The Official College Thread - Page 90

kissmekaety · (#891)

Originally Posted by kaitlynmarieb

That's the problem- I have NO clue. I guess I still have plenty of time to think about it :P But it's always good to keep my eye out for places where I want to go for uni. Thanks! (:

Well, if you like Toronto, there are a couple other universities in the city, University of Toronto, and Ryerson University.

You should check them out!

darcy · (#892)

Originally Posted by arbigelow

Hello! Anyways just thought I'd pipe in and ask: have you heard of UBC (University of British Columbia)? It's about a 20 min bus ride from downtown Vancouver, it's got a huge forest around it with running and biking trails and it's located on a point so it's also surrounded by a beach (clothing optional!). Also, Vancouver's got a coastal climate and so it barely gets any snow and the summer's are really nice. The city's also really close to skiing (Cypress mountain about 30-40 min from downtown, there's Whistler too). Plus the city's beautiful! The only thing is it's supposed to have the "largest" Greek life in Canada, but keep in mind that Canada's Greek life is quite a bit smaller than in the states.

Thanks!! I have heard about UBC but I haven't really looked into it... I guess I've mostly been looking around the US. But now I'm interested!

becca12 · (#893)

so i'm about to be applying for uni and i'm still deciding on which ones to consider applying to and everything, and i won't be able to do any visits which might make the decision even harder.

i get free tuition at UMD and all MD state schools so my parents are really pushing me to go there, which makes sense financially.. and UMD has pretty much everything i want/need. but a the same time i feel like i would like a smaller school in a different environment close to a city but with a nature-feel, which is why i want to ask you, darcy, more on anything you know about lewis and clark! i'd love to hear about your visit there and your opinions on the school in general.

also, how do canadian unis differ from american ones? i'm looking at mcgill and might look at some others.

as for what i want to do - probably something the along the lines of international studies & a foreign language, psychology, linguistics, journalism...the list goes on haha. i'm pretty undecided really, and i want to study a lot of different things. but my intentions are to do a (maybe double) major that i enjoy and get my MPH and maybe go to medical school later.

thanks guys! any advice is really appreciated.

emma. · (#894)

Originally Posted by becca12

so i'm about to be applying for uni and i'm still deciding on which ones to consider applying to and everything, and i won't be able to do any visits which might make the decision even harder.

also, how do canadian unis differ from american ones? i'm looking at mcgill and might look at some others.

I think the main (and most obvious difference) is that you won't be getting a US degree. It's still accredited and definitely valuable, but keep in mind that sometimes internships in college that take place in the US require that the student be in a US college. That is the main thing I've run into. Besides that it's really not that different I don't think. McGill specifically is definitely more independent than most colleges I've visited in the US. At McGill you have to be proactive and take care of yourself when it comes to scheduling and advising...there is also a lot of red tape when it comes to getting questions answered. But I'd get around that by asking early and often. Besides those things I'm not really sure what else is different since i haven't gone yet

darcy · (#895)

Originally Posted by becca12

but a the same time i feel like i would like a smaller school in a different environment close to a city but with a nature-feel, which is why i want to ask you, darcy, more on anything you know about lewis and clark! i'd love to hear about your visit there and your opinions on the school in general.

You pretty much described Lewis & Clark in a nutshell! So, at the beginning of the summer I stayed at L&C for two weeks, so even though I don't go to the college, I definitely got a good feel for it.

It is a small school- only about 1900 students- but the students I talked to said that they loved the community feeling and that the small size didn't bother them. (That was my only concern- I wouldn't want to be stifled!) And they said that if they ever did feel smothered, Portland was just a few minutes away (as well of Portland State U students!).

That's something I LOVED about Lewis & Clark. Being on the campus was sometimes like being in the middle of the wilderness. There were tons of trees and pathways and a rose garden and a beautiful reflecting pool. The main admissions office looks like it's out of Snow White... castle-y and brick-filled. There are lots of large expanses of green lawn. When you're in the library, giant windows to the left and right let you see trees and trails. There is hiking in Tryon Creek and even on campus, and there are these huge bridges through forests that you can hike underneath (just minutes from the dorms!). At night, you can see tons of stars- waaayy more than where I live in suburban southern California.

Yet even with all of this natural goodness, L&C is a 5-10 minute drive from downtown Portland and a 20 minute drive from the airport. L&C has a free shuttle that takes students back and forth, and many students ride their bike downtown. Portland is beautiful... if you've ever been to San Francisco, well, Portland reminds me of a greener, wetter San Francisco. The Portland Art Museum and Powell's Books (OMG!! <3) are nearby. Aaaahh I just love it.

