<p>how does this 'special student status' work??? I would really appreatiate it if you tell me how things are Harvard vs Cornell</p>
<p>You have qualified for person who's shoes I would want to be in. I'd go to McGill if I had the money. You do have to prove you can pay for it before you get a visa. Overall I'd go to Harvard, but if you can't afford it go to Cornell. The international stuff with McGill is a big headache. Go with a U.S institution. Which ever is cheaper. As far as partying goes, I don't think these are the types of schools that go crazy like a UT or UF. Pick McGill for partying as you can drink when you get up there. Good luck, I wish I could make your decision, there really isn't a losing choice.</p>
<p>Just go to Harvard and live happily ever after.</p>
<p>PS: Grade inflation is the key to success.</p>
<p>"The international stuff with McGill is a big headache."</p>
<p>A US student has to apply for a study permit to attend McGill or any other Canadian university. It's actually not that much of a hassle. You can simply show up at any port of entry (airport or land border) and apply for the study permit.</p>
<p>"You do have to prove you can pay for it before you get a visa."</p>
<p>Yes, you do have to prove you have sufficient funds to pay for at least your first year of study. In reality, unless possibly you needed to earn a few thousand dollars by working to pay for the first year, this doesn't change things much. If you have nowhere near what it costs to attend a university, how are you going to go there regardless of which country it's in?</p>
<p>"Go with a U.S institution. Which ever is cheaper."</p>
<p>McGill is going to be far cheaper than private universities in the US unless significant financial aid is offered. Interestingly, international tuition and fees at McGill can be comparable to in-state tuition and fees at some US public universities.</p>
<p>Conversely, the Ivies and especially Harvard are likely to be cheaper if one really doesn't have much money.</p>
<p>"As far as partying goes, I don't think these are the types of schools that go crazy like a UT or UF."</p>
<p>Definitely correct in the case of McGill (I have no firsthand knowledge of Harvard or Cornell.)</p>
<p>"Pick McGill for partying as you can drink when you get up there."</p>
<p>The effects of the lower drinking age in Canada are overblown. If anything, partying tends not to get out of control as much at McGill as at many US universities, including some elite US universities.</p>
<p>"Grade inflation is the key to success."</p>
<p>McGill is quite proud of the fact that they don't inflate grades.</p>
<p>
[quote]
... In my opinion, the energy and culture of Harvard's campus is oppressive; its buildings are old and rather shoddy feeling...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So true. Given that Harvard, is, well, HARVARD, I must say that on visiting I found its campus to be spectcularly underwhelming. It wasn't a terrible campus, just a largely unremarkable one, save for gems like the spectacular Memorial Hall.</p>
<p>go to harvard. beg, borrow and steal to pay that tuition.</p>
<p>Go with a U.S institution. Which ever is cheaper."
You took what I said and joined it together as if I meant to say U.S schools are cheaper. I was trying to say that he/she should go to a U.S institution. Then out of Cornell and Harvard choose the less expensive one. I didn't say U.S schools are cheaper than Canadian ones.</p>
<p>Mcgill in my opinion is not in the same level as Harvard and cornell.....i would go to one of the former.</p>
<p>"You took what I said and joined it together as if I meant to say U.S schools are cheaper. I was trying to say that he/she should go to a U.S institution. Then out of Cornell and Harvard choose the less expensive one. I didn't say U.S schools are cheaper than Canadian ones."</p>
<p>I apologize if I misunderstood what you wrote. Ultimately, I was trying to respond to the financial considerations in general.</p>
<p>It's not well known that McGill (and to a lesser extent, other Canadian universities) are reasonably affordable for US students. The tuition structure is outlined here: Cost</a> of Attendance International (including US) tuition and fees at McGill is between $15,500 and $17,000 Canadian per year. That's between $12,450 and $13,655 US per year at current exchange rates.</p>
<p>(Note that McGill is starting to add surcharges for specific programs. They are doing this by increasing tuition several percent per year for the next few years. This can be a wash in that some US universities also have such surcharges.)</p>
<p>Also, not everybody gets to choose between McGill, Harvard and Cornell. For example, McGill might be the strongest university academically at which a given student was admitted. A given student might also have to choose between McGill and an in-state public university system which they dislike for some valid reason. In many cases, it's not as simple as just staying in the US.</p>
<p>After all, someone might read one of these threads comparing multiple schools because they're considering only one of them.</p>
<p>I think the best option is Harvard undergrad and Mcgill grad. Top canadian unversities are stronger and more competitive with the ivies in the grad schools, in many cases, even better, IMO, than they are in undergrad. McGill is academically rigourous but large student body and lack of funding will be felt, plus deadly cold Montreal winters. While in grad school you will be working with top notch academics and funding will be there and chances to do some exciting research with close ties with world-class professors.</p>
<p>Come up with a list that has pros and cons, and go from there. IMO, H, C. then McG. Having a Harvard degree will get you all the other things on your list. lol</p>
<p>ok well I’m about 2 years late but, whatever. Maybe someone else who is trying to make the same decision will read this…</p>
<p>Cornell and McGill are equals (sure, cornell is more selective but both have equally good/bad professors and both do a lot of significant research). The only reason McGill is not as selective as Cornell is because Canada doesn’t admit students the way American schools do, Canadians are EGALITARIAN. Undergrad doesn’t mean ****, though you still want good grades (which will be hard to get at McGill and Cornell).</p>
<p>McGill: once ranked 10th best party school in north america according to playboy magazine (which should be taken into account).</p>
<p>McGill: Great education, a lot of fun, and depending on the exchange rate, moderately priced, and tons of research opportunities, ETC.</p>
<p>Cornell: High suicide rate.</p>
<p>Cornell: Good food?</p>
<p>Harvard: People talking about their SAT scores.</p>
<p>Harvard: Unbeatable prestige at the graduate level.</p>
<p>I say McGill for undergrad, Harvard for grad.</p>
<p>and the cold? who cares about that when you’ve got four beautiful women around you keeping you warm?</p>
<p>“Cornell: High suicide rate”. Shut up, that’s all I have to say</p>
<p>The women in Montreal are staggeringly beautiful. You gotta see it to believe it.</p>
<p>guys… i believe my profile is not that strong to land me into cornell… but im sure i can manage to get an admission into McGill ( because of high acceptance rate and lenient acceptance policies etc), </p>
<p>if i do my undergraduate from McGill (hopefully graduate with a 3.7 or more gpa) what are my chances of getting into a top us school like stanford or an ivey school like cornell for my grad studies? </p>
<p>please help. thanks</p>
<p>anyone? please answer my last post in this thread…</p>