The benefits of being with University Bound Peers

As we transition through life, our peers help us along the way.  We share this value with our students at King’s-Edgehill School (KES) as we prepare them to go on to university or college. When students have the mindset of being university bound, the positive impact carries on past high school. Students study and learn together with a common goal of going on to university or college, and King’s-Edgehill School will  prepare your child to succeed after high school too.

Preparing Your Child

We begin preparing your child for success the instant they walk through our doors.  We feel it’s important to help students set their personal goals for the future. Your child will be assigned a guidance counsellor who will help them throughout their learning process here, and prepare them for lifelong learning. Preparing your child’s academic path is just the beginning of the process.  By having all students go through the process of career assessment, we can help them prepare for a career that they’re passionate about and suited for. We ask them to strive for excellence and follow the path toward success.  Learn more about our approach to university counselling here. 

As part of our university preparatory program, all our grade 12s join a “Prep Group,” mandatory for Grade 12 students, beginning the second week of the school year and continuing until the end of the term. Prep groups consist of about 12 students, and create an opportunity for students to learn about and discuss various topics such as:

• types and levels of degree programmes
• application processes
• scholarships—how to find them and how to apply for them
• advantages and disadvantages of small and large universities
• how to find a university that’s a good fit
• some of the reasons first year students interrupt or leave their studies
• prerequisite requirements for admission to all programs including professional and graduate schools
• career possibilities arising from various areas of study
• what to expect in first year university (both academically and socially)
• how to maximize chances for success at the post-secondary level; study habits, time management

An extensive university guide is posted on the Prep Group website.  Prep Group has proven to be an extremely valuable aspect of the students’ university exploration and application process. 

Benefits of University-Bound Peer Interaction

We know that teens turn to each other for acceptance, support and encouragement. At KES, interaction with like-minded peers has a positive and lasting impact. We regularly see students encouraging each other throughout the university application process. The effect that students have on each other can be seen with our success rate: 100% of our students go on to a university or college.

• Students who encourage each other throughout the learning process have a positive impact on cognitive growth. The interaction can help promote persistence while learning new material.
• Students who are university bound will help build confidence in one another during the learning process. Working toward a common goal creates a more positive learning environment, and encourages optimized learning.
• Students who study together develop a sense of initiative and responsibility in learning the curriculum. University bound students will be persistent in learning the material and preparing for tests especially university entrance exams. By preparing these students for one common goal, they can rely on each other throughout the process. Your child will learn individual critical thinking skills while learning to be part of the classroom team.
• Students gain a mutual respect for one another as they study and learn together. Students often learn to mentor one another as new material is presented which helps promote problem-solving skills.
• Our class sizes are smaller and promote a more collaborative effort during the academic learning process. Often smaller groups will promote a joy in learning as students communicate their own approaches to the material and share critical reflection.
• Students who share a goal perform better. Preparing for university acceptance motivates students to achieve high grades.

Being surrounded by university bound peers will help your child learn. It increases peer interaction which itself helps the learning process. Our curriculum is designed for university preparation and lays a foundation for successful learning for life.

We offer our students amazing university preparatory resources starting in the junior school, and all the way through a student’s final year.  Many of our resources can be found on our website including: University application tips, scholarships and applications details, testing and SAT info. You can find it all here.

Learn more about our approach to University Counselling.