Her journey has been marked by both challenges and personal growth. Balancing work and academic responsibilities has not always been easy, but it has taught her to be more independent and focus. On weekends, she enjoys exploring new places, either in the city or within her own neighbourhood, playing tennis, and trying out new restaurants.

Currently, Linda works as a French Tutor at Alexander College and also volunteers at a local animal shelter. These roles have not only provided valuable experience but also deepened her connection to the community.

“AC has supported me in many ways.” Her on-campus job has helped her better understand the college environment, build new relationships, and stay organized. The encouragement and guidance she has received from staff have also played a role in helping her plan for the future.

“If I could give advice to new students, I’d say: get involved. Join clubs, go to events, and talk to your professors it really helps you grow.” Her favourite quote is “Never give up.” “It describes me perfectly. No matter the ups and downs, I stay committed to what I want.”

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Life in Canada

“I came to Canada because of the multiculturalism and I think it’s a beautiful thing to experience.”

Racheal chose Canada as her destination because she wanted to experience how other people outside of her country lived. In Uganda, there are a number of tribes each with their own culture, but being able to meet different groups of people from all over the world in one place is an opportunity Racheal is grateful for.

Vancouver also has beautiful mountains and beaches that are visible when riding public transportation such as the SkyTrain or SeaBus.

Being an international student has also allowed Racheal to experience living on her own for the first time. This experience has changed how she views responsibility and taught her how to take care of herself and how to build relationships.

As a student at Alexander College, Racheal has been able to make friends from India, Korea, the Philippines, and even other parts of Africa. While she did not have the chance to join any school clubs, Racheal highly recommends joining clubs and interacting with other students with similar interests.

Aside from making friends, Racheal has also enjoyed using the various student support services the college provides. Academic Advising is the service she uses the most, but Career Advising and the Library are also services she would recommend to any student.

Advice for Students

Racheal’s advice for students is to ask for help if they have any problems. Student support services are there to help students succeed and there are services outside of Alexander College that can also provide support for students.

“It [support services] has really helped me,” Racheal says, “and it has made my life a lot easier so I’m very grateful for that.”

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

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Studying at Alexander College

Sara is glad the small class sizes at Alexander College allows her to talk to her instructors and fellow classmates more easily. In fact, she met one of her closest friends in Canada in class last year!

The variety of Student Support Services has also helped Sara on her academic journey. She often visits the Writing and Learning Centre (WLC) for essay help and she knows she can visit Career Advising for help with refining her resume.

In addition, staff at Alexander College can speak multiple languages so Sara can ask questions in her native language if she needs help with course registration or Academic Advising.

A Well-Rounded Canadian Experience

Aside from academics, Sara also finds time to be active on campus and enjoy life as an international student. As the president of the Japanese Club, she takes the opportunity to introduce the Japanese language and culture to the other students.

Having students from many different countries studying at Alexander College means the Japanese Club also has the chance to collaborate with other cultural clubs, such as the Philippines Club.

One of Sara’s favourite memories of Canada is going to the Shipyards Christmas Market in North Vancouver. At the market, Sara was able to try maple toffee —a traditional Canadian treat— for the first time and experience ice skating.

Advice to New Students

Sara’s advice for new students is to not be afraid to try new things.

“You can develop your skills,” Sara says. “You can meet a lot of friends and lots of people from different countries. I think it should be fun and also a valuable experience for you!”

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

The post Sara from Japan appeared first on Alexander College.

Life as an Alexander College Student

When asked how she came to study at Alexander College, Louisa says she had a friend who had studied at the college. One of the main benefits that convinced Louisa to choose Alexander College was the selection of fully transferrable courses.

Louisa also appreciates the Student Support Services that the college offers. During her time as a student at Alexander College, she took advantage of the workshops held by Academic Advising and made sure to book appointments with an Academic Advisor to ensure she was meeting UBC admission requirements.

One of the advantages of transferring to a university from Alexander College rather than overseas is having fewer transfer requirements. For example, by transferring from a college in Canada, students are able to waive the English proficiency requirement that universities in Canada have.

Advice for Students

For international students, Louisa recommends the University Transfer program if they are looking to transfer to a university upon graduation. Completing the first two years at a college also allows students to adjust to life and schooling in Canada.

Louisa also recommends students take advantage of the numerous services that the college offers.

“Don’t hesitate to reach out,” Louisa says, “…because the entire school is here to support you!”

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

The post Louisa from China appeared first on Alexander College.

Life in Canada

Annika first set her sights on studying in Canada when her uncle told her about the quality of education in Canada. With a country in mind, her agency suggested Alexander College.

Through her own research, she discovered Alexander College’s YouTube channel, currently the YouTube channel with the highest subscriber count out of all educational institutions in Canada. Seeing the diversity of students in the videos convinced her to choose Alexander College and the rest is history.

“I saw the campus tours and students who tell their experiences and I was like, ‘Oh, I think this is a nice school to go to.’”

