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• University of Toronto GPA Requirements

University of Toronto SAT Requirements

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• What University of Toronto looks for in applicants
• University of Toronto Requirements - General Application
• How to Differentiate Your Application & Get In
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University of Toronto: 2024 Requirements, Scores & GPAs

This is the go-to guide for getting into University of Toronto. We suggest you read until the end... Not only will we layout the exact GPA and test scores you should aim for when applying to University of Toronto, but we’ll also offer creative ways to help your application stand out from the pack. We breakdown University of Toronto statistics better than any article out there and show you how these have changed over time. Also, make sure to check out University of Toronto on CampusReel to see what it’s really like here . You can also use the below calculator to help determine your likelihood of acceptance at University of Toronto

This free college chances tool calculates your acceptance chances at any other U.S. college

Please note all chances are estimates based on test score and GPA averages.

What GPA Do You Need To Get Into University of Toronto?

University of Toronto’s average GPA is 3.15. University of Toronto does require GPA. University of Toronto is currently selective. However, be aware that oftentimes schools in this GPA range are increasing their selectivity in hope of increasing “prestige”. We can’t read the minds of University of Toronto application readers, but they likely want to increase the average GPA from 3.15 to 3.31 this year - to play it safe, we recommend striving for the 3.31 GPA.

*BEFORE CONTINUING PLEASE NOTE: GPA and “prestige” DO NOT mean a college is right for you. University of Toronto may seem amazing on paper, but you may hate it... That’s why 700,000 students transfer colleges every year - they end up going to the wrong school. It’s crucial to watch the videos on CampusReel and make sure you can envision yourself on University of Toronto’s campus. These University of Toronto admission statistics do not sufficiently tell you what a college or university is like.

What Is University of Toronto’s Acceptance Rate?

Last year University of Toronto’s acceptance rate was N/A. However, check out how the acceptance rate has changed over time.

As you can see, University of Toronto is just as competitive as it was last year.

Acceptance rate alone does not indicate your likelihood for getting into University of Toronto - it’s a very high level understanding of the true competition. Use the acceptance rate as a general guide for curating a list of 10-15 schools that fall into different ranges of competitiveness. Then, use the below data to get a deeper understanding of how your application will compare to the rest of the pool.

Will You Get Into University of Toronto?

Does university of toronto require test scores.

University of Toronto requires that you either take the SAT or ACT. See the table below for how University of Toronto’s accepted students have performed on both tests. You may be wondering how many test scores should you submit. Generally, don’t freak out about taking the test too often. Industry consensus is that you can submit up to 6 tests as a reasonable limit.

University of Toronto’s average SAT score is - - this is the sum of the math and reading portions of the SAT (the 1600 scale). Check out the below table for a deeper look into how students performed - it’s also very interesting to look at the average test score over time. The trend over time helps give insight into whether University of Toronto is getting more or less competitive.

University of Toronto’s average SAT score is -. To be a competitive applicant for University of Toronto your SAT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the -, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. To consider University of Toronto a “target” school (one that you are likely to get into) you should aim for a score of -.

University of Toronto’s average ACT score is -. To be a competitive applicant for University of Toronto your ACT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the -, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. To consider University of Toronto a “target” school (one that you have a good chance of getting into) you should aim for a score of -.

How Hard Is It To Get Into University of Toronto?

As you can see from the data above, University of Toronto is moderately competitive. Not only should you be aiming for a 3.15 but also SAT scores around -.

University of Toronto Requirements

Now you know where you need to be for getting into University of Toronto from a grade and test score perspective. Let’s quickly outline what else you’ll need to provide for your application to get reviewed, and then we’ll move onto the most important section: differentiating your app.

How to get into University of Toronto

Follow these steps to maximize your chances of getting into University of Toronto. Everything you read above will help prepare you for what you need to achieve to have a shot at University of Toronto, but these steps will take you even further in applying that knowledge and differentiating your application.

Main Academic Excellence that is in line with University of Toronto admission standards.

• Score at least a - on the SAT or - on the ACT.
• Maintain a GPA of at least a 3.15.

Join Extracurriculars that Align with University of Toronto’s Values.

• Join your school band, a sports team or another group activity. If University of Toronto values music heavily, for example, then try to participate in an organization related to that topic.
• Volunteer in your hometown. has tons of ways to be involved beyond just the college. University of Toronto wants applicants that are also good ambassadors for the school - they want students who will give back to the local community and broader area in general.
• Spend your summer doing something that speaks to your values, personal growth, leadership qualities and other less quantifiable characteristics. University of Toronto needs to see past your test scores and grades - they need to know that you will be a valuable and contributing member of their community. You are more than grades and test scores - your experiences should demonstrate that.

Prepare Your Application

• Write a stellar essay that shows University of Toronto something they can’t figure out from the other parts of your application. For a detailed guide on writing the best college essay, check this out.
• Get teacher recs that speak to your character. If you know what you’re majoring in and include that in your University of Toronto app, try to have at least 1 recommendation from a teacher in that department.
• Apply Before the Deadline. Too many students wait until the last minute to submit their application, and too much can go wrong during this precious time window. Since many students are applying on the last day, it’s possible that University of Toronto’s own system crashes. Don’t risk the added stress this can cause - submit your app a few days early.

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Applications.

The application form you fill out for admission to undergraduate programs at the University of Toronto depends on your current situation — whether you’re a current Ontario high school student, an applicant from another Canadian province or territory, an international applicant, or in another circumstance. Consult the categories below to determine which application you need to submit.  In all cases, you’ll apply through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) which processes applications to each of Ontario’s universities.

You are permitted to submit one type of application only. If you submit more than one application, the University of Toronto will cancel the second without a refund. For example, if you submit an OUAC Undergraduate Application, then submit an International application, the International application will be cancelled without a refund.

You should complete the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC)’s Undergraduate Application if you want to apply to full-time studies at an undergraduate program at the University of Toronto.

Use the University of Toronto International Application if you:

• currently reside outside of Canada, AND 
• are not currently studying, and have not previously studied in Canada, AND
• are not applying to any other Ontario university

Prospective international applicants who wish to apply to other Ontario universities in addition to the University of Toronto should use the OUAC Undergraduate Application.

If you have already applied with the OUAC Undergraduate Application, you do not need to apply to the University of Toronto with the International Application. (If you submit both applications, your second application will be cancelled with no possibility of a refund.)

Note that you will need to pay a non-refundable fee of $180.

The University of Toronto has contracted with the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) to provide application processing services. When you begin the application process, you will be transferred to the OUAC website where you will complete and submit your application. You will be required to create an OUAC account (if you do not already have one). You may have only one OUAC account. Direct any application process questions to the OUAC.

