USC vs McGill

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
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<p>so ive got to decide between USC and McGill. i keep going back and forth. every time i read something about mcgill it sounds great and i think ive made up my mind, but then i read something about USC and i change my mind and decide to go there >_<</p>

<p>i am interested in communications but i am not in the communications school at USC, so i would probably end up doing the interdisciplinary program. if i went to mcgill id be in the arts college and do political science if i couldnt switch to the buisness school to do marketing, but ive heard its really easy to switch so it wont be a problem. im not sure how easy it is to switch schools with USC though, but i would at least try.</p>

<p>i love love LOVE montreal, and the independent aspect of McGill and i am really not into the frat/sorority blonde bimbo stereotype that ive heard so much about at USC. i also wanted to go somewhere slightly different than the US because i wanted a more international school and mcgill definitely has a more international student body than USC. LA is great but it really cant compare to Montreal.</p>

<p>im also more interested in working in the US than in canada, however i also do want to work internationally rather than just in the US.</p>

<p>ANY advice or opinion will be helpful!</p>

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<p>Quote:
"i am really not into the frat/sorority blonde bimbo stereotype that ive heard so much about at USC."</p>

<p>My daughter is going to USC, so I think you should go to McGill.</p>

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<p>My son is going to USC and shares your disinterest in frats, bimbo's, etc. I think old stereotypes die hard and that USC has a different demographic than it did 10 years ago. Still, Montreal and LA are very different places. One is very American (and Hollywood at that) and the other has European flavor. You should go where you think your day to day life will be best, with the caveat that if you intend to work in the US, USC will be more widely recognized and recruited than McGill. I think it is easy to change schools at USC-they suggested as much at one of their info sessions for undeclared major applicants, but if you want to move into a selective school, be prepared to earn your spot.</p>

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<p>Mom,
I am enjoying your posts.
GG</p>

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<p>Rascalmuffin,
You are stereotyping women who have achieved very high grades as well as scoring well on national examinations. Needless to say all women at SC are not "blonde bimbos"!
I know of a woman at SC who is a rising senior chemical engineering major. She volunteers for a well known charity. In addition, she serves as President of her sorority. Her GPA is 4.0. She happens to have natural blonde, long hair and is quite attractive.<br>
Does she deserve to be called a bimbo?</p>

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<p>rascal,
I'm very familiar with McGill since I studied there. Montreal IS a very interesting and vibrant city. As Mcgill is in the center of downtown, you'd have access to everything, and the metro and bus system is tops. Do keep in mind though that the winters are long and cold and most of the academic year will be in this climate.
The two schools and environments are very different otherwise as well.
A difference is class size and access to faculty. Classes are very large at McGill and the school tends to be bureaucratic. In contrast not so at USC where you will have more personalized attention and flexibility both in academic areas and in administrative. (I was in a professional school where things were a bit different, but I do know that Arts and Science classes are huge and impersonal)
Diversity of student body: McGill will have many commuter students, and Quebecers given the tuition rate priority and the set up of the CEGEP system. At the same time there is a healthy international and US body, but still less than what you'd have at USC I believe.
Please dispel that "bimbo" myth at USC, doesn't exist. McGill btw has a heavy frat scene.
On another thread here, there is a inspiring and informative speech by USC's President Sample you might want to read, which will enlighten you about USC's present academic stature and how far it has come (and away from the old stereotypes)
McGill certainly is in a great location and it would be nice for you to explore a new environment. McGill also does have an excellent reputation, not only within Canada. But USC is such a great school where kids tend to feel happy.
Consider carefully your future plans. Coming from a Canadian institution when you wish to work in the US, does have some difficulties (at least in the professional degrees)
Tough decision...wish you the best.</p>

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<p>thank you to bessie and sequoia, your responses were both very intelligent and helpful. ill take your opinions into consideration.</p>

<p>alamemom and "GG" : it was not me who stereotyped the girls at USC, simply every information book, online source, as well as many residents of southern california and beyond.</p>

<p>I understand how difficult it is to get into USC, however many women have the choice to act in certain ways, and i personally am not attracted to the attitude that seems to be portrayed by a majority of the girls at USC, at least a large enough number for the rest of the American population to highlight that detail.</p>

