By Graeme Smith
Alana Farmer will drop out next year if going to school at Ryerson gets any more expensive.
“I’m paying close to four grand already,” said the second-year fashion student. She’s worried Ryerson will take advantage of a recent government decision to allow a 20 percent tuition hike over the next two years.
“If tuition rises I’d probably be able to swing it, but just barely and without food. I probably wouldn’t come back, at the rate things are going.”
Farmer, 20 said she is already having trouble affording university.
“Right now my bank balance is $43. I’ve had this outfit since grade nine, and I pretty much wear it every day,” Farmer said of her black sweater and black jeans.
If the cost of education forced her to quit, Farmer would have to put her career on hold.
“I’d just look for retail full-time work and see if I could save enough to come back (to school) in the future.”
You can only get a job with a university education,” said Farmer. She’s “very peeved” a tuition hike might keep her away from Ryerson.
She said students like herself in professional and not general programs find it harder to cope with the rising cost of education.
“There’s more workload, so less opportunity to get a job while at school. It’s insane.”
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