Use the University of Toronto Internal Application if you:

• have previously registered at the University of Toronto in a degree, Pre-University program, or as either a Non-degree or Visiting Student (this does not include Continuing Education studies)

If you’ve previously been a student at the University of Toronto and want to return to the same faculty or division you attended, contact your former  Registrar’s Office . They can help you determine whether you’re eligible to re-register, or if you must re-apply using this application.

You will need to pay a non-refundable fee of $90. 

Important note for U of T Internal Transfer applicants : We will use your email address in the U of T Student Information System (ACORN) to send you application-related messages and updates. If you wish to use a different email address, you will need to change it on ACORN or contact your Registrar’s Office.

The University of Toronto has contracted with the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) to provide application processing services. When you begin the application process, you will be transferred to the OUAC website where you will complete and submit your application. You will be required to create an OUAC Account (if you do not already have one). You may have only one OUAC Account. Direct any application process questions to the OUAC.

Use the Part-Time Application if you:

• wish to enrol as a part-time student in arts, science, commerce/management, or engineering courses towards a degree.

Note that students attending a daytime program in secondary school should NOT use this form. Instead, they should apply in the same way as applicants intending to study full-time (using one of the OUAC applications). Applicants currently registered at another institution are not eligible to enrol in the summer session.  

Part-time students can take courses during the day and evening (when available). Although most programs may be taken part-time, students who are only able to attend classes in the evening should consult the appropriate online timetable at the University of Toronto.

If you were previously registered at the University of Toronto and want to return to the same faculty or division you attended, contact your former  Registrar’s Office  to determine whether you are eligible to re-register or must re-apply using this application.

Note that you will need to pay a non-refundable fee of $90.

Use the Non-Degree Application if you wish to upgrade your university record to qualify for graduate school, a professional program, or for personal interest. Non-degree students enrol in arts, science or commerce/management degree credit courses, for which they have the prerequisites, but are not proceeding towards a degree. Admission consideration is based on your entire postsecondary academic record and your most recent annual average (GPA).

Find out which application you should use , depending on whether you’re a current Ontario high school student, an applicant from another Canadian province or territory, an international applicant, or in another circumstance.

Make sure you check the Important Application Dates to find out when your application, required documents, and other supplementary documents are due.

It depends on what you’re applying to, but most programs do not require additional applications. Some programs, colleges and campuses ask students to fill out an added application or profile. You should receive an email that will indicate if you need to fill out an application, where you can find it and what the deadline is. You can also find this information by looking up your intended program’s requirements in the Program Finder .

Find out about academic requirements for applicants from outside Canada .

Find out about U of T’s English Language Requirements and proof of English facility .

If you have completed college or university studies, AP, IB, GCE, CAPE, or French Bacc. examinations you may be eligible for transfer credit at the University of Toronto. Transfer credits are assessed after admission.

Find out more about transfer credits at U of T.

All changes to your application should be made before the application deadline .

If you have applied using the OUAC Undergraduate Application and wish to make changes to your initial application, you must do this by logging in to the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre website .

All other applicants (International/Internal/Part-Time/Non-Degree) should log onto JOIN U of T , click on Check Status, and follow the instructions for making changes to your application.

We do not accept any changes or corrections via email or telephone.

You will receive an acknowledgment from U of T, with login instructions for our applicant website, JOIN U of T , about two weeks after you submit your application.

Telephone & In-Person Inquiries We are available for telephone and in-person inquiries.

Email Inquiries Connect with us by email for:

• Admissions: apply.adm.utoronto.ca/register/questions
• Ask a Student: apply.adm.utoronto.ca/register/askastudent

Contact Client Services for financial aid inquires including:

• OSAP (Ontario Student Assistant Program) full and part-time
• BSWD (Bursaries for Students with Disabilities)
• UTAPS (University of Toronto Advanced Planning for Students)
• Part-Time Financial
• OOP Funding for other provinces outside of Ontario
• US student aid – for United States citizens (US Federal Student Aid loan opportunities, private loans (non-government), Veteran Affairs certification requests for benefits & education tax credit

Your feedback is important to us. Please take a couple of minutes to let us know how we did by completing our  University Admissions and Outreach Satisfaction Survey .

If you are unable to begin your degree studies in the fall, you may request a one-year deferral of your offer of admission. Deferrals are not guaranteed and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Check out further information on deferring an offer of admission .

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• The Division of Student Life is located in several locations across the St. George campus including the Koffler Student Centre.

THE STUDENT LIFE ESCALATION PROCESS

If you have a concern about a student service located on the St. George Campus, your first step is to talk to the Director of the service .

If your concern has not been resolved after taking this step, your second step should be to contact the Executive/Senior Director of the service .

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Student Life Tasks & Topics

Short-answer and essay tests and exams.

Here are some suggestions for short-answer and essay exams:

• Make sure you understand the question: underline or pay attention to instructional verbs (e.g., compare, contrast, criticize, define, describe, explain, interpret, and summarize) and other key words that shift meanings significantly (all, always, never, none, few, many, some…).
• Make an outline of what you have to say before writing it out. Think about ways you can support your points, including facts, figures, examples and quotations.
• Remember that ideas do not exist in a vacuum: when it’s applicable, acknowledge the debate or dialogue within the field and include counter-arguments.
• Keep sentences short and to the point in order to stay on topic and respond directly to the question.
• Give yourself time to review your work, paying attention to areas that could be improved.

Helpful documents

• Exam Tips (PDF)
• Take-Home and Online Exams  (PDF)

Other U of T resources

Aid centres.

A full list of aid centres is available on  Find academic resources .

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• Faculty of Arts & Science Registered Study Groups
• U of T Libraries Old Exam Repository

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Clss peer mentor appointments, clss resource library.

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How to Write An Essay

Learning how to write well takes time and experience, and is generally learned through a trial and error process. Hoping to save you some common mistakes, here is a general guideline and some helpful tips on how to research effectively, what different essay sections should include, and how to present a strong argument. Keep in mind, that this is most relevant for social science papers. Links are provided throughout to selected handouts from the writing center. For more resources from the Writing Center go to their  website .

The 10 Myths about Essay Writing

• “Essay has to be 5 paragraphs.”
• “Never use “I” or write in the first person.”
• “A paragraph must contain between 3-5 sentences.”
• “Never begin a sentence with ‘and’ or ‘but’.”
• “Never repeat a word or phrase in the same paragraph.”
• “Longer essays and fancier words are always better and mean a higher mark.”
• “Other students are so much better at writing essays.”
• “Good writing is an inborn talent.”
• “Good writers write quickly, effortlessly, and know exactly what they want to say from the beginning.”
• “Good writers never need to edit and don’t need any feedback.”

