<p>Hey! I’m a student in my second year at Quest. In response to your questions…</p>
<p>Is this a real college? Yes! This is definitely a real college. As for accreditation, Quest University is accredited by the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB) under the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education, following a rigorous review of policies and programs. It is registered as a British Columbia Education Quality Assurance (EQA) approved post-secondary institution. The EQA is a quality assurance designation that identifies BC public and private post-secondary institutions that have met or exceeded provincial government recognized quality assurance standards and offer consumer protection. Also, the school is fully accredited by the American Academy
of Liberal Education (AALE), a US Department of Education-approved agency. We have also gone through a rigorous approval process with the US Department of Edu for students to be able to use US government loans at Quest. We have authority to grant degrees from the Sea to Sky University (SSU) Act passed in 2002. </p>
<p>In short, your degree will be valid when you graduate. There were many graduating students who chose to pursue graduate studies upon receiving their diploma.</p>
<p>Why didn’t I hear about it long ago? The construction of the campus didn’t finish until 2007 and our first graduating class was not until April 2010. It’s a brand-new school and it has taken awhile to spread the message about Quest. We have representatives traveling all over the world now that the school is developing and gaining an esteemed reputation. The population of the first class to enrol at Quest was only around 60 students, so the message of a small liberal arts and science university didn’t spread very easily by word of mouth. We’re now gaining popularity as the student population continues to grow (over 350 students now enrolled) and the admission team is expanding its efforts by recruiting more international students. More high schools and universities are being informed about our school and the media is also picking up on the Quest philosophy. It’s a slow movement for a new school to become well-known and internationally recognized. </p>
<p>How does this school rank academically? This school is similar to Colorado College, as it is on the ‘block plan’ as well. The block plan, simply put, is a method of education whereby students take only one course at a time. Each course, or ‘block’, lasts for a month, and then students take a different course the following month. In between each block we have a 4 day break to relax and refresh. We attend class 3 hours each day, but don’t let that fool you into believing the classes are easy! The workload is intense because we are fitting the content of an entire university course into the span of less than a month. There is usually (if you are a diligent student) between 4-6 hours of homework outside of class. Some classes are heavier than others, but as a general rule, be prepared to work. I’ve enjoyed this way of learning because I can really focus on one subject and give it my all instead of being distracted by 4 other courses and putting in only a fraction of the effort.</p>
<p>What’s it like at Quest? This is an incredibly loaded question, but I’ll try my best! The classes have been some of the most challenging and mind-bending classes I’ve ever taken and I definitely feel as though the education I’m receiving will help me in the real world. You can feel yourself becoming well-rounded to the point where you are able input your opinion into any conversation that ranges from a philosophical debate to a discussion about neuroscience and how peoples’ behaviour is determined by minute electrical reactions in the brain. I have found that there is a sense of maturity at Quest that I don’t know if you’d experience any place else. My friends and I might sit around, drink wine and have philosophical conversations one night, or go to a neighbour’s room because there is a jam session going on that you can join (even if you don’t play an instrument), or take forest hikes at midnight under the clear, starlit sky. It might sound cheesy, but everyone is so close-nit that you don’t feel intimidated to talk to anyone. The first year students talk to the fourth years to ask about their questioins and experiential learning, or even just to hang out. If you need help or someone to talk to, you can normally saunter in to anyone’s room, regardless of how well you know them, and have a chat. The residence life makes that type of environment possible; especially at Quest when you know everyone after only a month.</p>
<p>There are many excellent networking opportunities available as well. For example, if you are interested in environmental science or conservation simply talk to some of the students, student affairs, or the tutors and they will bend over backwards to help you find experiential learning or community involvement in that field. Due to the small student- to faculty ratio, you receive as much attention as you need from the tutors (that’s what we call the profs). Quest is one of the best places to ask thought-provoking questions because you can pick the tutors’ brains night and day for hours, you can talk to students who are going through similar experiences, and the mountains are great places for soul searching. You essentially create your own major (though the first two years are common for everyone). It sounds a bit overwhelming, but the flexibility to tailor your degree towards your own interests keeps you more engaged in your education.</p>
<p>I hoped this helped, good luck with your university choices. You may be able to tell that I’m passionate about my education at Quest. Hahaa! If you want to read more stories by Quest students, visit their blogs at:</p>
<p>[Quest</a> University - Project: Student Mentors](<a href=“http://www.lifeatquest.ca/project/project.aspx?asset=251]Quest”>http://www.lifeatquest.ca/project/project.aspx?asset=251)</p>
– that they’re on the same level academically.</p>