McGill University — Attraction in Montreal

Great source of knowledge but some teachers are predatory and left me with a lifetime of problems and no strength or means to defend myself. Big ableism problem. So many issues in the physiotherapy program. It’s way too difficult and the ableism by teachers makes it that way. It shouldn’t be so hard because it’s such an important subject and profession with so many possibilities. students have a secret student contract they have to abide by and after a certain number of failures you get removed. I got a bachelors in physiotherapy but in the masters they kicked me out for just failing a couple exams in a difficult period in life and told me I could never come back. They didn’t care that I’ve gotten As and was a PT rep when I started out, that I worked tirelessly and even hired a tutor for thousands of dollars to redo an exam I failed and was interested in keeping up with my studies. I was just a slow learner but once I got something it all came together and I was able to excel / pass . They only care about students who can learn super fast and well right off the bat but their personalities can be so bland. Why not welcome neurodiversity like you claim to do? I don’t have the ability to practice as a physio in Quebec anymore (years later now that I’ve suffered even more difficulties in life that led to me acquiring a more debilitating disability, I don’t think it would even be physically possible for me to be a PT or anything of the like but had the people who ran this program protected me and kept me on track I wouldn’t be in this situation.) I tried explaining but they didn’t care. a teacher also abused me in front of the class and I have a shoulder problem from it and she’s a top teacher. One of the people leading my stages discriminated against a man with chronic pain, accusing him of faking and wanting attention and refused to listen to me when I questioned him on it and then failed me on that stage saying I wasn’t applying enough of my knowledge. Apparently all it takes to lose your power in society is to get 2 bad teachers and have some struggles in life even if you try your best and suffer and sacrifice for many yrs. Also thanks to the bizarre system, you can’t practice as an assistant physio here with a bachelors degree. You need to get a separate DEC to become what they call a physiotherapy technologist. It would be so nice if people could work as assistant physiotherapists if they have a bachelors degree and maybe some extra training instead of having to do another 2 year program. People who get a bachelors degree should automatically become physiotherapy technologists or they should be informed of their options. If they don’t wish to pursue a career in research or feel confident being a physio right away, they should be allowed to work as an assistant physio or advised to pursue a DEC after completing a bachelors instead of going into a masters. Then maybe complete a masters later in life when they’re ready. It seems like so many of the people in the physiotherapy program go off to become doctors or other types of professionals instead staying in the profession. So many pt work environments in Quebec / Montreal felt toxic to me but I’ve also felt good vibes from a select few clinics and know there are more opportunities out there for people who prefer to not be compared to or controlled by condescending, basic, French-dominating, ableist and clueless types who just like to get drunk at a bar on the weekend or live the illusion that they’re better for being so type A and will look down on anyone not like them. Also some teachers were just so unsettling: will just decide to hate you if you use the microwave in the hospital’s staff kitchen by mistake thinking you’re allowed to and then be paranoid about you using the microwave for the rest of eternity give you dirty looks and condescending vibes. The gov of Quebec claims to do so much to keep people who are native to Quebec here but they don’t. The healthcare system needs a lot of improvement to reduce confusion and frustration and diversity should...

I am a current undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, St. George Campus. When I was younger, McGill was always my dream university. For me it was either McGill or U of T, and although I ended up at U of T, I have always admired McGill. I did not apply because I live in Ontario and as an only child my parents were worried about me being too far from home, which is very normal and something I completely understand.

This summer I had the chance to visit McGill again while on vacation in Montreal, and it truly is one of the most beautiful campuses in Canada. McGill was founded in 1821 and named after James McGill, a Scottish merchant whose endowment made the university possible. Since then, it has grown into one of the most respected universities in the world, with Nobel Prize winners, groundbreaking research, and an incredible reputation in medicine, law, and science. The campus is in such a unique location, right at the base of Mount Royal, which gives it both a historic and lively atmosphere. The old stone buildings are surrounded by green spaces, and you really feel like you are in the heart of Montreal.

When I visited, it happened to be move-in day and they were also setting up for OAP, the Open Air Pub. I have seen so many videos of OAP before, but seeing it in person felt so exciting. There was such a positive energy on campus and you could tell students here are proud of their school. I also noticed that people at McGill have a great sense of style. Everyone looked effortlessly put together and it really added to the atmosphere of the campus.

Something else that stood out to me is the slope leading up to Mount Royal. Walking up there was no joke, I was out of breath and it felt like a workout on its own. It made me think about what it must be like to have classes up that hill every day, and in a way it is great for athleticism since students are constantly exercising just by moving between buildings. One of my high school teachers once told me that when they studied at McGill, students would take cafeteria trays in the winter and slide down the hill for fun. Imagining that made me smile because it shows how students not only study hard but also find creative ways to enjoy the campus and city.

McGill seems to balance academics with a really strong sense of community and social life, and I find that inspiring. As a U of T student I sometimes wish we had more of that same social spirit, but it is also motivating to see what McGill offers. I am entering my last year at U of T now, but I am definitely interested in applying to McGill for my master’s. Based on my experiences and everything I saw, I can confidently say McGill is one of the most beautiful, vibrant, and prestigious universities not only in Canada but in...

Canada. Oh Canada. One of the most heavily marketed countries in the world. When you research Canada you are marketed one of the most “beautiful” and “welcoming” countries in the world. It couldn’t be further from the truth. When my wife and I graduated high school we decided to move to Canada to start our lives and we couldn’t think of a better place to call home. We imagined our lives were going to finally be established - after uni, we would find jobs there, buy a home and start a family. How wrong we were. Canada is a complete farce. For international residents, it’s almost impossible to integrate - socially, culturally and practically. Despite being extremely financially well off and stable(over a million in investments), we were unable to even get a mortgage when attempting to purchase property because of our ‘international’ status. Attempting to get a permanent residence cost money, time, stress and would’ve required us to move away from the semi-home we established. With our international status, we were forced to pay ridiculously high amounts of tuition - which then couldn’t be put to good use afterwards, since it was difficult to find decent jobs that didn’t prioritize local residents. Furthermore, as good tax paying residents - we got terrible service. Poor health care, and absolutely ZERO infrastructure. The infrastructure is an absolute joke. It’s none existent. Travel is an absolute no go in Canada because any domestic flight will cost you upwards of 400 per person. Which makes sense when you take into account how massive Canada is with a population smaller then Californias. But since then my wife and I have relocated to The Netherlands and we couldn’t be happier. We got approved for a mortgage within 4 months of living here, and everything just makes sense here. The government really do care about there citizens and your tax money actually brings you somewhere. Be cautions of all the great reviews you read about living in Canada online, because most of them are most probably fake. Canada NEEDS immigrants and those universities are a money making business that will go to any length to get you to pay them money. Even if it means paying people in less wealthy countries to flood the internet with positive reviews...