McGill: Current state of rigor and reputation

danielsl
Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:49:16 +0000

what reputation does McGill have now?
I would say, still a very good reputation, still considered the best in Canada. Worldwide rankings have slightly indicated this, number of citations, research, etc. Admissions still competitive, in comparison to other Canadian universities (not the US). My friends around the world would know what McGill is.

Especially in engineering?
McGill Engineering is currently not the best in Canada. This is something almost everybody in McGill accepts. It is Waterloo (some say Queens, but mostly Waterloo). The Engineering buildings, I must say, are the best designed buildings though, like McConnell and Trottier. And yes, the program is still quite tough. But I think that Waterloo is worse.

Job placement prowess?
Yes, jobs are pretty available to Mcgill graduates, I think they had some stats for it, but I can’t find them anymore.

How competitive is it for a candidate from U.S.?
Not really competitive. A lot of american students got into McGill with mediocre GPAs. I think that 3.3 was the lowest that got it (weighted mind you…). And i think that the admissions rate for internationals is lower than in-province, but still way higher than in the US. It is currently 47% overall. About 35% or so for international.

How rigorous are the coursework?
I would say for coursework, not too hard (coming from an IB/AP student). But I think that the evaluation (such as exams and quizzes) is pretty difficult. McGill’s average GPA is still 2.8, and a 3.0+ is considered to be quite good. 3.8+ is god-like. Comparing exams between universities around the world, I think McGill has some of the most difficult exams.

And the calibre of the faculty?
There are the good and the bad. There are the lazy and the hardworking. The TAs are sometimes good, sometimes bad. I think it has something to do with the class sizes, which are quite large. But the profs generally know what they are doing, they just make it intentionally difficult for the students.

Are the exams still mostly in multiple choice format?
Yes, they are still mostly in multiple choice format. Some classes, like Math and some Bio classes (like BIOL 200) are all free response, so I guess they are phasing MC out. But the scantron is still in full use. By the way, just an observation I made: I notice that MC is a handicap for so many Canadians, and I think it is because they have not really been exposed to crazy American standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests, AP, etc. Therefore, as an American, I think you will have a significant advantage in this area. Note that the CEGEP students are still very, very good (but the rest of Canada really isn’t)

I still think that McGill is lacking some serious funding, and they are spending a lot of money on research. But they are getting some funding from the government, and from alumni, so it is fine (unlike UQAM, after their construction financial failure)

Is she applying for Life Sciences? By the way, we have just built this gorgeous Life Sciences Center, aka Francesco Bellini LS Center that is awesome. The labs are so modern and the cancer research there is going place. So yes, McGill medicine is still on top in terms of facilities. However, Duff, Sheldon and McIntyre are getting old…I mean really old. I think Duff (which is where I am based) was built in the early 1900s, and is starting to like decompose, along with Royal Vic.

Additional Info:
Lecture halls in Leacock (Leacock 132 is still the biggest), Arts Building and Stewart Bio are still the most used lecture halls. The labs in Otto Mass are decomposing (you got to be there to see it…). Frosh is still crazy. The hills and slopes are still annoying (especially in the Winter, it is snowing in Montreal now, in October, did you know?). The Lower Field is losing grass. The squirrels are reproducing, like rabbits now. The bookstores still has the most expensive goods in Montreal. The Fieldhouse is still standing. Upper rez has been renovated. There is now a New Rez (which was Hotel du Parc) on Avenue de Parc. SSMU’s Gert’s Bar still sells Boreale (yuck…). The women (not really men, I guess) are still hot. And the Athletic teams are quite nonexistant. The nightlife is just amazing. Molson Stadium is packed on the weekends when the Alouettes play. The tuition is still cheap. McGill is still very liberal. And the best part of McGill: Montreal. I have lived in 4 continents in 5 cities, and so far, Montreal beats the rest.