REVIEW OF Mentor College BY Alum, Kibo Nagasaki

Overall Experience 4.5

During my time at Mentor College from 2021 to 2025, I came to realize that while the school has a reputation for being overly challenging, and some say this might negatively impact university applications, however, I personally found the experience to be worthwhile and do not regret my choice to attend. What truly sets Mentor College apart is the dedication of its teachers. Compared to other schools I’ve attended, the staff here is genuinely motivated and committed to student success. Special thanks to Mr. Robbins, Ms. Dickey, and Dr. Mathewson, who consistently went above and beyond in their teaching and in writing my letter of recommendation for Universities in the UK and the US. The administration also deserves praise. All the principals, vice-principals, and assistant vice-principals not only know students by name but also make an effort to greet them in the hallways. I definitely felt like these small gestures made Mentor College such a special school with a strong sense of community. I’d also like to highlight the exceptional support from the guidance department. Ms. Walmark, in particular, provided me with meaningful help during times of mental health concern and always followed up to ensure I was doing well. As for sports, Mentor College has the most sports teams in all of Peel District, with excellent coaches like Mr. Sweeny and Mr. Robbins. I, for one, participated in the Badminton team with Mr. Robbins, where I had a great opportunity learning from and playing with my fellow classmates, winning gold at ROPSSAA first year. Mentor College isn’t like other schools. If your child is academically driven and aiming for admission to top universities, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

School Leadership 4.5

The school administration at Mentor College is incredibly supportive. Every student, including myself, develops a strong relationship with the principal, vice principal, and assistant vice principal. They’re always seen in the hallways greeting students and chatting with teachers, which earns them a lot of respect. It’s clear that they truly value us as individuals. On a personal note, there were issues on my school bus, and the administration resolved them quickly and effectively. Similarly, whenever a student gets injured during a sporting event, a member of the administration checks in personally to see if the student is okay. Disciplinary issues at Mentor are minimal. The main areas of enforcement are the no-phone policy and the school uniform, both of which are taken seriously. Students regularly receive detentions for violations, and while most serve them, there's always a small group that doesn’t. Overall, the administrators communicate well with both students and parents, whether in person or online, although understandably, they can be quite busy at times.

Teaching 5

I believe the teachers are what make Mentor College such a special school. In my four years here, I cannot think of a single teacher who lacked passion for their subject or the school environment. Every teacher I had was involved in school activities and actively engaged with students, which helped develop strong connections. These relationships with my teachers led to strong letters of recommendation, ones that played a crucial role in helping me gain acceptance into the third-best university in the world for Public Health, as well as three top-10 universities in the U.S. for Biomedical Science and Political Science. When it comes to teaching, Mentor College hires educators who are deeply passionate and highly qualified in their fields. For example, Dr. Mathewson, who holds a PhD, teaches Chemistry in a way that makes the subject truly understandable for me. I also had sociology teachers from the University of Toronto who specialized in the subject and brought real academic insight from UofT, and also tips on how to succeed at that university into the classroom. Thanks to the close student-teacher relationships at Mentor, I was even able to engage in meaningful debates on controversial topics like politics with some of my teachers. This speaks volumes about how open-minded, respectful, and supportive the teaching staff truly are at Mentor College.

Academics 4

Mentor College is widely known in the Peel region as an academically rigorous school. When I tell people I attend Mentor, the response is often something like, “Oh, I’m so sorry for you,” or even “Ew.” While those reactions might seem harsh, I understand where they come from. Students at Mentor are held to very high academic standards, often higher than those at other schools, in my experience. That said, the school culture isn’t cutthroat or overly competitive. Despite the academic pressure, students support one another. We share notes, help each other understand difficult topics, and genuinely want our friends to succeed. Since Mentor doesn’t use grade curving, there's no incentive to compete against classmates. Although there's a noticeable divide between the highest-achieving students and those who need more support, this doesn’t affect friendships. As high school progresses, some students who struggle academically do choose to transfer, and often find their grades improve significantly at other schools. This has become a commonly accepted reality at Mentor and is often cited when we do poorly on an assignment. Now that I’m preparing to enter university, I’ve heard from many alumni that Mentor College gave them a major academic advantage compared to their peers. Based on what I’ve seen myself, especially when comparing my understanding of certain subjects to students from other schools, I feel very well-prepared. The only downside I’ve experienced is that in Grades 9 and 10, teachers sometimes teach outside their core specialization. For example, a science teacher might also teach math. While these teachers are still excellent, Mentor shifts to fully specialized subject teachers in Grades 11 and 12. As someone pursuing Public Health at university, I especially appreciated how in-depth we went in social science classes. My Challenge and Change in Society teacher, Ms Davies, who also teaches sociology at Seneca College, told me that Mentor’s curriculum goes deeper than what many high school students are exposed to. That assurance has made me feel confident and well-prepared for the next step in my academic journey.

