Determining Your Options

Having a plan B is important for most students planning to pursue post-secondary studies. What happens if you are not accepted into your first choice of program at your first choice of university? Does your academic future rely on being accepted to a competitive program? If yes, then it is important to think about other options and possibilities. It is a clever move to have at least one back-up plan or program.

Not everyone is admitted to their first choice of program or university, but there most likely will be viable alternatives for you. Consider the following:

1. Research admission requirements:
Most universities are frank about what the competitive range typically is for their programs. It does not make a lot of sense to apply for institutions where your marks will likely be too low to receive an offer of admission. There are probably other universities offering similar programs for which your grades would make you a better fit.

2. Apply to Similar Programs at a Different School: It may save a lot of anxiety, not to mention a lot of money! Did you apply to another program, or just the one? If you did apply to just one program at just one university, the first thing to do is to find out if any other possibilities exist at your favourite school, and, if so, how to apply for them. Is there still time, is there still space? (By the second week in June, the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) provides a service which keeps track of any available spaces at Ontario Universities).

The Ontario university system will allow you to apply to up to 3 programs (or campuses, where there are more than one) at the same university, and you can actually apply to as many Ontario universities as you can afford to, so there is little reason to limit your chances of receiving an offer to a university that will suit your needs. If you applied to more than one program at a university, but did not receive an offer to your first choice, will accepting your second choice program provide a chance to switch into your first choice later? In some cases this is possible. Since we are talking here about having a plan B, what happens if your application has generated no offers of admission from any of your favorite universities? Try not to despair – there are a number of opportunities beckoning – you need to find out first of all why your application was not competitive – was it one specific mark that held you back, or was it your overall average? Did you notify your schools of any circumstances that caused your grades to suffer? Were any profiles, portfolios, auditions that you presented considered?

Once you have some answers, you will have a clear action plan. Upgrade high school courses through your local school board or Adult Education Centre in order to make you more competitive next year. You may choose to attend college, for one or more years, and consider applying again using your college marks as a basis of admission. If you choose this pathway, ensure you research the requirements to apply with a college background to the university you are interested in. If you were unsuccessful this year, the most important thing to remember is to focus on the next steps to achieve your goal and look for opportunities when they arise.