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Frequently Asked Questions

High School Credit Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! We are an Accredited private school through the Ministry of Education, which allows us to grant Ontario High School credit courses.
No. The only thing you will see on the report card is a P (signalling “Private”) next to the course name. There are many reasons a student takes a course at a private school and many people take different pathways to end up in the same place. Universities and Colleges know this, too!
Report cards are mailed to your Home School and they update your Ontario Student Record.For Students in Gr 12, who attend our Fall (Sept to Jan ) or Winter ( Feb to Jun) semesters, we are able to submit your marks directly to OUAC (Ontario Universities’ Application Centre). This is why it’s very important you give us all the correct information when we’re registering you as a student (ex. Prerequisites, OEN, etc.). Please ensure to add us as one of your Academic Institutions when setting up your OUAC
We suggest no more than three (3) courses per semester, strictly because of scheduling and workload considerations. If you are looking to enrol in more, do not hesitate to call us! Our main priority is helping you get what you need and we will do our best to work with your schedule.
We offer Humanities courses on a per semester basis! You can call or email us to see what we’re offering. We’ll always try our best to meet your needs!

Each credit course is 110 hours and the Fall/Winter Semester schedules are based on 7 hours a week. The specific days or times within the week are finalized after gathering everyone’s availability and making sure that our class times suit everyone’s schedule.

Fall Semester – Sept to January / Winter Semester – Feb to June

Tutoring Frequently Asked Questions

Please call and speak with one of our Office Administrators in Markham 905-471-7333 or Pickering 905-239-3400 to get you set up. Registration is quick and easy… Sessions can start within a few days of registering.

At SharpMinds, we have been in the education business for over 14 years. We hire tutors who are passionate about the subject they are teaching and also have experience working with students who are struggling. Our tutors are also trained in the Ontario Curriculum expectations, so they are able to accurately assess what areas of a subject need to be assisted with. We have a large percentage of students who come back to us year after year, and also recommend us to others as we have helped them so much.

When you speak with the Office Admin, we will get a complete picture of the student, personality, needs, learning styles, etc… and in consultation with the Vice Principal, will match the student with the best tutor possible. If there is a situation where the tutor is not a good match, we will find another tutor who matches. Many factors impact how students perform in school including missing or weak academic foundations, lack of ability to understand how best to organize homework, the learning style of the child and other outside influences.

Yes, we do offer test prep for both the GED and SAT®.

We also provide test prep for a variety of other standardized tests including GED, MCAT, LSAT, as well as other test and assessment help. .

We do offer online tutoring only during COVID. This is often a great option for busy students and draws on the vast experience of tutors from all over the province.

We offer in person tutoring at both our Markham and Pickering Locations. We know that face to face is the optimal way for learning. HOWEVER, during the COVID pandemic, we are only offering LIVE ONLINE tutoring sessions using the Zoom platform until further notice.

SharpMinds offers 1:1 tutoring, as well as 3:1 tutoring. We find both are great options for students with varying learning styles and needs. During your initial consultation with the Office Administrator, we will help you determine which would be best for your child. We want to make sure each student has individualized learning sessions.

We offer tutoring in a variety of subjects. Our most in-demand subjects are Math, English, Sciences and French, from grades 1-12. We tutor all subject areas of the Ontario Curriculum for grades 1-12. We also have tutors for University and College Courses. Please contact the office for more information.
With our over 15 years experience of tutoring, we have found that consistent help in courses over a period of time makes the largest impact on a students’ grades. If you are looking for drop in sessions to assist with assignments or test prep, please give our Office a call, and we can help.
The tutors we work with come from a variety of backgrounds, including former and current teachers, professionals from a wide variety of disciplines, and others who may have specific expertise in the subject area. The two things they all have in common is that they are experts in their respective academic subjects and they are passionate about helping students achieve their educational and career goals.
Yes, the tutors we work with give us their availability before we match with the student. We work with YOU, the family, to ensure the schedule works with you as well.
We have several packages for student tutoring, for any budget. Please contact our office for more information.
Our tutoring payments are made monthly, via cheque, cash or email money transfer, at the beginning of each month. If you start in the middle of the month, it is prorated to the number of sessions in that month.
The tutor will work with you closely on understanding the subject where you need assistance. This time can be used to ensure you build a foundation of the subject, as well as review homework, build study habits, focus on time management and organizational skills, or get ahead of the class. The tutors we work with will work with you to develop a program that works best to fit your needs and learning style.
The tutors we work with are personally selected for their expertise in their subject matter. They include university and college professors, teachers, professionals with a degree in their tutored area, and college/university students with high academic standing.
Yes. From our initial consultation, we choose the most suitable tutor for you based on your schedule and subject needs. That tutor will be assigned to you for the duration of the enrollment in that particular subject. In some circumstances your tutor may no longer be available, of which we will then re-match you with another tutor.
The combination of a highly qualified tutor, working with the student’s classroom curriculum, and in coordination with the parents and teachers allows us to tailor the sessions to the student’s needs.
Please call us. Education needs are always changing, so please call us and we can help!
SharpMinds Academy offers Canadian Test of Basic Skills Nelson assessment in Language, Math and Science. Families will receive a feedback appointment with the Principal to go over the students results (strengths and challenges) and come up with a plan for moving forward. We offer one free assessment and others are $50.00 each. Please contact our Office to schedule yours today!

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