Studying: Interior Design at Toronto Metropolitan University

As a keen, creative student who is a project-based learner, the Interior Design program at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) seems like the perfect fit for Daniella. While her Green Industries and Technological Design classes back in Grade 11 helped her to refine her skills and design thinking, Daniella was first exposed to interior design in Grade 9, when her bedroom was redesigned. She met with the interior designer and found the process very interesting. Daniella soon became interested in pursuing this field for her own career. She is excited to continue her education at TMU. The program is highly selective, only accepting 80 students each year. “Each student gets their own desk setup in the studio,” says Daniella. “You get to share the studio with older students so you can network and learn from them as well.” As part of the application process, Daniella had to submit four to five interiors and write about what inspires her for each. While she was also accepted at similar programs at Sheridan College, OCAD University and University of Guelph, Daniella felt that she would be able to expand the breadth of her knowledge through electives and other academic courses at TMU. “I also have the option to add a fifth year and apply for co-op,” explains Daniella. “I also compared the job rate of being hired after graduating and TMU’s rate is very high.” She is also keen to focus on environmental sustainability in her interior design work. “Green Industries helped to shape my thinking about sustainability so in the future I want to focus on that,” she adds.

Studying: Engineering at Queen’s University

Cameron knew he wanted to study something science-related for his postsecondary education so he applied to Life Science programs and General Science programs to give himself some options. It wasn’t until the beginning of Grade 12 that he found a spark of interest in engineering. Early on in the year, he discovered how much he enjoyed physics and calculus, which spurred him to apply for an engineering program. This motivated him to really focus on his school work to get into the Engineering program at Queen’s. “When I was looking at courses for university, a lot of the engineering courses were way more exciting to me,” says Cameron. “This year, we got to do a lot of theoretical physics at the end of the year, which I loved and found very interesting.” Looking ahead to the fall, Cameron is excited for more lab work in his first year of Engineering. Cameron appreciates how his classes in Greenwood allowed him to explore subjects in depth. “You can just pick something you’re interested in and do a project on it,” says Cameron. “I did my project on general relativity which was very different from what I did in any of my other classes.” He is also grateful for the support system he grew at Greenwood whether it is his circle of friends or the approachability of his teachers.

Studying: Marine Biology and Ecology at the University of Miami 

Hanna’s love for the ocean began when she was 11 and she saw a bull shark on her first-ever scuba diving trip. From then on, the bull shark became her favourite animal – whenever she could pick her own topic for a school project, the topic was always the bull shark. She will soon have a chance to study first-hand the bull sharks in the wild as she attends the University of Miami for their Marine Biology and Ecology program in Fall 2025. Hanna applied to two Marine Biology programs, but ultimately chose University of Miami. “It’s a very research-based facility,” explains Hanna. “In later years, I can go to the campus located in the Florida Keys for hands-on research.” She is also keen on possible study abroad programs like working with sea turtles in the Galapagos Islands. Hanna credits her Greenwood courses in letting her wander and explore topics that interest her most.

Studying: Commerce at McGill University

Charlie is excited to attend McGill in the fall to study Commerce. He will be one of 17 Greenwood graduates from the Class of 2025 heading to McGill. Having familiar faces and good friends at the same university will certainly help his transition to postsecondary life. “The thing I liked about McGill is that it’s in a city while being its own separate campus,” Charlie says. “Growing up in a big city, I’ve become accustomed to that and wanted that kind of environment as opposed to a traditional university town.” He also chose McGill’s program as it is internationally recognized and will offer him opportunities to study abroad to gain international experience. “Compared to programs at Queen’s or Western, McGill’s program will allow me to work in London or Hong Kong,” Charlie explains. “There are also many resources available at McGill.” He is excited to experience a new culture in Montreal while also expanding his business knowledge. During his time at Greenwood, Charlie developed a strong interest in business thanks to his business classes as well as Greenwood’s case competitions. As one of the executives of the Business Committee for the 2024-2025 school year, Charlie says it helped to shape his perspective. “I think it helped me to know what I wanted to do and how I can use business in a leadership role,” says Charlie of his Greenwood co-curricular experience. 

Studying: Art and Science at McMaster University 

When Zach was struggling to decide on a postsecondary program to apply to, his Guidance Counsellor suggested he apply to the Art and Science program at McMaster University. The program, which only accepts around 70 students each year, helps keep options open as students explore what they want to pursue for a career or graduate studies. Students earn a dual degree in arts and science. “Overall, the flexibility and freedom that comes with the program is what I was most excited about,” explains Zach. “Other Arts and Science programs do force you to choose specific majors after the first year, but this program doesn't.” His studies at Greenwood taught him that exploring many interests is valuable from an education viewpoint and he wanted to maintain this curiosity during his postsecondary studies. Zach also had to provide additional supplementals as part of the application process – his submission demonstrated his varied interests in research, media and personal growth. “Greenwood gave me a lot of freedom to try different courses like Science AP, business leadership, chemistry and bio,” Zach reflects. “I definitely want the same feeling in university and I think this is the program to do it.”

