University of Toronto - UofT vs University of British Columbia vs Algonquin College vs Carleton University vs Le Cordon Bleu Paris

Side-by-side comparison from 704 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Le Cordon Bleu Paris (4.60)
University of Toronto - UofT: wins 0/7 categories
University of British Columbia: wins 1/7 categories
Algonquin College: wins 0/7 categories
Carleton University: wins 2/7 categories
Le Cordon Bleu Paris: wins 2/7 categories
Lighthouse Labs: wins 0/7 categories
Douglas College New Westminster: wins 2/7 categories
Comparing
Best programme: Psychology
Best programme: Arts
Ottawa, Canada
4.20
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61 reviews
×
Best programme: Aeronautics and Space Technology
Ottawa, Canada
4.30
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125 reviews
×
Best programme: BA (hons) Psychology
4.60
Top
Read more reviews
10 reviews
×
Best programme: Culinary Arts
Vancouver, Canada
Not rated
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0 reviews
×
Best programme: Accounting
Category ratings
Facilities
4.20
4.22
4.10
4.23
4.40
Win
Not rated
3.88
Location
4.38
4.45
4.26
4.28
4.70
Not rated
4.71
Win
Professors
4.15
4.10
4.21
4.20
4.60
Not rated
4.88
Win
Internationality
4.42
4.35
3.98
4.29
4.60
Win
Not rated
4.38
Student life
3.80
4.31
Win
3.91
4.05
3.90
Not rated
4.25
Value
4.24
4.08
4.30
4.34
Win
3.90
Not rated
4.25
Accommodation
3.84
3.86
3.75
4.11
Win
3.00
Not rated
3.13
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +World-class professors and high academic standards
  • +Strong networking opportunities and diverse programs
  • +Welcoming environment and accessible campus amenities
  • +Excellent professors and engaging courses
  • +Valuable career preparation and practical learning opportunities
  • +Abundant resources, study spaces, and campus support services
  • +Practical skills & career readiness
  • +Supportive & knowledgeable instructors
  • +Well-organized & engaging programs
  • +Supportive and knowledgeable professors
  • +Engaging and challenging programs fostering critical thinking
  • +Welcoming campus community and diverse opportunities
  • +Exceptional teaching quality from passionate, experienced instructors
  • +Unmatched precision, emphasis on quality, and professional skill development
  • +Welcoming environment, strong support, and valuable alumni network

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  • +Practical, career-oriented programs with industry software
  • +High-quality instructors and engaging, interactive learning environments
  • +Abundant student resources for academic success
Cons
  • -Administrative and management issues negatively impact student services.
  • -Ineffective teaching methods and research focus outweigh educational experience.
  • -Limited career preparation and a competitive, unsupportive environment are criticized.
  • -Administrative & course selection issues are frustrating.
  • -Social life can feel superficial and exclusive.
  • -Inconsistent teaching quality, with some professors subpar.
  • -Administrative and management issues, including financial fees and lack of support.
  • -Ineffective online learning experiences with unprepared professors.
  • -Lack of preparedness for the working world.
  • -Administrative and management issues plague the system.
  • -Lack of passion, interest, or creativity is prevalent.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and lack of modern resources are disappointing.
  • -The curriculum feels irrelevant and disconnected from real-world needs.

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  • -Students dislike the administrative and management issues.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance are frequently mentioned.
  • -The curriculum is often described as irrelevant or not engaging.
Rating summary
What students say

Internationally recognized for its global appeal, this institution excels in **Internationality** with a score of 4.42. **Location** also garners high praise at 4.38. Conversely, **Student Life** received the lowest rating at 3.80, closely followed by **Accomodation** at 3.84. Other areas like Facilities, Professors, and Value all score well, generally above 4.15.

This institution's surveyed areas reveal a mixed performance. The strongest aspects are Location, scoring 4.45, closely followed by Internationality at 4.35 and Student Life at 4.31. Facilities also received a commendable 4.22 rating. Conversely, Accomodation stands out as the weakest area, with a score of 3.86, while Professors and Value fall within the mid-range.

This university demonstrates particular strengths in **Value** and **Location**, both receiving high marks. **Professors** are also highly rated, suggesting a strong academic environment. Conversely, **Accomodation** is the lowest-rated aspect, indicating potential areas for improvement. **Student Life** and **Internationality** fall in the mid-range, while **Facilities** are rated above average.

