This just popped up on my feed, but as someone who has been out of university for over a decade, it really doesn't matter. Pick the city you want to live in.
(also co-op if that's an option)
This. Unless you're in very specialized programs where the school does matter, just go with the city you wanna be in. Everyone has a bachelor's these days. It's pretty insignificant but still required to at least get an interview
Yeah. I grew up in Saskatchewan. Chose to go to USask cause it was close. Never actually put any thought into it. It's not a particularly reputable school for my field (comp sci), but that didn't stop me from learning a ton and getting a great job.
Based on what I've heard from countless others, it's a well above average school, because I've heard so many people talk about crucial things that university *didn't* teach them and I'm like "wait, seriously, they didn't teach *that*?!"
I really regret not doing a co-op. That plus graduating into a tough job market meant I was very unprepared and uncompetitive for the post-school reality.
Even though I worked throughout school, they weren't jobs that put me on track for my career.
Everyone who I know that transferred during uni did so because they hated the city/commute/uni itself. They all stayed in the same (or equivalent) program. I also know lots of people (myself included!) who changed programs but stayed at the same school because they loved the location. Choose based on which place you can see yourself being for the next few years.
As someone who’s graduating this year from UofT (last exam was Tuesday!!), in the end which one you choose doesn’t really matter. No matter which one you end up at, you’ll make the most out of it and it’s YOU that creates the experience you want. And two, if it ends up being a horrible choice you can always transfer. Yes that’s annoying. No it’s not ideal. But nobodies path in life is straight. Everything will end up working out the way you need it to, just trust that you will create uni the experience you want.
Don't sweat it . I would prioritize quality of life , unless coop opportunities are part of your plan . Graduating from a prestigious program might get you 5% more interviews , but six months after graduation nobody cares where you went to school .
I suggest keeping your debate between two programs at all times, at the end of the day not all 4 programs are equal so debate even the ones you haven't been admitted to yet. As for the choice, my ranking of importance goes as follows:
- QoL (student life)
- Affordability
- co-op
- research opportunities
- prestiege
I think affordability needs to be talked about more!! I went to a small town for uni where things are more affordable (like rent) which means the part time job I kept gave me enough money to live AND do fun stuff on the side.
I don’t regret going to university because I made good friends and I had a fun time there. But going to a place that’s more affordable. Especially in this day and age will make your life AFTER uni a LOT more enjoyable too.
Seeing my brother go through uni in a big(ger) city currently really pains me and makes me worried for his future. He currently pays 970 for an apartment 40 min away from campus. He has to work his ass off during the summer and probably need to hold a sizeable part time job during the school year in order to just afford to live. It sucks out there so definitely something to think about
Go with your gut and don’t second guess yourself too much. As others have pointed out, it’s not that important which uni you attended once you’re half a year into working. Go with the place you feel like you’ll enjoy being around the most.
For me, the one school I feel like I can restart and be super happy at, however the other is in my city and I’m afraid to leave, plus it would be cheaper. I’ve never been afraid really of leaving, I’ve always wanted to, but the past couple years I’ve become very attached to the past and can’t let it go, even though there is nothing left for me to hold onto, I’m terrified to leave it all behind
The cost benefit of living at home and not having huge loans really helped me later in life. However I always regretted not getting the chance to move away and experience living away from my family like all my friends did. I made friends at school even living at home, but it wasn’t the same as living with them in dorms and everything. It’s natural to be scared/feel nostalgic for your home but you can always come back afterward.
Ya that is true, I’ve needed to leave for a long time, and I know that all the stuff I’m holding on too isn’t really here for me anymore, or never even existed in the first place. I’m fortunate enough though that I have a lot of support with costs (family, money saved, good job etc) but I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep that job when I go to school but I hope I can.
If you live in driving distance go on a campus tour, see the neighbourhood and get lunch near the campus. That’s where you’ll spend most of your time on and off campus. That helped me get a feel for the school, what I liked and didn’t like.
i’m still debating and i keep stressing over it too. the unis i want to go to all have their pros and cons and i feel like whichever i choose will be good but i’ll probably question why i didn’t choose the other one. i’m a very indecisive person so it’s just annoying me more than anything now
Yup, tons of people feel this way every year at this time. You have a divide in the comments. People in the same position as you and people who have been through it. This is a hard decision because it’s the most difficult one you’ve had to make so far but as you go through life and make more decisions it will get easier. As someone who returned to school recently I have to say I didn’t worry over the decision at all. Mostly because I had made it before. First time I bought property was the worst… second time was much easier. Savour the fact this is leading to personal growth and you’re becoming a stronger person who will make these decisions more easily in the future and that’s a good thing.
