Guide for IB Students Applying to Canadian Universities, Essays (high school) of Mathematics

Download Guide for IB Students Applying to Canadian Universities and more Essays (high school) Mathematics in PDF only on Docsity! Guide for IB students applying to Canadian institutions This guide provides a brief introduction to the Canadian higher education system and its application process, as well as information specifically relevant to IB students applying to Canadian institutions from outside of Canada. The Canadian context Throughout Canada’s 10 provinces and 3 territories, there are 98 higher education institutions. Rather than having a centralized federal higher education system, each prov- ince and territory has its own distinct education system. Public and private There are public and private institutions throughout Canada, however the majority of universities are public institutions. Most public institutions have province-wide admissions requirements, whereas private institutions do not need to follow provincial or territorial admissions requirements. Both public and private institutions might offer one or several types of degrees and programmes. Public institutions receive most of their funding from the provincial, territorial and/or federal government, making them generally less expensive to attend than private institutions. Because of the high number of facul- ty research grants, public institutions tend to have large departments offering a variety of degrees. Private institutions receive the majority or entirety of their funding from alumni donations, faculty research grants and tuition fees. This makes them more expen- sive to attend, but allows for more resources available to students. Bachelor’s degrees Bachelor’s degrees can be obtained at many higher education institutions and are completed in three or four years of full-time study, depending on the province and whether the programme is general or specialized. Some students might complete an honours bachelor’s degree, which indicates a higher level of concentration within the subject as well as a higher standard of academic achieve- ment. Liberal arts education Liberal arts programs offer courses in the arts, humanities, languages, mathematics and social and physical sciences, and they aim to cultivate general intellectual capacities. When obtaining a bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts, students will specialize in their chosen programme (also known as a major or subject), but will also receive gener- alized education across the spectrum of courses. Vocational education and community colleges Canada also has professional, technical or vocational institutions, as well as community colleges (often referred to as just "colleges"), which tend to provide more special- ized courses of study. Colleges are government-regulated institutions offering various degrees, including pre-professional certificates, two-year associate’s degrees and, in some cases, four-year specialized bachelor’s degrees. There are more than 150 colleges in Canada, with approximately 900,000 full-time and 1.5 million part-time students. With this option, students can graduate from college and be prepared for a career or transfer to a four-year institution to get a bachelor’s degree. Colleges tend to be less expensive than other types of institutions. As college faculty gener- ally do not conduct research, there is a stronger emphasis on teaching, but there are fewer research opportunities for students. Accreditation Canada does not have an accreditation system that assesses the quality of higher education institutions, although some provinces have charters or legislation that serves as a substitute. Without a national system, howev- er, you should verify that your degree is recognized in the specific province to which you are applying. University rankings There is no official ranking system for higher education institutions in Canada, but there are independent bod- ies that conduct subjective rankings annually. Canadian universities are commonly ranked among the highest globally. For example, the QS World University Rankings 2014/15 listed five Canadian universities among the top 100 universities in the world. Applying to Canadian universities Who to contact There is no centralized application procedure for Canadi- an institutions; students apply to each institution indi- vidually. While some provinces have general admissions requirements for their public institutions, each institution will outline the requirements on its website, alongside any additional requirements for that specific school. The exception is the province of Ontario, which uses a standardized application system to the public institutions in that province; the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre allows students, including international students, to submit one application that is sent to their chosen institutions in Ontario. Choosing an area of study While many institutions allow students to study a variety of subjects, most application processes require students to choose a programme or area of study that is intended to be their focus throughout their education. Specific programmes or faculties within a university might have their own admissions requirements, which may include additional application materials or specific grade or IB score requirements. Because of this, it is important for students to focus on their academic performance and search for institutions that match their interests and level of academic rigour. The application There is no national university entrance exam, and each institution has its own admissions standards and evalua- tion process. Most applications can be completed online, and most institutions require biographical information, education background (including transcripts, IB predicted grades, and IB final grades when available) and intend- ed area of study. Some universities might ask for letters of recommendation, personal essays or test scores, so students should find out what an application will require well in advance of the application deadline. Timeline It is important to check the application deadline for each institution, as deadlines may vary, but many are in December or January. Some institutions have a rolling admissions process, which means that there might not be a strict application deadline. Decisions from a univer- sity might be sent out as early as three