No interest in ECs

Sounds good, especially because they have concrete plans anchored in their local reality. :slight_smile:
I’d suggest that, in addition they branch out and look into “uses of public space” in their town/city/area, and compare it to various uses in similar cities in the US and abroad. Fairly easy to do and a bit broader than school construction (unless the club is supposed to have a short shelf life).

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Lots of colleges will mostly care about her grades and curriculum rigor, and, perhaps, test scores. They’ll check her EC’s to make sure she doesn’t sit at home all day when she’s not in school but anything she does including the gym, volunteering, etc., (plus any knitting, pet sitting, etc) will be absolutely fine. :slight_smile:

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That isn’t universally true anymore. While admission to most programs is grades only, certain competitive admit majors at many schools have gone to US style holistic admissions.

CS at Waterloo. Any other programs?

Just off the top of my head I know:

Engineering - Waterloo, U of T, McMaster, Queen’s, Western
Health Sciences - McMaster
QuARMS (med school fast track) - Queen’s
Integrated Sciences - McMaster
Arts & Sciences - McMaster
Business - U of T, Queen’s, Western
Overall - UBC

There are undoubtedly more, but I’m not as familiar with non-Ontario schools.

UBC has about 55,000 undergraduates, and it serves a province of 5 million people out of a national population of 38 million people. Given its size relative the provincial and national populations, it does not seem like it would “need” to go to holistic admission because it needed to distinguish between an overflow of applicants with top-end grades (overall, as opposed to perhaps a few super-popular majors). What was its reason to go to holistic admission overall?

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UBC requires a personal profile but it doesn’t make admissions holistic in the American sense any more than the Personal Statement makes British universities holistic. Perhaps “modified stats-based” could be a better descriptor.
In addition, the personal profile is mostly used for merit/entrance scholarships.

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UBC advises regarding the Personal Profile:

Depending on which degree(s) you apply to, you’ll be asked to answer some or all of the following questions in your Personal Profile:

  • Explain how you responded to a problem and/or an unfamiliar situation. What did you do, what was the outcome, and what did you learn from the experience?

  • Give us an example of how the pandemic has changed your involvement in the community or group most important to you. What have you learned from this experience?

  • Tell us about who you are. How would your family, friends, and/or members of your community describe you? If possible, please include something about yourself that you are most proud of and why.

  • What is important to you? And why?

  • Describe up to five activities that you have pursued or accomplishments achieved in one or more of the following areas. Please outline the nature of your responsibilities within these activities. (50 words per description)

    • Club
    • Family/community responsibilities
    • Creative or performing arts
    • Work/employment
    • Athletics
    • Volunteer
    • Service to others
    • Other(s)
  • Tell us more about one or two activities listed above that are most important to you. Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response.

  • Additional information: You may wish to use the space below to provide UBC with more information on your academic history to date and/or your future academic plans. For example: How did you choose your courses in secondary school? Are there life circumstances that have affected your academic decisions to date? What have you done to prepare yourself specifically for your intended area of study at UBC?

  • Please submit the names of two referees who know you well and can comment on your preparedness for study at UBC. Examples of referees include an employer, a community member, a coach, a teacher/instructor, or anyone who knows you well. One of the referees you select must be able to speak to one of the activities/experiences described in one of your long-answer responses above. For applicants who are currently attending a high school, one of your referees must be a school official (e.g., Grade 12 or senior year counsellor, teacher, or IB coordinator). Neither referee should be a friend, family member, or paid agent.

How UBC evaluates your Personal Profile

UBC’s trained readers will read and evaluate your Personal Profile and compare it with the profiles written by other UBC applicants. We’re not looking for a particular experience, and there are no right or wrong answers. Your profile will be assessed against four criteria.

Engagement and accomplishment

How do you pursue your interests and manage your responsibilities? What do you do with your time when you are not in class? What would you (or others in your community) consider your most significant contributions and accomplishments? Whether it’s winning an international award or taking care of a younger sibling, any experience can teach you something about yourself and/or the world around you. We want to know what you have been doing and what have you have learned from your experiences. Make sure to give specific examples.

Leadership

Have you undertaken responsibilities and activities that have benefited those around you and/or contributed to your community in a meaningful way? If so, what have you learned about yourself and others in the process? Leadership can come in many forms. Any act of responsibility and/or initiative that serves others is a form of leadership. Leadership can be demonstrated in a formal role, within a group (e.g., being president of a club or captain of a team), or in an informal role, as an individual (e.g., taking it upon yourself to help in your community). And remember – it’s not just about being in a leadership role, it’s about what leadership has taught you.

Substance

Have you spent sufficient time reflecting upon what you want to say? Have you answered the questions in a detailed and meaningful way? Is the content of your Personal Profile superficial or clichéd, or are you presenting interesting, well-thought-out, and relevant ideas? Remember that trained UBC readers will be reviewing and comparing thousands of Personal Profiles. The best way to stand out is by making sure you have something meaningful and insightful to say.

Voice

Communication is important. Have you written a Personal Profile that is genuine and unique to who you are? Does your profile authentically reflect your own words? Will your voice stand out in a meaningful way, or will your profile read like many others?

In addition, UBC encourages students to take a wide range of courses throughout their high school career. This breadth exceeds the requirements for graduation.

To me this is holistic. This may not reach the level of hoop jumping required at US schools that practice holistic admissions, but it is in comparison to what is typical for Canadian universities. It certainly goes beyond “grades only”.