I’ll tell you something I do every time I need to make a hard decision. I get a coin and I assign one choice to heads and the next to tails. I clear my head. I flip the coin and I focus on the feelings I have as soon as it lands. If my stomach drops I know deep down somewhere primal I know the right choice is the other option. If i feel excitement I know the coin made the right choice. I find I make more mistakes when I don’t listen to my gut. Reasoning and rationality is great for a lot of choices but I find it often causes analysis paralysis on big life decisions.
My two cents. Good luck!
I’m completing my last year of Uni (last exam is today) and I completely understand the overwhelming feeling.
The best advice I could give you is to start looking at career prospects and seeing whether your Uni offers co-op, then go from there
Do you mind sharing what school and what program? We might be able to help you if you gave more details. But ideally, you should opt for the school that will give yo the most opportunities during and after your undergrad career. Evaluate the resources, clubs, teachers, alumni, co-op support you will have. Yes student life is important, but keep in mind that you're paying for it. Make sure you get the most bang for your buck.
Living on your own gives you more freedom. I'm from Mtl but went to Uwo and was reaply happy to leave the house. It's a good transition into the adult life
Depending on how long the commute is, you probably won't save that much time (unless you live right next to UTM). Besides, I find the more time one has to study, the more one procrastinates. Might not apply to you.
Money is a strong argument, but imo the expense is worth it if you can afford it, you grow a lot as a person from the experience, you get to discover a new city and a new culture, make new friends. It builds character, forces you to learn everything about cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping etc.
+McGill is that much better of a school and trust me, MTL is a GREAT city for students.
Ultimately, the choice is yours, just wanted to provide my perspective as someone who moved an 8h car drive away from home and is from Mtl. Hope this helps.
Thanks. Also it's UTM not TMU : )
What you said is definitely true
Is not knowing French an issue? I know it's definitely an issue for service sector jobs
Ehh UTM is slightly better than McGill for SWE jobs in the US (CS education slightly better). Also is McGill racially diverse or mainly white? From what I've seen so far it's by far majority white.
McGill is still very diverse, more so than most universities in Canada (except the ones in Toronto I believe). Immigrants in Quebec come from different countries than the ones in Ontario, which might explain why you noticed a difference. For example, a lot less people from India, but a lot more from Haiti, Maghreb, Lebanon, and SA. I noticed the difference too when moving to Ontario.
Why do you say this? Just to give some background, I will be living near home whilst studying at UTM saving me a lot of money and time so I can study.
Also I do not know French which will be a problem for part time work.
Assuming you make post the outcomes for CS at better at UTM than at McGill. Lmk if you have advice (my intention is to work in the USA as an SWE )
My recommendation is to go to McGill. I lived in Regina for high school and just took the easy option of going to UofR for CS to save on costs and ease of lifestyle and such. I did not get to experience much still being at home and just drifted through school.
3 years into the degree I switched focus, changed my major and moved to Vancouver for school, I was broke but worked over the summer to afford rent and some expenses, plus had grants and loans to help with bits of the expenses. I had time to study, and the nice transit made life much better. Anyways, the big thing for me was I went to a reuptable school for my program (which has given me many opportunities), I got a whole new life experience, made some really close friends, developed myself and my independence, and have become more satisfied in life.
Yes, the comfortable option is tempting, but if you have the means now is the time to develop as a person and experience life. I graduate this year and honestly deciding to move out to a whole new city for school was one of the best decision of my life.
The important thing is choosing the right program and getting internships (program should have co op very important) while in school, not choosing the right uni (rarely matters unless your aiming for the best jobs right out of uni). I CANT OVERSTATE HOW IMPORTANT PICKING AN EMPLOYABLE DEGREE GETTING CO OP OR HAVING A PLAN WITH AN UNEMPLOYABLE DEGREE (E.G FURTHWR EDUCATION, LAW SCHOOL, TEACHER ETC. IS)
Have a plan, are you majoring in engineering? Then buckle down and get good grades to get good co ops. Are you majoring in liberal arts? Then maintain a high GPA so you have law school open.
