Thoughts on Canadian Colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The point about needing to be self-directed is huge. I went to a university in Canada that had over 40,000 students. Yes, tuition was cheap compared to here, but there were very basic support systems in place. I can’t even remember there being RAs in the massive dorms. There were desk workers checking IDs in the lobby, but that was it. When you needed something, you went to an office that looked like a DMV to speak to someone.

You could see this as good in that it forces people to take care of their own business and not having all the extras keeps costs down, but if your kid wants the college experience that is the norm in the US, you won’t get it at the big Canadian uni’s.

No offense, but I think the point for most folks seeking an education in Canada is that they DON'T want that. Quite the opposite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The point about needing to be self-directed is huge. I went to a university in Canada that had over 40,000 students. Yes, tuition was cheap compared to here, but there were very basic support systems in place. I can’t even remember there being RAs in the massive dorms. There were desk workers checking IDs in the lobby, but that was it. When you needed something, you went to an office that looked like a DMV to speak to someone.

You could see this as good in that it forces people to take care of their own business and not having all the extras keeps costs down, but if your kid wants the college experience that is the norm in the US, you won’t get it at the big Canadian uni’s.

No offense, but I think the point for most folks seeking an education in Canada is that they DON'T want that. Quite the opposite.

Agree with the OP. My nephew started college in Canada. There was almost no orientation..certainly nothing that encouraged mixing and mingling. He is happy now but it took a very long time for him to meet anyone. Everyone in his dorm had a single. He was basically just to class and being alone. He finally got an on campus job to meet people. This was pre-covid. My child was at a US school and the difference was huge. Of course, the tuition difference was pretty big too. I don't have a feel for if he will stay there post college but he did just get his free health insurance card which is a perk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The point about needing to be self-directed is huge. I went to a university in Canada that had over 40,000 students. Yes, tuition was cheap compared to here, but there were very basic support systems in place. I can’t even remember there being RAs in the massive dorms. There were desk workers checking IDs in the lobby, but that was it. When you needed something, you went to an office that looked like a DMV to speak to someone.

You could see this as good in that it forces people to take care of their own business and not having all the extras keeps costs down, but if your kid wants the college experience that is the norm in the US, you won’t get it at the big Canadian uni’s.

No offense, but I think the point for most folks seeking an education in Canada is that they DON'T want that. Quite the opposite.

I think we are so conditioned to expect services and assistance for our kids that we don't really understand what it means to go to a school where you really are on your own when it comes to navigating a large university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The point about needing to be self-directed is huge. I went to a university in Canada that had over 40,000 students. Yes, tuition was cheap compared to here, but there were very basic support systems in place. I can’t even remember there being RAs in the massive dorms. There were desk workers checking IDs in the lobby, but that was it. When you needed something, you went to an office that looked like a DMV to speak to someone.

You could see this as good in that it forces people to take care of their own business and not having all the extras keeps costs down, but if your kid wants the college experience that is the norm in the US, you won’t get it at the big Canadian uni’s.

No offense, but I think the point for most folks seeking an education in Canada is that they DON'T want that. Quite the opposite.

I think we are so conditioned to expect services and assistance for our kids that we don't really understand what it means to go to a school where you really are on your own when it comes to navigating a large university.

I understand it quite well because while I attended HS in the US my university experience is entirely European. A lot of people in the DC area and on DCUM are international either in origin or experience, and will have a vast array of higher education experiences beyond the cookie-cutter kind.

[Anonymous]

Great thread. Can you compare UT versus UMD for example, in terms of campus size, support services, etc

[Anonymous]

We looked at U of T for our S21. It seemed to lack science offerings (looking for a direct Science faculty admission), but otherwise looks awesome. Agree about supports et al.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are the outcomes for someone attending canadian universities? Do they get jobs easily in the US at the same level of pay as top US schools?

I think you have to factor in the concept that a lot of people who go to university in Canada from other countries (including the US) will choose to stay there. For many, the idea of returning to the US for work, isn't as attractive as living in Canada.

