Choices with Canadian Universities

You're spoiled for choice with Canadian Universities - Globe & Mail

Finally we see a more positive headline about Canadian universities. But obviously you still can’t make an important decision as which university is right for you based on a few adjectives. Also, bear in mind that these descriptions are subjective. For example, what the newspaper considers “Urban and Hip” may not be your definition of urban and hip.

There are so many factors to consider that I recommend you make a list of what’s important to you and rank the items on the list. Here are a few factors to consider (in no particular order):

·        Admissibility (admission averages, minimum grades, pre-requisites, etc.)

·        Location

·        Size of university

·        Class size

·        Student/Faculty ratio

·        Ranking of university

·        Reputation of university

·        Reputation of faculty

·        Faculty awards

·        University research dollars

·        Reputation of program

·        Quality of students

·        Campus life

·        Facilities

·        Career services

·        Alumni network

·        Support services

·        Cost

·        Scholarships and other financial aid

·        Residence options

·        Athletic and recreational facilities

·        Varsity sports

·        Intramural sports

·        Graduation rates

·        Retention rates

·        Male/female ratio

Of course, there are other factors that you can add to this list. It will take some time to construct your list, but you will benefit from making a well-informed decision. Good luck!

Like this? Like Canada University Admit on facebook.

Nothing Beats a Campus Visit!

This week the Globe and Mail published its University report and a day later Maclean’s 2012 Guide to Canadian Universities was available. Both provide invaluable information on choosing a university that’s right for you. However, nothing beats a campus visit.

Many of you have attended or plan to attend a university’s Open House, which in my opinion is not the best time to visit a campus. You see the glossy view, the best of the best that the university has to offer. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but you want to get a more ‘real’ perspective. I have a similar view of the virtual tours you’ll see online. Nice, but not as objective as you may want it to be. You may also have an opportunity to speak to a university representative who is visiting your area, but again this cannot replace your personal view of a campus.

Practically all universities offer individual tours but try to get more information on what’s included in the tours. I have participated in tours that were very comprehensive and showed practically all areas of the campus while others turned out to be just a tour of the various residences.

You can’t do much about the official tour, but my recommendation is to try to customize your visit as best you can (especially if you’re not likely to be able to visit again during your research or selection phase). Campuses are normally open to the general public and you can also visit the faculty, department or program office you’re interested in before or after the official tour (campus maps are often available online).

Some of the best information about your intended program may come from a faculty member or program administrator so try to book an appointment to meet with someone during your visit. Furthermore, ask to be connected to a current student or recent alumni to get their view on the program, university, faculty, etc.

If possible, have lunch on campus. Not only to get a sense of campus food services, but it’s a great opportunity to speak to real students and ask about their experience and other things that are important to you. It's a good time to assess the campus vibe and see how comfortable you might be there. Can you fit in?

Don’t forget to take photographs (yes, you’ll look like a tourist) but I found that reviewing pictures after the visit to be helpful. Also, months later when you’re comparing universities and perhaps ready to accept one offer over another, the photographs will be invaluable. They jogged my memory and showed details that I forgot.

I know you’ll be less inclined to visit campuses that are some distance from your home, but the time and cost invested in a campus visit far outweighs the information you’ll receive. The visit will be a crucial deciding factor when selecting a university that’s right for you.

Like this? Like Canada University Admit on facebook.

Globe & Mail University Report

Today the Globe and Mail released a very comprehensive report on all Canadian universities. Use the report to help you narrow your choices. You can also compare universities as well as refine the results for your intended area of study (i.e., Arts & Humanities, Business & Commerce, Education, Engineering & Technology, Health & Medical, Sciences & Math and Fine & Performing Arts).

Here are a few highlights:

Most Satisfied Students:
Large Universities (enrollment of 22,000+)
A-			University of Western Ontario
Medium (enrolment 10,000- 22,000)
A			Queen's University
Quality of Teaching:
Large Universities (enrollment 22,000+)
A-			University of Western Ontario
Medium (enrolment 10,000- 22,000)
A			Mount Royal University
Class Size
Large Universities (enrollment of 22,000+)
B+			Carleton University and Concordia University (tie)
Medium (enrolment 10,000- 22,000)
A+			Mount Royal University
Career Preparation:
Large Universities (enrollment of 22,000+)
A-			University of Waterloo
Medium (enrolment 10,000- 22,000)
A-			Queen's University and Université de Sherbrooke (tie)
Reputation with Employers:
Large Universities (enrollment of 22,000+)
A+			McGill University and University of Waterloo (tie)
Medium (enrolment 10,000- 22,000)
A+			Queen's University

Click here to get the following on each university:

·        Admission and scholarship deadlines

·        Focus

·        Famous graduates

·        What the students say

·        Overall student satisfaction

·        Quality of teaching

·        Academic resources

·        Campus atmosphere

·        Class size

·        Technology

·        Physical infrastructure

·        Libraries

·        Campus activity

·        Employment

·        Off campus

·        Athletics

·        Student services

·        Costs

·        Student enrolment

·        Research performance

As you can see from the above list, there are a lot of factors to consider. But remember not all of them may be important to you or have equal weight to you. What’s great is that you can customize your university ranking based on the features that are essential to you. After all, it’s your degree. Good luck!