Extracurriculars 5

Mentor College offers a vibrant and diverse extracurricular scene, with around 140 active clubs and sports teams, making it the school with the most sports teams in the entire Peel Region. There are well-known academic and leadership clubs like the Debate Team, Model UN, DECA, FBLA, Mock Trial, and Pride Club, alongside more unique offerings such as the BBQ Club, Mental Health Association Club, Cooking Club, and a wide range of math and science competition teams. If you have an idea for a club that doesn’t exist yet, starting your own is always an option. For example, I co-founded both the Theology Club and the Research Club. One of the standout features of Mentor is the support from faculty—teachers are always eager to help organize and supervise new clubs, making it easy to bring your ideas to life. Most clubs are casual and welcoming, but some of the more competitive ones, like Model UN, DECA, and Mock Trial, do require interviews and are selective, which reflects the strong student interest and passion for those fields. In terms of athletics, Mentor offers an impressive range of sports, from staples like basketball, volleyball, soccer, and rugby to less common options like golf and archery. I was part of the badminton team, and we won gold in our first year. The teachers and coaches were incredibly supportive throughout. However, it's important to note that academics come first. If a student is struggling in class, they may be asked to step away from sports until their grades improve. Team competitiveness varies depending on the sport. Soccer, basketball, and golf tend to be the most competitive, and some teams expect students to come in with prior experience. That said, if you don't make a team, there are still ways to get involved. I was given special permission to serve as the medic for the rugby team, and that experience helped me land a job as a private medical responder outside of school. Overall, Mentor College fosters a well-rounded student experience. The wide range of extracurriculars, combined with strong academic support, gives students the opportunity to grow in many directions, if they choose to take advantage of what the school offers.

Students 4.5

The students at Mentor College, especially those who remain through Grade 12, are a very unique group. Since many underperforming students tend to leave within the first two years, those who stay have typically developed strong work habits due to the school’s demanding academic environment. Friend groups at Mentor tend to form around shared interests: some are deeply involved in sports, others in the arts, and many are simply made up of people who naturally get along. There's no "typical" student at Mentor, everyone is different in their own way. One thing I found particularly unique compared to other private schools is that money doesn’t influence popularity. People respect and like you based on your personality, your character, or your academic strengths, not your socioeconomic status. This creates a more genuine and accepting environment. Another standout quality is how easy it is to talk to people, even outside of your main friend group. Whether it’s a group project or just a passing conversation, students are generally comfortable interacting with one another, even if they haven’t spoken in years. While occasional drama or tension can arise between friend groups, it never escalates to physical altercations. In my four years at Mentor, I’ve never seen a fight break out on school grounds. While students don’t typically show a strong sense of school pride, the environment remains positive and respectful. The student body is incredibly diverse, with large communities of Chinese, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern students. There’s a smaller population of White and Hispanic students, and the smallest demographic at the school is the Black student population, with only a handful of students.

School Life 3

Student life at Mentor College really depends on the individual. For me, the workload, especially while taking Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, was sometimes overwhelming. Since Mentor follows a full-year program, it was difficult at times to stay on top of everything. However, once I developed strong time management skills, the workload became more manageable. In hindsight, I believe this challenge built resilience and character. I still went to school every day with a smile, even though many of my friends would often express how stressed or unhappy they were. The school’s schedule can be intense. It’s common to have multiple assessments scheduled on the same day for a week, followed by a week with nothing due. Because of this, if a student isn’t academically focused but still wants to take all three sciences and advanced math courses, they may find the experience quite difficult. That said, Mentor offers a range of enjoyable and enriching courses like law, art, and music that help balance out the academic pressure. And although the school is clearly academically driven, there are plenty of lunchtime clubs and after-school sports that help students unwind and maintain a healthier school-life balance. While Mentor could improve student life by better staggering assessments across subjects, that intensity is also part of what defines the school. As a result, some students leave after Grade 9 or 10, but those who stay tend to be highly motivated and focused on achieving strong grades and future university goals. Despite the stress, there’s a shared sense of ambition and purpose among the student body that makes the experience uniquely rewarding.

