for future students

Get Ready for Delicious Eats on Campus this Winter!

With the lessening of restrictions and more folks being vaccinated we’re excited to be welcoming students, staff, and faculty back to campus for the Winter semester! This also means that more of our on-campus services will be re-opening in person, including many of your favourite spots to grab a tasty snack or meal!

Check out our list to see which of your favourite meals you’ll be able to get again or get to try out for the first time when we kick off the Winter semester in January 2022!

Woodroffe

Marketplace Food Court

We were excited to hear that seven food stations will be open this Winter in the Marketplace Food Court! There is a wide variety of choice available including a crepe station that you don’t want to miss. Located in D Building, the Marketplace Food Court is open Monday to Thursday from 7:30am – 7:00pm and Friday from 7:30am – 6:00pm.

Starbucks

You can still get your daily Starbucks fix over in the Student Commons building! Great for kick starting your morning or helping you get through that mid-afternoon slump. They are open Monday to Friday from 7:00 am – 4:00 pm.

The Wolves Den

The newest meal option on the Woodroffe Campus! Located in the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre, the Wolves Den Restaurant and Games Room is open Monday to Friday from 11:00am – 7:00pm. A great spot to meet up and relax with friends, with food options including various bowls, pizzas, and tacos, it’s sure to become one of your favourite spots.

Restaurant International

A casual fine dining restaurant right on campus! Located in H building you can enjoy fantastic meals prepared by culinary and baking students at an incredibly affordable price. Restaurant International is open dependent on students’ class schedules, so check their website and reserve a table in advance to guarantee yourself a great lunch or dinner.

Savoir Fare

​Another spot where you can get tasty meals and treats prepared daily by culinary and baking students. Savoir Fare offers delicious and affordable takeaway food including soups and salads, complete meals, plus breads, cakes, pastries, and more. They are open Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 am – 4:00 pm and located right near the campus bookstore.

The Fix Eatery

Located in ACCE Building the Fix Eatery offers great grab-and-go foods for busy days on campus. They are open Monday to Friday from 7:30am – 3:00pm, and we’ve heard they have one of the best breakfast sandwiches on campus.

35th Street Market Café

Located in the Residence Building, their offerings include a hot food station with a rotating and ever-changing menu, a coffee station, fresh food to grab-and-go, and their well-loved signature salad bar! Open Monday to Sunday from 9:00am – 10:00pm.

Perth

It’s choose your own adventure at our smallest campus. Prepare and enjoy your own meals and snacks with the Student Kitchen and Student Commons space. While it’s not an option at the moment, Perth is looking forward to the return of food services in 2022.

Pembroke

Pembroke campus has their cafeteria available to students to grab breakfast, lunch, snacks, and baked goods. Open Monday to Friday 7:30 am – 2:45 pm, you can sit and eat in the Student Commons or grab your food on the go.

We don’t know about you, but after all of that, we sure are hungry! Whatever you’re craving, you’ll find what you’re looking for on campus this winter. If you like, you can purchase a meal plan for a quick and easy way to purchase food on campus that also saves you money.

Click on any of the links above to learn more, and plan to indulge in the many food options available next term!

 

Throughout this exciting return to campus, the health and safety of everyone in our College community remains our primary concern. All of our planning will continue to be guided by public health guidelines. Make sure you’re ready to join us on campus this winter. Click here for more information about what you need to do.

7 things to consider when selecting a college!

Once you’ve figured out which college program(s) you’re interested in, it’s time to choose a college! Part of selecting the right college is figuring out what your biggest priorities are. We’ve compiled a list of potential things to consider when making your selection. Every item will matter differently to each individual, so figure out which areas are most important to you and make sure to be investigating and comparing those aspects between your colleges of interest.

Cost

Finances are super important to keep in mind when selecting a college. What’s the difference in cost between the colleges that offer your program of choice? Are there extra fees to consider? Is it worth selecting the one that would be significantly more expensive?

Reputation

Get to know the colleges you are considering! Do some research and see what others have to say about their experience with the college. Does this match with your expectations for college?

Campus Vibe

Feeling like you belong can make a big difference in your college experience. What kind of vibe are you looking for? Do your potential colleges match that feel?