These statements are absolutely false, and the quicker you can change your mentality away from them the better.

The most important and fundamental thing about writing an essay is to make sure that it answers the question the assignment asks. You should ask yourself this question during your brainstorming, researching, writing, and editing phase to make sure that the answer is always yes! You can write a very well-written paper, but if it doesn’t answer the question in the assignment, you will not receive a good grade. When beginning your assignment you should:

• Determine what the assignment’s goal or purpose is. This means that you should have a pretty solid idea of what the professor or TA is looking for. Is it an analysis? A compare and contrast? A critical reflection? A book review? A case study? Here is a  handout  on the different types of essays and what they mean.
• Relate it to course content and concepts. This should form the basis of your research. See what concepts are used or what lecture topic(s) this falls under, and look over your notes and readings.
• Use the rubric or checklist provided and highlight the important parts you should address.
• Identify the technical requirements to make sure you don’t lose little marks. For example, style of citation, title page, formatting, voice, subheadings. If they are not outlined in the assignment, ask! The use of ‘I’ is a very important condition to clarify.
• List questions or clarifications you might have, and ask them ahead of time. Meeting your professor or TA to discuss the assignment, present your outline or ideas, and brainstorm different ways to approach it, will really improve the quality of your work.

Researching

Some general things to keep in mind when doing your research is to be careful to stay on topic and always double check with yourself that the research is relevant to your essay. That means not going too broad, but staying focused on your topic and recognizing that just because something is interesting does not mean that it is necessarily relevant to your argument.

Start with class resources and then move to library resources. Sometimes, using a certain number of class readings is a requirement. Make sure you comply with it. It is also a good idea when defining concepts to use class sources and material. Remember to never… EVER use Wikipedia as a cited source. It is a great way to get a better idea of different topics, concepts, people, and trivia, but not acceptable for an academic paper.

Students also tend to fall in the two categories of doing too much research or too little research. Doing too much research can definitely give you a better understanding of the broader issue of your topic, and this can be noticed in your writing. However, you can fall into the trap of adding things that are not necessarily relevant to your topic, resulting in a larger paper then the assignment requires. Doing too little research on the other hand, might not give you enough information on the topic and make for a shorter paper. Also remember, that not all sources you read will be useful, it takes time to find really good sources you can use for your paper. For a social science paper between 6-8 pages you generally should read at least 10 relatively good sources.

Be prepared to go back and research further while you are writing, in order to fill gaps in your arguments. This arises with the question “but why” with the development of your arguments. You also might need to find more supporting evidence to present a more convincing claim.

Make the best use of your time when selecting resources:

• Use carefully selected keywords for searches. The trick is to start as narrow as possible to get the sources most relevant to your topic and then substitute with synonyms and broader topics.
• Ask your professor or TA to recommend articles or authors on the topic. This is best when you have a wider variety or personal choice on the topic.
• The glorious CTRL+F. Most journal articles you can now search with Ctrl+F, so download the PDF or text and quickly give it a keyword search using Ctrl+F. This is especially useful if you are doing a specific case study i.e. country, indigenous peoples, women, or concepts.
• Read the abstract and if that looks promising then read the introduction and the conclusion, skimming through the subheadings and/or the first sentence of each paragraph. This will give you a pretty good idea if the article will be of use to you and save you time from reading the whole thing.
• Carefully choose the journals/data bases for your search. There are specific journals for different disciplines and regions of the world. The library does a great job at dividing these up. It takes a bit longer to look through each database but you get more quality and relevant sources.

Some ideas and suggestions on taking notes while researching:

• Paraphrase the main ideas of the source.
• Take notes for each relevant source. You usually need 3 things from a source: the main idea or argument presented, a sub argument or a sentence that is insightful, or evidence to support your arguments.
• The new version of Adobe Reader lets you highlight and insert text bubbles (for additional notes and ideas) in PDF files, so you can avoid printing them out or typing out your notes. This saves trees and times. It is also very important not to procrastinate or put-off writing down your ideas. Write it down right away, or you will forget it. Reading certain things can trigger-off brainstorming in your head, or a brilliant thought, or a criticism. Write it down! This will also help you get started on writing, since you will have some ideas written down already.
• It is very important to keep track of what information comes from what source, in order to cite correctly and avoid plagiarism.
• You should categorize or code your research according to your different arguments and supporting evidence. Re-formatting your research like this, for example all information from all sources relevant to your first argument are put together (keeping their individual citations), makes it much easier to write.
• Critically analyze your research. Build a set of concepts and questions, compare different views and arguments and their relevance and importance to your research. Instead of just listing and summarizing items, assess them, discussing their strengths and weaknesses. As well, be aware of biases in sources, both academic and news media.

Creating an Outline

Writing an outline is invaluable to help organize your thoughts and the structure of your essay informally, in order to check strengths and relevance of arguments, consistency with thesis, and flow. Your outline doesn’t have to be fully written out, as if you are handing it in to be marked, scribble it on a napkin, carve it into your desk, whatever helps you to outline your arguments and explain the flow to yourself. It will help you to pick up contradictions and weaknesses in your arguments before you start writing and it keeps you from going off-track. This is also a good stage to check with your professor or TA. You can meet with them in person or e-mail them your outline and thesis to get feedback. Check out this  outline handout  from the Writing Centre.

Essay Structure: Introduction The main point of an introduction is to capture the attention of the reader and draw them in. This is why your first sentences should be well thought-out to engage and interest the reader. Always think of an introduction as an upside down triangle. It should start broad and become more narrow and specific. There are different things to include in your introduction, depending on the size of your paper. Since many students are confused about what an introduction should include, here is a general guideline to get you started. Also accept that if you write your introduction first, you will probably have to re-write it or at least tweak it depending on how the rest of your paper turns out.

• Literature review. The size and detail of this depends on the size of the paper. If you are writing a longer paper, this could be its own section. Mainly it addresses the main arguments and debates in the literature on your topic and how your line of argument is consistent or different from those.
• Provide background information on your topic, country case, political context, etc.
• Define the terms relevant to your paper. This is really important as it defines the scope of your paper, especially when using broad all-encompassing terms like empowerment, globalization, international community, democracy, etc.
• Answer the questions “so what?” / “why is this important?” / “who cares?” / “why should we care?”.
• Define the scope of your paper. This could be the specific time period you are discussing, country/location, specific case, etc. Being specific about the scope of your paper is like an academic safety guard, diminishing any criticisms for not addressing issues outside of your specified scope.
• Thesis Statement  is the most fundamental component to include in your introduction. It is your basic argument, demonstrating what you are trying to prove. It should be concise and clear and it should be a statement that someone can disagree with a.k.a. an argument.
• Depending on the length of your paper you can also briefly summarize the organization of your paper. This is like providing a tour for the reader of your arguments to come.

