How to Choose the University That’s Right for You
Taking a deep dive into the extracurriculars and culture at five top Canadian universities
Welcome to our four-part series where we aim to help you choose which university is right for you before you make your decision about which to attend! This second part will break down what extracurriculars and school culture are like.
While often underrated, having a good grasp of what student life and culture is like on-campus should be a big deciding factor when looking at various universities. Likewise, extracurriculars play a very large role in determining how you spend your time outside of class. So to help you choose wisely, let’s take a look at these two factors at 5 major Canadian universities: the University of Toronto, Queen’s University, Western University, McMaster University, and the University of British Columbia.
(Note: If you’re interested in learning about other universities, I suggest taking a look at the numerous university-related articles from Maclean’s, university subreddits, and university newspapers for some first-hand student opinions.)
University of Toronto
Extracurriculars
U of T is huge. No really. The St. George campus alone is home to 45,000 undergraduate students. So it’s not surprising at all that there are over 1000 student groups, dozens of intramural and university sports teams, and nearly endless ways to get involved in student life outside of class. (I suggest taking a look at the list of student groups to see the sheer diversity of interests represented.)
I’ll be highlighting just a few popular groups and activities to help you get a sense of what it’s like. First up, I think I’d be doing U of T a disservice if I didn’t mention the research opportunities. Yes, the environment is competitive. But there are absolutely amazing professors and graduate students specializing in any field you can think of. And it all starts as early as your second year. Through a program called the Research Opportunities Program, for example, you can get credits for participating in a project at a professor’s lab.
There are also great opportunities for practicing leadership. For instance, if you’re interested in writing about neuroscience for the public, you can get an executive role at the student-run organization SYNAPSE. And of course, there are many clubs that can help you simply relax too. I feel like I need to mention the Quidditch team here. Yes, I’m talking about the sport from Harry Potter. You can find a community of other Harry Potter fans, be active, and enjoy yourself.
Culture
It’s no secret that most people think of U of T as the school where nothing but studying happens. Classes are tough, spirits are low, and classmates are always out to get you. But is that the truth? According to many students, it isn’t. Most admit that the academics can be very challenging and that competition can be rather strong, particularly in certain programs, but it has a positive side too.
Many students find the academically rigorous courses and culture to be a good motivator. Though it can sometimes become toxic, if you’re able to find a good group of friends who don’t contribute to that toxicity, you’ll find yourself striving to do better and improving yourself without compromising your mental health.
Moreover, you likely won’t find another university with as much diversity as U of T. With tens of thousands of students and more than 700 undergraduate programs, you can’t ask for a better place to find others with similar interests as yourself.
Though the university itself may not be known for as much “school spirit” as other Canadian universities like Queen’s and Western, most students still find that there’s a sense of unity, especially within the individual colleges.
In case you don’t know, if your program is part of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at U of T, you’ll ultimately become part of one of the seven colleges within U of T. Which one(s) you choose as your top choice(s) varies based on what you’re looking for. You can find out more here. But what matters to us in this blog in terms of culture is that each college is rather close-knit and especially if you live on-campus, it’s where you may make your first friend!
If you’re looking for a laid-back university experience with packed football games, then U of T may not be the best choice for you — or maybe it could be. Try talking to students in the program you’re considering to get a better and more specific picture of what the culture is like.
Queen’s University
Extracurriculars
Though Queen’s is smaller than U of T and as a result has fewer clubs, you’re still very likely to find a group you want to join. And if you don’t, you can start one! Queen’s has over 450 clubs and a student government called the Alma Mater Society (AMS). The AMS is the oldest undergraduate student government in Canada and is incredibly active. They offer over 800 jobs and if you want to join the AMS itself, you certainly can. They accept students with no experience and their roles open up each year.
That’s not all. The Queen’s Bands bring a whole lot of music, cheer, and spirit to Queen’s sports games. You’ll have a chance to meet other music lovers and do something you love. Plus you’ll be able to take trips to support Queen’s sports at games away from home.
The sports aspect is another great one. There are many varsity and recreational sports opportunities and most intramurals are free to participate in. So you can stay on top of your physical and mental health.
Culture
Oh, Queen’s. It certainly has a reputation for being one of the major Canadian party schools. Let’s take a look at what lies beyond that stereotype. The Kingston university certainly has some great programs and a fairly diverse student body. And if you’re looking for a school with lots of spirit, you’re looking in the right place.
