Colleges/Universities in Canada

[Ugg]

Remember, the cost of gasoline in Canada is much, much higher than it is in the USA. You might be better off leaving your car up there and flyihg home from time to time.

 

[jefhatfield]

Yes, you are absolutely right about the outsourcing part.

I was just thinking more along the line of the development and cutting edge technology, but I guess that is more or less just a personal preference. From what I've observed about high tech industry, your best bet right now is probably going with software engineering with embedded system option because the reason why india/china are able to accelerate so fast in the computing/programming industry is because the subject requries very minimal equipment (you only need a computer to get through your whole degree) and because they're "usually" much harder working people and ask for less pay compares to North Americans it is not surprising why they are an attractive choice for outsourcing. The way I see it is that if you are planning to get a high tech degree right now.... try to get one that you'll need to work with lots of expensive equipments!

Anyway, that is just how I feel but it could be because I just like to develop something. It really help with the self esteem to have a product that you can say that you're part of the people who developed it. Also, the reason that I mentioned embedded system software engineering is because I am actually in 3rd year Electrical Engineering and we have co-op program where you go to school for 4 months and work for 4 months w/o any summers off. Other than my first co-op job, my other co-ops so far has been in embedded system software R&D which is really a computer science job. However, you'll need to have a good understanding of embedded system and that is what most computer scientist doesn't have. There's tons of job postings and no one to fill them in.

the good thing with an electrical engineering degree is if the IT/IS, computer hardware, and programming/software developement and engineering fields take any more of a downturn than they have in the last five years, you can always bring your skills into the traditional brick and mortar sector, which is safer and also pays more with better benefits

the high tech sector has felt less and less of a need to pay high and give good benefits due to the immense amount of lower end high tech being ported to india and china and the incresingly large amount of cutting edge technology, often via south korea and japan, to china and india...the growth in cutting edge high tech, especially biotech in asia, is astounding and unprecedented

remember all those years in the 70s and 80s when the west started slacking off on math and science?...it didn't seem like such a big deal then but now we are paying the price...so i scored in the top half of the top one percent in the united states on the math portion of the sat and i will tell you, the asian students from asia i have met can soundly spank my butt in those techinical subjects back then and today without much effort

it may take ten years for lenovo of china to be as sound as the former personal computer department of ibm in new york, but just wait and see and lenovo's thinkpads will reap the same great record ibm's thinkpads have for the last five years...there basically won't be any difference between the respective thinkpads

i saw a lenovo thinkpad yesterday and i could tell it was a little less robust than ibm's last thinkpad offering earlier this year, but it wasn't bad and just a touch behind the non chinese based laptops like hp, gateway, sony, dell, compaq, and toshiba

 

[sebisworld]

Also check out https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/161233/

 

[tristan]

Instead of going to Canada for two years why don't you just spend a semester in Australia?

 

[yg17]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to hopefully try to go to Toronto over spring break to visit a few universities. My birthday is the first day of spring break, so I would happily take a few days in Toronto as a gift from my family. I'll probably check out Ryerson, U of Toronto, York. And there was another one outside of Toronto someone mentioned to me who's name I can't remember. If I rent a car (as I doubt public transit goes out that far) I'll try to check it out.


Also, I have never, ever been out of the country, so I don't know how this works. Got a few questions:
1. Do I need a passport or any other documents to leave the US then come back?
2. Can I use my Visa debit card (US Bank) up there? I assume it will convert to USD to deduct from my account, are there any fees typically associated with it? I'd much rather use that then deal with currency conversion.
3. Since Cingular sucks, is it safe to assume I'm better off buying a calling card than paying outrageous roaming fees?
4. What is the age to rent a car up there? I'll be 20 by the time I go, but chances are, my mom or dad will be with me so then it isn't an issue. But if I'm alone, I may need a car to visit schools outside Toronto

Thanks

 

[rickvanr]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to hopefully try to go to Toronto over spring break to visit a few universities. My birthday is the first day of spring break, so I would happily take a few days in Toronto as a gift from my family. I'll probably check out Ryerson, U of Toronto, York. And there was another one outside of Toronto someone mentioned to me who's name I can't remember. If I rent a car (as I doubt public transit goes out that far) I'll try to check it out.

I have friends that have gone to York, and goto U of T. If you want I could give you their contact info if you wanted to shoot them a message and ask them some questions.

 

[yg17]

Does anyone know if a degree from a Canadian college, such as York or Ryerson, is recognized in the US?

 

[quigleybc]

Montréal puts something in the water that causes 98% of all women to be really, really ****ing hot.

The water in Vancouver is laced with the hot stuff as well...GOOD god there are ridiculously hot girls here...

Anyway, check out UBC, it's got that Massive American university appeal, and it is right next to the most wild beach in the city...

University of British Columbia..no idea if it offers what you are looking for.

But, I applaud your choice to come north..well done. Good luck.

 

[yg17]

But, I applaud your choice to come north..well done. Good luck.

Well, don't applaud just yet, my parents aren't too fond of the idea

It's not being far away...my sister is in NYC which is further than Toronto, it's more of the whole going international thing, and will finding a job be as easy, will credits transfer, ect.

 

[tristan]

Having international experience on your resume always makes you stand out. I would go a lot further abroad than Canada if I were you, but regardless, you should get out of the country and experience a different culture. It'll help you become a person who can work well with people from different backgrounds and cultures and will show you valid alternatives to the US system and dominant way of thinking, and will challenge you in new ways. You'll see ways in which Canada is both better and worse than the US and you will understand your own country better because of it.