REVIEW OF Ontario Virtual School BY student, Sarah Yan

(5) Student Experience

I had a great experience taking SCH4U (Grade 12 Chemistry) through Ontario Virtual School (OVS). The course was clearly laid out and easy to follow, with each unit broken down into manageable lessons that included videos, visuals, and review questions. I really liked how flexible the pacing was—it gave me the freedom to work around my schedule and study at my own speed. The content itself was thorough and well-explained. The teacher was very prompt with answering questions, marking tests and assignments, and was very helpful with guidance needed as a Grade 12 student. Overall, I would definitely recommend OVS for anyone looking to take SCH4U. It’s a solid course that helps you build a strong foundation in chemistry while offering the flexibility of online learning.

(5) School Leadership

Yes, I do respect the school leaders at OVS, including the headmaster, guidance counsellors, and teachers. They play a big role in keeping the school organized and running smoothly, especially since it's an online platform where structure and support are really important. One thing I think they do well is making the learning experience flexible and accessible. The course materials are well-organized, and the teachers explain difficult concepts clearly. I also appreciate how responsive the staff is—when I’ve reached out with questions or needed help, I’ve usually gotten a quick and helpful reply. If I had to suggest something, I would say it would be great if they could offer more interactive opportunities, such as optional live Q&A sessions or discussion boards. Sometimes, online learning can feel a bit isolated, so having more ways to connect with teachers or classmates would make the experience even more engaging.

(5) Teaching

I think the teachers at OVS ask just the right amount from students. The expectations are clear, and the workload is manageable if you stay on top of the lessons. I never really felt overwhelmed, but I also didn’t feel like it was too easy—there was a good balance that kept me learning and challenged without unnecessary stress. I usually felt like I understood what the teachers expected from me. The instructions for assignments and tests were clear, and the rubrics helped me know how to succeed. When teachers talk about success, I think they mean more than just getting high marks. I think they want us to truly understand the material, manage our time well, and become more independent learners, which is especially important in an online course like this.

(5) Academics

I believe the work in the OVS SCH4U course is just right. It’s challenging enough to keep me engaged and push me to think critically, but it’s not so difficult that it feels overwhelming. As long as I stay organized and review the material, I feel confident that I can do well. Their student organizer has helped a lot with time management as well. I do think what I’m learning will be useful later in life, especially if I pursue a science-related field. Even if I don’t, it’s helped me improve important skills like problem-solving, time management, and critical thinking. Plus, understanding chemistry gives me a better sense of how the world works—from things like energy and the environment to basic health and safety knowledge.

(5) School Life

If I were giving a tour of OVS to a group of visitors, I would start by showing them the student dashboard. That’s where everything begins—your courses, assignments, grades, and progress tracking. It’s a great example of how OVS is structured to be student-friendly and easy to navigate. I would emphasize the student calendar as they can plan out their course load and have an idea of how much they need to do to finish on their goal date. Starting there would help visitors understand how students manage their learning on a day-to-day basis. From there, I’d show them a sample lesson to demonstrate how clear and interactive the content is. It would give a good first impression of how organized and accessible the school is, even though it's fully online.

(5) Admissions

The admissions process at OVS was really smooth and straightforward. It wasn’t stressful at all—in fact, I found it pretty easy. Once I selected my course, everything moved quickly. The school was very prompt in processing the application, and anytime I had a question, their support team responded quickly and clearly. That made the whole experience a lot less stressful. For someone planning to apply, I would say not to worry—it’s a straightforward process, and help is available if needed. One thing I now know that I didn’t fully realize back then is how flexible and self-paced the learning process really is. It makes managing school with other responsibilities a lot more doable.