I just got off the mcgill waitlist yesterday... help!!!

Colleges and Universities A-Z McGill University
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<p>So I'm a US community college transfer student.
Orginally, McGill was my number one choice and Cornell my number two choice. I got into Cornell right from the start but my McGill decision wasn't going to be released until mid summer. So I held on to the idea that I maybe was going to McGill until I was waitlisted. AND THEN... I got into Microbiology program at McGill.</p>

<p>I'm in such a pickle... </p>

<p>All my friends think that I would be happier at McGill than at Cornell. They say Cornell is really stuffy and at McGill is a little more laid back. I agree with them but I'm also afraid that I'll be really distracted by Montreal that it'll be much harder to focus. On the other hand, I do better in school when I am happier. Also, I'd rather do the major that I was accept to at McGill than the major I was accepted to at Cornell (even though I know I can switch). </p>

<p>I want to go to McGill but I already have everything set up for Cornell but then again I'm usually an impulsive impractical person. </p>

<p>I know that I can easily withdraw from Cornell... but how easy will it be to find an apartment and figure out stuff at Montreal? I've always idealized montreal and so for me its this exciting thing that I could do with my life, a lot more exciting than cornell. Even though I think that Cornell might be a better school for me academically. </p>

<p>After writing this all out it seems like CORNELL IS THE ANSWER. I try to accept that I am going there and then I feel this weird bad sensation at the end of my esophagus. </p>

<p>At first I was really against visiting colleges that I wasn't accepted to because i was afraid that I would fall in love with the school and the be heart broken. I thought that when I would get accepted then I would visit the school. When I only had to choose between Cornell and BU I knew that I would jsut go to Cornell. I think that from now until monday, I'll drive up to both to see what I'll be missing out on, if I choose one over the other.</p>

<p>I wouldn't be able to say "OK I'm going to McGill until Monday August 13" which is SO LATE into the game (I can withdraw from Cornell up until August27th)</p>

<p>what do I do???</p>

2

<p>Well, Montreal kicks the **** out of upstate New York, and to me, that alone would be worth it. But then, I don't know anything about your potential housing/registration problems, so I'm not the best to give advice.</p>

3

<ol>
<li><p>Finding an apartment is no problem in Montreal, the city's low rents are very student friendly. Finding THE perfect apartment might be a problem at this point in time but finding one shouldn't be a problem at all. If you're on a budget, check out St. Henri and Verdun, they have lots of students and are very cheap and are close to the Metro. If you're budget is a bit higher ($600+) you can expand to the Plateau and Mile End.</p></li>
<li><p>Registration for classes is pretty easy to do; it's all online, however spaces are tight right now but a few spots always open up.</p></li>
</ol>

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<p>lucky bastard. Im still on the waiting list.</p>

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<p>My advice would be to stay at Cornell for a semester and then if you really dont like it; to switch to mcgill. If you had previously been accepted admission is just a matter of reopening your file for mcgill and almost instantaneous.</p>

<p>I wouldnt try to rush everything in in such a short timeframe because its just such a big leap. And lets not forget; Cornell is ivy league. I know you should go with the one you love more but thats a very prestigious school that you should not sneeze at. </p>

<p>Honestly I think staying a semester there is the best choice. You may end up really loving it. McGill will still be there and you can still smoothly transfer to it a few months later without changing anything- they might even give you a bigger scholarship because you're leaving ivy for them.</p>

<p>What is your field at both schools?</p>

6

<p>It sounds like you have your heart set on McGill. But I'd say you really have to visit both schools to get a better idea of where you'd be happier. Cornell is an excellent school academically, plus the campus is gorgeous. But I think you're right about McGill being more laid-back. Montreal is great city and I doubt you'd have trouble finding an apartment right now.</p>

<p>(And by the way, I'm a transfer student going into Microbiology as well, so I definitely think you'd be making a smart choice by going to McGill)</p>

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<p>how do yo get into cornell, and waitlisted at McGill???</p>

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<p>dude, Cornell is a much better school. McGill is a giant diploma mill that has a
reputation from the 60's. Canadians don't think McGill is as good as Americans do, and most Canadians go to the states if they are offered money, even to 2nd tier schools like BU.</p>

9

<p>Cornell all the way. If it sucks, transfer. </p>

<p>I love McGill just as much as the next person, but unless the money was REALLY right, I wouldn't drop Cornell for McGill.</p>

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<p>Both universities want you to stay there for two years as a transfer student. When I decide to go to whatever university it will be for two years. McGill doesn't accept very many U.S. transfers thats why I was waitlist. Cornell is really big on transfers (they have a low retention rate) </p>

<p>Cornell is better academically... but I'm thinking that I'll probably do better at McGill... </p>