Essay Structure: Body

There are important stylistic guidelines you should follow in the body of your paragraph. For example, you should try and use the same terminology as you find in the literature in order to sound more professional and scholarly. You should also ensure that there is transition and flow between each paragraph and between each argument. Try to explain specifically and clearly how each argument relates to your thesis to make sure your essay sounds more cohesive. Also remember that paragraphs are limited to one idea and should also make a clear point that connects to your argument and thesis. Here is a very useful  handout  on paragraphs and transition.

Avoid using overly complex language and words. It doesn’t ensure you sound smart or that you’ll get a better grade. Don’t be like Joey from Friends, “they are humid prepossessing Homo Sapiens with full sized aortic pumps” instead of “they are warm, nice people with big hearts”.

Building a strong argument

Reading good journal articles will help you write better by observing how academics develop their arguments. Ask your professor or TA to suggest a couple of well-written articles that you can learn from.

Every argument should have the following structure: Claim  (because of)  Reason  (based on)  Evidence  (acknowledging & responding to) Objections/Alternatives .

However, to make your argument more clear, you also need  warrant . Warrant is a fancy term that basically shows the relevance of the claim. It is the principle that lets you connect reason and claim. It is the logical connection between a claim and a supporting fact (or evidence). Sometimes, that logical connection will be clear and obvious, where no explanation from the writer is needed. More often though, the writer needs to supply the warrant, explain how and why a particular piece of evidence is good support for a specific claim. This will tremendously improve the clarity of your writing and will help people outside your discipline to better follow and understand your arguments.

Addressing  counterarguments  is also an important part of developing a strong argument. It shows you have done extensive research and you have a good understanding of the topic in question. You should acknowledge existing and possible objections to your arguments and respond to them, discrediting them or showing why they don’t hold true in your case. If relevant and important, you should also address counterargument you cannot refute and concede to them.

Evidence  is the last component you need to make a strong argument. Evidence supports your claims and convinces the reader. Evidence should be relevant, reliable, and representative of your reasoning. It is also a good idea to use several pieces of evidence for each argument, rather than just one. It could also be either primary or secondary. Here are some different types of evidence:

• Direct quotations (check out  verbs for citing  and  verbs for introducing quotations
• Historical data
• Case studies
• Specific examples (i.e. of projects or experiences of specific groups)
• Credible newspaper articles
• Photos, sound recordings, or videos (i.e. the CBC Archives)

For more information, check out this  handout  on developing a logical argument.

For visual learners, here is what each paragraph or argument should look like:

And this should be the general structure of your paper:

Essay Structure: Conclusion Remember that the ending matters, just like in the movies. Isn’t it really disappointing when you watch a movie with a great developing, edge-of-your-sear plot line that ends badly and quickly? The same goes for papers. The conclusion should bring it all together, showing that you have proven your thesis. Opposite to the introduction, it should start narrow and become broader. The most important point in a conclusion: do not introduce new arguments! Here are some general guidelines on what conclusions should include:

• Paraphrase your thesis and demonstrate how you have proven it with your arguments.
• Answer again the questions “so what?” and “why is this important?”
• Outline some of the lessons learned.
• Discuss some of the implications of your findings and analysis.
• Relate it to the wider context on the subject, course themes, or discipline.
• Identify some of the future areas for research that your paper opens up.

Editing, Revising, and Proofreading (preferably not at 4am the night before)

Best case scenario is to take some time (a day or two) between finishing your final draft and editing to give you some distance from your work. When editing, you should read slowly and out loud to catch run-on sentences or unclear ideas. Make a checklist for editing and proofreading. Here is an  example  of one. It is also a good idea to have someone else read your paper. Pretty much anyone will be able to catch small spelling and grammar mistakes that you have missed no matter how many times you have read over your paper. Someone in your class/field will be able to help you with the content, while someone not in your class/field is the best audience to test how well you explain your ideas and concepts. You should also look for someone who isn’t afraid to give you constructive criticism. Having said that, remember that everyone writes differently (i.e. has a different style), so you should also be critical of changes offered to you.

As well, start taking notice of the mistakes you usually make, so you can search out for them specifically. This can also be related to words you usually misspell or commonly confused words (i.e. complement & compliment, then & than, your & you’re).

Works Cited

Plagiarism is the most serious academic offence. If you are found guilty of plagiarism you can fail the assignment or the class, or be suspended or expelled from university. It could even affect your chances of getting into a grad program, as it remains on your record, and you are required to give an explanation as to what happened (even if you have only been investigated). The point is, good citation is really important. You shouldn’t take the risk of being caught of plagiarism and you should give other academics due credit for their work.

The most important thing to remember after selecting your preferred (or required) citation style is that in-text citation must match the work cited list. This means consistency with the author and the year, but also that you cannot have in-text citations that don’t have a full reference in the work cited, just like you cannot have a full reference without citing it throughout the text. Citation style also has to be consistent throughout the paper (i.e. you cannot go from APA to MLA). If you use sourcing engines to make your references, always double check their accuracy.

Here are some resources for APA style citation from the  Writing Center  and  Owl .

Some final points about writing papers:

• The length of sections should be proportionate to the size of your essay. So a 1 page introduction to a 5 page essay is too much.
• When the assignment says between 6-8 pages, it is better to do 8 than 6. When you have such limited number of pages, you need space to develop your argument. However, don’t just ramble on and on, repeating the same arguments in different ways to fill-up space.
• Remember that clarity and conciseness are your friends.
• Try and use a more active, instead of a passive voice, to sounds more assertive and succinct. (See this  handout )

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Organizing an Essay

Some basic guidelines.

The best time to think about how to organize your paper is during the pre-writing stage, not the writing or revising stage. A well-thought-out plan can save you from having to do a lot of reorganizing when the first draft is completed. Moreover, it allows you to pay more attention to sentence-level issues when you sit down to write your paper.

When you begin planning, ask the following questions: What type of essay am I going to be writing? Does it belong to a specific genre?

In university, you may be asked to write, say, a book review, a lab report, a document study or a compare-and-contrast essay. Knowing the patterns of reasoning associated with a genre can help you to structure your essay.