Yes I think you have to assume they will likely end up there...same as if they choose a US school in a different area.

I see no downside with that. If my kid ended up in a country that seems to be doing well, with reasonable politicians and health insurance, I’m good.

+1 And it's not like Canada is that far away, like Australia.

Question: UK universities are usually 3 yr programs, and there is no concept of takin gen ed classes. Is it the same in Canada?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The point about needing to be self-directed is huge. I went to a university in Canada that had over 40,000 students. Yes, tuition was cheap compared to here, but there were very basic support systems in place. I can’t even remember there being RAs in the massive dorms. There were desk workers checking IDs in the lobby, but that was it. When you needed something, you went to an office that looked like a DMV to speak to someone.

You could see this as good in that it forces people to take care of their own business and not having all the extras keeps costs down, but if your kid wants the college experience that is the norm in the US, you won’t get it at the big Canadian uni’s.

No offense, but I think the point for most folks seeking an education in Canada is that they DON'T want that. Quite the opposite.

I think we are so conditioned to expect services and assistance for our kids that we don't really understand what it means to go to a school where you really are on your own when it comes to navigating a large university.

I guess that depends on what American univ. you went to. I went to a very large public CA university. There was no hand holding. I figured out things for myself.

I'm a bit shocked at how much hand holding people expect from universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are the outcomes for someone attending canadian universities? Do they get jobs easily in the US at the same level of pay as top US schools?

I think you have to factor in the concept that a lot of people who go to university in Canada from other countries (including the US) will choose to stay there. For many, the idea of returning to the US for work, isn't as attractive as living in Canada.

Yes I think you have to assume they will likely end up there...same as if they choose a US school in a different area.

I see no downside with that. If my kid ended up in a country that seems to be doing well, with reasonable politicians and health insurance, I’m good.

+1 And it's not like Canada is that far away, like Australia.

Well right now my American citizen sister is unable to visit her daughter in Canada so..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great thread. Can you compare UT versus UMD for example, in terms of campus size, support services, etc

I was a grad student at U of T and not an undergrad, so I can't speak to services, but U of T's campus is right in central Toronto. It's actually quite compact, significantly smaller than UMD's huge College Park campus. The central Toronto campus (St. George campus) of U of T is about a mile across, a few long blocks and quads. It's about twice the size of Columbia, physically, and comparably embedded in the city, though closer to the very center. U of T is in right in between museums, the Ontario Parliament buildings, neighborhoods, and fancy shopping areas.

It's organized into colleges in a way somewhat analogous to Oxbridge, though afaict college life is not so all-encompassing for U of T undergrads as for Oxbridge undergrads. Most of the colleges are the size of small universities in the US (several thousand students). I expect others in the thread can answer to what level of support there is in the colleges. There are also two large satellite campuses of the university, Mississauga and Scarborough, in the western and eastern far suburbs respectively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great thread. Can you compare UT versus UMD for example, in terms of campus size, support services, etc

I was a grad student at U of T and not an undergrad, so I can't speak to services, but U of T's campus is right in central Toronto. It's actually quite compact, significantly smaller than UMD's huge College Park campus. The central Toronto campus (St. George campus) of U of T is about a mile across, a few long blocks and quads. It's about twice the size of Columbia, physically, and comparably embedded in the city, though closer to the very center. U of T is in right in between museums, the Ontario Parliament buildings, neighborhoods, and fancy shopping areas.

It's organized into colleges in a way somewhat analogous to Oxbridge, though afaict college life is not so all-encompassing for U of T undergrads as for Oxbridge undergrads. Most of the colleges are the size of small universities in the US (several thousand students). I expect others in the thread can answer to what level of support there is in the colleges. There are also two large satellite campuses of the university, Mississauga and Scarborough, in the western and eastern far suburbs respectively.

PP adding on: the services I can speak to are the athletic and health facilities. They are centrally located and offer a ton of dance and exercise options and I got really good sports medicine/PT help onsite in the athletic center when I needed it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks pp for the extra information on UT!