UofT or UBC? Humanities

Student Lounge International Students
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Hi there! I’m a dual citizen from Portland, Oregon, and I am choosing between UBC and UofT (St. George campus). I would be studying in the faculty of Arts and Sciences at either school, taking predominantly Humanities/sociology/business classes. I’ve lived in the States my whole life, and so don’t know the reputations of the two schools as well as a Canadian might. I’ve visited both campuses, plan to visit again, have done my research, and I’m finding them both to be really high quality institutions with fairly comparable reputations and educations. And that’s part of the problem! I’m not sure what I’ll major in yet, I’m undecided in terms of my future career path, and I’m not sure which school to choose. If you have any experience with these schools, would you mind providing your insight? Here are a few things to consider:

  1. I currently attend a small independent school which feels a lot like a liberal arts college at times. I feel like I’ve really benefited from this small and intimate environment, and I like to stay busy with a variety of EC’s. I got accepted into Woodsworth at UofT. I’ve heard that this college is fairly disengaged from the student life. Is that consistent for the rest of the college? And how do the two universities compare?

  2. Since I’m from Oregon, UBC is a great deal more convenient to travel to. (But UofT usually ranks higher.) Is it worth it to travel from the West Coast to East for UofT?

  3. I’m no stranger to a difficult courseload. I’d like to go to an academically engaging school where the people around me are committed to their work, but I don’t want to sacrifice that for four years of being overworked, stressed, and facing impossible grade deflation. I know that UofT has recently been in the news for having a poor relationship with mental health on campus. Is it really as bad as the news says? And how does UBC compare?

  4. I’ve also heard that students at UofT sometimes feel like they’re just a number amongst their peers and are allowed to attend the school just to fund the graduate research. I have a feeling that I’d find this at any major research institution in some degree, but I’m unsure as to how severe this is at both schools.

  5. Is a pretty and outdoorsy city (Vancouver) more enjoyable that a vibrant and dense one (UofT)?

Feel free to respond to one, a few, or all of my points! I really do like both of these schools, and so I’m just figuring out the small details now- the student life, community engagement, support from administration, etc. I have a feeling there’s a large number of seniors considering the same options as me right now, and so your responses could have a really large impact. Thanks in advance!

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I’m a UBC alum, and have spent very little time East of the continental divide so can’t speak to Toronto. UBC has changed a lot since I was there a decade ago, and it’s a big enough school that everyone’s experience there is different. The thing about Canadian schools and other big schools (>30k students) is that you can only get as much as you put in. I had a great time in undergrad, but I also had to take charge of my experience and know how to advocate for myself in terms of getting into the courses, the major, the clubs, the research experiences that I wanted.

As to your points:

  1. There are tons of ECs to get involved with at UBC. Clubs recruit in the first week, but it’s fine to join up any time - just ask. There are also several leadership-building programs run by UBC that you can apply to. They’re great for making UBC feel like a small community and getting to know people outside the classroom. Living on campus will automatically give you a community - each house and residence has events, volunteer groups, support groups, etc. Do note that a lot of students are commuters from the Vancouver area, and might prefer to stick with their old high school friend groups. Day of the Longboat and Storm the Wall are university-wide events that are a lot of fun and bring everyone together. You find your own tribe - sports, Greek life, music, ballroom dance, student government, etc.
  1. UBC and UofT are very close in rankings... Western Canadian employers don't care that much. I went on to a PhD at a top 5 US school after UBC. In my PhD program, there were students from UBC admitted every year. We did not have UofT students every year. But that might be self-selection by coastal preference. I did my PhD on the West coast. UBC is well-recognized internationally.
  2. UBC is tough... there are a lot of academic rules for advancing to the next year, getting into your preferred major, getting into the courses you need, etc. Read the academic calendar front-to-back. Understand the rules, go to class, don't leave studying until the last minute. Most courses grade based on a few major exams or term papers. For example, my English courses were based on 2 essays and one final, worth 25% / 25% / 50% towards the final grade so slacking off on one assignment can be really bad. Science courses were usually 30% mid-term/70% final. Grade inflation depends on the department and course. When I was at UBC, the English department only gave A+ grades to ~1% of the class (1-2 students).
  3. Yes. UBC is big. So is UofT and most other Canadian schools. A 300-student class can feel small if you get to know the professor. You can take it upon yourself to get to know the professor. Professors aren't scary - they're just people. Some are easy to get along with and some are not. They could be awful teaching lectures, but might be really awesome in office hours. You'll need to figure them out yourself. First-years can apply for ArtsOne/ScienceOne or the integrated programs which provide a smaller group of peers that you take all your courses with.
  4. UBC campus is isolated on a peninsula and surrounded by a forest. There's a beach (clothing optional). It's a 10-15 minute bus ride off campus into the hipster West-side neighbourhoods (4th ave, 10th ave, Granville St., Kitsilano, Kerrisdale). I never went up to Whistler or Grouse Mountain, but if you have friends with cars that might be more feasible. There are awesome running and biking routes along the seawall and beaches.
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Wow– this is some really great information! Thank you SO much. If I choose UBC, I’ll take a look into those leadership programs! Those are the kind of things I didn’t really know about, and everything that you said in point number one is really helping to ease my anxiety about college. From what you’re saying, it sounds like there’s a whole ton to get out of a UBC education. If there’s anyone else in my situation: I was considering a long list of small liberal arts schools in the States, but I’ve decided on Canadian schools to 1) spread my wings and 2) not take on $200,000 in student debt. (Pretty happy with my decision!!!)

