gezzloume

Well to be fair I was simply replying to the OP. Penelope took it upon herself to attack my knowledge of things. And just because I haven't had alot of posts on the website it doesn't mean I can't be better informed than her--which I am not claiming to be but I don't think you should claim she is more knowledgable than me either when you don't even know me! Peace. (I actually mean that!)

Well I was speaking from actual statistics that were gathered on behalf of the Canadian government through Statistics Canada. Where did you say you got your information from??

Thanks everyone for your responses. I am starting to get a better idea of what university is for (despite the fact that I have already finished undergrad). I think its important that places of higher education be more up front about the role a university education can play in life with future applicants instead of making it seem like university is a one way ticket to a higher paying job. Peace & Thanks everyone!

I know for a fact that Canadian PhD's are the hardest in the world to get so they are technically worth the most. As long as you get a PhD from a top Canadian or US school your set for working in Canada and the US. UK degrees are worth alot in Europe and Canada but not so much in the US, however Masters degrees from Oxford are very popular among some of the most successful people in the world so you can't go wrong (at least in the present) from having one. I think what's more important than your degree is what you do with it. So take the next couple of years to become as great as you can in your field and you'll do more than alright in life Peace.

For the past few years I have been hearing some of the professors I have been around claiming that university is not a means to finding a job, that instead its just a breadth of knowledge. And recently I have heard the same thing about grad school. That even a career in academia is not the goal of attending graduate school. Instead it was described in terms of skill development that could potentially apply to actual employment. This is leaving me a little confused since I thought graduate school was training people to assume professional positions (upon completion of study) in their given field. Am I wrong?

There are! I just don't know the stats on the "top schools" as of yet. Why not check out the schools with political socio programs you like and go from there. That's what I am doing. While the "top schools" are a nice idea they may not be the best place for you to excel in your research interests. Peace

Thank You God!!

Here are my thoughts on this issue..its quite simple actually. To the OP, This isn't an issue about your boyfriend and his aptitude for success is it? It sounds to me like overtime you have come to define your own worth (or meaning) by how others see you. In all actuality, scholarships and degrees may be used to describe one form of success in this world, but no matter how many different levels or even ideas of success you achieve--it can't (and shouldn't) give your life meaning. Think about if all your education, money, looks, good health, sociability, etc. was taken away, who would you be? I applaud all the things you have been able to accomplish this much in your life, but that is not what life is about. I implore you to do some deep soul-searching to learn what really defines your worth in life--not the "who's" or "what's" that you have used to define you, but YOUR ACTUAL WORTH. And its when you can begin to see yourself as worthy even without material success that you can begin to see the priceless worth of others as well! BTW you boyfriend sounds like a great guy that is doing everything he can to keep you in his life (I making this assumption on the basis of an earlier comment you made about him choosing to attend schools near you instead of the school that is best for him somewhere else in the world). If you don't feel the same away about him as he does about you, its ok to talk to him about it without having to end the relationship. Paix et Dieu Benise

Seeing as I had a similar situation in the past. Doing research in the summer does not get you that ahead of the game if at all. Research is unfortunately not like a regular course--you can't really get ahead. Although I completed a pilot study in the summer there were research related issues that arouse in the fall the placed me right in the same time frame (actually a couple weeks behind) those who were smart enough to take their summer break. PLUS...and this is a big plus. Graduate school is a HUGE time commitment for several years so if you have a chance to chill in your youth (total assumption on my part) for one more summer---DO IT! (summer vacation that is) Peace to you

From my experience you need a confirmation that the initial school you accepted an offer to has confirmed your decline BEFORE the other school (top choice) can move forward on confirming your acceptance to them. I hope that makes sense! Peace to you

If you can, I strongly recommend that you visit the Ryerson campus to talk to some current students and/or faculty in person (outside of a meet-and-greet situation) before you accept their offer. This is not because its Ryerson university but because a friend of mine unfortunately did not take that advice and jumped into a graduate program that started fairly recently and therefore, it wasn't as developed (in terms of courses, research options) as she first anticipated. Peace.

Knotty, my best advice is to contact current students or even just SIPA's admission officers and ask them what the job prospects have been for international students who graduated from that program (and I would question about salary if its a concern). I also sought out to attend SIPA but alas I just couldn't add that much debt to my already large debt from undergrad but have since had to search for more affordable options. SIPA is a good school in my opinion but will it really give you that much advantage in securing a job with good pay over any other equally qualified graduate of another program? Peace.

No some schools are still weighing their options in terms of first choices, students with funding, etc. I just called one of the schools I applied to today and they informed me that they had made some of their decisions but the mail outs should happen in at least 2-3 weeks. I have heard of people being admitted to even the top schools between the months of April and August of the same school term they are starting. Peace.

You have excellent insight curiousgeorge84 and I am glad that you made your points. I was disturbed at how quickly some people pointed to race as the sole reason someone was accepted to a school even though that is not what affirmative action is all about. It's supposed to be about looking at all the great factors that make an applicant an ideal student and NOT using their race as a reason to discount their ability. Besides, I would say MONEY and PRESTIGE are the most common way many universities choose their students without little or any academic merit (compared to the non-rich and or prestigious applicants). That being said, whether you choose the top 10 or bottom 100, university is a business and many of them want to get noticed, so hiring people that they perceive will give them that attention (in academic circles and even beyond) will likely be the single most important factor determining and securing the ideal teaching position. BTW, as much as I like the discussion in this thread I think its kinda of ridiculous to assume that one can predict or perfectly map out their future based on current or past trends in a handful of cases (compared to the millions of students applying to graduate school around the world). I say learn as much as you can now to make informed decisions in the present and leave future worrying...well in the future where it belongs. Peace to you all!

I have to disagree with you there. I attended both U of T and York (at one point simultaneously) and York is stronger academically. They are ahead of the game and U of T isn't. U of T is all about their name (prestige) and their semi-pretty campus. However outside academics, I think everything else about York (their location, their extracurriculars, and their administrative staff which seems to be determined to prevent you from having a smooth transition through the mandatory administrative processes like getting into compulsory courses or graduating!); and in all the areas York falls short, U of T is better in. As for Ryerson or any other university, its up to the applicant to decide whether its worth for them to attend a particular school. Every school as advantages and disadvantages but I would hope that choosing a school that you love the program (or programs) they offer and at the same time you're excited to see how your participation in this program will help you grow as a professional and maybe even on a personal level, should be the primary factor influencing your final choice. I hope that helps and peace to you!