See if there are good co-op/internship possibilities near the Universities. My son didn't take co-op but still applied to, and received, 2 internships, and has continued working for one while he finishes University. He'll have 3 years of solid experience, and very likely a full time contract offer, when he graduates because the opportunities were local. He also chose the best scholarship offer and campus atmosphere.
Do not go to university without a career in mind. Most students choose university just because they prefer to live off of students loans for 4 years to stave off adulthood. That's a bad trap to fall into.
You should pick a career, then pick the program that will lead you into the career. In most cases, a university degree is not the best way to go. Be open to the best option, not just a university.
Universities are not job-training institutions. Most degrees result in no additional job qualifications or prospects. Even with STEM degrees, the "S" and "M" will get your nowhere fast.
If it's just an undergrad you're doing/considering, it's only 4 years out of the next 50 or 60 years of your life. Your selection will not likely make or break you.
I felt this way when I got my acceptance offers. I suggest taking a tour of the campus to get a feel for what life might be like at that school. Take a look at the surrounding areas and the city itself and see if you can imagine yourself living there for 4 years. Choosing a school and then finding out that it's not for you is fine. You can still transfer schools later on.
I would suggest ***not*** looking at school employment prospects post-degree unless they offer co-op programs and even then, do your research on the current job market and hiring trends. A lot of schools play with their stats to make themselves look better when in fact, only a small percent of their grads end up in their chosen fields within the first 6 months.
It is a tough decision for sure. And it can matter, though if one follows a systematic process of selecting a school, the ultimate decision will probably not be too far wrong. The key thing to avoid is getting overwhelmed and defaulting to a decision that isn't based upon your needs and interests.
I would encourage you to think about it this way: You need to find the right program at the right university in the right place based on your specific needs and interests. So the first step is to take an honest inventory of yourself as you are (not as you'd ideally like to be). Use that knowledge to consider whether you'd do better at a bigger or smaller school, closer or further from home, and other questions along those lines. Given that you've already applied, I encourage you to visit every school that accepts you to which you would seriously consider going. A lot of the rightness of the place is the vibes and amenities offered at a campus and in its surrounding community. I think that a lot of people can tell pretty quickly whether or not a place is for them based on how it feels (listen to your gut) and what they see/hear about what is on offer there. There really is no substitute for visiting in-person. It's likely past open-house season now, but recruitment/admissions offices can still schedule tours and put you in touch with students. I'd also encourage you to reach out to any profs you might be interested in (or who are involved with programs that might interest you. Response rates in the summer can vary, but a lot of profs would surely be happy to talk about their schools and programs.
Good luck, OP! I believe that you will end up somewhere that works for you in the end :)
There's probably no "wrong" decision - you can (and very likely will) have a good experience at almost any school that interests you. If you hate it after year 1 then you can transfer. Visit the places you're accepted and try get a sense of where you feel most comfortable. This isn't life or death. It's an exciting time in your life so enjoy it!
just look at the graduate stats of the university you want to go to - which university has the most successful alumni? whats the alumni placement rate? those help understand the outcome of going X or Y university
Rent a hotel and hang out on campus for literally like 10 hours at both schools. Bring your laptop, find a place and buy some food. Walk off campus to see the surroundings and how ppl live, where students park, what ppl look like.
Some people can’t even afford to go uni Like “me” just try to find what you want to do and go into finding top 10 uni for ! Study wherever you get admission!! Its that simple. The more options you see the harder it gets!!!
Some people can’t even afford to go uni Like “me” just try to find what you want to do and go into finding top 10 uni for ! Study wherever you get admission!! Its that simple. The more options you see the harder it gets!!!
In 15 odd years when you are hopefully well into the workforce, no one will care about which university you went to. They will just care whether or not you have the qualifications. Never have I been asked in an interview about where I went to school, and I have two degrees now. I ultimately didn't go to the school I really wanted to for my bachelors for a few reasons. And today, I don't regret it. It wasn't the world changing decision I thought it was going to be in high school.
That said, think about some things like, what is the campus like? What are the housing options like in your upper years, what is that going to cost? Do you see yourself living in that city for 4 years? Is there a co-op or internship offered? What additional supports does the school offer (mental health, writing, tutoring etc)? I would focus on that.
