I know, I know...the title sounds like a "get-rich-quick" scheme. Trust me. It's not. It's just simply my opinion about how to make money at a younger age and avoid debt. So here's my opinion:
I believe that living in Canada, we are taught many things: proper manners, how much maple syrup to put on pancakes, and how to withstand the blistering winds of Northern Ontario, in which temperatures drop below 20 degrees Celsius...without even having to wear a jacket.
However, I also believe that we are told some things that aren't necessarily beneficial to us: in order to get a job anywhere, in order to get ahead in this world, or in order to prove your abilities, you must have a university degree.
Now, I'm not trying to discount the almighty degree, here. I mean, I have one, so I understand the feeling of completion and relief when you finally graduate. What I take issue with, however, is that, almost from the time we say our first words, we are told that we need to go to university and obtain a degree. End of story. Well, speaking as a university grad who had a fair bit of trouble landing a career in my chosen field after graduation, I beg to differ with the status quo!
I have done a fair bit of research on the matter in the past week or so, even commenting on some other blogs of university graduates who are having/have had trouble finding a job upon graduation. One blog that I read was written by a graduate student who had just completed his PhD in Sociology and still could not find a suitable job. By now I'm sure that you're thinking, "Well, yeah...because he majored in Sociology. Of course he would have trouble finding a job. What can you do with a degree like that??"
Well, unfortunately, the same can be true for many other areas of discipline. For those of you who have a degree, how many of you landed the ideal job the moment you graduated? And, when you did finally gain employment in your field, were you making as much money as you thought you deserved? And what of your student loan debt? How long did it take to pay it off?
All I ask of you now is to cast aside your educational beliefs that have held you captive for so long and take a moment to consider another avenue. I think it's absolutely important for one to have an education, all I'm saying here is that a university degree is not the "be all, end all". I believe that there are many other roads you may take when choosing your educational career, and considering a college or a career college may actually be a better option for you.
If you choose to go to a college, you can complete your hands-on education in 2 years of less, usually. A career college can have you out working in your chosen field in a year or less, sometimes! You won't get rich quick, but you'll certainly begin earning money at a younger age and avoid being haunted by ever-growing OSAP loans (or whatever kind of student loan you may have had to use).
It's just something to think about...
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
OSAP: Love It or Hate It?
If you are a post-secondary student within Ontario, there is one acronym that you are most likely all too familiar with: O.S.A.P.
For those of you living outside of Ontario who may not be familiar with the term, OSAP stands for Ontario Student Assistance Program and is regulated by the government through the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. It is a way of offering lower income [potential] college/university students in Ontario a way to achieve the goal of earning a diploma or a degree; it is a means to an end. It is through this program that many students are even able to pursue an education beyond high school as the rising costs of tuition and books have made it nearly impossible for some families to finance the educational quest.
So, do you see OSAP as the Ontario Student Assistance Program or the Ontario Student Account Program? Basically, do you believe that the Ontario government should be responsible for the entire sum of of educational costs associated with college/university life for a student, or should it remain, simply, a supplement to the cost that a post-secondary education can incur?
Many student do not receive nearly enough from OSAP to cover the cost of tuition, books, rent, food, etc. for the years that they are in university. They are also expected to work during the summer and contribute about $2500 towards their education each year. Most of these students are frustrated because it seems nearly impossible, either because they are from lower-income families who do not have the means to contribute, or because they themselves are unable to contribute so much on a student's meagre salary.
So, the question is: when it comes to OSAP, do you love it or hate it?
I would venture to say that if you are currently enrolled in school and are able to do so through the aid of OSAP, then you may well feel as though you love it (otherwise your chances of being able to pay for your education would have been severely diminished), and if you are currently paying back your OSAP loan, I would almost like to say, with absolute assurance, that you hate it (with it's interest rate being prime plus 2.5).
But, correct me if I'm wrong...
