Finding the Post-Secondary Education That’s Right For You

Tips for choosing your post-secondary institution.

Are you wondering how to find the right campus and program for yourself? Figuring out where you want to study and what you want to study is a pivotal moment in your life and can be overwhelming. This article is intended to help you make those decisions and figure out what is important to you.

1. Talk with your guidance counsellor

The first step in evaluating post-secondary options is to know what options are available to you. Make an appointment with your guidance counselor to find out what programs and campuses are out there for you to consider and be provided with the guidance and resources to access and research on your own.

Guidance counsellors are incredibly valuable resources to you throughout this process as they are trained to provide you with information, but also guidance! Guidance counselors can help you with career counselling, talking through school options, putting you in contact with universities/colleges, giving you information about admission requirements, tour days, etc. Your guidance counsellor should be your first stop when exploring post-secondary opportunities.

2. Narrow down your programs

Now that you’ve spoken with your guidance counsellor and have been given the necessary tools and resources to be able to find the programs that you’re looking for, it’s important to determine what you’re looking to get out of the program. Are you looking for internships and hands-on experience? Are you looking for a heavy research opportunity? Are you looking to have a more collaborative or independent learning style? Figuring out what you want in a program will help you narrow down which campuses are going to be the right fit for your needs.

Keep in mind that lots of campuses offer similar services, just with different terminology. It’s important to connect with the school directly to confirm the details of their program’s formatting to ensure you’re not crossing off a school who may be a great fit for you because they use different terminology. To learn more about the structure and content of King’s programs, you can fill out our form here to chat with one of our Recruitment Officers.

3. Look into support services

Once you’ve shortened your list of options through the above steps, you’re going to want to investigate what on-campus supports each institution offers to students to assist them in their academics, personal life, finances, etc. I would recommend looking into finances first. Determining how much funding and scholarships you can receive from a school is a great benefit to investigate when selecting a school.

Personal supports such as accessibility services and accommodations, career prep, academic tutoring and support, personal counselling, and anything else to support you as a student are things to consider. You want to make sure that the campus you’re selecting can support you academically as well as any individual needs you may have. Make sure you look for a campus that is able to support your needs. You can see some of King’s many support services here.

4. Visit the campus

Once you’ve narrowed down which campuses you’re considering, it’s crucial that you go and see the campus. In-person, if possible, but if you can’t make an in-person tour, you should try to see the campus virtually. Many campuses, King’s included, offer virtual and in-person tours in addition to large scale events like preview days or Open House. This is arguably one of the most important steps when choosing a campus.

Once you’ve decided which campuses have the academics and scholarships you’re looking for, the next step is to ensure the learning environment is the right fit for you. You want to make sure you can envision yourself spending your post-secondary years at the campus you select. You can see more information regarding visiting the King’s campus here.

Your post-secondary experience has the potential to bring you so many new experiences, opportunities, and great memories! Make sure you take the time to research and determine which institution is the best place for you. Here at King’s, we truly are A Place to Be, A Place to Become, and A Place to Belong.