Alison McCallum

Director of University Counselling, Alison McCallum, responds to some questions asked by parents about university prep

Head of University Counselling Ms. Alison McCallum provides resources from the Course Information Evening and info on how to make course selections

Ms. Alison McCallum, Head of Universtiy Counselling, outlines a number of great opportunities for summer holiday experiences

January at SMUS means a focus on course planning for the next school year to help students make informed decisions about their high school courses

Ms. Alison McCallum writes about her visit to École Hôtelière de Lausanne, a university dedicated to business studies through the hospitality industry

We break down the whens and whats of university applications so students and parents don't stress as deadlines approach

A recap of this week's University Counselling Parent Info Evening about post-secondary planning. And download the useful slideshow from the presentation!

Ms. Alison McCallum, head of University Counselling, offers some great advice for how to spend some of your time off in the summer

Senior School students will soon pick their classes for next year. Find out everything you need to know to help you choose the right high school courses

Asking a high school teacher for a letter of reference is a crucial step to help make your university or scholarship application stand out

Earlier this week, the CUE (Canadian Universities Event) came to Victoria. This annual event is a fair format with representatives from about 50 Canadian...

We hosted our annual Grade 12 Student and Parent Information Evening last week to help students and parents prepare for the year ahead. If...

Alison McCallum, Head of University Counselling, offers advice to Grade 12 students looking ahead at their post-secondary options

There was a fabulous array of colours, university names, and accessories in assembly yesterday! We invited the Grade 12s and the school faculty (K-12)...

We hosted two events on Tuesday, May 24 with the goal of helping grade 12 students and their parents prepare for the next phase...

If you are looking to complete one of your Grade 10-12 courses this summer at summer school in Victoria or Vancouver, you have options....

It’s decision time. Students know the results of many, but not all, of their university applications and they may experience a whole range of...

One of the best parts about the work I do is the privilege I have to get to know so many incredible young people....

Many of our grade 12 students are now in a new place: the waiting room. Last fall, there was a flurry of tasks to...

On a blustery Scottish day, I took the train from Edinburgh to St. Andrews to have a wee visit with my former advisee and...

If you were unable to attend our information session held in the Chapel on Tuesday night, please visit the webpage below to view a...

My University Counselling colleague, Timio Colistro, and I spent 4 days in San Diego last week attending the 'National Association of College Advising and...

Len (SMUS Grad ’12) is in his fourth year of study at the University of California, San Diego, in the Jacobs School of Engineering....

In the world of education, September really is like everyone else's January: it's when we set new directions, make resolutions, and fine tune our...

One of the many reasons I love my job is because I get to live vicariously through my students as they find out about...

Ah, June. There is so much to do this month, and also so much promise for the two months that lie in wait. Some...

I had the opportunity to meet with one of our '09 grads, Colin,  this morning to talk with him about his path from high...

AP season is upon us now and there is ever increasing talk of exams in June, but many students are also turning their minds...

On Tuesday evening, there were over 80 parents and students in the Lecture Theatre listening to our University Counselling team talk about the myriad...

Written by Matthew Gardner, M.Ed, RCC , who is one of our SMUS personal counsellors. The stress of adjusting to university or college is...

Next week will be a busy week for students looking at their post-secondary options south of the border. Details about all university visits are included...

Representatives from both Admissions and the Faculty of Law were here this morning to talk about the merits of this university 45 minutes outside...

http://youtu.be/eBE1isCvKyw?list=UUmtp7zgg7HYTtns7ySiXOmA On Thursday, September 4, University Counselling hosted an information evening for Grade 12 students and parents to disseminate important information about what this year...

Admission representatives from universities near and far have started their annual pilgrimage to Victoria, armed with viewbooks and information to give to prospective students. Here...

The UCAS (University and College Admission Service) has activated its apply system (Apply 2015) much earlier than usual.  Just go to this link: http://www.ucas.com/apply/undergraduate  Make sure...

The evening began with an intentionally playful process using a panel interview format à la Jimmy Fallon: there was no preparation of questions but...

As University Counsellors, we delight in our students’ successes and excitement about their post-secondary plans, but sometimes it is tinged with a little bit...

When I was invited in April to visit NYU Abu Dhabi for a weekend, my first reaction was 'absolutely', thanks to my strong adventurous...

Sometimes students want to use the summer months to get ahead in some coursework, preview a course, or take advantage of a unique learning...

I had the good fortune to listen in on the Career Day session offered by SMUS alum, Susie Wall, last Wednesday. Officially, she was...

Did you know that we had 5 university representatives on campus today, and we have 12 more coming in the next 4 days? It's...

I spent a day at Carleton University for a rapid-fire update about the Ontario universities.  At the end of the day, a few counsellors...

With 41,000 students (36,000 undergrads) on a campus that is only 0.5 km by 1 km, you would think that it would feel squashed....

When I was a teenager, I spent my summer vacations babysitting and bussing tables. Summer school was the furthest thing from my mind and...

Sciences Po is an internationally renowned university in France composed of seven campuses, each with its own geographical focus area and dominant language on...

