Gain exclusive insight into life at St. Michaels University School from our carefully curated video and written reviews that deliver in-depth insider info from parents, alumni and students.
Our Perspective on St. Michaels University School
The academic atmosphere at St. Michaels is supportive and progressive, beginning with a Reggio Emilia program that sets a tone of curiosity and collaboration that is carried through the upper grades. The boarding program sets the foundation for the school, establishing a community of service, involvement, and excellence not only in students’ academic life, but in their social lives and physical health as well. The program of pastoral care is broad and robust, something that derives in part from the context that the boarding program provides. The motto of one of the two founding schools is retained today: “nothing is great unless it is good.” That’s telling. Care and support are considered to be as important as challenge and excellence, and students are encouraged to engage with the entire spectrum of curricular and extra-curricular programs. The ideal student is one able to thrive in a rich, challenging, diverse academic and social atmosphere.
Video reviews
Get crucial behind-the-scenes information about St. Michaels University School from video interviews with probing questions that we recorded live with parents, current students, and recent alumni.
Watch our alum interview with Sean Finamore to learn about the unique experience of attending St. Michaels University School.
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Written reviews
Dive deeply into the real culture of St. Michaels University School with reviews we’ve structured to highlight only the most valuable insights and opinions submitted by parents, students, and alumni.
Both of my children have attended St. Michaels University School as boarders: my daughter from ...
The teachers and administration at SMUS really go above and beyond when it comes to the student body and the school environment. As parents, we’ve been able to form close relationships both with some house parents and other ...
Of course, as with any school some teachers are better than others but that’s simply to be expected. Regardless, all the teachers appear to be passionate and well-learned about their respective subjects and their jobs in gen...
Above all else, the curriculum at SMUS strives to be balanced in all aspects. The classes are a healthy amount of challenging while also remaining fulfilling for the student themselves. I would have to say that the school does...
I feel that there are plenty of extracurriculars offered at SMUS. There’s something for everyone and if there isn’t, it’s fairly easy to start a club of your own. In terms of sports teams, there are many ranging from int...
The student body is average sized but regardless of the school's size, school spirit seems to be very high among the students. In addition, the school really encourages the students to try to be as involved as possible. To the...
My children really enjoyed their time at SMUS and I feel like they’ve really made friends there that will last them a lifetime. They always look forward to every resumption and talked happily about their fun experiences at s...
In terms of boarding, they always send out weekly emails to the parents to keep us appraised of all the different activities that occurred in the house that week. We cherished the house parent’s personal child update and reg...
The campus at SMUS is absolutely beautiful and another great thing about it is that it’s centrally located near numerous bus stops and a small shopping plaza that’s frequented by students. Students are welcome to go off-ca...
Our admissions process was fairly smooth. We simply applied using the online application and then we had a Skype interview that was fairly simple as well. In the application, there were a series of questions meant to be comple...
Each student is assigned one of the academic advisors who advise them throughout their time at SMUS. I feel that all the counsellors are well-versed in the Canadian and US university application process. Additionally, there ar...
Our son likes the quality of the students, the teachers and the professionalism of the school b...
Our experience has been outstanding with school leadership and administration. We cannot say enough about how we as parents, and our son has been treated. The Director of Admissions, the Marketing Director, the program lead...
We have four essential comments which make SMUS and its teaching staff outstanding:
1. They love their jobs and it always shows. There is no replacement for enthusiasm and wanting to teach.
2. They are always available to our ...
We believe the academic culture at SMUS is excellent. It mixes some of the latest thinking, such as experiential learning, Advanced Placement and leadership, while staying grounded in the academic realities of how students ar...
Our son has enjoyed outstanding extracurricular activity at SMUS. His focus is on politics, leadership, community service and theatre/arts. And while he is decidedly uninterested in team athletics, SMUS has still afforded hi...
It is clear when meeting the students at SMUS that they are very mature, polite, confident and well mannered. They all appear to have strong social IQ and emotional IQ's demonstrated by their comfort with making eye contact, ...
Our son loves St. Michael's University School. There is no single thing that makes him love it, but rather the combination of everything that has been asked throughout this survey. He loves the atmosphere, the students, the ...
Most of our direct experience with the extended SMUS community has been virtual, because we live far away in New Brunswick. That said, the communications with us is always excellent and we are made to feel part of the communit...
The school is in an excellent location. It is in a safe neighbourhood within safe walking distance of malls, restaurants and entertainment. It is on the bus lines, making access to downtown Victoria easy. It is near the Unive...
Our experience with admissions was unique, because our son was fortunate to be a recipient of the Best School Year Ever scholarship in his first year. In this regard, we could not have been more pleased. The Admissions team ...
Our daughter started at SMUS as a boarder in Grade 11. She moved from a very large public day s...
School leadership is exemplary. The Acting Headmaster is kind, and engaged, and well loved by the students. The Senior School Interim Director is fair, and easily accessible to the students. The house parents are kind and fair...
Our daughter has truly enjoyed all of her teachers since arriving at SMUS. Like anywhere, some are better than others, but all are highly qualified and engaging. The curriculum is definitely challenging. There are plenty of AP...
If you are looking for a school that will challenge you, this is a great school. Critical thinking and academic rigour are the norm, but it's a balanced approach. All students are required to partake in physical education and ...
There is a huge variety of extracurricular opportunities. Usually, sports comes to mind when people read this, and they have excellent programs in many sports, both at a competitive and recreational level. The sports faciliti...
The entire student body numbers about 1000. Our daughter has only attended senior school, which numbers close to 600 students, with about 250 boarders. The population is diverse, with over 20 countries represented. This gives...
Our daughter decided to go to boarding school on her own, and did her own research. Her initial search led her to a different school a bit further north of Victoria in a very rural setting. Upon visiting the other school and ...
It's different for parents of boarders, but if you are a parent of a day student, there are ample opportunities for involvement at the school. I wish I lived closer to become more involved. However, the parents who organize ev...
Who could ask for a more beautiful setting than Victoria, British Columbia? The climate is great. The school is located close to downtown, the University of Victoria and even some beaches. Boarders are allowed to go on "Leave"...
I'm not sure if our experience is the norm, but our admissions process could not have been easier. SMUS has rolling admissions, so there is no deadline, but earlier applications are better to ensure space. We filled out the on...
This is an area of excellence at SMUS. The counsellors are familiar with Canadian, American and UK applications processes, as well as a few other international schools. They offer student trips to tour West Coast American univ...
