Full year Scot-free

Shahroze Rauf | Assistant News Editor

Featured image courtesy of Michael Longmire on Unsplash

York’s contest to win a year of free tuition is once again open. This year will be the contest’s third occurrence.

Winners are selected at random on April 15 and contacted promptly. York states the odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. There are three ways to enter for a chance at free tuition.

Students can enter on the main contest page, and receive an extra entry by sharing their entrance to the contest on Twitter.

“A share qualifies as a click on the share buttons on the Microsite, and then sharing the pre-populated message on Twitter,” the contest rules state.

Other ways to enter are at the Ontario Universities Fair, which was held on September 28 to 30, or at York University information sessions held at local high schools.

Entrants, if selected, must answer a math question correctly to win the grand prize of the sum of a student’s Fall/Winter 2018 undergraduate tuition, minus one dollar, which will be used for the following academic year only. The value of the prize, however, cannot exceed $7,743.00.

The previous contest winner, first-year biomedical sciences student, Shayan Nandi, explains how the process proceeds upon winning.

“I was notified via phone during the summer by the marketing officer Grace Gravina,” Nandi says. “In order to receive my prize, I just had to sign some papers stating I was okay with York publicizing the win.”

From there, Nandi was able to enter his first year at York free of charge—mostly.

“I won free first-year tuition meaning that all my courses would be paid for. But this didn’t include books, just the courses. The funds were automatically sent to my York Student Account before the school year began,” Nandi says.

Some Seneca students also expressed concerns about wanting programs that cover free tuition, unlike the current contest that offers $5000.00 towards tuition.

“I think it would be a great opportunity for students, as many of us actually struggle to pay our tuition. And really, it would be cool if Seneca did something like this for those dealing with low income, as it would encourage students to carry on with their studying and not drop out,” says first-year Seneca journalism student, Maksym Krainii.

Yet other students also felt confused, even suggesting this contest may be an inefficient use of York’s financial assets.

“I’m surprised there even is a free tuition contest in general,” says first-year journalism student David Dennis. “It just seems unlike a university to abstain from demanding money for education. Wouldn’t a university typically use the funds that we give them to improve the university or invest in better technology? It’s just an unusual concept. During my time at U of T there was never any ‘free tuition,’ maybe discounted, but nothing free.”

Entries for the free tuition contest remain open at York until midnight on March 30.