Embarking on the journey of when you study abroad is quite tedious and is accompanied by its own set of unique challenges. The selection and choice of your particular college are hands down the most crucial decision- they will determine the course of your life over the next few years and will have a far-reaching impact on your career and immigration prospects.
Overview
In such a scenario, if your college gets blacklisted, it may seem as if the world is falling apart. As the word implies, a blacklisted college is one that goes down into the bad books of students and authorities alike. Such an institution is one that has lost its accreditation or is no longer recognized as a verified and reputable one. In countries such as Canada, this means that the college’s licence has been revoked by the relevant authorities.
Universities in Canada, therefore, have to be selected with great vigilance, and only after conducting a lot of due diligence and research. The aim is that blacklisted colleges should be avoided at all costs, especially when students may be tempted by low GPAs or entry requirements when they decide to study in Canada. We can therefore not stress enough about learning as much as you can about the college that you are applying to. Some measures that one can undertake are checking out the website and its certifications, the website of the accrediting authorities and the catalogue of designated educational institutions in Canada. The official listing should give you a clear idea of whether your university is blacklisted or not.
List of Blacklisted Colleges in Canada
The list of colleges in Canada that are blacklisted is as follows:
- Key2Careers College of Business and Technology Inc.
- Collège CDI
- CanPacific College of Business & English Inc.
- Herzing College
- Upper Madison College
- TE Business and Technology College
- International Language Academy of Canada Inc.
- Access Care Academy of Job Skills
- Huron Flight College
- Quest Language Studies Corp.
- Canada College inc.
- Huron Flight Centre Inc.
- Everest Colleges of Canada Inc.
- Seneca Groups Inc. o/a Crown Academic International School
- Guyana Training School for International Skills Inc.
- Universal College— Gatineau Campus
- Academy of Teaching and Training Inc.
- Institut supérieur d’informatique (ISI)
- All Metal Welding Technology Inc.
- LSBF Canada Inc.
- Montréal College of Information Technology
- Toronto College of Technology Inc.
- Archer College Language School Toronto
- CLLC Canadian Language Learning College Inc.
- Matrix College of Management, Technology, and Healthcare
- Education Canada College
- CDE College
Consequences of Studying in a Blacklisted College
There are many consequences of studying in a blacklisted college, so one should be extra cautious and wary when it comes to such things. These include:
- Added pressure to pursue higher education. This can be a major deterrent and worry when you have a set plan- graduate in x years, start working and reach a certain employment level in y years etc. A blacklisted college can hence put a spanner in the works and throw you off your entire career plan. You will have to take up more certifications and courses to supplement what you have done. In a worst-case scenario, you will have to undertake a new degree of the same level or higher in order to compensate for the blacklisting and secure better job prospects in future. This can also be very troublesome if you have financial obligations and are unable to secure aid or scholarships.
- Poor job prospects. The Canadian market does not accept or recognize degrees granted by these institutes. This means that one starts to have an ill repute in the market due to the institution, and that one is not eligible for jobs that ask them to have secured a particular degree. Such a situation is bound to lead to frustration and anxiety, especially since there is no fallback option. As mentioned above, one will have to look at pursuing other education. Also, only job prospects such as self-employment will be open to the individual.
- Detrimental impact on mental health. The drain on financial resources, added stress, the ill repute that one gain after being affiliated with a blacklisted university and increasing tuition fee is bound to affect one’s mental health. There is a lot of trauma when one’s efforts made over several years go down the drain. It is also difficult to reveal the true nature of the problem to sponsors of education such as parents, who have often saved up hard for the education acquired. Dealing with this mental stress entails therapy, medication and accessing healthcare resources that are time-consuming and costly, and that make an indelible impact on an individual’s life.
- Financial burden. All of these lead to a waste of financial resources. There is added red tape wherever students go. It is difficult to procure student visas, and if obtained subsequently renew them. Moreover, students are no longer eligible for student discounts. All this leads to both greater financial and mental burdens.
How to avoid getting into one?
Conduct thorough research
Do not only go through the official websites but also reach out to other students and seniors from your alma mater who are currently studying at that particular university. Getting to know such people and knowing their first-hand experiences are crucial when it comes to making such a big decision. Also, read up on reviews on student forums online so as to know more about the reputation of the university students, its graduates and faculty.
Research the authenticity of your source
You need to ascertain whether the university is actually blacklisted or not. Some scam lists or websites list good colleges as blacklisted, in an attempt to malign their reputation. So it is important to check the credibility of your source and cross-check via multiple sources.
Investigate claims that are too good to be true
While institutes may offer a variety of scholarships, those who are promising them based on low GPAs or results are most likely a red flag. Very low tuition fees is a dead giveaway- it is an attempt to lure unsuspecting students into enrolling at that particular institute. If there are few reviews that appear online, and those too are positive, it is best to be extremely critical of that particular institution.
Consult your school guidance counsellor
School counsellors usually have a lot of experience and exposure when it comes to these things, and they can help verify if a college is actually blacklisted or not. They can provide access to a plethora of resources, and have contacts that can further help confirm how authentic the degree from a particular educational institute actually is.
As illustrated above, applying to a Canadian university and then ensuring that it is not blacklisted is quite a daunting task. It is important to review the list of publicly blacklisted universities periodically, so as to ensure that you have access to an updated list. We cannot stress enough how thorough your research needs to be. You also need to be cognizant of the fact that there are a myriad of issues that crop up if you end up going to a blacklisted university, and the consequences of which may be far-reaching.
