Preparing for Post-Secondary with VHS
November 22, 2023
Graduating from high school introduces a big change for students! Considering the paths you could take and weighing out your options for the next chapter in your life can be both exciting and challenging. Having resources to help you navigate your life after high school, from figuring out what you want to do to researching how to get there to managing your deadlines, is essential. While you’re taking courses at Virtual High School, be sure to take advantage of the numerous resources and support services we have in place for our students!
Our Guidance Team is here to walk you through every step of the post-secondary admissions process. Whether you’re applying to university or college for the first time, or hoping to transfer from one program to another, we’ve got it covered!
Virtual High School can help students:
- Apply to university through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC)
- Update Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) accounts
- Communicate with out-of-province or international academic institutions
- Send official documentation via courier for tight deadlines
Post-Secondary Centre
The VHS Post-Secondary Centre provides resources for exploring your options after high school, applying to different post-secondary institutions, organizing deadlines, and preparing your mental health and finances for post-secondary education. Our Post-Secondary Centre is FREE for all VHS students to use!
One-on-One Guidance Meetings
Students can get one-on-one support from a member of the VHS Guidance Team to discuss career objectives, course selection for post-secondary admission requirements, how to apply to post-secondary schools, how to submit documentation, and any other questions students might have! If you plan to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma at VHS, we also recommend checking in with our Guidance Team to ensure that you will meet all of the conditions required for graduation. We’ll help you check (and double-check) that you have completed all of your compulsory and elective credits, the literacy requirement, the online learning requirement, and your community involvement hours.
OUAC and OCAS
VHS maintains regular contact with OUAC, OCAS, and individual post-secondary institutions based on a student’s progress throughout their course. We will provide updates at three key intervals: a letter of enrolment, a midterm report, and a final report. If you attend another Ontario high school in addition to VHS, we’ll work together with your guidance counsellor at that school to make sure that your transcript and applications are up to date!
Tailwind
Post-secondary education is one of the biggest commitments you'll make in your lifetime. We want to help make sure you're as mentally prepared as possible when it comes to making that transition from high school. That's why we've partnered with Tailwind, an organization that focuses on supporting the health and wellness of students going to college or university! Our partnership offers VHS students a 10% discount on their Ready to Launch program, which outlines specific mental health supports to prepare students for the transition to post-secondary school.
The Ready to Launch program through Tailwind includes the following:
- The course, including proactive supports and preparation for post-secondary transition, with lifetime access
- A 50-minute 1:1 meeting with the Tailwind team
- A personalized report and plan for wellness and success in the first year of post-secondary education
Don't forget to use the code vhs10 at checkout to receive 10% off the course!
ChatterHigh
ChatterHigh is a gamified way to explore potential career paths. Through quizzes and competitions, you’ll be able to narrow down your interests to discover a world of programs and opportunities you may not have known about before. You also have the chance to win scholarships and prizes! Did we mention that it’s FREE to create your ChatterHigh account?!
myBlueprint
myBlueprint is exactly what it sounds like—a blueprint of your educational journey. You can track your high school courses, research and plan for your career, and learn how to prepare resumes and budgets. And guess what? It’s also FREE!
Have questions about your post-secondary applications or any of the services we’ve outlined here? Email our Guidance Team at post.secondary@vhs.ucourses.com. We’d love to hear from you!