<p>I have to decide by tomorrow, whether to study engineering at Cornell University or at the University of Toronto.
U of T Engineering is Canada's top ranking Engineering Faculty. In International rankings, it ranks 19th: Cornell Engineering ranks 15th. Last year Newsweek ranked University of Toronto one place ahead of Cornell University in overall rankings. I am sure I will learn well in both places.
The debt does not scare me much. What worries me is that at Cornell, as a Canadian citizen, I cannot apply for the same summer employment jobs (to gain relevant experience + money) that most of my classmates will be applying for (and getting). In Toronto, I will not have that problem. U of T also offered me a merit based entrance scholarship, but that is not a major factor in my decision (otherwise I would have chosen another Canadian University that offered me much more).</p>
<p>Actually...ya, scratch that...the debt does scare me.</p>
<p>This is my take. UT is a very good school. Academically it is almost at the samr level as Cornell. But, Cornell will give you a much wider acceptance amongst U.S. employers, hence much better job placement potential in U.S. Considering the job market in Canada as it compares with the U.S. I would take my chance in the U.S.
$40000 is really not that much money. If you get a job or better paying job in the U.S. one year sooner, it pays for itself already. It really isn't that much if you considering your life time earning.</p>
<p>I am going to graduate school afterwards. I think having no major debt allows me more options.</p>
<p>Then pick UT</p>
<p>Bob07, thank you for your most enlightening advice</p>
<p>bioeng, you must be a USA citizen. As a Canadian I cannot apply for many of the job openings with U.S. employers; that is a major concern (see above).</p>
<p>haha thanks man. I was just stating the obvious when you said "having no major debt allows me more options."</p>
<p>...it was very easy</p>
<p>Once you've gone to graduate school, your undergraduate institution won't matter much, so choose Toronto and stay debt free for a few years.</p>
<p>My dad went to McGill as a foreign student from Hong Kong, and then went to Penn for med. school as a foreign student also.(BTW, he got in McGill also but chose Penn at the time because of Renee Lavach). He ended up staying in the US and now he is a US citizen. So we have connections with his friends in Canada. From what his friends tell us about job prospects for their kids in Canada,it certainly doesn't sound good. If you graduate from a US college, and an Ivy League at that, I am sure you can find employers that would value you well enough to get you a working visa.
Think about it with the total perspective of your whole life . Don't be tunnel visioned. With the respect that you plan to go to grad school, why don't you give yourself an extra option of working for a couple years first then decide whether you want to do engineering grad school or MBA which require working experience. As an engineer, there is a glass ceiling. You have to eventually go into management anyway if you want to go far.</p>
<p>UofT engineering is stronger than that of Cornell's by a fair margin. Career prospectives are the same for both, and either degree will serve you well both in Canada and the US. If you aren't bothered by slightly larger classes, lower prestige (only in the eyes of family friends), and a lack of real college atmosphere, then by all means go to Toronto. </p>
<p>FYI, I got into both UofT engsci w/ scholarship and Cornell A&S this year and Cornell would've won hands down, although I ended up choosing to attend neither. PM me if you have any questions</p>