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It’s already time to think about getting those university applications in

Academic counsellors, student recruitment officers, and educational advisors are all around to help
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Grade 12 student Natalia Bellefleur is just one of many future graduates currently going through the process of applying to post-secondary. Photo by Braden Majic/Carihi Mirror.

Braden Majic

Carihi Mirror

Many soon-to-be graduates, on top of needing to focus on their studies these days, are also already focused on getting their applications in for post secondary institutions – at least they should be if they intend on attending next fall.

“We have really encouraged students to get that investigative curiosity going around looking at schools,” counsellor Maralyn Lloyd says. “We are in a situation now where admission (requirements) are changing because of the new curriculum changes. We all need to be really on top of it.”

Lloyd and English teacher Colin Riddell have formed a group during the past few years where students meet around once a month where they work with students on their needs surrounding the application process.

“[We] either talk about the different steps in the application process, getting letters of reference, whatever it is that may be sort of timely to the stages of what students are thinking about,” Lloyd says.

Grade 12 student Natalia Bellefleur has had a vision of what she has wanted to do since she was a little girl and now her dreams are coming closer to a reality.

“I come from a very motivated family,” Bellefleur says. “My goal is I want to get my PhD… Something in the science field.”

She has grown up in an atmosphere of academia, and has two older siblings currently in university.

From them she has found the thrill of challenges and thinking ahead to her future since beginning high school and knowing her end goal was to attend university.

“I want to go back east really badly,” Bellefleur says. “I’ve wanted something completely different. I didn’t want to follow into my siblings’ footsteps like I kind of always have. Definitely want to go outside the province.”

Wherever education takes her, however, the dream would be to start a career with the Canadian Space Agency or leading a research experiment.

“That’s definitely always been a big passion of mine,” she says. “I think I’m prepared. My siblings have really been a big help. I also have a really good support system with the counsellors.”

There are also students who will be looking close to home. Many of those begin their journey at North Island College (NIC).

Most of the programs offered at NIC have rolling admissions, meaning “first applied, first qualified, first admitted.”

“To increase one’s chance of securing a seat in their proffered program, we recommend students apply as soon as they have decided on a program,” NIC recruiter Renae Roles says.

There are also programs with scheduled deadlines, like many other institutions, so Roles reminds students to make sure they know those dates.

On top of deadlines, different programs sometimes require more than just a submitted application to the college and a copy of a student’s most recent transcript.

An example would be NIC’s Professional Cook 1 program, which has a requirement of undergoing a Culinary Arts assessment and complete FoodSafe Level 1.

In some cases, programs are also only offered at certain campuses out of their five, including Campbell River, Comox Valley, Port Alberni, Port Hardy, and Ucluelet.

There are many options and paths unique to every individual and Carihi students have had the privilege of having Roles visit the school once a month for students to ask their questions.

We support students with a wide variety of questions from clarifying admissions requirements to simply exploring programs and career options,” Roles says. “Sometimes these meetings are more just conversations.”

Roles’ next visit to Carihi will be on Nov. 14.

Throughout the year, other post-secondary institutions also make visit to local high schools.

The University of Alberta will have a recruitment officer at Carihi on Nov. 13, and MacEwan University will have a representative in town on Nov. 27.

If students have any questions or are in need of support during this transitional time in their life, they are encouraged to reach out to their academic counsellors, student recruitment officers, and educational advisors.