Montreal, Canada: Last summer, my parents and I felt it would be a good idea to visit a school out of the country. We decided on McGill in Montreal, Canada. McGill, founded in 1821, was described as being in the heart of the city but it wasn’t until I actually saw the school that I fully appreciated its uniqueness. McGill’s location in downtown Montreal gives students instant access to all the city’s resources.

The tour I took was led by an enthusiastic American student. I was not surprised to learn that while the majority of McGill students are from the surrounding Quebec region, there is also a large American influence on the school. Classes are primarily offered in English, with French-speaking classes in the minority.

More than 33,000 students from 140 countries enjoy over 300 programs of study on two campuses. Tuition to this outstanding university should catch Americans’ attention since it’s $12,000-15,000 (Canadian dollars) depending on the program. While this is a lot more than the $1,700 that Quebec residents pay, it is less than many American universities, and an even better deal when you factor in the currency conversion!

I found a few highlights of my tour particularly interesting. McGill prides itself on its engineering/science programs, and was the location where the Rutherford experiment was conducted. I was also impressed by the variety of sports McGill offers, at both the varsity and recreational levels. This includes fencing, which happens to be a hobby of mine.

McGill is an excellent university which attracts students from all over. The variety of students combined with strong academics make studying at McGill a unique and rewarding experience. Their website is mcgill.ca.