Hi! I’m a high school senior currently in the process of filling out applications (during my down time of course), and my French teacher suggested I look at McGill as one of my choices, since its program offerings fit me. When I checked out the website, it seemed perfect! I’m interested in being a French minor (or at least learning the language to a fluent level), and studying in a bilingual city seemed ideal. The campus is very nice and I really love Montreal in general! But while scrolling through some reviews on studentsreview (I know… Not very reliable) I heard a lot about grade deflation, which really made me rethink…
I’d also like to know about class sizes, which seemed too large. I’ve heard there can be as many as 600 students in one class! I mean, how does that even work? I’d like to know a little about individual value as well.
So as a McGill student, please confirm or deny this information! Let me know about your experiences with grades, classes, etc. Should I spend the $100 application fee or just stick to the States? 
Thanks to all!
Hi missandei- I am an American and I graduated from my Bachelor’s at McGill last year and I can definitely help you out with some of your questions. Overall I loved it and I would do it all again- living in a bilingual city was great and the student population is very international so I got to become friends with people from all over the world. Furthermore, the overall cost of going to McGill was at least a 3rd of the top tier schools in the US that I was accepted to and it just made sense to go because then I was able to use the extra money to enjoy the delicious French food and travel 
To answer your questions- yes, there are large classes but these are mostly reserved to first year and even first semester. It also totally depends on your program- if you study French you will always have small classes (25 max) and the only possibility for a large class is for the general requirements if you haven’t already passed them with APs (McGill allows you to actually skip the pre-req classes thus saving you money and up to a year on your education as I did)
For me, I studied in the faculty of arts and my largest class was 200. The only super large classes I know of are basic bio and math- however, these are split up into tutorials if you need the extra personal help.
As a general rule at McGill, there are no hand outs or hand-holding…if you want something you have to ask for it but the help and support is always there. Certainly good for prepping for the ‘real world’ where it is the same
Also yes, McGill is not going to give out As easily. There is certainly no grade inflation here. However, if you are diligent you can receive good grades, it will not be easy but the grading system here is certainly fair. I was challenged as a student for the first time in my life and I am now all the better for it.
I encourage you to send the application and visit the school (its beautiful now with the fall colors and the mountain in the city center.
Hope this has helped!
I second what @chaichai8 has said. The 600 student classes that you read about are intro science courses. They too have small discussion and lab sections. It is the same at large state flagships in the US: UCLA, Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill etc.
At McGill I advanced my high school French to fluency through coursework, both for credit and Continuing Studies classes, and by actively seeking out the French side of Montreal. (Montreal is more English than many want to admit.) Having a francophone girlfriend, now my wife, helped.
As for the lack of grade inflation, there are no easy A’s at McGill. I had a friend at McGill, a fellow American student from Massachusetts, who graduated with a 3.4 GPA. He was premed and was accepted at BU, Tufts and UMass medical schools. He had a very high MCAT score.
Here is a video that an American student made about her experience at McGill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmBU6YILM8Q
@chaichai8 Thank you so much, this was extremely helpful! I just have a question or two more if you don’t mind- so if you do want advising or at least advice in choosing courses, are you better off asking an upperclassman or two within your concentration for help?
Also, I do plan on visiting sooner or later! My family and I have never been to Quebec City so I may ask if we can drive up for vacation and stop in Montreal on the way.
Thank you so much for the advice! I’m so glad you answered!
@tomofboston Aw, that’s so sweet!
But thank you so much, achieving French fluency has always been my dream but without some sort of immersion it seems kind of impossible… Oh, and is the French they teach Québécois or France French? Can you get around not knowing the French they speak up there?
But that’s very reassuring, thank you! I’d heard that grade deflation could hurt chances of going on to grad school.
Also thank you so much for the video! I’ve heard that the students are very friendly, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s a stigma against Americans seeking out Canada for lower tuition? (I mean who wants to be indebted their whole life, you know?)
Thank you so much for answering!
Montreal French differs from Paris French just as the American English differs from British English. There are also differences between Canadian English and American English. We can all understand each other. My instructors were Québécois but I had no trouble communicating when working in Paris after graduation. My French is sort of a blend of Québécois and Parisian French with a touch of a Boston accent that comes through even in French. Once in Paris I was asked if I was Belgian!
There is no stigma being American. McGill is about 12% American students. Be prepared for a very liberal environment though.
@tomofboston Wow, you guys are so helpful, thank you so much! Also that sounds like a very interesting accent, haha.