BCBusiness
As classes come to a close, graduating students all over the world prepare to take the stage for their big day
June means the end of the school year and, for some families, graduation and its associated celebrations. Here are some facts and figures to put the class of 2024 in context.
The proportion of kids in private schools rose to 13.6% of the overall student body in 2023-24, up from just 4.3% in 1977-78.
91.4% of all B.C. students completed high school within six years in 2021-22, including:
A 2015 Visa survey indicated that Canadian families planned to spend an average of $508 per teen on prom night. That was significantly lower than the US$919 American families expected to spend, with around $324 spent just on the “promposal”—an elaborate invitation recorded for social media.
Estimated 2024 prom night costs:
50.8% of B.C.’s 2020-21 graduating class enrolled in post-secondary education within one year of graduation.
Sources: BC Stats, FISA-BC, BC Ministry of Education, Visa, Ritz Limousines, Statistics Canada
Michael is a financial journalist based in the Cowichan Valley. He's a former managing editor of Canadian Business and editorial director of Canada Wide Media, BCBusiness's publisher. In 2024, he co-authored Personal Finance for Canadians for Dummies, 7th Edition (Wiley, 2024).
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