MISSION
Inspiring Excellence in Education and Life
VISION
By inspiring excellence – the continuous pursuit of personal best - in education and life, Mulgrave strives to equip lifelong learners to thrive in a culturally diverse and interdependent world and to embrace, with passion and confidence, their responsibility always to do their best to support others and to make a difference by serving their communities, both locally and in the world at large.
OUR VALUES
At Mulgrave
- Individual values are based on personal integrity and acting with respect towards others.
- Our sense of community and friendship is founded on humility, empathy, commitment, and inclusion.
- Lifelong learning is built upon curiosity, creativity, agility, and innovative thinking.
- A global perspective and environmental and social responsibility are central to becoming true world citizens.
- All members of our community strive for wellbeing and balance and understand that striving for one’s personal best should be enjoyable.
THE MULGRAVE GRADUATION YEARS EXPERIENCE
Our Senior School is composed of Grades 10, 11, and 12 with 268 students in total. The Grade 10 year is the last year of our IB Middle Years Programme and provides an excellent foundation for our two-year Diploma Programme and our Enriched Pathway (Grades 11 and 12).
The International Baccalaureate-based curriculum we provide at Mulgrave creates the opportunity for our students to experience a rigorous, comprehensive, balanced, and exceptionally rewarding education. We pride ourselves on offering our students the opportunity to be creative, critical, and independent thinkers. We believe that it is important to develop intercultural skills and a flexible mindset that will allow them to thrive in the changing world they will inhabit. It is, therefore, imperative to provide our students with a holistic education that merges academic achievement with the development of life skills attained through involvement in athletics, service and leadership, the arts, outdoor education, and global outreach.
Grade 10
With an array of course options, including specialised science, arts, and humanities classes, and the IB Personal Project – a culminating assignment designed as a formal expression of what has been learnt throughout the Middle Years Programme – our Grade 10 year solidifies our students’ IB understanding and prepares them for the challenge of our final two years.
Grades 11 & 12
Mulgrave students graduate with the IB Diploma and the British Columbia High School ‘Dogwood’ Diploma or with a combination of IB courses and the ‘Dogwood’ Diploma (Enriched Pathway).
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME
The IB Diploma Programme is recognised world-wide as an academically rigorous programme that develops deep and broad subject knowledge, conceptual understanding, and the key 21st century skills of critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and communication. Key features of our IBDP are the requirements to study a reflective epistemology course, Theory of Knowledge, and to write a research paper (the extended essay), both of which are excellent preparation for high-level university study.
MULGRAVE'S ENRICHED PATHWAY
Some of our Senior students choose to follow an enriched pathway to graduation. They customise their programme with selected IB courses and BC Provincial courses in order to pursue their commitments to athletics, the arts, or other interests. These students benefit from the rigour of our IB programme and create a balance that allows them to manage demands on their time while excelling in other areas of their education.
MULGRAVE GRADUATES
Our Mulgrave graduates go on to accept places at universities around the world, and our alumni return with stories that attest to the strong preparation that a Mulgrave education gave them to navigate through their varied post-secondary and post-graduate journeys. This document offers an overview of that preparation and the results of our efforts to support each of our students through the university application process.
UNIVERSITY & CAREERS COUNSELLING AT MULGRAVE
MISSION STATEMENT
The University and Careers Counselling Department is committed to informing, enhancing, and guiding the Mulgrave community in all aspects of post-secondary planning.
MULGRAVE'S UNIVERSITY COUNSELLING TEAM
Scott Atherton, Joyce Tang, and Leah Verdone
GUIDANCE AND PERSONALISED SUPPORT
- Post-secondary action planning starts early with G9 students and families regarding course selection, career and programme choices, and universities of interest.
- We provide guidance and advice on extra curricular activities related to arts and culture, athletics, sciences, service and leadership, work experience, and volunteer opportunities both internally and externally.
