I am extremely grateful for the time I got to spend at Maple Canadian College. My time as a student showed me what it looked like to balance high academic performance with social relationships and personal well being, and its boarding advantage only heightened this learning. Now, I am more confident in my leadership and relational skills, especially amongst my peers. In addition, the staff at MCC were very supportive of its students both inside and outside the classroom -- treating us as their own children, instilling in us values such as integrity. With the opportunity to study at Maple Canadian College, I am confident that you will truly be given the opportunity to start here and go anywhere Kind regards,

Indeed, the lives of animals can teach humanity vital lessons. Eagles prove that greatness often requires isolation, as they usually fly alone and at very high altitudes. In contrast, flight flocks show that staying together with similar minded people can help you protect yourself. Maple Canadian College (MCC) taught me the importance of blending both to achieve academic and personal success. My eagle era started before MCC. Nonetheless, it thrived while I was there. The well-lit and serene library allowed me to complete my assignments on time. This place also served as my spot for writing articles on behalf of MCC’s blog. The clean classrooms enhanced my learning experience and made me look forward to my classes. How can I forget the amazing teachers who gave weekly speeches on time management and other life skills? How can the beautiful memories made during MCC’s outings ever leave my memory? Truly, MCC flourished my flight flock timeline as well. In short, the ten-month OSSD program taught me the importance of community. I learned to ask for and accept several math tutorials from my dear friends (they are truly mathematicians in teenage bodies). Giving help in the same measure became a priority to me. I am skilled in writing and so, I helped my friends who needed help in English, Economics and Politics related courses. The friends who encouraged me when I felt like giving up and the nurse’s amazing advice concerning personal issues are gems that contributed to my success at the school. The apex of my success at Maple was gaining admission into my dream university- University of Toronto Scarborough. I am currently studying here and simply put, I am glad I came. Even though I am no longer at MCC, the lessons I learned while surviving numerous deadlines, some unsatisfactory grades and the occasional inevitable burnout are helping me succeed in university today. I am not afraid to try out new courses, I love asking for help (academic and career counseling sessions are my favourites) and I connect with admirable people in my school online and offline. Isolation and community must be balanced in order to achieve greatness. Success is not merely the absence of failure. It is the consistent practice of being better every day despite past mistakes. My advice for all current students of MCC is to work hard, relax regularly, focus on your uniqueness and discover how YOU can meaningfully contribute and collaborate with others in today’s world. You are invaluable.

My journey at Maple Canadian College took less than a year but I’ll feel its impact for a lifetime. My time at MCC came right as I graduated from high school. Due to WASSCE being delayed, I started the school year at Maple a month late, but in all honesty, I don’t think I was deeply affected by the fact. MCC was familiar in the context of a typical school setting, but it was also unfamiliar in terms of how things were done and what was expected of us. I was introduced to a stricter learning environment than I was used to but at the same time, I had more resources at my fingertips than I was used to. I had teachers, websites, friends, and every other thing you could imagine to my advantage. The work didn’t seem as hard as you would think, maybe because we had amazing teachers, that bent over backward to give us an amazing education to the best of their ability. We had supportive staff that encouraged us to find a balance between work and play. We had an amazing support system that took care of us when we had a burnout or had an asthma attack from playing too hard. I challenged myself in new ways and stepped out of my comfort zone by doing things I wouldn’t regularly do. I ran for Vice President of the student body and won! I found out I was really good at writing and even had some of my write-ups in the yearbook. I became more confident in myself and my abilities. And right now, I’m a nursing student at the University of Alberta. I wouldn’t say school was easy, nothing worthwhile ever is, however, I would say that my time at Maple isn’t anything I would change for the world. I am not only grateful for the opportunity to go there, but I am also grateful for the friends I made, the lessons I learned, and the person I became as a result of this.

Because it was ten months, I didn’t expect to have much experience or an impact from my time at Maple Canadian College. But looking back now, after graduating from MCC in June, I couldn't have ever imagined leaving my Nigerian secondary school and immediately entering university. I did pretty well in secondary school but was never genuinely confident in my abilities. This was because doing well in tests or exams in secondary school usually depended on how much you could remember. However, subjects in MCC usually depended more on critical thinking and less on memorization, so I was forced to tap into a part of my ability that I hadn’t before. Because I did well in courses at MCC, this made me confident in myself and proved I wasn’t just lucky by remembering what I had written in my notes. MCC also provided me with an opportunity to execute my passion for journalism. Its small size gave me a better sense of community. Everyone knew everyone, and there was no sense of seniority or superiority because we all had the same goal. MCC provided me with critical thinking and academic writing skills that have helped me so far in university.

Hello Readers; my name is Oluwadara Oluwakayode. I’m a recent graduate of Maple Canadian College. I’m currently a first-year International Business student at Carleton University. I’ll get to the point on my journey to and experience at Maple Canadian College. If anyone came up to me and asked me what I thought about Maple Canadian College, I would tell them it was a second chance at life. Also, I knew it was meant to be as soon as I entered the building on the first day. I had just finished SS3, and I could not join a Nigerian University because of my poor JAMB scores. Also, I didn’t like science, but I was doing it in high school anyway. My JAMB and WAEC were a rude wake-up call for me to change my course of study. I had visited Maple the day after my JAMB; I entered not expecting much because I knew I had failed it even after telling my parents it was fine. When I checked the school, my friend was in the current set at the time (they had finished their finals to graduate). Miss Kenechi was talking to my mum about the school, and I was thinking about my “banging”. Something just changed that made me excited about joining. I also met Mr. Steve (the best housemaster ever), who showed me the hostel, which excited me about coming. But I was scared because I knew if I got into the school doing science, it will be the same results. I knew I liked economics and other business-related subjects (except accounting). Three months later, a month late after the resumption, I graduated from my Nigerian secondary school, and the very next day, I found myself in Maple’s boarding house. I made friends there, some of whom are currently with me here at Carleton University. I’m not going to lie; the beginning was stressful (November was bloody). I had two assignments due on the 24^th, which was my birthday. December was less stressful. The next semester was easier to complete because I was there from the start, unlike the first semester. The teachers at maple were accommodating; Mr. Awe (business and economics), Mr. Matthew (Math), and Mr. Jide (English). Mr. Steve, Miss Nike (school nurse). I finished with a grade average of 88%, a significant upgrade from someone who failed science in secondary school. All I can say is thank you, Maple Canadian College, for everything, and anyone reading this, make sure to be a part of this family. Thanks.