Overall, the university garners strong ratings across multiple aspects. Value stands out as the highest-rated category. Facilities, location, and internationality also score very well. Student life, while still positive, is the lowest-rated area among the surveyed categories, indicating room for improvement in that specific domain.

This university demonstrates exceptional strength in its **location** (4.7), **professors** (4.6), and **internationality** (4.6). Students are particularly impressed with the quality of instruction and the global environment. Conversely, **accommodation** stands out as the lowest-rated area at 3.0, suggesting room for improvement in this aspect. Student life and value for money also received moderate scores.

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A consistently positive assessment emerges for this institution, with its **Professors** earning an exceptional 4.875. **Location** and **Internationality** also score highly, reflecting strengths in these aspects. Conversely, **Accomodation** presents the lowest score at 3.125, indicating an area for potential improvement, while **Facilities** are rated moderately. Student life and value perceptions are solid.

Reviews summary
Highlights

With a 4.21 average rating, ~84% of reviews highlight positive university life, helpful professors, strong research, and accessibility. A small minority (~1.6%) mention underfunding of student services and a fast-paced, competitive academic environment.

With 4.23/5 stars from 191 reviews, approximately 74% of feedback is positive, highlighting strong academics, professors, and resources. Negative feedback, representing about 1.1%, mentions course selection difficulties and inconsistent professor quality.

With a 4.18/5 average rating, ~90% of 61 reviews are positive, highlighting transformative academics and supportive campus life. A small ~5% of feedback expressed concerns about cost and online learning effectiveness.

With an average rating of 4.26/5, ~98% of 125 reviews are positive, highlighting structured programs, approachable professors, and a welcoming campus community. Minimal negative feedback exists.

Students highly praise the exceptional quality of teaching and knowledgeable instructors. Facilities are noted as impeccable and the learning environment welcoming, contributing to professional and personal growth for ~100% of reviewers.

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With an average rating of 4.5/5, ~88% of reviews are positive, highlighting practical, career-oriented programs and experienced, helpful instructors. No negative feedback was provided.

Rating distribution
5★
37%
38%
33%
38%
60%
0%
63%
4★
49%
50%
57%
52%
40%
0%
25%
3★
13%
12%
5%
9%
0%
0%
13%
2★
1%
1%
5%
2%
0%
0%
0%
1★
0%
1%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked
PhD Psyc

The program itself is great and really prepares you for an academic career, but the quality of the supervisors varies a lot. Some people in the department are excellent and enjoy empowering their students, but the majority of profs make you feel like they're doing you a favour by giving you their time of day/guidance. Might be an issue exclusively with this department, but still. And the campus is cool! Great cheap eats around. Shout out to El Rey for when you want to splurge a bit and get some awesome tacos!

Underwhelming

I was there as an exchange student from Europe, attending classes at Sauder Business School and the Mechanical Engineering Department. Studying at UBC is definitely a mixed bag in terms of the quality of education. I did have a few great professors who held wonderfully challenging and well-thought-out classes, making me feel that UBC punches above its weight in terms of educational quality. However, some other lectures were undoubtedly subpar. Grading seemed quite arbitrary at times (moving goalposts seems to be a recurring theme at UBC), and the lectures were not nearly as good as they should have been, in my opinion. It is quite fair to say that other exchange students and I were often shocked that UBC allows these courses to occur annually without making efforts to improve them. At UBC as a whole, less is expected from students than at my home university. I've seen people never show up to class and hold presentations that would never fly at my home uni. Professors seems to welcome all questions even if they are about things a fourth-year engineering student just months before graduation needs to know. I am not sure if UBC ensures that its graduates are adequately educated, and would definitely think twice if I was a recruiter and had to hire someone who attented there. From what I have seen, I would tentatively recommend Sauder Business School. For Mechanical Engineering (and probably also Electrical and Civil Engineering), UBC is simply too small, offering a lack of choices and not many lectures; usually, only introductory courses are offered for most topics. I recommend attending a more engineering/science-focused university, such as Waterloo or others in the US or Europe. It is quite astonishing how much money people pay to attend these subpar classes. Enjoyed having a beach on campus.