For example, book reviews typically begin with a summary of the book you're reviewing. They then often move on to a critical discussion of the book's strengths and weaknesses. They may conclude with an overall assessment of the value of the book. These typical features of a book review lead you to consider dividing your outline into three parts: (1) summary; (2) discussion of strengths and weaknesses; (3) overall evaluation. The second and most substantial part will likely break down into two sub-parts. It is up to you to decide the order of the two sub-parts—whether to analyze strengths or weaknesses first. And, of course, it will be up to you to come up with actual strengths and weaknesses.

Be aware that genres are not fixed. Different professors will define the features of a genre differently. Read the assignment question carefully for guidance.

Understanding genre can take you only so far. Most university essays are argumentative, and there is no set pattern for the shape of an argumentative essay. The simple three-point essay taught in high school is far too restrictive for the complexities of most university assignments. You must be ready to come up with whatever essay structure helps you to convince your reader of the validity of your position. In other words, you must be flexible and you must rely on your wits. Each essay presents a fresh problem.

Avoiding a common pitfall

Though there are no easy formulas for generating an outline, you can avoid one of the most common pitfalls in student papers by remembering this simple principle: the structure of an essay should not be determined by the structure of its source material. For example, an essay on a historical period should not necessarily follow the chronology of events from that period. Similarly, a well-constructed essay about a literary work does not usually progress in parallel with the plot. Your obligation is to advance your argument, not to reproduce the plot.

If your essay is not well structured, then its overall weaknesses will show through in the individual paragraphs. Consider the following two paragraphs from two different English essays, both arguing that despite Hamlet's highly developed moral nature he becomes morally compromised in the course of the play:

(a) In Act 3, Scene 4, Polonius hides behind an arras in Gertrude's chamber in order to spy on Hamlet at the bidding of the king. Detecting something stirring, Hamlet draws his sword and kills Polonius, thinking he has killed Claudius. Gertrude exclaims, "O, what a rash and bloody deed is this!" (28), and her words mark the turning point in Hamlet's moral decline. Now Hamlet has blood on his hands, and the blood of the wrong person. But rather than engage in self-criticism, Hamlet immediately turns his mother's words against her: "A bloody deed -- almost as bad, good Mother, as kill a king, and marry with his brother" (29-30). One of Hamlet's most serious shortcomings is his unfair treatment of women. He often accuses them of sins they could not have committed. It is doubtful that Gertrude even knows Claudius killed her previous husband. Hamlet goes on to ask Gertrude to compare the image of the two kings, old Hamlet and Claudius. In Hamlet's words, old Hamlet has "Hyperion's curls," the front of Jove," and "an eye like Mars" (57-58). Despite Hamlet's unfair treatment of women, he is motivated by one of his better qualities: his idealism. (b) One of Hamlet's most serious moral shortcomings is his unfair treatment of women. In Act 3, Scene 1, he denies to Ophelia ever having expressed his love for her, using his feigned madness as cover for his cruelty. Though his rantings may be an act, they cannot hide his obsessive anger at one particular woman: his mother. He counsels Ophelia to "marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them" (139-41), thus blaming her in advance for the sin of adultery. The logic is plain: if Hamlet's mother made a cuckold out of Hamlet's father, then all women are capable of doing the same and therefore share the blame. The fact that Gertrude's hasty remarriage does not actually constitute adultery only underscores Hamlet's tendency to find in women faults that do not exist. In Act 3, Scene 4, he goes as far as to suggest that Gertrude shared responsibility in the murder of Hamlet's father (29-30). By condemning women for actions they did not commit, Hamlet is doing just what he accuses Guildenstern of doing to him: he is plucking out the "heart" of their "mystery" (3.2.372-74).

The second of these two paragraphs is much stronger, largely because it is not plot-driven. It makes a well-defined point about Hamlet's moral nature and sticks to that point throughout the paragraph. Notice that the paragraph jumps from one scene to another as is necessary, but the logic of the argument moves along a steady path. At any given point in your essays, you will want to leave yourself free to go wherever you need to in your source material. Your only obligation is to further your argument. Paragraph (a) sticks closely to the narrative thread of Act 3, Scene 4, and, as a result, the paragraph makes several different points with no clear focus.

What does an essay outline look like?

Most essay outlines will never be handed in. They are meant to serve you and no one else. Occasionally, your professor will ask you to hand in an outline weeks prior to handing in your paper. Usually, the point is to ensure that you are on the right track. Nevertheless, when you produce your outline, you should follow certain basic principles. Here is an example of an outline for an essay on  Hamlet :

Thesis: Despite Hamlet's highly developed moral nature, he becomes morally compromised while delaying his revenge.

• Introduction: Hamlet's father asks Hamlet not only to seek vengeance but also to keep his mind untainted.
• Hamlet is idealistic.
• Hamlet is aware of his own faults, whereas others are self-satisfied.
• Hamlet does not want to take revenge without grounds for acting.
• The turning point in Hamlet's moral decline is his killing of Polonius.
• Hamlet's moral decline continues when he sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths.
• Hamlet treats women badly.
• Hamlet criticizes others in the play for acting falsely to get ahead, but in adopting the disguise of madness he, too, is presenting a false face to the world.
• Though Hamlet becomes more compromised the longer he delays, killing the king would have been a morally questionable act.
• Conclusion: The play, Hamlet , questions the adequacy of a system of ethics based on honour and revenge.

This is an example of a sentence outline. Another kind of outline is the topic outline. It consists of fragments rather than full sentences. Topic outlines are more open-ended than sentence outlines: they leave much of the working out of the argument for the writing stage.

When should I begin putting together a plan?

The earlier you begin planning, the better. It is usually a mistake to do all of your research and note-taking before beginning to draw up an outline. Of course, you will have to do some reading and weighing of evidence before you start to plan. But as a potential argument begins to take shape in your mind, you may start to formalize your thoughts in the form of a tentative plan. You will be much more efficient in your reading and your research if you have some idea of where your argument is headed. You can then search for evidence for the points in your tentative plan while you are reading and researching. As you gather evidence, those points that still lack evidence should guide you in your research. Remember, though, that your plan may need to be modified as you critically evaluate your evidence.

How can I construct a usable plan?

Here are two methods for constructing a plan. The first works best on the computer. The second method works well for those who think visually. It is often the method of choice for those who prefer to do some of their thinking with pen and paper, though it can easily be transposed to a word processor or your graphic software of choice.

method 1: hierarchical outline

This method usually begins by taking notes. Start by collecting potential points, as well as useful quotations and paraphrases of quotations, consecutively. As you accumulate notes, identify key points and start to arrange those key points into an outline. To build your outline, take advantage of outline view in Word or numbered lists in Google Docs. Or consider one of the specialized apps designed to help organize ideas: Scrivener, Microsoft OneNote, Workflowy, among others. All these tools make it easy for you to arrange your points hierarchically and to move those points around as you refine your plan.

