Today Toronto Star has come up with a special section on Higher Education. I think there are good articles in that section, specially for persons who have come to Canada in their late 30s or early 40s and who have teenage children soon going into universities.

Since the university education is quite different in Canada from what we are used to in Asia, I am giving below the link of the article as well as the text itself so that even after the link is no more live, people can benefit from a general overview given in this article.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1100603800196" target="_blank">http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1100603800196

Making the big decision
The pressure's on to make career choices at a younger age Don't wait until Grade 12, expert advises, by Theresa Boyle




THERESA BOYLE
EDUCATION REPORTER

Like most Grade 12 students, Bethany Moon is at a major crossroads in her life.

She's in the midst of choosing a university, a program of study and a career path.

For the 18-year-old Orillia resident, it's a daunting process.

\"It's pretty stressful. If I don't like the university I pick, or if it's not a good fit, it could affect my whole future,\" she says.

Right now, she's leaning toward studying physical education at the University of Toronto, but she's not 100 per cent sure. She might take a year off to further consider the decision and get more Grade 12 credits.

Talk about the tyranny of choice. There are 18 universities in Ontario, countless areas of study, not to mention career paths to choose from.

There's more pressure on students than ever before. With the elimination of the fifth year of high school in Ontario, students are making their university decisions at an earlier age. And with tuition fees having jumped 137 per cent in the last decade (the average is now $4,923 a year for an undergraduate), the stakes are higher.

George Granger, executive director of the Ontario Universities' Application Centre, offers some tips for students shopping for universities.

First, don't wait until Grade 12 to make the decision.

\"As much as possible, they should start thinking about it in Grade 10,\" he says.

Moon thinks schools could help students consider their choices earlier by handing out copies of the invaluable INFO magazine before Grade 12.

The bible for university shopping, it's published by the application centre on behalf of universities. Included in the magazine is:

A list of all programs of study.

A degree locator chart that tells readers interested in studying a certain program what universities offer it.

A guidelines and programs chart that indicates what marks and prerequisites are needed to get into programs.

A list of residences and associated costs.

Students can also access INFO magazine on the application centre's website at http://www.ouac.on.ca.

Another tip from Granger on choosing a university: \"You need to be honest with yourself. What are your interests and what are your strengths?\"

For Moon, those were easy questions to answer. She's a talented athlete and has played on the football, volleyball and soccer teams at Park Street Collegiate. Phys. ed. was an obvious choice.

If you're not sure what to study, consider taking a general degree, Granger advises.

\"Being in a good liberal arts or science program or a college diploma program is a pretty good place to be while you're figuring it out. Do something that's productive and lays a foundation for future success,\" he says.

When students decide on a program of study, they need to find out which universities offer it. The INFO magazine provides that information in an easy-to-use graphic.

Granger says students should also consider whether they want to go to a large metropolitan university or a small one closer to a rural area.

\"It's kind of like a family choosing a community to live in. You're going to be there three, four, five years,\" he says.

Visiting the universities is a must, adds Granger.

\"That's a very important criteria. When we ask students and parents to rank the things that ultimately influenced their final decision, the campus tour is always big on the list.\"

Students are also advised to look at university websites and read the university recruitment literature.

Teams of university recruiters travel to high schools across the province to meet with prospective students.

Toronto hosts a massive university fair every year over a long weekend. While it's targeted to Toronto high schools, students from anywhere in the province can go.

This year's fair took place in September at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Up to 75,000 students and parents attended.

Moon was one of them.

She remembers feeling daunted when she entered the giant trade show room where all universities had booths, as did professions like physiotherapy and nursing.

\"It was a bit overwhelming. I didn't know where to start. There were so many people there.\"

But in the end, she found the fair extremely useful. She came away knowing she'd need an average in the high 70s to pursue studies in phys. ed. It's known as kinesiology or kinetics at some universities.

Moon was able to grill student representatives about campus life. And she came away with a bagful of calendars from various universities.

The application deadline for universities is Jan. 12. High schools encourage students to get their applications in earlier to avoid any last-minute snags.

Applications can be completed online at the Ontario Universities' Application Centre website.

A fee of $100 allows students to apply to three universities.

To apply to more, students must pay $33 per application. Students last year made an average of 4.8 applications.

When universities consider which students to accept, they look at marks from Grade 12 and occasionally from Grade 11. While applications are due in January, high schools continue to forward student marks to the application centre until May.

Some university programs look at more than just marks. For example, Carleton University's architecture program requires applicants to send a portfolio and resumé.

Acceptance letters are sent out no later than June 3, but most come out in May.

Once students select their university, they can start applying for financial assistance through the Ontario Student Assistance Plan.

The province uses a formula to determine who is eligible for aid and how much they qualify for. Factors considered include:

Cost of tuition, books, equipment allowances, residence, meal plans and living allowances.

Parental income, summer job income, academic awards.

According to Rob Thompson at the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, the maximum student loan is $275 a week. That's expected to rise to $320 next year.

As for scholarships, INFO lists financial help available from specific universities.

Students should check with the universities and high school guidance offices for more details.

Sometimes a parent's place of employment offers bursaries or scholarships. Service agencies and alumni associations also run scholarships.

It's a lot of information to digest, says Moon. But she's now well on her way up the learning curve.

\"It's a very important decision. I don't want to scare students, but you can't hide it from them either,\" Granger says.

It can affect the rest of the student's life, he notes, offering his own daughter's experience as an example.

\"She chose to go to a certain university, she chose to live in a certain residence and this summer, she married a guy she met in that residence,\" he says.

\"One choice led to another. It's a path. It's all part of taking that next step in that stage of your life.\"

Chandresh

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Chandresh

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