Choosing a College or University—Consider the Home Field Advantage
W
e often hear from students that their parents
would like them to go to one of the major
research universities in the province such as
UBC, SFU, UNBC or UVic.
There is no doubt that all of these institutions offer
excellent study opportunities. However, there are several
reasons why your best interests may be met by going to a
post-secondary institution closer to home. Let’s look at
some of these:
THE BC POST-SECONDARY SYSTEM IS UNIQUE IN
NORTH AMERICA.
It offers excellent opportunities to begin your studies at
an institution in your own region and then seamlessly
transfer into the third year of a four-year degree program
somewhere else in the province.
Don’t forget the home
field advantage!
SMALLER UNIVERSITIES OFFER A FIRST RATE
EDUCATION.
This is not based on our word but the feedback of
graduates from smaller institutions. A significantly higher
proportion of grads from teaching intensive (smaller)
universities reported being very satisfied with their
program of study compared to large research intensive
universities.
THE TIME TO ATTEND A RESEARCH INTENSIVE
UNIVERSITY MAY BE LATER.
THE COSTS OF GETTING AN EDUCATION CLOSE
TO HOME ARE FAR LESS.
Not only are tuition fees lower, if you are able to avoid
living expenses (e.g.-such as paying to live in residence)
you are away ahead in the financial game. This is
especially true for academic scholarship winners who are
often surprised at how quickly their awards disappear
because of higher tuition fees and associated living cost.
COMMUTING TAKES A TOLL.
Have more time and money to do the things you want to
do. The reality is that commuting to a research intensive
university can be stressful, time consuming and hard on
the pocket book. If you are taking two to three hours a
day to get to class you are missing out on other things.
Your friends with lesser commutes are using this extra
time to socialize, study, or work part-time. By staying in
your local community to get an education you will likely
SMALLER CLASS SIZES OFTEN ENABLE MORE
INTERACTION WITH YOUR INSTRUCTORS AND
FELLOW STUDENTS.
Don’t get lost in huge lecture halls with feedback coming
from teaching assistants. Teaching intensive universities
will put you in classes that offer regular feedback from
your instructor. The smaller classes can also go a long
way to making you feel less isolated.
So, when it comes to choosing a post-secondary
education don’t forget the home field advantage.
Sometimes it’s the obvious option that turns out
to be your best option.
Quite often research intensive universities set
themselves apart by the amount of specialized training
they are able to offer at the master’s and doctorate
degree levels. After getting an undergrad degree close to
home it’s quite possible that you will end up at one of
these research universities for an advanced credential.
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© Pardy Group (2012), prepared for BCCAT