REVIEW OF Royal Ontario Academy BY Alum, Ben Slade

(5) Overall Experience

My experience at Royal Ontario Academy was really good overall. One thing that stands out to me is how helpful the teachers were. If I didn’t understand something, I could always ask, and they would take the time to explain it in a simple way. It felt like they actually cared about how I was doing, not just my grades. What I liked best was how flexible everything was. I could work at my own pace, which made it easier to stay on top of my work. It was less stressful than a regular school because I didn’t feel rushed all the time, and I could focus more on actually understanding the lessons. If I had to change something, I would say maybe there could be more ways for students to interact with each other, since it can feel a bit independent sometimes. I do think the school prepared me well for what’s next because it helped me become more responsible and manage my time better. If someone is thinking about going there, they should expect a flexible environment where you have to stay focused, but you’ll get a lot of support if you put in the effort.

Looking Back

What stands out most to me from my time at Royal Ontario Academy is how supportive the teachers were and how flexible the learning was. I remember being able to work at my own pace and actually understand the material instead of feeling rushed.

Current Perspective

Now I see the school as more structured and helpful than I realized when I was a student. At the time, it just felt normal, but looking back, the flexibility and teacher support were actually big strengths. One weakness I notice now is that it can feel a bit independent, which some students might struggle with.

Your Advice

One honest piece of advice I’d give is to stay disciplined and not fall behind, because it’s easy to if you don’t manage your time well. I wish someone had told me how important it is to stay consistent with your work, since flexibility can be a strength but also a challenge if you’re not focused.

(4.5) School Leadership

I completed the same course with a friend from my hockey team. We did not have much interaction with the school leadership, but our teacher was fully involved each week with our progress and assignments. She handled situations calmly and tried to solve problems in a reasonable way. Communication was clear most of the time, especially when it came to expectations and deadlines. I also think they did a good job of keeping things running smoothly and making sure we had what they needed to succeed.

(4.5) Teaching

The teaching at Royal Ontario Academy was very good overall, and I was happy with the quality of instruction I received. My teacher was knowledgeable and explained things in a way that was easy to understand. If I ever had questions, she was always willing to help and made sure I understood the material before moving on. Our teacher treated us fairly and was approachable, which made it easier to ask for help. She communicated clearly and often gave useful feedback that helped me improve my work. I have heard that other teachers were passionate about their courses. Overall, I thought my teacher was caring, and she was excellent. I would definitely recommend her. I plan to take several more courses online in Grade 12.

(5) Academics

The academic course at the Royal Ontario Academy is online, flexible and focused on helping students like me and my teammate succeed at our own pace. One of its main strengths is that it allows students to manage their time and work through courses in a way that is called asynchronous. This helps students stay organized and build independence. The teachers also provide clear explanations and support through the online platform. A weakness could be that the program requires a lot of self-discipline. If a student is not motivated, it can be easy to fall behind since there is less structure compared to a traditional school. I felt both challenged and supported. The work was not overly easy, but it was manageable with effort. The course helped me improve my time management and responsibility, which are important for future studies and work. Overall, I do think it prepared me well for my next steps, especially by teaching me how to stay organized and take ownership of my learning.

(3.5) School Life

It is an online school, so school life is fairly limited, but that is what I was looking for. I wanted to complete my course in the summer and on my own time, so that was very helpful and useful. The flexible schedule and independent style of learning made it easier to balance school with other sports and summer plans, which helped a lot with overall stress. That was one of the biggest positives for me. I was able to complete my course in the time period that was required. One thing that affects student life is that it can feel more independent, so there are fewer social interactions compared to a regular school. Because of that, some students might feel a bit disconnected if they are used to a more social environment. I think the school could improve by creating more opportunities for students to interact and build a stronger sense of community. From what I saw, most students seemed fairly relaxed and not overly stressed, but also not super competitive. People were generally focused on their own work. Overall, it’s a good environment for students who are self-motivated and want a more flexible and low-pressure school experience.

(5) Admissions

My parents helped with admissions and sending in the paperwork. I liked that I received a midterm report and a final grade report. We sent those documents to my home school, and I then did not need to take the French course at school because I had already completed it. The school works best for students who can manage their own time and stay consistent with their work. If you know you can do that, you’ll probably do well there. From my experience, the application process wasn’t very stressful because my parents did it for me.