<p>I'm seeking advice for my son, two weeks into university life. Academics is taking all his waking hours, he's finding, much to his dismay; he had hoped to participate in sports and of course socialize with new friends in the city. Chemistry with its labs is the most challenging for him with the sheer amount of work required, and he said although calculus is review, the entire grade rests on the final exam, which he finds pretty scary. I guess also he's not used to the hefty reading assignments in some other classes; in high school teachers told him what to read to prepare for exams. </p>
<p>He's a pretty conscientious kid, or else he'd be out there partying without regard to his studies, and he came to McGill to learn, but anyone have any pointers on how he can become acclimated to all that gets thrown at you? How long does it take to get the hang of it so you can juggle more than one ball and have a life? He's always been a master at being well rounded and having time for many interests...</p>
<p>It may take a while to adjust (probably until after his midterms, maybe the entire semester; in my case, though I hadn't planned for it, I went back home (6 hours by bus) for (canadian) Thanksgiving, it's one way to deal with homesickness and pressure the first time around). My best advice is that he should visit his department undergrad society and try to make friends there. The best help he can get is from those who went through similar experiences relatively recently and have a much better understanding of freshman life than anyone in the staff or faculty.</p>
<p>Blobof, that was good advice. I looked on the Science Undergrad Society, and although they don't keep their website up to date, he probably knows how to find them, as he attended their frosh events. Thanks.</p>
<p>BOW: Students may be better able to answer but I will give you my perspective. My daughter was also overwhelmed her first semester ( and she has roommate problems). Like your son, the science lab courses took a great amount of work. I think gradually, over the course of the first year she learned how to study, what was important and what was chafe. For the first time she wasnt being coddled as a student and it was an adjustment period. She still studies 4-5 hours per day, but has found her groove. </p>
<p>We have learned: First, it is important to have a social life, thats why he is in Montreal. Put the books down and enjoy the City and friends several times a week, in moderation. It will refresh the batteries and make studying more effective when you get back to it. Second, make a plan for exercise and work out regularly. This creates energy and releases tension. Last, get some sleep each night, dont ignore the importance of this--it also makes studying easier.</p>
<p>My daughter also developed a strategy where she only takes four courses each semester, and then takes one summer school course in May. Because she entered with 12 AP credits, she is still ahead of the required credits and because McGill charges by credit hour there is no extra cost. McGill gets out earlier than US colleges, so she can do this and still keep her friends who are returning home for the summer.</p>
<p>What your son is feeling is not unusual. McGill expects alot-- students who are not feeling overwhelmed after the first two weeks are probably not going to be going to McGill much longer.</p>
<p>Thanks, Mcgilldad, for your usual reassuring advice. My son, too, has many AP credits so that does take a little pressure off. Five courses seems inconceivable right now! I didn't realize he could take an entire course in May in summer school; what a great idea. How did your daughter work where to live; was she able to stay in the dorm for another month while looking for an apartment, or did she need to be in another place by May 1? Only first year would that be an issue, I guess.</p>
<p>BOW: She has enjoyed her summer school classes greatly-- the pressure is much less and she was able to take something she enjoyed. Housing was not a problem for us, since she was in Solin which requires an 11 month lease anyway. There are many, many summer sublets in the McGill ghetto or your student can start living in his new apartment for year two a little early ( and you get a free summer vacation place in Montreal). After my daughter returned home after her first year, my wife and I really enjoyed having a Montreal weekend getaway for the summer. I think McGill also rents out dorm rooms in the summer to anyone.</p>
<p>THIS is why I caution people from the States who choose McGill. The reason McGill ranks so highly in world rankings despite being less selective to get into than many lower ranked schools is that it is hard to stay in and very, very hard to get get a high GPA! </p>
<p>I know a kid from Columbia who did a year at U of Toronto, which is not as hard to get into as McGill, and found the work load/grading scheme unbearable.</p>
<p>In other words, the selectivity process takes place in your first year, after you have been "accepted." Around 20% of kids will simply not hack it.</p>
<p>I shoud mention, that for U.S. students, only 13% will not hack it. The highest drop out rate is Quebecers, at around 25%.</p>
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THIS is why I caution people from the States who choose McGill. The reason McGill ranks so highly in world rankings despite being less selective to get into than many lower ranked schools is that it is hard to stay in and very, very hard to get get a high GPA!</p>
<p>I know a kid from Columbia who did a year at U of Toronto, which is not as hard to get into as McGill, and found the work load/grading scheme unbearable.</p>
<p>In other words, the selectivity process takes place in your first year, after you have been "accepted." Around 20% of kids will simply not hack it.</p>
<p>I shoud mention, that for U.S. students, only 13% will not hack it. The highest drop out rate is Quebecers, at around 25%.
