<p>Our son, from New Jersey, is applying to McGill in Montreal. We've know several students from the states who have left McGill after one year and
transferred to a US University. Can anyone share with us their opinion
about the "quality of life" on campus, and the overall "happiness" of
the students there, particularly those from the U.S.? Any insights are appreciated.</p>
<p>McGill is a fairly popular option for US students. </p>
<p>It's a great school, and Montreal is an amazing city. </p>
<p>I think the thing that causes high transfer rates, though, is the fact that Canadian universities don't offer the same traditional experience as US universities. You get the classes, the roommate, and the occasional hockey game - but student life kind of ends there. Going to college in Canada is less like being a college student and more like being in the real world. It really just comes down to what you want in a college.</p>
<p>Yea I agree it's a different system than American colleges, and that's the thing that gets a lot of kids. It's a matter of whether or not he is ready to fend for himself in the huge impersonal classes. I know a few kids who did they undergrad at McGill and later did their graduate at UK schools - they love the system.</p>
<p>Montreal is a gorgeous city! And, no, they don't only teach in French.</p>
<p>From what I've heard from the Canadians I know, McGill is supposed to be the "Harvard of Canada" in terms of academic strength, even though there are massive class sizes. Maybe UMich would be a better comparison.</p>
<p>Noo. Because even UMich is more of the traditional "college student" experience. </p>
<p>I'd actually say that McGill is more like NYU. The students have classes and dining halls and such, but it's a more "real world" kind of experience.</p>
<p>My son is in "year zero" and is in love with the challenge of McGill as a university and the stimulation of Montreal as a city. First semester was a shocker and stressful; doing well in an academically rigorous high school, he thought college would be more of the same. Instead, he found he had to put in many hours of studying to get a 3.0 (and was happy with that). Academics are taken seriously at McGill and there are a lot of kids who were first in their class in high school; my son is very impressed with the abilities of his fellow students. It's also a very international university with 20 percent coming from outside of Canada. But there are large core classes, and there is no hand-holding; he's had to figure out himself a strategy for doing well. It seems like he has, so he is again feeling on top of things. </p>
<p>He's having a pretty traditional U.S.-type dorm experience, but after year zero it's over dorm-wise! Out on your own! He has just leased an apartment with four other guys a 30-minute walk from campus for the next academic year in a neighborhood with a very "French" feel. This invigorates my son, but I can understand some kids not being ready to take this initiative. He'll be cooking and commuting. I'm hoping my son's self-discipline continues for three more years! If it doesn't, he will be out on his ear.</p>
<p>Two other students from his high school are up there with him and both are extremely happy; also the kids he's rooming with next year. So my advice would be for any potential students to visit visit visit. It is often compared to NYU and UMichigan but still there are differences. There is information on the "McGill" form under the colleges section which we always found helpful. My son knew it was the school for him the first weekend he spent there.</p>