It’s decision time. How to choose between universities in Canada.

It’s May. You might have accepted an offer to a Canadian university already, but there is a good chance you are still making your decision. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have acceptance offers from more than one program or school. First, congratulations! It’s a great problem, even if it feels like a big, unruly choice to make. Whether you have offers from two universities in Canada or ten, May can be a daunting time.

We’re here to help you narrow down your list and, ultimately, make your decision with confidence.

First, choose which cards to lay on the table

If you’re one of the lucky students who received all your acceptances by March, you’ve had time to think about your options.

For most students applying to universities in Canada, however, decision season drags into the spring. Outside of UBC main campus programs, which usually have an acceptance deadline of April 30th, most universities in Canada need you to accept or decline offers of admission by the end of May. This gets tricky when you’re still waiting to hear back from some schools.

As we described in our last article, No early admission to universities in Canada? Don’t sweat it (yet)., many schools continue to send out offers, up to the day before their acceptance deadlines. Hello, stress?

By May, it’s a good idea to prioritize which schools matter most to you. Let’s say you applied to University of Toronto (U of T), McGill, University of Alberta (U of A), Waterloo and Queen’s. Maybe you’ve heard back from McGill, Queen’s, and Waterloo, but have yet to hear from U of T and U of A.

You may not need to hear back from every single program or school to move forward with a decision. In this example, maybe you have your heart set on Waterloo, but want to know if you’ve been accepted to U of T before you make your final selection. In this case, you can cross U of A off your list. It’s one less school to wait on and one less variable in your mix.

Knowing which universities in Canada fall into your ‘must know’ list, might shorten your decision time. In other words, you might not need all the cards you’ve played, you likely only need to gather the ones that matter most.

I’ve got my cards, now what?

Now, it’s time to eliminate all but your top two options. Some students are able to use program variations to help them shorten their list of potential universities in Canada. Going back to our example, let’s say you got into Life Sciences at McGill, Life Sciences Queen’s, and Health Sciences at Waterloo. Let’s also say that you’re still waiting to hear about Health Sciences at U of T. (You’ve ruled U of A out).

Can you use program variables to narrow your list? With most application deadlines falling many months earlier, you may have learned something that draws you closer to one program over another. In our example, maybe you’ve decided that Health Sciences is the way you want to go. Immediately, your list of potential schools is down to Waterloo and U of T.

When it’s apples to apples

Let’s say you knew from the get-go that you only wanted one program and you’ve been accepted for Health Sciences at Queen’s, McGill, and Waterloo. Yes, we’re still waiting to hear from U of T in this example. What now?

Here, it’s time turn to other factors. Does one program have a can’t-miss aspect that separates it from the others? Maybe there is a student placement element or opportunities for co-op jobs? Maybe the reputation of one program stands above the others?

Does location come into play? Do you plan to live at home in your first year? Maybe you’re ready to experience life on campus, but don’t want to travel more than a few hours away. If you’re an out-of-province student, maybe the overall distance isn’t as much a factor

When deciding between universities in Canada, these elements can help you narrow your list to your top two.

Give your instinct a nudge

Instinct is a gift, but sometimes it can be hard to hear. With all the noise of this chapter for life (including friends making their decisions about universities in Canada), it’s important to find ways to give your instinct a nudge.

Your first clue might be the reaction you had to your acceptance. When you learned that you got into Health Sciences at Queen’s, did your insides jump to celebrate? When you heard from McGill, did you feel as though you should be more excited than you were? These first feelings can be a great place to start.

Naturally, you’ll be listening to many opinions on where you should go to school. Your parents, friends, teachers and guidance counsellors will likely have thoughts on your decision. While it’s helpful to listen to trusted advice, it’s also important to hear your inner thoughts.

If possible, spend some time alone with a blank piece of paper and a pen. Start with a list of pros and cons for each school. Don’t leave anything out. Did the residence rooms at one school turn you off? Did the school spirit look unbeatable at another?

When you get your list down to the top two, it’s easier to dig a bit deeper. If you live close enough to tour, visit the campus, even if you do an unofficial tour on your own. You’ll likely see the space differently, once you’ve been officially accepted.

Can you speak to students at each school in your program of choice? YouTube has a wide range of videos made by current students, comparing schools. Some are even done for specific programs. Be sure to check these out to see if they are helpful. Ask your school or your network if they know recent alumni who might be willing to have a quick chat about the school you’re considering.

Above all, when you’re deciding between universities in Canada, do your research and trust your inner voice. Hopefully, you’ll have a good sense of which program and school will fit you best. You’ve got this — as soon as you make your decision, get out there and celebrate.

Just-right help for university applications

If you’re interested in finding the right level of support for your university application essays — including planning and editing help for personal statements, personal profiles, supp app essays and more, we can help.

At On Your Mark, we’ve helped Canadian students to map out and edit their application essays for Engineering, Life Sciences and Psychology programs at top Canadian schools. We’ve also helped students prepare and practice for on-the-spot essays and interviews, as part of the supp app Health Sciences at Queen’s University.

We look forward to helping you find your voice for the written or video components of your university applications. Let’s do this.