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<p>I don't really agree with this. My gf is an American taking junior level courses as a freshman and finds them hopelessly easy. I've seen her homework assignments and I'd have to agree.</p>
<p>You think a school being hard makes it ranked higher? That's not true at all. McGill is ranked highly for it's superb graduate program, not because it is difficult.</p>
<p>***, I think engineering/science programs at every university are daunting and back-breaking; this is not unique to McGill. At every school we visited we were told, many first-year engineering majors are second year's business majors, and those who do survive don't see the light of day as undergrads. Not every student has the requisite discipline to become an engineer or scientist and all these programs worldwide have high drop-out rates. Those who succeed can work and think under pressure certainly, which is how future scientists/engineers are molded.<br>
Even though the workload was expected, there still is an adjustment period. I do think the situation unique to McGill is baptism by fire without sufficient advising due to lack of funding. So the question was, how to cope and thrive at McGill in spite of the lack of hand-holding, from those who have been there, and I received some good advice, e.g., four courses a semester takes a lot of pressure off.</p>
<p>yeah engineering courses are really really tough.. cant understand anything... and the profs are so hard to understand. (wont explain stuffs properly etc)</p>
<p>It is not a bad idea to take 4 courses instead of 5, or take a bird course elective in the first semester (I took "Planet, Stars and Galaxies", back then, the only thing that counted was the 100 multiple choice questions final exam; other options include "Art of listening" (aka clap for credit) and "World of chemistry" (fun course, may require some studying)). One mistake many new students make is to take only required courses at first. Not only is it a heavy workload, but many of those intro courses aren't remotely interesting.</p>
<p>I am a newly admitted u1 student from the States, studying neuroscience and mathematical biology. Throughout high school I had been a collegeboard slave, taking 12 AP classes and earning over 50 credits, if mcgill didn't have a limit. In the fall semester , I'm taking some regular science classes like biol 200, phgy 209, 212 and chem 212, with some upper level psyc311, math325. I dropped biol373 and biol 309 because the prof even told me that the material would be way too easy for me. In the first week i was learning hydrogen bonding and the difference between standard deviation and standard error, and doing problems that practise basic derivative rules.</p>
<p>Besides the differential equation class and my science labs which I have to attend, I have basically stayed home and watched the lecture recordings online. Homework problems are due every two weeks or so on average, which I find surprising because other people have told me about McGill's workload and competitiveness. My bf at Harvey Mudd had 3-4 times my workload in his first year taking first year classes while I'm in my first year taking 2nd-3rd year classes. </p>
<p>The fact that the majority of the final grade is depended on final exams does intimidate me since it feels like sudden death. But, in my lectures, the professors do point out the key concepts to know for exams, and TA definitely discuss those during tutorials. However, why should students be informed about the exact materials that will appear on final exams? The whole point of the class is for students to learn everything that's taught, whether in books or in lecture. The more professors give hints about exams, the more students would just focus on exam material and defeat the whole purpose of learning.</p>
<p>Finally, I am not comfortable with McGill's lecture sizes. With 600 students in one big auditorium listening to one professor, advisors only familiar with your student number, new students would feel very rejected. Big universities share the same problem of oversized classes, which dosn't provide students with a "world class education".</p>
