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Rank: Valedictorian
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Joined: 3/4/2008
Posts: 607
Location: Mississauga, ON
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So I applied to McGill and it's like my top choice because, along with being a fairly reputable school, its location seems amazing and I don't know. Come on, "Montreal". It's sounds so much more appealing than Kingston, Waterloo, Windsor, etc. Not to bash those places because I have visited them and there are really neat spots... but that is not the purpose of this thread... Anyway, my friend is a 1st year in Concordia in a fine arts program. I recently found out she is really disliking the experience there and is transferring to an art institute in Chicago. Basically the subject line of this topic is what she said. Like amazing night life, clubs, pubs, cafes due to the huge student population, but that's it? Like the weather really sucks and the roads in the city are like falling apart because there's always construction everywhere.
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Rank: Frosh
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Joined: 3/6/2008
Posts: 13
Location: Quebec
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Alright I live in Montreal and I'll tell you my personal opinion. I love Montreal, it's a great city and there's no way I'd bash my own city.
HOWEVER, for my undergrad university life, there is no way I will stay here.
Here's my view:
McGill and Concordia are great schools, but as a Montrealer, they appeal to me less because I'd have to live at home.
They also don't have the campus party life of say UWO or Queen's or an American school. Why? Because very few people live on campus (McGill offers some residence, but at Concordia it's non-existent, so it's basically a 100% commuter school) and all the partying takes place in downtown Montreal, not at campus.
Personally the nightclubs and bars don't interest me as it's not my type of music (everyone has different tastes) and frankly even though you can drink and club at 18, it's still not a piece of cake to get into places. Therefore by going away I won't have to worry about finding a good time. In Montreal I'd have to go out of my way to find a club with friends and then spend a ton of money on taxis. Just about all of my friends will be staying in town, and they either like the downtown clubbing scene or they don't bother with it altogether. What I can confirm is they don't care for the "residence" party life that you experience at nearly every other university. That said I don't know much about McGill's residence. So personally I'm going to leave Montreal for a much smaller town (probably Kingston), but I won't have to worry about things like traffic to school and finding a great time on campus.
So for your situation:
So for your friend in Concordia, it's not a "real" university experience. She is just commuting from her place to classes everyday.
If you like clubbing, then Montreal definitely delivers that experience. Montreal has the largest student population in North America, I believe. And yes, we do get a lot of snow, and the roads are just horrible (tons of potholes). Both English universities here get a big amount of out-of-province and international students. They appreciate what Montreal has to offer, but they are also very independent and many live on their own. Since there is less of rez experience in a big city like Montreal, you need to be mature enough to get out into the big city on your own.
PM me if you need more info. My review above is very bias to my own views of being a high school and CEGEP student in Montreal. It really depends on personal tastes.
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Rank: Frosh
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Joined: 4/8/2008
Posts: 8
Location: Cornwall
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Im not in Montreal. But I can relate in the sense that my college sucks for parties. Everyone lives in town so they come to class and leave. Thats it thats all.
No one hangs out at school and if they do they allready have there own lil "clique".
But the way I look at it is, less partys, more time i get to concentrate on my school work and do way better! I go out everyt Thursday at a local bar and on weekends. It may not be as exciting and packed as Montreal but whatever. As long as you have great people around thats all that matters!
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Rank: Frosh
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Joined: 4/8/2008
Posts: 8
Location: Cornwall
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One more thing! theres bad weather and roads and traffic everywhere! so get over that...cause it def. wont change!
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 78
Location: Montreal, Quebec
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Theres alot to do in Montreal, lets be real anywhere else, there would literally be nothing to do. Mcgill has residences for first years, and if you can get over small jail cell like rooms, which we all do, then the experience is worth it. Although Concordia maynot have residences theres prob always some school sponsered event going on somewhere,. Plus hanging out in someones apartment, campus bars, or bars in general is fun when ur with friends.
I understand how the person from montreal feels, because I felt the same way about Toronto. Its not that Toronto isn't great, its really just that Id have to stay home and commute, commute = sadness and disconnection in my opinion. For mcgill after first year you have to find an apartment, but noones dumb enough to get an place that isn't within a 15 min walk of the campus, so it can hardly be called commuting.
Mcgill Engineering 2011
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Rank: Frosh
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Joined: 4/11/2008
Posts: 5
Location: Dawson College
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Egads you must not have been oot and aboot past the downtown core yet. I made the same mistake at first, but then started getting to know the city a bit more this past year.
The mountain is a fun place to go climbing if you're feeling energetic. I like to take a walking stick and get dirty instead of taking the trails. Sundays in the summer they play drums and practice acrobatics there too.
By the Atwater market you can rent kayaks and bust around the Lachine canal for pretty cheap and there's white water rafting 'round these parts too.
Parc Jean Drapeau's got some pretty rad stuff that goes on too, check out they're website.
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Rank: Senior Student
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Joined: 4/6/2008
Posts: 59
Location: Toronto
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tmhlee wrote:
Anyway, my friend is a 1st year in Concordia in a fine arts program. I recently found out she is really disliking the experience there and is transferring to an art institute in Chicago.
i have a friend that goes to Concordia first year right now and he HATES the experience as well..
utsc next year!
