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Merit College offers a transformational, academic and life-long journey for our students. Our experience in working with new immigrant and international students integrate into Canada and Canadian schools is unparalleled. We understand how important getting a quality education is for the students and their families and work with them to overcome their struggles, including language barriers, cultural barriers and other obstacles.
Since it was founded, Merit College has served primarily the Chinese Canadian community, with homestay available for students arriving from overseas. The focus at Merit College is very firmly placed on academics, leadership, and communication skills, and it has gained its reputation through preparing students to thrive within a North American university setting. The school community is small, personal and close-knit, and while the school may lack some of the bells and whistles of larger schools—such as breadth of extra-curricular or athletic offerings—the students that enroll here are looking for a challenge, and to gain academic confidence and language skills with an eye to gaining acceptance at leading universities in Canada and the US.
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| Focus | Special needs |
|---|---|
| Academic | Gifted, Special needs |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Biology | |
| Chemistry | |
| Ecology | |
| Geology | |
| Meteorology | |
| Physics | |
| Physiology | |
| Zoology |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Evolution as consensus theory | |
| Evolution as one of many equally viable theories | |
| Evolution is not taught |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Acting | |
| Dance | |
| Drama/Theatre | |
| Graphic Design | |
| Music | |
| Visual Arts |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Robotics | |
| Web design |
| Flexible pacing style | offered |
|---|---|
| Subject-streaming (tracking) | |
| Multi-age classrooms as standard | |
| Ability-grouping (in-class) as common | |
| Frequent use of cyber-learning (at-their-own-pace) | |
| Regular guided independent study opportunities | |
| Differentiated assessment |
Full-time programming is offered for all students which is exclusively focused on one or more special needs.
| Subject Ttype | offered |
|---|---|
| Learning strategy and study counselling; habit formation | |
| Extra support and minor accommodations for children experiencing subclinical difficulties |
| Subject Ttype | offered |
|---|---|
| Accommodations | |
| Modifications | |
| Extra support |
Read our guide to special needs schools and special education
| Program | offered |
|---|---|
| Full-time gifted program (parallel to rest of school) | |
| Part-time gifted program (pull-out; parallel to rest of class) |
Curriculum delivery: Acceleration (The main focus is on acceleration. This means that all students work at a much quicker pace than public school peers (usually working at least one grade-level ahead). )
| Program | offered |
|---|---|
| Custom subject enrichment (special arrangement) | |
| Custom curriculum compacting (special arrangement) | |
| Guided independent study (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Cyber-learning opportunities (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Formalized peer coaching opportunities (specifically for gifted learners to coach others) | |
| Custom subject acceleration (special arrangement) | |
| Career exploration (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Project-based learning (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Mentorships (custom gifted arrangement) |
In grade Gr. 12, Merit College students perform an average of 1 hour of homework per night.
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merit College | 15 mins | 30 mins | 45 mins | 60 mins |
| Site Average | 68 mins | 79 mins | 95 mins | 108 mins |
| Academic achievement reporting | Gr. 9 to Gr. 12 |
| Habits and behaviour reporting | Gr. 9 to Gr. 12 |
| Sports Offered | Competitive | Recreational |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | ||
| Basketball | ||
| Football | ||
| Ice Hockey | ||
| Lacrosse | ||
| Rowing | ||
| Rugby | ||
| Soccer | ||
| Softball | ||
| Swimming | ||
| Tennis | ||
| Track & Field | ||
| Volleyball | ||
| Badminton |
| Clubs Offered |
|---|
| Student Council |
| Yearbook |
| Art Club |
| Community Service |
| Debate Club |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
| Day | $25,000 | |||
| Grade range that need-based aid is offered: | 11 to 12 |
| Percentage of grade-eligible students receiving financial aid | 0% |
| Average aid package size | $0 |
| Percentage of total enrollment on financial aid | 0% |
| Total aid available | $1,000 |
This information is not currently available.
| Grades | Gender | Living Arrangement | Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Gr. 9 to Gr. 12 | Coed | Day | 100 |
| Group 2 | Gr. 10 to Gr. 12 | Coed | Homestay | 50 |
| Total enrollment | 150 |
| Average enrollment per grade | 38 |
| Average class size | 2 to 10 |
| Gender (grades) | Gr. 9 to Gr. 12 (Coed) |
| Boarding offered | No |
| Percentage of students are international students | |
| Number of different nationalities within student population | 0 |
| Five-day boarding programs offfered |
| Assessment | Required | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | 9 - 12 | |
| SSAT | ||
| SSAT (out of province) | ||
| Entrance Exam(s) | 9 - 12 | |
| Entrance Essay | 9 - 12 | |
| Application Fee |
Day students: Rolling
Homestay students: Rolling
Student Entry Points
| Student Type | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Acceptance (Acceptance rate) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Homestay Acceptance (Acceptance rate) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Services | Offered |
|---|---|
| Career planning | |
| Internships | |
| Mentorship Program | |
| University counseling |
| Key Numbers | |
|---|---|
| Average graduating class size | N/A |
| *Canadian "Big 6" placements | N/A |
| **Ivy+ placements | N/A |
*Number of students in 2015 who attended one of McGill, U of T, UBC, Queen's University, University of Alberta, or Dalhousie University.
