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1. What kind of job can I get with a Quest degree? 1. What kind of job can I get with a Quest degree? Quest offers an arts and sciences degree that cultivates critical reasoning and communication skills, and prepares the mind for a lifetime of learning. Our program does not aim to train students for a particular vocation or profession; rather, we provide a solid academic background that develops each student's intellectual capacities to the fullest The versatility of our arts and sciences curriculum prepares our students to go on to graduate and professional schools for advanced degrees, or to enter into a wide variety of careers. We believe a comprehensive education best prepares students for the 21st century. Today's world is changing at an ever-accelerating pace with previously unknown careers emerging every day. Labour market studies project that today's university graduates will have a minimum of three careers - not different jobs, but distinct careers - in their working lifetimes. Furthermore, responsible global citizens need to understand the world in all its complexity. Tomorrow's leaders need to learn additional languages and understand diverse systems of government. They must be familiar with the methods of science and the advances of technology. They should be able to converse with both economists and poets. No matter how they hope to put their talents to work, students want an education that prepares them for a rich and meaningful life and enhances both their understanding of the world and the contribution they can make to it. The best preparation for such a future is the broadly based, intensive and engaging arts and sciences education we offer at Quest. |
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2. What do the Quest students have to say? Letter written by a 2nd year Quest student: Although I always considered Quest a strong option for post-secondary study, it was not initially my first choice. I was worried about a number of things in regard to Quest, as I was deciding whether to accept their offer of admission. Firstly, I was nervous about going so far away from home. While this was a valid worry, I never found it to be a problem. Since Quest is so small, I got to know everyone so quickly, and I mean everyone. I was able to meet great, new people from literally across the world. In addition to meeting new people, I have also been able to keep in close contact with my friends and family back home thanks to Skype, email, and expensive cell phone calls which leave my Mum bewildered as to why she failed to invest in a long distance plan. The welcoming and supportive Quest community, helps to make for a smooth and comfortable transition to university life. Secondly, I was worried about academics at Quest - specifically, the fact that I had to take math, science, and language classes, all things which make me uncomfortable. I am currently taking Mathematics: A Historical Tour of Ancient Civilizations. Although I am only three classes into the block, I can honestly say that I have never been able to learn so much, and have so much fun in a math class ever. Glen, one of Quest's math tutors, is truly brilliant, and makes math fun and easy to understand. As for science and language classes at Quest, although I have yet to take one myself, I have heard that they are also a lot of fun and manageable. As a result of the courses I have already taken, and of the feedback my friends have given about their courses, I am looking forward to literally every foundation course which I have to take. For students who excel in, and enjoy math, science, and languages, more advanced options are there to challenge them. Friends have just finished a Spherical Trigonometry class, and believe me they were challenged, but despite the challenge, they all rave about how incredible the class was. The final concern I had, was the future of Quest and the validity of a Quest degree. After three months at Quest, every one of my concerns with regard to Quest's future has dissipated. Now that I have seen, experienced and become apart of Quest's vision, I have every possible confidence in the institution's future. The school attracts the most highly regarded teachers, invites prominent speakers and routinely hosts academic visitors who want to know more about this dynamic and innovative approach to higher education, Likewise, after realizing how truly diverse, and well educated Quest graduates will be, I believe that a Quest degree will be very respected, and functional. Certainly, after four years at Quest, you will have the background you need to enter whatever profession you wish to pursue and you will have a resume which could not be matched! At Quest, there are so many things to do after class. The mountain biking in Squamish is some of the best that you'll find anywhere in the world. Nearly every major North American biking movie has been filmed in Squamish,; a two minute ride from campus. I made a habit of going for afternoon bike rides with a fairly large group; a truck shuttled us up to the top of the mountain which lies behind campus. I am proud to add that a school record of 13 bikes and 15 people fit into one Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, truly a testament to the spirit of Quest students! Squamish also boasts some of the best rock climbing and fishing in Canada. In addition, Whistler is 30 minute ride away, making an afternoon or morning trip possible even on weekdays! By far the most incredible part about Quest is the ability that students have to create the school. This point was made especially evident today at Quest's community day. Students, staff and faculty alike had the ability to voice their opinions in large group, small group and seminar