2010 EDITION2010 EDITION

thestar.com/schoolsguide Get advice, see the schools, find the best hangouts

connection

A good fit?Students tell youwhat it’s really like

A good fit?Students tell youwhat it’s really like

A good startHow to apply and how to pay for it all

A good startHow to apply and how to pay for it all

connection

t h e s t a r. c o m /s c h o o l s g u i d e

Making the rightMaking the right

COVER10 8/27/09 4:22 PM Page 1

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COLLEGES5 Centennial College8 Durham College

12 George Brown College16 Humber College20 Seneca College25 Sheridan College

UNIVERSITIES37 Ontario College of

Art and Design40 Ryerson University44 University of Ontario

Institute of Technology48 University of Toronto53 York University

TOOL KIT29 Applying30 Schools by the numbers31 Survival guide32 Finances33 Trades35 New programs36 Campus finder

AROUND ONTARIO57 Colleges60 Universities

Inside

PUBLISHERJohn Cruickshank

EDITORSDoug Devine, Adam Gutteridge,

Kristin Rushowy

EDITORIAL DESIGNERKathleen Doody

PHOTO EDITORTim Finlan

COPY EDITORSAdrian Brijbassi, Roman Pawlyshyn

PRE-PUBLISHING PRODUCTIONMargaret Piechatzek, Greg Walsh

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFMichael Cooke

SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITORSteve Tustin

ART DIRECTORCatherine Pike

GROUP ADVERTISING DIRECTORCarolyn Sadler

csadler@thestar.ca 416-869-4143

PUBLICATION SALES MANAGERDavid Gittings

dgittings@thestar.ca 416-869-4119

PRODUCTION MANAGERRick Knight

PROMOTIONS/CREATIVE DIRECTORLorne Silver

An Insiders’ Guide to Colleges & Universitiesis published in Toronto by Star Media Group, a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Torstar Corp.

EDITORIAL AND SALES OFFICEOne Yonge St., Toronto, ON M5E 1E6

thestar.com/schoolsguide

On the cover is Richardson Ng, a mechanical technician student at Centennial College.

ALL PHOTOS BY GLENN LOWSONFOR THE TORONTO STAR

aking your decision easier: That’s what we hope this guide willdo as you plan your post-secondary education at a college oruniversity in the Greater Toronto Area.

If you live in the GTA, you’ll likely stay here after high school to continueyour education. That’s why, for the third year, the Star is giving you all theinformation you need to know about the 11 post-secondary schools ingreater Toronto.

We sent reporters out to the campuses to talk to students about theirexperiences, to give you an insider’s look at what you can expect — thekinds of things you should know before you go: What’s great about thecampus? What do current students like best? Where are the hot hangouts?What could the school do better?

This year, you’ll also find out how to wow the registrar and make yourapplication stand out; the true cost of post-secondary education; plus whyyou shouldn’t overlook the possibility of a career in the trades.

Be sure to check out thestar.com/schoolsguide for lots more informa-tion, videos and photo galleries.

We hope you enjoy our third annual Insiders’ Guide to Colleges &Universities in Greater Toronto. Please email your comments and sugges-tions to me at krushowy@thestar.ca.— Kristin Rushowy

FOR ADVICE, PHOTOS AND MORE INFO, VISIT thestar.com/schoolsguide

FALL 2010

M

Taking the heat Keith Alleyne barks an order in Centennial’s student-run restaurant. Below: Ada Cimino finds a quiet spot in York’s Scott Library.

CONTENTS 3 8/28/09 12:25 PM Page 3

tephen Bellotti spent his firstafternoon in a professionalkitchen on the demanding gardemanger line, prepping vegeta-bles, sauces and dressings, and

wearing a white chef’s hat that, momen-tarily forgotten in the classroom, hadalmost made him late.

As the dinner hour neared, his boss toldhim to stay on the line. “Oh God, I’venever done this before,” Bellotti thought.But he smiled, nodded and said, “Yes,chef.”