Like this? Like Canada University Admit on facebook.

Scholarship vs. Reputation

Here’s an interesting question for you: Would you select a university solely because you received a large scholarship or free tuition?

I bet your first reaction is yes. But this assumes that you applied to that university because they met many of your other criteria. However, would you apply to a university simply because you believe you will be awarded a large scholarship or free tuition?  Take a look at this article about Lakehead University offering a full tuition scholarship for high school students with a 95% average of higher. There are other universities that offer similar scholarships, the minimum average may differ but not likely to be lower than 90%. Of course, if you have such a high average, you have many options, including other universities offering you a full ride scholarship.

Generally speaking university scholarships are like signing bonuses. The university finds your profile attractive and they want you to be an alum of their institution. They are banking of you going on to do bigger and better things. If you are fortunate enough to be in this situation, you’ll notice that there are different scholarship values being offered to you. This is largely due to the difference in the quality of each university’s applicant pool. Obviously, if the institution have a number of applicants like you, the lower the scholarship amount. Conversely, if you represent a small percentage of their applicants, the higher the award value.

However, if you’re that fantastic, shouldn’t you go to the university with the best reputation? Or the university that you gives you the best career prospects or opportunities to further your studies?  Some would also say that the institution where you received your first degree is less important than the universities which granted your advanced or professional degrees. But the reputation of your university can affect what doors are more readily available to you. The alumni network is another variable for you to seriously consider. Which university will give you the best connections in your future?

Essentially the decision is between financing and reputation. But you have to realize that reputation is also correlated with highly important variables like the quality of faculty, classmates, facilities, experience, services, alumni network, as well as employability. Everyone’s situation is different so you’ll have to decide what’s best for you.

Like this? Like Canada University Admit on facebook.

Universities Get an F for Failing Undergrads

Here is yet another article from the Globe and Mail that gives a failing grade to Canada’s universities.

It’s interesting to read and sadly leaves me, as a parent of a university student, ready to investigate university homeschooling. But I do want to point out that this report is principally referring to large, research focused universities. And if you agree with this assessment you do have options since there are Canadian universities that are primarily focused on undergraduate education.

These include the following (listed as per Maclean’s ranking):

1. Mount Allison University
2. Acadia University
3. University of Northern British Columbia
4. University of Lethbridge
5. Wilfrid Laurier University
6. Trent University
7. St. Francis Xavier University
8. Bishop’s University
8. University of Prince Edward Island
10. University of Winnipeg
11. Saint Mary’s University
12. Lakehead University
13. University of Ontario Institute of Technology
14. Brock University
14. Laurentian University
16. St. Thomas University
17. Brandon University
17. Ryerson University
19. Mount Saint Vincent University
20. Universite de Moncton
21. Cape Breton University
22. Nipissing University

As you can imagine, there are thousands who have received undergraduate degrees from large, research focused institutions who are happy and satisfied with their degrees. And that’s because ‘fit’ is so important. Some like big, while others like small universities.  Also, unless you have attended two or more universities to receive your undergraduate degree it’s impossible to compare university experiences.

The article stated that, “students who arrive at university are powerless. They’re not organized. They’re busy with studies and extracurricular activities. They take what they’re given, and try to work within it. Challenging, let alone changing, the teaching status quo seems impossible.”

However, I argue that students can vote with their feet. If the quality of the education is as poor as the experts say, students can easily transfer to another institution that they feel is better. And now they are in an even better position, than when they were in high school, to judge what is best for them. I guarantee you that universities will pay attention to their retention rates and those marching feet will be heard loud and clear.

Students can also express their opinions in rankings like Maclean’s. If a university has dropped in the ranking and/or is performing lower than their expectations or when compared to their peer institutions; there will be changes.

In both scenarios, change will not be immediate but will eventually occur. Therefore, I believe that it’s not as grim as the headlines would make you feel.

Like this? Like Canada University Admit on facebook.

Top 20 Degree Programs in Ontario

Last weekend 118,000 people attended the Ontario Universities Fair at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. When I attended last year, it was very obvious to me what the popular universities are just by assessing the number of individuals at each booth. However, I was curious to know what the popular programs were.

So here are the top 20 degree programs for high schools students, by application volume, in Ontario for 2011 (the application numbers are in brackets):

1.     Arts (131,551)

2.     Science (80,559)

3.     Business Administration (58,664)

4.     Engineering (32,641)

5.     Physical and Health Education (16,484)

6.     Fine and Applied Arts (12,807)

7.     Nursing (12,129)

8.     Other Degrees (8,595)

9.     Education (8,096)

10.   Mathematics (5,538)

11.   Other Administration (4,233)

12.   Social Work (4,220)

13.   Family and Consumer Study (3,743)

14.   Environmental Studies (3,655)

15.   Journalism (3,383)

16.   Architecture (2,343)

17.   Music (2,163)

18.   Landscape Architecture (369)

19.   Agriculture (326)

20.   Forestry (96)

Note the application numbers are not individual applicants. For instance, one high school student can submit multiple applications to several programs.