Grades

While requirements vary between colleges and programs, you need to make sure to consider your high school grades. Some programs can be very competitive and it’s important to make selections for colleges where you meet the requirements or would be competitive in your application.

Learning Format

How do you want to learn? In class, hands-on, online, virtually. There are a variety of ways to learn and to attend college, knowing which one works best for you can help narrow down the best college option based on what it offers.

Work Experience

Many jobs are looking for applicants to have job experience in the field they are applying to, even after graduating college. If you don’t yet have work experience, especially in your field of study, consider applying for a program that offers co-op experience. Co-op ties directly into your learning but also helps you build connections in your field, get experience for you resume, and sometimes it even leads to employment after graduation!

Location

Are you interested in living in a big city or do you prefer a smaller one? Do you want to stay closer to home or are you looking for opportunities to explore somewhere new?

Selecting a college can be a big decision, so take your time and figure out what the best choice is for you.

For more information about Algonquin College and its programs, visit our Explore page https://www.algonquincollege.com/future-students/explore

5 reasons to register for the Fall Open House

It’s that time of year! Time to think about where you want to pursue your post-secondary education and check out various colleges to see what is the best fit for you. This year we are back again with our Virtual Open House which offers prospective students a chance to attend a live event from the comfort of wherever you’re located in the world. This great event allows you to ask questions, meet professors, students, and coordinators, as well as get a feel for the AC community. If that alone isn’t enough to convince you to register for our upcoming open house check out these five reasons why we think you should attend!

1)Learn How to Apply

Applying to college can be challenging or disorienting, but don’t worry, we have you covered. During the AC Open House, recruitment officers will be demonstrating how to navigate the Ontario Colleges application process and will be available to answer any questions you may have about applying to Algonquin College.

2)Talk Money & Admissions

Do you have money on the mind? Representatives from Financial Aid, Admissions, and other Student Support Services will be running a session to answer all your questions about paying for school, what kind of supports are in place, and what the process is like to becoming an AC Student. This is a great chance to connect and get all the answers to those pesky financial questions.

3)All Your Questions Answered in One Evening

Instead of having to set up multiple meetings with representatives from each area of the College to get your questions answered you can just attend the Open House! Representatives from a wide variety of areas will be available to speak with you directly, all in one convenient virtual space. It’s a “one-stop shop to talk directly to representatives from all of our programs, services and student life” says Recruitment Officer, Erik Franz.

4)Meet Faculty, Students, and Representatives from your Program of Interest

Want to learn more about specific programs? Representatives with first-hand knowledge of the programs will be available to answer all your questions. Want to check out several different programs? It’s easy through our Virtual Open House to jump back and forth between sessions to learn everything you want to know to make an educated choice for your future.

5)Learn about the College Experience

Whether your program is online, hybrid, remote, or on-campus, we’re still connecting as a college community. Representatives from the Student Association, Clubs, and Athletics will be hosting sessions during the evening about the great opportunities Algonquin College has to offer to make sure we’re all staying connected and maintaining that (school) work – life balance.

Don’t delay! Register for the Open House today!

How to prepare a great admissions portfolio

We’ve heard that many students are intimidated by portfolios, their requirements and by not knowing exactly what they should do or how to get started. Sometimes students are even opting not to apply to their preferred program because it required a portfolio, and they were overwhelmed by the idea of putting it together. We want to help!

I spoke with ACX Team Member, Julia Pinto, a third-year student in the animation program at Algonquin College and got some advice from her about pulling together a portfolio which will hopefully assuage some of your concerns and help you feel excited and motivated to create your own.

What types of programs require a portfolio?

Typically, arts and design programs are the ones that require a portfolio for the application process. At Algonquin College the Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation, Interior Design, and Interior Decorating programs all require a portfolio. Programs that require a portfolio usually call for demonstrations of understanding of some techniques and practices that are very common in the study of various art fields.

What are the typical portfolio requirements?

Portfolios, whether for a job or for school, showcase your ability to work within constraints; illustrate your process; feature your problem-solving aptitude, your communication skills, and your creativity — not only your raw talent. They help the college determine if you are the right fit & can accomplish the work that you will encounter in your program of study.

