College entry advisors ‘truly changing lives’

Feb. 29, 2024

Georgian student Katie Epkenhaus was missing some of the admission requirements she needed to get into the Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant program.

Thanks to an innovative initiative led by the Office of the Registrar and her determination to pursue a career in the field, Katie is now months away from graduation!

Working with College Entry Advisor Sabrina Chun, Katie found a pathway into the program. Together, they developed a plan to meet admission requirements, which included taking upgrading courses through Academic and Career Preparation.

Sabrina helped me achieve my dream and I couldn’t be more thankful. The best part of my experience was that it was judgment free. I didn’t have a strong academic record and thanks to her care, commitment and compassion, I had the support I needed to find a pathway when it would have been easy to give up. Georgian’s college entry advisors are truly changing lives. – Katie

Watch a video to hear Katie’s story

Georgian supports

Along with the personalized experience she received during the application process, Katie has appreciated the wide range of academic and student services supports available to her as a Georgian student – especially as a mature student returning to studies after some time.

“As a mature student and as a mother, the financial aspects of coming to college were intimidating,” says Katie. “But there are supports in place – like OSAP, scholarships, awards and bursaries to help make your goals possible.”

Katie has also found the Clinical Placement team invaluable to her success.

“Clinical placements have been an empowering, humbling and inspiring part of my Georgian experience,” says Katie. “The team tries to ensure we have exposure to various opportunities – ranging from pediatrics and long-term care to private clinics and hospitals. This is critical in helping us to make a decision on what we want to specialize in after graduation.”

College entry advisors

Georgian piloted the entry advising initiative in spring of 2022 to help bridge the gap in the applicant experience and guide unsuccessful applicants in becoming future students.

For the last two years, our team has been working with unsuccessful applicants to support their admission into a Georgian program. We work with them one-on-one to help reach their postsecondary goals and are there to provide support along the way. It has been – and continues to be – a rewarding experience, especially since some of the first applicants we worked with, like Katie, are now nearing program completion. – Sabrina

When an applicant lacks requirements to be admitted to a program, or if they’re eligible but not competitive, an advisor reaches out. Through one-on-one discussions, the advisor seeks to understand each applicant’s career aspirations and interests.

In collaboration with the applicant, they identify next steps, which might include exploring:

• how to become eligible for the desired program via upgrading or testing,
• credit transfer and pathway options, and/or
• alternate programs that fit the applicant’s interest.

Want to apply to Georgian? Check out our admissions roadmap and explore our more than 130+ market-driven programs.

Being MORE

Hear more inspiring student stories like Katie’s. See our Being MORE playlist on YouTube.