<p>I'm a student interested in majoring in International Relations. Although McGill does not have an International Relations major, while U of T does, which one should I go to, if I get accepted into both of those universities? I'm fine with doing International Studies, International Relations, and other types of majors similar along those lines. Any advice on this matter? Thank you.</p>
<p>As far school reputation outside of Canada goes, U of Toronto > McGill.</p>
<p>@RML: Could you cite the source of your claim or is it just your personal opinion?</p>
<p>RML, I actually think the opposite is true. I live in Maryland, and many people here know the name McGill and they know it’s a very good school, but when I say University of Toronto, they think of it as just another state school. I’m in the same position as the OP, and I decided not to apply to McGill and only to UofT. I want to major in international relations so I don’t see a reason to apply to McGill if they don’t even have my major.</p>
<p>How competitive is UToronto for American students? Like what are the admissions standards in terms of GPA, SAT, and other standardized tests?</p>
<p>My experience in England, Italy and Asia is telling me that the U of Toronto is prestigious and many people actually even haven’t heard of McGill. I’m not. however, sure what goes on in Canada, but I know they’re both quite respected there.</p>
<p>Maybe the league tables are ranking U of Toronto very highly and not McGill.</p>
<p>To me, McGill is more well known, at least in America.</p>
<p>I too would be interested in learning how hard it is for an American to get into either school.</p>
<p>Are the standards tougher?</p>
<p>Or easier, because they want to get the higher tuition?.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Not so much. The 2011-12 Times Higher Education Supplement ranking has Toronto at #19 globally (behind Michigan at #18 and ahead of Cornell at #20), with McGill at #26 (right behind Northwestern and Wisconsin and ahead of Texas, University of Tokyo, and Illinois). That’s not a very big difference.</p>
<p>My perception is that in the U.S., people in the Northeast are more familiar with McGill and tend to place it ahead of Toronto; and as best I can tell, McGill is a much more popular destination for students from the Northeast than is Toronto. In Canada, people in Quebec think McGill is #1 and people in Ontario think Toronto is #1; the provinces west of Ontario would probably go with Toronto until you get far enough west that people start talking about UBC as #1, or at least co-equal with McGill and Toronto. </p>
<p>Growing up in Michigan, I always heard more about nearby Toronto than McGill, but I never knew anyone who went to either school. Just didn’t make sense, because we had own outstanding state flagship.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s that hard for U.S. citizens who are good students to get into either school. They have outstanding faculties, but they’re big (McGill’ has 25,000 undergrads, Toronto has 33,000) and they accept a lot of students, with relatively high admit rates (McGill 46%, Toronto I’d imagine roughly comparable). The downside is big classes and a lot of bureaucracy, same as at any big school. On the plus side: they’re comparatively inexpensive (tuition for international students at McGill ranges from $15,000 to $27,000 per year depending on the program, and is around $28K at Toronto), and both Montreal and Toronto are great cities.</p>
<p>Except for programs like art, architecture, and music which have specialized admission requirements, McGill seems to use an entirely numbers-driven admissions process, relying mostly on HG transcripts (they look only at grades 10, 11, and 12), supplemented by SAT and/or ACT scores. Their posted minimum SAT scores for U.S. residents are 620-650 CR, 620-650 W, and 560-650 M (except for Architecture and Engineering, where the minimum SAT M score is 600-650). Students submitting the SAT I must also submit 2 SAT II scores (with subject-specific requirements for certain fields of study); minimum required scores are generally in the same range as for SAT I.</p>
<p>Minimum ACT composite is 26-29.</p>
<p>But those are minimum levels. Actual test scores may be higher in some programs. For example, Arts & Sciences (which seems to be the most selective program, more so than engineering, for example), says it admitted U.S. students with a minimum A- average in grades 10-12, and each SAT I and II 670 or higher, or ACT 30 or higher. That starts to be pretty selective. But not Harvard-selective.</p>
<p>Similarly, Toronto says successful U.S.-based applicants will have strong HS grades and a minimum of 600 on the SAT I and each of two SAT II subject tests, minimum 26 on the ACT, but “some programs require higher scores.”</p>
<p>I think either one would be fine, in terms of quality of education.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that McGill is in Montreal and you might have some issues with French, unless you already speak it.</p>
<p>Where are you coming from? Perhaps just pick the university closest to your hometown, so trips back are easier.</p>
<p>For a student, French is not required to live in Montr</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>McGill is an English-speaking school. In addition, believe it or not, it is actually possible to live in Montr</p>
<p>Montreal is the most bilingual city in Canada. About 70% of the population is native francophone and/or speaks French as the primary language at home, but virtually all French speakers (except perhaps some elderly) have a working knowledge of English. A little under 20% of the population is native anglophone and/or speaks English as the primary language at home, but virtually all English speakers (except perhaps some elderly) have a working knowledge of French. Not to say everyone’s fluent in their non-native tongue, but they know enough to get by and communicate the basics. The rest are native speakers of other languages, but most immigrants learn both French and English.</p>
<p>McGill is an English-speaking school in a predominantly English-speaking part of the city. One could come to McGill without a word of French and be just fine, but you’d pick up a lot of French just by living in Montreal for four years, and you’d almost certainly want to learn it–not because you’d need to necessarily, but because you’d feel that you were missing too much of what the city has to offer without it.</p>