<p>any canadians applicants have "really" prestigious accomplishments? Like rsi, or nasa sharp or something like those?</p>
<p>"To not require finanial aid will increase your chances drastically"</p>
<p>yay. although my friend still got rejected from all HPS and ended up in NY. He actually introduced me to CC.</p>
<p>"any canadians applicants have "really" prestigious accomplishments? Like rsi, or nasa sharp or something like those?"</p>
<p>I know a few ppl from school who got sponsored for some RBC research thingy for biology. They make it sound like its uber prestigious, like they get 5000 bux for research. but since i've never heard of this thing, i don't think its THAT great.</p>
<p>"yay. although my friend still got rejected from all HPS and ended up in NY. He actually introduced me to CC."</p>
<p>Well, stats are still notoriously more important tan whether or not one requires financial aid. Being able to pay off tuition helps in that if there are applicants with similar apps as yours, and the admission officials are trying to decided who to accept, they lump the applicants into two categories, and accept the one or two who have enough money to pay off tuition themselves. </p>
<p>What are your stats like though? Are you applying next year or this year?</p>
<p>There aren't a lot of prestigious accomplishments that one can hope to achieve in Canada except for stuff like math contests and such. Nothing like siemens exists here, which is unfortunate.</p>
<p>I only have awards from some math/science competitions, but thats about it. I have only been to one summer camp, and I'll apply to a lot for this upcoming summer. </p>
<p>By the way, is Global Young Leaders Conference considered prestigious? How about Shad?</p>
<p>What kinds of math and science competitions? If they're national level, I'm thinking they can boost your app.</p>
<p>Seriously though, instead of applying to summer programs, is anyone thinking of volunteering teaching English in other countries?</p>
<p>Well I have some regional/provincial ones, such as Science Olympics 2nd place (regional), AHSMC top 50 (provincial), Michael Smith Challenge 1st in Alberta etc., and then some national ones like COMC and Waterloo contests, although I placed only in top 25% for all. </p>
<p>Oh I was placed 4th in North America for Kumon Math Challenge, but I doubt that the adcoms will consider it seriously.</p>
<p>I've heard of Kumon. I think the adcoms will take it seriously if the contest was nationwide, and a lot of people participated in it.</p>
<p>I also placed in the top 25% for one oft eh math contests, "fermat" I think. Waterloo, if you ask me, is not too good of a school.</p>
<p>Heh. Quite a bold assertion coming from you.</p>
<p>"Waterloo, if you ask me, is not too good of a school."</p>
<p>"...Stories like hers epitomize why the University of Waterloo is once again Canada's top academic institution in the Comprehensive category of the Maclean's ranking -- its third win in five years. What's more, in 15 years of rankings, Waterloo has placed first in the magazine's national reputational survey in every year but two..."</p>
<p>Out of the 6 universities that Bill Gates visited this past month, University of Waterloo was the only Canadian university he visited. The other select group of universities he included are University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, as well as Columbia, Princeton and Howard universities.</p>
<p>In the international undergraduate mathematics (Putnam) and computer science competitions (ACM), Waterloo has always placed within the top 20, out of the 6000 institutions worldwide that participate.</p>
<p>In addition, its co-op program is the best in Canada.</p>
<p>If you're looking out for an undergraduate institution that has a liberal arts education, then Waterloo is clearly not for you. However, if you want a close to MIT quality education at a fifth to the cost (ignoring scholarships), the Waterloo is the best school in Canada for the physical sciences, engineering and computer science/mathematics.</p>
<p>The fact that several Waterloo graduates have gone on to become billionaires, the fact that one that's now a Stanford professor (just donated $25 million to Waterloo) and another that won a MacArthur Prize (Ian Demaiter) as an MIT professor (age 23?) attests to Waterloo's brilliant tradition.</p>
<p>To make such an assertion without any caveats is to be blind.</p>
<p>Within the technological and engineering world, Waterloo is world renowned, there is no doubt about that.</p>
<p>Just as a side note.</p>
<p>The Kumon Math Challenge, while mentionable, isn't significant as compared to the University of Waterloo run contests because the University of Waterloo contests are the run-up to the qualification for the math camps whose ultimate goal is to select the four participants in the Canadian Mathematics Olympiad Team. And frankly, they the Kumon Math Challenge isn't anywhere as difficult as the Waterloo ones.</p>
<p>Prestige is a relative term. Canadians, in general, aren't as obsessed as our American counterparts with contests, which I posit is fostered by the social democratic culture (less private enterprise); hence, the lack of corporate sponsorship. Hence, while in the United States Intel and Siemens and the Olympiads are large competitions that the general populace (for the most part) is aware of, that isn't the case in Canada. For admissions purposes, that really doesn't matter.</p>
<p>There is an equivalent of Siemens, which is the Canada-Wide Science Fair, whose winners go on to represent Canada at Intel ISEF. There are many regional science fairs that feed into this larger national one.</p>
<p>If you're looking for notable achievements.</p>
<p>Qualifying for any of the Olympiad teams.
