So You've Applied To Glendon...

Gather round kids! It's time for another one of Uncle Juan's great stories! (For optimal effect, picture me as the jolly ol' snowman on the left)

The year: 2010. The day: December 23, 2011. The place: Kitchener, Ontario. Who: Me of course!
I had just gotten back home from work, and went on my computer. At this time, I was obsessed with checking the OUAC page, because I had already been applied to university and I checked everyday to see if I had been given any offers of admission. I had already been accepted to Waterloo for the French Teaching Specialization but, that was 3rd choice. So I still anxiously awaited the day that the OUAC website would tell me I had been accepted. I had applied to two programs at Glendon: The Direct-Entry Concurrent BEd Program, and the iBA French Studies Program, because I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do. So I logged into OUAC, tired from work, still in my uniform. I wasn't expecting anything different.

But there it was. Accepted to the iBA. And I was given an "Alternate Offer" to the BEd.
(*Important Note for BEd- Direct Entry applicants* You will get this "Alternate Offer". That is because, for this program, you need to submit a Supplementary Information Form, that Glendon will send along to you, should you receive this offer. The alternate offer does not mean you didn't get accepted.)

I was... elated. Pure bliss. Calm joy. Utter euphoria.

LOL JK. This was my Facebook status minutes after (I love Facebook Timeline). I was pumped! I was so excited! I was jumping all over the place!

Glendon was my first choice, and to receive my acceptance the DAY before Christmas Eve... Let's just say, that for the first time since I was a little boy I believed in Père Noël... and I could've sworn he worked at the Application offices of York.

Many of you will get your offers of admission in the next few months. So now what? Well here is a list that of things that you can do now that you've been accepted:

1. Keep your grades up! This is important for two reasons. All offers that you're going to get are CONDITIONAL. That means that you need to keep your average up, and at Glendon's standards still. Nobody wants to lose their offer of admission because they slacked off. Another reason: Money Matters. York has some awesome entrance scholarships that you can get just because of your grades. (Check out the link for more info on that!)

2. Research scholarships! Not all scholarships are automatically given. So you need to take the initiative to find out about scholarships both within the York/Glendon community and outside. A lot of high school offer graduation awards, so inquire about them and don't forget about community and corporate scholarships! Every dollar counts!

3. Prepare yourself for University! Try to get into the university mindset. Ask your teachers what their university experience was like. Attend Glendon's Shadow Program and sit it on a real life university lecture or come to our Spring Gala! Something else you can do? Take notes as your high school teachers are talking. That'll help you get used to what lectures are like!

4. Fill out all appropriate forms on time! Whether you're applying for Residence, or you need to fill out the Supplementary Form for Translation or Education, fill them out on time and early!

I told you how I applied to both the BEd and the iBA. I'm currently in the iBA program, and am going to apply for Concurrent Education at the end of this school year. So what made me decide to go for iBA instead of the BEd Direct Entry? To be completely frank: I was lazy. I didn't want to fill out the Supplementary Form. And I wish I had. Because now, I'm filling out the same form, getting the same reference letters as I would have had to last year, but now I've got my 5 courses under my belt and I'm not in daily contact with my teachers that I'll be using as references!

5. Ask questions! If you have ANY questions about Glendon e.g. academics, classes, residence, or anything else... ASK. We here at the recruitment office LOVE answering your questions.. it's kind of our job. So send a message to the Liaison email, tweet me @JuanGarridoGL, @GlendonCampus any of the other eAmbassadors (tag them with the hashtag #GL2016), send us a question on Formspring, post a question on the Glendon Campus Facebook page! :) We're here for you!

Enjoy the holidays everybody! :)