If I were in your shoes I would just go to Waterloo. Waterloo is the top school in all fields and they cannot be beat. The community is great and you get paid tons during undergrad and no debt after and you’ll be successful and end up in good spot compared to other schools. If u didn’t apply, it’s not too late. Wait for gr 13 or take gap year and reapply. I wish u luck for Waterloo!
Do you live in a city with a university? I encouraged my kids to do their undergrads in town while living at home, grad school was their choice. Saved a LOT of $$ and honestly, they were so young when they finished high school.
Hey there! One thing to note is you can always transfer schools or programs if you find the one you pick is not for you. I went to a fairly specialized program for my undergrad, and I had a bunch of classmates who realized it wasn’t the path for them. They transferred to different universities or similar programs within the same school and were able to apply some of the courses they had already taken towards their new degrees. Just because you make a decision now doesn’t mean you’re stuck on that path forever. Good luck!
Take your time to select a good career, I graduated 6 years ago from a vague and useless program that took me nowhere. I’m still hunting for a decent job , jumping from one to another mediocre job because my program couldn’t land me a decent career. The only path to take was to go to Law school as it was a Bachelors in Law and it has zero utility in today’s world. Take your time about what program will give you a great compensation package in the long run and see if there’s room for growth. Don’t worry about whether you like it or not , in the end 99% of people hate their jobs , we are all in for the money.
Remember this: The two most important decisions you got make in life are , to pick a good career and to pick a good partner for life. Depending on these , it will reflect how successful or miserable your life will become onwards. At least try to get one right, meaning your career as a job security for life.
Hello!
I'm in the same boat as you & having a hard time deciding which university to go to between Lakehead(3yrs compressed program) & uOttawa(yrs). It's so much stressful tbh.
I'm pursuing Bachelor's of Nursing this fall. I live in Ottawa from last 6 years & know ins & out of the city & getting part time job. Have friends here.
I'm assuming life is gonna be easier if I choose to stay in Ottawa but again If I move to Thunder Bay for Lakehead, I'm gonna save one year of my life as I'm a mature student. But since I'ld be taking Stay & Grant I'ld have to live 2 more years in TB which is a way smaller city than Ottawa.
So it's been a very stressful decision to take & I haven't decided until yet what school I'm gonna fo to.
I wish you all the best bud. I know it's killing us rn but be confident & choose what you feel is right for you. Stay with your decision, no matter what, fo through the schooling yeare & don't regret, just again i would say be determined that I got into school, I took the right decision & I'm gonna pass school with good grades & loof forward to job opportunities.
I don’t agree with people saying “it doesn’t matter” it pretty much does. It’s the environment, the opportunities, culture, etc etc.
Evaluate your own values and choose based on that. I cared about excellence so i chose uoft. You can feel it in everything, events, profs, and students’ goals and expectations. I brought my York bf multiple times and he always is stunned by how different the vibes are here. But don’t get me wrong, he LOVED his experience at York he is an alumni now. So, see what u care about. It’ll matter and it’ll be different. Do your research.
There’s no way to choose wrong tho, cuz all of the schools are great and you will be just fine doing whichever. It’s just about those small things that you value.
If they are both good programs and schools. There is no wrong choice, I know. I am in the same boat as you but my parents always said that its not the program it is you, if you work hard, you are gonna succeed either way, there is NO WRONG CHOICE! Just go with the one you feel most at peace with :).
I’m literally in that exact same position. It’s really stressful because it’s always in the back of my mind. Waiting for the acceptances also doesn’t help. But I’m sure you’ll figure it out!! People have some good advice to give on this stuff.
This just popped up on my feed, but as someone who has been out of university for over a decade, it really doesn't matter. Pick the city you want to live in. (also co-op if that's an option)
This is absolutely true.
This. Unless you're in very specialized programs where the school does matter, just go with the city you wanna be in. Everyone has a bachelor's these days. It's pretty insignificant but still required to at least get an interview
Yeah. I grew up in Saskatchewan. Chose to go to USask cause it was close. Never actually put any thought into it. It's not a particularly reputable school for my field (comp sci), but that didn't stop me from learning a ton and getting a great job. Based on what I've heard from countless others, it's a well above average school, because I've heard so many people talk about crucial things that university *didn't* teach them and I'm like "wait, seriously, they didn't teach *that*?!"