Studying: Urban Studies at Barnard College 

Nikita looks forward to studying Urban Studies at Barnard College in the fall. On top of having the opportunity to live and study in a vibrant place like New York City, she will also experience how urban planning and policies impact a big city. “Not a lot of schools offer Urban Studies so it’s very unique to study this,” says Nikita. “And being able to study in New York City - the city is your classroom.” Nikita credits her Green Industries course for helping her decide to pursue this area of study. Nikita was also drawn to Barnard College’s history as an all-women’s college. “I wanted to be a part of a community that celebrates women and is intentionally made for them,” Nikita says. The smaller community at Barnard also reminds her of Greenwood’s community, which she greatly appreciates. As acceptance to Barnard is highly selective, Nikita began her preparations well in advance to ensure success; she did two practice SATs each week on top of her already busy schedule of schoolwork and extracurriculars. “I think it really helped that all of my extracurriculars, like community outreach, swimming, my housing project, all came together to tell a stronger story about me in my admission essays,” Nikita reflects. “I want to study more in depth about domesticity, feminism and the intersections with the built environment while continuing my community outreach.” She hopes to also take courses on Public Policy to complement her Urban Studies courses or Chinese Studies to get more familiar with her heritage.

Studying: Computer Science at University of South Carolina

Kingsley is excited to meet new people when he attends University of South Carolina in the fall. “While I liked Greenwood’s small community, I’m looking to branch out at a larger campus,” says Kingsley. Originally from the USA and having spent time living in Dubai, he is also excited to be somewhere warm and sunny once again; it was tough to adjust to the Canadian winters. Kingsley was drawn to the Computer Science program after he had met with the Head of Computer Science and Biology and they discussed his career pathways after his undergrad program. He plans to possibly continue graduate studies with a Master’s in Computer Science or an MBA. Kingsley credits his Computer Science classes at Greenwood for sparking his interest in the subject. “It’s the only class where I’ve gone home and wanted to put in more work beyond my coursework,” Kingsley remarks.

Studying: Biological, Biomedical and Life Sciences at McGill University

When it came to deciding where to go for her postsecondary education, Clara knew that she wanted to go to McGill. A number of her camp friends and siblings had good things to say about McGill being competitive and academic but also fun. Clara’s experience at Greenwood was really focused on well-roundedness, good balance and developing character, which are key factors that also drew her to study at McGill. Beyond her chosen postsecondary program, Clara wants to explore her interest in business. She envisions combining her interpersonal skills and science knowledge to work in business at some point in the future. She can credit that to her studies at Greenwood. “The classes are super interesting and they helped me develop a strong interest in those subjects,” says Clara. Another aspect of Greenwood that helped her grow was the Outdoor Education program, which pushed her physically and mentally challenging expeditions.

Studying: Mechanical Techniques Plumbing at Conestoga College

Cassius can’t wait to start Conestoga College’s Mechanical Techniques Plumbing certificate program this fall. In the summer of 2023, Cassius worked as a carpenter, which he found very physically rewarding. The experience instilled a good routine, work ethic and appreciation of his privilege, he says. At the work sites, Cassius had the opportunity to interact with other tradespeople. He recognized the demand for good plumbing specialists and felt like he could provide an impactful service. When Cassius was in Grade 11, he had a co-op placement at a public relations firm. He learned from that experience that he needs to work with his hands instead of in an office setting. To obtain his plumbing certificate, Cassius will need to complete a certain amount of hours in training as well as other mandatory courses. With the discipline and time management skills he obtained through his time at Greenwood and at work, Cassius feels confident to commit to his studies and his apprenticeship.

Studying: Foundation Year Program at University of King’s College

Sarah has always been passionate about history and art. Through her Ancient Civilizations class at Greenwood, she was inspired to further pursue a career in academia as an art historian. “I was originally interested in pursuing science, but then I learned that your passions can also be your career if you worked hard enough,” says Sarah. She was drawn to the breadth and depth of University of King’s College’s Foundational Year program as it will cover literature from the Epic of Gilgamesh to Voltaire. For her, this program will build a good foundation to history, writing and reading at a postsecondary level. It will also build upon her experiences at Greenwood as a newspaper exec and peer mentor where she had to develop her communication and writing skills. After her first year, Sarah is looking to pursue studies in Art History or History. “I also plan to learn Italian while living with my family in Italy to be able to better understand that part of art history,” Sarah adds.

