Shad Valley

[Guest Spencer]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm sorry I had to start a whole new thread about Shad Valley seeing as virtually nobody on these boards are eligible to go :b , but I couldn't reply to old Shad Valley post in the archives since it is 'read-only'.

 

Anyway, just wanted to thank everyone who gave me advice on the admissions process, I recieved my acceptance yesterday in large white envelope :lol (looking for a repeat performance when I apply to meds) and I'm really happy about it. So a big thanks to everyone, especially Peachy, who hasn't been around lately, I guess MD/PhD students don't have much time to roam the boards...(To Peachy: now you have REAL chance of winning back your tuition...don't worry, I didn't forget to write your name down as the person who sponsored me).

 

I have until March 1st to hand in the registration form and such. The most difficult task I have facing me is ranking my preference of 10 campuses which are the following: UBC, UofC, Lakehead, McMaster, Queens, Carleton, UW, UNB, MUN and Dal...can anybody give me any advice? Although the Shad Valley program is the 'same' at all campuses, weekend activities may differ with each campus (ie. whale watching off the coast of New Brunswick at UNB...you can't whale watch at Carleton...at least I don't think you can?) Any insight or recommendations would be extremely helpful...thank you!

 

By the way, the ranking system is as follows, I get to pick TWO 'A' choices which constitute my two most preferrable locations, followed by FOUR 'B' choices (my next 4 favourite schools) and then finally FOUR 'C' choices for the remaining school.

 

Thanks again!

 

Spencer

 

P.S. As of NOW, I'm leaning more towards the two extremes of the country...either UBC or Dal.

 

P.P.S.S. Anyone on the boards going this year? I might just see you at the same campus .

[Guest Ibraheem]

hey Spencer i am curious, which marks did you apply with? and what were your standing within your classes?

[Guest Spencer]

Hey Ibraheem,

 

Sorry you won't be joining me this year at Shad Valley...but I'm sure your own summer program will prove to be equally fun and beneficial. My marks weren't stellar or anything, although Shad expects their applicants to be of a certain academic caliber (particularly in Math and Science), I say anyone with an average of over 85% would have a decent shot at a spot in an academic perspective. Keep in mind though that it isn't all about marks, they also want creative and entrepreneurial applicants who have an active life outside of school. My marks were low-to-mid 90s. With regards to class standing, I think it really helped me out on my application, although that information was classified as OPTIONAL, I found it most beneficial to include it since my school has a reputation for being hard on marks. Suffice it to say, I was either in second or first place within all four of my classes last semester (although the marks would suggest otherwise).

[Guest kakashifan]

kewl! Shad valley!

i went to shad 98 carleton...

(yup.. that was oh so long ago).

usu shad waterloo tends to be super engineering/compsci oriented (the people who attend).

otherwise, try to get advice from people who attended last year. Altho I had a fantastic time at Carleton, I'm sure the the program director has changed...

congrats!

[Guest Spencer]

Hey kakashifan,

 

Thanks for sharing your insights into your personal experiences with Shad. I am well aware of Waterloo's repuation to produce very technical, engineering and comp sci oriented Shads...which is why I am not putting too much emphasis on Waterloo as one of my top choices (since my math and comp sci is terrible). How was your experience at Carleton? It is one of those campuses which I haven't heard much about, what sort of activities did you do outside of lectures, guest speakers and free time? Frankly, spending a month at the country's capital sounds appealing...seeing as I have only been there ONCE and only for a day.

 

Thanks!

 

Spencer

 

P.S. I don't know where I can get in touch with people who went to Shad last year. My school isn't notorious for producing Shads and I only know of two students from my school who ever attended and both of them have graduated now. Which is why I'm posting here looking for potential information.

[Guest 007]

I'd say go somewhere you wouldn't normally be able to go otherwise. If you're from ON, for sure try BC or NS!! I've been everywhere West of Ottawa, but never to the East and I'm itching to go. See as much of Canada as you possibly can!

 

007

[Guest kakashifan]

yup! i totally agree with 007.

I'm from Vancouver so i opted for the east (well.. easier for us westerners, i guess)

smaller the program, the better.

I'm sure you can get a hold of some previous shads' contact info from cheryl thompson? (or another shad admin?)

My Shad experience?

Let's see... Carleton

- the living situation was great.. you have a roommate and everybody was on the same floor on a newly renovated dorm building.

- the profs were great too... Being a total bio-med person, I gained a lot of interest in engineering and even a bit for business.

- extra profs - hmm.. i can't really remember.. hahaha...

ottawa was beautiful in the summer (quite hot compared to vancouver but everywhere is hot compared to vancouver).

the rideau canal is beautiful (carleton is right beside)

- going around the parliament buildings, of course, is always a treat..

- we also got to go to hull, quebec with the museum of civilization (where i got to order food in french and see stop signs with 'arret' on them!)

- actually... i love languages and i love francophone related stuff.. so if you're like that.. you would probably benefit from a school in quebec (wait.. is there one?)

(there is a summer language bursary program held by the goverment for univ students where you are immersed in the french language for 1.5 months free .. that was great too!)

sorry for such vague responses... my memories of shad have been displaced with microbiology.. hahaha

[Guest peachy]

Congrats Spencer! I tend to agree with the other posters - everyone loves Shad, everyone claims that their campus and program is the best, just pick which city you would like to visit.

