UBCO and Ki-Low-Na

[Tony]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#131052

Congratulations, I think this is great, but I do have a question. It's legitimate, and I mean absolutely no malice in it.

What are the mentioned barriers that Urban First Nations face getting into UBC?

[southy]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-131052-1-.htm#131052

Congratulations, I think this is great, but I do have a question. It's legitimate, and I mean absolutely malice in it.

What are the mentioned barriers that Urban First Nations face getting into UBC?

Ahh Tony - you may want to edit this :)

[Tony]

Whoa... thanks Southy.....

My bad!

[Bsuds]

It really pays to proof read. lol
I still don't catch all my mistakes.

[normaM]

It was back home so no reason why it isn't here.
Often language skills barrier people from getting in to Uni, this is a good first step imo
We had several people transition from the Program to the University :)

[1Westside]

My daughter, who is aboriginal albeit Metis, born and raised in Kelowna, received her high school diploma here which by the way her GPA was 4.00. She went on to receive her BSC at UBCO with the intention of going on to medical school.

On her path to med school she applied and was granted interviews at schools across the country. She flew to each of them did the interviews and waited for the results. Of the 12 schools she applied to for medical school she was accepted to 7 and guess what, UBCO was not one of them.

As her parents we were furious, disappointed and more than a little bit puzzled by the decision of UBCO. She wasn't even wait listed for a seat. The schools that did admit her were some of the best including McMasters.

If we want our young aboriginal people to achieve and move on to rewarding careers we should be looking after our own first. It seems to me that our daughter was not of 'kind' they wanted at UBCO. Her grades couldn't have been the issue because they are and were stellar so we are left to wonder why?

Currently she is attending the UofA in Edmonton and is doing very well but would have preferred to go to school in her home town. Born and raised, aboriginal and excellent grades didn't seem to be enough to be accepted into the faculty of medicine at UBCO. Not sure what they are looking for but we believe they missed out on an opportunity to have our girl attend their school. Their loss as she likely will now not practice medicine here once she is a doctor.

Not sure what the urban aboriginal issues are for UBCO but we are confident that our girl met and exceeded all of the requirements necessary to attend the med school here in her backyard.

For me I suppose that there is a sense of being let down by the university here as I am a 3rd generation Kelownian and feel that my daughter should have been able to become a doctor in her hometown.

Not many aboriginal kids want to become physicians, when you have one who has the grades, the drive and ambition to get there, help her get there she's earned it!










\

[Tony]

Maybe the programme was full already in Kelowna? There could be multiple reasons, but what I'm still not getting is the barriers.

Are they biased? Is that what they are saying - is that UBCO is basing enrollment on race, colour or other differences? That's a pretty big thing to charge a public education facility with.

Language shouldn't play a role as these are Canadian kids, and therefore should be fluent in at least one of the Official Languages, and maybe in their ancestral language as well (good on them for that by the way). If it's their marks, there are lots of kids who don't get into programmes because their marks don't cut it - aboriginal or otherwise. I mean, obviously not the case in the scenario cited, but it can happen to other students.

You're daughter sounds amazing, and you must be incredibly proud, especially since she's doing exactly what you suggested - she's forging ahead with her career choice. Having to go to a different school isn't that bad of a handicap. UBCO might have missed out, but that's their loss, not yours or your daughters. If I'm not mistaken, the programme at UofA is better anyway. ;)

[LANDM]

My daughter, who is aboriginal albeit Metis, born and raised in Kelowna, received her high school diploma here which by the way her GPA was 4.00. She went on to receive her BSC at UBCO with the intention of going on to medical school.

On her path to med school she applied and was granted interviews at schools across the country. She flew to each of them did the interviews and waited for the results. Of the 12 schools she applied to for medical school she was accepted to 7 and guess what, UBCO was not one of them.

As her parents we were furious, disappointed and more than a little bit puzzled by the decision of UBCO. She wasn't even wait listed for a seat. The schools that did admit her were some of the best including McMasters.

If we want our young aboriginal people to achieve and move on to rewarding careers we should be looking after our own first. It seems to me that our daughter was not of 'kind' they wanted at UBCO. Her grades couldn't have been the issue because they are and were stellar so we are left to wonder why?

Currently she is attending the UofA in Edmonton and is doing very well but would have preferred to go to school in her home town. Born and raised, aboriginal and excellent grades didn't seem to be enough to be accepted into the faculty of medicine at UBCO. Not sure what they are looking for but we believe they missed out on an opportunity to have our girl attend their school. Their loss as she likely will now not practice medicine here once she is a doctor.

Not sure what the urban aboriginal issues are for UBCO but we are confident that our girl met and exceeded all of the requirements necessary to attend the med school here in her backyard.

For me I suppose that there is a sense of being let down by the university here as I am a 3rd generation Kelownian and feel that my daughter should have been able to become a doctor in her hometown.

Not many aboriginal kids want to become physicians, when you have one who has the grades, the drive and ambition to get there, help her get there she's earned it!

