<p>I am having a huge dilemma right now! Ok, so my dream school is Mcgill, but being a US resident (specifically VA) I plan on furthering my education after undergrad in the US and working in the US. I heard that graduating with a BA degree in economics from Mcgill will not be beneficial in getting jobs right out of college. At all. It is not an ideal degree for people hoping to find a job in the US. Can somebody clear this up for me? </p>
<p>Now dream school aside, would it be more practical for me to go to UVA and then try for Mcintire which is the 2nd best under-grad business school in the nation. </p>
<p>So, between the two which one should I choose given the circumstances and my hopes for my future?</p>
<p>Chances are, US employers will be more likely at Virginia’s career center, while Canadian employers will be more likely at McGill’s career center.</p>
<p>You may want to check the web sites of or contact each school’s career center to get an idea of what kind of companies visit each school’s career center.</p>
<p>Many people get their first job after doing an internship, a summer job or other local networking. If you want to work in the east coast of the US, a UVa degree with give you much better connections. Also, employers in those areas will feel more comfortable with a UVa grad because they now what they are getting, particularly if you have a Commerce School degree. While I’m sure McGill is a first class university, many people in the US don’t know much about it and there is no alumni network. </p>
<p>In addition, you have a great priviledge in being able to take advantage of in-state tuition at UVa. </p>
<p>Moreover, imagine how depressing it would be by February to spend the winter in Canada. Canada is beautiful during the summer, but it is a long long winter. I’m sure you could find programs at UVa that would let you spend a semester or a summer at McGill.</p>
<p>Get the facts before you decide. UVA is an amazing school with a great history. McGill seems to be a truly World class university in an amazing town. I do not know that much about it, but if it is your dream school then you owe it to yourself to research job prospects with both schools and get the actual numbers on employment stats, etc. Now, let’s talk about something that I know about. Visa issues in the US. </p>
<p>When you mention that you are a US resident do you mean a green card holder? If yes, then there would not be any immigration issues other than if you want to keep your green card – which I am sure you want. Then, you will have to periodically come back to the US to maintain your residency while you study abroad at McGill. Also, do not forget you will have to get a student visa for Canada. I assume that this is the case. Know the rules before you leave to live abroad. The last thing that you want is to have your green card confiscated at the border because you broke residency rules. I do not know if there is any leniency with Canada or not. But, I have had friends that accidentally violated the residency requirements and had their green cards expire. This is not a joke – know before you go and constantly keep up with the rules as they often change with politics and the US security situation. Immigration law is one of the most political issues in the US today and unfortunately you as a non-US citizen have little influence on he debate.</p>
<p>If you are not a green card holder and you are here on a dependent’s visa with your folks, then I do not suggest that you study in Canada. You will need to stay here in the US and once you turn 18 you may need to apply for a student visa on your own. Moreover, getting work here after graduation will be complicated as you will need an employer that will sponsor you. I have friends that have work visas through their small export company and lived in the US with their children for many years. However, they were business owners and never applied for green cards due to several issues regarding persistent negative cash flow of their business, sporadic residency of the father who travled and stayed abroad for months at a time never quite staying in the US long enough each year to establish permanent residency while the family was here full-time, etc. Anyway, the kids were stellar students and got into the best of private schools on scholarships, etc. The eldest daughter even got a full scholarship at Harvard. Unfortunately, when she got to Harvard (this is an absolutely true story), they discovered the fact that she did not have a green card and had her scholarship taken away. I cannot imagine Harvard missing this detail. So, I must assume that her true immigration status was not correctly reported for whatever reason. Furthermore, she turned 18 and now needed student visa status as she could no longer be considered a dependent of her parents. She had to leave Harvard as her parents could not afford even a penny of tuition and ended up at Berkeley (not too shabby) where she was able to get a visa and money. After graduation she had to relocate back to Japan for work and currently lives and works for an American company in Tokyo. Her younger sister, decided not to got through the drama of her sister and went to college in Japan. These are kids who grew up here but were not born here and were culturally, linguistically and mentally more American than Japanese. Because their parents never were able to get permanent residency while they were kids they really got hammered. They will make a life in Japan, maybe even relocate to the US as adults on their own terms, but it has been a hardship.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t UVa be a much cheaper option for you than McGill? </p>
<p>One of my children is currently completing an undergraduate degree at McGill (not in business or economics). He has loved his time there, and has received a great education. However, if he had had the choice of in-state tuition at UVa or non-resident tuition at McGill, it would have been very hard to justify the cost.</p>
<p>Although I am not really very knowledgeable about the relative prestige and value of undergraduate business degrees, my guess is that UVa is more highly regarded in those fields among US companies than McGill. </p>
<p>Montreal is a fabulous city - maybe you could plan to do a semester abroad there during the course of your undergrad career.</p>
<p>People should also double check about their eligibility for instate Va. tuition. The rules are tough - and even require a waiting period for a family that moves into the state.</p>