You may, at least initially, keep your notes and your outline separate. But there is no reason for you not to integrate your notes into the plan. Your notes—minor points, quotations, and paraphrases—can all be interwoven into the plan, just below the main points they support. Some of your notes may not find a place in your outline. If so, either modify the plan or leave those points out.

method 2: circle diagram

This method is designed to get your key ideas onto a single page, where you can see them all at once. When you have an idea, write it down, and draw a circle around it. When you have an idea that supports another idea, do the same, but connect the two circles with a line. Supporting source material can be represented concisely by a page reference inside a circle. The advantage of the circle method is that you can see at a glance how things tie together; the disadvantage is that there is a limit to how much material you can cram onto a page.

Here is part of a circle diagram:

Once you are content with your diagram, you have the option of turning it into an essay outline.

What is a reverse outline?

When you have completed your first draft, and you think your paper can be better organized, consider using a reverse outline. Reverse outlines are simple to create. Just read through your essay, and every time you make a new point, summarize it in the margin. If the essay is reasonably well-organized, you should have one point in the margin for each paragraph, and your points read out in order should form a coherent argument. You might, however, discover that some of your points are repeated at various places in your essay. Other points may be out of place, and additional key points may not appear at all. Think of all these points as the ingredients of an improved outline which you now must create. Use this new outline to cut and paste the sentences into a revised version of your essay, consolidating points that appear in several parts of your essay while eliminating repetition and creating smooth transitions where necessary.

You can improve even the most carefully planned essay by creating a reverse outline after completing your first draft. The process of revision should be as much about organization as it is about style.

How much of my time should I put into planning?

It is self-evident that a well-planned paper is going to be better organized than a paper that was not planned out. Thinking carefully about how you are going to argue your paper and preparing an outline can only add to the quality of your final product. Nevertheless, some people find it more helpful than others to plan. Those who are good at coming up with ideas but find writing difficult often benefit from planning. By contrast, those who have trouble generating ideas but find writing easy may benefit from starting to write early. Putting pen to paper (or typing away at the keyboard) may be just what is needed to get the ideas to flow.

You have to find out for yourself what works best for you, though it is fair to say that at least some planning is always a good idea. Think about whether your current practices are serving you well. You know you're planning too little if the first draft of your essays is always a disorganized mess, and you have to spend a disproportionate amount of time creating reverse outlines and cutting and pasting material. You know you're planning too much if you always find yourself writing your paper a day before it's due after spending weeks doing research and devising elaborate plans.

Be aware of the implications of planning too little or too much. Planning  provides the following  advantages :

• It helps you to produce a  logical  and  orderly  argument that your readers can follow;
• It helps you to produce an  economical  paper by allowing you to spot repetition;
• It helps you to produce a  thorough  paper by making it easier for you to notice whether you have left anything out; and
• It makes drafting the paper easier by allowing you to concentrate on writing issues such as grammar, word choice, and clarity.

Overplanning  poses the following  risks :

• doesn't leave you enough time to write and revise
• leads you to produce papers that try to cover too much ground at the expense of analytic depth
• can result in a writing style that lacks spontaneity and ease
• does not provide enough opportunity to discover new ideas in the process of writing

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Academic Requirements

In order to study medicine at the University of Toronto, and in Canada generally, you must have some previous university experience and cannot enter a program directly from high school. The earliest you can apply is the beginning of your third year of undergraduate studies. There are different academic requirements depending on your educational background:

• undergraduate applicants
• graduate applicants
• internationally educated applicants

In addition, you must also satisfy the non-academic requirements .

Undergraduate Applicants

For students studying an undergraduate program at a Canadian university, the academic requirements are:

Bachelor's degree

You must have completed at least three years of study (15 full course equivalents) towards a Canadian university bachelor's degree in any discipline by the end of April in the year you plan to start the MD Program.

• If you are applying in the final year of a three year or four-year degree program, you must complete the degree requirements and provide proof of completion prior to the date of enrolment in the MD Program.
• If you are applying in the third year of a four-year degree program, you must provide proof that you have completed the requirements of that year of your degree prior to the date of enrolment in the MD Program.

You are expected to have taken courses at a level corresponding with the year of your program.

• If you are applying for admission while registered in the third year of undergraduate studies, you should have at least three third-year or higher courses in your program. If you are in the fourth year of your program, you should be enrolled in a majority of courses at the third- and fourth-year levels. Please note that this is an expectation rather than a requirement.
• It is recognized that at times, students take courses in lower years for various reasons, such as a change in program or to complete subjects of interest or prerequisites that did not fit the academic schedule previously. If you have information about your academics that you feel is important for the Admissions Committee to know, please use the Academic Explanations Essay within the OMSAS application.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

You must obtain a minimum GPA of 3.6 / 4.0 on the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) scale . The possession of the minimum GPA requirement does not guarantee acceptance. Based on statistics from recent admissions cycles, a minimum GPA of 3.8 is considered competitive.

The calculated GPA used to fulfill the academic requirement will not include your current year of study, as this information is not available to us during the application period.

For more information, visit the calculation of GPA page .

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

You must write the MCAT before the application deadline and achieve the minimum MCAT score in each section of the test to be considered. Your MCAT score is not assessed competitively. Only MCAT scores obtained within five years of the application deadline will be considered. Only the most recent MCAT score will be considered.

Applicants must meet a threshold score of 125 in each section, with an allowance of 124 in one section.  Students must meet this threshold to continue in the admissions process. Your MCAT score is not used competitively.

MCAT Fee Assistance Program for Canadians

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) are piloting a new fee assistance program for Canadian examinees in financial need who register for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). For more on this program and to apply, visit the AAMC website .

Prerequisite courses

You must complete:

• two full-course equivalents (FCEs) in any life science
• one FCE in any of social sciences, humanities, or a language

For more information, visit the prerequisite courses page .

Academic explanations essay

If your transcript has gaps, course withdrawals, or if you carried less than a full course load, please state the reason in the academic explanations essay section of your application. You should also use this section to document your participation in an educational exchange program, a professional experience year, or co-op program, and the time frame of this activity. Do not assume that we will be able to find this information within your file materials. If there is any reason why you believe your transcript does not reflect your true ability, please briefly outline the circumstances in the academic explanations essay. 

Graduate Applicants

Graduate students may apply if you have completed or are currently enrolled in the final year of your graduate program. If you will not be completing your graduate degree requirements by June 30 in the proposed year of entry, you will not be considered; this policy is strictly enforced. If you re-classify from one graduate degree to another during the application cycle, you will not be considered for admission.

