OT Any news from Ont. Teacher's College ?

[Dazer22]

It has become so competitive to get into Teacher's College in Ontario. They say that applications have increased 110% since 1997.

Anyone have any news to report yet or want to share their experiences?

 

[Wazzo]

I'm assuming you mean current experiences? I graduated in '06, and I can tell you I still don't understand the process!

I got in to some of the harder schools to get into (or so they say), and I didn't get in to my own undergrad school! Go figure. I think it's more of lottery than they let on...

Did you apply?? Where to?

 

[pkitty]

My nephew just got accepted to teachers college and is heading off to Thunder Bay in the fall...good times!

 

[cabmom]

A younger friend of mine had many interviews and has been accepted at Trent where she did the rest of her Uni. I hear it's pretty stressful preparing for the interviews!

 

[laura001]

My DD had an 86 % average Hons. BA in History and English and didn't get in, she applied to 3 Universities and is on the waiting list for 2 of them but it is crazy this year with the double cohort again. She will go to the States instead, at least then she will get her Masters at the same time. We heard there were just over 16 Thousand kids that applied.

Funny enough, out of my DD's History program only one person got into a Teacher's program here. Very sad that after 4 years of school you have to go through all of that.

 

[PanamaMike]

After several years of unsuccessful applications, my brother was accepted at three schools, turned down by two and put on the waiting list at one.
He will be attending Trent in the fall.

 

[cey]

Our oldest son got word last week that he is accepted into the BEd program at Queens which was his first choice and on his first try. We were really sweating waiting and wondering. The bad news will be that he will be moving back home!

 

[Wazzo]

She will go to the States instead, at least then she will get her Masters at the same time.

This is true, and is the same for most Australian universities too, but just be aware that Ontario will not recognize her masters degree for pay purposes. (If you take your masters in Ontario you are automatically higher on the pay scale, but QECO (the people who decide this) does not recognize out of country masters degrees from most institutions. I have many friends who went through this trouble!) Just a little FYI!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

A masters' from another country will allow you to become administration and take VP or principal courses though. So although QECO will not give you any money, you can still take on those extra responsibilities

I graduated from a NY state teachers' college in 05. I was able to take my practicum at my local school along with other teacher candidates from Trent and Queens. They laughed at me for paying double what they pay but I'm working now and I haven't seen them around so really who got the last laugh?

 

[Jenny-lyn]

Well I applied to all 12 of them for Primary/Junior and I got on the waitlist for one! How sad is that? I have a pretty good average and decent experience but it was wildly competitive this year. Next year will be worse as many double cohort people are waiting to get experience.

I can only hope and pray that I get off that one waitlist.

 

[MaryannF]

DD has attended York U for the past 4 years. She will be graduating in June with an Honours BA in English and Social & Political Thought. She did not get into any of the Teacher's colleges she applied to but was accepted to the 2 year Masters of Education program at U of T. She will end up with her Masters as well as a teaching certificate for the intermediate level. UofT interviewed 78 people for 42 spots and she got one. Funny that York didn't give her the time of day and has yet to send her a rejection letter. She was also accepted to Teacher's college in St. Petersburg Florida that is run by a retired Toronto District School Board principal and superintendant. It is a one year program that starts in May and runs until next May. At the end you get a teaching certificate that allows you to teach junior grades in Florida and Ontario. For the cost of one year I could have become a DVC member!

 

[striker3636]

I am just finishing certification at Althouse, UWO. Yes, it was extremely competitive last year just for Western. Over 8,000 applicants applied and 850 were accepted. I'm not sure what the numbers are for the other universities, but they are probably just as wild. Of those that graduated from Western last June, only 23% landed contract (permanent) full time jobs in the fall. A little discouraging after all the work this past year, but the job market doesn't look much better this year either.

All the best of luck to those that have applied and/or are on their way.