Youthink PS

Spring 2020

Youthink PS is Western Canada¹s post secondary resource guide for high school students planning on attending university, college or other Canadian post secondary institutions and is distributed to 400 high schools across BC and Alberta.

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YOUTHINK.CA SPRING 2020 > YOUTHINK PS 5 YOUR GUIDE to Visiting OUT-OF-TOWN UNIVERSITIES BY SPENCER PERRY A ttending an out-of-town university is a big step after years of high school in your hometown. For the first time, you'll be going to school with thousands of other students from all over the world. It can be an exhilarating adventure as well as a turning point in the journey from teen to adult. But before you commit, take the time to do your research and visit prospective schools to get the inside scoop on programs and campus life. Here are some tips for making the most out of your first visit. B ook a campus tour This is the most important part of your universi- ty visit. Almost all universities will have regularly scheduled hours for tours. If this is not the case, contact the admissions department of your pro - spective school and arrange one. Tours are most often led by current students, who can help give you insight into what spending your days on this particular campus will be like. Most importantly, tours offer what brochures cannot: a chance to take in the atmosphere and see the facilities with your own eyes. Listen to your tour guide and ask questions Assuming you have booked a campus tour, try your best not to get too caught up in the excitement of the walkthrough and forget |to pay attention to your guide. They are experts on the school you're visiting. Keep in mind the old "listen 80 per cent of the time, speak 20 per cent of the time" rule and save your questions and comments until the end. Feel the vibe Aside from the educational opportunities a university offers, the campus vibe can be a big part of your decision to attend a certain school. Observe the students walking throughout the institution. Do they look happy to be there? Do they appear to be proud of their school? Spend time exploring these questions and take the chance to reflect after your visit. Also, glance at bulletin boards in hallways and cafeterias to see what kind of events are scheduled after classes or on weekends. Top photo by Victoria Heath on Unsplash As important as it is to get an education at university, being up-to-speed on the clubs and programs that exist outside of the classroom will aid you in making the right choice. Meet professors and students Your guide may not be a student of the program in which you are planning to study, so phone ahead and ask if any students are available after your tour to answer questions you may have about your specific program. Professors are also usually quite open to meeting with students who are planning to take their classes (during their office hours, of course). Being proactive and setting up meetings with current students and professors really can make all the difference in your search for the right school. Sleep on it Picking which university to attend is a big decision and you should take a beat after each of your visits to process the experience. Allow for ample time to compare the various schools, their offerings and their shortcomings. If you follow these steps, choosing the right school should be a breeze. Give every campus you visit a fair chance and don't be shocked if the one you pegged as your favourite beforehand isn't your final choice — every place looks good in the brochure! • Take the time to tour universities you are interested in attending.

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