<p>As for social life...I'm living in my own apartment with 2 other roommates. It is harder to meet new people and solidify new friendships. I spend a lot of time with my roommates at home, but other than that I focus on studies and my job. Personally, I feel that some students here don't excel in school because they spend way too much time socializing. Normally I would hear students screaming drunk in the McGill ghetto at 3 am on a Thursday night.</p>
<p>I3tranger, you sound like you don't like it here. I have to admit i can see why some people would not, but I've found that McGill is the PERFECT match for me entirely, don't regret coming here at all. About class sizes, i have two courses( physics and chem ) in the Adams auditorium where there are 300 people, and its not that bad. The professors are actually the most charismatic teachers I've had in a while and they makes the class quite enjoyable. I don't see any sort of advantage in having a smaller class, I think class discussions are overrated but thats just me i guess. My computer class has like 50 students I actually dislike the atmosphere of that class more because the prof is quiet and his voice sort of goes up and down....</p>
<p>l'etranger, if you could see me from my room in McConnell you'd find me shedding a few tears for you. </p>
<p>You got so many AP credits that you don't have to take first year courses, and atop of that you're so ahead of the pack you don't even have to goto class! You knowingly chose a big university, and now decided you aren't comfortable with big lectures; that's a tragic story. </p>
<p>drmambo, I'm very sorry that you're shedding tears for me in McConnell.</p>
<p>I chose mcgill because :
a) I'm Canadian so tuition is crazy cheap compared to caltech if I accepted their intl package.
b) Montreal
c) Montreal Neurological Institute - the neurologists I've studied with all recommended the institution, and believe it or not, I do have a job there.
d) Free health care
e) I need to secure permanent resident or citizenship status somewhere in North America so my chances of getting into a decent medical school would not be slaughtered.
f) cheap tuition
g) I can graduate in 3 years, in 2 years if I take courses over the summer
h) Did I mention the tuition is cheap?</p>
<p>I knew about McGill's class sizes; it's true for all big universities. I made sacrifices for a better, more secure future. It is tragic, but this is mostly the case for international students. Though I have somewhat learnt how to make myself known to professors. One week into classes, I met with my mathematical biology professor, not only got his recommendations to take an honours math course, but also was invited to join the faculty of medicine orchestra.</p>
<p>The point of my post was just to share my tragic story.</p>
<p>Btw drmamdo, which faculty are you in and what do you study?</p>
<p>^Well, you sound like a genius. Most kids here average at best, and spend their nights getting drunk and hooking up at nightclubs. It's a commuter school for local Montrealers, remember that.</p>
<p>That said, you can be challenged. If you don't find honours math challenging, you must be a super genius.</p>
<p>I agree completely with I3tranger on a couple of points-
A. The classes are too big.
B. They don't give enough homework-the issue is not the workload, it's the amount of material you are responsible for with little to no guidance.</p>
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If you don't find honours math challenging, you must be a super genius.
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<p>MATH 325 is the easiest of all "honours" math courses. Despite it being "300" level, It's just another "mechanical" calculus course, with no thinking required. The only "honours" part of it is the existence and uniqueness theorem. Most math students take it in their first year.</p>
<p>yes MATH 325 does seem pretty simple so far. I fell asleep during lecture today because I don't think the prof should spend another day discussing and evaluating direction fields. Seriously.</p>
<p>Wutangfinancial, I've heard of your dislike of mcgill before, teehee. McGill is like a smaller representation of the real world.</p>
<p>People should realize that McGill, like other big name universities, gained their reputation by the grad schools, not undergrad. In orgo chem lab today, the instructor assumed that we're stupid and basically guided the questions by say "Will blah dissolve?...Say yes!"</p>