Tuition

TUITION FEE HIKES

The increase in tuition, by $325 per year, announced in March essentially means that, by 2016-2017, students will have to wrench a total of $1,600more than their predecessors from their already stretched budget. It goes without saying that, as a student, I am fundamentally opposed to tuition fee hikes. Yet, I do understand the underlying causes of this increase; it is true that Quebec's cegeps and universities are in need of some refurbishing and they do offer a wide range of services for students. Like everything else in life, those things have a price tag. However, the government's answer to those needs seems a little bit drastic. Also, the fact that Quebec students have the lowest tuition cost in Canada should not be used as an excuse to justify the increase.

I have no doubt that the newly raised tuition costs will impede on many people's educational path. A lot of people will be forced to renounce to university because they won't be able to afford it. Personally, I do not think that it will have an impact on my education because I am determined not to let it. I will not sacrifice the plans I have for my future and my life because tuition costs are going to be higher. That is because I know that I can have my parents' help and support throughout my studies, but some students have to provide for everything themselves and I think that those people will be the ones mostly affected by the increase. Although I think that it will not affect my studies, I know that it will certainly affect me later on in my life. To pay off all the debt that I will have accumulated through my studies, maybe I will have to sacrifice the perfect job offer to go for the one that pays better and pays right away, or maybe other areas of my life will have to suffer because of the urgent need for money, I can see longer hours in my future to be able to repay the debt.

It cannot be denied that the tuition fee hikes will have an impact on society. Firstly, simply the higher number of people into debt is, in itself, very explicit. It will also affect the typical student's lifestyle in the fact that more and more young people who will have stretched their budget to get into school will have less time to concentrate on their studies because they will be forced to juggle working and studying. It would also probably cause more failures in school for those who will not be able to cope with the lack of time. It could also affect the job market because people will lean towards job that pay more right away and will be less likely to go for the job that promises to pay off in the long haul. So, the effects on society can be great and I think that they can also be made greater simply because of the general public's disapprobation of the hikes.