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Rank: Frosh
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Joined: 4/11/2008
Posts: 11
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I have vistied my friend who goes to Laval and you are right it is freezing there. I am at Mcmaster and just so happy that the warm sun is finally coming out 
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Rank: Frosh
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Joined: 3/16/2008
Posts: 6
Location: Calgary
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karyy wrote:tmhlee wrote:
Anyway, my friend is a 1st year in Concordia in a fine arts program. I recently found out she is really disliking the experience there and is transferring to an art institute in Chicago.
i have a friend that goes to Concordia first year right now and he HATES the experience as well.. what did they not like about the experience? I'm considering going to Concordia in the fall for BA Poli Sci.. I don't want the college dorm life so it doesn't bother me much. Also why do people like to live in Plateau mont royal? Isn't closer to Concordia and have a better nightlife? thanks, from Calgary
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Rank: Senior Student
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Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 78
Location: Montreal, Quebec
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Phenom wrote:karyy wrote:tmhlee wrote:
Anyway, my friend is a 1st year in Concordia in a fine arts program. I recently found out she is really disliking the experience there and is transferring to an art institute in Chicago.
i have a friend that goes to Concordia first year right now and he HATES the experience as well.. what did they not like about the experience? I'm considering going to Concordia in the fall for BA Poli Sci.. I don't want the college dorm life so it doesn't bother me much. Also why do people like to live in Plateau mont royal? Isn't closer to Concordia and have a better nightlife? thanks, from Calgary The plateau is a really nice looking place, its colorful,has alot of charm, and its close to alot of restaurants and markets. Its a very lengthy walk away from Concordia though,
Mcgill Engineering 2011
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Rank: Frosh
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Joined: 3/16/2008
Posts: 6
Location: Calgary
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Juiced8 wrote:
The plateau is a really nice looking place, its colorful,has alot of charm, and its close to alot of restaurants and markets. Its a very lengthy walk away from Concordia though,
Thanks for the reply. That leads to my next question. What would you rather live close to, Crescent or St Laurent? any why?
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 78
Location: Montreal, Quebec
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id say st laurent, I have no idea why though. I dont see anything wrong with the area around crescent at all, a bit pricey I would think though. Both streets give you very direct access to stores, clubs, and bars, food places, so theres no shortage of anything.
Mcgill Engineering 2011
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Rank: Valedictorian
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/4/2008
Posts: 607
Location: Mississauga, ON
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Juiced8 wrote:id say st laurent, I have no idea why though. I dont see anything wrong with the area around crescent at all, a bit pricey I would think though. Both streets give you very direct access to stores, clubs, and bars, food places, so theres no shortage of anything. I've heard people say St. Laurent is where you can experience genuine montreal whereas Crescent has a lot of tourist-targeted crap because it's the English area? Is that true? Btw Juiced, are you in rez? Which would you say is the best one?
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Rank: Frosh
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Joined: 4/13/2008
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Location: british columbia
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yeah
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 78
Location: Montreal, Quebec
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I dont know if screscent is more tourist oriented....theres just alot of bars and clubs
I live in McConnell. BMH is just overpriced for what your getting, your paying for friendships pretty much. And to e honest, aside from the people im living with next year, and a few buddy's in the building who happen to be in my department, ill never see some of these people again, aside from the random encounters where we'll talk and reminisce about some of the funny nonsense that went down here. So in the end I dont know what to say, choose a MORE house and pray you get matched with cool people.
Mcgill Engineering 2011
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Rank: Valedictorian
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Joined: 3/4/2008
Posts: 607
Location: Mississauga, ON
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Juiced8 wrote:I dont know if screscent is more tourist oriented....theres just alot of bars and clubs
I live in McConnell. BMH is just overpriced for what your getting, your paying for friendships pretty much. And to e honest, aside from the people im living with next year, and a few buddy's in the building who happen to be in my department, ill never see some of these people again, aside from the random encounters where we'll talk and reminisce about some of the funny nonsense that went down here. So in the end I dont know what to say, choose a MORE house and pray you get matched with cool people. Lol thanks for the advice. Yesss. MORE Houses looking pretty good so far... though I'd have to get a meal plan. Juiced, do you know anything about/ anyone in Dio&Prez Rez?
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Rank: Senior Student
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Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 78
Location: Montreal, Quebec
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Dio and Prez rez are new. Haven't actualy been there before but i kno some people who live there and they say they like it. Its situated in a church(???) or like the college of religious studies or something like that. I know they threw a party there once, in like November, but thats the last I've heard anybody talk about them. Oh and its probably the best location you can get out of a rez. RIGHT ACCROSS from the milton gates, if your going into science or engineering most of your courses will be, if you choose wisely, in the adams building which is quite literally a stones throw away.
Mcgill Engineering 2011
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Rank: Valedictorian
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Joined: 3/4/2008
Posts: 607
Location: Mississauga, ON
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Quiet crowd? I guess close proximity would be awesome. I wouldn't mind the walking I suppose, prevent that inevitable freshman 15... Do you find living up the hill stopped you from going downtown and stuff? Like you had to make an effort to go out? I imagine cab rides are better back to MORE housing than upper rez? Unless Montreal's amazing metro system works til really late.. lol
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/28/2008
Posts: 108
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I really want to be close to my classes and close to the Heat of the City as possible, for obvious reasons Clubs, Bars, Shopping etc.
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 5/5/2008
Posts: 88
Location: Edmonton
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There's more to entertainment than clubbing, surely.
McGill has a very good set of museums, not to mention a large number of events such as Soup and Science (a week per semester) and very interesting guest lecturers. There's also a lot of good theatre and music (esp. opera).
PS. I think it's a bit silly to choose a university based on how exciting the town is. Would you really visit Oxfordshire?
McGill Engineering 2010
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