FIND YOUR FIT

MULGRAVE’S CLASS OF 2021

Finding the right fit for post secondary study is a deeply personal experience for our graduates. They each have their own vision, priorities, and means of making their decisions. Sometimes, the path has been clear for years, and for others it comes together in joint exploration with their university counsellor and loved ones during their last year at Mulgrave.

We invite you to explore the student stories below. From their specific and specialised programme goals, to the personal connections that are held dear, we know that our students have put a great deal of consideration into creating a future that is the perfect fit for them.

LEARN MORE AT FINDYOURFIT.MULGRAVE.COM

GABI NOVAK

Gabi suffered a serious leg injury while ski racing, ending her competitive career. Getting an intimate look at the Canadian health system during her recovery, Gabi focussed her energies on the sciences with the thought of pursuing medicine as a career goal. Consistent with this aspiration was her involvement with MERT (Mulgrave Emergency Response Team), in addition to her volunteer commitments as a ski instructor for the disabled in Whistler. Her counsellors challenged her assumptions, providing a good balance of opinions when it was time to apply to schools that would help her achieve her ambitions.

“Initially, I focussed on Canadian schools, but when the US went test-optional due to COVID, I decided to apply there as well. I also explored the option of direct-entry medicine and applied to Irish medical schools. After many conversations with university counsellors, peers, and my family, I decided that Dartmouth College was the right fit for me. Dartmouth has a tight-knit community (reminding me of Mulgrave), and is surrounded by the outdoors where I can run, bike, and ski. Dartmouth’s undergraduate programme will allow me to explore many different subject areas before deciding on a major.” Roy is a man with a plan. Even before starting his Grade 10 year, he knew he was interested in pursuing architecture as his career. He took studio courses and looked into the requirements for the development of his portfolio early on.

“With my family, I visited universities with strong architecture programmes across the US, including Illinois Tech, Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, University of Oregon, Cal Poly and Syracuse University. All of these schools provide a 5-year Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and would prepare me for the certification exam without requiring the 2-year Master’s programme.”

At the end of the journey, it was the Southern California Institute of Architecture (Sci-ARC) that won his heart with its incredible work and studio spaces, faculty, and personalised admissions process.

Roy has a well-developed set of executive functioning skills, a mature and measured approach, and incredible art skills; the perfect balance of form and function for his career path. You can explore some of his work at roysportfolio.com. Cindy has had a dynamic and engaging presence in Mulgrave’s art scene since she joined the school in Grade 6. A committed visual and performing artist, Cindy has narrowed her post-secondary pursuits to visual art and design (although she hasn’t ruled out acting after her undergrad degree).

“I love making art and felt that I could make a living more successfully than in the performing arts. I knew that I wanted to study in the US due to the quality of art schools and the general art ‘vibe’ and scene in major cities like New York and Chicago. My time with my university counsellor was very helpful; I received a lot of support completing my many applications, getting feedback on my essays, and meeting deadlines. But being able to just check-in, unwind, and share what was on my mind reduced my stress and made the process seem less daunting.”

Cindy had a spectrum of well-respected art school acceptances and scholarships on her palette of choices. She ultimately landed on Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), which she points out gives her great access to both Boston and New York City.

ROY ZHANG JIA RUI (CINDY) GAN

ILHAM HAKIM

I truly couldn’t have done it without my university counsellor. Knowing that I wanted to pursue medicine, she helped me find volunteer options at hospitals (I ended up at BC Children’s) to gain first-hand experience and introduced me to many medical conferences to learn more about the field. Ultimately, I know that I already have established connections and a strong network in Vancouver that will give me better chances of landing research positions if I attend UBC.

I’m inclined towards accepting the offer from UBC as I already have a foundation there that I can build upon. My mentor graduated from UBC Medical School and I was able to attend some lectures with her. Sometimes graduation can present itself as an opportunity to return to a place of familiarity. With much of Devon’s extended family in California and herself having lived there prior to joining Mulgrave in Grade 7, looking towards our southern neighbour’s universities came naturally.

In Grade 11, Devon visited a few universities in the California region. UC Berkeley came out on top, as she immediately felt at home on the campus and was pleasantly surprised by the genuine, positive feedback she received from students.

“My brother goes to Berkeley, and I always envisioned myself going back to that area too; it felt like all the signs pointed in that direction.”

ALEXANDER IVANOV

Mulgrave students are known for their early focus on a path that blends their skills and interests, and leads towards a specific job or profession. Alexander is not one of those students, but for all the right reasons. Indeed, Alexander is a passionate disciple of physics and maths who has decided, with the support of his family and his university counsellor, to follow a path that enables research opportunities while still leaving the door open to a variety of career pathways.

“I can see myself as an engineer one day, maybe computer science, but for now, I am less interested in building and designing and more keen to look at the phenomena of maths and physics rather than the application.”

JED DECOOMAN

Since he was four years old, Jed has been in his element on a baseball field. Watching his older brother play competitive, high-level ball at the post-secondary level, Jed knew he also wanted to pursue his passion.

“Originally, I wanted to apply to Ivy League schools, but our university counsellors encouraged me to think a bit differently. They shared information on the grades I would need to maintain and the classes required for entrance, and got me thinking about my longer-term goals. I wanted to pursue a school where coaches could help me advance my skills and support my efforts to make it to the Major Leagues. UCSB is the right opportunity for me as I’ll play in a highly competitive environment and enjoy my university experience.”

ZIA JANMOHAMED DEVON SEYBOLD

JOAQUIN REVELLO LERENA

Zia has always been focussed on studying pediatric neuro or cognitive science, and knew she wanted to pursue entry to universities that would best prepare her for top grad schools in this field.

Zia applied to and was accepted to neuro and cognitive science programmes across the country and received several annual scholarships. Of the schools she ultimately considered, she was drawn to McGill for its unique cognitive science programme, location, and community. Joaquin has been an aspiring developer and entrepreneur for years; his G10 personal project - a productivity timer - blended his design skills with business acumen. He was able to further hone those capabilities in the summer of 2020 at the UPenn Management and Technology Summer Institute. It therefore comes as no surprise that Joaquin committed himself in early decision to the University of Pennsylvania.

“I’ve always known I wanted to be an engineer. I love physics and aerospace engineering, but I have developed a passion for business, too. This programme will help me fulfil my long-term dream of creating access to affordable space travel.”