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<p>rascal-
if you "are personally not attracted to the attitude that seems to be portrayed by a majority of the girls at USC", you are probably better off at McGill.</p>

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<p>rascal, I just noticed that you are in England.
Both schools will be a very new experience for you.
With regards to USC, really the impression you are getting about USC girls is a bit off. My D, who will be attending USC, has already made about 60 friends and none of them appear as you suggest. (And she too is put off by the perception of a "party school types".) Because my D will be living at Parkside, she has "met" many girls from international locations..India, European countries, China, Japan etc, as well as many from within the US and they seem like a great bunch of students with a variety of goals and aspirations, fields of academic interests.
rascal, you will have your "party types" at every university, including at McGill and others and at USC. It's a matter of whom you choose to be amongst, the friends you make, and at USC the "majority of girls" are by no means what unfortunately you've been led to perceive.</p>

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<p>thanks again sequoia, and yeah RAM, i seem to be leaning more towards McGill. I had just hoped to get some different viewpoints.</p>

<p>if anyone has anything else to say about USC vs McGill that doesnt have to do with the student body it would be helpful. ive lived in many different places and have coped with many different situations so though the student body is important, it is obviously not the most important factor in my decision.</p>

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<p>


</p>

<p>Perhaps... However, have you considered that many men have a choice to act in certain ways, and some of us are not attracted to the attitude that seems to be portrayed by pr***s such as yourself.</p>

<p>Yes, USC has a reputation in the jock department. I am personally of the opinion that where there is smoke there is water. Despite having made major strides, my sense is that USC still has a certain amount of that "culture" associated with it. I am so TOTALLY turned off by TrojanEverything and "Fight On" plastered at every turn. However, making such sweeping generalizations based on what you have read in an online discussion board speaks volumes. Me thinks USC got their decision right the first time.... What a pitty!</p>

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<p>If "every information book, online source, as well as many residents of southern california and beyond" think the stereotype is true, then it is safe to think it is true. Why did you apply to USC at the first time? You should go to McGill.</p>

<p>I do not believe you've been to a lot of different places. Even if you did, you are not an open-minded type to live in LA.</p>

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<p>alamemom,
[quote]
"i am really not into the frat/sorority blonde bimbo stereotype that ive heard so much about at USC."</p>

<p>My daughter is going to USC, so I think you should go to McGill.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You are too funny! You made my day with your post! You go, mom!</p>

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<p>The</a> McGill Daily</p>

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<p>Interesting article, ColumbiaStudent. :]</p>

<p>Rascalmuffin, you sound like you've already made up your mind to go to McGill. You like the city and the atmosphere more and have a clearer studies plan for that college. So please, go there next year, and take your condescending, judgmental attitude with you. </p>

<p>Good luck deciding.</p>

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<p>It seems I missed a bit here - I was washing my (blonde) hair.</p>

<p>Hmmm... Rasclamuffin is from London. My daughter had the wonderful opportunity to study at Oxford University last summer, and it was her experience that each time she introduced herself as being from California all would gasp and look as though they expected her to start rollerblading in a bikini or give Paris Hilton a jingle on the cell phone... so you are not alone in your assumptions.</p>

<p>Rascal, imagine that the only impression everyone here had of young women from England was what they saw in a Benny Hill sketch, and all assumed that was how "the majority" of college-age girls in London conducted themselves. You might disagree and point out that that stereotype doesn't apply to you.</p>

<p>It would be great if you had the luxury of time to visit, see the campus and meet the students for yourself. I feel certain that both campuses will have plenty of students who share your values, and plenty that do not. Sequoia is always a great source of information, even more in this case because of the personal experience with McGill. Whatever you decide, if you approach with an open mind and stay true to your own values, the bimbo-level of any given campus will not affect you.</p>

<p>Oh -I am very interested to find out the titles and authors of the many "information books" that have accused my daughter and her peers of being bimbos. I would like to send a letter of comlaint. I re-checked my Fiske and Princeton Review guides, and could not find that reference.</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