Lewis & Clark isn't extremely selective- 65% of applicants are accepted. I love that L&C does not have any Greek life on campus. 91% of students come from out of state. Also, as I've mentioned on this thread before, there is a huge emphasis on travel and international education. All students must either take foreign language classes OR study abroad for a semester/year, and 60% choose to study abroad. And many of the students I talked to double-majored and said that it wasn't impossible.

There are tons of quirks about L&C that I heard about from students, most of which I wan't remember. Like at the beginning of the year, they host a giant rave in a grocery store. And how every Friday from midnight-4am, they played Ultimate Frisbee on the lawn. And how there's a tree with tons of shoes hanging from it... (when someone loses their virginity, they toss up their shoes!... so the legend goes...)

I'm sure someone who actually goes there could tell you a lot more about the school, but this is the impression I got from my two weeks. I fell in love!! Haha, as you can tell. Oh and randomly: the food was good! They are very eco-conscious, so there were vegetarian & even vegan options at every meal. Oh and ice cream at every meal.

negatives:
-RAIN... ewwww (I feel like I would get depressed in the grayness of the winter...)
-dorms aren't so nice.
-perhaps it's a little small for me... after all, my high school has 2200 people!

any more questions I'd be happy to answer

Kaya · (#896)

Originally Posted by darcy

Thanks!! I have heard about UBC but I haven't really looked into it... I guess I've mostly been looking around the US. But now I'm interested!

UBC! That's my school. I lived in Vancouver when I was a kid and my mom always took me to UBC's pool, and always would say things like, "One day, when you are all grown up, you can go to school here, just like I did!" (It was always a given that I was going to uni, haha... my little sisters got a lot less of that.) I've visited the campus (I mean as a prospective student, on a school trip a couple years ago) and while it is definitely huge, it's nice. Lots of people were outside, riding bikes to class, rollerblading, etc. The rain in Vancouver can be lame, but part of that is attitude... if you tell yourself it's beautiful and refreshing, it's not so depressing. Last year I didn't see the sun for weeks at a time and it was COLD, so I figure this year in rainy but warm Vacnouver will be less depressing. Any, hey -- an excuse to buy and wear cute rainboots! BONUS!

Downtown Vancovuer is like a 20 minute bus ride and all students get bus passes for the duration of the year (you actually have to apply NOT to get one if you don't want one

). And it works for all of Vancouver's transit systems: buses, Sky Trains, and the Sea Bus (better known as a boat). And there's H&M in Coquitlam (this is another bonus)... and probably others in downtown Vancouver, but I haven't spent much time there.

UBC's population is ten times bigger than the town I lived it for most of my growing up, so it ought to be interesting to say the least!

kaitlynmarieb · (#897)

Originally Posted by darcy

Thanks!! I have heard about UBC but I haven't really looked into it... I guess I've mostly been looking around the US. But now I'm interested!

UBC is absolutely gorgeous! I'm considering applying there myself (:
Some of the dorms are literally right on the beach. There were volleyball nets and people were just chillin. It seems pretty cool. Also, like Kaya said, the transit system is really good. There's a lot of cool places to go around the campus and Vancouver is a really beautiful city to live in. I really like how it's surrounded by the ocean, forests, and mountains. Sure, there is the rain and stuff, but when there's nice weather the city is sooooo pretty!

Kaya · (#898)

I am so excited. I have my uni room assignment and I found a group for my house -- judging by the group description, I lucked out with getting my house. None of the other house's descriptions are as excited and up-beat as mine, and while obviously everyoen will love it wherever they are, the enthusiasm for my house makes me especially excited. Annnd I have a single room. So glad. I don't think Kaya the rebound would mesh with silly, fresh-out-of-high-school, inexperienced and irresponsible drinker girl. This avoids all possibility of that happening... even if I do lose the "safety net" of having a roomie to stick with at the beginning. I am a rebounder; I need no safety net!

(I am excited, see.)

musicandmadness · (#899)

Originally Posted by darcy

negatives:
-RAIN... ewwww (I feel like I would get depressed in the grayness of the winter...)

You get used to the rain, it really isn't that bad... haha, the weather's pretty much the same in Seattle.

darcy · (#900)

Originally Posted by musicandmadness

You get used to the rain, it really isn't that bad... haha, the weather's pretty much the same in Seattle.

Haha, I suppose I'd get used to it. All I know is that if it ever rains ever, I get really gloomy, lazy, tired, and sad... and it only rains a few days a year here! Hahaha. Weather is a minor concern, but I still need to consider it