For those of you living outside of Ontario who may not be familiar with the term, OSAP stands for Ontario Student Assistance Program and is regulated by the government through the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. It is a way of offering lower income [potential] college/university students in Ontario a way to achieve the goal of earning a diploma or a degree; it is a means to an end. It is through this program that many students are even able to pursue an education beyond high school as the rising costs of tuition and books have made it nearly impossible for some families to finance the educational quest.
So, do you see OSAP as the Ontario Student Assistance Program or the Ontario Student Account Program? Basically, do you believe that the Ontario government should be responsible for the entire sum of of educational costs associated with college/university life for a student, or should it remain, simply, a supplement to the cost that a post-secondary education can incur?
Many student do not receive nearly enough from OSAP to cover the cost of tuition, books, rent, food, etc. for the years that they are in university. They are also expected to work during the summer and contribute about $2500 towards their education each year. Most of these students are frustrated because it seems nearly impossible, either because they are from lower-income families who do not have the means to contribute, or because they themselves are unable to contribute so much on a student's meagre salary.
So, the question is: when it comes to OSAP, do you love it or hate it?
I would venture to say that if you are currently enrolled in school and are able to do so through the aid of OSAP, then you may well feel as though you love it (otherwise your chances of being able to pay for your education would have been severely diminished), and if you are currently paying back your OSAP loan, I would almost like to say, with absolute assurance, that you hate it (with it's interest rate being prime plus 2.5).
But, correct me if I'm wrong...
Monday, January 17, 2011
Making the Cut
It doesn't matter how old we are, or what we do in life, no one likes being cut from the team. Whether it's by an individual or an organisation, we don't want to be made to feel as though we just don't measure up.
It seems that the Ontario government has made it rather difficult for private colleges and universities to either confer a degree or, " provide a programme or part of a programme of post-secondary study leading to a degree to be conferred by a person inside or outside of Ontario" (PSECE Act, 2000). While I agree with its standards, the administration of those standards bothers me a fair bit. I mean, yes, if there are sketchy private schools out there (which there are) wanting to have the privilege of conferring degrees, we should make it more difficult for them, but don't lump the reputable private schools in with the rest of them!
When the Post-Secondary Education Choice Excellence Act first came into play in Ontario in 2000, Dianne Cunningham was the Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities, and she wrote a very promising non-descript letter to all educational institutions intending on applying for degree conferring status. She stated that the Act would provide the "foundation for a new, dynamic degree-granting environment in Ontario - consisting of our excellent public universities and other institutions, both established and new". Furthermore, she added, "I welcome your interest in providing new degree opportunities to Ontarians and hope you will follow through on your application".
Hmm...so why wouldn't a private school follow through on an application when such a letter from the Minister sounded so very promising?
Well, almost within the same breath, the very government that encouraged private institutions to apply for degree conferring status then stated that "private organisation applicants...are not entitled to treatment that is as favourable as the treatment that may be accorded, in like circumstances, to public organisation applicants".
That's why.
And not only that, but for every proposed programme, the application fee alone is $5000. I should point out here that this cost is not exclusive to private institutions, but pertains to any institution wishing to apply. The crux of the matter is that private schools will be held to a much higher standard in that the assessment of the campus will be more rigorous (and take much longer) than that of public institutions. The Act then states that the costs of these assessments will "likely range between $5000 and $15,000 per programme for uncomplicated proposals".
Since the legislation has been passed, there have been private universities within Ontario that have been given the green light to confer certain degrees, but each of these universities has some sort of religious affiliation. The government doesn't want to get involved in all of that; they want to maintain the separation of church and state, so it is much easier for them to grant them the status. There is only one private career college in Ontario that has been allowed to offer degree programmes in the past 10 years since the legislation has gone through. There are many others that would like to attempt putting through an application, but there is a fear that the government will not allow it anyhow, so why put the money out to try?
It's like having the coach encourage you to try out for the team, watch you practice for months, and in front of everyone, announce that you're cut...and then take your lunch money.