In early February, Rea Casey and I spent a week in Southern California visiting colleges with three other University Counsellors from BC independent schools. With...

I have to admit that by the end of our tour, we thought we might have seen all that Southern California had to offer...

Back to California road trip: 11 college campuses in 5 days

Occidental College is located 8 miles from downtown LA, though I have to admit that we were never really sure where downtown LA actually...

Located about an hour and a half drive on the freeway from Los Angeles, Chapman was a real gem of a place. The people...

UCLA is located very close to Beverly Hills and the campus visit was the first one on our itinerary. The campus itself is vast...

Imagine getting credit towards your university degree for a course that entails listening to a talk given by a theatre critic followed up with...

Each year, SMUS is able to award one Governor General Award Bronze Medal to the graduating student with the highest academic average of the...

It’s a new year and things are cooking in the University Counselling Centre! To date, 37% of the graduating class is on record as...

Here at SMUS, we are committed to preparing students for higher learning, whatever shape that may take. In this article printed in the Globe...

For students applying to US colleges this fall, or thinking of it for next year, you have the chance to take part in a...

Following up on the blog last week about testing, it was interesting to hear one of the Ivy League presenters at SMUS last week...

'Tis the season for sharpening pencils, filling in bubbles, and reasoning your way through problems! Many students applying to a US college or university...

Our travels took us from Sackville to Antigonish to Halifax, where the average age of a Haligonian is 28, thanks in large part to...

I’ll admit it. I was totally taken with St Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The campus is beautiful, the facilities are all...

Sackville is a very small town nestled in rural New Brunswick, about thirty minutes from the Moncton airport. The town doubles in population when...

Over the past four graduating classes, we have had an average of 47 students apply to McGill University each year (that’s a little less...

If your parents are concerned about you getting enough vegetables while at university, let them know that Concordia University offers a free vegan lunch, Monday to...

What do Johnny Reid, the premier of PEI and the inventor of the "smart board" all have in common? They all went to the...

Catching a sturgeon Vancouver Island University is full of surprises! Located in Nanaimo, it has a quite a large campus and a total student population...

In this past Saturday’s edition of the Globe and Mail, I came across an advertisement for the “Quantum Crytography School for Young Students”. I...

In our roles as University Counsellors, Grade Advisors, and Planning/HCE teachers, particularly at this time of year, we have many conversations with students and...

Like millions of others, I spend a little time with an iPhone and/or an iPad in hand. Okay, maybe more than a little. But,...

If you are considering applying to one of the University of California schools, you might consider registering for one of upcoming U of California...

There is an international educator’s conference in Vancouver in early June and this has given us the opportunity to invite a number of university...

It is Advanced Placement (AP) season around here and that has me thinking about all the different kinds of tests students take. Some are...

  The University of Edinburgh is located right on the edge of the Royal Mile, a stretch of road that goes from Edinburgh Castle, perched...

At the celebrations in February for the 600th anniversary of the University of St Andrews, Prince William said, “It is the greatest university on...

If you have some time over the break, why not take advantage of a campus tour for one of more of the universities you...

There is little distinction between the University of Oxford and the town of Oxford. The academic buildings are strewn throughout the historic town that...

While visiting the University of St. Andrews in Scotland last week, I had the chance to catch up with Alicia P. (Grad 2010) who...

It used to be that students would rush home every day to see whether an admissions decision had arrived by mail, and decide when...

Between now and the end of October, there are 15 university visits planned, in only 11 school days. If you are a SMUS student,...

There was excellent chi in the gym last night for the Canadian University Event (CUE): free flowing energy from the admissions representatives, the parents,...

Applying to the University of California system as a non-California resident There are 9 undergraduate campuses and one graduate school campus (UC San Francisco) that...

With programs ranging from medicine (including nursing) and biomedical science to radiography and physiotherapy, St. George's, University of London (SGUL) is a top-notch place to go....

SMUS is delighted to once again be the only stop on Vancouver Island for representatives from the “Ivy Plus” group of universities, which includes...

After touring the University of Western Ontario (London, ON) last week, I came away with an enhanced understanding of the university as a whole,...

I had the opportunity last week to sit down with Nina Davies, Head of Undergraduate Student Recruitment, at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), located in...

There are a number of events organized by the University Counselling Department this month. There will be annoucements to keep you in the loop but...

If you are thinking of pursuing post-secondary studies in the UK, there are many considerations to be made. How long does the "course" (degree...

How little I knew about the 2010 version of Camosun College! Although the new information has been readily accessible, my understanding of what they...

Students who wish to enter a business programme in Canada have a number of choices. Many university business programmes are direct-entry from high school,...

Architecture is a key area of interest for many young adults considering a professional career path in a growing field.  In order to train...

During my recent visit to the Bay area, I had the chance to spend a morning at Mills College, a women’s college located in...

  Well if you are, you have a lot of choice! Yesterday I visited U California Berkeley in the morning, and Stanford University in the...

If you are wandering (or wading) through college or university websites, you might want to add a different approach to your virtual touring. There...

Well, after two months in the University Counselling office, I have had the opportunity to sit in on many university presentations. Most visits are a whirlwind...