Bellotti, 24, a student in GeorgeBrown’s chef school, survived his firstnight of volunteering at the Chef’s House,a swanky year-old restaurant wherestudents work alongside professionals toprepare high-end meals for payingcustomers. Ten hours after his shiftbegan, he walked out into the Januarynight air energized and certain that hehad made the right career choice.

George Brown College is about asdowntown as you can get, but it isn’t justthe central location that creates this

urban appeal. With students helping run avariety of businesses and services thatTorontonians can use, George Brown ispart of the city’s fabric, connected to itscommercial ebb and flow.

Most students attend the Casa Lomacampus near Dupont station or the St.James campus on King St. E., but thecollege also has a presence at RyersonUniversity, the School of Makeup andEsthetics in Yorkville, and the YoungCentre for the Performing Arts in theDistillery District.

GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE thestar.com/georgebrown

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Just the factsMAKING CONTACTGeorge Brown CollegeP.O. Box 1015, Station B, Toronto, ONM5T 2T9Phone: 416-415-2000Website: georgebrown.caCourse guide:georgebrown.ca/globalnavCampus tours: 416-415-5000 ext. 2896

GETTING THEREBoth campuses are near subwaystations: St. James is just east of Kingstation, Casa Loma is near Dupontstation.

NUMBER OF STUDENTS22,200 full-time, 58,000 continuingeducation

PROGRAMSMore than 150 full-time; fivebachelor’s degrees; 1,545 continuingeducation coursesMost popular: Culinary/chef, businessadministration, fashion, theatre,nursing, dental health, buildingtechnologies and health sciences

TUITIONStarts at $1,990 per year, with applieddegrees costing $5,154 to $6,074 (forbachelor of applied business); interna-tional students pay $9,800 for basetuition and $12,500 for degree programs.

HISTORYFounded in 1967, the college is namedafter the Liberal politician and founderof the Globe newspaper (now TheGlobe and Mail).

NOTABLE GRADSJamie Kennedy, chefPaul Rowan, co-founder and vice-president of Umbra home designRandy Morton, president, Bellagiohotel in Las VegasElio Pacheo, president of Evian NA

Hands on in the city

Prep work Kerry McGuire gets lunch ready in her first-year chef training lab, one of many classes that offer students real-world experience.

From perfecting the art of phyllo pastry to mastering the skills for dental hygiene or early childhood education,

students at George Brown’s campuses learn their chosen disciplines by doing, writes Nicole Baute

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The culinary arts program, which alsoboasts a new cooking school that allowspassersby to catch a glimpse of somethingdelicious in the works, is just one of manyprograms at George Brown that invite thecity into the classroom.

At the Casa Loma campus, two trendystudent-run fashion boutiques compete forbusiness. Nearby, dental hygienist studentsclean teeth for jaw-dropping low prices,while fitness and lifestyle managementstudents with golf shirts and clipboards areeager to help you tone your thighs.

At St. James, culinary students selltheir wares at a small bakeshop opendaily, while hospitality students seatpatrons for lunch at the Chef’s House.

And in nine child-care centres acrossthe city, the school’s early childhoodeducation students work with children —real ones, with real, paying parents.

Since its birth in 1967, George Brownhas grown into a Toronto institution withan international reputation, attractingstudents from the GTA and around theworld. It has the equivalent of 22,200 full-

time students, with 65,000 more enrolledin continuing ed. courses.

GROWING, GROWING, GROWINGFransisca Kusumowardani, a first-yearhospitality and tourism managementstudent, dreams of opening her own hotelin her native Indonesia and hopes GeorgeBrown will give her the skills to do so.

So far, she is impressed. “I think GeorgeBrown provides us with a really in-depthexperience,” she says. “Most of my profes-sors, they are really in the industry, so

they know exactly what they’re doing.”Students say it’s important to research

a program to know exactly what toexpect. Before you enrol, they say, findout if and when you are eligible for intern-ships and co-ops, how much of your classtime will be spent doing hands-on workand whether you will be learning enoughbusiness skills to suit your needs.