Since then, Annika has enjoyed her time at Alexander College. She says everyone has been really nice and she recommends exploring the student services that the College offers.

For example, when she was looking for a part-time job, Career Advising helped her out with her resume and even helped her with interview practice.

Now that her ACSA term has come to an end, she is currently working as a student worker. Annika says it has been a great opportunity to help build her communication, problem solving, and organization skills.

Another service she enjoys using is Academic Advising, especially when it comes to selecting courses. Academic Advisors can help create a study plan so students know exactly which courses to enrol in once course registration opens.

The Writing and Learning Centre (WLC) has also been incredibly helpful for Annika whenever she needs help with her essays and term papers.

“I think it’s nice if students are able to use those [student support] services because it’s really helpful for them.” Annika states. “Most of the staff and students are really friendly.”

Plans for the Future and Advice for New Students

Looking ahead, Annika wants to continue her education after graduating from Alexander College and pursue a bachelor’s degree in either industrial psychology or clinical psychology. To her, business and psychology is a fascinating topic.

“It’s hard,” Annika says. “But it’s fun when you get to understand things deeply.”

Her advice for new students? Embrace every opportunity and do things even if you’re scared!

“Do things scared even though you have doubts…there’s going to be people along the way that’s going to help you and support you no matter what!”

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

The post Annika from the Philippines appeared first on Alexander College.

Aspiring to be a positive role model to her three younger siblings, Enkhjin chose to study in Canada due to its diversity of cultures and the opportunity to meet people from around the world.

Life as an Alexander College Student

Being an international student in Canada has challenged Enkhjin to be more independent and open-minded. With Alexander College’s diverse student body, Enkhjin has been able to interact with students many different countries.

The convenient location of the Burnaby campus ensures never too far away from public transportation, shops, and even nature.

Plans for the Future

Upon graduation, Enkhjin is planning to continue her studies and transfer to a university after obtaining her Associate Degree. With plans to pursue a Bachelor’s in Psychology and perhaps even a Master’s degree, Enkhjin’s has ambitious goals and plans to see them through.

“I’m really interested in working with kids and young adults,” she says, with passion in her voice.

Advice for Students

“When it feels scary to jump, that is exactly when you jump.”

The iconic quote said by Abel Morales in the movie A Most Violent Year is a line that Enkhjin thinks back on whenever she needs a little push out of her comfort zone. Her advice to students is much the same: don’t be afraid to just go for it!

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

The post Enkhjin from Mongolia: Studying Psychology and Stepping Out of Her Comfort Zone appeared first on Alexander College.

Canada: A Mix of City and Nature

Rajveer knew from the get-go he wanted to study abroad, it was just a question of where. Following the footsteps of his brothers, Rajveer decided to settle in Canada, especially after discovering our Alexander College Instagram account where we showcase life in Vancouver.

“There are a lot of things I would say I really like about Vancouver, especially the greenery. Also there are a lot of high rise buildings. I also really like them.”

When Rajveer isn’t studying, his love of books and languages keeps him busy. He is currently learning Spanish!

Life at Alexander College

Rajveer contributes his wonderful experience at Alexander College to the staff and students. One of the student support services he uses frequently is Academic Advising. Whenever he has questions about which courses to take or what a course is about, he knows Academic Advisors are always ready to help.

As the Administrative and Finance Representative and Vice-President of ACSA, Rajveer is more than happy to help organize fun events for students to round out their experience in Canada.

“[ACSA] is for the students. We provide support services like the services you can get from Alexander College. We also provide information related to events, extracurricular activities, and those stuff.”

Advice for Students and Plans for the Future

One piece of advice Rajveer wants to give to future students is participate in extracurricular activities! The clubs and events at Alexander College provides the perfect opportunity to meet new people and make friends.

As for Rajveer’s plans for the future, he is aiming to start his own business. Back in India, he was involved in the construction of a residential building and he would love to bring his expertise here to build an orphanage or a retirement home.

For now, he is enjoying his academic journey at Alexander College.

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

The post Rajveer from India: Associate of Arts Student and ACSA Vice-President appeared first on Alexander College.

Exploring the City of Diversity: Vancouver

As the first member in his family to move to Canada, Vanshik considers this a major milestone in his life.

“I’m quite happy that I was able to do it all alone because that gives me the practical experience of how to be an adult and how to do things at your own pace.”

Back when he was in his home country of India, Vanshik was drawn to the diversity that is a major characteristic of Vancouver.

Now, as an international student in Vancouver, Vanshik makes the most of his time here by trying new food and activities.

“There’s different people from different places every day when I go out.”

As a self-proclaimed foodie, Vanshik loves trying the multitude of cuisines and foods unfamiliar to him.

When he isn’t trying out the food Vancouver has to offer, he is out and about trying new activities for the first time such as hiking. With mountains and beaches, there is never a shortage of things to do in Vancouver!