Community 3.5

Mentor College fosters a strong sense of community within the school. While some parents are involved in the Parent-Teacher Association, this is more common at the primary level. From what I’ve observed, the PTA’s involvement with the high school is limited, with the main exception being events like the annual speech competition. What really stands out is the strong bond between students and teachers. It’s common for graduates to return during or after university just to visit and catch up with their former teachers, which speaks to the deep relationships formed here. Many of my friends chose to attend the same universities and even dorm together, showing how tight-knit the student community can be. That said, while there’s a strong sense of connection among students during school, the broader alumni network isn’t particularly active or tightly connected. If you weren’t close with someone during high school, it’s unlikely you’ll stay in touch later on, even if you end up in the same university program. Still, this is a minor aspect of the overall experience at Mentor College.

School Location 3.5

Mentor College does not have a cafeteria, so students are expected to bring their own lunch. However, the school’s location near Port Credit provides easy access to a variety of restaurants that cater to students. For example, both Great Canadian Pizza and a local Greek restaurant offer $5 student menus. There’s also a Tim Hortons nearby, and a McDonald’s within reach—though getting there typically requires a car. During lunch, many Grade 12 students take advantage of their ability to drive and head out to nearby spots, while younger students usually stay on campus. The school lobby has seating available for students to eat, and many choose to visit walkable restaurants in the area. Mentor College is located just off Lakeshore Road, in a residential neighborhood, but it is also located in Port Credit. While generally safe, the area does have some petty crime, and there’s an LCBO nearby where questionable individuals occasionally offer to buy alcohol for students. That said, the area is heavily patrolled by both car and bike police, who are quick to intervene if they notice anything suspicious, so safety is well-maintained. The teachers also patrol those areas at lunch. To be clear, in my four years, I have never experienced anything I believe was dangerous, but incidents have been reported before. In addition, with a public elementary school and Port Credit Secondary School nearby, the area is often filled with students from multiple schools.

Admissions 4.5

I applied to Mentor College during the COVID-19 pandemic, so my admissions experience was a bit different from the current process. At the time, I was required to complete an online assessment that tested both my math and English skills. I scored 90% in English and 70% in math, which was ironic, since I’ve always considered myself stronger in math than in English, but I was still accepted. I know several of my peers received lower scores and were also admitted, so it seems the school takes a more holistic approach rather than strictly filtering based on test performance. Today, I often see prospective students coming into the school to take these assessments in person. During my application process, there was also clear communication between my primary school and Mentor College, with my report cards and proof of graduation transferred smoothly and quickly. Overall, the admissions process was fast, well-organized, and low-stress, with strong communication throughout. It gave me a good first impression of how the school operates.

University placement and counselling 5

One of the standout features of Mentor College is its exceptional counseling program, especially in Grade 12. Ms. Walmark, our senior guidance counselor, demonstrates an extraordinary level of expertise and dedication to student success. Each student receives personalized support. She meets with us individually to discuss our university goals and outlines what we need to accomplish academically to achieve them. Ms. Walmark also organizes university visits throughout the year, bringing in representatives from institutions across Canada, as well as from the UK and Ireland. When universities relevant to our interests visit, she personally messages us to ensure we don’t miss out. As application deadlines approach, she consistently checks in to see if we need help finalizing our choices or navigating the application process. In my case, I had decided to apply to universities in the UK but had forgotten to inform her. She noticed that I hadn’t accepted any offers on OUAC (Ontario’s university application platform) and reached out directly to ask if I needed guidance. It’s incredible that she manages to provide this level of support for over 170 students in the graduating class. Through Edsby, our school communication platform, she keeps the Grade 12 calendar updated with all key deadlines and reminders. Ms. Walmark also brings a wealth of experience with international applications. Her knowledge of UCAS (UK) and the Common App (US) has helped me and many of my peers successfully navigate complex admissions processes. Thanks to her guidance, I’ll be attending University College London, while two of my classmates are heading to UPenn and Oxford, opportunities made possible in large part by her expertise. I’ve never felt more supported in a school setting, and I truly believe the counseling at Mentor College is one of its greatest strengths.