STUDENTS' DREADFUL DECISION IN APRIL HAS NO EASY ANSWER

Ignore university rankings and find what fits for you, writes.

For tens of thousands of students in their final year of high school in Canada, April is decision month. Those students who want to head to university in the fall are now anxiously weighing their options for next year. Knowing that it is common practice for students to apply to several schools, many universities across the country have synced their acceptance deadline to May 1 (which in turn opens space on waiting lists in May and June). With an offer in hand or with a position on a waiting list, April is an incredibly stressful time for Grade 12 students. It is also challenging for their parents or guardians. Last year, I saw decision month from two sides — professional and personal. With the benefit of hindsight, here are some lessons I've learned.

As the associate dean for students in the faculty of arts at the University of B.C. from 2020-23, I oversaw admissions for the faculty alongside the larger UBC admissions team. In this role, I often participated in recruitment events and answered questions from students and parents. These ranged from personal ones (Will I find community? Is there intramural soccer?) to academic ones (Will my grades drop? How do I choose my major?) to life ones (How much will it cost? Do I have a good enough rain jacket to move to Vancouver?). I could respond informatively to these. What I couldn't answer were the big anxiety-inducing questions: What's the right choice for me? What if I make the wrong decision? Will I be OK? These are the questions that university-bound students are now asking themselves and each other.

Last year, my youngest child was in Grade 12 wrestling with his own decision, so I witnessed once more, first-hand, the peer-induced and parental anxieties. With my third son applying to university, you may think the decision would be easier than the first two times. It was not.

When my oldest applied, we found the process challenging (even for someone who has spent decades working in universities) and we worried about bad choices. I had not yet learned that there are few wrong choices — only different choices. One key choice was to stay home or to go away. My son opted to stay in Vancouver. For one thing, I suspect he wasn't ready to leave his little brothers yet. It was a good choice for him and it set him up for later adventures. At 24, he's now in a vibrant European city happily doing a master's degree.

My middle son wanted to play varsity basketball at a university that had a good design program and he moved across the country to do so. He has since hung up his Kobe 11s and transferred to another university to study fashion design specifically. When I recently asked him whether he regretted the time spent at the first school, he was emphatic that he did not. It helped steer him on the path he's on now. He told me that a decision made in high school didn't have to be a forever decision. Wise words.

And then, once again, I found myself with a son in Grade 12 and emotions running high in the household. My partner and I had to resist the temptation to raise “the choice” at dinner every night. For other parents in this situation, I feel for you. This is hard. It is a bittersweet place to be. Excitement and worry go hand in hand.

I remember an event in Toronto last spring when a woman asked me to help her daughter decide between three universities. My answer was the answer I had to learn to give myself with my own sons: These are all good options. One is not unequivocally better than any of the others. Forget the rankings. I know people teaching in my academic field at universities across the country. They are dedicated researchers who are teaching with deep expertise, careful course design and compassion, in small towns and big ones. I'd love to take a course with them. UBC, where I work, is a wonderful school with excellent programs, and I am adamant that it is a good choice for many students. I don't, however, think it is the only one or other institutions are less of a good choice. The “right place” is different for everyone. Indeed, there may easily be more than one “right place” for any given student. Sounds clichéd, but it isn't.

So, students, how do you choose where to go? Here are some things to consider to help make a decision.

First, what motivates you? Why do you want to go to university? Answers will range from a love of learning and being curious to wanting adventure, having a financial plan or preparing for a specific career. There is no single right answer to this question, but there does need to be at least a provisional answer. Social pressure, familial expectation or simply not knowing what else to do aren't enough to motivate a student in the dark month of November of first year (the hardest month of undergrad, in my mind). Knowing what motivates you might help prioritize your options while you are making your decision.

Second, if you have a few universities to choose from, do some research and trust your gut. Take a tour of campus (virtual or in person). Are there “first-year cohort” programs that are appealing? Go online to each university and read course descriptions on individual department websites. These are much more detailed than the generic descriptions in the university calendar. They will be specifically related to the research expertise of the actual instructors teaching the classes. Compare the descriptions of a course at a few institutions (100 level political science or biology, for example). Does one class or approach make you more excited than the others? Your time is valuable. What do you want to spend it studying? Does one focus on scholarly grounding and another on practical skills, for instance? Does one fit your vibe or your values more than others?

Third, know that transferring between programs, faculties and even universities is quite common. Hopefully you will be introduced to interesting ideas and experiences at university. These might shift your priorities and goals. You may need to pivot. You have at least 40 years before retirement, so there is time to grow. Take some pressure off yourself now.

Fourth, think of where you are going to live for four or five years: Do you want to move to a place with that weather in that particular urban, suburban or smalltown setting? An international student recently told me that his body hurt in the rain and cold, whereas another told me she was from a desert climate and loved living in a rainforest and breathing in the moist Vancouver air. It varies for everyone.

Finally, have compassion for yourself and others. It's not a competition. It's your life. Breathe. Deeply. Applying to university is stressful and challenging. It's going to be OK.