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Appleby College logo
in-depth report
The OUR KIDS Report: Appleby College
Grades Gr. 7 TO Gr. 12 — Oakville, ON (Map)

THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
Appleby College
REPORT CONTENTS
Reviews
Analysis

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Student Body

Appleby College's student body is larger compared to most schools, and it offers boarding from Grade 9 with a comparatively high proportion of international students. More students receive financial aid than at most schools. Families and alumni describe the school’s supportive, inclusive community with a strong emphasis on academic excellence and global citizenship.

Facts and analysis

Total enrollment

810 students attend Appleby College.

Appleby College has a larger student body than 90% of all schools we cover.

  • Breakdown by grade

    Grade Enrollment
    Appleby College Median of all other schools
    Gr. 77624
    Gr. 87825
    Gr. 914340
    Gr. 1015940
    Gr. 1117443
    Gr. 1217343
  • Why it matters

    While some researchers have looked to uncover the "ideal" school size, these studies often generalize student preferences and behaviours. Your real goal is to find what best suits your child’s needs. Smaller schools can offer a school-wide sense of connection, while larger schools often provide broader programming and opportunities. Also, note that per-grade enrollment often tells a more meaningful story than total enrollment alone (read topic guide).


Gender

Both girls and boys attend.

This makes Appleby College like 91% of other schools we cover.

  • Why it matters

    A school’s gender composition influences its social, academic, and extracurricular experiences. Coed schools often encourage collaboration across genders, while single-gender schools (all-boys or all-girls) may focus on specialized learning approaches (read topic guide).


Boarding Population

Appleby College offers boarding from Grade 9 to 12. Only 33% of the total student body boards.

Appleby College has a larger proportion of boarding students than 50% of its peer boarding schools.

  • Breakdown by grade

    Grade Boarding students as a percentage of total enrollment
    Appleby College Median of all other boarding schools
    Gr. 911%38%
    Gr. 1023%48%
    Gr. 1128%51%
    Gr. 12100%53%
  • Why it matters

    The proportion of boarding students is an important factor in shaping a school’s culture. Large boarding populations may create an immersive environment, while smaller boarding communities may balance residential life with local engagement (read topic guide).


International Students

30% of students come from outside Canada.

See how this ranks Appleby College below.

  • Why it matters

    A diverse international student body offers opportunities for cultural exchange and a global perspective. These experiences can enhance your child’s understanding of different cultures and prepare them for a globalized world (read topic guide).


STUDENTS ON FINANCIAL AID

20% of students at Appleby College receive financial aid.

The percentage of students on financial aid at Appleby College is higher than 85% of all schools we cover.

  • Breakdown by grade

    Grade Percentage of students on financial aid
    Gr. 720%
    Gr. 820%
    Gr. 920%
    Gr. 1020%
    Gr. 1120%
    Gr. 1220%
  • Why it matters

    Financial aid reflects a school’s commitment to accessibility and socioeconomic diversity. These programs aim to create a richer community by bringing together students from varied backgrounds and experiences (read topic guide).


 

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.


There is a supportive and inclusive community.

Observations from students, parents, and alumni suggest that Appleby College’s supportive and inclusive community fosters a strong sense of belonging and allows students to thrive academically and socially.

The community and people were everything for me at Appleby College. There were amazing academics, amazing extracurriculars, and all of that was rooted in this community of people who really cared. Even though you’re surrounded by these people who have amazing goals and want to achieve so much, it never feels competitive. It always felt so supportive.
Two important characteristics of the school are inclusivity and kindness. It's hard to find a place that is genuinely inclusive. Many places want to feel that way, but I felt Appleby was inclusive for many different communities. I'm part of the LGBTQ community. It was pretty amazing to feel included in that. And then, there is kindness. Everyone's very kind to each other. The amount of effort that teachers put into each individual student. And there's a lot of help at Appleby as well. If you're struggling, there's help for educational purposes, mental health purposes, everything like that. So I think you don't get that often at high school. I think Appleby taught me my core values that I live by.
Appleby is inclusive. We come from all over the world. Whatever the skin colour and whatever the background, we are all one Appleby community, one family. My younger daughter used to go to a different private school. It’s like a more local private school. But Appleby is more international. It’s more open. The view is more open and it has a wider perspective. And Appleby—I don’t think there are many schools like Appleby.

Students benefit from diverse perspectives.

Accounts from the Appleby community highlight that the school’s profound diversity—in perspectives, experiences, and cultures—nurtures personal growth and thoughtful engagement among students.

Initially, I was a bit rigid and perhaps stubborn when I first joined Appleby, carrying a narrow perspective of what the school experience would be like. But as I started to embrace the opportunities with an open mind, I realized the depth and richness of experiences Appleby had to offer. This shift in perspective was a game-changer, allowing me to fully take advantage of the unparalleled opportunities presented at Appleby, which goes far beyond any conventional high school experience.
One thing we really loved about Appleby is the diverse community and the well-rounded student population my kids have been exposed to. This was something we were looking for, especially in today's global world. We wanted this experience for our children. Academic excellence was also at the top of our list. I believe there's a place for students to work at their level or even reach ahead.
It is a very accepting place.  Appleby is a very diverse community—and diverse in a profound way. It’s diverse with perspectives, experiences, cultures, backgrounds, and identities. You get to bounce ideas off of others who grew up in a very different way from you or who see things differently. And because of that you get to grow into yourself—and your views and your opinions—in a much more thoughtful way.

