Hello again everyone,

As we draw ever nearer the end of 2009, I wanted to let you know about the upcoming office closure.  Our office will close at noon (local time) on Thursday, December 24th and will re-open for regular business on Monday, January 4th 2010.

During the holiday break, there will be nobody at the office to answer emails or phone calls, so if you do leave a message or email for us here between those two dates, please note that it may take a couple days for us to get back to you.

In the meantime, I want to wish everyone out there a very safe and happy holiday season!!  All the best for the rest of ‘09 and let’s all have a fantastic 2010!!!

Cheers,

Kevin du Manoir
Admission Coordinator

So one thing we do here in our office is keep track of the questions we are getting over the phone and by email.  One of the most frequently asked questions has been “How can I apply to your English/Physics/History/Psychology/Biology/Gender Studies program?“.

Well, the short answer is that you don’t.

The longer answer is that at Queen’s, if you apply to a Bachelor of Arts (including the Creative Arts, Languages, Social Sciences and Humanities) or Bachelor of Science (including the Biological and Physical Sciences), you don’t need to tell us what concentration you wish to pursue until later on in the process.  You will be considered for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science admission – and that’s it.  Once you have been admitted, we’ll start a dialogue where we ask you what you think you want to study.  Then, together, we will build a timetable for your first year that should allow you to follow one of the perhaps multiple academic paths you identify as interesting.  So whether you want to study Philosophy, Film and Media Studies, Global Development Studies or Politics, you will apply to the Bachelor of Arts program.  Same goes for those of you wanting Life Science, Biochemistry or Geology – you apply to the Bachelor of Science program.

There are some more specialized programs that we have within the Faculty of Arts and Science that you *can* apply directly to from High School.  I’m thinking of our Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Computing programs here.  Those programs are a little bit different, so you don’t apply to the more general Bachelor of Arts program or Bachelor of Science program if you want to be considered for one of those.

Our Engineering (also called Applied Science) program works much in the same way.  Instead of applying to Civil, Electrical, Mechanical or Chemical Engineering, you simply apply to Queen’s Engineering.  Once you complete your first year, you simply tell us which engineering you wish to specify in.  We have ten options for you to choose from, so you should definitely check them out and do some advanced scouting!  The main difference in Engineering is that instead of taking courses that you choose from a massive list of options, you do a common first year along with the other first years.  This ensures that you have competency in some key areas and will allow you to succeed in whichever engineering discipline you choose!

That’s it for now.  Keep those questions coming and we’ll post the most frequently asked ones here!

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Kevin du Manoir
Admission Coordinator

Your application for a Major Admission Award is due in the Student Awards Office no later than the 1^st of December!

And yes, we will accept courier packages.

Students who demonstrate superior academic ability, original and creative thinking, involvement in school or community activities, and proven leadership qualities can apply for a Major Admission Award.  Financial need is also a consideration for some of our Major Admission Awards.

The six specific major admission awards are:

Chancellor’s Scholarship (high school nomination required)

D&R Sobey Atlantic Scholarship (for those wishing to study Commerce from the Atlantic provinces)

Chernoff Family Award (if you live in a rural or remote area of Canada and demonstrate financial need)

Dr. Irish May Marsh Memorial Award (Ontario residents only, demonstrating financial need)

Bank of Montreal Award (Canada-wide, demonstrating financial need)

Melvin R. Goodes Entrance Award (grads of Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton, Ontario and demonstrating financial need)

* Financial Information must be submitted if applying for a Chernoff Family Award, Dr. Iris May Marsh Memorial Award, Bank of Montreal Award and/or the Melvin R. Goodes Entrance Award.  Financial information is to be submitted on the Admission Bursary application.  The online Admission Bursary application is available on the Student Awards web site. (You must have your OUAC Reference Number to access the on-line admission bursary application).  Admission Bursary application must also be submitted by December 1st to be considered for these awards.

If you have any questions or concerns, please visit our website: www.queensu.ca/registrar/awards or contact us directly at entrance@queensu.ca Have a great day and we look forward to reviewing your application,

Ashley, Amy and Angie

Admission Awards Program

This week, our Fine Art program drew a lot of attention in the London area with particular interest at St. Mary’s High School in Woodstock and at London South Secondary School. For more information on the Bachelor of Fine Art, visit www.queensu.ca/art/programs_artf.html for a thorough description. Portfolio details can be found online at www.queensu.ca/art/pdf/portfolioPage_091015.pdf.

Queen’s is a great place to study if you are an aspiring artist: we even have a student-run art gallery located right within Stauffer Library! Union Gallery (uniongallery.queensu.ca) provides a unique venue for student artists to display their creativity, and occasionally hosts exhibits from professional artists with outstanding international portfolios. For one of my courses in environmental science, I wrote about an exhibit that focused on consumption patterns and climate change. The centerpiece of the gallery at the time was a massive, stunning pillar made from dozens of laundry detergent bottles. I assure you, it is very difficult to walk past Union Gallery without feeling inclined to check out the current artwork!

