Students living in our Residences during the holiday break enjoyed many activities, from fun crafts and movie marathons to outdoor hikes, Duolingo & IELTS Workshops, First Aid Training and Community Service opportunities.
Winter Break at CIC Residence is definitely an opportunity for students to relax and socialize with their friends. The Residence and Student Leadership Development teams planned and facilitated engaging activities and opportunities for students to create wonderful holiday memories.
At a time when many were away from family, our Residences was a true home away from home where students could gather and connect as family.
Activities included holiday baking, crafts and traditions, and academic workshops.
University Supplementary Applications Support
Supplementary applications are required by many competitive programs, including Computer Science, Engineering and some Business programs at University of Toronto, Waterloo, McMaster and other institutions.
The Student Leadership Development and University Placement and Guidance teams worked with students both in-person and virtually to offer support with their supplementary university applications. Most sessions were one-to-one but we also offered some virtual group sessions for university application, supplementary application Q & A, and general support. This support will continue to be offered to students throughout the semester.
During one-to-one meetings CIC staff offered assistance with the students’ personal and leadership profiles, portfolios, personal statements, essay and short-answer responses, as well as interview and video preparation and practice. All of this assistance was given in an effort to help the students present the universities with a clearer picture of who they are outside of their academics, to show that they are well-rounded, motivated, and committed to community service and extra-curricular activities. Our support also served to help the students outline their interest and experience in their chosen program of study, and of course, to demonstrate their ability to communicate effectively in English.
IELTS and Duolingo Workshops
Along with their academic and extra-curricular information, most of our students are also required to submit a proof of English Proficiency with their university applications. IELTS and TOEFL are popular choices as CIC is an official Test Centre and always helps students prepare and take the exams.
With COVID-19 related closures, Duolingo became the most viable option in Ontario because it can be done completely online and most universities are accepting it for the Fall 2021 intake. With students in mind, we designed workshops to help them prepare for both IELTS and Duolingo exams.
Feedback from students who took the workshops in-person and remotely during the holidays was overwhelmingly positive. Camila, who joined the Duolingo Workshop from Mexico, told us that the instructor gave excellent tips and she now knows what to expect from the test. Adriano from Brazil took the IELTS Writing workshop in-person from our Residence, and said the lessons helped him improve his writing skills and that the timing was really good. In general, all students took advantage of the workshop and felt more prepared to take a test.
