Finding your fit at college or university

Choosing the right college or university can be a hard decision. With 24 colleges and 23 universities in Ontario alone, finding the school that fits you best will take time and research. 

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Should you Choose College or University?

College

Colleges in Ontario offer full-time and part-time diploma, certificate and degree programs that tend to be more career-oriented than universities. They provide experiential learning opportunities that include both hands-on and real-world experiences. They are also uniquely in tune with the economy, offering programs that respond to current industry demands, which means industries and companies are hungry for college graduates. 

College can also be a great pathway to university or provide great practical training after university; giving you the extra bit of experience to help you start your career. 

University

Universities in Canada are academic institutions that offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Universities typically focus on analytical skills, academics and professional programs. For those interested in professional programs like medicine and law, or those with an interest in working in academia or research-based professions, universities may be a worthwhile path.

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Choosing Your college or university

1. Start by determining two or three areas of study that interest you. Not sure what might be a good fit? Try our Pathfinder tool.
2. Next, find out which schools are well known for those areas of study or if your local schools offer programs related to those fields.
3. Use the websites and social media of those schools to complete your preliminary research and decide which schools you'd like to learn more about.
4. Find out when you can visit. Visiting a college or university is the greatest influencing factor when students make their decision where to apply. Find out if an Open House or Preview day is happening this fall or spring (Tip: Check out Fanshawe's Open House each spring and fall) or plan a visit at another time. 
5. Complete a scorecard for each school you visit, so you can compare each school equally and make your decision. 

Choosing the right college or university is a big decision. Do yourself a favour and take the time to really research your options so that you can find the best fit that will help you reach your career goals. If you could use a little help with your research, connect with us, we’re happy to help.