The main options for someone after graduating high school are:
Each of these choices include a vast range of possibilities and getting help with navigating through them is a good idea. If you are unsure what education to pursue after grade 12, you should talk to your guidance counsellor.
ALIS
Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) is the provincial gateway to help Albertans plan and achieve educational and career success!
ALIS provides information for:
- Career planning
- Post-secondary education and training
- Educational funding
- Job searches
- Labour market trends
- Workplace issues
The website is organized by target audience and includes useful information, strategies and suggestions to help plan for careers, learning and work.
My Blueprint
Education planner is a mobile-friendly education and career/life planning resource used by counsellors and teachers in thousands of schools to meet learning outcomes and engage students in planning for their futures. Students can complete multiple career assessments, unlock occupation matches, plan their courses, compare post-secondary programs, build resumes, cover letters, budgets, and portfolios, and lots more. Visit www.myBlueprint.ca/cbe
Finding Work
Choosing Your School/Program
- Attend university fairs
- Attend lunch time presentations at your school
- Look for Open Houses and community events
- Student for a day opportunities
- Attend scholarship presentations in the school
- Explore your options online:
Things to Consider When Choosing a Post-Secondary School
- Home or away
- Cost
- Duration
- Transferability
- Outcomes (employability, etc.)
- Class size
- Facilities
- Extra-curricular
- Student Satisfaction data
- Guaranteed residence
- Program choice and availability
- Admission requirements
Preparing to Apply
Once you have selected programs and schools that offer the education you are looking for, you will need to do 3 things:
- Check the admission requirements carefully!
- In general students should consider applying to 3-5 institutions
- There is no point in applying to programs and schools that will definitely not admit you. By looking at prerequisite subject requirements and admissions averages, you can ensure that you have a reasonable probability of success.
- Check the deadlines! Different schools have different deadlines.
- Get your supporting material ready.
Get your supporting material ready
- Official high school transcripts are ONLY issued by the province of Alberta.
- myPass must be used to order official transcripts.
- Unofficial transcripts are available through your guidance counsellor or the main office.
Setting Up a myPass Account
Every student will require a myPass account. Login to the JCS Student Success Centre D2L shell for step-by-step instructions on how to set up your account. You will need your Alberta Student Number (ASN) to create a myPass account. You can find your ASN on CBE report cards from previous years, and in PowerSchool.
Applying to a Post Secondary Institution
Once you have chosen the schools you wish to apply to, you need to:
- For Alberta institutions, you must create a profile on ApplyAlberta, then there will be a link to institutions where you can apply
- Alberta schools – nearly all post secondary schools (and certainly all of the universities) use Apply Alberta
- Ontario and British Columbia schools – both of these provinces have similar online postsecondary application services for universities and other institutions.
- Other schools in Canada and international schools: apply directly through their websites.
Applying Outside of Canada
If applying to post-secondary institutions outside of Canada, please contact the institution directly to be connected to an advisor. Your guidance counsellor can assist with The Common Application.
Applying For Residence
Apply for residence early. Many universities guarantee residence for first year students. Many universities offer different levels of meal plans while living in residence.
Financing Your Education
Sources of money:
- Personal resources (includes family)
- Loans – Student loans
- Scholarships, grants, bursaries
- Entrance awards – check for them at the schools you’re considering
