A Word of Caution! Is McMaster Graduate School Really Worth It? 🏟

Hamilton is often nicknamed the "Steel Industrial City" , lacking in urban entertainment resources. Public transportation is a real headache 🚌😫 (with numerous strikes in the past ), and it seems like the city offers some of the best welfare for the homeless in the surrounding area 🆓, which, while compassionate, doesn't exactly add to the charm for students. Tuition fees are increasing at an alarming annual rate of 5% 📈💸 (the engineering master's tuition for 2025 is approximately CAD 42,000 💲). Rental costs have also surged by 15% year-on-year due to a shortage of housing, and there are many pitfalls with short-term rentals 🕳️🏠. I once experienced a sudden price hike when I lived at [address like 49, assuming it's a place name], which was truly disgusting and left a bad taste in my mouth 🤢😖. But then again... McMaster has a friendly provincial nominee policy in Ontario 🍁📜, which is a big plus for international students. STEM graduates can apply for the Express Entry program 🚀, and it seems like those extra points might make it worthwhile, right? Moreover, the reason I chose McMaster for my undergraduate studies was that, compared to the University of Toronto or UBC , living costs at McMaster were 30% lower 💸📉. The co-op (paid internship) coverage rate for engineering is as high as 80% 💼📈, and it's highly recognized locally with a good employment rate . As a senior business student at McMaster who has been in Hamilton since high school and has just received an offer for graduate studies at my alma mater this year 📜🎉, I'm really torn about whether finance is worth pursuing 🤔. Studying this major now gives me a feeling of "joining the losing side in a war that was lost 50 years ago" 😔🕰️, like I'm making a questionable choice. It's truly a tough decision! 😖 #McMasterNewStudents #StudyInCanada #Hamilton#ToughChoices 😣