 

The only thing I can think of other than location in terms of affecting program quality is that, all things being equal, I would choose a campus with an experienced program director. There's a list of them at shad.ca. For example, Tom Keenan and John Pliniussen in Calgary have been around a long time and I have heard that they run a dynamite program. Ed Jernigan from Waterloo has also been a PD for a long time, I think.

 

Hey kakashifan, I went to Carleton 98 as well. Small world! :-)

[Guest mollybear]

Hey guys!

 

I was a Carleton 97 Shad - loved it! It was a great experience. I was from out west and I thought it would be fun to go out east. I agree with everyone else - I think its great to go somewhere that you haven't been before or try a different part of the country.

[Guest seonagh]

Since someone mentionned NS.

I went to Shad in NS (Acadia University, Wolfville) in 1990 (yeah the dark ages I know). Anyway, it was great. We did a lot of outdoorsy hiking type stuff. The campus is in a nice spot and we also went on, I think two trips into Halifax for cool stuff like the NS tattoo, blue nose cruise and visit to some lectures etc at then TUNS now Dal Engineering I believe.

It was a great time, I was fully sponsored by National Sea Products and did work term in Lunenburg/Halifax too so that was really cool.

 

I'm from Cape Breton and do wish that I had gone to the other coast instead of so near home but money for travel was on me and I just didn't have it. Go somewhere as different as possible would be my advice cause they do seem to try and fit a lot of character of the local area into the program.

Seonagh

[Guest Spencer]

Hey Everyone,

 

Thanks for all sharing all of your experiences, they will certainly aid me in coming up with my ranking list.

 

Hi Peachy! Glad to see you back on the boards ...thought you would have disappeared into the depths of PhD research by now. I should thank YOU, for allowing me this opportunity to go to Shad, if it weren't for that wee little post, I would've passed by the potential summer of a lifetime. Regarding your comment on..."pick the city you want to visit".... In addition to giving a rank to your preferrable location, you must also include a reason. If I just tell them that I would like to visit Halifax, is that reason enough to get me into Dal?

 

Coming from Toronto, I would like to visit UBC and Dal at the two extremes of the country. Problem is, I haven't heard much about the program they run there. I've heard a lot of good things about the UNB, UofC, Waterloo and Carleton programs though. Both of my school's former Shads went to Dal and they loved it.

 

kakashifan: Yes, Cheryl Thompson is still student co-ordinator and yes I have already bothered her on several occasions. I imagine she is quite busy right now, so I think I won't be bothering her! As for your comment..."the smaller the program the better"...I wasn't aware that there was a difference in the amount of Shads at each campus and that all of them had ~50 students?

 

Once again, I'd like to thank all of you your for your overwhelming response. I'm looking forward to joining the ranks of prestigious Shad alumni such as yourself .

 

Anymore opinions and advice is welcome...don't hesitate to add your 2 cents.

 

Spencer

[Guest marbledust]

Regarding the Calgary program - Tom Keenan is an absolutely awesome program director! I went to Calgary Shad a loooong time ago (sometime in the early 90s is all I will admit to ), and I have worked with and for Dr. Keenan as well - he is also the Dean of Continuing Education. He's a great guy. He has been involved with the Shad program for a long time and is just as enthusiastic now as he was when he started. He is a very "hands-on" director.

 

He has been very instrumental in developing and bringing a number of programs for high school students to the U of C. Due to his influence and interests, the Calgary program is quite focused on computer science. There are also some very cool opportunities in robotics and medical research.

 

I would agree with the others who suggest going to a different part of the country than where you live. Although I loved the Calgary program, I grew up in Southern Alberta and regret that I wasn't brave enough to venture more than 300 km from home!

[Guest rashika]

Shad Queen's 2002. We were over at Herstmonceaux Castle in England. Got to go to London and Vimy Ridge in France. Lots of fun! Unfortunately this year they've moved it back to Kingston.

[Guest getitonthefloor]

Spencer,

I was a Shad Calgarian in 2000 and I must say that it was the most amazing experience of my young life. Regardless of where you go, you will definitely meet people your age who will inspire you and change your life for the better. At Calgary, the campus was beautiful, the weather was great, the opportunity to climb the Rocky Mountains during the weekends was exhilirating, the Calgary Stampede occurs at the same time as Shad so you may be able to check that out, and you can skate on the Olympic Oval Speed Skating Rink. You'll learn a lot in the classroom, but you'll probably learn even more spending time with the other Shads. I know I did. The best thing about Shad Calgary is that there is no curfew (or at least there hasn't been one since I was there or that I've heard of since), so you have the whole night to sit around and talk with each other, get to know one another, and become further inspired and motivated to fulfill your dreams.

 

I loved my time at Shad Calgary, and I hope you enjoy yourself just as much as I did.

 

Shad Calgarian svc2k

[Guest Spencer]

Hi Everyone,

 

Thanks for all of your generous inputs, I have taken everybody's advice into consideration and spent a great deal of time trying to sort out my choices. I had my registration form and deposit express-posted to Shad International this morning.

 

My final choices were as follows:

 

'A' Choices: UBC, Dal

'B' Choices: UofC, UNB, MUN and Carleton

'C' Choices: UWaterloo, Queens, Lakehead and McMaster

 

I am originally from Toronto...and as you can see, I am desperately trying to get out of this province :b . Ah well, no guarantees as to where I will end up, but if your collective responses have emphasized anything, it was that I will enjoy myself no matter where I go this summer!

 

Thanks again

 

Spencer