<p>U of Toronto is a uni that’s as rigorous as it is big. There are certain programs in U of T that (I’ve heard) make their students choose between the light of day and passing grade. Competition is fierce in many of the engineering science programs, a consequence of having 70,000+ students. Due to the weed-out mentality, U of T tries to cram as much material down their students throats, and then doesn’t even let them regurgitate it. They’re expected to apply their knowledge in ways that are pretty extreme (some intro courses have exams that would make upper-year students cry). </p>
<p>I have nothing but respect for anyone who makes it out of U of T alive. A lot of brilliant thinkers come out of U of T.</p>
<p>Waterloo is, IMHO, the MIT analogue of canada. It has some of the hardest programs in the country, and you constantly hear McGill students talking about their Waterloo contemporaries when they talk at internship workshops. These kids are machines, and will be a McGill grad’s greatest source of competition in the job market. Bottom of the line, if you want an absolutely stellar engineering education Waterloo would be the place for you. If you’re willing to, maybe, compromise for better international prestige, McGill might be the place for you (I only say that because I’m not sure how internationally known Waterloo is).</p>