Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Virtual High School accredited?
Yes. This is the first question you should ask of any private school. VHS is inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education, Field Services Branch, Private Schools and Attendance Unit every two years. Meeting the inspection requirements give VHS the right to issue OSSD credits – the same credits issued by the 1000+ bricks and mortar public schools in the Province of Ontario. Our Ministry BSID# is 665681. This can be confirmed by visiting the Ministry website at:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/privsch/search.asp
Clicking on the “Continue” button at the bottom of this page and exactly keying in the name of our school “Virtual High School” into the box under “Quick search for private schools:”.
Who will be my teacher?
This is probably the second most important question as the student-teacher interaction is just as important in an online course as it is in a bricks and mortar school. VHS lists all of it teachers and provides a short biography on the “Our Educators” page. Also on the “Register” page, the teachers in each course are listed.
Do I have to be registered at a public or catholic school board or a local high school to take an online course with VHS?
No.
If I am a fulltime student at a public or catholic high school, can I still take an online course with VHS?
Yes. When you are finished the course with us, we will send the OSSD credit you earn back to your high school where your school will add it to your ongoing transcript of courses. All OSSD credits are the same.
How long does it take to do an online course?
You may move through your online course as quickly or as slowly as you wish. The real measure of progress in the course is the completion of the assignments, the unit tests and of course, the final exam. You can login to your course and work away at any time and at any pace. Because all students are starting at different times, you do NOT have to move through the course synchronously with other students. In the course outline, we indicate that the course will take 110 hours and then show you the breakdown for the units. Please bear in mind, that these would be the hours allocated if you were to be seated in a desk in a brick-and-mortar school. At Virtual High School, we do not track your hours but rather, your performance.
What is a proctored final exam?
The final exam is closed book but written at a time of your choosing and at at any place that you arrange. Resources cannot be used in the exam. You, the student must arrange for some person to observe you as you write the exam. A proctored exam is one that is overseen by an impartial individual, the proctor, who supervises you while you take the final exam. The proctor ensures the security and integrity of the exam process. You, the student, arrange for the proctor following the general guidelines laid down by VHS. Suitable proctors would be teachers, librarian, registered nurses, ministers, chartered accountants, etc. Unsuitable proctors would be parents, friends or tutors.
What happens to the credit earned when we take a VHS course?
VHS will inform your school when you begin the course. When you reach the midpoint, we will send you and your home school a copy of the midterm report card. When you finish, we will send you a final report card and the Ontario Student Transcript. We will also send to your home school an official copy of the final report card and the OST. The credit will then be added to your list of credits at your home school.
I am a Grade 12 student. How will OUAC/OCAS or the University know that I am taking a course with VHS?
Following your instructions, we will let OUAC/OCAS and/or the University know; (1) when you register for the course, (2) the midterm mark, and (3) your final mark. The VHS marks are just added to your list of courses.
Do Universities view courses taken at VHS differently that those take at bricks and mortar schools?
Yes they probably do. Because asynchronous online courses demand that the student be self-motivated, goal-orientated, independent learners, they may actually value VHS courses higher! VHS has many dozen university students every year, picking up a required high school course to enter the new university program they are switching to. Many Universities are advising their students to choose VHS in this situation as they can take their high school course while they are actually attending university. Universities themselves, offer many online courses and whole programs – they know the value and the learning that can occur in an online course.
What are your hidden costs?
Unlike many other online schools, VHS has very few hidden costs. For about 95% of VHS students, the fee you pay for your tuition is the only fee you pay VHS. Sometimes students do not go through OUAC when they apply to Universities. VHS will communicate with three universities for free for you but each university after that will be $30 per instance. VHS faxes documents and send them through Canada Post free for the student. If the student wishes us to use a courier service for speed, then the fee is $30. Some students register for a course and then decide to switch courses within the first week, and for this there is $125 fee. There are no other fees.
