Anybody else having University dilemma's??

[minnie56]

Our daughter (and of course us) are having such a time choosing Universities!!

With all the hype about the double co-hort....the school recommended multiple applications, so our Daughter applied to 6. Of course, all 6 have accepted her!

Now we have it down to Queens, U of T and McMaster. She is heading into Engineering....

Any tips or suggestions?? Even anyone's experience is appreciated as we are running out of time and need to respond soon!!

 

[PoohBWV]

Check out this thread

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=378148

There are quite a lot of us with double co-hort kids!

 

[minnie56]

I have posted over there!!

Great thread..wish I had seen it before!

 

[Paul G]

I went to McMaster for engineering, its a great school and very well respected.

My wife went to U of T. It is a very spread out university plunked down in the middle of a city. She also went to Mc
aster and said she liked it much better.

Queens is a nice university but not well known for engineering.

If I had it to do over again I would go to McMaster. If I could go I might go to the coop program at Waterloo - its a very well respected engineering school and the coop work gives you experience as well as helps pay the bills

 

[minnie56]

For your input..it is so appreciated!

Actually...we are now down to Queen's and Waterloo having completed our second tour at Waterloo today!

It comes down to this...
We and my Daughter really like the feel of Queen's and the Campus. It seems a bit more laid back and not quite so competitive. First year is General Engineering and then she picks her discipline from there on...

At Waterloo...There definetly is a more competitive feel to the students and certainly the campus is not as attractive nor does it feel as 'friendly'.However,,, she loves this brand new course offered there called 'Mechatronics' which involves all disciplines and it is the only University in Canada to offer it.

Yes, it is co-op and while I think it's beneficial it does seem to add to the strain of the workload for those 4 moth blocks in classes.Plus every 4 months you have to move out and then move back in!!!

Oh...what to do?? Course or school??
This has without a doubt been the biggest worry so far!

 

[PoohBWV]

You keep mentioning the Mechantronics course. Just wanted to make sure you were aware that St. Clair College offers a three year program in Mechatronics. The students there have actually won some very prestigious awards and they have an awesome job rate after graduation. Just some food for more thought!

 

[NancyK]

Hi minnie56,
We were in Waterloo yesterday for a tour also - Faculty of Math, Computer Science. My son came away feeling that he would much prefer Ottawa. He knows that Waterloo is an excellent university and very prestigious. But I think he got the same feeling you did about it being very competitive and not much fun. I hate to see him go so far from home, but as we were touring Ottawa last weekend, I had a gut feeling that he would be happy there. Yesterday, I had a gut feeling that he wouldn't be happy in Waterloo. I've tried to give him the pros and cons honestly. He knows that my preference is Waterloo, but he also knows that I want him to enjoy his time at university. So - I'm glad he's made a decision, and come September I'll be shedding lots of tears.

 

[Rebecca P.]

We are also a double co-hort family. Our son has elected to stay home another year, take a couple of courses and go next fall.

His friends at Waterloo are NOT having much fun so he has decided against it for engineering.

There is just so much to chose from. Not like when we went 25 years ago!

Our current plans is to work a little and go visit another family in New Zealand for a few weeks. An opportunity he may never have again. Besides he can't even have a beer (legally) on campus until the next year!

 

[dsneygirl]

I'm totally biased because I am from Waterloo and many of my friends went there but it is World Class the co-op opportunities are unbelievable. And Waterloo is an awesome town to go to school in. 20,000 students at U of W and another 7,000 down the street at WLU makes for a great atmosphere.

And I would stree too much about the moving in and out for co-op, I once heard that 40% of Waterloo students are in co-op so everyone is in the same boat.

 

[minnie56]

NancyK....You will not be alone in September...It seems yesterday she began Junior Kindergarten and a 'blink' later...here we are.


dsneygirl...I noticed you did the College program. That is what I wanted my daughter to do for a year...take a year off and have an amazing experience. But she wouldn't...didn't want to get out of the 'swing of things' she said!

I guess I am with her leaning towards the great course at Waterloo but I empathise with her gravitating to Queen's having some buddies going there in the same program. Frankly...for me..Waterloo is much closer and makes me feel happier...but she's a quiet girl and if she doesn't make friends..it will be a long 5 years!!! I feel like calling Waterloo and asking hoe many girls are enrolled in Mechatronics...just so I know what she will be up against!

 

[minnie56]

I should call 'Cleo' you know..." Call me now" lol