Looking for academic advice? Tap into information sources available around you
Credit to Author: Geneviève Beaupré and Susan Qadeer| Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2019 14:43:35 +0000
The post-secondary education system in Canada can be confusing for newcomers. Not only is it an unfamiliar system, but there are provincial as well as specific school differences. Make sure to tap into the free academic advice available around you as it could help you get answers to many questions, including admission requirements, the differences between seemingly similar programs, career options and employment prospects, or the benefits of enrolling in college vs. university.
Talking to academic staff, faculty, information specialists and professionals in your field of interest would be advantageous in helping you get up-to-date information. Researching different schools and programs as well as familiarizing yourself with career options all contribute to making informed academic choices and avoiding costly mistakes.
Who can help
If you are currently attending high school, college or university, there are several sources of free information and advice, including guidance counselors, teachers, program coordinators, academic and personal counselors, faculty and administrators. All of these people can be approached for their expertise on academic matters and are good sources for providing referrals to others who could also help you.
If you are not a student, you may not have direct access to these people. However, many institutions offer prospective students information about their school and programs in the form of information fairs, campus tours and/or information sessions. You can generally find out about these events on the school’s website, or you may call the institution or chat online with a representative from the school, if that option is available.
Some academic institutions also have special advising services for internationally educated and trained professionals. They can offer advice about their programs and services that can help with making your transition. Check out their websites to see what specific services they have for newcomers.
Other sources for information
In addition to the services schools offer, you can seek help from various settlement and community agencies. These organizations may be able to answer your questions or refer you to others who can. Look for free workshops provided by these agencies that explore academic and career topics.
Librarians can be a tremendous source of help with your own research. They can help you locate courses and programs, compare outlook of various careers, including salaries and projected openings. They can also point you to directories with companies and contacts in particular fields, as well professional associations in Canada.
Do your own research to discover people who can be sources of information. This can be someone at your bank or individuals who work in construction, food service, teaching, healthcare etc. You may also find sources of information through your own network. Many people are inclined to help a newcomer or student starting out in their field, as long as you respect their time constraints. You will want to think through and prepare your questions to make good use of their limited time. If you are contacting working individuals, use more than one source because a person could have outdated information or experience that colors his or her outlook.
For your own research, be sure to check out websites from settlement agencies such as Settlement.org, government sites such as Job Bank post-secondary institution websites and school boards. You may also locate programs using online databases such as the University Study Canada website.
The more you look into your academic choices, the more you will feel confident about your decisions and the lower the risk that you will waste money and time. There is no need to take unnecessary risks with academic direction when good information is available. Being familiar with finding sources of information will be useful throughout your academic and career life.