As we reach the midpoint of fall, many students are already planning for their post-secondary applications. In this newsletter, we will cover important information regarding college and university applications, as well as details about graduation requirements.
OUAC Updates
Here’s a reminder of the criteria for Group A and Group B OUAC applications this year:
You are a Group A Applicant if ALL of the following apply to you:
- You are currently taking 1 or more courses at an Ontario high school
- You are under 21
- You have an OSSD or are working towards an OSSD with six 4U/M courses.
You are a Group B Applicant if you do not meet the Group A requirements. Some examples of Group B applicants would be as follows:
- International students
- Transfer students
- Mature applicants
- Not currently taking any high school courses
- You’re 21 or older and taking a course at an Ontario high school
For more information about the different applicant types and how to apply, please check the OUAC website.
OUAC Group A Deadlines
For students applying under the Group A application, be mindful of the following deadlines for submitting your applications and completing your courses:
- January 15th: deadline for students to submit their applications to OUAC
- February 20th: deadline for OUAC to receive all available final grades for first semester
- May 1st: deadline for OUAC to receive all available midterm grades for second semester
- July 14th: deadline for OUAC to receive all remaining final grades
For other deadlines and more information please visit the OUAC website.
OCAS Updates
If you plan to attend a college program next year, the OCAS applications are now open. To apply, you first need to create an account on the OCAS website. This account will allow you to:
- Apply to any of Ontario’s public colleges
- Review and update your college application
- Request Ontario high school transcripts (from participating schools)
- Request Ontario college / university transcripts
- View and accept offers of admission
You can follow the detailed video instructions on the OCAS website for creating and submitting your applications.
OCAS Deadlines
Unlike OUAC, OCAS does not have strict deadlines for when students must submit their applications and marks. However, there are certain dates when OUAC will transmit data to Ontario colleges:
- November 15th: Deadline for demographics, marks history and current and projected registrations for the entire school year.
- February 14th: Deadline date for any available marks.
- April 25th: Deadline date for any available marks.
- July 4th: Deadline date for all final marks and proof of graduation.
- August 8th: Deadline for all final marks and / or summer school final marks and proof of graduation.
For more information on OCAS dates and deadlines, please check out their website
OSSLT Updates
The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test is a requirement for earning your OSSD. This test is designed to measure whether students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects. Generally, this test is administered during the Grade 10 year, but it can be completed at any time during high school.
During COVID, this requirement was waived, as testing was not possible. When the Literacy Requirement for graduation was reinstated, students could take the OLC4O course instead of the test. This option was provided to assist older students who missed the test but were now required to fulfill the literacy requirement.
This year, all students, whether online or in a brick-and-mortar school, are required to take the OSSLT in order to graduate. Ontario Virtual School (OVS) is currently setting up the test for our Grade 12 students graduating this year. OVS will hold two sessions for this test:
- Fall session – November 5 to December 3, 2024
- Spring session – March 18 to April 15, 2025
Once students have selected a session, they will be asked to pay a $200 fee. This fee covers the testing and includes a teacher-facilitated preparation module with lessons, practice exams from previous years, and more to help students prepare for this mandatory test.
If you have questions regarding the OSSLT requirement, please contact the OVS office at [email protected]
Connecting with OVS
This expo allows parents and students to connect with private schools to determine which institution best suits their child’s needs. Attendees can meet with representatives from top private schools, speak with their staff, and connect with other parents and students.
The BMO Student Life Expo has been around for over 20 years, focusing on post-secondary education and lifestyle. It offers students the opportunity to speak with prospective post-secondary programs and connect with vendors that can assist them in their transition from high school, college, or university.
Course Highlight
BEM1O – Grade 9 Building the Entrepreneurial Mindset
In this course, students will learn what makes an entrepreneur thrive and the skills required to succeed in today’s business environment. Students will begin to develop their own entrepreneurial mindset, and learn why it’s important to take initiative, adapt to change, find creative solutions, and understand the financial considerations of entrepreneurship. This hands-on course will use business software and applications to help students plan and develop their entrepreneurial ideas and learn how to present them to a target audience. Throughout the course, students will enhance their communications skills as well as develop and refine their project management skills, including goal setting, time management, and networking.