Qualifying for nationals at debating.
....
And so forth.</p>
<p>There are many opportunities in Canada - the fact that they receive no media attention in Canada is just a testament to our culture, not necessarily the merit of the competition itself.</p>
<p>"Out of the 6 universities that Bill Gates visited this past month, University of Waterloo was the only Canadian university he visited. The other select group of universities he included are University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, as well as Columbia, Princeton and Howard universities."</p>
<p>So if Bill Gates visits it, it's automatucally prestigious now? Surely you jest. Exactly what constitutes prestige these days, hmmm.</p>
<p>Anyway, you can't really tout Waterloo's overall prestige because of a few successful graduates and whatnot. In any case, I'm just not impressed by the fact that it's so heavily math and engineering oriented. At best, it's a wannabe microcosm of MIT.</p>
<p>Of course, that's just my humble opinion. I'm much more interested in economics, the study and inference of laws governing exchange, trade.
I personally feel that it's a much more practical and viable option these days. </p>
<p>Besides, the reality in Canada, I'm afraid, is that the fascist liberal socialist set in Canada has taken charge politically. While there are many conservative Canadians here in Canada, we're not in power because the elitist urban socialits have gained power and popularity. So, basically, Canada is run by the major cities political thinking. Go out into rural Canada, they are also appalled at their own government.</p>
<p>Think about it, even in the light of socialized systems utterly failing to meet the peoples' demands, ridiculously high taxation and a devolution of personal rights, the government with the support of the radical Canadian left, plods ever onward into the abyss of socialism and irrelevency in the global scene. </p>
<p>What I'm getting at is that all this affects the allure of me wanting to get an education here. It doesn't matter how well our universities(Waterloo) place in competitions globally, because we'll never be the best. And like you said, even though few prestigious competitions remain here for us to compete in, the fact that they receive no publicity is exaclty reflective of our culture, or lack of. As much as I love Canada, I'm too politically inclined to remain here.</p>
<p>to each his own. I think some of it depends on whether or not you care about the political climate of your school.</p>
<p>
[quote]
So if Bill Gates visits it, it's automatucally prestigious now? Surely you jest. Exactly what constitutes prestige these days, hmmm.</p>
<p>Anyway, you can't really tout Waterloo's overall prestige because of a few successful graduates and whatnot. In any case, I'm just not impressed by the fact that it's so heavily math and engineering oriented. At best, it's a wannabe microcosm of MIT.
[/quote]
Many things contribute to the prestigiousness of a university, and for better or for worse, a visit by Bill Gates is one of them. Waterloo is not on par with MIT, obviously, but it is still an excellent university. If the success of a university is not judged by the success of its best graduates, then how should it be judged? I would rather go to a school that focuses heavily on math and engineering, gets recruitment visits from Bill Gates and produces brilliant entreprenuers than a university filled with students who throw around ten-dollar words like "microcosm" in order to sound smart.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Besides, the reality in Canada, I'm afraid, is that the fascist liberal socialist set in Canada has taken charge politically. While there are many conservative Canadians here in Canada, we're not in power because the elitist urban socialits have gained power and popularity. So, basically, Canada is run by the major cities political thinking. Go out into rural Canada, they are also appalled at their own government.</p>
<p>Think about it, even in the light of socialized systems utterly failing to meet the peoples' demands, ridiculously high taxation and a devolution of personal rights, the government with the support of the radical Canadian left, plods ever onward into the abyss of socialism and irrelevency in the global scene.</p>
<p>What I'm getting at is that all this affects the allure of me wanting to get an education here. It doesn't matter how well our universities(Waterloo) place in competitions globally, because we'll never be the best. And like you said, even though few prestigious competitions remain here for us to compete in, the fact that they receive no publicity is exaclty reflective of our culture, or lack of. As much as I love Canada, I'm too politically inclined to remain here.