\

Seriously?
There are thousands of kids across the country who have amazing grades and don't get into med, law, dentistry, etc schools. Each university will have limited enrolment and will have there reasons for selection of their successful candidates.
It's not about meeting minimum requirements and then simply getting in. There is an incredible oversupply of kids meeting or exceeding the requirements. There will be plenty of Kelowna kids who would love to get into med school here.....ever check out the class size?
To be "furious and disappointed and more than a little puzzled" shows either an incredible sense of entitlement or an incredible lack of understanding of the competition for med school, coupled with a great pride in your daughter....I hope it is the latter.

The fact that she was accepted to 7 schools is amazing. That she was not accepted at UBCO is irrelevant. Get over your fury and disappointment and replace it with pride.

[Catri]

You should be very proud of your daughter! Getting accepted to all those medical schools is quite an accomplishment. As for not getting into UBCO, I'm afraid we just have to assume that the applicants who were accepted ahead of her were slightly more exceptional. In the end, experiencing life somewhere other than the Okanagan will probably make her a better doctor anyway.

The topic program is not aimed at post grad, it's to make post secondary (undergraduate, certificate and vocational) education more accessible to urban, adult students in the aboriginal community. Which is good, I guess.

[Ken7]

It really pays to proof read. lol
I still don't catch all my mistakes.

Or sign up for this project!

[Ken7]

Maybe the programme was full already in Kelowna? There could be multiple reasons, but what I'm still not getting is the barriers.

Are they biased? Is that what they are saying - is that UBCO is basing enrollment on race, colour or other differences? That's a pretty big thing to charge a public education facility with.

Language shouldn't play a role as these are Canadian kids, and therefore should be fluent in at least one of the Official Languages, and maybe in their ancestral language as well (good on them for that by the way). If it's their marks, there are lots of kids who don't get into programmes because their marks don't cut it - aboriginal or otherwise. I mean, obviously not the case in the scenario cited, but it can happen to other students.

You're daughter sounds amazing, and you must be incredibly proud, especially since she's doing exactly what you suggested - she's forging ahead with her career choice. Having to go to a different school isn't that bad of a handicap. UBCO might have missed out, but that's their loss, not yours or your daughters. If I'm not mistaken, the programme at UofA is better anyway. ;)

Very valid, not sure why race must be carded. The other factor which was no considered, is the UBCO would likely take a foreign student as they can make more money from their tuition.

It may be that the Canadian or local quota was filled and they used the international students.

[1Westside]

Race shouldn't be carded as you say but it is and that is unfortunate but that's the world we are in. I didn't want to raise the foreign student issue because it may have sounded racist but I completely agree with your point. The $$$ made from offshore at UBCO and all universities has to be a factor.

My young lady will be fine and we are content in knowing that she will achieve what she wants no matter the school she is attending but only wish she could have attended the university in her hometown.

To those telling me in this thread that I shouldn't be angry and should instead be proud of her are missing the point I tried to make. Just so those know, we are extremely proud of our daughter!!

[Panzer130]

My daughter, who is aboriginal albeit Metis, born and raised in Kelowna, received her high school diploma here which by the way her GPA was 4.00. She went on to receive her BSC at UBCO with the intention of going on to medical school.

On her path to med school she applied and was granted interviews at schools across the country. She flew to each of them did the interviews and waited for the results. Of the 12 schools she applied to for medical school she was accepted to 7 and guess what, UBCO was not one of them.

As her parents we were furious, disappointed and more than a little bit puzzled by the decision of UBCO. She wasn't even wait listed for a seat. The schools that did admit her were some of the best including McMasters.

If we want our young aboriginal people to achieve and move on to rewarding careers we should be looking after our own first. It seems to me that our daughter was not of 'kind' they wanted at UBCO. Her grades couldn't have been the issue because they are and were stellar so we are left to wonder why?

Currently she is attending the UofA in Edmonton and is doing very well but would have preferred to go to school in her home town. Born and raised, aboriginal and excellent grades didn't seem to be enough to be accepted into the faculty of medicine at UBCO. Not sure what they are looking for but we believe they missed out on an opportunity to have our girl attend their school. Their loss as she likely will now not practice medicine here once she is a doctor.

Not sure what the urban aboriginal issues are for UBCO but we are confident that our girl met and exceeded all of the requirements necessary to attend the med school here in her backyard.

For me I suppose that there is a sense of being let down by the university here as I am a 3rd generation Kelownian and feel that my daughter should have been able to become a doctor in her hometown.

Not many aboriginal kids want to become physicians, when you have one who has the grades, the drive and ambition to get there, help her get there she's earned it!
\

She was accepted at 7 of the 12. UBCO was not one of them. So that means she was not accepted to 4 other schools as well. are you suggesting all 5 schools are racist? Or just UBCO because that's where you really wanted her to go?

[oneh2obabe]

Back on topic. The thread is about barriers that Urban First Nations face. It's not about foreign students, why someone wasn't accepted, race, or spelling/grammar.

[maxx]

*removed*