Hey guys,

So I was accepted to Mac for Social Science for this fall and I really want to go here. However, I have one problem - my mom. My mom wants me to stay in Toronto and go to UoT, one of the reasons being that she says that we do not have enough money to pay for me to stay on res.

I've told her about OSAP and explained that it'll be more than enough for me to pay for my tuition and res fees but she insists that it won't be enough for me to pay for Mac for 4 years as well as Teacher's College (which I plan to attend after getting my undergraduate degree). Additionally, she states that I won't be able to get a job at Mac because it'll be too much stress for me and that I'm "not like other kids" because if I get stressed out, I get sick (which is another reason why she wants me to stay in Toronto; I have regular doctor check-ups at the hospital every 3-4 months and she says that if I get sick there will be no one to take care of me and no one will know).

So anyway, it got to the point that yesterday she threatened to not pay for my tuition or res fees if I go to Mac. I currently work part-time at a daycare and make minimum wage (sadly). I make approximately $500 a month and 75% of that goes towards my university fund. However, I won't be able to work at the daycare while I'm at Mac since I'll be at Hamilton, meaning that while I'm at Mac I will have no form of income to help pay off my OSAP debt when the time comes. I've also thought about getting a job at Mac, but I also plan to shadow teachers at the elementary schools nearby during my free time, which will take up time in my schedule if I want to maintain good grades, a social life and enough sleep.

Besides this, I can't think of any other ways which I could make money. I'm hoping that if I can come up with a great plan to show my mom I can afford university, she'll give in and be more comfortable with me staying on res. If worst comes to worst and I go to Mac and she refuses to pay, I'll need a way to get the money I need (I'd rather avoid the latter since I would hate for my relationship with my mom to be destroyed.

I've heard about bursaries? I'm not sure how they work. If someone could explain that, that'd be great. And besides the entrance scholarships, which I'll most likely get $750 since my average falls just short of 90% (sadly).

If anyone could help that would be amazing. Thanks.

one solution: apply for scholarships. I did this in first year and got 7000.00 from 4 different scholarships

I'm not sure where to find them. :/ Most of them require activities in which you've shown exemplary leadership skills, etc and I have a few of those but none where I've done things such as founded an organization or whatever it is students seem to be doing these days.

you can apply for a bursary during first semester, which is basically free money from mcmaster, but it will likely only be like 500-1000$ first year.
there are also jobs on campus that you can apply to through the work program which can help with your finances. if you get hired they give you like 10 hours a week at a job on campus so that you can make some money but still be able to balance your schoolwork and everything else (http://sfas.mcmaster.ca/work_study/jobs.html)
you should try out the osap aid estimator (https://osap.gov.on.ca/AidEstimatorW...pp/enter.xhtml) and see how much youll expect to get. maybe if you show your mom the estimation and show that youll be getting enough to cover first year university she'll be reassured - and also make sure that she knows that osap will likely be available to you every year. also through osap theres the possibility of getting grants, which you dont need to pay back (free money) - depending on stuff like your parent(s) income, your income, etcetc. in my first year about 50% of my osap i didnt need to pay back cause it was grants.
first year is also MUCH more expensive than upper years (mainly because of residence/meal plans). so if you plan on moving into a student house in upper years or commuting it would be less money. just remember and explain to your mom that a lot of people are coming out of university with debt so its not just you. if you work during the summers that will also help with financing your schooling! hopefully what i said helped haha thats just my experience/what id do if i was in your situation!

Have you considered living off campus? It can be quite a bit cheaper than res and plus you're not forced to buy a meal plan.

Originally Posted by kirsten..!

you can apply for a bursary during first semester, which is basically free money from mcmaster, but it will likely only be like 500-1000$ first year.
there are also jobs on campus that you can apply to through the work program which can help with your finances. if you get hired they give you like 10 hours a week at a job on campus so that you can make some money but still be able to balance your schoolwork and everything else (http://sfas.mcmaster.ca/work_study/jobs.html)
you should try out the osap aid estimator (https://osap.gov.on.ca/AidEstimatorW...pp/enter.xhtml) and see how much youll expect to get. maybe if you show your mom the estimation and show that youll be getting enough to cover first year university she'll be reassured - and also make sure that she knows that osap will likely be available to you every year. also through osap theres the possibility of getting grants, which you dont need to pay back (free money) - depending on stuff like your parent(s) income, your income, etcetc. in my first year about 50% of my osap i didnt need to pay back cause it was grants.
first year is also MUCH more expensive than upper years (mainly because of residence/meal plans). so if you plan on moving into a student house in upper years or commuting it would be less money. just remember and explain to your mom that a lot of people are coming out of university with debt so its not just you. if you work during the summers that will also help with financing your schooling! hopefully what i said helped haha thats just my experience/what id do if i was in your situation!