**Number of students since 2005 that attended one of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford or Cambridge (UK)
Below, find stories and testimonials about Merit College.
I'm glad to give a speech as a grade 12 Student Representative. First, I want to congratulate all the grade 12 students that have receive offers from your ideal universities or colleges. To get the offers， all of you have paid a lot. Take IELTS for instance, most of us spent tons of time and energy on it, especially Hilary. In the end, this was worth it. Although the process was difficult, all of us ended up with good consequences. Next I want to thank all the teachers, without your help we would have met more difficulties with our studies and applications. Besides, as an experienced person I want to give some advice to grade 11 and grade 10 students. First, your grade at school will play a pivotal role on your application, so when you have a hard time with studying, it is better to find teachers to help you solve your problems, study hard and understand all the homework questions, you will make a great improvement. Then for the students who are required to take IELTS test, it is better for you to prepare for it right now, take the test first to figure out your problems and discuss with teachers to find the solution. Keep practicing and ask teachers for help, you will pass it sooner or later.
At last I hope all of us can get our ideal jobs or the offer form your ideal university in the future.
...Today I am glad to speak here as a representative of student council. This is my first year at Merit Education. Thanks for your trust, and thanks for giving me a chance to be the president of student council. During this year our student council organized a variety of activities. All of these activities have had great success and our friendships have grown closer during these times. School life at Merit makes you feel warm. The longer we stay here the more we feel like a family. The one year life in Merit education has given me not only knowledge, but also more importantly, has allowed me to build many valuable friendships with teachers and students alike!
We have all made many memories over the course of our high school journey. We studied together here, and we worked hard together here, as well. After we overcame many difficulties, we finally tasted the sweet taste of success. This year, every grade 12 student received an offer from top universities and colleges, and we each are going to the university that we dreamed of next semester. Congratulations to all of you. Each one of you has unlimited potential in the future, and your university life will pave a much broader road for your future. Our success comes from the hard work and effort that we have put in, and we could not have done that without our friends, family and teachers. They gave us help and constantly encouraged us to keep working hard. Today we can all walk out of here and feel proud of all we have accomplished over this year.
Today, we are graduating from high school. Everyone will start the next stage of their life journey, and I have no doubt that all of you will be successful in your universities and colleges.
...Good afternoon everyone, I’m so glad that I can make a speech in my graduation ceremony, and I’m so excited as well. Though I stayed in Merit College for only a year, I still had lots of unforgettable memories and moments. Now, here we stand and are about to leave in several weeks.
I’m going thank the principal, vice principal, all the mentors and teachers in this school. It was you guys who devoted yourselves to our students. You are so helpful and professional. You never tire of answering our questions; even sometimes it could be stupid questions. I thank you.
Mostly from my perspective, I also have something to say for the students who are younger than me or lower than my grade. As students, we will have
lots of obstacles and failures on our road to achieve something. It’s impossible to live without failing at something. Nobody else is paying as much attention to your failures as you are. So, just move on. Don't be too sad. Asking questions is always a good way to solve the problem. By doing this, things will be more clear to you. So, don't be hesitant to ask questions. Farewell doesn't always have to be stressful; we still have couple of weeks to enjoy together. Wherever we go and whatever we do, may we always be friends when we meet again.
...
Terrance received high marks in all six of Gr.12 courses with an overall average over 90%. In addition, as President of Student Council, Terrance was an excellent role model for the other students and actively contributed to the Merit community. As a result, Terrance was accepted into most of the top universities to which he applied, including the University of Western Ontario, McMaster University, the University of British Columbia, Queens University and the University of Toronto with scholarship. He has decided to go to the University of Toronto to study the most popular program - Commerce in the fall.
Testimony:
Over past 2 years, I have been studying at Merit Education, which makes me a successful student not only in academic studies, but also in extracurricular activities. As a young person, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to come to Canada to continue my secondary education. My participation in extracurricular activities has significantly improved my social skills, leadership, and communication skills.
Last year, as a Business Council Leader in student council, I hosted the 2015 UNICEF Charity Gala run by my school, Merit Education.Compared to China, there are more extracurricular activities in Canada that schools encourage students to participate in. As a Business Council leader, I took the initiative and applied for the Host position for the UNICEF Charity Gala. This role gave me the opportunity to write, practice, and deliver a very touching speech. I had never spoken at such a grand event and the preparation really paid off.
This year I have been elected as the student council chairman. Our students have actively involved in different extracurricular activities, such as the volunteer event. We have done such a great job and raised more than 15000 dollars for the children in need. All of this could not have been done without support from our principal, our teachers and our staff.
...
For almost a decade, Merit College has been helping young and talented students from all over the world reach their full potential and get accepted into a suitable post-secondary program. Merit offers a rigorous academic program that is individualized in a small class learning environment. Our highly qualified teachers attend to each student’s needs. We pride ourselves on developing young leaders of tomorrow who are confident, caring and responsible global citizens.
On behalf of Merit College and our dedicated staff, I would like to invite you and your family to our school for a visit. I’m confident that you’ll quickly find out why Merit is the right choice for you and your family.
Looking forward to meeting you soon.
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