1)10 – 15 pieces of original creative work. Originals can include things like pen & ink or pencil drawings, sketches, drafting, collages, as well as photographs of larger mediums (oil, acrylic, watercolour, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, rooms, etc.). Depending on the program it could also include multimedia presentations, sketches of ongoing work showing your ideas, observations and imagination, AutoCAD drawings, hand drafted architectural drawings, artistic photography, graphic design, 3D models layout, typography, painting, drawing, web design, interface design and sketches. Try to include a variety of pieces that will demonstrate your ideas, skills, and interest in a variety of mediums.

2)An at home testing of sorts that is specific to each program. This will basically demonstrate your ability to follow directions, your attention to detail, and your creativity.

3)2-5 optional pieces of your choice. These don’t have to be related to your program but can demonstrate your skills, passions, and ideas. These are pieces you feel proud of and that you can use to show more of your personality and creativity. Aim for showing different things from the requirements. Do you like working with watercolours/ oil/ charcoal/ digital/ photography? Awesome! Maybe that’s a unique thing that can help you stand out from other candidates!

Steps to tackling your portfolio!

1)Check which programs you’re applying to that require portfolios.

2)Make a list of the requirements for the portfolios. If you’re applying to multiple programs and need to compile multiple portfolios see if there are items that you can use for both to cut down on the number of new pieces you need to create or collect.

3)Look up the terms and requirements for your submission pieces and you may not already know. “Some things required in these portfolios may already be known to you and others that may not be, but you don’t need to despair. With organization and planning, you can build a good portfolio in a matter of weeks”.

4)Compile and create your required pieces.

5)Double check all the guidelines for submission, make sure you are not missing anything and are submitting in the desired format so that you can make sure you are considered.

6)Submit it and celebrate!

Advice for unknown techniques!

There are three items that are required in many portfolios: 1. Self portrait 2. Live model drawings 3. Drawings with 1 vanishing point and drawings with 2 vanishing points.

For the self portrait, take a photo of yourself, print it and have it near you while you draw yourself. It is also a good idea to have a mirror around, because depending on the quality of the photo you may find it difficult to draw some parts. With the help of the mirror you can have a better look and see more specific details than if only using a photo.

If you are not able to find a live model session where you live, you can always check out CroquisCafe on YouTube. They have hundreds of high-quality videos of art models for drawing. It’s also a good idea to watch some videos about Gestural Drawing from Proko before starting your own sketches!

Drawings that require perspective are usually one of the things that scare people the most, but it shouldn’t scare you! If you don’t know the first thing about perspective, you can start by watching some videos, like the Perspective Drawing for Beginners from Brad’s Art School on YouTube. Start at the beginning, and in no time you’ll understand the technique and will be able to draw anything that you want with 1, 2 or even 3 vanishing points.

Remember that for portfolios, quality will always be more important than quantity! You can (and you should) draw lots of pieces, but only choose to add in the ones that you really think demonstrates you understand what was asked of you. The portfolio is a way of presenting yourself, so, present the best pieces that you can!

Want more information and to have your questions answered about portfolios at Algonquin College? Check out these upcoming free information sessions.

Let’s learn and have fun, with AC Day 1!

It’s almost time for AC Day One!! Coming up September 7th, 2021, AC Day One is Algonquin College’s (currently virtual) orientation day! It includes program orientation for new students to learn about classes and virtually meet professors as well as a multitude of virtual social activities and events for new and returning students!

There are useful information sessions, interesting workshops to attend, live local music, plus great activities where you can even win prizes!

Here are a few of the fantastic opportunities available during Fall 2021 AC Day 1!

Get Social!

Throughout the day there will be an AC Day 1 Discord Server up and running! Join the Algonquin College server for one day only – available from 9:00am until 5:00pm. Looking to make some new friends? Check out The Social Room! Connect with other AC students from across the world. Pop in anytime, introduce yourself, and chat with your peers. Everyone is welcome! Enjoy the live music by local artists and even a motivational speech to start your term off strong.