Queen’s tricolour spirit ranges from wearing your school colours with pride to attending sports games. Like many other non-commuter schools (where most students live on or near campus), there are a lot of parties. But most Queen’s students agree that you’ll be able to find lots of other forms of entertainment if that isn’t how you want to spend your university years.
Many students also mention how passionate Queen’s students are about making their school a better place and offering one another help.
Western University
Extracurriculars
At Western, there are also lots of ways to get involved. Though it has fewer clubs — sitting at around 200 total — you can still participate in activities you’re passionate about.
Maybe you want to join the Mustangs on your quest to obtain a great education while competing in sports. You’ll have no problem finding a team you enjoy being a part of whether it’s badminton, cheerleading, or water polo.
Perhaps, you’re interested in advancements in medicine and biotechnology. Then you can consider joining AIMS (Advancements in Medicine Society) where you’ll have a chance to learn more about the field, share your knowledge, and meet others who are passionate about this topic too.
If you’re interested in books and inspiring others to read too, there’s a club for that. Join Beyond the Books to promote literacy and reading for all — or join any of the other hundreds of clubs and enjoy your time at Western.
Culture
Many students would sum up Western University with the saying “work hard, play hard.”
You don’t have to look any farther than their admission average of 87% (as reported by a student-run project) to understand that they’re serious about their studies. And like most Canadian universities, Western offers a plethora of amazing programs for all different interests.
But if you’re looking for a quiet and calm undergraduate experience, Western might be a bit too outgoing for you. Western, alongside Queen’s, is known for its parties and for good reason. There are lots of them on and around campus. As with all other universities though, if you’re not interested in that, you’ll find others who aren’t either.
McMaster University
Extracurriculars
Similar to U of T, I feel that we have to start with research when discussing McMaster. It’s something they’re known for and for good reason. Students are able to get involved in cutting-edge research as early as their undergraduate degrees. In fact, there’s a list of professors to contact if you’re interested in doing research while completing an undergraduate at McMaster.
There are plenty of clubs too, over 300 to be a bit more precise. The variety is great and you’ll likely be able to find something you enjoy. For instance, there’s the Global Society for Genetics and Genome Biology where you’ll have a chance to meet researchers in the genetics field and learn about careers in this field too.
With a few championships under their belt (although some are more recent than others), the McMaster Marauders are also a great way to get involved if you’re interested in athletics.
Culture
For most high school students, McMaster is known for two things: its impossible-to-get-into health sciences program and, as mentioned above, being at the forefront of many research areas. So some may be surprised to hear about how much students seem to enjoy their McMaster experience outside of the classroom.
According to one student writing on Maclean’s, despite Hamilton’s reputation for being a boring town, that’s just not true. There seems to be quite a lot to do both on and off campus and you’ll likely meet some amazing people who share similar interests as you do.
Many find that while McMaster offers a lot of academic rigour, especially in the sciences, the students are fairly relaxed and take time to do things outside of classes as well.
University of British Columbia
Extracurriculars
Arriving at our final university in this blog, UBC has lots to offer just like the universities mentioned before. The Ski and Board club are pretty popular as are many of the other outdoor activities. There are also some great niche clubs out there like a Game of Thrones club. And there are some health-related ones too like Anatomy and Dissection Club which helps you gain experience through wet lab work.
You can also join the UBC Thunderbirds or the UBC Heat if you enjoy athletics and want to explore that outside of class. You’ll be sure to enjoy yourself and maybe win a championship or two too.
Culture
The view is beautiful. The weather is (mostly) nice. What more can you ask for? How about the school culture? With the main UBC campus being 30 minutes away from downtown Vancouver, UBC is like its very own small city with lots of things to do, including visiting an anthropology museum on campus.
There’s also quite a lot of diversity and one of the perks that many enjoy is the anonymity that going to a large university offers. Some believe that because you don’t know every single person on campus, it’s easier to just be yourself.
That brings us to the end of this week’s blog. Stay tuned for next week’s to learn about some other factors that can affect your university decision-making!
(Click here to view the sources used for this blog.)
About the Author
Parmin Sedigh is a 16-year-old stem cell and science communications enthusiast as well as a student researcher, based in Kingston, ON. She’s also the Director of Writing at Superposition. You can usually find her on her computer following her curiosity. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
