USC would provide a better student experience and has more to spend per capita on undergrads than McGill but wouldn’t have better academics/reputation or a better student body or likely offer much better post-grad opportunities for you.
At McGill, study abroad/on exchange in the US (and elsewhere) would also be a possibility but I don’t know how difficult it would be to get one of those spots.
I talked to another USC grad who had an amazing experience there. Just wondering, what did you study?
I didn’t know about the VIE opportunity so big thanks! Actually it’s not just about the cost but I want to figure out whether paying 3x more at USC will be profitable in the future…
Yess the experience will very different at McGill or USC (or UofT).
I’d much rather be in a more “social” environment like USC but McGill has a good party culture as well apparently. I don’t really care about huge parties actually but I still want a great social scene to meet new people, escape from academics and basically enjoy life!
You are totally right, at the moment it is probably my biggest issue. My parents want me to choose the university that will best fit my interests BUT come on USC is about 3 times more expensive than McGill.
Do you know if USC will give me better graduate prospects than McGill?
Also, at UofT I got into their Vic One program (Chambers stream). Is it worth considering UofT or should I definitely turn it down? I really like the college system and they gave me a 50k merit scholarship… but I’m really concerned about the lack of social life there.
USC obviously has greater endownment than McGill (it seems like McGill has had some financial issues over the last few years). But will it really matter in the end?
I got a Master’s in Industrial Engineering. It was a night program for working adults, so my experience wasn’t the typical undergrad, lives-on-campus experience.
Also, is it possible to pay a deposit at multiple colleges?
I don’t know if USC has any french bac requirements (like some sort of conditional offer) so maybe I could keep McGill as an option in case I “fail” some of my exams. McGill’s requirement is a 12/20 so it will be REALLY easy to achieve.
You might not have been familiar with the VIE because military duty is no longer mandatory in France. Back when the military duty was still mandatory (until the mid-1990s), the predecessor of VIE, called CSNE, was quite popular with young men as it was a mean to fulfill military duty obligations.
CSNE/VIEs typically enter the US on J-1 visas sponsored by the FACC French-American Chamber Of Commerce (FACC) | The French-American Chamber of Commerce International Careers (nationalfacc.org)
The good thing is that J-1 visas sponsored by the FACC typically include an automatic waiver for section 212(e). That means that you are not prevented from coming back to the US for two years after your visa expires as it is usually the case for J-1 visas bearers Waiver of the Exchange Visitor Two-Year Home-Country Physical Presence Requirement (state.gov)
Also, J-1 bearers are considered non-residents for tax purpose. So, you would not have to deal with the IRS.
Finally, the program used to include an incredible health insurance with no deductible or copay whatsoever, and if you had been in an accident or a disease that permanently impacted you while you were on mission, you would have been entitled to receive free treatment in French military hospitals for the rest of your life. I am not sure if that is still the case.
I will let @MYOS1634 answer your question about the prospects after graduation from USC as I am absolutely not qualified to answer that question.
WOW - the typical offer at McGill is a 17. An entirely different ballgame. I wonder what happened this year.
You can deposit at one US college and at a “conditional offer” international university. You must only deposit at ONE US college but all students who apply abroad where offers are conditional have been depositing in the US till they know whether they meet their condition. (The fact the condition is easy to meet doesn’t factor in).
The VicOne program changes things somewhat, since it’ll ensure you won’t be in giant 1,000 student lecture halls, you will be with 25 peers so it’ll be easier to make friends. It doesn’t mean UofT won’t be a grind at some level but you’ll be in it together lol and the Chambers course sounds less theoretical than other programs.
The US is big on experiential learning. It means that, unlike many universities where activities are an (often optional) add-on, your education is considered to be as much what you do in the classroom as what you do outside the classroom. As a result, part of your tuition fees goes to making sure you have tons of opportunities to learn by doing (research, leadership, clubs that you join or organize, retreats, internships, etc.) They don’t WANT someone who’ll spend 24/7 in the library and barely leave their room. They want students who’ll be busy all the time, productive, with different things planned all day long. You’ll go from class to research lab or choir practice or leadership workshop to corridor intramural practice to dinner with kids from your corridor who weren’t at the practice to a conference or a workshop or a review session to a concert, a small party, a wild party, or anything else. You’ll take risks, make mistakes, and learn because they see this as the university’s purpose - learning isn’t just based on classes. They’re into “whole person” growth. It means you’ll grow intellectually and critically, like at all universities, but you’ll also grow personally and socially because the university is designed to foster that type of growth.
The drinking age difference: in Quebec, you can just go to a bar. There also won’t be kids getting stupid and delirious, drinking and throwing up as if it’s fun, something many Europeans have aged out of at age 18-19 (I know binge drinking has become a problem in some areas where it wasn’t a problem before.)
Prospects after graduation: the big difference is that if you graduate from a US college with a quantitative degree, you get a 27 month OPT (work permit). And if you don’t find a job in the US or don’t want to stay, you can still go to Quebec and look for a job there. The reverse isn’t true. You can work in Canada with a Canadian degree but you can’t go to the US to look for one. I’m not sure it matters to you.
@DrSkelton , at least at US colleges, no, you are not allowed to double deposit. I don’t know if Canadian colleges have any requirements about that.
Re McGill vs UT, I don’t have much insight to either school. I’ve spent time in both cities though. I think at the Canadian schools, you’re going to have a much more cosmopolitan and urban experience than at USC. Toronto is a city for young people with money to spend. There’s tons to do. I personally don’t love it, which is a good sign that it’s a great place for the young uns, haha. It’s modern and full of bars, clubs, restaurants and shopping. Montreal is also fun and has much the same as Toronto, with the bonus of being much prettier and having the “olde worlde” charm. As you’re from Europe, I think flights will be easier out of Toronto.
At USC, you’re going to have a more typical American college experience. You’ll probably be hanging out on campus more, especially now with the village, or you’ll end up in Santa Monica. You’ll go to football games and campus events. I’m sure students go elsewhere in the LA area, but be aware that without a car, it’s harder to get around. Yes, it’s in LA, but you have no concept of how big LA is until you live there. (I’m from there and my folks both went to USC.)
I think you should get rid of the one you’re least interested in. Then consider which school is going to best help you achieve your future goals. If your parents really mean what they say about the money, take them at their word.
@DrSkelton : McGill will cost a total of 20,000 Euros over 3 years, while USC will cost 200,000 Euros over 4 years. Eventually you intend to earn a graduate degree such as an MBA.
Full time MBA programs in the US are 2 academic years & total COA runs over $200,000 US. Many US MBA programs are now STEM certified which should help one to obtain a US work permit for 2 to 3 years after completion of the MBA program.
Consider earning your undergraduate degree at McGill or Toronto, then work for 2 or 3 years before applying to MBA programs. If you attend McGill, your MBA degree & McGill degree together equal the cost of a 4 year undergraduate degree at USC.
In my view, you need to decide whether your social life or your professional life is your top priority as the only reason that USC is attractive to you is for the social life/full college experience.
As a reminder, tuition cost per school is:
McGill = 20,000 Euros
Toronto = 125,000 Euros
USC = 200,000 Euros