Our MD Program values a diverse applicant pool with students from all academic backgrounds. To acknowledge the academic challenge of undertaking graduate work, applicants pursuing graduate degrees will receive credit for their accomplishments during the file review process. Graduate applicants will receive credit for their graduate work based on the following categories:

• Doctoral degree conferred
• Doctoral degree in progress
• Research-based Master’s conferred
• Research-based Master’s in progress
• Course-based Master’s conferred

Please note that you are not able to update your application after the October 3rd deadline.

Graduate degree

You must have completed all program requirements, including the successful defense of your thesis (if applicable) by June 30 in the proposed year of entry (this deadline will be strictly enforced). If you have not yet received your graduate degree and are offered a position in the MD Program, you will be required to submit proof of successful completion of all requirements of your graduate program (including successful defense of a thesis, if applicable) prior to June 30 in the proposed year of entry. If you are offered a position on the expectation that your degree will be completed, and you are not able to meet this deadline, you will not be granted an admission deferral and will lose your seat in our program. We require a final transcript from you, as proof of conferral of your graduate degree.

You must obtain a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.3 / 4.0 on the OMSAS scale . Although graduate applicants may apply with the minimum required GPA of 3.3, the possession of the minimum GPA requirement does not guarantee acceptance. Based on statistics from recent admissions cycles, a minimum GPA of 3.7 is considered competitive for graduate applicants.

For more information visit the GPA page .

Graduate applicants who have experienced extenuating circumstances during their undergraduate studies and as a result have (a) a period in their studies that does not reflect their true academic abilities and (b) meet our new minimum GPA requirement may write an academic explanations essay to request for special consideration. Please note however meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee your outcome in the cycle.

Internationally educated applicants

A limited number of supernumerary spaces are allocated to specific international training programs that have contractual arrangements with the MD Program.  

If you are currently studying, or have completed your education, outside of Canada, you must have the following in order to be considered for admission:

• a completed non-medical bachelor's degree that is considered equivalent to a four-year bachelor’s degree in Canada

Transcripts from studies undertaken at universities outside of Canada must be submitted to World Education Services (WES) for assessment. For admission consideration we require a course-by-course evaluation that includes an overall GPA calculation.

If you are applying in the final year of your degree program, you must complete the degree requirements and provide proof of completion prior to the date of enrolment in the medical program. You must also fulfill all other academic requirements as listed here:

Related links

• If you are already an international medical student and are hoping to take an elective, we have a visiting electives program at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
• If you are an international medical graduate hoping to undertake further training or an observership via the University of Toronto, you should contact Postgraduate Medical Education .
• If you are an internationally trained physician who is looking to practice medicine in Canada, please see the information for International Medical Graduates .

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Using Thesis Statements

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When you are asked to write an essay that creates an argument, your reader will probably expect a clear statement of your position. Typically, this summary statement comes in the first paragraph of the essay, though there is no rigid rule about position. Here are some characteristics of good thesis statements, with samples of good and poor ones. Note that the better examples substitute specific argumentative points for sweeping general statements; they indicate a theoretical basis and promise substantial support. (See Some Myths About Thesis Statements, below, for a discussion of times not to use a thesis statement. See also the file General Advice on Essay Writing .)

1. It makes a definite and limited assertion that needs to be explained and supported by further discussion:

2. it shows the emphasis and indicates the methodology of your argument:, 3. it shows awareness of difficulties and disagreements:, some myths about thesis statements.

• Every paper requires one . Assignments that ask you to write personal responses or to explore a subject don’t want you to seem to pre-judge the issues. Essays of literary interpretation often want you to be aware of many effects rather than seeming to box yourself into one view of the text.
• A thesis statement must come at the end of the first paragraph. This is a natural position for a statement of focus, but it’s not the only one. Some theses can be stated in the opening sentences of an essay; others need a paragraph or two of introduction; others can’t be fully formulated until the end.
• A thesis statement must be one sentence in length, no matter how many clauses it contains . Clear writing is more important than rules like these. Use two or three sentences if you need them. A complex argument may require a whole tightly-knit paragraph to make its initial statement of position.
• You can’t start writing an essay until you have a perfect thesis statement . It may be advisable to draft a hypothesis or tentative thesis statement near the start of a big project, but changing and refining a thesis is a main task of thinking your way through your ideas as you write a paper. And some essay projects need to explore the question in depth without being locked in before they can provide even a tentative answer.
• A thesis statement must give three points of support . It should indicate that the essay will explain and give evidence for its assertion, but points don’t need to come in any specific number.

Here’s How Ivy League Schools Evaluate Student GPAs

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One of the main gates on the Brown University campus, decorated with the University crest. (Photo by ... [+] Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images)

A stellar GPA is one of the building blocks of a successful Ivy League application, and as the school year winds down, many students are anxiously seeking to give theirs a final boost. While most students and families understand the importance of a 4.0, few are aware of how top colleges evaluate student GPAs or what they look for when reviewing student transcripts. Though your GPA may seem to be a simple metric, nothing could be further from the case—colleges consider more than just the number, accounting for complexities such as diverse grading systems across schools, trends in grade inflation, and level of course rigor.

Here are three important facts to keep in mind about your GPA as you choose your courses:

1. Your GPA doesn’t directly compare to that of students at other schools.

One common misconception among college applicants is that they can compare their GPAs with those of students attending different schools. However, the GPA is not a universal metric but rather a reflection of an individual's academic performance within their specific educational environment. As a result, comparing GPAs from different schools is like comparing apples and oranges. For instance, some schools offer a plethora of AP, IB, and honors courses, while others may have limited options or offer none at all. Additionally, the weight assigned to AP versus honors versus regular classes varies from school to school. So, your GPA may not hold the same weight as those of your peers at different schools, even if you all have 4.0s.

Admissions officers understand that schools vary in their rigor, curriculum, and grading policies. Therefore, they evaluate your GPA in the context of your high school, considering the courses offered and the academic challenges presented. Instead of fixating on how your GPA compares to your friends’ from other schools, focus on challenging yourself and taking advantage of all the opportunities available to you at your school.

2. GPAs across the country are inflated—and colleges know it.

The last few years have seen surges in high school student GPAs nationwide. While GPA inflation has been on the rise over the last decade, average ACT composite scores are steadily declining. “For the 1.4 million ACT test-takers in the high school class of 2023, the average composite score on the exam was 19.5 out of 36, the lowest score since 1991,” according to The New York Times . The parallel differences, coupled with academic differences across schools, suggest that GPA must be considered in tandem with multiple other factors. Simply put, an A no longer means what it used to on a transcript.

