At this time of the year, many grade 12 students are staring at their OUAC empty screens, waiting for their first offer. Those in other grades are researching what courses they need to take to determine what they will do for the rest of their lives. But is university the only option? It seems like students think that university is the only way to go, even if it’s not worth it.
“University is a guaranteed path to success”, a line that every kid hears from their parents. This was true, but decades ago. According to Statistics Canada, the average university tuition is now $7,000 per year. Combined with other fees like housing, transportation, food, and the random campus fees, costs can be more than $20,000. An investment this big needs something that will actually provide a return. According to bestcolleges.com, the highest paying bachelors degrees are engineering, computer science, and finance.
“I’ve been thinking hitting the books is a waste of time, real money comes from the trades,” says Tanay Mathur, a grade 12 student. Students like Mathur have made the realization that not everyone is made to do the same thing. College programs and the skilled trades are becoming more appealing alternatives with lower barriers of entry and more competitive pay.
While these may be the most profitable, society needs people who are able to visualize, create, and build things, and these aren’t necessarily skills developed through a degree. Production might be more standardized, but the reason artisans are paid so much is because they bring the human connection. If you have the ability to create, don’t waste your potential to fit in.
University still matters for fields like medicine, law, teaching, nursing, or engineering, but if this isn’t what you want to do, there’s no need to waste time and money. University isn’t a bad thing; it’s just not for everyone. It seems like a safe option, but it doesn’t offer the same security as it once did in the past.
Whether university is worth it doesn’t really have a universal answer. But students need to keep in mind that it isn’t the only option.
THE NORTH STAR 