So, to sum up: the Ontario government will permit any learning institution to apply for degree conferring status, whether they are publicly or privately funded. They will also be boldly and unabashedly biased against you if you are a private institution; they see you as the weakest link in the potential team. So, if that does not deter you from trying out for the team (all of you poor little private schools out there), they would also like you to know that they will charge you an arm and a leg just for the privilege of having them watch you try out, by scouring through every detail of your college/university, and then they will (most likely) tell you that you do not live up to whatever standards they deem necessary...just because you're not a publicly funded institution.
Basically, to all of you private institutions out there wishing to bring your college up to the next level, thanks for playing, but...no dice. What if the same attitude had been adopted south of the border? Just think of the schools that would have been left out: "Sorry Yale, NYU, Stanford, Cornell, Harvard, and MIT...you're privately funded, so you're cut. *Shrugs shoulders* Maybe next year, kids."
So, I ask you, dear government, will you please give the smaller kids a fair chance to play the game? You may just be pleasantly surprised by how far the team may go...
It seems that the Ontario government has made it rather difficult for private colleges and universities to either confer a degree or, " provide a programme or part of a programme of post-secondary study leading to a degree to be conferred by a person inside or outside of Ontario" (PSECE Act, 2000). While I agree with its standards, the administration of those standards bothers me a fair bit. I mean, yes, if there are sketchy private schools out there (which there are) wanting to have the privilege of conferring degrees, we should make it more difficult for them, but don't lump the reputable private schools in with the rest of them!
When the Post-Secondary Education Choice Excellence Act first came into play in Ontario in 2000, Dianne Cunningham was the Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities, and she wrote a very promising non-descript letter to all educational institutions intending on applying for degree conferring status. She stated that the Act would provide the "foundation for a new, dynamic degree-granting environment in Ontario - consisting of our excellent public universities and other institutions, both established and new". Furthermore, she added, "I welcome your interest in providing new degree opportunities to Ontarians and hope you will follow through on your application".
Hmm...so why wouldn't a private school follow through on an application when such a letter from the Minister sounded so very promising?
Well, almost within the same breath, the very government that encouraged private institutions to apply for degree conferring status then stated that "private organisation applicants...are not entitled to treatment that is as favourable as the treatment that may be accorded, in like circumstances, to public organisation applicants".
That's why.
And not only that, but for every proposed programme, the application fee alone is $5000. I should point out here that this cost is not exclusive to private institutions, but pertains to any institution wishing to apply. The crux of the matter is that private schools will be held to a much higher standard in that the assessment of the campus will be more rigorous (and take much longer) than that of public institutions. The Act then states that the costs of these assessments will "likely range between $5000 and $15,000 per programme for uncomplicated proposals".
Since the legislation has been passed, there have been private universities within Ontario that have been given the green light to confer certain degrees, but each of these universities has some sort of religious affiliation. The government doesn't want to get involved in all of that; they want to maintain the separation of church and state, so it is much easier for them to grant them the status. There is only one private career college in Ontario that has been allowed to offer degree programmes in the past 10 years since the legislation has gone through. There are many others that would like to attempt putting through an application, but there is a fear that the government will not allow it anyhow, so why put the money out to try?
It's like having the coach encourage you to try out for the team, watch you practice for months, and in front of everyone, announce that you're cut...and then take your lunch money.
So, to sum up: the Ontario government will permit any learning institution to apply for degree conferring status, whether they are publicly or privately funded. They will also be boldly and unabashedly biased against you if you are a private institution; they see you as the weakest link in the potential team. So, if that does not deter you from trying out for the team (all of you poor little private schools out there), they would also like you to know that they will charge you an arm and a leg just for the privilege of having them watch you try out, by scouring through every detail of your college/university, and then they will (most likely) tell you that you do not live up to whatever standards they deem necessary...just because you're not a publicly funded institution.
Basically, to all of you private institutions out there wishing to bring your college up to the next level, thanks for playing, but...no dice. What if the same attitude had been adopted south of the border? Just think of the schools that would have been left out: "Sorry Yale, NYU, Stanford, Cornell, Harvard, and MIT...you're privately funded, so you're cut. *Shrugs shoulders* Maybe next year, kids."
