Albert College - Review #1

The size is what made Albert College different from other schools. Everyone knew everyone, which created this tight community feel. I was there from 2020 to 2024 as a day scholar but lived in homestay instead of dorms, so my experience was a bit different from boarding students. Living alone with my host family taught me independence while still being connected to school. The business courses aligned with what I was interested in and pointed me toward marketing at Queen's. I organized fundraising events which gave me practical experience beyond just classroom learning. The small school meant teachers knew you personally and your contributions got noticed. You weren't just another student lost in a crowd.

The best thing was organizing fundraising events and seeing them actually come together. That taught me practical skills I'm using now in marketing studies. Living in homestay taught me independence and how to manage my own life. The close friendships I built mattered a lot. The business courses pointed me toward marketing as a career path. The small school environment taught me how to build genuine relationships rather than just surface level connections.

I wouldn't change much since my experience was pretty positive overall. Maybe I would have tried one or two more activities beyond intramurals and fundraising, but what I focused on served me well. My advice is to figure out early if you actually want a small school environment because it's not for everyone. Some people thrive with everyone knowing them while others would feel suffocated. If you're a day scholar or homestay student, make effort to connect with boarding students too so you're part of the full community. Get involved with something even if competitive sports aren't your thing.

The small size was what I appreciated most about Albert College. Teachers knew you personally and your contributions got noticed. The business courses aligned with my interests and led me toward marketing. Organizing fundraising events gave me practical experience beyond just classroom work. My homestay family became genuinely important to me over those four years. The close friend group I built made daily life enjoyable. The four years taught me independence while still having support around when I needed it.

Figure out if small school life is actually for you before committing because not everyone thrives in that environment. If you're in homestay like I was, put effort into building relationships with your host family because they become your support system. Get involved with activities even if you're not competitive athletically. The business courses are worth taking if that field interests you. Make a solid friend group early because the small population means your social circle matters a lot. The experience will teach you independence if you let it.

Business courses were what interested me most and they gave me a decent foundation for marketing at Queen's now. Teachers connected material to actual practice instead of just theory. Small classes meant you couldn't hide and teachers knew exactly where you were doing well or struggling. You had to participate in discussions whether you wanted to or not because there were maybe ten people in the room. The workload was reasonable. Students helped each other instead of being weird about competition. The fundraising work I did connected to business concepts and gave me hands on learning. The preparation got me ready for university even though adjusting to huge lecture halls after tiny classes took some getting used to.

I wasn't into competitive sports so I stuck with intramurals. That let me stay active without pressure or intensity. The small school meant athletic options were more limited than bigger places, but intramurals worked fine for people like me who just wanted exercise without commitment. The athletic facilities were adequate for what we needed. The school didn't force everyone to be serious athletes which I appreciated.

I wasn't personally involved in arts programs since my focus was more on business and fundraising activities. From what I saw, friends in arts seemed engaged and the school supported those programs. The small size meant arts students got attention and opportunities to perform or showcase work. Albert College tried to support different interests rather than just focusing on one area.

The fundraising events I organized became my main activity outside classes. Planning those taught me project management, how to communicate effectively and how to get people motivated to participate. The small school meant your work got noticed and appreciated. There were clubs available depending on interests though obviously fewer options than massive schools. The school let students take initiative which is how I got to run the fundraising activities.

I was a day scholar living in homestay, not in the dorms, so my experience was different from boarding students. Living with my host family taught me independence and how to navigate living with people who weren't my actual family. The arrangement worked well and they became like family over four years. I had separation from campus life in the evenings which gave me perspective that boarders living there 24/7 might not have had.

Since I was in homestay I ate most meals with my host family rather than in the school cafeteria. When I did eat on campus the cafeteria was fine, nothing special but adequate. Being a smaller school meant dining was more casual and less institutional than bigger places probably are.

Belleville is a smaller city which worked fine. As a homestay student I probably explored town more than boarding students who mostly stayed on campus. There were enough shops and restaurants for what we needed. The area felt safe. The smaller city pace was calmer than major cities, which some people loved and others found boring. Being away from big urban centers meant fewer distractions.

The social scene was manageable because of the small size. I built a close friend group that became really important to my time there. Everyone knew everyone which created closeness but also meant zero privacy. The mix of day scholars and boarders created different social dynamics. As a homestay student my routine was slightly different from boarders. Most people were friendly. Drama got amplified when it happened because the small population meant everyone knew everything. Overall the social experience was positive.