Comparison of Post Secondary Options
In consideration of the courses each post secondary institution provides, as well as the location of its campus(es), I have given myself four options that satisfy my interests. The post secondary institutions I have found satisfactory are: British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Simon Fraser University (SFU), University of British Columbia (UBC), and University of Toronto (UT).
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Locations
- Burnaby Campus
- Downtown Campus
- Marine Campus
- Aerospace Technology Campus
- Annacis Island Campus
Histories
BCIT first opened its campus in Burnaby in 1964. It became one of the largest post-secondary institutes in the province.
Number of Students
48,224 students are enrolled, 6,500 of which are international students.
Housing Options and Costs
BCIT offers student housing on the Burnaby campus, which is adjacent to the sports field and recreational facilities. Costs for student housing during the Fall 2023 term (Sept-Dec) can have a prorate rent of $2,574.38, with rent pro-rated at a nightly rate of $26.54. The Winter 2023 term (Jan-May) can have a prorate rent of $2,123.20, with rent pro-rated at the same amount as the Fall 2023 term housing prorate rent cost per night.
Popular Programs
- Engineering
Program/Degree/Diploma of Interest
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Admission requirements:
- Two years of education in English.
- Pre-Calculus 11, Pre-Calculus 12, Foundations of Math 11, Foundations of Math 12, Workplace Math 11, Math 0007, or other acceptable BC and Yukon courses.
- Chemistry 11.
- 18 post-secondary credits.
- Completion of an online assessment.
Deadlines for Applications
October 1st
Tuition Costs
$3559
Total Budget to Complete Education
$10,677 every academic year.
https://www.bcit.ca/programs/nursing-bachelor-of-science-in-nursing-full-time-8875bsn/
Simon Fraser University (SFU)
Locations
- Vancouver Campus
- Surrey Campus
- Burnaby Campus
Histories
Named after Simon Fraser, a notable Canadian explorer in the 19th century, SFU would officially open on September 9, 1965.
Number of Students
37,670 students are enrolled.
Housing Options and Costs
SFU offers a variety of housing options with different fees and costs. Out of all the selections for housing to choose from, I prefer the North towers, one of the cheaper options. The North Towers student housing offers a cost of $3,360 per term in fall, while the cost per term in summer is $3,292.
Popular Programs
- Biomedicine
- Physiology
- Health Sciences
- Accounting
Program/Degree/Diploma of Interest
Health Sciences (Bachelor of Science)
Admission requirements:
- Fluent in English
- Quantitative and analytical skills
- Minimum five approved Grade 12 courses
- One of English 11, Language 11, Math 11, Science 11, and Social Studies 11.
- One of English 12 and another 12 course (Visit the admission site to see the full set of acceptable 12 courses: https://www.sfu.ca/students/admission/admission-requirements/canadian-highschool/bc-yukon/health-sciences-bs.html)
- Biology 12, Chemistry 12, and Calculus or Pre-Calculus 12.
Deadlines for Applications
February 28th
Tuition Costs
$7,064
Total Budget to Complete Education
$21,126 every academic year.
http://www.sfu.ca/students/admission/programs/a-z/h/health-science-bsc/overview.html
University of British Columbia (UBC)
Locations
- Vancouver Campus
- Kelowna Campus
Histories
The University of British Columbia was founded in 1908 by an Act of legislature from the provincial government, with the highest number of student enrollment in western Canada.
Number of Students
72,585 are enrolled into UBC.
Housing Options and Costs
UBC’s campus in Vancouver comes with 15 options for student housing, one of which is Place Vanier. Living in Place Vanier offers a shared room between two students at the cost of $681-$876 per month. The shared space allows for the establishment of a peer-to-peer and friendly connection with another person.
Popular Programs
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Health
- Social Science and Humanities
Program/Degree/Diploma of Interest
Cellular, Anatomical, and Physiological Sciences (Bachelor of Science)
Admission requirements:
- English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12
- Pre-Calculus 12
- Anatomy and Physiology 12, Chemistry 12, or Physics 12
- English Studies 11 or English First Peoples 11
- A language 11
- Chemistry 11
- Physics 11
- Pre-Calculus 11 or Foundations of Mathematics 12
Deadlines for Applications
September 15
Tuition Costs
$19,603.35
Total Budget to Complete Education
The four-year MD Undergraduate program costs $90,684.39.
University of Toronto (UT)
Locations
- Mississauga Campus
- St. George Campus
- Scarborough Campus
Histories
University of Toronto was initially founded as King’s College in 1827, evolving into the best post-secondary institution in Canada.
Number of Students
97,066 students are enrolled
Housing Options and Costs
University of Toronto offers a huge variety of on-campus and off-campus student residences. I favoured one of the on-campus residence in the St. George campus, the Woodsworth Residence. The housing provides an air-conditioned, single bedroom suite, a low maintenance living space. Its suite comes at the cheapest pricing of any other residence on the campus, with its fee of $11,803 in an academic year.
Popular Programs
- Psychology
- Materials Science
- Human Biology
- Statistical Sciences
- Immunology
- Actuarial Science
- Sociology
- …and more.
Program/Degree/Diploma of Interest
MD Program
Admission requirements (undergraduate):
- Completion of at least three years of undergraduate study.
- Two full-course equivalents in life sciences and one full-course equivalent in social science, humanities, or language.
- GPA of 3.6
- MCAT score of 125, with allowance of a score of 124 in one section.
- “Maturity, reliability, perseverance, and responsibility”
- “Communication, collaboration, teamwork, time management and leadership”
- “Advocacy, community service and social responsibility”
- “academic standing, achievements in leadership, research and social responsibility as demonstrated by (but not limited to) awards, conference presentations, publications, and scholarships”
- Two brief personal essays
- A comprehensive list of your activities and achievements since the age of 16.
- Three references to be sent to Ontario Universities’ Application Center (OMSAS) for the application.
Deadlines for Applications
October 3
Tuition Costs
$23,090
Total Budget to Complete Education
$25,061.31 every academic year.
https://applymd.utoronto.ca/
Conclusion
Out of the four post-secondary institutions, I find the University of British Columbia to be the most gratifying. The location of UBC is convenient, with a campus in Vancouver, which is not too far from my friends and family. I am already familiar with the environment, and may be able to prevent any confusion in traversing the region. It is also considered the best post-secondary institution in the province. Although UBC is the third most expensive option of this list, I find the rewards and characteristics of the institution to be well worth the cost. While being one of the best post-secondary institutions in Canada, it’s campus offers great scenery, being next to the water. Going for the “best” option out of the list of post-secondary institutions should be taken with discretion, with the consideration of fees, convenience, and location, especially if it is a post-secondary institution that is not within the province of British Columbia, such as the University of Toronto. Although it may be possible and tempting to be accepted to the best post-secondary institution in Canada (or another “better” option outside the nation), it is important to acknowledge whether the choice of spending four, or more, years in an unfamiliar region, and other disadvantages that may follow, are worth the trouble.