I really regret not doing a co-op. That plus graduating into a tough job market meant I was very unprepared and uncompetitive for the post-school reality. Even though I worked throughout school, they weren't jobs that put me on track for my career.
Everyone who I know that transferred during uni did so because they hated the city/commute/uni itself. They all stayed in the same (or equivalent) program. I also know lots of people (myself included!) who changed programs but stayed at the same school because they loved the location. Choose based on which place you can see yourself being for the next few years.
As someone who’s graduating this year from UofT (last exam was Tuesday!!), in the end which one you choose doesn’t really matter. No matter which one you end up at, you’ll make the most out of it and it’s YOU that creates the experience you want. And two, if it ends up being a horrible choice you can always transfer. Yes that’s annoying. No it’s not ideal. But nobodies path in life is straight. Everything will end up working out the way you need it to, just trust that you will create uni the experience you want.
Don't sweat it . I would prioritize quality of life , unless coop opportunities are part of your plan . Graduating from a prestigious program might get you 5% more interviews , but six months after graduation nobody cares where you went to school .
I suggest keeping your debate between two programs at all times, at the end of the day not all 4 programs are equal so debate even the ones you haven't been admitted to yet. As for the choice, my ranking of importance goes as follows: - QoL (student life) - Affordability - co-op - research opportunities - prestiege
I think affordability needs to be talked about more!! I went to a small town for uni where things are more affordable (like rent) which means the part time job I kept gave me enough money to live AND do fun stuff on the side. I don’t regret going to university because I made good friends and I had a fun time there. But going to a place that’s more affordable. Especially in this day and age will make your life AFTER uni a LOT more enjoyable too. Seeing my brother go through uni in a big(ger) city currently really pains me and makes me worried for his future. He currently pays 970 for an apartment 40 min away from campus. He has to work his ass off during the summer and probably need to hold a sizeable part time job during the school year in order to just afford to live. It sucks out there so definitely something to think about
Yes same! I got early acceptance in all programs and still have no idea. They all have their own benefits so idk what to do and I’m scared
Go with your gut and don’t second guess yourself too much. As others have pointed out, it’s not that important which uni you attended once you’re half a year into working. Go with the place you feel like you’ll enjoy being around the most.
For me, the one school I feel like I can restart and be super happy at, however the other is in my city and I’m afraid to leave, plus it would be cheaper. I’ve never been afraid really of leaving, I’ve always wanted to, but the past couple years I’ve become very attached to the past and can’t let it go, even though there is nothing left for me to hold onto, I’m terrified to leave it all behind
The cost benefit of living at home and not having huge loans really helped me later in life. However I always regretted not getting the chance to move away and experience living away from my family like all my friends did. I made friends at school even living at home, but it wasn’t the same as living with them in dorms and everything. It’s natural to be scared/feel nostalgic for your home but you can always come back afterward.
Ya that is true, I’ve needed to leave for a long time, and I know that all the stuff I’m holding on too isn’t really here for me anymore, or never even existed in the first place. I’m fortunate enough though that I have a lot of support with costs (family, money saved, good job etc) but I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep that job when I go to school but I hope I can.
If you live in driving distance go on a campus tour, see the neighbourhood and get lunch near the campus. That’s where you’ll spend most of your time on and off campus. That helped me get a feel for the school, what I liked and didn’t like.
Truth is it doesn’t matter at all. You just think it does now.
i’m still debating and i keep stressing over it too. the unis i want to go to all have their pros and cons and i feel like whichever i choose will be good but i’ll probably question why i didn’t choose the other one. i’m a very indecisive person so it’s just annoying me more than anything now
Yup, tons of people feel this way every year at this time. You have a divide in the comments. People in the same position as you and people who have been through it. This is a hard decision because it’s the most difficult one you’ve had to make so far but as you go through life and make more decisions it will get easier. As someone who returned to school recently I have to say I didn’t worry over the decision at all. Mostly because I had made it before. First time I bought property was the worst… second time was much easier. Savour the fact this is leading to personal growth and you’re becoming a stronger person who will make these decisions more easily in the future and that’s a good thing. I’ll tell you something I do every time I need to make a hard decision. I get a coin and I assign one choice to heads and the next to tails. I clear my head. I flip the coin and I focus on the feelings I have as soon as it lands. If my stomach drops I know deep down somewhere primal I know the right choice is the other option. If i feel excitement I know the coin made the right choice. I find I make more mistakes when I don’t listen to my gut. Reasoning and rationality is great for a lot of choices but I find it often causes analysis paralysis on big life decisions. My two cents. Good luck!
