It’s not just colleges and universities that parents are desperate to get their kids into. Most years, North Toronto Collegiate Institute and Northern Secondary School each turn away more than 100 Grade 9 applicants from around the city, and some of those families stretch the truth in hopes of gaining admittance.
“People have given the address of a nail salon that they own,” said Ron Felsen, Northern’s principal. Other parents have been caught using phony addresses on tax forms. Some of the schemes are costly. “People have bought a condominium and said that that was their principle address,” said Felsen.
The number of available spots is determined after incoming students from feeder schools have been accommodated. Just over 100 additional spaces are open for Grade 9 students next fall at Northern, and 400 applications have been received. Though the principal of North Toronto was unavailable for an interview, the Toronto District School Board confirmed that North Toronto also receives significantly more applications than they have space for.
NTCI’s draw is academics. The recent Fraser Institute rankings place the school at sixth of 718 high schools in Ontario based on academic testing. It sits at second of more than 100 Toronto high schools on the list. Northern’s academics are more modestly ranked at 208 in Ontario and 31 in Toronto. But the neighbourhoods could be a factor as well.
“A lot of it has to do with the geography,” said Shelley Laskin, Ward 11 school board trustee, who believes that reputations aren’t always accurate. “I think that sometimes preconceived notions or reputations are not really deserved. I always recommend to go to the Grade 8 information night.”
But it’s hard to convince some families. “We have received forged documents, outdated addresses and have had parents look us in the eye and lie to us,” said Laskin. “Same goes with students, although it is harder for them to be dishonest.”