weeks after the application is received, or they may take several months. Some institutions offer conditional acceptances, and when final grades and/or IB scores are sent, the offer is either rescinded or made official. MCGILL UNIVERSITY General admissions information DP students must present predicted results of 5 or better in each HL and SL subject as well as school grades during the IB programme that support the predictions. Most programmes will have higher minimum requirements. In addition, students may be required to submit: • proof of proficiency in English • placement tests in mathematics and basic sciences • supporting documentation (that is, official transcripts, external test results, letters of reference or evaluation, extenuating circumstanc- es). Total undergraduate enrollment 22k Overall acceptance rate 49% Global ranking 24 Average DP score 36 Credit and advanced standing A maximum of 30 credits of advanced standing may be granted for the IB diploma based on HL results of 5 or better. Additional considerations Math studies SL is not acceptable for programmes where math is a prerequisite. QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY General admissions information IB diploma candidates must: • complete the full IB diploma with passes in six subjects with three at HL and a minimum grade total of 28 (excluding bonus points) • satisfy all admission criteria, including prerequisite courses, for the desired programme • present a competitive score for the desired programme • complete and submit a personal statement of experience and supplementary essay. Total undergraduate enrollment 18k Overall acceptance rate 42% Global ranking 206 Average DP score 33 Credit and advanced standing Students in all faculties and schools may be granted a maximum of 18.0 credit units for HL IB courses completed with a final grade of 5 or higher (6 or higher for some engineering courses). SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY General admissions information Simon Fraser University welcomes IB students from around the world! Our IB students are studying in almost every area at the uni- versity, and participating in cooperative education placements all across Canada and in other countries around the world. IB diploma holders with total predicted IB points in the high 20s, including bonus points, will qualify for early conditional admission to most programmes. To be considered for admission, you must meet the English language admission requirement and the quantitative and analytical skills requirement. Total undergraduate enrollment 22k Overall acceptance rate 60% Global ranking 225 Average DP score 31 Credit and advanced standing Transfer credit is awarded for all SL and HL subjects passed with a grade of 4 or higher. Additional considerations Completion of DP English A1/A2 or English literature and performance (HL or SL) with a minimum grade of 3 satisfies English language requirements. UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA General admissions information For standard English language admissions, successful completion of the IB diploma with a minimum score of 24 points, including at least three HL courses, as well as additional points for the core, is required. Additional programme-specific requirements. Total undergraduate enrollment 40k Overall acceptance rate 64% Global ranking 50 Average DP score 33 Credit and advanced standing All HL and some SL IB courses will be considered for first-year credit. Additional considerations Where English is the primary language of instruction, English A (SL or HL) is required with a minimum score of 3. UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO General admissions information The IB diploma including English HL or SL is accepted for admis- sions. Prerequisite courses can be presented at either SL or HL. Different areas of study require different predicted scores (more competitive programmes require a higher predicted score). Total undergraduate enrollment 54k Overall acceptance rate 69% Global ranking 34 Average DP score 34 Credit and advanced standing Credit is granted for HL subjects with a minimum grade of 5. Additional considerations To demonstrate English language proficiency: The minimum requirement is a score of at least 4 (predicted or final) in HL or SL English A: Literature or English A: Language and literature. English B HL is not acceptable. UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO General admissions information The University of Waterloo recognizes IB courses as excellent aca- demic preparation for success at the university level. Subjects that are prerequisites for admission to specific programmes should be at HL whenever possible. Where there are more than 3 prerequisite subjects, SL courses will be accepted. For programmes listing HL or SL English A, HL English B with a minimum grade of 5 will be acceptable. For programmes listing HL or SL mathematics, mathe- matical studies will not be accepted. Total undergraduate enrollment 29k Overall acceptance rate 53% Global ranking 152 Average DP score 33 Credit and advanced standing The University of Waterloo will consider awarding transfer credits for individual HL IB courses in which normally a minimum final grade of 5 is attained. The maximum number of transfer credits considered varies depending on the programme you’re admitted to. Transfer credits will normally be weighted as 1.0 units each (equivalent to 2 courses). Additional considerations Transfer credit will be considered for the completion of the theory of knowledge and the extended essay with a minimum grade of B (Good) in both. Waterloo equivalent transfer credit is PHIL 1XX (1.0 units). UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO–WESTERN UNIVERSITY General admissions information The minimal requirements for admission of IB candidates are as follows: 1. successful completion of the International Baccalaureate 2. pass in a minimum of six subjects of which at least three must be at HL 3. a grade total of 28 including additional points for the successful completion of the extended essay and theory of knowledge 4. no mark can be less than four. Total undergraduate enrollment 23k Overall acceptance rate 31% Global ranking 192 Average DP score 33 Credit and advanced standing IB applicants who meet Western’s admission criteria are eligible for transfer credit consideration for each HL subject with a score of 5 or higher