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The only thing I would add is that coming from Oregon, UBC will be closer to home for you. The winters will also be considerably milder than in Toronto. Both cities are very expensive to live in (though Vancouver perhaps a bit more than Toronto).

Academics at both schools will be rigorous and no one is going to hold your hand. You will be expected to be an independent worker and take the initiative to get whatever assistance you need and take advantage of any opportunities. UBC offers Arts One in first year which can help make your first year experience a bit more intimate as it has limited enrolment. U of T offers a variety of first year seminar courses as electives than can help to give a similar experience.

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I’ve lived in both Toronto and Vancouver. I’m from Vancouver originally and am also a (relatively recent) UBC alum. geraniol’s assessment of the school is pretty bang-on. Personally, I loved my time at UBC. The profs, the classes, the people, the activities, the campus… all superb and beyond my wildest expectations. Just a fantastic and diverse community that values education and having a great time. UBC has the most robust Greek system in Canada, so being only 18 in a province with 19+ drinking age won’t be a disadvantage if you want to party a bit. (As an aside, UBC isn’t like most American schools with regards to drinking and partying underaged. I was a residence advisor for first-years. Drinking in the rooms is fine just as long as you aren’t making a lot of noise and don’t have more than 7 people in one room. Even if a student did break that rule, all they’d get was a verbal warning. Didn’t notify the school or the parents. We also don’t do raids for alcohol or anything like that. I’ve heard horror stories from my American friends who went to American schools who say that kind of thing can get you kicked out of the dorms.)

If you go to UBC, you should live in a dorm your first year. Try to get Totem Park or Place Vanier. I lived in the dorms as a boarder and as a residence advisor. Out of the thirty girls on my floor during my first year, I think 10 were from the U.S. (IN, MN, CA, CO, MT, WA), 10 were from places like Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dubai, or a Western European country, and 10 were Canadian. This kind of diversity is commonplace on campus. You’ll make friends from all over the world.

If you’re looking for a big city experience with a downtown campus, UofT St. George is the school for you. If you want to be close to a big city, but still be secluded in a nook surrounded by forests and the ocean with views of the mountain, then UBC is for you. The outdoorsy activities in Vancouver are unparalleled, and UBC has more a community feel than UofT. Obviously, if you want to stay in the PNW, then UBC is it. But if you want a different experience in a different part of North America, Toronto could be great for you. It’s a big metropolis with poor weather in the winter, but nothing compared to Ottawa or Montreal.

The education is pretty much the same at both schools. Both are large with big first-year class sizes. As you get more specialized, you’ll be in classes with only 20-30 people. Either school will prepare you well if you want to go back to the U.S., either for work or graduate school. One can’t say with certainty that either school has an advantage over the other in this regard. Personal friends of mine from UBC now work in tech in Silicon Valley. Some others went to the Ivy League, Stanford, and Berkeley for graduate school. I’m sure many from UofT end up at those sorts of schools and positions, too.

In any case, I think your choice depends on the atmosphere you’re looking for, as you’ll be getting a great education at either school. I’m partial to UBC and wouldn’t trade my experience there for any school in the world. I had a great time, made amazing friends, and learned a lot. My education at UBC prepared me more for my career than my grad school experience in Ontario ever did, but YMMV.

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