Guides
Guide Library
The questions families ask us over and over, answered as step-by-step long-form guides. Every piece carries a fact-check date; defer to official sources for final details.
- 10
- bilingual guides
- 2026-08-31
- most recent fact-check
Science Fair
The Science Fair Year Planner: Month-by-Month from September to May
From topic selection in September to GVRSF in April and CWSF in May — what to finish and check each month, as an executable plan.
From School Fair to CWSF: BC's Science Fair Pathway and 13 Regional Fairs
How the ladder works — school fair → regional → Team BC → CWSF → ISEF — and which of BC's 13 regional fairs your student belongs to.
What Is CWSF? Canada's National Science Fair Explained
CWSF hosts grades 7–12 finalists May 29 – June 5, 2027 in Hamilton, Ontario; the 2025 fair awarded about $1.3M in prizes and scholarships. Organizers, awards, and what it means for admissions.
The Complete GVRSF Guide: Vancouver's Gateway Science Fair
GVRSF runs April 8–10, 2027 at UBC's Life Sciences Institute, open to Grades 7–12. Registration windows, fees, judging flow, and how to prepare — all in one guide.
Choosing a Science Fair Topic: What Judges Actually Reward
Why a rigorous small project beats an unfinished ambitious one — four criteria for a strong topic, common traps, and a practical selection process.
Private School
Mapping Greater Vancouver's Private Schools: Area, Gender Mix, and Grade Span
How the major independent schools spread across Vancouver West, West Vancouver, Richmond, and South Surrey — and how single-sex vs co-ed and JK-12 continuity factor into the choice.
SSAT Basics: Format, Registration, and How Vancouver Private Schools Read Scores
The SSAT's structure, how to register, a sane prep cadence, and practical advice on how many sittings to plan. Always verify score expectations with each school.
The Greater Vancouver Private School Timeline: A 1–3 Year Season-by-Season Plan
What to do each season from research to submission — including the trap most families miss: deadlines differ by grade even within one school.