I have recently been accepted into McGill, however as an international student, I’m somewhat worried about tuition. McGill is fat and away my top choice, but I’ve received very enticing offers from other universities in the US (like full ride plus stipend enticing). I am waiting on a decision for the Major Entrance Scholarship, and it would be a good starting point to build up proper financial standing to go to McGill, if I were awarded one. However, for the life of me I cannot find a date, or even approximate time they come out. Does anyone have any idea on this?
Also, I was offered the $3000 One Year Entrance Scholarship. Does this have any bearing on the decision, is it a marker that I’m through the first round, or is it completely separate?
@TomSrOfBoston I’m a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. IF I become a Finalist, the University of Alabama provides a very extensive scholarship https://scholarships.ua.edu/nationalscholars/. I’m not trying to assume I’ll be a Finalist, but I’m making contingency plans for both eventualities. Assuming I do not become a Finalist, I’ve been offered extensive Scholarships by them as well, so the point above stands.
As a follow on, my son decided to apply to McGill. We visited last January and I thought he had decided against it, but he has proceeded. He is also a presumptive national merit finalist. I am interested on what people have seen in the past for students with very high standardized test scores, a top GPA and the highest rigor available at our school (11AP’s).
Also, I have to submit his SAT or ACT. Does McGill look at one more favorably than the other? He scored equivalently high on both, but the SAT would also have his subject test scores.
My daughter was awarded a $5000/year major entrance scholarship last year. She had also received the $3000 scholarship with her acceptance letter. (FYI, when you are awarded a major entrance scholarship, the initial 3k award goes away. They do not stack.)
She applied early, and got her acceptance letter soon after submitting her first semester grades, in mid-late December. She then was awarded the major entrance scholarship in February. She accepted her offer of admission soon after.
Her stats:
4.0 UW
11 APs, mostly 5s
34 ACT
NMF
She also had stellar rec letters (she got to see them) and essays.
She just came home yesterday from her first semester at McGill. She is thriving there. Academics are very, very tough, but that is what she wanted.
Best of luck to those applying. McGill is a fantastic place.
@ShrimpBurrito Rec letters? I didn’t think they were required?
Also can you comment on the residential life experience? Is your DD in a single? Is it easy to make friends, are there activities, hows the food? etc. Thanks! And congrats to your DD on scholarship and successful first semester. What is her major/faculty?
The admissions application does not require essays or rec letters, but the separate application for major entrance scholarships does.
D is in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Cognitive Science. She started as a U1, as she maxed out the AP credits.
She lives in Solin Hall (off campus dorm) and loves it. She was just telling me this morning how she is SO glad she ended up there. She shares a three bedroom apartment with two other girls. They have 1.5 baths, full kitchen, and living room. Large common area is in the basement. But, she is very independent, knows how to cook, and didn’t want to be tied to a meal plan. The meal plan definitely gets…mixed reviews. It’s not a great value from what I understand.
My girl is very active in a club, and most of her (very close) friend group is there. I can see how life at McGill could be isolating, with the big city and large lecture halls. You do need to put yourself out there and make an effort to connect with people.
Thanks! DS just got his basic application in. But it’s holidays now and we haven’t heard about next steps. Does he wait for Minerva before scholarship application? Also how many AP credits are needed for U1 status?
Thanks for insights re dorm life. Are some dorms on campus? We are going to visit next week (though school would not be in session), just to walk around and visit Montreal. Are there any key sights? What might be a representative dorm to look at (at least from the outside, LOL)?
When my D applied, the McGill website said to submit scholarship app soon after admissions app. Don’t wait for a decision. Make sure your S comes close to the minimum requirements, though…they are pretty high. Also be aware that students must keep a 3.7 GPA to keep the scholarship. That’s not easy at McGill, and word on the street is that many, many students lose their scholarship at some point.
Unless things have changed, 24 credit hours from AP/IB/transfer credit makes you a U1. They have a chart detailing how much credit they assign—it is easy to find via google.
