Brock University (Canada)

Date: Jun 26 2018
Major: Education (This Major's Salary over time)
While the people at the University are, for the most part, great (though I've had my share of professors that make me question why becoming a professor doesn't have any barriers for those who lack the ability to teach, as knowledge alone isn't enough to be a good teacher), the organization itself is a pinnacle of greed rather than learning. With fees ranging from having to pay to graduate, order transcripts, overpriced textbooks that get used only once or twice, proof of enrollment, various hidden fees, and many other micro-transactions on top of tuition, my original view of Brock as a place for education has shifted as I've come to the realization that this is an business (rather than a school) that places monetary gain first and foremost.

If I could do it all again, I'd choose a different school - having spoken with people who have attended other universities, I've come to realize how disappointed I am in how Brock University is run and the Concurrent Education program itself. This is also tempered by the experience of various technical difficulties when trying to apply for my final year, during which the system was down for the Concurrent Education students that were trying to choose courses. While the incessant reminders from Brock University during the previous months alerting us of our responsibility to be "on time" and "ready" to apply were simply annoying at first, it became a slap in the face after attempting to apply for courses and learning that the system was not working for anyone within the Concurrent Education program. I ended up having to apply to university by making a twitter account and direct messaging the university after waiting an additional two hours to apply (this is as ridiculous as it sounds). While I certainly wasn't too impressed, the situation was much worse for friends and fellow applicants who had to go to work or were out of the country; an extra two or three hours of waiting to apply became more than a 'mere inconvenience' for them.

The salt in the wound, however, was the lack of a direct apology on Brock's part (though they had ample opportunities to at least recognize the blunder) and the only recognition of the inconvenience by the university was a lecture during orientation for year 5 of the Concurrent Education program on how it's important not to complain online for the sake of 'reputation'.

Disorganization is also an important factor to note - during my final teaching placement (and leading up to it) there was very little information about where I would be going, and I ended up losing my Kindergarten placement (despite the acknowledgement by my professors that I had a placement and the extra course I took and paid for - yes, another fee out of pocket) due to a mix-up within the system.

As someone who values teaching and learning, Brock University has made me realize that the core value of this school is greed, not knowledge. I will state that I had many professors who impressed me and are prime examples of quality teachers, but unfortunately, this is a review about the organization, not the professors.

Overall, I would not recommend Brock University to anyone interested in learning - it's core tenet is not education. If you have money to burn, however, I'm sure you'll be happily accepted with open arms.