Multicultural Workspace

As an international student, I had a great experience studying at Algonquin University. The faculty and staff were incredibly supportive and made me feel welcome from the moment I arrived on campus. The university also provided me with numerous resources to help me adjust to life in a new country, such as language classes and cultural events. The quality of education at Algonquin University is exceptional, and I found the courses to be challenging yet engaging. The professors were knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects, and I appreciated the practical, hands-on approach to learning. The campus itself is beautiful and well-maintained, with modern facilities and a wide range of amenities. There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved in extracurricular activities and meet other students, which helped me feel more connected to the university community. Overall, I would highly recommend Algonquin University to any international student looking for a top-notch education and a supportive, welcoming environment.

Glad I got into the "University of Last Hope"

I look back at my time at Carleton University with much fondness and nostalgia. I pursued my Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Accounting between 2010-14. The faculty were knowledgeable and approachable which made learning easier (and now that I have no deadline worries, somewhat fun). At the time Carleton was still expanding to the sprawling campus it is now, so we had to walk / run fairly far to catch classes. Now even the business program has its own building so I assume classes are more centralised. I was an international student and I loved the diversity and exchange of experiences and opinions at Carleton. No matter the subject, from Sociology to calculus to language to tax & audit, there was always just as much to learn from peers as from professors. It definitely opened my mind and made me think. The Sprott Business School had an amazing lineup of professors from within academia as well as from the corporate world, blending theory and practice well. The campus is nestled right beside the Rideau river and is a visual treat across all the seasons. Though if we talk about Ottawa, we need to speak to the cold winters and Carleton had an amazing tunnel system that spans the entire campus. You can use any entrance and travel across campus in toasty warmth. The tunnels also have a collection of different shops, vending machines for whatever you may need - along with cozy nooks and bustling junctions so you can spend time between classes recharging or hanging out with friends. Being an international student, Carleton was fairly expensive, though average in tuition costs compared to other universities in Canada. There are limited bursaries and scholarships with strict GPA requirements to retain. These were helpful relative to Canadian tuition but were significantly lower compared to international fees. Another expense was the on-campus restaurant and cafeteria; considering that you have very few options, the prices are quite steep (for a student). Other campuses like the University of Ottawa located downtown have access to a more diverse and competitively priced range of restaurants and eateries. Carleton is accessible via bus or train through Ottawa's public transit system, OC Transpo. The system has deteriotated over time and commute can be a pain point for many (especially during rush hour, in winter, or during exam season). While dormitories are convenient, they can be quite expensive. Off-campus housing near the University (Sunnyside, Prince of Wales, etc.) can be relatively cheaper with options to walk to University (yes, even in winter). I would also like to personally speak to the amazing Muslim Student's Association and prayer space that Carleton has. It enriched my time at the University and gave me fresh appreciation for views, customs and kinship across hundreds of cultures. And it provided me with a space to recharge spiritually in a more personal way, being so far from my own home, family and culture. Unfortunately I cannot speak much to the sporting facilities, but Carleton has some of the best teams in the province (especially for Basketball). Our mascot is Rodney the Raven. Their gym facilities in particular were very nice and access is generally granted with the price of tuition. Lastly, I would like to say that given the opportunity and financial ability, I would love to go back and do a graduate course at Carleton, just to be able to walk through its halls and experience the bustle of school life again. Even though it is endearingly known as the "University of Last Hope," I am grateful that I got a chance to spend my formative youth there.

Student in 2013

I really enjoyed my time at LCB! I've found that my skills when I entered the work force were much higher than others. I think though there was a big portion missing in recipe development and composition. True- we did learn it through memorizing the recipes, but we really were missing classes on how different ingredients affect the final textures.. how you can change them... etc. That I still am not an expert in .. and I create recipes! Ouf! Also, I don't know if you still do a month of sugar work... but that really wasn't necessary and should be either cut or minimized to just 2 lessons. It's such a niche skill to know that I would have really preferred more technical skills. I loved the old location. The "rumors" I'm getting about the new location are that it's not as good, unfortunately - that i's become more of a money focused/marketing machine. I really hope that this image can be fixed as I love LCB and enjoyed my time there! Oh also - there should be more help for students to get jobs and featuring old students accomplishments - from cookbook launches to new bakeries so that current and old students can support them.

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