Is a diploma considered as good as a degree?

Question

I live in ontario and I'm a high school graduate and I plan on going to a community college and getting an advanced diploma in biotechnology. It's three years long and I'm wondering if I should go to University afterwards to get a bachelor's degree or just stop and get a job.

Answer 1

This is a very difficult question - ordinarily, I'd suggest that you go straight to University and obtain the Bachelors degree. Employers who are not familiar with the Ontario educational system would probably be more impressed with the degree as opposed to the advanced diploma.

However, Ontario has a unique and highly credible advanced diploma program. The Ontario College Diploma (OCD) and Ontario College Advanced Diploma (OCAD) combine the best of academic training [intellectual rigor] with practical training - so you can get a job and perform well.

Fortunately, most of the better Ontario Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning offer a combined program, either in-house or in conjunction with a nearby university, so that you can finish the Bachelor's degree program.

Ontario is a very large province and you didn't indicate where you are or where you are looking for your OCD or OCAD, and I cannot address a specific college/institute.

My suggestion to you is that you review the web sites of the colleges you are considering and limit your applications to those colleges/institutes that offer the degree option.

Answer 2

Diplomas and certificates can enhance a degree, but they are not considered substitutes. I think that if what you are doing is going into biotechnology, you would do best to get a degree in something like biology along with your diploma.