So, I ask you, dear government, will you please give the smaller kids a fair chance to play the game? You may just be pleasantly surprised by how far the team may go...
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In...
Those of us who have completed our university careers completely understand the meaning behind the title of this blog (and, incidentally, the immortal words of Michael Corleone in The Godfather III) in regards to your education.
Knowing that you've completed 2 years of higher education is fantastic...until you remember that you have another 2 more to go. I remember finishing my 2nd year at university and thinking to myself, "All that and I'm only halfway though?!" It was frustrating and, in a sense, rather demotivating (as my 3rd year transcript can most assuredly confirm). So, I thought I had completed a fair chunk of my degree, but then they sucked me back in. I had to stay for another 2 more years in order to complete my degree; if I didn't, then the 2 years I had already put in would be completely useless. Also, once you've obtained your undergrad degree, universities like to fill you in on the big joke that sounds like it was written by some fair-weather friend: "Sorry, but you need to come back to complete a Master's degree. If you don't, you'll be left behind in the job market, you won't have the skills you need to compete for jobs, and although you've completed a degree, you're really considered useless until you get your Master's...*shrugs* just thought you should know." Unbelievable.
In Canada, we're told that we need to get a university degree to get anywhere in life, and along with that degree comes 4 years of sleepless nights, stressful visits to the library, an unhealthy and unwavering addiction to caffeine, and an ever-growing debt load.
There are other options out there. There are many private career colleges within the province that will allow you to complete the training you need in a year or less. I think that, as Canadians, we freak out a bit when people mention private training because there are so many horror stories floating around about sub-par institutions operating out of someone's basement, or something. But we have to remember that there are many accredited and reputable schools out there as well. If I had to prepare for my future, knowing what I know now, I probably would have given private training a little more thought when I was younger. Instead of relying on my parents to finance my 4-year academic career at a public university for $25,000+ (that was some time ago, so I'm sure it's more expensive now), I probably would've looked into some private schools that offer programmes that prepare you in under a year or so and cost closer to $10,000. It kinda makes more sense.
So, bottom line: If you go to a private career college, you will be out in a year or less (depending on the programme, of course), and will be prepared for the workforce; it's an offer you can't refuse (you see what I did there? With another Godfather quotation? Did you see that?).
If you go to a public university, just be prepared for the inevitable moment when you think that you're almost out because they will find a way to pull you back in...oh, and also charge you another $20,000 while they're at it.
Just make sure that if you decline to return, they don't go and leave a horse head in your bed...
Knowing that you've completed 2 years of higher education is fantastic...until you remember that you have another 2 more to go. I remember finishing my 2nd year at university and thinking to myself, "All that and I'm only halfway though?!" It was frustrating and, in a sense, rather demotivating (as my 3rd year transcript can most assuredly confirm). So, I thought I had completed a fair chunk of my degree, but then they sucked me back in. I had to stay for another 2 more years in order to complete my degree; if I didn't, then the 2 years I had already put in would be completely useless. Also, once you've obtained your undergrad degree, universities like to fill you in on the big joke that sounds like it was written by some fair-weather friend: "Sorry, but you need to come back to complete a Master's degree. If you don't, you'll be left behind in the job market, you won't have the skills you need to compete for jobs, and although you've completed a degree, you're really considered useless until you get your Master's...*shrugs* just thought you should know." Unbelievable.
In Canada, we're told that we need to get a university degree to get anywhere in life, and along with that degree comes 4 years of sleepless nights, stressful visits to the library, an unhealthy and unwavering addiction to caffeine, and an ever-growing debt load.
There are other options out there. There are many private career colleges within the province that will allow you to complete the training you need in a year or less. I think that, as Canadians, we freak out a bit when people mention private training because there are so many horror stories floating around about sub-par institutions operating out of someone's basement, or something. But we have to remember that there are many accredited and reputable schools out there as well. If I had to prepare for my future, knowing what I know now, I probably would have given private training a little more thought when I was younger. Instead of relying on my parents to finance my 4-year academic career at a public university for $25,000+ (that was some time ago, so I'm sure it's more expensive now), I probably would've looked into some private schools that offer programmes that prepare you in under a year or so and cost closer to $10,000. It kinda makes more sense.
