McGill University (Canada)

Date: Nov 21 2010
Major: Biology (This Major's Salary over time)
I thought I should post on this website, as I really used it when I was trying to figure out what schools to apply to. I took the reviews very seriously! So now it's my turn.

Oh McGill. There are a lot of things that you should know about a school before you seriously consider going there. This was something I didn't really know in high school. The application to McGill is all done online, and you should really look into what program/faculty you will be applying to. I didn't even know what a faculty was when I was applying! There is science, arts, education, management, engineering…and if you are not from Quebec, you are required to complete a freshman program. Now this is important, because if you are in arts your program will be completely different than in science. And even if you switch faculties later, you will have to complete the necessary freshman program for arts, or science, or vice versa. This whole business of a freshman program was sort of news to me, as I from the US. It's not quite like it is there, an arts freshman program is all arts classes, and a science freshman program is all science. Moreover, this year for science freshman includes CAL 1/2, CHEM 1/2, BIOL 1/2, and PHYS 1/2. You don't have to take them all at once, but they are the basic reqs for any upper level science course. So you pretty much do have to take them all your first year. As a freshman I was not very pleased about that (coming from the states at least, where they really do not make you take these all at once). Another factor to consider if AP/IB credits. Be careful whether or not you declare them (apparently there is a debate going on now as to whether or not students will be given the option in the future). I believe it's actually a crime (double check though) to not declare your AP marks, however if no one finds out then it's okay? Anyway, I took AP English Lit/Language in high school, and I was given 12 credits of english 100 classes for it. English 100 does not count for anything, it basically just ate up my elective credits. I came in with 24 credits, technically a sophmore, and I kept receiving all these emails about picking a major, etc, very confusing as a freshman! Once you reach 120 credits at McGill, they pretty much want you out (not 100% sure on the policy, but I believe it's something like only the classes towards your major or whatever is required appear on your GPA). So if you want to take any electives, you have to do it early on, and if you want to go over 120 credits, you have to make a formal request and apparently it's a big pain in the ass. So they sort of limit the electives you can take (plus its not fun having to explain your situation about being in U1 vs/ U0 to everybody…)

So pretty much, if you're coming from the US, be warned that McGill is NOT NOT NOT like an American school. Another large complaint that I had as a freshman was that there are no dorms at McGill. Well, there are, but there only was for the first year. AFter that you are expected to get your own place, which is cool, and some people may like that, but I really wanted to experience a hanging out in a dorm, being down the hall from your friends sorta college experience, and I felt like that was really lacking here. So if that's something thats important to you, just be aware. It is nice to have your own bathroom and space, but that stuff happens anyway after college. Plus the dorm I got put in I had to cook for myself, so also be aware that that may happen…the dining system at McGill is pretty shitty (expensive and not very good).

So what is actually good at McGill you may ask? I'm not really sure. I am going to be graduating at the end of this year, and I feel that the quality of education I will have gotten is very good. Though my 200 level BIOL classes were all about 600 students, I felt that McGill really does a good job of teaching you. Of course you have to go to class and do the studying, but I wonder if all the science requirements McGill makes you take really gives you good education in science as compared to US schools which can be more liberal arts. Anyway, another issue is class size. If you want personal attention, if you want the professor to know your name, if you want to have discussions with your classmates, DO NOT pick McGill. At least for science. Again it also depends what classes you take, what your department is, etc. I am in my last year, and some of my classes are quite small (one class has only 7, another 35), but these are still conducted as lectures, not really seminars (where you can discuss, etc). It's not really a warm, fostering environment where they want you to think. I get the feeling its more like memorizing stuff. There's also a small lab class I'm taking, but you work with a TA, not a professor. I'm sure that if you want to you can go to the professor's office hours, get to know him/her, go out there and do it, but if you're someone who isn't comfortable doing that then it's really hard to get them to know your name.

I minored in English, and that has really been great. Most of those classes were fairly small (except the 2 basic intro courses), and the professors really do get to knwo your name, your writing, etc. Again, office hours help. But anyway, if you want to go to a small school where you will know all your classmates, all your professors, and they will know you, then McGill isn't the school for you. Again, you could probably make it happen if you put the extra effort in. That's why I chose my review as "neutral" actually. I'm a pretty shy person, and I feel like in both good and bad ways, McGill made me grow up a little bit more. Maybe it would've been college in general, but nothing here is really handed to you. You have to do it yourself. And ya know, some people need that little bit of coddling that university or college can give to you, and others perhaps need to be kicked in the ass. It really just depends on what suits you best, what you're looking for.

Some pluses…Mcgill is large school, so there's always new people to meet. It also felt surprisingly small to me though. You do manage to see a lot of the same people around campus, even if they're people you don't know. The drinking age is another plus! Wow, to skip out on the 21 was awesome. It just keeps you more controlled, makes things more interesting, none of that hiding it bologna that would have happened at a school in the states. Really really super nice. Plus there's on-campus drinking events, like Bar Des Arts which is pretty much just like a party in the arts lounge every thursday evening and OAP (outdoor air pub) in the beginning of the year with live music, beer, friends. So that's nice. Also, people from all over the world come to McGill, very diverse student body. There's people speaking all types of languages all over the place, and it's definitely possible to make friends from all over. There's definitely a large amount of wealthy people here, but also people who are scrounging by I'm sure. You just do see a decent amount of money here as well…

There's a lot of crappy policies though, the administration does make you run around in circles, financial aid is sort of tough too (work study is extremely competitive…also, some of the jobs they have listed are extremely technical and intense. not many like 'serve in a cafeteria job' type of thing). Also, a lot of things on campus are run by other companies. I was sitting in the Student Union at what I suppose is a restaurant but it's really just a place to hang out and eat lunch, and I was asked to move because I had brought my own food in and wasn't a paying customer..in the STUDENT UNION, mind you. Also, McGill health is a bitch. If you are sick, you pretty much need to wake up at 7:30 AM and hustle over to the clinic in order to get an appointment LATER that day (depending on how sick you are). So not only do you feel shitty, you have to wake up super early and miss lots of classes.

I actually applied to transfer from McGill once but decided not to, mostly because of friends. And if I could go back, I don't think I would choose McGill again. Prices are rising for international students, and McGill is cutting a lot of funding for sports,student clubs, etc, so I'm glad I'm getting out this year. However, I did make a lot of friends, and Montreal is a fun city with fun things to do (however, when choosing a school don't let the idea that having nothing to do on a weekend is really that bad. to be honest, I don't even get to see the city so much due to the amount of work I have to do. it is nice though to be able to meet up with friends for drinks at a bar, go dancing and meet people who aren't mcgill students, etc). I've also had some really great professors here, and really enjoyed a lot of my classes. But all in all I would say that the negatives greatly outweighed the positives for me. Having to choose my major right away, no dorms, large classes, general crappy policies from of the school, price, crappy work study opportunities, facilities not that nice.

My advice is to just do lots of research, and really think about what it is that YOU want from a school. And if you don't know, then pick one and see how it goes. Transferring isn't the end of the world. And if you don't know what you want, then just wait a year and do something cool and figure yourself out. College isn't the be all and end all of life, and hunting for the holy grail of schools is pretty pointless too because no one school is going to be great in every sense. Just try to find the one that works best for you :)