Not only will be embark on a four-month, unpaid internship to finish our degree, we are also required to pay full tuition. As in the same amount one would normally pay to register for five entire courses.
I was aware of the unpaid internship, however I had assumed (assumption deduced from knowledge of other degree programs) that we would be required to pay a registration fee equivalent to one course or something near that.
Incorrect.
This is a huge deal to me since I was like "oh hay, I can probably deal without a loan in the fall since I'll be living at home again and y'know, I'm already a gillion dollars in student loan debt". But my biggest issue with this is my understanding that our regular five course tuition is our instructors/professors income, the people gotta live... But WHERE IS MY MONEY GOING when I pay for my internship?
I'm sure I'll be learning plenty of invaluable things during my internship, but the teacher I will be placed with isn't getting the money... and like I said, I won't be attending classes at the university so instructors/profs shouldn't be getting my money either.
If you know the answer to this mystery, please feel free to comment below.
And I feel obligated, (since I already brought it up), but the other programs I refer to include the Business/Commerce Co-op Program, Social Work Program, but more specifically the Engineering Co-op Program. Some Social Work students are now getting paid for their work terms, at least that's progress! However, the Engineering Co-op program is where it's at - sure these students spend a little longer in school, but the majority can graduate without owing a penny! Every second term for them is a paid work term, and paid finely, might I add! Most of these students rake in enough cash (and work hard) to pay their current day-to-day bills, and save enough to pay the next semester's tuition and bills, and buy some cool things... Like a bookshelf, and a Wii and a brand new 32inch TV, and take me out on nice dates!
That's the life.
Sorry for the discouragement, all you eager Education students. Maybe you know of a university that works differently? Please share in the comment section!