I also recommend visiting the Agnes Etherington Art Centre (www.aeac.ca), one of the largest galleries in Ontario and conveniently located on the Queen’s campus. With more than 14,000 historical and contemporary pieces in the permanent collection, the Agnes Etherington Art Centre has gained a reputation related to its diversity and also for housing two of only six Canadian Rembrandts.

On another note, I want to say a specific thank you to the great students and guidance staff at Simcoe Composite School, London Central Secondary School, Catholic Central Secondary School, St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School (don’t forget to update everyone who missed my visit in favor of their field trip!), Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School, AB Lucas Secondary School, and Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School.

For all of the students I have met this fall, I have been impressed both with the thoughtfulness of your questions and the extent of your knowledge of our varsity athletics! Stay up to date with university news by checking our website and blog, and of course please email or phone us with any questions you may have.

Katie Phillips
Ontario Admission Representative

Hallo everyone,

I just had the opportunity to spend the weekend participating in a weekend full of Queen’s cheer.  I want to take this opportunity to let you know that Queen’s was able to bring home not one, but TWO Ontario Championships this weekend!!

Congratulations go out to our Golden Gaels Football team who defeated the University of Western Ontario’s Mustangs in an absolute THRILLER 43-39.  I hope some of you caught the game on TV as this game might be one of the best you will ever see between two of Canada’s best teams.

Congratulations also go out to the Queen’s Mens Rugby team who defeated the University of Western Ontario in another thriller 23-19.  Queen’s was behind Western for a good part of the game and then pulled ahead in the second half.  UWO put a ton of pressure on the Gaels in the final five minutes, but our defense held strong and Queen’s took the championship!

I know many of you might be wondering about what Athletics and Recreation are like here at Queen’s.  We are on the verge of getting our brand new Queen’s Centre up and running.  Within the Queen’s Centre, our new Aquatic Centre and Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC) will be the centrepiece for athletics.  You can find more information about the ARC by visiting www.gogaelsgo.com or better yet, check out this video:

You can see why we’re so excited!!

Kevin du Manoir
Admission Coordinator

Hello everyone,

I have a couple shoutouts to send out here, but first I’d like to address one issue that a lot of students have been asking me about.  I can tell many of you are starting to get your OUAC Pin numbers because there seems to be a rumour out there that if you don’t list Queen’s as your first choice overall, we won’t consider you for a spot here.

That rumour is a complete myth.  Obviously, it makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside if you do have us as your first choice, however we will treat your application the exact same if you have us first or fifteenth.  Also, you should know that we will consider ALL applications we receive from you.  That means if you apply to two or three programs, you will be considered for each of them and that you may end up with three offers of admission at the end of the day.  Obviously, you can only accept one offer later on, but at least you have that flexibility.

I would like to take this chance to give a few shoutouts to some of the awesome schools I visited in the past little while.

In particular, I would like to say hello to all those I spoke to at:
Beaverbrae in Kenora,
St. Thomas Aquinas in Russell,
Arnprior District High School,
St. John in Perth,
Earl of March in Kanata,
Bishop Smith in Pembroke,
Opeongo High near Douglas,
Earl Haig Secondary in Toronto,
Cobourg DCI East AND West,
Regiopolis Notre Dame right here in Kingston and last but not least,
Mackenzie High in Deep River (my old stomping grounds!).

I know there are many other schools that I visited, and of course I want to say hello and thanks to each of you for making my visits so much fun and being so welcoming!

Kevin du Manoir
Admission Coordinator

Hello everyone,

I am happy to let you know that the admission policy regarding how we will treat repeated courses when calculating admission averages has changed from previous years.  In the past, how we would treat a repeated course would depend on which program you were applying to.  For most programs, we would take the higher of the repeated grades.  The two exceptions to that rule were our Commerce and Engineering programs.  For those two programs, the grades obtained in repeated prerequisite courses would be averaged over all repeats.  This is what we DID… up til now!

Our new policy is the same across all programs – we will now take the highest grade for ANY repeated course used in the average calculation, regardless of the program you are interested in.  This means the policy has changed for Commerce and Engineering.

We think this policy is fair as all of our programs now treat repeated courses in an equitable manner.

Cheers,

Kevin du Manoir
Admission Coordinator

I have just finished a week of school visits in the Ottawa area, and I am so happy to report that our capital is full of excited, energetic, and entertaining students who are interested in learning more about Queen’s University. Queen’s is just a touch under two hours away from Ottawa, right on the shores of Lake Ontario in Kingston, Ontario. Never having been to Ottawa before, I took some fabulous tours of the city, walked along the scenic canal, and even passed Peter Milliken (Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands and current Speaker of the House) in the gorgeous hallways of Parliament. Always one to find a Queen’s connection, Peter Milliken himself is an alumnus of Queen’s University! (His degree is in Political Science and Economics.)

