Misconceptions about College Life
We hear them all the time. Stories from students who say college is nothing like what their older brother told them it would be. Hollywood movies that portray college in an exaggerated, comical way. Because of all these stereotypes and false assumptions people make, it’s hard to know exactly what to expect in your first year. We’re here to bust a few of those myths.
“I’m going to be broke and I’ll need to eat KD/ramen noodles for every meal”
College is definitely not cheap, but it’s a worthwhile investment that is affordable with the right budgeting and financial aid resources. Last year, over 60% of our students had part- or full-time employment. Many programs also offer co-op which allow you to get paid to work while you study. Other forms of financial assistance include on-campus jobs, scholarships, bursaries and OSAP. Lastly, there are tons of discounts and deals available to students if you know where to find them (like 10% off at Loblaws, located right next to our Ottawa campus!) And if after all of this you still want to eat KD or ramen noodles for every meal, we won’t judge you.
“Everyone is going to be young”
With more than 19,000 full-time students across our three campuses last year, 23% were over the age of 25. In a previous survey, we found that half of all our first-year students came from either time off, part- or full-time employment, or other reasons. If you are a mature student who is nervous about returning to school or stepping foot in the classroom for the first time, know that you certainly won’t be alone.
“I have to live in residence to have a good time”
The truth is, the majority of our students live off campus — even in first year. Although residence can certainly enhance your college experience, you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to meet new people in your classes, at events or around campus, even if you live further away.
“Being waitlisted means I’m not going to get in”
Being waitlisted just means that the program you have applied for received more qualified applicants than there were seats in the program. Some individuals receive multiple offers but can only accept one. Once they decline their remaining offers, then additional seats become available and we contact applicants according to their position on the waitlist. This means that even if you don’t get accepted into your program right away, there is still a chance that you will be given an offer. That being said, we still encourage waitlisted applicants to keep their options open by applying to other similar programs or foundation programs if they have not already done so. Check out this helpful FAQ for more information on the waitlist process.
“I’m bound to gain the Freshman 15”
The stress of classes, deadlines and a new environment can certainly lead to some unhealthy habits, but there are tons of ways to keep off the infamous freshman 15 while on campus. For starters, we offer tons of healthy dining options for breakfast, lunch and dinner with nutritional refreshments and snacks. Students from our Perth, Pembroke and Ottawa campuses also have access to state-of-the-art fitness facilities. To give you an idea, at our largest campus in Ottawa we have 44 cardio machines, 40 resistance machines, dry saunas, certified personal trainers, aerobics, and much more.
“I can’t get a degree from College”
As the largest polytechnic institute in Eastern Ontario, we are able to grant diplomas and degrees approved by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. We also have collaborative degrees delivered in partnership with universities. Lastly, we offer graduate certificates and apprenticeship programs.
