexible as possible – so let us know if you have any questions!

Danyal Martin – Admission Coordinator

Fall Preview: A great way to learn more about Queen’s…

(…and maybe one of the world’s largest birthday parties!)

I have to confess that Fall Preview is one of my favourite events on campus. Part of this is because I have very fond memories of Fall Preview – when I was in my undergrad here, I spent many years as a Campus Tour guide, so I remember giving many campus tours to students and their families, but it was also the first event I coordinated when I started working at Admission Services. As well, the second Fall Preview always falls on – or very close to – my birthday (November 2^nd), which explains why I’ve always jokingly referred to it as a giant birthday party.

Now, I know that you have other reasons for coming to campus than to celebrate my birthday (though cakes and birthday wishes are always appreciated), so I also have other reasons why I love Fall Preview, namely that it is an incredibly exciting day, both for us and for our visitors. Fall Preview is a great opportunity for you to step foot on campus and really see whether Queen’s could be the right fit for you. Aside from campus and residence tours, you’ll also get a chance to speak to students and faculty members about what their program is really like. Many departments and faculties will have displays and tours of their building, so you really get a feel for what is available on campus. There are also student services and breakout sessions to help give you an idea of what to expect when you get here, and what your life will be like outside of the classroom. You can even find out more about how to get started, financial assistance, and the many international opportunities (including the Castle). There are countless staff, students, and faculty members who are on hand, just to make you feel welcome and to answer your questions – it really is a day designed for you.

Perhaps most importantly – and a fact not to be missed – is that it gives you a chance to physically stand on campus, surrounded by other prospective students, their families, and the staff, students, alumni, and faculty that make up the Queen’s community, to take a deep breath and look around at the people, the buildings, the campus, the lake, (and even the squirrels) and see if Queen’s feels right to you. It’s a bit of an indescribable feeling, but if you ask any current students or alumni, they’ll say something similar – that they visited campus and it just felt right for them. It’s that sense of excitement that really makes Fall Preview my favourite event.

For those of you who visited on October 20^th, and for those of you who will be visiting us on November 3^rd, thank you for coming to see our campus! To learn more about Fall Preview, please visit here or contact our office.

See you this weekend!

(And happy birthday to everyone else who will be celebrating this weekend!)

P.S. One final tip for those of you attending on November 3^rd: don’t forgot that this is the day of the Engineering “Sci Formal”. Make sure to check out Grant Hall to see how they’ve turned it into Broadway! For more information, check out the Engineering website.

Danyal Martin – Admission Coordinator

 

 

On the road again!

Planes, trains, and automobiles…or from Napanee to Bermuda!

Ah, it’s that time of year again: the dust has barely settled on the new class of first year students and we’re already working on next year’s students! The fall is a very busy time of year in Admission Services, though many of us will spend most of the fall away from the office. In Admission Services, Admission Coordinators and Representatives will spend the months of September, October, and November visiting approximately 900 high schools in Canada (including more that 450 in Ontario!), the US, and around the world (the UK, France, India, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Trinidad, Barbados, Switzerland, Japan, and China – to name a few!). In fact, you can visit here to find out when we’ll be in your area! Then, in the winter and spring, we will spend the most of our time evaluating transcripts and making offers of admission!

While the days can be long, the time on the road is often my favourite part of this job. It’s a very busy and exciting time of year, with students and parents asking questions and making decisions. It’s also great to get to meet guidance counsellors, students, and their families, face-to-face. Despite the fact many of us deal with large numbers of applicants, we remember more of you than you may think, and it’s always nice to come across the name of someone that we’ve spoken to while out on the road.

In some cases, reps will visit your high school to give an individual school visit; at other times, we might travel with other universities for a joint visit or a fair. In any case, it’s important to remember that these visits are really for you – it’s an opportunity for you to find out more about Queen’s and to ask questions. There really is no such thing as a silly question, so if there’s something that doesn’t make sense, or if you’d just like more information, just ask! It’s also okay to ask us just to give you more information, or even to say that you’re not sure where to get started. A good starting point is to ask what makes Queen’s unique. It’s also a good idea to ask us to tell you about admission requirements and financial aid – especially because those often a bit different from university to university, or even from program to program. Don’t forget that you can also visit our website or contact us if you have more questions later (or read future blog postings!).

Aside from visiting high schools, the other great thing about the fall is the chance to see a lot of very interesting places. Just last week, I had a lovely autumn drive through south-eastern Ontario – Napanee, Peterborough, Cobourg, Lindsay, Belleville, and Kingston – and this week I’m in Bermuda! I promised Warwick Academy, Saltus Grammar School, Mount Saint Agnes, and Bermuda High School that I would mention them in this posting – thank you for such great visits! (And to BHS for laughing at all of my cheesy jokes!) Next week I head to the Bahamas, Trinidad, and Barbados – and I can’t wait to meet another group of prospective students and their families!

Danyal Martin – Admission Coordinator

The Ontario Universities Fair – OUF!

OUF – it kind of sounds like you’ve been kicked in the stomach.  Let me assure you though that instead it might be the sound you make if you visit the Ontario Universities Fair happening right now – September 28, 29 and 30 at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre.  You might make that sound just because you’ll be utterly amazed at how huge this event is!  Thus the possible, “OUF – that’s big!”

All of Ontario’s Universities come together under one massive roof to meet with students and parents and talk about their university and post-secondary choices in general.  We’re expecting about 60,000-80,000 visitors over the three days!   There are specific presentations and booths that allow you to speak to various university representatives one on one, or just allow you to grab some information and run to the next booth.

This year Queen’s has a brand new booth – so new that the fair is the first time anyone, including most of our staff, will see it.  I’ve been told that it is awesome and I believe it.  More importantly though it will be staffed by Queen’s faculty members, staff members from various offices across campus (Admissions, Awards, Residence, just to name a few), Alumni and of course current Student volunteers that can give you a student’s perspective on everything Queen’s.

It’s a great opportunity and I encourage you to make the trip to downtown Toronto (the convention centre is located right in between Union Station and the CN Tower) to visit the OUF.  If you want more information visit our website.  If you do go down say hi to all the Admissions staff in the nice red Queen’s golf shirt – tell them Dan sent you!  Enjoy the Fair!

Dan Seneker – Senior Admission Coordinator