Originally Posted by feonateresa

Having a job in first year is one thing, having a job in first year engineering is another. The author is having trouble since OSAP only releases 60% in first term, if it was all of it, then it wouldn't be as big a problem.

Yeah, that is a problem. You basically have to take out a loan for another loan, awesome.

This is where applying to hundreds of scholarships helps too. Even a few scholarships worth $150-$200 add up.

Originally Posted by PTGregD

This is where applying to hundreds of scholarships helps too. Even a few scholarships worth $150-$200 add up.

Yeah, if you are lucky. I applied to a dozen scholarships and haven't receive a single one >.>

Originally Posted by feonateresa

Having a job in first year is one thing, having a job in first year engineering is another. The author is having trouble since OSAP only releases 60% in first term, if it was all of it, then it wouldn't be as big a problem.

No, I mean work now... during the summer... If the OP is worrying about money, they should at least have a job..

Do you have a job? At least a summer job?

And they aren't in first year yet... Work in high-school? Work in the summer?

Help pay for first year.... Then work again in the summer and do it again.

I don't get how $11,700 isn't helping you when your tuition only comes out to just over $8,000.

You should have not picked a single room or lived on rez where a meal plan is required.

There are many things you could have done to avoid this...

Sorry if i sound like an ass but common...

Originally Posted by zango

No, I mean work now... during the summer... If the OP is worrying about money, they should at least have a job..

Do you have a job? At least a summer job?

And they aren't in first year yet... Work in high-school? Work in the summer?

Help pay for first year.... Then work again in the summer and do it again.

I don't get how $11,700 isn't helping you when your tuition only comes out to just over $8,000.

You should have not picked a single room or lived on rez where a meal plan is required.

There are many things you could have done to avoid this...

Sorry if i sound like an ass but common...

Okay, let me point out some things to you. First, it's not easy to get a job anymore. It is already July 13th, so getting a job for the summer is pretty much zilch right now. September is around the corner, and if he was able to find any work, it would be during the school year - but why would anyone advise this to a first year engineering student, especially when working decreases your OSAP anyways.

Perhaps they live far away and they have to live on res, perhaps they want to have a single room for personal reasons we don't understand. Now, they know that maybe they have to change their plans a little bit but it's not upto you or anyone to make them feel like crap for making their own decisions. We're here to help, not make people feel worse.

And again, even if he was in a triple room with the lightest meal plan, things would still be tight. Because of the 60/40 OSAP.

Originally Posted by goodnews.inc

Had you applied?

yeh I did last year. I got nothing from the government. They didn't even provide a reason!

To all those who believe that getting a job is easy if one puts in the time, I wish to interject a good personal experience of mine.
I graduated high school 5 months earlier than my class to work for university because I didn't want the debt. That would mean roughly 7 months of work.
I got my pants tailored, my resume critiqued, and walked in fitting boots (given that my everyday ones for trekking it to school have been labelled the "astronaut boots") up and down various malls, dropping off my resume, shaking hands and filling out applications.

I applied to over 20 Tim Hortons in the general vicinity of my home among several other places.

I got a call back for one; a 11 PM to 7 AM job once a week to help out baking in some remote location.

Oh and an interview for KFC where I didn't land the job.

Edit: And I can't really afford to work unless I do one of those internships where I obtain a substanial amount because I'm barely getting enough OSAP to cover the costs as is and I can't risk it decreasing irrationally.

Just FYI, my sister worked at the Registrar's office in UTM and handed people out cheques for $300 from OSAP. $300 for God knows how much in fees. And they just stared at the money and asked how they were supposed to pay their tuition this year.

Is it possible to get a bit screwed? Yes. Few loans ever bring about good things.
Especially when they're handing out 12000 and saying they'll only require $7500 upon graduation. They're going to make up that loss through irrational cutbacks in some area or another.

Originally Posted by goodnews.inc

Oh and an interview for KFC where I didn't land the job.

You were overqualified

Don't put any education on resume.

Originally Posted by PTGregD

You were overqualified

When he heard i couldn't commit on a regular basis when school started (at least 3 days and if I get sucky sections then I'm screwed and I can't ditch Big Mac </joke> for KFC) I realised it was better I don't come across as super enthusiastic because somebody else who really did need it could get the job without them wasting time on me, a person who didn't meet their criteria anyway.

Originally Posted by Bobby66

Don't put any education on resume.

XD I thought about doing that, but it seems risky - but perhaps I'm paranoid.


o.o

never tell them you have to stop/slow down when school starts lol.

just take the job and do whats necessary when the time comes.

Originally Posted by FireDragoonX

11700 is the most you can get. trust me.
Your friend who got 15000 probably got the QEII scholarship.

no my frd ..not got ny QEI scholar..

Originally Posted by zango

never tell them you have to stop/slow down when school starts lol.

just take the job and do whats necessary when the time comes.

That will blow any chance of getting a good reference. You know what's worse than no job experience? Job experience where your previous employer will tell your prospective employer how you lied your way into a job.

Originally Posted by feonateresa

Okay, let me point out some things to you. First, it's not easy to get a job anymore. It is already July 13th, so getting a job for the summer is pretty much zilch right now. September is around the corner, and if he was able to find any work, it would be during the school year - but why would anyone advise this to a first year engineering student, especially when working decreases your OSAP anyways.

Perhaps they live far away and they have to live on res, perhaps they want to have a single room for personal reasons we don't understand. Now, they know that maybe they have to change their plans a little bit but it's not upto you or anyone to make them feel like crap for making their own decisions. We're here to help, not make people feel worse.

And again, even if he was in a triple room with the lightest meal plan, things would still be tight. Because of the 60/40 OSAP.

I just have to say something quickly about this and this whole thread. Yes it's shitty that the OSAP is released as 60/40 in september/january, but I don't totally feel bad. I don't really feel bad for this person if they aren't working for the summer and they don't have any money saved up and they are getting 11700$ from OSAP.

Throughout highschool I saved up money for university because I knew it was going to be expensive. I worked full-time throughout my high school years because I knew that my parents couldn't afford to pay for my schooling (which they also had to help my sister and brother go through school). Also I've worked every summer and now because my OSAP amount has been going down each year I have to work during the year so that I can pay for things. I also applied for a bank loan. There are definitely ways that you can get this money without just saying that you can't afford everything because of OSAP. They give you an estimate ahead of time so that you can make sure to find ways to have the money you need for school. I might sound mean but trust me there are people who aren't getting 11700$ and have to pay as much as this person does to go to school.

If you really need money and you can't find any work this summer, then apply to scholarships or go to your bank and see if you can get a loan. The banks are sometimes generous to students.