As a mother of a first year university student, I had some precious days with my son. I was able to ask, once again, about some of the details we were advised of during our research. Two features impressed us and played in significant part in him ultimately choosing that university and program.
In our discussions with the program’s professors and administrators we learned that there are many on-campus volunteer opportunities that are very relevant to the courses he will be taking. Furthermore, many outside organizations frequently ask the program for volunteers to work in areas related to their studies. Well it turns out that there are no specific on campus volunteer opportunities. The faculty members and administrators may have been referring to another program. Also, there were only three emails in three months from organizations requesting volunteers and all were 3-4 hours away from the university. This is a disappointing realization. But you can learn from our experience. Although we spoke to current students we didn’t ask about them about these ‘facts’.
I’m even more convinced now that the best way to keep universities honest is to verify ALL information with current students. I recently found a website where you can read reviews from current students. It’s a US site, but many Canadian universities are reviewed.
The site is called unigo and here’s the link: www.unigo.com. You also have the opportunity, for USD$50, to speak to students. It may seem expensive but it’s worth it as this is the best way to get the information that you need.
Good luck!
