Thoughts on McGill

[Anonymous]

If you are Canadian or French, it’ll cost you about 10k a year. That’s worth scouring your ancestry.

[Anonymous]

One of the smartest and nicest guys I know went to McGill and has nothing but great things to say about it. I don't know anything about it personally, but if he's a reflection of their grads it's a great option.

[Anonymous]

Niece (American citizen, from NY) is in her fourth year at McGill, and has had a great experience there (notwithstanding COVID disruption). Liked her program (math major), liked the school, made good friends (both American and Canadian), loved Montreal. She'll likely stay on for a fifth year to get her masters and I guess be a step closer to qualifying for a Canadian work permit (not a long-term objective but an option). She's someone who did an exchange year (in France) during high school, so maybe she was more ready than some for a cross-cultural experience.

Her parents loved that unlike the US colleges she considered, McGill cost them less (p/y) than her private high school in NY did.

Of course, anyone who goes to college in Canada (particularly in the big laurentian cities) has to be prepared that they'll likely be exposed to a fair amount of some Canadians' insecure (and unreciprocated) love/hate obsession with proving that Canada is 'better' (by whatever metric) than the United States, but presumably if you live there you just learn to let that run off your back. Which is probably a useful education in and of itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are Canadian or French, it’ll cost you about 10k a year. That’s worth scouring your ancestry.

Great response ! You made my day ! Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are Canadian or French, it’ll cost you about 10k a year. That’s worth scouring your ancestry.

i will also look this up- but just in case you know - so someone who has ancestors from Canada who migrated to the us in the 1840s (upstate by mill towns) would be eligible for tuition of $10k a year? (This is on my daughter’s paternal side - fairly fun genealogy regardless - fille du roi, etc. - but I knew nothing of this).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are Canadian or French, it’ll cost you about 10k a year. That’s worth scouring your ancestry.

i will also look this up- but just in case you know - so someone who has ancestors from Canada who migrated to the us in the 1840s (upstate by mill towns) would be eligible for tuition of $10k a year? (This is on my daughter’s paternal side - fairly fun genealogy regardless - fille du roi, etc. - but I knew nothing of this).

You'll need to ask the authorities. But I would say it's doubtful.

[Anonymous]

French language knowledge is not a pre-requisite for McGill. But it is for Montreal University.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great school, great reputation in both Canada and U.S. My niece graduated from there and now has a dream job with an American company's Paris office.

She and her mom told me that it's somewhat different than many US schools in that students are expected to be fully functioning adults from Day One. There's not a lot of handholding or orientation, and students are expected to solve their own roommate/financial/coursework problems without much input from the school or interference from parents.

Did she know French before attending or learned French when she was there?

She had typical high school French, but was by no means fluent. I don't think she needed it at McGill, but found it helpful and opportunistic to learn it there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are Canadian or French, it’ll cost you about 10k a year. That’s worth scouring your ancestry.

i will also look this up- but just in case you know - so someone who has ancestors from Canada who migrated to the us in the 1840s (upstate by mill towns) would be eligible for tuition of $10k a year? (This is on my daughter’s paternal side - fairly fun genealogy regardless - fille du roi, etc. - but I knew nothing of this).

You'll need to ask the authorities. But I would say it's doubtful.

I looked it up now - definitely no. Oh well. It sounded too good to be true.

[Anonymous]

I'm from Canada (not Quebec) and know a number of high school classmates who went to McGill. It's a top university in Canada (along with the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia) and is very diverse and international.

Possible con: the drinking age in Quebec is 18, so there is a HUGE drinking/partying culture among first-years. That may not be dissimilar from the American college experience though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is the Harvard of Canada, am excellent school. That being said, we know a girl who was unable to switch programs of study after a year (with excellent grades - straight As) and transfered out to study what she wanted.

Toronto is the Harvard of Canada (and ranked 18th globally in the global rankings)...just want to clarify.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is the Harvard of Canada, am excellent school. That being said, we know a girl who was unable to switch programs of study after a year (with excellent grades - straight As) and transfered out to study what she wanted.

Toronto is the Harvard of Canada (and ranked 18th globally in the global rankings)...just want to clarify.

UofT subreddit makes it sound like hell on earth on academically, financially and in multiple other respects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is the Harvard of Canada, am excellent school. That being said, we know a girl who was unable to switch programs of study after a year (with excellent grades - straight As) and transfered out to study what she wanted.

Toronto is the Harvard of Canada (and ranked 18th globally in the global rankings)...just want to clarify.

LOL