Workshops

Hobbiesville, Entrepreneurship & Pokémon

Join in a discussion with Logan Fournier, owner of Hobbiesville, as he speaks about his journey to entrepreneurship that started with a search for his old Pokémon collection in his parents’ basement.

Bonus: Win 1 of 3 gift cards to Hobbiesville during this session!

Let’s Get Nerdy About Nature

Ross Reid of Nerdy About Nature will be speaking on using his skills in filmmaking and communication to spread awareness about the environment. During this session, we will chat about the importance of learning to communicate with others, learn cool facts about nature, and discuss the intricate role that humans play within the ecosystem.

Other events include: Trivia, an Escape Room, Comedy Show, and Stretching and Sketching. Register Today!

Information Sessions

Don’t forget to check out the super useful information sessions on how to use Library Resources and Brightspace, details on Health & Dental Plans, and of course your program orientation!

End the day with a BANG!

AC Day 1 Fireworks Live Stream

And finally, close out the evening and celebrate the beginning of a new academic year with a fireworks display. Hosted by the Algonquin Students’ Association (SA) and Algonquin Student Support Services, the firework display will take place on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, at 9:00 pm. Watch this live stream event with loved ones under the stars, or if you are located in the area, step out on your balcony or front lawn and be united by this beautiful display.

Sign up today for AC Day 1 and start your semester off right!

Preparing for College: Feeling like an AC student!

Welcome to part three of our ongoing series to help you get prepared to start your studies or a new semester!

While some programs will be returning to campus and others will remain remote this Fall we wanted to share some ways that anyone can feel like an AC Student!

Participate in AC Day One Activities

AC Day One is the official start to the semester! It’s a day that involves program orientation, events, and activities which are all currently being delivered virtually. Learn how to navigate the online library, get questions answered about your health plan, booklists and materials, and how to get started with Brightspace and Zoom. Then have some fun! Join in with other students to chat on discord, play trivia, sketch & stretch, enjoy a comedy show, and more! Check out the full listing of events and sign up today!

Add Merch to your Shopping Cart when ordering your textbooks

While you’re scrolling or strolling through Connections – The Campus Store for your textbooks and materials, maybe add a sweater, mug, or even cute pet accessory!

Join Clubs & Communities

Getting involved in extra-curricular activities can help you feel more connected to others and can offer some balance to your school experience. They are a great way to meet people and participate in fun activities or get involved in the community. There are groups for everything from sports and politics, to gaming and culture. Check out the full listing or if you have a great idea, start your own club!

Join Facebook Groups for your program

A quick search of the groups section of Facebook shows that there are all student groups, year specific groups, program specific groups, and more! Join them, meet new people, learn about what’s going on, and get involved with the AC community.

Follow AC accounts on Social Media

Algonquin College has main accounts on most major platforms as well as a variety of accounts for different campuses, services, and departments. Following different accounts is a great way to stay informed about what is going on at AC and can help you connect with other students.

Reach out to people in your program

You’ll be interacting with your classmates on a regular basis, if you find someone you think is interesting or that you might connect with, reach out to them! Reaching out to someone and starting a conversation can be the fastest way to make college friends and feel like you’re part of a student community.

Preparing for College: Planning for a new school year!

Welcome to the second part of our ongoing series to help you get prepared to start your studies or a new semester!

Make sure your technology is up to date and working

First things first! There is nothing worse than having your technology fail when you’re trying to start off the school year, it can leave you behind in your work or unable to participate in classes fully. Check out the requirements for your program and make sure you check all your tools and make sure they are operating to the best of their ability. If you need anything fixed or replaced try to do it before the semester starts, and don’t forget about those student discounts!

Establish spaces to study

There are lots of differences between remote-learning and in-person learning but what is essential for both is to establish some good study spaces whether its at home or on campus. Having a place that mentally helps you shift into study mode can help you maintain focus and make it easier to get work done.

Purchase Your Textbooks (or any other equipment you may need)

Do this before the semester starts so that you can make sure you have everything ready to learn on the first day of classes! Some courses dive right in and you need all your materials, texts, and equipment right from the start. Booklists are available in your course materials or visit the Campus Book Store where you can search for your texts based on the course you’re enrolled in.