<p>I;m still really conflicted</p>

11

<p>Go to Cornell.</p>

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<p>They both suffer from grade deflation. You have no idea what school you could possibly do better at. Cornell is better hands down. McGill can open doors for u in Canada, parts of the US, and parts of Europe.</p>

<p>Cornell on the other hand will open doors for you everywhere in the world...EVERYWHERE.</p>

<p>Stop fooling yourself that you should go to McGill. Go to Cornell. Please, please go to Cornell. They have better professors, better instruction, better reputation everywhere, better endowment, more personalized education, smaller classes, better resources, better job prospect, better internship opportunities, better everything...except for girls and city.</p>

<p>Unless you can come up with a great reason to go to McGill over Cornell, you would be foolish to choose McGill.</p>

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<p>Reasons for McGill over Cornell
I feel like I'll be happier at McGill and my grades will reflect that
McGill is cheaper
I'll never have a good excuse to live in Montreal unless I study at McGill
you're much more independent at McGill
I'm too weird and quirky for Cornell </p>

<p>All of these are bad reasons though... so I guess Cornell it is?? When I think of myself at Cornell for two years I feel like I'm going to be in prison.</p>

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<p>i think you guys are underestimating mcgill a bit. true, i believe that if cornell is obviously more respected in the U.S than mcgill, but this is to the general public (although to a much lesser degree in the north east). those who are in academia or those who have graduated from high ranking schools all know that mcgill is very well respected. hell, mcgill may even be better respected in the U.S than in canada! i agree that mcgill isn't without it's flaws (big classes, some budget problems, etc), but if you're a hardworking student, none of these should honestly get in your way,</p>

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<p>Digitaldove: Speaking as a father, those are not bad reasons to choose McGill, they are all good and valid reasons. If my children had listed those criteria, the choice would have been simple. Dont go to college where you "think" you should, dont go where other people "think" you should, go where you will be happy. Both school's are excellent, you cannot lose, so go with your heart. Both are well respected and will get you into graduate school or business, if you work hard.</p>

<p>A main difference is how important the "college experience" is to you. If you want a rah-rah, American sports (although on the Ivy scale), and community is important, choose Cornell. McGill gives you a big-city, European education experience. The choice is yours--dont listen to uninformed discussion board comments (even mine).</p>

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<p>I was gonna post something last night, along to same lines as McGill dad, but I forgot to.</p>

<p>I'm a big fan of people pursuing their happiness. If you find yourself dreading the prospect of going to Cornell, don't go. I don't believe that you should think that by choosing one you'll never be able to goto the other. Should you find McGill to be disappointing, it's not like Cornell won't offer you admission again (assuming you kept your grades up). The same applies for McGill. The only thing you'll have lost by potentially trying both flavors is time, but that's ok because these are supposedly the best years of our lives.</p>

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<p>well, I was applying for this fall, 2007-2008 term and I was rejected early decision at cornell, but I was accepted into Mcgill engineering. When I visited Cornell, it was like "WHOAH", rich! I didn't get a sense of any "snobiness" but it was definitely an awesome campus. The fact that its in Ithica means that there's tons of nature trails and sights for a nature geek like me. The moment I saw the waterfall, that was it...I really wanted to get in. </p>

<p>McGill on the otherhand, was innercity, really crowded, and just felt too suffocating. I really didn't get a feel of the city, but I've been to Montreal before and it wasn't that great. I don't remember anything special about it, it seemed to me to be just another crowded city. yes, i hate cities, but it's my opinion. </p>

<p>I really don't care about what ppl say about the rankings and that crap, but from what I gathered, Cornell has great faculty and courses, and it sounded like it was really easy to change your course and it was really flexible. McGill on the other hand, is really hard to change your course, you have to stay within the same faculty. I was excited to pick my first year classes, only to find out there was nothing TO pick. They just gave me a list and that was that. I had to still manually pick the classes, but there was no choice in it. </p>

<p>Cornell: name school. beautiful campus, great reputation for classes and courses, flexible course structure at least in fac of sci, high price</p>

<p>McGill: sorta name school, crappy city campus, BOLT DOWN RIGID classes (at least for me), dunno about how good the classes are, but 6 lectures out of my 8 classes doesn't sound good..., low price</p>

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<p>Wait, HOW THE HELL did you get into Cornell and wait list at McGill!??!!?!?! Wanna trade? oh, go with cornell if you don't feel up to trading.</p>

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<p>mike, if you weren't happy with McGill to begin with, why did you apply, let alone enroll?</p>

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<p>I'm also a little baffled about one big thing you forgot about McGill: IT'S IN MONTREAL! Cornell's in the middle of nowhere essentially, and once you get past the campus, there's nothing to do.</p>