I am a second-year student at McGill University studying Political Science. Throughout my studies at McGill, I have been fortunate enough to have had some amazing professors who are genuinely interested in the success of their students. I truly believe that professors can make or break a class, which is why having great teachers is pivotal.
View moreThe profs I had in the McGill political science and philosophy departments really do care about their work and their students success. I was fortunate enough to be supported by the extremely fair and generous financial aid department as well, without whom my education would not have been possible.
View moreA top university admitting students from all parts of the world. It has very qualified professors who are so passionate about their job. The academics are thorough and pushes students to work extra hard for good performance. I studied political science and the course units were well organized and we completed them promptly
View moreAs a current Gender Studies and Political Science major student, I am exposed to the various ways in which Gender and Social order interact with so many aspects of our lives. Whereas my political science courses install strong analytical skills, that allow me critically understand these various influences highlighted by my Gendered degree. The professors at my school are also highly skilled at explaining critical concepts and how to make my degree interdisciplinary.
View moreMcGill University consistently ranks amongst the top 3 universities in Canada and among the top 50 in the world. It is a large research institution which has been praised for the quality of research it produces. Yet, the life of an undergraduate at McGill is hard, cold, and lonesome. While I’ll spare you the details, my main quarrels with McGill are with its size and research oriented approach.
Firstly, it is incredibly hard to make academic connections. Unless you have found an academic passion you ready to geek-out about, and are willing to talk to professors about your said new-found passion, it is hard to form genuine connections with the professors. This is not because they don’t care (some don’t and are too busy citing their sources), but rather because, to them, you are student 6029. Furthermore, for such a large university, there seem to be a substantially under-staffed, under-funded, and under-thought, student services sector. The health clinic is abysmally slow, the mental health resources probably make issues worse, and academic help is hard to come by.
That being said, there are many resources that are good and useful, you just need to find them. No one is going to show you. Also, a word of warning, the grading here is HARD. McGill isn’t an easy place to thrive. You can thrive here, but be ready to cram. All of this being said, I can’t love Montreal enough. From the cheap rent, to the cheap beer, to the international vibe. McGill, mostly due to Montreal and the people, is still a great place to study. Especially, if you’re from Canada, or can afford the tuition here. Tuition is cheaper than most mid-tier U.S liberal arts colleges and probably better. Plus, I doubt the U.S will remain a bastion for excellence in higher education much longer. Education can’t and shouldn’t be commercialized the way it is today. Bottom line: McGill is a good place to study, you’ll get prestige, recognition, a nice, cheap, and clean city, with many cool people. You will however feel isolated, frustrated, and probably incredibly happy to be done. Oh and one final word of advice, try to be passionate about you’re going to study! If you, like me, chose something you can only muster marginal energy for, you’ll, like me, end up grumpy and frowny. Lots of love though!
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