Top Canadian schools vs moderately prestigious U.S. schools?

Student Lounge International Students
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Hi everyone!

So I’m currently an undergraduate at a U.S. school that isn’t the best fit. It’s mostly commuter and just doesn’t feel right. It’s very homogeneous. I’ve also noticed it’s looked down on by people in the area which isn’t very important but it still puts me down.
I have a great GPA right now and I’m thinking of transferring to Canadian schools like McGill, Queen’s or UBC. However, I can’t help but to wonder if they’re comparable to other schools I could transfer to later on, like NYU, USC or BU. These schools are going to cost a TON more of money – probably more than double what top Canadian schools would. Are they worth it? I’m not rich. Going to these schools might mean incurring some debt or using savings that we weren’t supposed to. But is the experience a lot better? Do students at BU or NYU end up being a lot more successful than students from McGill or UBC in general?
I’m looking for a well respected school. A good name, driven and ambitious students around me, and good post-graduation opportunities. Good connections too. I’m an international student, and I will try to get employment after I graduate in whichever country I end up but wouldn’t mind coming back to my country (or going somewhere else) if I can’t.

I appreciate your advice.

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Hi,
It depend on what you would like to specialize in Canada. Canadian Iniversities are among the top programs in the world. However, there are a difference between Quebec and other Province’s educational systems. For Example, Quebec follows the British Educational hierarchy where Colleges are like A-levels ( British). To get into University, in Quebec, you need to go through a college program after completing grade 11. The other Provinces, only high school certificate is required.
Each Canadian University has their specialty. For example, McGill is highly known for Medical School and Law, Concordia University is known for business and some areas of Engineering and Univericity of Toronto is fully known for its business faculty.

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This is only for Quebec residents. Out of province and international students are admitted based on grade 12 high school stats or equivalent .