Sinclair Secondary School Hosts American College and University Fair

Durham students invited to learn more about post-secondary education in the United States.

On November 6^th students and their parents were invited to collect information and meet with representatives from U.S. colleges and universities.

The fair was mainly targeted at Durham District School Board (DDSB) and Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) students in Grades 9 to 11, but also welcomed all local high school students.

“We want to make sure that kids find out early, because the rules to study in the U.S. are different than they are in Ontario,” says Domenic Cirone, Guidance Counsellor at Sinclair Secondary School in Whitby.

Cirone and Randy Boissoin, a retired Guidance Counsellor from the DCDSB, organized the fair. Boissoin is a member of Autopista Americas – a group that connects high schools with post-secondary institutions all over North America.

“Students need to know that their marks are important right from Grade 9,” says Cirone. Certain tests like the SAT and the American College Test (ACT) are a requirement for “top-notch” schools. These tests take two years to prepare for, they must be taken within a certain timeframe, and students need specific pre-requisite courses before taking the tests.

Cirone adds that students who are looking to pursue an athletic-based education in the U.S. should also be cognizant of which course levels they choose in high school. “For instance, if they choose to take Grade 9 French at the academic level instead of applied, they can benefit from that because it will count as a core course which is one of 16 core courses that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) looks at.”

But academic and athletic-based schools weren’t the only post-secondary institutions in attendance. A representative from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) offered information for students interested in pursuing the arts. The Los Angeles location is for the performing arts, and the New York location is for the musical and dramatic arts.

In total, 16 U.S. schools represented themselves at the fair.

Cirone explains that they aren’t promoting U.S. schools, but rather “showing kids that this is an option, and giving them the materials and information they need to be successful in the application process.”