[/quote]
Sure there are problems in Canada, but the United States is hardly perfect. If you think the "fascist liberal socialist" are truly taking Canada into an "abyss", then stay and do something abou it. Running from your problems is hardly something that a principled conservative will do.</p>
<p>yeah, top 25% isn't worth that much on math contest considering how many "avg people" write it, so what if you are 1/4? if 1000000 people wrote it, you'll be in top 250000, not really that prestigious, however.... I believe there's invites for people who do well. that might be worth mentioning. I think in Fermat or Galois, if you score over 120, you get invited for another contest</p>
<p>"students who throw around ten-dollar words like "microcosm" in order to sound smart."</p>
<p>really, ten dollar word, huh?</p>
<p>"Sure there are problems in Canada, but the United States is hardly perfect. If you think the "fascist liberal socialist" are truly taking Canada into an "abyss", then stay and do something abou it. Running from your problems is hardly something that a principled conservative will do."</p>
<p>btw, it's not just an "abyss, it's an "abyss", of socialism and irrelevancy in the global scene.</p>
<p>Just my humble opinion. And moving to another country is not "running away" from problems. I love Canada with all my heart, but cannot stand the political scene here.</p>
<p>To say that the Liberal gov't has been hijacked by "fascist liberal socialists" (which doesn't even make sense) is absolutely ridiculous in light of the fact that the NDP is prepared to abandon the Liberals and leave them to the dogs in a no-confidence vote. Do you even follow politics, or are you just making inflammatory generalizations based on a couple opinion columns you read?</p>
<p>newbyreborn I think you're thinking of the COMC. If you do well on that contest, you're invited to take the CMO, which is basically how the olympic team is formed. There's also AMC... and AIME, and USAMO. </p>
<p>Speaking of which, the COMC is tomorrow.</p>
<p>i believe there ARE opportunities in Canada, and i don't mean math contests. Math contests are pretty much worthless if you don't win anything, or at least make it to the elite/top few, especially if ur asian, since most of the top scorers are asian. why? cause they are simply too common, and there are simply too many participators. </p>
<p>Also, waterloo is fairly easy to get into, if you don't go into their absolute top programs. Their most demanding program is software engineering, which requires 96% average, 4 teacher recs, and they also look at your EC's.</p>
<p>not really, software engineering took 2 from my school, and they weren't that great, avged 88%+, i mean they were good, but nothing special. Plus, grades here are so messed up! i wish we had system like back in china, where it's just one standardized test in the end so sucking up to the teachers and buying them gifts won't excuse you from failing!</p>
<p>wut about engineering @ waterloo? electrical etc????? </p>
<p>is engineering a moderately strong department in schools like Queens, McGill, or Western?????</p>
<p>this whole debate about waterloo is ridiculous. anyone with half a brain cell would conclude that it is one of the best universities in Canada. Look at the peer assessment rankings in McLeans magazine. For the past 10 years, Waterloo has placed in the top 10 in the Putnam competition (most prestigious college math contest) out of all of the colleges/univiersities in North America and even winning it once. Microsoft, IBM, etc recruit heavily on its campus. I could go on and on about why Waterloo is one of the most prestigious CS/math schools in the world...but i think the conclusion is pretty obvious.</p>
<p>About high school contests: definitely try to do well on COMC...only one that qualifies you for CMO. also, if ur school offers AMC 10/12 try to take those too because that's what the american kids take...this way, the adcoms can compare you directly with the domestic kids. Best scenario: qualify and do well on either CMO or USAMO (and yes, canadian students can take the USAMO).</p>
<p>also, your ability to pay will affect your chances of admission if only your college is not need-blind to canadian students. all the Ivies, MIT, and some of the liberal arts colleges are all need-blind to canadian citizens...meaning whether or not you request financial aid has no bearing on whether or not you get accepted.</p>
<p>finally, good luck everyone who's applying RD and to those of you who applied EA/ED. :)</p>
<p>just speaking from my point of view, there are oppurtunities here in Canada, it just takes a bit more searching to discover them</p>
<p>just looking at my public school, out of our school's gifted program we've had people go to the states, harvard, princeton, mit, cornell. </p>
<p>but we've had many just as equally bright students stay in canada. the fact is the education offered here isn't as bad as you make it to be. I would say that waterloo's math and engineering is on par with many top universities in the states, even mit. there co-op program is exellent with many job oppurtunities that are normally unreachable. </p>
<p>whether you choose the states of here, there will be bright people and the education will be what you make of it. </p>
<p>Shadvalley is a good summer program despite what some of you think. The people you meet are bright and talented. ThA lot of the participants do look at the states for their postsecondary education. i guarantee that each campus will have people who have scored 2200+ on their SAT's. People I met at SHAD have had great work placements at IBM, won many of canada's biggest scholarships and had a friend who went to shad go to yale etc. so don't dismiss this program just because it isn't RSI.</p>
<p>one of the best things you can do to increase your chances is to write contests. out of all the people who have gone to the states, all wrote and did well in math, physics, chem contests. perhaps it's the high number of international olympiads in our school over the past 7 years, strange.</p>