Students develop lifelong friendships.

Insights from alumni and students underscore how Appleby's unique experiences, such as the Grade 12 boarding program and the Temagami trip, effectively prepare students for future challenges and solidify lifelong friendships.

Another thing I think that sets Appleby apart is the relationships that you're able to make at Appleby. I still have a lot of friends from Appleby, and I think that's really special. I was able to develop those relationships there, and Appleby makes it possible to develop those friendships. The close community and the friendships that you make, again, high school can be a really challenging time for a lot of students, a lot of families. So having such a close community is really beneficial during that time.
The friendships my children formed at Appleby are truly remarkable. The Grade 12 year is particularly a time that students form deep friendships. The children build strong bonds with the teachers as well, and these relationships continue even after they graduate. The friendships among the students and the connections they form with the faculty are one of the highlights of their time at Appleby. It gives them a deep sense of community and belonging.
Appleby has mandatory Grade 12 boarding. That is something that I don’t think is too common among other schools. It is such a great way to, in your final year, solidify your friendships. Also to prepare for university, because for most university experiences, you’ll probably move away from home. For many students, that coupled with the new school, coupled with the new people—it can be overwhelming.  By helping you get accustomed to living on your own, you can focus on other things, like the new university, the new classes, and the new community. It’s one less thing for you or your parents to worry about because you’ve done it before.

There is a shared drive toward academic excellence.

Insights from students and alumni reflect an environment at Appleby College where academic drive and expertise among both peers and faculty create a stimulating space for intellectual growth.

Appleby College was such an academically stimulating environment with peers who are doing amazing things, writing all these AP exams, and are interested, and doing research—just having opportunities to learn from peers like that. Also, the faculty, who are experts in their field even outside of class, and are doing these amazing things academically—whether it’s giving TED Talks, working towards their PhD, or whatever it may be. You’re just always so academically stimulated at Appleby College.
From day one, Appleby instills self-discipline and individual responsibility in children. It emphasizes understanding themselves and building upon what the children value, helping them in figuring out their own paths. It is a thrilling time for them and for us as parents to see them finding themselves.
Appleby always pushes you to grow. All the friends around her are outstanding. Her friends have won ‘optimal’ student awards, they have service awards, and my daughter said ‘I want these awards as well’.

They prepare for global citizenship.

According to administrators and teachers, Appleby College integrates global education and cultural appreciation into its curriculum, preparing students to be well-rounded global citizens through mandatory international experiences.

The number one reason I would recommend Appleby is its effectiveness in preparing students for life after high school, offering real-life experiences that resemble the future working and university environments. It provides an opportunity to try new things and fosters well-rounded individuals. I would urge prospective families to consider the unique aspects of Appleby and align them with their values and expectations. My biggest advice to new students is to embrace the opportunities early on and approach the journey with an open mind, as it can broaden their horizon and unveil numerous prospects. It’s essential to take full advantage of everything Appleby has to offer.
At Appleby College, I really appreciated the international community, and the way that it allowed us to be creative, the opportunities that they had for students to step up and decide how they wanted to do things. For the international community, I was a part of Round Square for a bit, which I loved. I hosted people at my house during a conference a couple of years ago.
Global education has been something we see as a really central part of experiences for kids as they’re developing ‘global citizenship’ — being able to live and work with people of all sorts of different backgrounds, and appreciating different cultures. That’s grown significantly at Appleby over the last 15 years. A few years ago, we made it a mandatory part of the program. So whether it’s a service trip, an intercultural trip, an academic exchange, or an international conference, every student who goes to Appleby will have a global experience through Appleby.

They contribute to the vibrant school life.

Students' and parents' comments suggest that the lively and dynamic atmosphere at Appleby College makes learning both enjoyable and challenging, contributing to a well-rounded and fulfilling educational experience.

The atmosphere at Appleby is spirited, fun, and welcoming. The environment is something that I appreciated every single day while I was there. Everybody really takes pride in being an Appleby Blue Dog. Everybody is designated a house when you get to Appleby. You love the house that you're assigned to. There are Spirit Days, where you celebrate the house you're assigned to, which is special.
There’s also the Temagami trip. Appleby has a place about six hours north of Toronto, in the Temagami area, called Rabbit Nose Island. We go there in Grade 10 in particular, and it’s a winter trip. We built ‘quinzhees’, which are these snow forts where you dig out the inside. I slept two nights in that quinzhee! It was just a great way to bond with your peers and get out of your bubble, get out of the stress, get away from your phone and the stress that comes with that.
There were so many opportunities for me to connect with others through things that I loved. There were so many areas of interest that I could sort of dive into that it was hard to not relate to people. That's just one way that kids can come out of their shell and sort of transition smoothly, is just getting involved in what they love and the transition follows.
 

THE OUR KIDS REPORT: Appleby College


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