Yes, some dorms are on campus or within a few blocks of campus. There is no one typical dorm, as they offer a huge variety. They have traditional setup, hotel-style, Old Victoria houses that are shared by 15-20 students, and more. It’s best to check their website to see the offerings.
That’s too bad that you can’t catch a tour while you are there, but still, enjoy the city and campus. There’s not much snow there right now?! If any!
As far as key sights in Montreal, it totally depends on what you like to do. I like to explore outdoors, so I enjoy walking the neighborhoods, sampling the food (bagels, smoked meats, poutine, maple anything) and admiring the architecture. My must-sees would include the Old Port: Notre Dame, Rue St Paul, the waterfront, and Place Jacques Cartier. Blvd Saint Laurent for the murals. Square Saint Louis and Rue Saint Denis/Latin Quarter. Chinatown. When the weather is cold, I like to get lost in the underground tunnels. Their metro system is the easiest, prettiest, and cleanest I’ve seen. Someone who prefers museums would have a completely different key sights list. Enjoy!
@sunnyschool I think I can still do a quick McGill Dorm review…probably some errors. Upper Rez (Gardner, Molson, McConnel) are almost all singles and surround Bishop Mountain Dining Hall. VERY social dorms. RVC is also a bunch of singles, closer to campus (no hill to walk up), a bit quieter. Then there are a few dorms that are converted hotels…New Rez, C4. So picture a hotel room and they are like that…two full or queen beds an a private bathroom. Douglas Hall is also up the hill next to Upper Rez. Beautiful old dorm…mix of singles and doubles. My son was in Molson which ended up being a really nice fit for him. He is not social by nature but the dorm is social enough he forced him to be more our there and social and he loved it. Most of the dorms are near campus and the kids really seem to connect to kids from other dorms. It’s very interesting to watch from afar.
The meal plan is expensive. The dorms have mini fridges in the room and most kids just eat breakfast in their rooms. The food is fine…but it is ala carte and my son can eat a lot.
@ShrimpBurrito gave you a nice list. I would definitely walk up Mt. Royal (go to the top of Rue Peel and follow the path up from there). The view is so worth it. The main Montreal Museum is on Sherbrooke and is definitely worth your time if you enjoy museums. If you want to do some neighborhood walking, definitely also visit the Plateau. My son lives in an apartment in the Plateau this year and when we visit I just really enjoy the restaurants and shops in that neighborhood.
Has anyone been to the Biosphere Environmental Museum, and is it worth visiting? (Kid #2 has some interest/EC work in Environmental so might be good for him to see?).
Is Metro system safe anywhere around downtown - any areas to avoid for safety?
Montreal has the lowest big city crime rate in Canada. The metro system is very safe. Normal urban precautions should be taken of course to avoid pickpockets etc. The only area to avoid would be around the Ste. Catherine/St Laurent intersection at night. It is sort of Montreal’s skid row. Crescent Street and rue St. Denis get boisterous late at night due to all the clubs.
Metro system is clean and safe. Frankly, so is Montreal as a whole.
My son is actually a distance runner. He was planning on running at McGill but there was a coaching change so he decided not to for now. Truth: kinda wish he would run. I miss watching him compete.
For life in Montreal (not just the campus), what level of fluency in French is necessary? Because I’m trying my best to learn it, but I like nice, logical construction in language, and I find myself screaming ‘WHY?’ at French syntax. And don’t get me started on silent letters and unnecessary diacritics. I’ll keep trying, but should I try to become conversational in it, or a level above or below?
@thomc1 For an undergraduate at McGill no knowledge of French is required at all, other than perhaps knowing that poussez means push, tirer means pull, sortie means exit and some other vocabulary Off campus Montreal is home to 400,000 anglophones (English mother tongue) and from downtown to the western tip of the island English is the dominant language. Most non-anglophones that you will encounter downtown or in the west end also speak English. There are English speaking hospitals and services available. There may be a few awkward moments if you explore the east end or off island sites but those are manageable.
After first year most students live in the “McGill Ghetto”/Milton Parc neighborhood or the Plateau where English is common or in the NDG (Notre Dame de Grace) neighborhood which despite its name is mostly anglophone.