How do bursaries work though? Aren't there specific requirements to be met?

I've tried the OSAP estimator - it said that they would give me 12k. I told my mom this and she still remained stubborn on her point of view.

Where do grants come from?

Originally Posted by MichaelScarn

Have you considered living off campus? It can be quite a bit cheaper than res and plus you're not forced to buy a meal plan.

I'm pretty much set on living in residence, the reasons being that it's much easier to meet people and it'd be harder for me to meet and create solid relationships if I live off campus.

Originally Posted by Vessi

How do bursaries work though? Aren't there specific requirements to be met?

I've tried the OSAP estimator - it said that they would give me 12k. I told my mom this and she still remained stubborn on her point of view.

Where do grants come from?

I dont think theres specific requirements for bursaries, i just remember filling out my name and student number and all that and answering some questions, but from what i know i think everyone was able to apply... heres more info from macs website http://sfas.mcmaster.ca/bursary/macbur.html
Maybe sit down with your mom and go through the osap stuff and let her explore the site so maybe she can understand, also i know when i went to [email protected] they had info sessions about financial stuff but idk if theyre doing that this year but heres the link http://future.mcmaster.ca/tours/in-p...ours/mayatmac/
Grants can come from the government through osap, i know for some people who have single parents or like people with disabilities or low income or whatever they can get certain grants. if you do the osap estimator it may say something like ontario access grant, or ontario student opportunity grant or something like that

What is your reason for choosing mac over UofT (or another school in toronto)? (other than just thinking this place is dandy)

Originally Posted by RyanC

What is your reason for choosing mac over UofT (or another school in toronto)? (other than just thinking this place is dandy)

Lmaoo why does it matter? I have a bunch a reasons - the program that I want to go into, the environment, the people there, when I went to Mac I loved it and I can honestly imagine myself here for the next four years and Mac HAS been my future for the last couple of months and I can't and don't want to throw away everything I've imagined and planned for like that. It's hard to explain. I also don't want to stay in Toronto if that counts as a valid reason.

Originally Posted by Vessi

Lmaoo why does it matter? I have a bunch a reasons - the program that I want to go into, the environment, the people there, when I went to Mac I loved it and I can honestly imagine myself here for the next four years and Mac HAS been my future for the last couple of months and I can't and don't want to throw away everything I've imagined and planned for like that. It's hard to explain. I also don't want to stay in Toronto if that counts as a valid reason.

Agreed. Also, I chose Mac over UofT way back because I didnt want to commute 3 hrs a day on the TTC.

If you go to www.msu.mcmaster.ca>j obs, you can find multiple positions under msu jobs and oscar. You can also apply for the work-study program.. which can be found in mugsi.mcmaster.ca

off campus housing > res life
It is cheaper, you have more freedom, in some places you are just as close to campus as res.
If you like to have the slightest bit of fun you will have a bad time! (and by fun I don't mean study groups in MK eating cupcakes on a Friday night, because that kind of stuff goes down).

Have you considered going to U of T and living in res there? This was kind of my situation. My parents wanted me to go to Mac, I wanted to go elsewhere. Compromise was I go to Mac AND live in res despite my parents living in Hamilton. Turned out to be one of my best decisions ever. I got the res experience and got to see my parents every week. Plus, my future plans totally changed and Mac turned out to be the perfect place for me.

No lol I want to get out of Toronto.

i c its not really all about the res experience its more so about Mac it self that you want to come here.
here are a couple money saving/making things you can do
1) apply for OSAP (but remember that you will have to pay it back once you graduate other wise it will collect interest after a while)
2) apply to bursaries (keep a look out for them during the first few weeks of school if you miss the application youll loose out on 500+ dollars free)
3) apply for work positions at Mac. there are plenty of positions from working at Titles (the book store) to working for hospitality in the cafe.
4) LIVE OFF RES, you will easily save 3k trust me. the food you can buy from fortinos and make your self, its a great learning experience, its healthier, and cheaper.
5) dont buy all the textbooks. you dont need half of them, or for science you dont any ways. and the ones you do you can always get at the library when u need it or cough-online-cough.
6) apply for work study during the summer, youll make way more than you do at ur part time job, though you will have to stay in hamilton.
7) scholarships, apply to as many as you can.

thats all i can think of for now but im sure youll be able to figure things out. And you should tell you mom that its not only about the program or the place but about the experience. you are no an adult and its time that you decide your own path in life. coming to mac is a unique experience which you wont be able to get in toronto and that this is what you want. and if it is about the money that you will figure things out. and if she is still hesitant maybe you can stirke a deal and ask her to pay at least half of your tuition.

anyways good luck

Does OSAP cover Teacher's College as well?
And if it does, if I were to take a year off after getting my degree to work and then go to Teacher's College, am I required to make my OSAP payments throughout Teacher's College?