18-year-olds are not equipped to handle post-secondary education.
More students on average are attending university at a younger age.
In the past 15 years, Statistics Canada reported that the median age of Canadian university students decreased from 23.7 to 22.8 years old. Furthermore, the number of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions in Canada rose from 1.34 million in 2000 to 2.18 million in 2020.
While an increase in university and college-educated citizens is usually a good thing, for many students, 17 or 18 or younger is far too young to take on all of the important tasks and responsibilities that come along with post-secondary education.
Being a university student means more than just learning. For many students choosing to live away from home, going into post-secondary means separating from their main support units. These support systems can be crucial to a student’s ability to keep their head above water, both academically and mental health-wise.
Without these pillars of assistance, young people are more vulnerable to the stresses of the rigorous educational expectations set on university students. Even model high school students may see a drastic drop in their marks, leading to something Maclean’s refers to as “grade shock.” This effect can have devastating consequences for many young students who have to learn to cope with no longer being at the top of their class.
Furthermore, post-secondary school can add a whole new layer of stress for many young people, largely to do with financial independence. At 18 years old, a student isn’t even able to take out a loan to pay for their tuition without a co-signer. Tuition should be the least of a student’s financial worries.
On top of this, many Canadian first-year students can’t legally participate in university drinking culture. While many still do, this can lead to binge drinking because one lacks the experience to know their limit. This inexperience can lead to alcohol poisoning or other alcohol-related health concerns.
So, what is the answer to this problem?
During the general election in 2022, the Ontario Liberal Party promised an optional reintroduction of Grade 13. The proposed reasoning was that an extra year would help students catch up on certain opportunities they may have missed during the COVID-19 pandemic. An unstructured extra secondary-shool year could allow students to take credits that they didn’t fit into their schedule previously, enhance their financial literacy and take time to feel more prepared for their university education.
While high schools offer an optional Grade 12B now, perhaps a more concrete version such as the Grade 13 proposed by the Ontario Liberal Party would benefit students’ mindsets, learning capabilities and mental health. Liam Bridger, a 20-year-old university student at Queen’s University, is in his second year of post-secondary education. After taking Grade 12B, he started university a year later than all his peers.
“In my experience, compared to students coming right out of high school, I had both advantages and disadvantages,” said Bridger.
“It was great to have the ability to take some more classes, make some more money, and try to review aspects I may have missed.”
Bridger went on to say that based on his experience, he would personally recommend a gap year, whether that means taking Grade 12B or choosing to spend time in the workforce. Bridger said, “It is a period where an individual can dictate what they wish to do with their time and energy, and it is a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends more closely before embarking on the university journey.”
Bridger argues that the differences between himself and students a year younger than him are subtle, he said that “17- and 18-year-olds are experiencing new expectations and standards for the first time and can be kind of shocked at the transition.”
Bridger went on to say that being a year older, he was better able to adapt and cope than his fellow first-years.
“Like an athlete who has stopped playing for some time, it takes great work ethic and dedication to get the academic muscle back up and running again,” said Bridger. “That can be a difficult task, especially in the spirit of a major life change such as starting university.”
While there are pros and cons to every strategy, taking an extra year of academic studies has few negative outcomes. The Canadian government should further research this topic, expanding on a proposed Grade 13 to provide students with better resources and resilience going into post-secondary education.
