Hi there future Badgers!
Two weeks ago the Ontario University Fair (OUF) took place at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto. It was estimated that over 130 000 prospective students and parents visited during the three day event! I was there- were you?
Well in case you missed it, or in case you went and (like many other students) felt a bit overwhelmed by the enormity of the displays and/or your upcoming decision to ask all the important questions- this post is for you.
My experience at OUF as a Brock Ambassador was amazing, and I definitely felt a dose of nostalgia every time I said hello to a new student or parent. And although every student that came to our booth was unique, I found myself asking and answering some of the same questions and I wanted to give you the run down in the hopes that this might be helpful to you!
When the conversations started I usually found out 1) that some students knew exactly what they wanted (whether that be program-specific details or types of residence, recreation, or work-load information) or 2) that some students had No idea what they were looking for and were feeling unsure where to even begin.
When 2) was the case and my, “do you have any questions about Brock?”, was answered with an “uhm”, I started asking some of the following questions to guide them along.
1. Do you know what program you are interested in?
IF you said, “Absolutely!” well its time to check that Brock carries that program. Some of the common ones I was asked about were the Concurrent Education, Sports Management, Nursing, Dual-Degree Business, and Computer Game design programs. All wonderful programs and all of which offer a co-op or practical/placement aspect to their degree. Here is some more information on program options.
If you said, “No idea!”, then you should next ask yourself- what courses do you love in school, and what courses are you good at? Those questions can often lead you in a clearer direction. If you still are on the fence, perhaps a general exploratory first year is something you might be interested in. A few programs offer general/exploratory course options so that you can take courses without restrictions of a major and decide later which area suits you best. An example of one of those majors is the Social Sciences BA which you can learn more about here.
2. What size of institution are you comfortable with?
If you said, “the more students the better”, then a university with a larger population and larger campus is something to look into.
If you said, “I want a small community feel”, then perhaps the larger universities in Ontario will feel like too much.
If you said, “Something right in the middle”, then look no further- and come visit us! Brock is a mid-size University that values a small community feel but boasts a large enough student population (18 000+) to enjoy the perks and student experiences offered elsewhere.
3. Will you be moving away from home?
If yes- residence is something to seriously consider. Especially if you are moving away from home for the first time, residence is an easier transition to independence for students (and parents)! At Brock we have a few different options for living on campus and here is a link to information about which residence style may appeal to you.
That’s all for now- I hope that these questions helped guide you in the right direction if you were not sure how to start the conversation about University – stay tuned for part 2 where I will share a few more common topics that came up at OUF!
Until next time and Happy Thanksgiving!
Riley
