UC Berkeley or McGill? Ignoring costs, help me pick the better school.

College Search & Selection
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<p>Can't decide between these schools. I come from the Pacific Northwest and am looking for a different environment. The Berkeley area is a great fit... visited recently, and loved the campus feel, students, and area. I also know that it has many top 10 programs. I want to study something in neuroscience(ology).</p>

<p>I know McGill is well-regarded internationally, but don't know how much its grade deflation would help in grad school admissions, especially into medical school. Going there, however, would be a great way to experience a new culture and learn another language. I also hear that it is great in life sciences.</p>

<p>CC: What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.</p>

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<p>“Going there, however, would be a great way to experience a new culture and learn another language.”</p>

<p>It’s not like Canadian “culture” isn’t 90% American. However, Montreal is very international. What other language are you planning on learning? Arabic? Students complain about the poor quality of French instruction at McGill. Also, Quebec French isn’t exactly what you’ll be taught. French spoken in Canada contains a lot of slang. French spoken in Europe contains only pure vowels. Quebec French is full of dipthongs.</p>

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<p>Berkeley for sure</p>

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<p>Berkeley, no question.</p>

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<p>Is McGill really that bad? Can anyone justify why Berkeley would be better?</p>

1 Like
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<p>I can’t. An international survey states McGill is better. [QS</a> World University Rankings - 2012 | Top Universities](<a href=“http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2012]QS”>QS World University Rankings 2012: Top Global Universities | Top Universities)</p>

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<p>@Erin’s dad </p>

<p>The ranking you’ve posted, quite frankly, should be ignored. It includes things like # of international students and faculty. </p>

<p>Let’s look at the categories of th QS ranking that actually matter - academic and employer reputation. </p>

<p>Berkeley scores 100 in both categories versus McGill’s 98.5 academic score and 95.1 employer score. </p>

<p>For academic reputation, Berkeley is tied with MIT, Cambridge, Harvard, oxford, Princeton and Stanford among others. McGill, for comparison, is ranked around NYU, Manchester and UPenn.</p>

<p>For employer reputation, Berkeley is tied with MIT, Cambridge, oxford, LSE, imperial, Yale, and Stanford among others. McGill, for comparison, is ranked around UCL and Toronto.</p>

<p>Now let’s look at area rankings
Arts and humanities: Berkeley 4 vs. McGill 32
Engineering and technology: Berkeley 3 vs. McGill 46
Life sciences and medicine: Berkeley 6 vs. McGill 29
Natural sciences: Berkeley 4 vs. McGill 38
Social sciences and management: Berkeley 5 vs. McGill 36</p>

<p>[University</a> of California, Berkeley (UCB) Rankings | Top Universities](<a href=“http://www.topuniversities.com/node/2238/ranking-details/world-university-rankings/2012]University”>http://www.topuniversities.com/node/2238/ranking-details/world-university-rankings/2012)
[McGill</a> University Rankings | Top Universities](<a href=“http://www.topuniversities.com/node/4165/ranking-details/world-university-rankings/2012]McGill”>http://www.topuniversities.com/node/4165/ranking-details/world-university-rankings/2012)</p>

<p>ARWU, compared to QS, puts Berkeley at number 4 in the world (just below Harvard, Stanford and MIT) compared to McGill at 63.
[Academic</a> Ranking of World Universities - 2012| Top 500 universities | Shanghai Ranking - 2012 | World University Ranking - 2012](<a href=“http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2012.html]Academic”>http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2012.html)</p>

<p>For science Berkeley is ranked 2 vs. McGill 101-150
For engineering Berkeley is ranked 3 vs. McGill 51-75
For life and agricultural sciences Berkeley is 15 vs. McGill 22
Medicine and pharmacy Berkeley 30 vs. McGill 31
Social science Berkeley 3 vs. McGill 51-75</p>

<p>However you want to spin in it, in every ranking, Berkeley is ranked above McGill for academic reputation and research output. Most programs at Berkeley are ranked top 5 or 10 in the world, versus mostly 30s and below at McGill. McGill also isn’t as respected by employers.</p>

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<p>It sounds like you want to go to Berkeley, but you think McGill will give you a good international experience.</p>

<p>Follow your heart.</p>

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<p>OOS at Berkeley is more than USD 50k. As a Canadian national, what would McGill run you?</p>

<p>These are essentially peer institutions. You can safely choose the cheap one. McGill’s international reputation will probably make you happier than the international reputations of the other institutions you were considering in your other thread.</p>

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<p>@HMO1 - I think McGill would cost around $25k or less (including travel from Seattle). Not bad IMO. Everyone is saying Berkeley, though… My parents are saying they “will suck it up” and want me to go to Berkeley.</p>

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<p>Cal OOS is not worth the tremendous debt — if McGill is cheaper go there, both are great schools.</p>

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<p>@time quoting myself: “Ignoring costs, help me pick the better school.” So… Cal IS the better school?</p>

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<p>Definitely Cal. I envy you for being able to choose between such fine schools.</p>

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<p>Since you mention pre-med, you want to minimize debt and save money for expensive medical school (at least if you want to go to medical school in the US; you may want to check on the possibility of medical school in Canada if you are a citizen of Canada).</p>

<p>If you go to the more expensive undergraduate school, will you have that much additional debt?</p>

<p>If you go to the less expensive undergraduate school, will your parents offer the difference to your medical school expenses?</p>

<p>Montr</p>

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<p>I chose Berkeley this weekend! Class of 2017</p>

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<p>I think you made the right decision. Good luck. Perhaps consider McGill for grad school.</p>

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<p>this is a ridiculous thread because people gave answers w/o concern of costs. That would be like saying, “Ignoring costs, what would be better, a home in the mountains or a home on the beach”. </p>

<p>Many would say a home on the beach, yet if you really can only afford the home in the mountains than other people’s selections of “beach” are meaningless. Their choice doesn’t mean that you should buy the unaffordable home. </p>

<p>Cost is an issue, especially if med school or any grad school is in your future. Cal is not worth that debt…at all…not when you have very good alternatives.</p>

<p>: My parents would only be able to pay a certain amount. $38k-ish/year (+/- $5k). And yes, I was basically asking if $100k debt was worth it.</p>

<p>that is your quote above. WHO will be paying back that $100k (which will be much larger by the time you are thru with undergrad and med/grad school).</p>

<p>You have at least 3 other very good low cost alternatives that won’t leave you in debt. USD (a different environment) and UWash (your instate school). How much would Boston College cost you?</p>

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<p>I would go with Berkeley.</p>

<p>To me, it is more prestigious than McGill, and in life, your college degree often serves as a “brand name” “label” for you.</p>

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<p>^^</p>

<p>Oh good heavens. Cal is not worth $100k of debt.</p>

<p>The student can go to UWash and have no debt. He wants to go to med school. UWash has a top med school. </p>

<p>He should go to UWash.</p>

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<p>@mom Don’t think that I’m not going through significant stress in choosing a school. I want to make a decision that will make me successful and happy without ignoring the opportunities.</p>