Braemar College is an international high school located at 229 College Street: Toronto's downtown…read morehub. The location is perfect as there are many places to connect within the city. Prominent sites like the University of Toronto (St. George Campus), CF Eaton Centre, Financial District, Chinatown are within the College streets. The building consists of 5 floors: Toose art store (1st floor), UofT Student Services (2nd floor), Braemar College (3rd to 5th). My decision to transfer from a public Canadian secondary school to Braemar was a game-changer. The College does as much as it can to support you and make sure that you succeed in the short and long term. Both principals, Mrs. Lemieux and Ms. Schumacher are some of the kindest, warmest, inspirational leaders I've ever met. They always helped me strive my best through my academic growth, and I'm grateful that the College has such an inspiring administration.
Educationally, the College offers the proper grounds for an ideal academic growth (mainly in social and geographic sciences). Unlike other institutions, the College follows a four-term system (five for summer school). Each term consists of 2 months and a half, and alumni can take up to 3 courses per day. Each class lasts around 3 hours as it is designed as a core course. I strongly advise any student looking to enroll at the College to get further information regarding the available courses, teachers available per field, teachers ratings from students, and the average number of students per the desired course (specifically Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
Further, make sure that the courses you are enrolling in are available in the selected term. I had the honour to have met some of the most inspiring instructors from all around the globe. They will always look for your wellbeing and help you to achieve your needs. Regarding facilities, the College does not count with a physical science laboratory but a digital lab for STEM courses. The school does not have a gymnasium. Instead, students will go to Kensington Community School Jr. to use the sports court. Clubs and student organizations occasionally shift within terms (make sure to contact the Activities Director and lead groups for further details). There is no specific place to eat as the College does not have a cafeteria, and the rooms serve as classrooms, IT rooms, and performing arts rooms. Luckily, there is a wide range of local and international restaurants and cafés.
Regarding housing, the College does not count with private dorms. Instead, there's a privately-owned residence called Campus One, which many alumni commonly rely on. If you would like to live with a local family (commonly referred to as homestay), please be aware that most of them are situated within a 25km-35km radius from the College (typically in North York, Scarborough, Toronto West End). I would recommend living in the downtown core as it is more comfortable and accessible to commute within the College and the city. In my experience, Braemar College offers excellent opportunities and connections globally, and it will depend on you on how to use most of your time. Take advantage of the great options, learning experiences (in and out of the College) to enrich your desired goals and experience a globally connected city. The choice is yours to make