WHEN ONE STUDENT CONFUSED TWO OTTAWAS, HE DIDN’T JUST PICK THE WRONG SCHOOL, HE PICKED THE WRONG COUNTRY
Every year, thousands of high school students apply to colleges and universities across North America, hoping to find their perfect academic match. But sometimes, that match comes with unexpected surprises — like accidentally enrolling in an entirely different country.
When Noah Lott, a 17-year old student about to graduate from Blue Valley High School, hit “submit” on his college application, he was feeling pretty confident. He had done his research (or so he thought), and was excited to attend Ottawa University in Kansas, just an hour away from home. But one autocorrect, a rushed Google search, and a shiny acceptance letter later, Noah found himself enrolled not in the U.S. Midwest, but in the capital of Canada.
“I didn’t even know there was another Ottawa,” Noah said. “I saw ‘University of Ottawa,’ thought it was the same thing, and figured they were just being fancy with the name.”
What he didn’t realize until several weeks (and one non-refundable deposit) later was that he hadn’t applied to Ottawa University, the small Christian college in Kansas. He had, in fact, applied to the University of Ottawa, a large, bilingual research university located in Ontario, over 2,000 kilometers and one national border away.
“I started getting emails in French, and I just figured it was part of some international studies program,” Noah said. “But then I saw a campus photo with people wearing parkas in April, and I was like… hold on, something’s not right.”
Despite the confusion, Noah has decided to embrace the surprise international adventure. “I figured it was fate. Or a sign. Or just a really expensive typo,” he said with a shrug.
University of Ottawa staff say Noah isn’t the first student to make the mix-up. “It happens every now and then,” said one admissions coordinator. “We even had a family drive all the way from Missouri once before realizing they were in the wrong country.”
In preparation for his first year, Noah has started brushing up on Canadian slang, learning basic French, and investing in thermal socks. “I’ve already been told to get a toque. I didn’t even know what that was. I thought it was a Pokémon.”
His friends and family have been supportive, if a little bewildered. “My dad printed out a map and said, ‘Son… you’re going north. Way north,’” Noah laughed. “My grandma still thinks I’m going to Ottawa, Kansas. I just didn’t have the heart to tell her.”
While he admits he’ll miss home, and is still adjusting to the idea of living in a city where squirrels outnumber people, Noah is optimistic. “Everyone’s been super friendly. A bit too friendly, actually. I bumped into someone at the airport and they apologized.”
His goals for first year? “Make friends, survive winter, and figure out what the heck a Gee-Gee is.”
This article was initially released as part of the Fulcrum’s April Fools Tomato Pilot Issue.
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- TOMATO: University of Ottawa confused for Ottawa University by prospective applicant after autocorrect error – The Fulcrum
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- TOMATO: Student takes job at OC Transpo in a desperate attempt to avoid moving home – The Fulcrum
