Opinions on career path

Hi all,

I'm currently in the process of trying to decide where I want my life to go. at the moment I'm trying to decide between Software Development and Software Engineering. If it matters I live in Ontario Canada.

The software development program of the local college is Mohawk College.

The Software Engineering Program of the local university is Mcmaster University.

Of the two courses, I believe it (based on research) to be a more worth while venture to go the engineering route, specifically long term. However, I already have an offer of acceptance to the college program and can start in two weeks should I accept. The University program, however, would require me to complete 7 university level high school courses before January 2018 with averages around 90%. Also, I would not be starting for another year at university if I even get accepted.

I made honors in both high school and the previous college course I took (not in a related field) and require so many courses as I had no university aspirations in high school (set myself up for a carpentry apprenticeship originally).

I guess I'm just not sure what to do here. If I decide not to do the college course and try for university but don't get in then I have just spent a year of my life not moving forward. The course lengths also play a big factor. I would be done the college course in 2020 (3 years) but the university program would not be done until 2022 (5 years from now, 1 year for the wait, 4 in the program) at the earliest assuming no additional schooling.

It feels like a decision ultimately between the safe choice and the better choice and I'm hoping for some input from people who have maybe already made these decisions or are more knowledgable about the two careers they would lead to.

I would also be open to additional suggestions or options for paths/programs

(If this is the incorrect place to post or if you have a suggestion for another Reddit to post this on please let me know!)

TL;DR software development or software engineering? (a little more circumstance but yea, esentially this)