Like this? Like Canada University Admit on facebook.

Western vs. Eastern Canadian Universities

Today I read an article with the headline Western Canadian universities outshining Eastern counterparts. Here's an excerpt:

A recent study by the Higher Education Strategy Associates (HESA) reports that Western Canada is the new epicentre for post-secondary education. The past two decades have seen the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria, the University of Alberta, and the University of Saskatchewan out-compete prestigious Ontario schools such as Queen's, McMaster, and the Universities of Waterloo and Western Ontario for academic talent, as well as funding.

This was shown when the Canadian government created 19 Excellence Research Chair awards, new $10-million prizes to go to leading researchers who had established programs at their home universities.

Two researchers at both the Universities of Waterloo and Toronto received recognition, while other Ontario schools struggled, with the University of Ottawa gaining one and Queen’s failing to qualify for any. Meanwhile, the University of Alberta won four and UBC won a total of $24 million.

As a high school student or parent of a soon-to-be a first year student, you shouldn’t assume that this means these universities are better because they received these awards. The reality is that typically knowledge from these prestigious chairs and research grants do not filter down to the undergraduates. Quite frankly, these recipients probably have never and will never teach an undergraduate class. Notice they have been referred to as researchers, so if you hope to do research with these academics then these awards should be very important to you.  Otherwise, choose a university that meets all of your individual criteria.

The bottom line is that your needs as an undergrad will be different from your criteria as a masters student or PhD candidate.  I believe undergraduate students need great teachers; great researchers who have ‘won’ prestigious chairs and research grants are more or most important to graduate students. This, of course, is not to say that these universities in western Canada don’t have great faculty teaching in their Bachelor degrees.

This report also highlights how difficult it is to evaluate universities. There are many variables that should be assessed when rating a university as better than another. Receiving prestigious chairs and research grants is just one of them. In summary, you really do have to do your own research with your list of what’s important to you. Go west young man/woman or use your own best judgement!

Like this, like Canada University Admit on facebook

Affordability of Post-Secondary Education in Canada

Last month, children across Canada headed back to grade school. This month, Canadian parents can turn their attention to how they are going to afford to send them off to colleges and universities. According to a BMO Financial Group study released today, more than two-thirds of Canadians (69 per cent) are concerned about the affordability of post-secondary education in Canada.

A four-year university degree can currently cost upwards of $60,000, and various sources estimate that a child born in 2011 could encounter education costs of approximately $140,000 when they are ready to enter university.

Read full story here

Here's a table I prepared of tuition at Canadian universities to help you budget.

The Best Universities in the World

Here’s another article with a poor review of Canada’s educational system, including our post-secondary institutions. This one is from the National Post.

If you look at the any global university ranking, if you want the best, you’ll have to go the United States or the United Kingdom.

Country	University	Times Higher Education Global Ranking	Top University Global Ranking	International Undergraduate Fees (USD$)
US	California Institute of Technology	1	12	36,000-38,000
US	Harvard University	2	2	38,000-40,000
US	Stanford University	3	11	40,000-42,000
UK	University of Oxford	4	5	20,000-22,000
US	Princeton University	5	13	36,000-38,000
UK	University of Cambridge	6	1	18,000-20,000
US	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	7	3	38,000-40,000
UK	Imperial College London	8	6	30,000-32,000
US	University of Chicago	9	8	42,000-44,000
US	University of California, Berkeley	10	21	32,000-34,000
US	Yale University	11	4	38,000-40,000
US	Columbia University	12	10	42,000-44,000
US	University of Pennsylvania	16	9	40,000-42,000
UK	University College London	17	7	24,000-26,000

The top 2 reasons why students and parents don’t consider the top universities in the world are:

1.      Admissibility – Most think that their grades are not high enough. But the admission requirements may not be as high as you think. For example, Oxford claims that you need at least an 85% average in your high school diploma from Canada. Harvard says that you should be in the top 10-15% of your class. But do pay attention to the additional tests such as the SAT that you will need to write for US institutions or specific course requirements in the UK.

2.      Cost – While the cost seems high compared to a Canadian university, you should note that there these universities tend to have large endowments and have a number of scholarships and financial assistance for applicants they consider desirable. You are also able to apply for private Canadian scholarships to study abroad. Also, you are eligible for a provincial and Canadian student loan. Finally, you can consider a student loan with one of the Canadian banks.

If you seriously want to go to one of the best universities in the world, it would be worth your time to investigate further. Remember, you can’t be admitted if you don’t apply. Good luck!

Like this, like Canada University Admit on facebook