Schools Recommendation
High School recommendation
In terms of academic performance, social living and language environment, we have no hesitation to recommend School District 23 in British Columbia for international students at elementary and secondary level. This district is situated in Kelowna, BC, is an ideal place to raise children. It is a growing city with a population close to 200,000 next to the beautiful Okanagan Lake. Students here are away from many metropolitan temptations but surrounded by many natural beauties. Outdoor activities, such as skiing in winter, water games on the lake are all year round. Schools are very committed to developing students into lifelong learners and productive members of the global society. Below you may find more benefits of School District 23.
Academic excellence
According to PISA, and BC students score above the national average. There are 230 public high schools in B.C., 5 from SD23. All of these 5 high schools have AP courses available. These schools consistently perform at the top tier in their province. And OKM tops at No.1 among all public schools academically in the last decade. Unlike many Asian aggregated cities in North America, families here have the least tradition of sending kids to after school academic programs. It is the merit of teachers or way of teaching that contributes to their excellence. Teachers pay a lot of attention to every individual, as proclaimed by some of the students, they are very happy with their teachers. The international body is relatively very small, and mainly from west Europe and southern America.
Social Environment
The city of Kelowna located in the middle of the 110km-long Okanagan Lake with a population about 170,000, has one of the busiest international airports in Canada. It is renowned for its high tech, creative industry, tourism, winery and agriculture. It is vibrant but peaceful, away from traffic business & unhealthy distractions. World class ski resorts, golf clubs, winery, fine dine are basic here. The weather is mild, and is an ideal place of retirement for many Canadians as well as Europeans. You may refer to the “About Kelowna” page for more information.
Home Stay
According to Stat Canada, Kelowna is one of the community with the highest percentage of population speaks English as their mother tongue. Close to 90% of the residents speak only English or English & French, one of the highest ratio’s in Canada. The real estate market here is very reasonable compared to other overheat metropolitan. For the same amount of money, the living standard in Okanagan region is higher than that of its counterparts. It is perfect for international students to focus on study, improve their language skills and stay away from unhealthy distractions.
College recommendation
Studying in the top ranked university might be ideal to some students with high profile. It is so true that they are very expensive and competitive to get in. If you are wealthy and extremely academic, you should focus on the very top institutes like UBC, UT, and Ivey Leagues. To majority of high school grads, start from a college, quickly secure a loved job, and then continue on with a higher academic pursuit may be more realistic. Programs at college level costs less and have less teacher-student ratio, more interaction with professor and easier to achieve higher academic result. Okanagan College is one of those worthy your consideration. It is a public institution and the largest college in the BC interior with over 10,000 enrolled students. OC has over 120 various programs that vary from certificate to diploma or degree. It’s affiliated with the renowned UBC Okanagan campus as well. Credits earned in OC are transferable to UBCO. The employment rate of international graduates ranks very high. It is a gem to both the academically talented and those who aim at quicker employment.
Check here for List of cooperated institutions in North America.