Post-Secondary Information

SAT Information

Once you register, you’ll need to take these steps to get ready for test day. 

Admissions 101

Here is a pamphlet with information on the application process.

Please be aware that your GRADE 11 marks are important to post secondary admission.  Often Post Secondary institutions will give you conditional admission based on your Grade 11 course marks.  

Are you going to a school in British Columbia?  Alberta students should provide information on courses taken in Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 when applying in BC.  

Are you going to a school in the United States?  The final SAT administration for the current school year occurs on May 7. Registration closed on April 8, 2022.  Students applying to an American school should also be prepared to report Grade 9 marks.

General Admission Information

The following admissions information is generalized.  Steps 1, 2 and 3 are applicable to all post secondary institutions, and many institutions offer registration and loans workshops. Check the website of your institution for information.  This information will help walk you through the process of applying for your program and the following steps. 

Step 1:  Requirements

Students must meet minimum academic requirements for all programs at all institutions.  In addition, some institutions have competitive grade-average requirements for some or all programs.  The competitive average varies each year, depending on the applicant pool.  You should be able to view the final average range from the previous year on your institution's website.   Report the subjects you are taking and your mark or anticipated mark for both Grade 11 and Grade 12 courses in Apply Alberta; but once your application is submitted, updates must be made at your institutions site- they will no longer look at Apply Alberta information.  If applying to BC, report all courses taken in Grades 9 - 12.  

Requirements vary widely from institution to institution and from program to program, so you need to start your research early to know what will be required for your field of interest.  For most universities, direct-entry programs require five core academic courses, varying by program.

Step 2: Admission

Apply early.  Some institutions/programs are first applied, first qualified, first accepted.  Students can apply in their Grade 12 year, using final Grade 11 marks as well as any completed Grade 12 marks.  Updated marks can be submitted as they become available - directly to your university or college (if you enter your updates in Apply Alberta after submitting an application, your post secondary institution will NOT get the update).  Often, students who do not yet meet eligibility requirements will be reassessed once they submit new final marks.  Many applications for post secondary study open on October 1 each year.

Admission decisions are based on the information available at the time that the application is reviewed. Conditional Offers of Admission may be issued in anticipation of fulfillment of the admission requirements by the appropriate deadline.  The Conditions are that you will complete the required courses with the required grades.  Once all conditions have been met, the registrar's office will issue confirmation that you now meet requirements.

Step 3: Accepting the Offer

Most students receive their admission offer, conditional or otherwise, in the spring.  Students with highly competitive marks could receive an admission offer as early as October.  You must be vigilant about checking your email and your post secondary account/portal.  Students will need to accept their offer of admission and, in many cases, pay a tuition deposit by the given deadline.  

Step 4: Attend a Workshop

Most universities and colleges will offer workshops to assist students with registration, and many have student loan workshops as well.  Once again, keep yourself informed and take advantage of these opportunities to ease your transition to post secondary. 

Reporting Your Marks

When you are completing your ApplyAlberta form online, please ensure that you list all of the high school courses that are prerequisites for your program, whether they are courses that you have taken, are taking, or are planning to take.  Your institution will not start processing your applicarion for a program unless they know that you are planning to meet prerequisites, so this step is critical.  Please note that Grade 11 marks are also critical - some universities, such as the University of Calgary, will grant you admission based on your Grade 11 marks, as reported on your Detailed Academic Report, which they can access once you apply to them.

When you go to update your marks, you must update the marks on the website of your institution.  Post secondary schools upload your application from Apply Alberta only once, so if you update your marks only in ApplyAlberta, your college or university will not get that updated information, which may cost you admission to your program.  

• Check your institution's website and our calendar for application acceptance dates and application deadline dates. For non competitive programs, early application is advised, to secure a seat in the program.  See note above re: competitive programs.
•  Most university applications are now completed online.  You will be applying for public Alberta Post Secondary Institutions through ApplyAlberta.
• Once you have applied, it is VERY important to stay on top of your application.  Your institution will contact you periodically to request information.  If you fail to send the information by the deadline given in the request, your application WILL be cancelled.  Institutions may contact you by mail, email, or by posting requests on their student portal.  Read all documentation sent to you carefully and be sure that you sign up for a student portal if requested to do so.  
• If you plan to apply for residence, do so as soon as you have confirmation that your application for admission haas been received.  Check with your institution to find out if the residence application fee is refundable.  

Alberta Post-Secondary Institution Links

Other Canadian Post-Secondary Resources

• https://www.universitystudy.ca/canadian-universities/
• How to prepare your teen for college or university
• https://campusmentalhealth.ca/resources/resource-finder/
• https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/education.html

U.S. Post-Secondary Institutions

• Colleges and Universities in the U.S. - www.50states.com/colleges
• Common Application for over 300 colleges and universities in the U.S. - www.commonapp.org
• This site enables students to register and prepare for SATs - www.collegeboard.com
• USA School Search - https://www.internationalstudent.com/school-search/usa/

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