- We provide one-on-one support for students and parents with university applications, including admissions requirements, essay writing and review, document submission, interviews, scholarship applications (ie. Loran Award, Schulich Scholars, and others), admission and deferral decisions, gap year considerations, and career exploration.
- We provide support in applying to summer academic/experiential programmes nationally and internationally.
RESOURCES
- The department provides easily accessible, web-based information on topics such as SAT/ACT preparation advice, scholarship opportunities, summer enrichment opportunities, external career exploration events, university open houses, and much more.
- Counsellors remain informed on pertinent university issues, trends, and information by attending national and international university counsellors' conferences, including NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counselling), UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), CIS (Conference of Independent Schools), CISC (Canadian Independent School Counsellors), and IACAC (International Association for College Admission Counselling).
OUTREACH
- Throughout the year, we visit universities and speak with admissions representatives to enhance networking with key institutions in the US, UK, and Canada. Recent visits include Imperial College London, U of Glasgow, UPenn, UCLA, Georgetown, and UBC.
- We work with the Mulgrave Communications team to share student stories about the importance of finding the 'right fit' school and programme.
- Our Director of Alumni Engagement, with the support of our Alumni Board, also works through digital channels and alumni events to accomplish the same ongoing sense of community and connection.
EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS AT MULGRAVE
- Parent information sessions, including open door events, MVP meetings, and coffee mornings
- UK application workshops to assist with writing the Personal Statement
- UBC application workshops to support writing all admissions essays
- US essay writing (Common Application and supplementaries) workshops
- Public university fairs (UK, VAIS, and CUE) and individual visits from over 100 post-secondary institutions each year
- Mulgrave is the only public SAT testing centre on the North Shore
- Partnership with external provider for SAT/ACT prep courses
FIND YOUR FIT
WHAT MAKES A UNIVERSITY 'THE ONE'? This is the question many high school students grapple with as they consider where to apply. Ultimately, it’s all about finding the right fit. Find out how our students find a path that's right for them by visiting:
FINDYOURFIT.MULGRAVE.COM
Holistic Education
Mulgrave prides itself on a holistic education that is focussed on developing students’ personal skills and qualities alongside high-level academic achievements. Our education, in line with the IB philosophy, is broad, and our students actively participate in service learning and leadership activities, the creative and performing arts, athletics and outdoor education pursuits, in addition to their core academic programme.
THE ARTS
Mulgrave has a robust creative and performing arts programme, including film, music, theatre, and visual arts. Our students have the opportunity to showcase their talents through performances and shows throughout the year, including an annual theatre production, music concerts, national and international competitions, film festivals, and culminating art and music shows.
SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP
Student Life provides our learners with a variety of ways to be involved. There are official positions for student leaders, including Senior Board Members, Student Advisory Council, and the Student Action Council. Additionally, students can participate in annual activities, as well as join Global Experiential Learning trips where they learn about new cultures and provide support to underserved communities.
ATHLETICS
Mulgrave has a three-season athletic programme. Students can choose from teams and electives such as golf, bouldering, basketball, tennis, swimming, volleyball, soccer, cross country, track and field, badminton, and rugby. Our PHE programme enables all students to pursue fitness and health within the context of overall wellbeing.
OUTDOOR EDUCATION
In our Outdoor Education programme, students participate in single- and multi-day adventures, as well as optional programmes such as Duke Of Edinburgh, that align with their classroom studies. These encourage a greater appreciation for their natural world and strengthen interpersonal skills as students work with others to problem solve.
UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCES AND PROGRAMMES OF STUDY: BEST FIT
At Mulgrave, best fit is always at the top of our priority list when it comes to university. We work with each student to determine the type of school and programme that would provide the optimal environment for continued learning and success. Whether it is a unique campus location, co-op programmes, faculty access, or class size, our teachers, leadership team, and university counsellors help our students find a post-secondary placement that will allow them to continue to pursue their personal best.