formats. It is an incredible feeling to know that students have the ability and power to bring about change. For example, there is currently a student-proposed amendment, aimed at changing how scholarships are distributed. . I am confident in saying that students at other post-secondary institutions could not imagine having the opportunity to shape fundamentally their learning institution. I firmly believe Quest offers more opportunities, and opens more doors than any other university; anywhere. At Quest, I'm on first name terms with my professors, they know trivial facts about my personality, such as my favourite football team, but more importantly, they mark my work, understand my problems, actually and genuinely want me to improve and do better. At Quest, the cooks all know my name, they also know that I don't like pickles on my burgers. At Quest, I get extra math help by day, from the President, a renowned astrophysicist, and play inter-house trivia with him by night! Quest is truly a place where everyone feels at home, and where everyone receives the finest education available. I think that Quest's president put it best; at Quest you pay for an education, at other institutions you pay for a degree. If you're looking for an intimate, closely knit community, where you have the ability to bring about change, experience the beauty of British Columbia, know your professors and actually receive an education which will give you the tools to succeed in any graduate course or profession, then Quest is for you. I firmly believe that there is no better place to study than Quest. 3. What is an average day at Quest like (I know there might not be an "average day", but some sort of general idea would be nice)? Answer from a 4th year student: Answer from a 2nd year student: Get up and head out for a run/exercise of some sort (beauty sleep counts) then head up for breakfast at the cafeteria- often with some friends or fellow classmates of your block. Head to class from 9 to 12 (if you have a morning class)and be awed and inspired by your tutor and fellow classmates. Head to lunch, probably with some classmates and spend the rest of your lunch discussing the issues raised in class as well as telling the others sitting at your table all about it while also hearing about several other classes' issues. Now its time for homework, on campus work, in town work, more exercise, something crazy, club meetings, workshops, training for sports teams, etc. There is no end to co-curricular opportunities at Quest. There is also often yoga classes during this time which are great for stress relief and intramural dodge-ball just in case you feel like chucking balls at someone else to relieve a little tension. Some days homework will take all of this time, others none, it all depends on the class and what part of the block you are in (i.e., first week vs final 3 days etc.). From there dinner tends to follow with more talk about classes or clubs then home for some final homework or to some final meetings of the day. Your average day is really up to you since you can choose how much you want to be involved in. Ultimately you can have a completely filled schedule that leaves very little time for inconsequential things like food and sleep or fill in your afternoons with catnaps, relaxation, and fun with friends. 4. What would you say is Quest's biggest fault? Answer from a 4th year student: Answer from a 2nd year student: 5. How do students generally spend the weekend? Answer from a 4th year student: Answer from a 2nd year student: On our block breaks - the four days we get off between classes- students tend to get off campus and either head home or off on some adventure. The Adventure Club normally arranges awesome trips like the Elfin Lakes hike and surfing in Tofino which many students take advantage of. If you are lacking gear no worries as there is almost always someone you can borrow off of or even borrow from the school as the Recplex and Adventure Club have both invested in gear that is available to the student body. 6. Quest University Canada is so new, how can I judge its quality? Here are several pieces of information that should help. First, accreditation. In Canada, all educational institutions are accredited through provincial government bodies. As the country's first independent, non-profit, secular university, we had to pass through exactly the same rigorous process as do all the public universities in British Columbia. Every year, the Degree Quality Assessment Board of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development reviews our faculty, our programs, and our finances, and certifies both our fitness to use the term "university" and our right to award degrees. In our most recent review, the Board noted a number of "Good Practices" including "promotion and support [for] student involvement at all levels of the institution", an "impressive core faculty…supplement[ed] by world-class guest tutors from elite American and Canadian universities", and the "hands-on, personal nature of student support services." In June 2010, we also received full accreditation from the American Academy of Liberal Education. This makes us one of the few universities in North America accredited in both Canada and the US. In their independent review, the Academy's Board wrote that they "commend [Quest] on the highly innovative student-centered liberal arts and sciences education the University has designed"; in addition, the highlighted "the excellence of your instructors and the high quality of your students who were unusually engaged, articulate, and thoughtful." Registered as a British Columbia Education Quality Assurance (EQA) approved post-secondary institution. The EQA is a quality assurance designation that identifies BC public and private post-secondary