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Ivy League and other top colleges are well aware of this trend and evaluate student GPAs alongside other metrics such as standardized test scores and AP exam scores in order to better understand a student’s academic skill sets. While some Ivy League and other top schools remain test-optional , they still place emphasis on course rigor and the context offered by your high school profile in order to understand the grades on your transcript.

3. Colleges will recalculate your GPA.

Given the abundance of variables in GPA calculations, colleges often recalculate the metric to create a standardized baseline for comparison between students across different schools. The recalibration may involve adjusting for variations in grading scales or the weighting of honors, International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The University of California system, for example, calculates students’ UC GPAs by converting grades to grade points (an A is equivalent to 4 points, a B to three points, etc.) for classes taken between summer after 9th and summer after 11th grade, and adding one point for each honors class, and dividing by total classes taken to yield final GPA.*

Other colleges also take additional factors that impact academic performance into consideration, and envelop GPA into a broader, holistic consideration. For instance, the Harvard University lawsuit over affirmative action revealed that Harvard rates students on a scale of 1–6 (with one being the most desirable) in academic, extracurricular, athletic and personal categories. A student’s GPA and test scores are folded together into an academic score which “summarizes the applicant’s academic achievement and potential based on grades, testing results, letters of recommendation, academic prizes, and any submitted academic work.”

This process aims to provide a fair and equitable evaluation of students from different educational backgrounds. Keep in mind that Harvard considers not only your grades, test scores, and academic rigor in this score, but also “evidence of substantial scholarship” and “academic creativity,” which can make the difference between a 1 and a 2 in the scoring system. These systems underscore the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity, showcasing your unique personality and creativity, and seeking to maximize opportunities to improve your performance within the academic landscape of your institution.

By understanding the complex way by which colleges evaluate students’ GPAs, you are better equipped to present a comprehensive and competitive picture of your academic achievements on your transcript and stand out in the competitive Ivy League admissions landscape.

*Variations exist for in-state versus out-of-state students and by high school. Be sure to calculate your GPA following the UC issued guidelines.

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Peter DeWitt's

Finding common ground.

A former K-5 public school principal turned author, presenter, and leadership coach, DeWitt provides insights and advice for education leaders. He can be found at www.petermdewitt.com . Read more from this blog .

8 Steps to Revolutionize Education

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Nobody has to be convinced that the education system is broken. In the words of Leonard Cohen “Everybody Knows .” A recent Pew Research article states that half of Americans feel that education is going in the wrong direction. What to do about it is the key question.

Certainly, we have seen solutions come and go over the decades. Why might it be different as we approach 2025? We know it feels like the worst of times, but my argument is that there is reason to believe that there could be forces at work that could cause “new systemness breakthroughs.”

System change is when a new combination of factors occurs that becomes a wedge powerful and attractive enough to begin the transformation of the current system. Systemness itself is the interaction of a small number of powerful factors and the effect of those actions.

What are those actions? Around 1925, management theorist Mary Parker Follett proposed certain management techniques that were against the grain—the goal of management she said was “unity not uniformity"; to have greater integration via “power with,” not “power over"; and the role of leaders is “to produce other leaders.” Additionally, she said, we need “joint determination and problem-solving” in relation to complex problems.

Over the years, Parker Follett’s name faded, but many of her ideas are confirmed by more detailed research and practice. We have a chance now to transform our systems to become places where students belong, thrive, and engage in deeper learning. The reasons for that are as follows:

• We are getting desperate for improvement in our systems;
• We do in fact have decades of further research and practice that has proved Parker Follett right (and above all has given us greater specificity about what the key concepts look like in practice);
• More people are using these ideas;
• Those lower in the power structure (such as the young—indeed the very young) are becoming active change agents; and
• Some of those in power are becoming increasingly worried (either because they know they are increasingly in danger and/or they are finally wanting to do the right thing for humanity).

What is the right thing, either by research, by humanity, or other evidence? The following figure sets us on the new required path.

As you can see, there is a new innovation on the list—artificial intelligence. It’s still too early to decide how impactful AI can be because the research and practice focusing on it is mixed. I predict that AI’s greatest contribution will turn out to be that it is causing humans to think more deeply . The best districts we know are in fact big users and innovators, using AI in the service of the other seven factors. Time will tell.

Research and practice related to factors 1-7 have proved that these seven in concert can cause system transformation. Part and parcel of this development are new purposes linked to new metrics of progress including belongingness, the six Global Competencies (character/compassion, citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking), and pedagogy that prepares students for society.

The positive interaction of purpose, belonging, time, autonomy, good leaders, teachers and students together, and community linkage creates system change. There is research evidence that each of the seven key factors independently increases wellness. There are other equally curious hunches we have: It may be comparatively easier to increase well-being than to boost deep learning.

Well-being without learning is impossible to sustain; and learning without well-being depletes the spirit. I don’t mean that getting better wellness is easy, but that we know more about restorative practices, and that such practices are intuitively appealing to humans. On the other hand, deep pedagogy and learning are harder to grasp—and establish.

Systemness, based on well-being and learning, continuously produces people who are good in society and for society! Such development would establish a teaching profession that could have been but never fully evolved over the past two centuries: a partnership between students and teachers integrated in society as an in-built generative force that survives and thrives. Let’s be clear, I am talking about establishing a new teaching profession in partnership with students—something that has eluded us for two centuries and is now feasible and essential to our survival!

We know some of this because we work closely with some districts that are implementing these ideas, such as the Ottawa Catholic School Board with 87 schools and 45,000 students. We know it’s a big success because of its use of the eight factors.

However, we wanted a second opinion, so we commissioned Sarah Fine and Jal Mehta, authors of In Search of Deeper Learning , to do a case study. They were skeptical that a big district could be comprehensively as good as we claimed. They came, they saw, they were convinced and wrote a report: “ A Big Tent” Strategy for System-wide Transformation (Fine & Mehta 2024). They called the phenomenon “emergent systemness,” which is what happens when a district uses the eight factors interactively.

Another district equally impressive that we work with is the Anaheim Union High School District with 20 schools and 26,000 students in a high-poverty district that again testifies to the critical importance of the eight factors in dynamic interaction.

My point is not to “literally follow these districts.” It’s a bigger call: Join a movement to experience systemness change in these times. It is a power move for equity and equality. It is “power with” to quote Parker Follett. It is “belonging and targeted universalism and coming together across the divides” a la John Powell . It is the syndrome of the eight factors working together that makes the difference. It is weird because we have never done it before. Let’s start now!

The opinions expressed in Peter DeWitt’s Finding Common Ground are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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