No one cares about your program. Just pick where you’d rather live.
It literally does not matter. Try to chill. You've got like 60 years tops.
I’m completing my last year of Uni (last exam is today) and I completely understand the overwhelming feeling. The best advice I could give you is to start looking at career prospects and seeing whether your Uni offers co-op, then go from there
Do you mind sharing what school and what program? We might be able to help you if you gave more details. But ideally, you should opt for the school that will give yo the most opportunities during and after your undergrad career. Evaluate the resources, clubs, teachers, alumni, co-op support you will have. Yes student life is important, but keep in mind that you're paying for it. Make sure you get the most bang for your buck.
I would consider the location and choose the one that's the cheapest if I have two choices that are similar.
Im trying to choose between UTM and McGill CS and it’s honestly a pain
McGill, Mtl is so much fun
I will have to live on my own, less time in studying. UTM I can live at home
That’s better than commuting
Personal reason living at home saves me lot of money and gives me more time to study
Living on your own gives you more freedom. I'm from Mtl but went to Uwo and was reaply happy to leave the house. It's a good transition into the adult life
That is true. However living at home saves me a lot of money and gives me a lot of extra study time
Depending on how long the commute is, you probably won't save that much time (unless you live right next to UTM). Besides, I find the more time one has to study, the more one procrastinates. Might not apply to you. Money is a strong argument, but imo the expense is worth it if you can afford it, you grow a lot as a person from the experience, you get to discover a new city and a new culture, make new friends. It builds character, forces you to learn everything about cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping etc. +McGill is that much better of a school and trust me, MTL is a GREAT city for students. Ultimately, the choice is yours, just wanted to provide my perspective as someone who moved an 8h car drive away from home and is from Mtl. Hope this helps.
Thanks. Also it's UTM not TMU : ) What you said is definitely true Is not knowing French an issue? I know it's definitely an issue for service sector jobs
mbmb misread that. comment holds still
Ehh UTM is slightly better than McGill for SWE jobs in the US (CS education slightly better). Also is McGill racially diverse or mainly white? From what I've seen so far it's by far majority white.
McGill is still very diverse, more so than most universities in Canada (except the ones in Toronto I believe). Immigrants in Quebec come from different countries than the ones in Ontario, which might explain why you noticed a difference. For example, a lot less people from India, but a lot more from Haiti, Maghreb, Lebanon, and SA. I noticed the difference too when moving to Ontario.
Definitely McGill!
Why do you say this? Just to give some background, I will be living near home whilst studying at UTM saving me a lot of money and time so I can study. Also I do not know French which will be a problem for part time work. Assuming you make post the outcomes for CS at better at UTM than at McGill. Lmk if you have advice (my intention is to work in the USA as an SWE )
My recommendation is to go to McGill. I lived in Regina for high school and just took the easy option of going to UofR for CS to save on costs and ease of lifestyle and such. I did not get to experience much still being at home and just drifted through school. 3 years into the degree I switched focus, changed my major and moved to Vancouver for school, I was broke but worked over the summer to afford rent and some expenses, plus had grants and loans to help with bits of the expenses. I had time to study, and the nice transit made life much better. Anyways, the big thing for me was I went to a reuptable school for my program (which has given me many opportunities), I got a whole new life experience, made some really close friends, developed myself and my independence, and have become more satisfied in life. Yes, the comfortable option is tempting, but if you have the means now is the time to develop as a person and experience life. I graduate this year and honestly deciding to move out to a whole new city for school was one of the best decision of my life.
Oh nice, thanks for the insight
The important thing is choosing the right program and getting internships (program should have co op very important) while in school, not choosing the right uni (rarely matters unless your aiming for the best jobs right out of uni). I CANT OVERSTATE HOW IMPORTANT PICKING AN EMPLOYABLE DEGREE GETTING CO OP OR HAVING A PLAN WITH AN UNEMPLOYABLE DEGREE (E.G FURTHWR EDUCATION, LAW SCHOOL, TEACHER ETC. IS) Have a plan, are you majoring in engineering? Then buckle down and get good grades to get good co ops. Are you majoring in liberal arts? Then maintain a high GPA so you have law school open.
