It’s around this time of the year when high school students begin to decide about their futures. Choosing a university is a huge step for every senior, and those lucky enough to be accepted to McGill need to know the top reasons why they should choose McGill from the perspective of a current first year student.
1. Montreal
Montreal is an amazing city. The night life, restaurants, and countless beautiful streets and shops that make up the city give it a European vibe. The streets of St. Laurent, St. Denis, and Crescent are filled with delicious restaurants as well as night clubs, while St. Catherine is the best location for shopping. I’ve done some serious damage on all four, just like many first years do. Not only does Montreal have great restaurants and shopping, there are other perks. It’s easy to get around either on foot or by public transportation, and there are countless festivals and events going on each month. I have visited many cities in America and beyond, and Montreal is definitely one of my absolute favorites. Montreal is never quiet, and never boring.
2. Drinking Age and Nightlife
One of the biggest reasons to come to McGill is the nightlife. The idea of “work hard, play hard” rings true at McGill, as every eighteen year old can go out on weekends to blow off steam from the week of work. Many even go out on weeknights, due to McGill’s first year party schedule. From Tokyo Thursdays to upperclassmen house parties, McGill and Montreal are downright fun, and at times a bit crazy. Other international universisites as well as some in Canada have drinking ages that don’t allow for first years to have as much fun as possible.
3. Diversity
McGill’s class size may be large with an average of about 7,000 students per entering class, but that size shouldn’t be seen as a negative. Attending McGill allows you to meet fellow students from all over the world. On my floor alone in Molson there are students from Egypt, England, Colombia, Canada, and the United States. The opportunity to meet so many international students is definitely not present at all universities; McGill is unique in that aspect. In addition to diversity of origin, there are so many students at McGill that everyone can find their niche.
4. Organized Events
There are almost too many events at McGill, and sometimes it’s hard to decide what to attend. In my opinion, the best ongoing event is Open Air Pub (OAP). It’s an outdoor event that features cheap food, cheap beer, and awesome music during the first and last weeks of school when the weather is nice. Frosh is another great event that takes place during the beginning of the year. Faculty froshes are great events for making friends and meeting students, and they are also very fun. Luckily Her Campus McGill continuously keeps you updated on events both big and small run by various McGill clubs and services too.
5. Incredible Academics
McGill is a world-class university, and its graduates are respected. While the workload may be heavy at times, it’s worth it. According to McGill’s website, “In a 2013 survey, employers ranked McGill’s degrees as the 37th most-prestigious in the world.” McGill attracts the best and brightest to be taught by professors who are also among the best and brightest. My classes at McGill have (mostly) been truly interesting and fun, but most of my friends and I can attest to the fact that there are no true bird courses at McGill.
McGill is one of the best universities in the world, and there are countless reasons why any accepted student should be excited to attend. Montreal is an incredible city, and McGill is a great school. Fun times are to be had, but so are long hours of studying. It’s a balancing act, but the hard work is worth it.
Images obtained from:
http://whatsdifferentincanada.tumblr.com/post/55870057563/the-drinking-age