institutions that have met or exceeded provincial government recognized quality assurance standards and offer consumer protection. We have further external evidence of our success. Last August, we received the results of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), a tool used for over ten years to assess the quality of undergraduate education in North American universities and colleges. In all five categories - Level of Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning, Student-Faculty Interaction, Enriching Educational Experiences, and Supportive Campus Environment - Quest received the highest score of the 53 major Canadian universities and the more than 500 US universities who have administered the survey in the last two years. Finally, there are our visiting tutors with experience in leading North American universities. Read What Quest's Visitors are Saying. 7. I'm interested in going into medicine. Will a Quest degree prepare me for medical school? Individuals with a variety of educational backgrounds enter medical schools. It is important for students to complete blocks that provide a foundation in the natural sciences, but it is not essential that students major in science to qualify for entrance into medical school. The breadth of a Quest education provides a solid basis for entry into medical school and, in particular, if the student excels, should be a considerable advantage. Students need to familiarize themselves with the entry requirements for medical schools prior to entering the third year of studies at Quest and prior to making a decision regarding the Question that they choose to pursue. Each medical school sets its own requirements, and it is the student's responsibility to ensure that they have met the requirements of the specific school to which they are intending to apply. MCAT One noteworthy requirement is the MCAT standardized test (http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/). Again, not every medical school requires it, but most do. This is a test assessing a student's familiarity with content of courses such as chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, physical sciences, etc. COURSES As mentioned above, not every medical school requires the same courses. Some, like McMaster, require none at all. Many courses will be taken as part of Foundation requirements (e.g., many schools require a humanities, a language, a social science course, etc.). However, there seems to be a consensus of "most often required" courses, and we will recommend that students interested in applying to medical school take the following Quest courses to maximize their application potential (but again, note that this may not cover the full range of requirements for a specific school, and students should check with the specific medical school they are interested in applying to). Chemistry 1 (no pre-requisite at Quest - see comment about AP or IB credit below) VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES Although not openly stated, medical schools tend to like "interested and engaged students", and volunteer experiences are particularly well-regarded. We recommend activities that 1) put students in contact with health care (e.g., volunteering at a hospital, or with an optometrist), 2) opportunities for laboratory research, 3) volunteering to develop empathy, listening, or leadership skills. CITIZENSHIP Please note that, given the public nature of our health care system, most medical schools in Canada do not accept (or only accept a very small number of) non-Canadian students. Since our health care system is provincially managed, most of the spots are reserved for "Province residents" only. Students of other nationalites may wish to look to the U.S. for training. 8. How does transferring work at Quest? Transferring into Quest Transfer students from other universities, colleges and CEGEPs are encouraged to apply for admission. Given the unique nature of the Quest curriculum, any previous coursework completed by transfer students will be evaluated individually to determine its applicability and transferability to the Quest degree. Transfer students are required to apply to Quest through our regular application procedure and should provide us with both high school and post-secondary transcripts. Application instructions can be found here. To apply for transfer credit, students should also submit: Transcript and course syllabi for all courses they are interested in transferring. If you have any further questions, please contact your admissions counsellor. Transferring out of Quest Although uncommon, we have had a number of Quest students transfer to public universities and other private universities within Canada and the US. These students have been able to transfer their Quest credits with no problems thus far. Quest is listed on the BC Council on Admissions & Transfer (BCCAT) website under Private Institutions: http://www.bccat.bc.ca/system/psec/. Here's what BCCAT says on their page regarding Transferring Credit between Private and Public Institutions in BC: "If no articulation agreements exist, students can attempt to seek credit on an individual case-by-case basis from the public institution. In order to do so, students will likely be required to supply program descriptions and detailed course outlines relating to programs or courses completed at a private institution. Therefore, private institutions should ensure that such documentation is readily available, and information for previous years is maintained" (http://www.bccat.bc.ca/system/private/). Quest provides the individualized attention to support this process; to date, all students transferring to other institutions have had their Quest credits accepted. |
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