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<p>Rascal, as you may have noticed, USC does not have a bimbo box to be checked on the application, so I'm pretty sure any young woman who is accepted has qualified by high grades, test scores, essays and ECs, just like the men. I wonder why you worked so hard to get accepted after your initial denial by USC if you believe (unattributed) rumors and hold such low opinions of the students?</p>

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<p>rascalmuffin, I would recommend USC. It is extremely diverse. Looking to study architecture I did consider McGill as an option, but I was turned off by their emphasis on extensive chemistry and physics in their program, and I like USC's incorporation of other elements. </p>

<p>McGill and Montreal are very nice, but I have heard alot of complaints about McGill that are similar to what is heard about some of the public schools in California, such as budget cuts to public education resulting in cut programs and facilities that are not completely up to par. Those concerns are not prevalent at USC. </p>

<p>Only 20% of the USC student body is in Greek life, and this includes service and professional Greek orgs. That means over 80% of students are experiencing social life outside of the Greek system. You will definitely find alot of other people like you. </p>

<p>Also, Annenberg does require a special application when adding a major or switching to their school, but they make the process easy, and if you want to be in comm, they will make it possible, not to mention that USC has a very strong communication program with lot of connections and access to resources in LA. Geena Davis just spoke at their graduation, which is exciting!</p>

<p>The stereotypes you have heard of are true for a part of the population, as they are for any university, and USC is so diverse that there is really no majority of a type of student at USC. And about international enrollment, USC has the largest international student enrollment in the US.</p>

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<p>First what I'd like to clear up is I am blonde myself. Awe, shock, and horror. Second, yes, I do live in England, but no, I am not English, I'm American. I've been to California many times, I used to live in California, my sister goes to university in California, and I have many friends in California. I know for a fact that though there is a stereotype associated with USC that does not mean that EVERY girl or boy going to USC fits that stereotype. That’s why it’s called a STEREOTYPE in the first place. I apologize if you automatically assumed I was speaking about your daughter when I typed that one sentence, but I assure you, if you know your daughter is not like that then no, I wasn’t talking about your daughter. </p>

<p>I am trying to get information about a school, I am trying to find out if the stereotype is true or not, which is why I mentioned it. Because I mention it it doesn’t mean I believe in it. Maybe if you had read my original post a bit more closely before jumping right to accusing me of being judgmental, condescending or whatever you may, you would have realized that you could have just stated “no, those stereotypes are false” and I would have been absolutely fine with it, as other people on this thread have helpfully done. No, I don’t go to USC so I obviously don’t know what the student life is like there. Obviously I’m posting on a question and answer discussion board for a reason, to get some answers. </p>

<p>For those of you who are calling me “pr***s” and say that McGill is also a party school so therefore I should be aware that there are the same people at McGill, I’d like to say no, I’m not a prude. I don’t have a problem with the parties, I party a lot myself being an 18 year old living in England where the drinking age is 18, if you didn’t know. I was questioning what I have heard about the Frat/Soro dominating the social scene, and that if you weren’t in those frats/soros you were not allowed to party with them, which I find ridiculous. Yes I know there is a frat/soro scene at McGill but it doesn’t dominate the social scene, at least from what I’ve heard and read in Princeton Review if you want a name, and I’m almost 100% positive that you can still party with them even if you aren’t in their frat/soro.</p>

<p>The reason why I applied to USC and wanted so much to get in there was because I had always wanted to go there for many years and had thought it was my top choice. The reason why I’m still considering it despite the stereotype that I have heard about is because I know it is just that, a stereotype. I had hoped that it wasn’t true, which is why, once again, I mentioned it on this discussion board.</p>

<p>Now, if anyone has any other information about either of the schools, or hold any constructive advice, it would be appreciated.</p>

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<p>Quote:
"I party a lot myself being an 18 year old living in England where the drinking age is 18, if you didn’t know. I was questioning what I have heard about the Frat/Soro dominating the social scene, and that if you weren’t in those frats/soros you were not allowed to party with them, which I find ridiculous."</p>

<p>Oh! Now I see! You were worried they wouldn't let you in!</p>

<p>I stand firmly by my original post on this silly thread.</p>