A Voice in the Wilderness - Blog
The Shawnigan Admissions Process – Joining the Shawnigan Community
The admissions process for a boarding school can seem like a big task, but broken down into small pieces, it doesn't have to be intimidating. In this post, Admissions Assistant Ms. Kieran Ward explains the steps of the process.
As students settle into this year’s school routine, it can be hard to wrap our heads around thinking ahead to the year to come when this one has just started. Some families have already begun their research into school options for next school year that suit the needs, interests, or future goals of their child(ren), who always seem to be growing up too fast.
If you’ve already taken a deep dive into our website, our blog posts, or maybe even the Shawnigan YouTube channel, you might be ready to start the admissions process. We want you and your child(ren) to feel confident, informed, and connected every step of the way through the Shawnigan admissions process.
Hopefully this can provide a little insight into what you can expect, and please know that our team is here to help guide you from the moment you hit the “Welcome” tab on the website, all the way until their arrival on Opening Day, and everything in between.
Acceptances and enrolment into Shawnigan happen on a rolling basis, with peak acceptances being sent between November and April. Applications are open year-round, but acceptances are dependent on space availability, readiness of the child, year of entry, assessment of collected documents, and many other factors. We encourage families to complete the application as soon as possible the year prior to entry, as spaces are limited.
The one exception to rolling admissions is our day student population. If you are hoping to apply for a day student spot, these have a hard application deadline each year of November 1. Please be in touch if you are unsure of your eligibility for a day student spot.
Key steps of the admissions process include:
- Filling out an Inquiry Form OR Application. If you don’t feel quite ready to complete an application and want to have a few questions answered beforehand, please start the process by reaching out to our team through the admissions email (admissions@shawnigan.ca) OR by filling out an inquiry form that can be found linked here. If you are ready to fill out an application, the application is available on the website. Please encourage your child to put thoughtful effort into answering their question portion of the application, as this will be their first opportunity to showcase their passions, skills and motivations for wanting to attend Shawnigan ahead of their interview with one of our team members.
- Connect with our team. By completing an Inquiry Form or Application, this will connect you with one of our Admissions Associates and they will reach out to you directly. You will be asked to upload the supporting documents outlined below, and once the application has been processed by our team, you will be able to submit all documents directly to the application portal.
- Supply any supporting documentation. This will include last year's report card, the report cards throughout the year you are applying for, a recommendation form completed by an academic and math teacher, and an English proficiency test if requested. Any other supplemental documents will be requested by the Admissions Associate working with your family as needed (e.g: Psycho-Educational Assessments, IEP documentation, counselling reports, reference letters from coaches or community programs, etc.).
- Plan your campus visit. When possible, most of our students come for a campus tour and class shadowing experience ahead of joining us at Shawnigan. To learn more about this, please read the Campus Tours blog post linked here. A campus visit will be the best way for families and prospective students to live part of a busy Shawnigan day first-hand and to get a better sense for if they could see themselves thrive at the School.
For some, steps 1-4 will happen in a different order, and that is totally normal. We adapt and work with families to fit their needs, but ask that ahead of coming to campus for a visit, you at least provide a completed inquiry form. If there is a specific program, class, or connection you want to make with a current student or staff member, we are happy to create that connection for you so that you can get an in depth look beyond our office to see if Shawnigan will be a good fit for your child(ren).
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- Decision. If your child(ren)’s application is successful, the Admissions Team will deliver a digital acceptance letter and provide you with a timeline and steps to enroll at Shawnigan. We know this can sometimes be a difficult decision to make when deciding between different schools all over the globe, and your deadline to enroll (or in other words, to accept your acceptance) can be adjusted as needed upon special circumstances.
- Financial Aid. If you are successful in receiving an acceptance and you are seeking
Financial Aid, now will be the time to start this process. For more details, please read our Financial Aid blog; post linked here to learn more about options available to you. If you are seeking financial support, you can only start the application process once your child(ren) has/have been accepted to Shawnigan.
- Enrolment. The day has come: your family has decided that Shawnigan is the place where you want to continue your child(ren)’s secondary school education! We are so excited to welcome you. Once enrolled, you will start to receive onboarding information throughout the spring and summer to get you ready for the transition ahead of Opening Day – the day all of our new students are welcomed onto campus each year.
Some families may complete the admissions process in as little as one or two weeks. Some families might work with our team over the period of a few months for a variety of reasons – competitive sport team tryouts and decisions regarding hockey, financial aid needs, wait lists, etc., but with the hands-on experience of our team, we hope you will feel like a part of the Shawnigan family every step of the way.
Please reach out to our team with any questions, and we look forward to getting to know your child(ren) soon.
Interested in taking your next step in the admissions process? Please reach out to the Admissions Office at admissions@shawnigan.ca.
Ms. Kieran Ward is an Admissions Assistant at Shawnigan Lake School. She has worked as a teaching intern, a live-in staff member of Groves’ House, and in the Events and External Programs department before joining Admissions. She also coaches ice hockey and rugby.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
