<p>I want to study economics, and I'm well aware of the prestigious program at UChicago. In my opinion, undergrad schools are very important for people going into business, spec. because of recruitment by banks. I think i have just as good of a shot as anyone else at getting into UChicago, but the pricetag is scarying me , A LOT.</p>
<p>But, I'm also a canadian citizen, which means that McGill will be much easier(almost a safety) and much more affordable for me ($5000 tuition per year at max).</p>
<p>So, what would you pick? Uchicago w/ little financial aid or McGill with a great pricetag?</p>
<p>Both schools have cold weather and tough grading. The atmospheres and styles of the school are really quite different, though. Do you love the idea of Chicago's core? Do you like the small/medium college feel? Do you want discussion and seminar classes or do you feel more comfortable in large lectures? </p>
<p>You have time to decide. I think that money should be a big factor in your decision, but it should not be the only factor. Remember that Chicago just got $100 million donation toward undergrad financial aid, so certain income brackets are going to be treated very well starting in the next year or two. Visit Chicago and go to a core humanities class, since that type of experience (in a discussion-based core class with lots of reading and lots of connecting of ideas) will really define your experience. Also try to learn more about what financial aid at Chicago is going to be for you with the new program. Spend time at McGill and go to a career office and ask about US recruitment. </p>
<p>The student experiences at each school is quite different, and it's something to think about.</p>
<p>corranged is right. McGill and Chicago are such different places you must visit and decide for yourself. </p>
<p>A few of the differences:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>McGill has very little student housing. It is only likely for out of country freshman.</p></li>
<li><p>McGill's library is terrible.</p></li>
<li><p>Montreal is one of the best student cities in the world. Chicago is more oriented to 20s -30s.</p></li>
<li><p>Globally, Chicago has much better name recognition.</p></li>
<li><p>Tuition may be a bargain at McGill, but fin aid as we know it is nonexistent for yanks.</p></li>
<li><p>McGill has suffered for years from chronic underfunding from Quebec and a lot of francophone pressure. </p></li>
<li><p>Changing majors, other than close ones, is tough at McGill.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>McGill is a large, public institution; lots of the McGill vs. Chicago tradeoffs are the same as if you were looking at Chicago vs. UCLA or UMD-CP.</p>
<p>However, nothing illustrates the real cultural differences better than the orientation-package cover letter my daughter's McGill bff got: Quebec has a drinking age of 18, and lots of orientation events were set up in bars and clubs around the city (to introduce new students to Montreal). The cover letter noted that some freshmen might not be 18 yet, and it gave them a number to call to make certain that their university ID had a birthdate that made them 18 so they wouldn't miss any of the orientation-week fun.</p>
<p>Hard to imagine that at Chicago, or any American university!</p>
<p>wow.. haha you're right. I guess it's going to be a tough choice. If I had to pick between these 2 schools w/o any monetary consideration, I'd def. pick UChicago. BUt, I'm thinking the tradeoff between tuition is going to be near 20000 a year, even with financial aid. </p>
<p>Well, let's just hope I get IN to Chicago first lol.</p>
<p>McGill is quite different from a large public US university in culture and support from Quebec. These differences can be good or bad depending on the kid and the issue. To use one example, McGill is about education. Period. It does not have many clubs or campus events. You go to class there and that's it. US megauniversities are minature cities in most cases.</p>
<p>McGill is also organized around "faculties" which are much like US "schools" within a U, such as "The School of Engineering". But the faculties are much more independent and may make it difficult for outsiders to take classes (CMU is one of the few US U's with this problem).</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong. McGill is a great place, and Montreal is a great city. Most US kids that go to McGill love the place. But you gotta know what you're getting into. </p>
<p>Final issue is that if you want to go to grad or professional school in the US, especially in the Northeast, McGill will serve you well. It is well known in academic circles. But job hunters beware. You may hear "McGill? Where is that?...</p>
<p>for econ, ide say chicago. Who cares about the price. Chicago econ is one of the most prestigious college departments in the world. You can easily land a great job out of u of c</p>