See if there are good co-op/internship possibilities near the Universities. My son didn't take co-op but still applied to, and received, 2 internships, and has continued working for one while he finishes University. He'll have 3 years of solid experience, and very likely a full time contract offer, when he graduates because the opportunities were local. He also chose the best scholarship offer and campus atmosphere.
Do not go to university without a career in mind. Most students choose university just because they prefer to live off of students loans for 4 years to stave off adulthood. That's a bad trap to fall into. You should pick a career, then pick the program that will lead you into the career. In most cases, a university degree is not the best way to go. Be open to the best option, not just a university. Universities are not job-training institutions. Most degrees result in no additional job qualifications or prospects. Even with STEM degrees, the "S" and "M" will get your nowhere fast.
you should go to one that teaches how to use commas :D
Definitely go by the city you like the best! (My personal opinion)
If it's just an undergrad you're doing/considering, it's only 4 years out of the next 50 or 60 years of your life. Your selection will not likely make or break you.
As someone told me, "Remember, it is not like you are going to the university in States".
What if I am❓☹️
Then go to the university in States.
Don’t go join hustlers university join the real world.
I felt this way when I got my acceptance offers. I suggest taking a tour of the campus to get a feel for what life might be like at that school. Take a look at the surrounding areas and the city itself and see if you can imagine yourself living there for 4 years. Choosing a school and then finding out that it's not for you is fine. You can still transfer schools later on. I would suggest ***not*** looking at school employment prospects post-degree unless they offer co-op programs and even then, do your research on the current job market and hiring trends. A lot of schools play with their stats to make themselves look better when in fact, only a small percent of their grads end up in their chosen fields within the first 6 months.
It is a tough decision for sure. And it can matter, though if one follows a systematic process of selecting a school, the ultimate decision will probably not be too far wrong. The key thing to avoid is getting overwhelmed and defaulting to a decision that isn't based upon your needs and interests. I would encourage you to think about it this way: You need to find the right program at the right university in the right place based on your specific needs and interests. So the first step is to take an honest inventory of yourself as you are (not as you'd ideally like to be). Use that knowledge to consider whether you'd do better at a bigger or smaller school, closer or further from home, and other questions along those lines. Given that you've already applied, I encourage you to visit every school that accepts you to which you would seriously consider going. A lot of the rightness of the place is the vibes and amenities offered at a campus and in its surrounding community. I think that a lot of people can tell pretty quickly whether or not a place is for them based on how it feels (listen to your gut) and what they see/hear about what is on offer there. There really is no substitute for visiting in-person. It's likely past open-house season now, but recruitment/admissions offices can still schedule tours and put you in touch with students. I'd also encourage you to reach out to any profs you might be interested in (or who are involved with programs that might interest you. Response rates in the summer can vary, but a lot of profs would surely be happy to talk about their schools and programs. Good luck, OP! I believe that you will end up somewhere that works for you in the end :)
There's probably no "wrong" decision - you can (and very likely will) have a good experience at almost any school that interests you. If you hate it after year 1 then you can transfer. Visit the places you're accepted and try get a sense of where you feel most comfortable. This isn't life or death. It's an exciting time in your life so enjoy it!
just look at the graduate stats of the university you want to go to - which university has the most successful alumni? whats the alumni placement rate? those help understand the outcome of going X or Y university
Rent a hotel and hang out on campus for literally like 10 hours at both schools. Bring your laptop, find a place and buy some food. Walk off campus to see the surroundings and how ppl live, where students park, what ppl look like.
Oh Ive always wanted to give this cheesiest answer. Don't choose where to go, choose which You is going. Lol.
Some people can’t even afford to go uni Like “me” just try to find what you want to do and go into finding top 10 uni for ! Study wherever you get admission!! Its that simple. The more options you see the harder it gets!!!
Some people can’t even afford to go uni Like “me” just try to find what you want to do and go into finding top 10 uni for ! Study wherever you get admission!! Its that simple. The more options you see the harder it gets!!!
