LIVE/COHORT.2026ACCEPTING/YALE.EA+1 ADMIT/AMAZONOFFER ACCEPTED/JEI.PUBLICATIONACCEPTED/SPARK.SCORE+12% YoY/CORNELL.ED+1 ADMIT/AIRBNB+1 OFFER/SAT.AVG1540/SCHOLARSHIPS.YTD$2.2M+/IMPERIAL.LONDON+1 ADMIT/DUNESUMMER OFFER/BAIR.LABINTERN PLACED/UPENN.RD+1 ADMIT/GOOGLE.CSSI+1 PLACED/MENTOR.RATIO1 : 1/RESEARCH.PAPERS47 PUBLISHED/

Resources

Brightspark Blogs

Notes from the front lines of elite admissions — admissions strategy, common myths, and the differences between U.S. and Canadian systems.

July 7, 2025

U.S. vs Canadian College Admission Differences

The U.S. and Canada share a border, a language, and plenty of academic prestige—but their university systems run very differently. From how they build degree plans to how they price tuition, the contrasts are big enough to steer your whole undergraduate experience.

10 Myths About the U.S. Elite College Admissions Process

Myth 1: Schools are looking for well rounded applicants. Remember that old guidance-counselor mantra about being “well-rounded”? At today’s super-selective schools, breadth alone won’t cut it.