So, bottom line: If you go to a private career college, you will be out in a year or less (depending on the programme, of course), and will be prepared for the workforce; it's an offer you can't refuse (you see what I did there? With another Godfather quotation? Did you see that?).
If you go to a public university, just be prepared for the inevitable moment when you think that you're almost out because they will find a way to pull you back in...oh, and also charge you another $20,000 while they're at it.
Just make sure that if you decline to return, they don't go and leave a horse head in your bed...
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Idiots: Dostoyevsky and My Desktop
I'm not afraid to say it. I'm an idiot. Not in the way that Dostoyevsky viewed what idiots were; idiocy, to him, pertained to an innocence, and was, perhaps, even a physical ailment. My idiocy is completely mental. I just make stupid, idiotic mistakes. Not in all things, mind you...just when it comes to computers.
Just this morning, I had to ask my boss to help me fix a problem with my computer. For some unknown reason, I was unable to open up any of my PDF documents without it automatically opening in Word, causing the entire document to be encrypted. I was fighting with the stupid thing for so long that it was border-line ridiculous. I wanted to curse at it and then throw it out of the window for doing something so stupid that I never asked it to do! I blamed my computer for all sorts of things today, from causing me mental stress, to wasting my time, to causing the breakdown of society in general (and I'm pretty sure I threw world hunger in there too...stupid computer). And, may I add, I was the complete opposite of Dostoyevsky's idiot, Myshkin, who was just far too generous, innocent, and kind. I was not kind to my computer. I sat there, after fiddling with it for [what seemed like] forever and said to it (a la Napoleon Dynamite): "Idiot!"
Thankfully, however, my boss came along and was able to fix the problem, and then showed me how to prevent it from happening again. He told me that I had probably tried to open a PDF document with Word and forgot to uncheck the "always use this programme as the default programme" box. Simple as that.
Now, as it is, I am the idiot...not my desktop.
It is because of these inane errors that I make when working with my desktop computer that I have decided to learn a little more about it; I am planning on completing a Microsoft Office course in the coming year.
Once I complete my course, I will be able to shed my computer-idiocy, and deal with whatever technological problems may come my way! And, if I do have a momentary lapse in anger, I must remember that just as Myshkin cannot be called an idiot simply because of his innocence, neither can my desktop.
Just this morning, I had to ask my boss to help me fix a problem with my computer. For some unknown reason, I was unable to open up any of my PDF documents without it automatically opening in Word, causing the entire document to be encrypted. I was fighting with the stupid thing for so long that it was border-line ridiculous. I wanted to curse at it and then throw it out of the window for doing something so stupid that I never asked it to do! I blamed my computer for all sorts of things today, from causing me mental stress, to wasting my time, to causing the breakdown of society in general (and I'm pretty sure I threw world hunger in there too...stupid computer). And, may I add, I was the complete opposite of Dostoyevsky's idiot, Myshkin, who was just far too generous, innocent, and kind. I was not kind to my computer. I sat there, after fiddling with it for [what seemed like] forever and said to it (a la Napoleon Dynamite): "Idiot!"
Thankfully, however, my boss came along and was able to fix the problem, and then showed me how to prevent it from happening again. He told me that I had probably tried to open a PDF document with Word and forgot to uncheck the "always use this programme as the default programme" box. Simple as that.
Now, as it is, I am the idiot...not my desktop.
It is because of these inane errors that I make when working with my desktop computer that I have decided to learn a little more about it; I am planning on completing a Microsoft Office course in the coming year.