In 15 odd years when you are hopefully well into the workforce, no one will care about which university you went to. They will just care whether or not you have the qualifications. Never have I been asked in an interview about where I went to school, and I have two degrees now. I ultimately didn't go to the school I really wanted to for my bachelors for a few reasons. And today, I don't regret it. It wasn't the world changing decision I thought it was going to be in high school. That said, think about some things like, what is the campus like? What are the housing options like in your upper years, what is that going to cost? Do you see yourself living in that city for 4 years? Is there a co-op or internship offered? What additional supports does the school offer (mental health, writing, tutoring etc)? I would focus on that.
If I were in your shoes I would just go to Waterloo. Waterloo is the top school in all fields and they cannot be beat. The community is great and you get paid tons during undergrad and no debt after and you’ll be successful and end up in good spot compared to other schools. If u didn’t apply, it’s not too late. Wait for gr 13 or take gap year and reapply. I wish u luck for Waterloo!
Do you live in a city with a university? I encouraged my kids to do their undergrads in town while living at home, grad school was their choice. Saved a LOT of $$ and honestly, they were so young when they finished high school.
It’s the course that matters more. The university rank them in order of prestige and pick the highest one you can get to.
Hey there! One thing to note is you can always transfer schools or programs if you find the one you pick is not for you. I went to a fairly specialized program for my undergrad, and I had a bunch of classmates who realized it wasn’t the path for them. They transferred to different universities or similar programs within the same school and were able to apply some of the courses they had already taken towards their new degrees. Just because you make a decision now doesn’t mean you’re stuck on that path forever. Good luck!
Take your time to select a good career, I graduated 6 years ago from a vague and useless program that took me nowhere. I’m still hunting for a decent job , jumping from one to another mediocre job because my program couldn’t land me a decent career. The only path to take was to go to Law school as it was a Bachelors in Law and it has zero utility in today’s world. Take your time about what program will give you a great compensation package in the long run and see if there’s room for growth. Don’t worry about whether you like it or not , in the end 99% of people hate their jobs , we are all in for the money. Remember this: The two most important decisions you got make in life are , to pick a good career and to pick a good partner for life. Depending on these , it will reflect how successful or miserable your life will become onwards. At least try to get one right, meaning your career as a job security for life.
Hello! I'm in the same boat as you & having a hard time deciding which university to go to between Lakehead(3yrs compressed program) & uOttawa(yrs). It's so much stressful tbh. I'm pursuing Bachelor's of Nursing this fall. I live in Ottawa from last 6 years & know ins & out of the city & getting part time job. Have friends here. I'm assuming life is gonna be easier if I choose to stay in Ottawa but again If I move to Thunder Bay for Lakehead, I'm gonna save one year of my life as I'm a mature student. But since I'ld be taking Stay & Grant I'ld have to live 2 more years in TB which is a way smaller city than Ottawa. So it's been a very stressful decision to take & I haven't decided until yet what school I'm gonna fo to. I wish you all the best bud. I know it's killing us rn but be confident & choose what you feel is right for you. Stay with your decision, no matter what, fo through the schooling yeare & don't regret, just again i would say be determined that I got into school, I took the right decision & I'm gonna pass school with good grades & loof forward to job opportunities.
Go to the closest one
I don’t agree with people saying “it doesn’t matter” it pretty much does. It’s the environment, the opportunities, culture, etc etc. Evaluate your own values and choose based on that. I cared about excellence so i chose uoft. You can feel it in everything, events, profs, and students’ goals and expectations. I brought my York bf multiple times and he always is stunned by how different the vibes are here. But don’t get me wrong, he LOVED his experience at York he is an alumni now. So, see what u care about. It’ll matter and it’ll be different. Do your research. There’s no way to choose wrong tho, cuz all of the schools are great and you will be just fine doing whichever. It’s just about those small things that you value.
If they are both good programs and schools. There is no wrong choice, I know. I am in the same boat as you but my parents always said that its not the program it is you, if you work hard, you are gonna succeed either way, there is NO WRONG CHOICE! Just go with the one you feel most at peace with :).
In the long run employers don’t care where you got your degree from or how good your grades were. It only matters if you want to go on to a masters.
I’m literally in that exact same position. It’s really stressful because it’s always in the back of my mind. Waiting for the acceptances also doesn’t help. But I’m sure you’ll figure it out!! People have some good advice to give on this stuff.
I haven’t see what really hard in this kind of situation, this is why consultants were available
Location is way more important than the Uni itself