Post Secondary Education

What is the right choice? Post Secondary Schools are divided into Universities and Colleges (in Canada). Universities tend to be more academia driven History, English, Chemistry, Math, Physics, Biology, Journalism, Political Science, Lawyers, Doctors, and etc… They are also more expensive – on average it will cost $6,000 per year for tuition. Books and extra $500 or so. Colleges tend to be more trades driven Electrician, Plumbers, Chefs, Carpenters, Smith Masons, Mechanic, and etc... They are a little less expensive – on average it will cost about $4,000 per year for tuition. Books and extras can range between $500 to $1500. Is it worth going though?

What is the right choice? Net Present Value of 20-Year Earnings of Canadian-Born Workers, by Level of Education Median Salaries of College and Bachelor’s Graduates Two Years After Graduation Approximate Annual Income of Men vs Women with HS diploma, College diploma or University degree HS College University Men $30,000 $40,000 $55,000 Women $15,000 $21,000 $31,000 http://higheredstrategy.com/category/statistics-canada/

What do you get out of University University is a place to get higher education and knowledge. Your first degree – called an undergrad degree - is usually a four year Bachelor degree (it can be in Arts, Science, Math and etc…) If you go for Post-Graduate work, you can get a Masters degree and after that a Ph.D. The higher the degree, the more pedigree it caries, the more money you can make. University focuses on attending lectures from the professors, doing a TON of readings, writing essays and having final exams. Class sizes range from a couple hundred students per class to 500 per class in the first year. This tends to widdle down each successive year

What do you get out of University During your undergrad degree one class would probably have one or two essays (worth 50% of your mark) and one or two exams (worth 50% of your mark) Essays range from 10 page, double spaced, 12 pt font essays to 25 page, double spaced, 12 pt font essays During your Masters degree, usually you write one essay worth 100% of your mark These essays are usually about 40 – 100 pages, double spaced, 12 pt font During your Ph.D, you have one essay that you write called a Thesis and you have to defend your thesis argument infront of a panal of professors. You get a pass or fail, that is all This essay is actually a book. It is about 500 + pages, double spaced, 12 pt font

What do you get out of college? Most college programs you receive a diploma To get these diploma’s you have to pass and attend a two year or four year program At colleges there is nothing higher you can achieve than the basic two or four year diploma Most of these classes tend to be more hands on, and as such there are more tests, exams, projects and etc... then there are at university. Class sizes tend to be a little smaller at college where you have anywhere between 20 to 60 students per class Colleges are more akin to what a high school class is like

Costs to Consider at Post secondary education Tuition is always the first cost to consider University is approx. $6,000 per year and College is approx. $4,000 per year Books need to be purchased for both University and College. Depending on the program these costs can range from $20 per book to $200 per book. Living expenses need to be considered. Do you plan to live on campus, do you need to find a place to rent, or do you plan to live at home? Rent is approx. $1,000 per month for 1bd and approx. $1,500 - $2,000 per month for 2bd.

Student Loans You can get student loans to cover your cost of education. The National Student Loans Services is a federal program where the Federal Government and Provincial Government pay for your education costs, and you have to pay them back. When you pay them back, there is interest rates on the money that was loaned to you – i.e. they may have loaned you $40,000 for school, but you end up paying them $50,000.

So is going to post secondary education worth it? You have to make the decision. What kind of a life do you want? What does this life have in it? Do you want a house? Do you want a family? Do you want to live paycheque to paycheque? Depending on how you answer these questions will depend on whether post secondary education is for you, and if it is, which post secondary education are you willing to go for?