Connecting with industry leaders is akey part of George Brown’s success, and

The good, the badand the uglyTHE GOODDid we mention that George Brown isdowntown? Both main campuses arelocated close to TTC subway stops,and city excitement is always justaround the corner.

THE BADFinding your way around the CasaLoma campus can be daunting. Thebuildings are attached by confusingstairwells and hallways and namedonly by letters, which might leave youwandering in circles reciting thealphabet. The good news, saysstudent Anosiya Ignatius, 19, is “youcan always ask someone and theyquickly direct you.”

THE UGLYCommuting is a drag, and many, manystudents do it. When you have tospend one, two or even three hours ofyour day in gridlock or on transit, youhave less time to study, or play.

Survival tipsFransisca Kusumowardani suggestssigning up for a volunteer job tonetwork with students, professors andindustry professionals. “It’s a chanceto fill up your resumé by having a lotof experience.”

Kristen McKinnon, a 27-year-oldfashion student, says there are manyservices to help students, such asbursaries, mentoring programs andfree tutoring, but a lot of them gounadvertised. Make sure you seekthem out at the beginning of the year.

“Definitely get to know the faculty,”McKinnon says.

Secretaries and co-ordinators canpoint you in the right direction beforeany difficulties become insurmountable.

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Brush up Dental hygiene student Karolina Zieba, top, cleans the teeth of fellow student NicoleMenard. The Casa Loma campus is home to industrial programs, fashion and ESL classes.

Continued on page 14

GEORGE BROWN COLLEGEthestar.com/georgebrown

Residence lifeThere is no residence to speak of atGeorge Brown. Most studentscommute from throughout the GTA,while others live in shared apartmentsor houses downtown.

Students who need a place to livewill find some help at the housingoffices on each campus, where theycan view area rental listings that areupdated weekly.

Students can also purchase a $22,eight-week guest membership to theU of T’s off-campus housing registry(www.housing.utoronto.ca), which isupdated daily. There is also a freedatabase of student housing atontariostudenthousing.com.

Two downtown student residencesalso accept George Brown students:Neill-Wycik Co-op College, nearCarlton and Church Sts., housesstudents from several schools. Roomrates range from $451 to $532 permonth for first-time residents. Moreinformation is available at neill-wycik.com or 416-977-2320.

Primrose Hotel, near Carlton andYonge Sts., offers a deluxe single suiteto students for $1,838 per month,which includes prepared meals, cable,phone and Internet. Shared rooms arealso available. For details, go totorontostudenthousing.ca or call 416-977-8000.

PARKINGGeorge Brown’s campuses are easy toaccess by the TTC, but make sure youbudget appropriately if you plan todrive. Parking can be inconvenient andexpensive, with full-day parkingcosting an average of $9. Meterparking is available on or near mostcampuses, but good luck getting aspot.

To aid in your search, the collegehas compiled a detailed list of nearbylots and prices: georgebrown.ca/campuslocations/parking.aspx

GEORGE BROWN 12-14 8/26/09 2:25 PM Page 13

students can count on the college helpingthem arrange trade apprenticeships andinternships. In some programs, studentswork with industry professionals on proj-ects, such as developing products forSobeys’ private-label Compliments

brand (cappuccino almond cookies).George Brown has been the fastest-

growing college in Ontario for the pastfour years, and can barely meet demand.A new waterfront campus will alleviatesome pressure. Slated for completion infall 2011, it will support up to 4,000students and focus on health sciences.

Many students dabble in work or post-secondary education before figuring outwhat they really want to do and enrollingin the practical college programs.

Only a third of George Brown’sstudents come straight from secondaryschool, and about 20 per cent go touniversity first.

Vanessa Azzopardi took a winding pathto George Brown, studying interiordesign at Sheridan College first. “When Igot there, I was like, this just isn’t for me.”

She enrolled in George Brown’s bakeryand pastry arts management programand now runs her own small businessfrom home in her spare time, and has asix-year plan to open a country bakery.