Establish routines prior to the start of classes

Depending on your out of school routines, you might be sleeping in a lot or have some irregular life patterns. Starting the week before school, or even earlier, to establish some routines that will help get you ready for school life and schedules school hours can be a great way to make sure you are prepared and ready for the first day. It can be really hard to just jump into changes and giving yourself some time can help your brain adjust and be ready to learn.

Set up your email and check it regularly

Your email is how the college, your fellow students, your professors, and facilitators are going to be staying in touch with you. Make sure to get it set it up and check it at least once a day!

Check out your timetable on ACSIS

Your timetable will tell you where and when your classes are as well as who is teaching them. Check out your schedule on ACSIS well in advance of classes starting so that you can make sure you’re all ready when the first day comes.

Complete your Online Prep!

Algonquin has a whole step by step process of lists, tutorials, and even fun items to help you get ready, prepped, and excited to start the semester. Head over to the Orientation Website for more details.

Download the Brightspace Mobile App

Brightspace is the online portal that Algonquin College uses to make digital materials available for courses, it’s also used for online discussions, assignment submissions, testing, and more. You will get super familiar with the system over the semester. What many students don’t realize is that Brightspace has a mobile app that is easy to use and super helpful especially for seeing what assignments are coming up and keeping track of updates from your courses.

Working while in school? We have some great advice for YOU!

There are lots of benefits to working during your time in College, the top ones that come up over and over again tend to be financial, skill, and/or experience related. Here are our top 3 benefits for working while in school and some advice from AC Alumni and students on managing that work-school life.

Benefits

Money!

The reason most students work is financially motivated, which makes sense, since working while in school can help you pay your bills, lessen your students loans, or even just give you some spending money for the things you want.

Boost your time management skills

Balancing work and school is an excellent test of your time management skills or a great way to improve them. Figuring out how to balance work responsibilities, school work requirements, and your personal responsibilities is good practice for the future. Any employer, no matter what field you work in after college, is looking to hire people who can manage their time and their work effectively to get things done and within time limits.

Work experience

Work experience on your resume is always a good thing. Work experience that ties into your studies is even better! It can elevate your learning by offering you real world experiences to boost your comprehension.

There are great benefits to working while in school, but it is always good to keep in mind that things are not always simple or easy, so we asked some students and alumni for advice they wish someone had given them before they got started.

Advice

Prioritize your studies.

“My number one piece of advice for you, as someone who has been working two part-time jobs through school, is to make school your number one priority and let your employer know this. Making your employer aware of this, or finding an employer who will understand this is absolutely key. College offers you so many opportunities for your future + you are paying to learn, so make the most of the experience!” Paige, Current Student, Business Marketing.

Know that you can do anything but be realistic.

“You are capable of more than you think. If you work hard, it IS going to pay off. You are not expected to take on everything, but you can handle whatever is thrown your way!” Mariah, Recent Graduate of the Recreation and Leisure Studies program, Current Student, Personal Support Worker.

When deciding how many hours to work, remember to book some time for you!

“Make sure you’re giving yourself some downtime and not just filling your schedule with school and shifts at work. Make sure you’re open with your employer and that school is a priority. If your employer isn’t willing to work with you, it might be time to find a new job. Save, save, save! School is expensive, and if you’re going to be working through school, make sure you’re not just spending everything you make.” Abigail, AC Alumni and Current Student, Radio Broadcasting.

Communicate with your employer.

“Prioritize school over everything else, you will get through it. Discuss your priorities with your boss and figure out how your role and hours can be adjusted to best suit your needs.” Joel, AC Alumni, Computer Programming

5 reasons why you should apply for co-op!

At Algonquin College there are a wide variety of programs that offer co-op semesters to amplify the learning experience! Here are 5 reasons why we think you should consider applying for a Co-op semester during your time at AC.

1) Get a hands-on learning experience in your field of study.

You learn and practice the skills for your future career in class, but putting those skills into practice in the real world can really enhance your learning. There are certain things you won’t learn in class because they are specific to the niche work of specific companies, or because they are new practices that haven’t yet made it into the textbooks. Learn directly from industry professionals who are working with the latest practices, technologies, and industry standards.

