stoked_but_broke_student's Xanga

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 02:28:45 GMT

GET YOUR MONEYS WORTH ¢

My advice to anyone asking me about pursing post education, would be to tell them that it is worth it, not only because of the future it gives you but because it provided me life skills that I would never have otherwise. BUT, I am now in my last year of schooling and looking at my bank account. I am broke and I have jumped through the hoops to pay for my education, for example, working to the point of having no life, applying for a student loan (and not getting one because I still live at home) and then humbling myself to ask my parents to help out while I still have a part time job. I am still not getting by. That's my story. Unfortunately, I know people who have been through way more hoops than I have to pay for their education, and will be paying for it for many years. Tuition is costly for post-secondary education in Canada, and as a student I can say that it takes a huge toll on every aspect of our lives.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 02:14:50 GMT

Tuition fees will not make us fall to our knees!!!!!

WE NEED TO MAKE PERSONAL GOALS TO GET THE BEST EDUCATION WE CAN. I think reducing tuition fees is worth fighting for. But I also think providing education on possible ways a students can NOT be a struggling student can help them to be prepared and survive costly tuition fees. I believe this is another way to fight the tuition fees and decrease student debts.

Surprisingly, there are many resources available to help in this cause, for example, The Debt Free Graduate (Baker, 2003), and how to pay off student loans on websites like(http://www.statcan.ca/english/kits/social/stude1.htm), and etc. Just Google it, but remember be careful with what you find on the net.

My own expertise on what a student should to decrease being a struggling post secondary student has limits but I hope it's helpful. Here is what I wish I knew back in High school and throughout my post secondary education....

While in high school, think about your future.

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Take advantage of all the resources there are

in career planning. (i.e. that course personal planning)

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Unless your parents or someone close to you has savings for your

education you might not think about your post secondary education until the summer before. Try to think ahead and put a small amount aside yourself.

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Remember, try and take those courses in high school that you will need to get into Post secondary school and courses you want. Work hard.

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Now, in post secondary school, your first year is going to be rough. Do not give up that easy, remember that saying
"try, try again". No matter how long it takes you post secondary education is extremely benefitial. Unfortunately there is the question of the money for those expensive tuition fees.

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Now to the money part. Trust me working your butt off for the first two years and having no life was no laughing matter to me. I would instead advise people to find alternative ways to provide for their tuition (my alternate way was to ask my parents, which does not always work for people).

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BALANCE YOUR LIFESTYLE. It's crucial to have all aspects covered: psychologically, socially, spiritually, and physically. It took me two years to get this right.

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This is where my expertise ends, unfortunately.

The wisdom of Murray Baker (2003) on how to be a debt free graduate is a vital resource that I wish I had when I started my University education. I will provide a little book review. There is everything from starting savings during high school, how to find a good job that pays, where to invest, and what resources are available to students. It is a very in depth book that even gets into how to pay less tax, how to eat, and even tactics on how to pay off debt.

I want to recognize the Canadian Federation of Students who have chapters all over Canada, and who have done a lot of fighting to reduce tuition fees. (Here is the website for the British Columbian chapter, http://www.cfs.bc.ca/). They have created a wonderful coalition effort which any student can be a part of. I feel that a lot can be done by having a federation of students coalition, we should join them.

Baker, M.(2003). The debt free graduate: how to survive college or

university without going broke. Vancouver, BC. Money Smart

Publishing.