To showcase everything he has experienced in Vancouver, he has his own blog and Instagram account!

Life as an Alexander College Student

It was the diversity Vanshik saw from the Alexander College YouTube channel and the Alexander College blog drew him in.

Furthermore, his agent also recommended Alexander College since the school is located in Vancouver. From there, the choice to study Alexander College was an easy one.

One thing he enjoys about Alexander College is the multitude of student support services that the college offers. These include:

• Writing and Learning Centre (WLC)
• Student Life
• Health and Wellness
• WriteAway and AskAway

In particular, Vanshik uses the WriteAway and AskAway services whenever he needs help with his assignments.

“I just upload the draft of my assignment on there and they reply within 24 hours, which is a great service.”

For future students who are considering studying at Alexander College, Vanshik thinks it’s absolutely worth it.

Staff and faculty are polite and friendly and Vanshik finds that he can visit faculty during office hours to discuss any questions he has about the course material.

Since studying at Alexander College, Vanshik now has friends from different communities and they have taught him a lot about communicating with others.

Because of these reasons, Vanshik thinks students will be very happy when they arrive in Canada.

“The best part is if you decide to come here, you’re gonna see a lot of diversity here in Vancouver and specifically in Alexander College as well. We have people from different backgrounds and they help us build new experiences and you learn from them.”

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

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Vancouver: A City Surrounded by Nature

Canada is a country that is not only known for its diversity of people, but also for its abundance of nature.

Even if you live in a large city like Vancouver, there’s no shortage of nature nearby! From the old forests found within Stanley Park to the mountains that is just a bus ride away, it’s no wonder many people pick up an outdoor activity as a hobby after moving here.

The fact that nature is so accessible is why Wei-Lin enjoys living in Vancouver so much. Wei-Lin hikes once or twice a month and has conquered the Grouse Grind.

Hiking is challenging, Wei-Lin admits, but to him the beautiful view at the top of the mountain is worth it.

Another outdoor activity he enjoys is camping.

“I can gather around with my friends… and go to some place where we want and just setting up and cooking something and just talking and relaxing.”

Planning for the Future

Once Wei-Lin decided to pivot to programming from engineering, he had a plan in place.

He chose to study at Alexander College because unlike most universities, many private colleges like Alexander College offer lower tuition rates for fully transferrable courses.

Wei-Lin likes how the staff at Alexander College are very helpful. In particular, he recommends Academic Advising because they have helped him with the process of applying to the University of British Columbia (UBC) to continue his education.

He also thinks the instructors have been very helpful as well. In his current programming job, he has been able to apply the fundamental knowledge he has learned in class.

Advice for Future Students

One piece of advice Wei-Lin would like to pass on to future students is to be prepared for the pace of school in Canada. Compared to his education in Taiwan, the pace is much faster here.

“You have to learn fast and do assignments and review all the materials you learn in each class.”

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

The post Wei-Lin from Taiwan: Computer Science Major and Camping Enthusiast appeared first on Alexander College.

She is a very active student on campus, especially since she is the 2024 Alexander College Student Association (ACSA) President!

When we asked how she felt about living in Vancouver, Andrea had nothing but praises. Hailing from Colombia, where the weather is warm year round, the mild winters in Vancouver is the perfect place to experience colder weather.

Vancouver’s TransLink system allows Andrea to take full advantage of the Canadian weather and explore the city.

“I still like to wear layers because back in Colombia there is no winter at all.”

For someone who loves to learn from other cultures while sharing her own, Vancouver is the perfect place to study with its diverse population.

With the goal to eventually move abroad, Andrea admitted that she was looking at other English-speaking countries like Australia and England, but ultimately chose Canada because its easier to stay in the country upon graduation and eventually obtain PR status in Canada compared to other countries.

“Not all colleges have the content that Alexander College has.”

Another thing that drew Andrea to Canada was Alexander College. As the biggest educational institution YouTube channel in Canada, our content caught her eye. Along with offering courses that aligned with her interests, such as Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and scholarships for Latin American students, the choice was clear.

Since childhood, Andrea has always been active. As a child, she was a cheerleader and learned how to salsa dance in school.

“In my city it’s well known for salsa, so you need to learn to dance salsa if you want to go out and hang out with your friends!”

In Vancouver, when she’s taking a break from her studies, Andrea enjoys hiking in places such as Lindeman Lake!

Plans for the Future and Advice for Future Students

As a second-year student, Andrea already has ideas for what she wants to do upon graduation. BCIT has a program called Airport Operations and that’s what she has her sights set on.

To those who are thinking of studying in Canada, Andrea recommends getting involved with school clubs and events as they are an excellent way to learn about different cultures!

If you’re a current student at AC, we would love to hear our story! Contact us at social@alexandercollege.ca and you may have a chance to be featured in a future blog and video.

The post Andrea from Colombia: International Business Major and ACSA President appeared first on Alexander College.