2) Add relevant experience to your resume.

Depending on your industry of study it could be difficult to get job experience before college. Co-op gives you the chance to get that job experience that could make the difference when it comes to employers deciding between you and other graduates in the job market.

3) An opportunity to network in your industry.

Co-op gives you the chance to work in your preferred industry, or in an area related to your studies, which means you are going to get the opportunity to meet lots of professionals who are already working in your areas of interest. Building relationships with these professionals can help you in a variety of ways. You can find mentors, learn more about the industry from a variety of perspectives, and network with people who could potentially help you in your future job searches. There are many companies who offer referral programs to their employees when they are looking for new hires, the larger your network and the stronger your relationships, the easier it could be to land that dream job out of college!

4) Earn money between semesters.

All Co-op work placements are paid employment opportunities, with students typically earning approximately $10,000+ per work-term (between minimum wage – $18+/hour). That money can go a long way to helping pay for school and bills.

5) AC offers unique Co-op offerings!

Communications and Marketing Officer, Gabrielle Poulin, also shared that Algonquin College has a unique co-op opportunity for students, an Entrepreneurship Co-op (eCo-op)! This is an AC “initiative that provides students who are also aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to work full-time on their business idea under the guidance of an industry mentor”. What an amazing offering!!

Have questions? Want to learn more? Visit the Cooperative Department’s webpage for full details!

Are you an International Student interested in co-op? That’s great! Check out the requirements for International Students & co-op work permits.

Please note that applying to co-op programs happens when applicants are initially submitting their College applications. Students apply to a co-op version of their program of choice if interested in the co-op experience.

Must have apps to set yourself up for success!

Whether you’re about to start College or in your final semester, there are great apps out there that can make your life a little easier, more organized, and less stressful! Check out the list below for some great ones that we suggest for college success!

College

Brightspace Pulse

Brightspace is the online portal that hosts most courses at Algonquin College. It is where you will find assignment details, lecture notes, schedules, messages from professors, grades, quizzes, discussion areas, and more. The Brightspace Pulse app is a great little organized app that helps you keep track of upcoming due dates, see the latest feedback on your assignments, and notifies you when new content has been uploaded, among many other things. Go download it now and stay on top of things this semester!

Evernote

One of the most popular note-taking platforms, Evernote allows users to take and upload notes, pictures, audio and video snippets and organize them into cloud notebooks that can be synced across different devices. Perfect for organizing your notes for each course as well as your plans and drafts of assignments and projects.

Forest

Do you find yourself on TikTok or Instagram or texting when really you should be focusing on your course work? Try using a focusing app! Forest is a pomodoro style focus app that is cute and gives you a visual incentive to stay focused.

Budgeting

Mint

Stay on top of your finances with this great free app! Keep track of your budget and set financial goals that you can work towards.

Staying Organized

Task Tree

This is a simple and powerful task management app. Built using feedback and suggestions from TikTok users, this is a highly customizable productivity app. Users can utilize different organized to do lists, schedule reminders, or daily tasks, use it to track your habits or mood, and colour code the whole thing to your liking. It is simple, aesthetically pleasing (it even has a dark mode option), and when you accomplish something there is celebratory confetti!

Last Pass

We all have so many school, work, and personal passwords it can be easy to forget one (or seventeen) and you don’t want to be using the same passwords over and over again. Keep your accounts secure with Last Pass, a free password managing app, that will keep all those login details in one place.

Mental Health

HealthyMinds

Developed by The Royal, Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health science centres, this app focuses on helping you keep your mind healthy. It is a problem-solving app designed to help students deal with emotions and cope with the stresses of school and life.

Oak

Looking for some guided breathing and meditation, or even just something to help you relax around bedtime, try out Oak. The app has a super simple design, offers a few different options of practices to implement and will help you track your efforts.

For Fun

Happy Color

Need a little mindless and relaxing break from school work? Take a break and immerse yourself in some colouring. Happy Color offers inspiring and beautiful images that will hopefully bring you some joy and relaxation.

Libby

Interested in getting some non-school related reading done at no cost? Download Libby and start borrowing from your local library. They have audio and e-books available, and a great search, hold, and borrowing system.