West Island College (Calgary) Reviews

Gain exclusive insight into life at West Island College (Calgary) from our carefully curated video and written reviews, including roundtable Q&As, that deliver in-depth insider info from parents, alumni and students.

Our Perspective on West Island College (Calgary)

West Island College was founded in Montreal in 1974, and was intended to provide a strong bilingual option for families living on Montreal’s West Island. The program there provided a foundation, and a name, for West Island College in Calgary when it was established in 1982. That said, the school quickly established its own independent operations and identity. As such, it was free to build and grow to meet the needs of its students, and it certainly has. The international programs are robust, as are the language programs, all of which contribute to the overall culture of the school. It’s a very interactive, engaging environment, one that requires a lot of the students who attend while also providing the support they need to succeed. The ideal student is one who shares the school’s foundational values and can thrive in a very active and engaging student environment.

Video reviews

Get crucial behind-the-scenes information about West Island College (Calgary) from video interviews with probing questions that we recorded live with parents, current students, and recent alumni.

All (1) Parent (0) Alum (0) Roundtable Q&A (1)


Roundtable Q&A (2020) Watch our West Island College (Calgary) Q&A discussion with Christina (Alum), Chaz (Alum), Jack (Alum) to gain fresh insight into the school’s culture, values, and strengths.	all_videos roundtable_videos	,

Written reviews

Dive deeply into the real culture of West Island College (Calgary) with reviews we’ve structured to highlight only the most valuable insights and opinions submitted by parents, students, and alumni.

All (2) Parent (1) Alum (1) Student (0)


(4.3) Alum, Adam Broniewski (2020) My time at West Island College (WIC) was incredibly memorable and has been influential in shapi... The attitude of teachers and administration at the school was something I came to appreciate after coming back to the school and talking with other students years later. All students are treated with respect and as equals. Thi... Teaching was always engaging and creative. I can still remember some of the classes that we had because the teachers were so passionate about what they did. In class, all students were treated with respect. Some classes were q... Language classes included a great exploration of classics (Shakespear, Jane Austyn, Emile Bronte, J.D. Salinger, Great Gatsby etc.) and more modern works as well. We looked at books, poetry, movies, and plays. We were able to ... There were lots of clubs at the school, and teachers were ready and willing to support new clubs starting up. This provided lots of opportunities to practice leadership in a safe environment. The schools travel program was ... We had a tiny class size. My graduating year was 60 people, and my class size in grade 12 was 14 people, because I was in the french stream. The student population was incredibly diverse both culturally and ethnically. Ever... I really enjoyed going to school. Every day was very diverse and I had a lot to look forward to. The large range of classes I was able to choose from, and being able to participate in clubs during lunch and after school was gr... I don't remember the school community while I was a student, however after graduating I came to learn a community exists and stays very engaged. Student's parents are treated as alumni too and there are lots of opportunitie... The school is on top of the hill above glenmore park, where there are lots of shops, outlets and places to eat. It's generally a quiet location in a more industrial setting. Students arent allowed to leave the ground until the... The admission process made me a bit nervous to get in, as I had to complete an admissions test and have an interview. I don't recall doing any studying prior to the exam, and it was an exam to test my current knowledge. The... The school had a full time career and university counsellor, who had a great relationship with universities around the continent. There were several presentations given to us by universities. I know the school now has organ...	all_reviews alumnus	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,
(5) Parent, Jing Li (2020) We have two sons in WIC, both of whom started from grade seven. My older son is graduating in J... The WIC leadership and administration are incredibly responsible and strategic. No school is problem-free, but the WIC leadership responds to the student or staff-related issues swiftly and communicates to parents in time, ... I am impressed with the quality of instruction. I would describe the teachers at WIC as passionate, experienced, and dedicated. The teachers are not only knowledgeable about their subjects, but can also effectively pass on the... One of the key reasons we took our children to WIC was their French immersion program. In each grade, there is at least one class dedicated to French immersion, about two classes with French as a second language program, and a... WIC offers a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities. Our two children participate in many school sports teams (volleyball, badminton, track and field), school bands (concert and jazz band), as well as Students’ Counci... There are about 100 to 110 students in each of the six grades at WIC. Typically, there are five to six classes in each grade and each class has about 20 students. The student community is small enough to have individual attent... Both our boys enjoy going to WIC. We feel that school provides a safe and caring environment in which kids can be themselves, try new things, and fail without embarrassment. They have easy access to classroom teachers if they ... We understand that at junior/senior high school, the direct parent involvement will be less compared to elementary school as students become more independent. WIC still provides opportunities for parent involvement. The Parent... WIC is located at the Blackfoot Trail and Glenmore Trail intersection. It is very convenient to drop off kids then go to work either in downtown or other areas. The school is also next to a vibrant Farmer’s Market. Students ... We did a lot of research on junior/senior high schools as early as when our older son was in grade five. We attended WIC’s open house for two years in a row. We also toured other private schools in SW Calgary and Okotoks. At... Our older son is currently in grade 12. We just went through the whole university application process. Since grade 9, they started to talk about the transition to high school, helping students map their high school courses. Fr...	all_reviews parent	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,

(4.3)

Alum, Adam Broniewski (2020)

My time at West Island College (WIC) was incredibly memorable and has been influential in shapi...

(5)

Parent, Jing Li (2020)

We have two sons in WIC, both of whom started from grade seven. My older son is graduating in J...

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