Interestingly, my travels through Ontario have also opened up some conversations about more extensive travels all around the world. I have met students who have participated in their respective high school exchange programs and ended up in the United States, Germany, and even Norway! At Queen’s, we are proud to be able to offer every student an international, multicultural perspective on a wide array of topics, regardless of whether you complete your entire degree on main campus or spend a term or a year abroad. With 172 international exchange partnerships in 39 countries worldwide, I personally know students who have studied in Australia, Belgium, and Scotland, just to name a few.

On yet another rainy Friday afternoon, I visited North Dundas District High School and was pleased to find out that many students there are already thinking about international opportunities at Queen’s. Myles learned that many students in our Bachelor of Commerce program will study abroad at some point in their undergraduate degree and I spoke with Madison (at length!) about the Bader International Study Centre (BISC) (www.queensu.ca/isc/) at Herstmonceux Castle, located an hour and a half south of London in East Sussex, England. Students at the BISC, collectively, treasure the engaging educational experience they receive both in class (on a 15th century castle estate, complete with moat!) and all over Europe (think the Louvre, the Globe theatre, Vimy Ridge, Stonehenge, NATO headquarters, Normandy, Versailles!). A friend of mine came back from her spring term at the castle with stunning photographs, and stories about the National Opera and breathtaking sunsets… but don’t worry, Madison, you will still receive a tam even if you study at the BISC in your first year!

If you are looking for a university that will challenge you to learn as much from the world around you as from the people you meet in the lecture theatre, Queen’s is definitely a university to look at in more detail. As a recent graduate, I continue to be immensely grateful for the connections and opportunities presented to me by Queen’s.

Katie Phillips
BAH ‘09 (Psychology and Environmental Studies)
Ontario Admission Representative

The travel season has begun! Last week, the Muskoka and Grey Bruce regions graciously hosted representatives from all 21 Ontario universities through the University Information Program, and I must say that the year is off to a fantastic start! Thank you so much to all of the high school students who helped us carry our viewbooks, directed us to classrooms, searched for extension cords, and participated in our presentations. Already I have met some exceptional people and I am looking forward to many more weeks of school visits ahead.

If you aren’t sure when we will be in your area or at your school, you can check “Queen’s on the Road” (www.queensu.ca/admission/contacts/road.html) for a schedule of upcoming events.

Also, be sure to come visit our campus for Fall Preview on Saturday October 17 and Saturday November 7.  You can register online at: www.queensu.ca/admission/forms/fpoh/.

I hope the rain ends soon…

Katie Phillips
Ontario Admission Representative

Hi all!

Well, I’m glad you could all join me in my first installment of the Ontario Admission Rep Countdown 2009! Last Monday, September 28th marked Day 1 of the 9 week adventure that my colleagues, Kristin and Katie, and I call our job. Having visited 13 schools throughout Brantford, Simcoe, Waterford, Ancaster, Waterdown, Dundas, and Hamilton last week my tally is down to 99 Ontario high school visits before November 27th. Whoa.

Throughout the week I referred students to a number of websites for more information and contacts. Here are links to some common requests:
Concurrent Education http://educ.queensu.ca/teachereducation/programs/concurrent/queens.html
Athletics http://www.gogaelsgo.com/
Nursing http://nursing.queensu.ca/ and;
Studies in England http://www.queensu.ca/isc/.
Another important site that many of you might find helpful is the Student Awards page http://www.queensu.ca/registrar/awards/apply/apply.html. Here, you can access the application (due Dec 1st!) for Major Admission Awards as well as learn about a number of other options for financing your Queen’s education. As I mentioned in a number of schools last week, take the time to browse the long list of scholarships and bursaries to determine which awards you could be eligible for (there are many!).

Today, I begin Week 2 of my travels in Sudbury for the University Information Program throughout Northeastern Ontario. Representatives from the 21 universities in Ontario will be touring the North like rockstars (i.e. on a bus) this week, stopping for fairs in several locations. To find out if there will be a session near you, search your city via the UIP website http://www.ouf.ca/uip/index.shtml.

Before I sign off to go purchase a toque, I’d like to send a few shout outs to the students who made my first week truly awesome: Thank you BCI students for making my first visit of the season a smooth one, and specifically the young man at the back of the room for making it a memorable presentation by asking (ahem) valid questions. ☺ To the dozen students who eventually directed me to the opposite side of Ancaster District High School in search of the Guidance Office, your assistance was much appreciated! And of course, to all the students who attended this session, thank you for sitting through my screetchy-voice end-of-the-day presentation. To the troopers at Westdale Secondary School who stood throughout the presentation, you’re awesome. Since the fire alarm at Waterdown District High School ended the visit early (and on the football field with over 1000 students), please email me renee.kennedy<at>queensu.ca any questions that I didn’t have the chance to answer!

And as a diehard HP fan: thank you to Hillfield-Strathallan College for giving me a glimpse of what the dining hall at Hogwarts might feel like.

Happy Sunday,
Renée Kennedy
Ontario Admission Representative