More than 120,000 students and parents to visit the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Sept. 19-21 to explore university options at Ontario Universities' Fair

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - High school students and their parents can take the guess work out of which university is the right fit at the Ontario Universities' Fair (OUF), the most attended educational fair in Canada, bringing all 21 Ontario universities together under one roof.

The free three-day event gives next year's university hopefuls all the information they need to make an informed decision about where to apply, with first-hand accounts about university programs and campus life from professors, staff and current students.

The event is held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre September 19-21 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. No registration is required and there is no fee to attend.

"Attending the OUF is one of the best ways for students to begin researching the diverse options for university in this province," says George Granger, Executive Director of Ontario Universities' Application Centre. "This fair offers the only opportunity for students and families to speak with representatives from every university in Ontario at the same event."

At OUF, information about all aspects of campus life is available at university booths and also through scheduled presentations that touch on programs, extracurricular activities, residence, internships, scholarships and much more.

"While there is a great deal of information online about Ontario's universities, it is incredibly helpful for potential students to speak to a university representative in-person," says Bonnie M. Patterson, President and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU). "Students may have questions about the university atmosphere, residence and programs that they wouldn't feel as comfortable asking online or over the phone."

The opportunity to speak directly with university representatives at the same event sets the OUF apart from other educational fairs. Growing from 30,000 attendees when it was launched in 1997 to 121,000 last year, the OUF is one of the largest educational fairs in North America. 

For those unable to attend the OUF, Ontario's universities send representatives to select locations across the province to speak with students as part of the annual, joint University Information Program. On-campus tours and visits also take place at each university throughout the year.

Quick Facts:

• University graduates have experienced the highest employment growth of any educational attainment group over the last 10 years.
  
  
• More than 93 per cent of 2011 undergraduates had jobs two years after graduation, up from 87.4 per cent who were employed within six months of leaving school, according to the latest government graduate survey. 
  
  
• 2011 graduates' average annual salary jumped from $42,636 six months after graduation to $49,398 two years after leaving school.
  
  
• Universities' financial assistance to students has increased 45-fold from $40 million in 1977 to $1.8 billion in 2013, and benefits about four of every 10 Canadian students.

The Ontario Universities' Fair is organized by the Ontario Universities' Application Centre, a division of COU Holding Association, Inc.

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SOURCE: Council of Ontario Universities

Wendy McCann, Director, Strategic Communications & Media Relations, Council of Ontario Universities, 416-979-2165 ext. 233, 647.271.0825 (Cell), Email Wendy McCann: [email protected]