Like Azzopardi, most of the college’sstudents are ready to learn and aren’t toofussed that the school is not party central.“Because you’re mature, you come hereto get the knowledge and get out,” saysAileen Phillips, 45, who was a personalsupport worker before following herdream to the fashion techniques anddesign program.

SERVICES NEED SERVICINGMost students struggle to come up with alist of happening campus hangouts, butmany say the city is there to explore.

The college is working to improvestudent services. There is now a one-stopcentre where students can pay fees, dropclasses and receive guidance.

Although classrooms have the latesttechnology, the college lacks wirelessInternet access elsewhere on campus.Information technology student KyleSylvester points out the irony: “I’m in thetechnology building and in the tech-nology building they had no access.”

Wireless is more widely available now,but students must bring their laptops tothe library for setup.

George Brown’s lack of studenthousing can be an inconvenience for out-of-towners, and changes the college’ssocial atmosphere. Many studentscommute, which means friendships aremore likely to be formed around sharedinterests in class, not in residence overbeer and Kraft dinner.

It means you might become friendswith people who live on the other side ofthe GTA. Cinzia Dominutti, a first-yearcareer and work-counselling student,says, “It’s not hard to make friends; it’sjust hard hanging out with them if theylive in Ajax.” ■

GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE thestar.com/georgebrown

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For a photo gallery andmore information, go tothestar.com/georgebrown

HOT HANGOUTSThe student centres at both campusesare hives of activity, but if you want toget some work done, you are betteroff at the library — and if you wantsome real excitement you might wantto leave campus.

There is nothing but a useless sliverof green space at the St. Jamescampus, so the large rooftop patio isthe popular hangout for studentsseeking fresh air. It is also a venue forthe occasional concert or fundraiser.

The downtown streets aroundcampus are full of places to unwind:Gabby’s and Betty’s restaurants onKing St. E. are popular joints, butstudents also recommend nearbycoffee shops or a trip to the St.Lawrence Market.

There are fewer places withinwalking distance of the more secludedCasa Loma campus, so students hangout in the student lounge, in front ofthe main building or on the manycement steps leading up to it.

Popular restaurant La Dolce Vitahas homey, affordable food and aspacious patio — although the view ofBridgman Ave. is less than inspiring.

CLUB SCENEClubs tend to come and go, but thegood news is anyone can start a club,as long as it’s approved by the studentassociation at the beginning of theyear.

Most are geared toward profes-sional development in a specific field,but some focus on shared interests orneeds, such as the Muslim StudentsAssociation or the ASL Club for thedeaf community.

JOCK TALKIntramural sports are fairly popularand include volleyball, ball hockey, flagfootball, indoor soccer, badminton andtable tennis.

Tryouts for the George BrownHuskies varsity teams are inSeptember, October and January, withmen’s and women’s basketball, men’svolleyball, indoor and outdoor soccer,women’s indoor soccer and co-edbadminton, golf and cross-country.

Both main campuses have a gymand fitness centre, offering classes inaerobics, Pilates and yoga, and anyonecan register for $100-a-year personaltraining through the fitness andlifestyle management program.

Spotting skills Heating, refrigeration and air-conditioning technician student Casius Wait, top,welds. Building renovation technology and technician students build it up, then tear it down.

Continued from page 13

Life after class

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tudy your brains out! Researchas if your life depends on it! And,while you’re at it, stop worryingso much!Follow these steps and you’ll be

on your way to wooing the university orcollege of your choice, experts say.

A few simple guidelines to get youstarted on applying:

MARKS MATTERYour teachers were right all along —almost. There is good news and bad newsfor the less studious.

The good news? As far as post-secondary institutions are concerned,nothing you’ve done before Grade 11

matters. The bad news? Everythingthereafter is crucial.

“We’re not looking at Grade 9 and 10marks,” says Keith Alnwick, registrar ofRyerson University. “Increasingly, Ontariouniversities have been looking at Grade 11marks. A lot of universities will be makingvery early offers of admission based onGrade 11 marks, and these offers will beconditional on a student getting certaingrades in Grade 12.”