Studying: Liberal Arts at Wake Forest University

Julia will have a personal connection at Wake Forest University when she attends in the fall – her sister Kate. “I’ve been on the campus a lot,” says Julia. “I sat in on a lecture for art and I found the faculty to be very impressive.” For her first two years at Wake Forest, Julia will have the opportunity to explore her interests and find what she wants to pursue before choosing a major. “Wake Forest, like Greenwood, provides a well-rounded education and is academically challenging,” Julia explains as her reasoning for choosing her university. “Greenwood’s Outdoor Education program forced me out of my comfort zone so I’m excited to meet new people, have new experiences and enjoy a different environment.” As part of her application process for Wake Forest University, Julia spoke extensively about how Greenwood’s outdoor education programs helped her growth. She was also challenged to create a top ten list and she drew on her OE experiences to write a top ten list about being Canadian. 

Studying: Acting at the University of British Columbia

Studying: Molecular Bioengineering at Imperial College London

Ella was elated to find out that she had been accepted into Imperial College London’s Molecular Bioengineering program – it had been her dream school for a very long time. Unlike many undergraduate programs in Canada, ICL’s program allows students to jump straight into molecular bioengineering. Ella is interested in exploring CRISPR gene editing, artificial organ creation and vaccine development. “The teachers at Greenwood were very open to letting me explore these topics in my school projects,” says Ella. “Greenwood’s tech design class was also a really great opportunity as it taught me how to 3D print.” She interned at Bickle Rehab Centre, where she helped to create and 3D print assistive devices as well as providing social assistance. A part of Ella’s interest in molecular biology also stems from her family history with chronic genetic disease, Alzeihmers and dementia. Ella hopes to get into the Genetic Engineering graduate program once she completes her undergraduate studies. In the future, she hopes to contribute to the research behind managing these diseases or eliminating the diseases altogether. 

Studying: Engineering at University of British Columbia

Getting into UBC’s Engineering program is quite demanding. Not only did James have to complete the prerequisite high school courses in math and science, he also had to ensure that his top six courses’ final grade did not drop more than 4% compared to the scores he submitted with his application. “UBC is also quite focused on personality,” says James. “A lot of their application questions were geared towards finding out about you as a person and how you fit into their community.” James credits his success to having a great community to study with at Greenwood. He would create problem sets for physics to challenge himself and his peers. James had also been a Peer Mentor at Greenwood since Grade 10, helping students from Grades 7 to 9 with his expertise and knowledge. James found the Extra Help sessions helpful to his success. “There’s a lot of support for your academics,” says James. He looks forward to UBC’s co-op program and gaining experience studying engineering.

Studying: Architecture at Carleton University

Connor’s interest in architecture began in his childhood when he discovered Minecraft and Lego. At Greenwood, this interest would be further developed through the Green Industries courses in Grade 10 and 11. In those classes, he grew an appreciation for urban planning which influenced his decision to pursue architecture in postsecondary. To get into Carleton University’s architecture program, Connor had to submit six to eight pieces based on available topics in addition to a portfolio. “Some pieces were entirely made in my classes at Greenwood such as tech design, art and green industries,” says Connor. Connor feels that his well-rounded education in science, math, social sciences and art helps him design solutions that take into consideration all possible aspects. “I took physics to learn how to create feasible designs,” Connor adds. “Usually the saying goes that ‘an architect’s dream is an engineer’s nightmare.’” He’s excited to attend Carleton’s nationally recognized architecture program as an opportunity to live outside of Toronto for a while. “Carleton’s campus food is great, which is a bonus.”

Studying: Dance at University of Michigan

Emily is passionate about dance, but she felt limited by the programs available in Canada. Although she wanted to pursue her interest in dance, Emily also wanted to follow her other interests as well. Studying at University of Michigan would give her the opportunity to obtain a dual degree. “I’m a very academic person and I’m excited to do everything that I want to do at University of Michigan,” says Emily. “That’s why I chose to apply to the States and in a general arts program since I have more interests beyond just dance.” Emily adds that her involvement with Greenwood’s Jack Chapter and Outdoor Education programming helped to make her application stand out amongst other applicants. She thanks the guidance team at Greenwood for helping her to create a plan that would balance her school work, co-curriculars and postsecondary applications. She hopes to continue being involved with co-curriculars at University of Michigan as she really benefited from her co-curricular activities at Greenwood.

Studying: Fashion Design and Management at Cornell University