Once I complete my course, I will be able to shed my computer-idiocy, and deal with whatever technological problems may come my way! And, if I do have a momentary lapse in anger, I must remember that just as Myshkin cannot be called an idiot simply because of his innocence, neither can my desktop.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Evolution of the Computer Geek
If I asked you to picture the type of person that may be involved in the IT industry, what immediately comes to mind? If you're being as honest as I'm going to be right now, then you will agree that the picture looks something like this: a lonely body sitting behind a computer screen in a dark, dingy basement, typing all sorts of nonsensical [what they call] "code", with glasses as thick as the coffee mugs they're drinking from, and probably wheezing away due to some allergic reaction to sunlight, dust, grass clippings, and social interaction with others. Let's face it...this is our picture of the typical computer geek.
But in the legendary words of Bob Dylan, the times they are a changin'.
The previous face of the IT guy is as passe as Windows 98. The old stereotype no longer fits. These guys have put away the pocket protectors and have pulled out all the stops, creating impressive and imperative items that we all love (such as the iPad), and are gracing the covers of Newsweek, Forbes, and Time Magazine (a la Steve Jobs). However, there is one thing about the old image that remains: in the picture in your mind's eye, you're still envisioning a guy, right?
Why is that?
Well, speaking as a woman, I can honestly say that I had absolutely no interest in IT when I was contemplating my educational/career decisions. I mean, I knew how to turn my computer on, send emails, and pretty-up my wallpaper, so what else could there be??
Turns out a heck of a lot.
For years, I avoided having to understand what a computer language was, what relational database design was, or even what A+ Preparation actually prepared you for...until recently. It turns out that I'm a bit of a computer geek. I think that I suppressed my inner nerd for so long that, one day, it just had to escape. When I first learned about designing a relational database, it was like opening Pandora's Box.
For many years, I had been bound by society's belief as to why women rarely entered the IT field: we are genetically predisposed to a lack of mathematical skills and have an aversion to science. And I accepted that. We have always been taught to develop our creative sides, and have been praised for our linguistic prowess. While that is all well and good, it is high time that we put down our dictionaries and cast our poetry readings aside, and stop being satisfied that the only "IT knowledge" we have is how to upload photos onto Facebook.
So I charge you, ladies: put down your lipstick and pick up your flash drive. Forget about only writing catchy slogans and start writing pseudo-code. With the way the world is moving these days, now is the time to embrace your inner computer geek! Enrol in a college with IT courses and free the IT beast inside!
After all, your greatest accessory is no longer your new bracelet; it's your new ultra antistatic wrist strap...
But in the legendary words of Bob Dylan, the times they are a changin'.
The previous face of the IT guy is as passe as Windows 98. The old stereotype no longer fits. These guys have put away the pocket protectors and have pulled out all the stops, creating impressive and imperative items that we all love (such as the iPad), and are gracing the covers of Newsweek, Forbes, and Time Magazine (a la Steve Jobs). However, there is one thing about the old image that remains: in the picture in your mind's eye, you're still envisioning a guy, right?
Why is that?
Well, speaking as a woman, I can honestly say that I had absolutely no interest in IT when I was contemplating my educational/career decisions. I mean, I knew how to turn my computer on, send emails, and pretty-up my wallpaper, so what else could there be??
Turns out a heck of a lot.
For years, I avoided having to understand what a computer language was, what relational database design was, or even what A+ Preparation actually prepared you for...until recently. It turns out that I'm a bit of a computer geek. I think that I suppressed my inner nerd for so long that, one day, it just had to escape. When I first learned about designing a relational database, it was like opening Pandora's Box.
For many years, I had been bound by society's belief as to why women rarely entered the IT field: we are genetically predisposed to a lack of mathematical skills and have an aversion to science. And I accepted that. We have always been taught to develop our creative sides, and have been praised for our linguistic prowess. While that is all well and good, it is high time that we put down our dictionaries and cast our poetry readings aside, and stop being satisfied that the only "IT knowledge" we have is how to upload photos onto Facebook.
So I charge you, ladies: put down your lipstick and pick up your flash drive. Forget about only writing catchy slogans and start writing pseudo-code. With the way the world is moving these days, now is the time to embrace your inner computer geek! Enrol in a college with IT courses and free the IT beast inside!
After all, your greatest accessory is no longer your new bracelet; it's your new ultra antistatic wrist strap...
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