A single poor mark in the senior gradescould be your undoing, adds Alnwick.Then again it might not.

“The (grade) average tends to be theheavy consideration in most universities,particularly where admission is solely an

academically based decision,” he says.There are, of course, exceptions. A near

straight-A transcript won’t get you intoengineering if you failed math, engi-neering’s prerequisite.

And many programs — dance, theatre,music, journalism, photography and inte-rior design, to name just a few — requireauditions or portfolios. In these courses,high marks will only get your foot in thedoor. After that, the application process ismore or less an episode of Canadian Idol.

BE PREPAREDA key is to understand what it is you’reafter and why.

“Planning is a self-assessment or

reflection on what it is you want to do,what you need to do to get there, and howrealistic those goals are,” says Universityof Toronto director of admissions MerikeRemmel. “Students really need to spendsome time reflecting on what theirstrengths and weaknesses are.”

A good place to start, assuming you’renot into yogic meditation, is the OntarioUniversities’ Fair, taking place Sept. 25 to27 at the Metro Toronto ConventionCentre. Go to ouf.ca for details.

There is also the Ontario College Infor-mation Fair Oct. 27 at the Direct EnergyCentre at Exhibition Place.

Another invaluable web resource iselectronicinfo.ca. Here, you’ll be able tocruise every university program on offerin Ontario. Pay particular attention toprerequisites and other admission

Applying made easyGetting into the school of your choice is so important there ought to be a course on

how to do it. In the meantime, try this handy cheat sheet, suggests Nick Aveling

How to apply, pay forand survive it all, plusinformation on uniqueprograms and skilledtrades: Pages 29-36

How to apply, pay for,and survive it all, plusinformation on uniqueprograms and skilledtrades: Pages 29-36

TOOL KITTOOL KIT

Continued on page 31

Saucy view George Brown College culinary students prepare dessert for a lunchtime special at the Chef's House, a student-staffed restaurant that overlooks the sidewalk on King St. E.

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BY THE NUMBERS thestar.com/schoolsguide

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Making the gradeFrom what marks you will need to get in to how happy you’re likely to be when you graduate, here is a list of

vital statistics for GTA colleges and universities to help you find the right fit, compiled by Kristin Rushowy

CENTENNIAL 70

paramedics, 936,2601:2878

1:2815 to 40

756184

DURHAM varies

firefighting, 754,3971:9 *

not tracked1:2050776586

GEORGE BROWN baking, 70

social services, 7810,723

no residence72

1:2940727389

HUMBER varies

10,2001:1080

not available30-60

7864 91

SENECA 70

10,3161:1470

not trackedup to 40

785685

SHERIDAN 70

7,6401:2086

1:3225 to 40

766888

CollegesAverage entry grade (%)

First-year enrolmentStudents in residence vs. commutersStudents who go on to 2nd year (%)Teacher : student ratioAverage size of first-year classesStudents satisfied with education (%)Students who graduate (%)Employed six months

after graduation (%)

Source: Colleges Ontario; individual institutions

OCAD 80 to 84

1,000no residence

921:1630656498

RYERSON arts, 81; sciences, 77

bus. management, 82engineering, 80

5,3701687

1:2030 to 60

877798

UOIT 77

1,80327*80

1:2930 to 250

83not available**

100

U of Tarts, 80-84

sciences, engineering,business, education,

85-8911,894

25901:27

30 to 1,500698097

YORK business, 86-90

arts/humanities/socialsciences, 80; fine arts, 84

sciences, 80-85 11,502

14881:1881706894

UniversitiesAverage entry grade (%)

First-year enrolmentFirst-year students in residence (%)Students who go on to 2nd year (%)Professor : student ratioAverage size of first-year classesStudents satisfied with education (%)Students who graduate (%)Employment rate after two years

Source: Common University Data Ontario (cou.on.ca), individual institutions, National Survey of Student Engagement

*Durham College shares its residence with UOIT.

*UOIT shares its residence with Durham College; ** graduation rates are based on seven years; so no figures available for UOIT until 2010

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