Youthink PS is Western Canada¹s post secondary resource guide for high school students planning on attending university, college or other Canadian post secondary institutions and is distributed to 400 high schools across BC and Alberta.
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SPRING 2019 > YOUTHINK PS > 10 YOUTHINK.CA W ithout a doubt, the price of a college or university education can take a heavy toll on students. Luckily, there are plenty of financial resources at your disposal, ad- ministered by the government, schools, banks and other organizations. Here is a breakdown of the financial aid options available to students. Government Student Loans Government loans are distributed annually. The amount of money that a student may borrow is determined by a combination of factors: educa- tional costs, family income and other student re- sources (i.e. scholarships). After students graduate from university or college and find employment, interest is added to the loan and the repayment process commences. Bank Student Loans If students are rejected for a government loan (usually this is attributed to their family income exceeding a cut-off amount), they can obtain a line of credit from a bank. Bank loans can usually be secured by an adult with credit in good standing. Students must make low, interest-only payments while in school and they are required to pay off their loan after they leave their post-secondary institution. Internal Scholarships Based on academic merit, most entrance scholar - ships are awarded to full-time students (who are entering university for the first time) with excep- tional grades. In addition to academic standing, ex- tracurricular activities may be taken into account. Throughout the three or four years of undergrad- uate study, students may also be considered for in- course scholarships (upon the recommendation of their faculty), athletic awards and service awards. External Scholarships Different organizations offer a variety of ways to win prizes and cash. Discover more opportu- nities by visiting scholarshipscanada.com. Bursaries Students in financial need may apply for entrance bursaries upon their acceptance to an undergradu- ate program, and may apply for more bursaries every year during their period of undergraduate study. In general, bursaries are granted based on the degree of financial need as opposed to aca - demic standing, but to a lesser extent academic standing may be taken into account. • Get Involved By Aliya Dossa T he life of a university student is hectic enough. The amount of studying, reading and writ- ing that's required can be overwhelming — especially when making the transition from high school. Considering this, it's easy to see why there are students who don't prioritize getting in - volved in their campus community. But many more will attest that, busy though they may be, their post- secondary life just wouldn't be complete without ex - tracurricular clubs and activities. Youthink PS spoke with three UBC students who are actively involved on campus to see why. Youthink: What are some of the benefits of getting involved on campus? Wil Longard (5th-year philosophy major and UBC rec- reational sports team member): "To be honest, I didn't know what involvement was before I got to universi- ty. But when I got to UBC, some friends asked me to play campus-organized futsal [indoor football] and volleyball with them. I loved it. I started to take on more leadership roles. I got out of my comfort zone and learned so much from it — things that I couldn't have learned in my classes alone. I realize now that university is so much more about the people you meet than it is about the piece of paper you get at the end of it all." Nirel Marofsky (3rd-year psychology major, found- er of campus health and nutrition group VegUBC): "University is super time-consuming, to the point where you can forget to take time for you. Being a part of this community that gets students excited about eating healthy foods is great for my own well-being. Being involved provides an almost family-like community where I feel included and a part of something important. It's also great for networking, which can open doors to future career opportunities." Sepideh Khazei (3rd-year honours history ma- jor, campus theatre actress): "Getting involved in acting was a completely new experience for me. University is a great time to try new things that you would never consider doing otherwise. It helped me develop skills I would have never picked up in class. And it actually helped me manage my time better! With more commitments on my plate, I knew I had to stay on top of things, and was even more on top of my school work because of it." • Extracurricular activities enrich post-secondary life. Photos by (top) Duy Pham on Unsplash (bottom) Rawpixel on Unsplash How to Pay for Post-Secondary: A Guide to Financial Aid By Joy Lizette Aguilar