Macleans 2009

[Davecachia]

Looks like Macleans 2009 has been released. Anyone got a copy?

Looks like UOIT has been rated this year, and did pretty good.
UOIT Cracks Maclean's Annual University List. (http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/721412--oshawa-cracks-maclean-s-annual-university-list?bn=1)

[rfdrfd]

I haven't been a student for years, but do students really consider Maclean's ranking important?

When you go interview from a job, which school you graduated from only carries you so far, not far at all, experience is more of what the company is looking at imo. The less they have to train you because you have already been doing that job in another place, the better chances you will get hired.

Besides, I really doubt that Maclean's ranking is 100% unbiased. Someone, somewhere is getting some type of benefit for putting some schools up at the top. In the end, its all about $$$$. Higher ranked = more students wanna go there = $$$$.

Even if they claim no, we are totally independent, well... so did all the sports athletes that said "I've NEVER used drugs in my life! NEVER !!"

[PureReborn]

Never really cared about the rankings. I think its really what you make of it. Sure some school have better profs than others and some have better equipment. But are you really gonna go to two different schools and study to compare?

The school only matters for your first few jobs anyways, after a few years of working its all about your past experience.

[dipple]

Never sure what to think of this, I think universities, especially large universities, have such a variance program to program that it's hard to put them together. i.e. York apparently got second last in their category, yet they have high ranking divisions like Schulich and Osgoode. Is York's poor performance a reflection of these programs too? You can even narrow it down further - yes, Schulich is a top ranked business school, but how does it look discipline wise? Is there an accounting focus? Finance? Marketing? HR?

IMO if you want to look at rankings and evaluations, find ones that are program specific, as unless you really branch out, you will not take courses related to 90% of the programs a large university offers. Although most people complain about the methods that lead to these rankings, I don't understand the usefulness of such generalized evaluations, regardless of what research is used to reach the conclusion.

[adehbone]

You make it seem like university is a factory to print out degrees very sad if you think that way. While the Rankings are somewhat prestige for the school's marketing departments. The content of the articles help any prospective Grade 12 make a decision.

Prestige upon graduation is only 1 metric in the overall rankings given, and even that has it own list with the top research schools always at the top.

Class sizes, Environments, Extra-curiculars, etc....Your going to spend 4 years somewhere its a big decision. Not everything is about getting a job/$$$ in life, people grow in university have various experiences.

[wkye]

Looks like Macleans 2009 has been released. Anyone got a copy?

Looks like UOIT has been rated this year, and did pretty good.
UOIT Cracks Maclean's Annual University List. (http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/721412--oshawa-cracks-maclean-s-annual-university-list?bn=1)

Certainly the Macleans ranking doesn't have anything close to the clout and credibility of the U.S. News ranking. The categories, stats, methodology and the magazine itself have all become much less respected over the years. But if you are a high school senior, I guess it can't hurt to have a look.

For what it's worth, in the medical/doctoral category it's McGill, Toronto, Queen's. In the comprehensive category it's SFU, Victoria, Waterloo. For primarily undergraduate, it's Mount Allison, Acadia, UNBC.

[ji_howa]

These rankings are just a way for Asian parents to brag to each other about how good the school their respective children going to are.

I would not put too much weight into the rankings... as an university town, Oshawa does not have the vibe, it still feels like an auto factory town.

[mbk.2k3]

I haven't been a student for years, but do students really consider Maclean's ranking important?

Higher ranked = more students wanna go there = $$$$.


you answered your own question there.

i think they students do use the rankings as a guide when it comes to how deep they research a particular school. naturally, if school A and B offer the same program / same degree, i'm going to be more interested in what Macleans claims is #1, than lets say #8. and yes i also believe that parents use them to sway kid's decisions as well.

i do not know the details, but i think some schools have boycotted the rankings as well. i think UofT was one of them.

[Davecachia]

These rankings are just a way for Asian parents to brag to each other about how good the school their respective children going to are.

I would not put too much weight into the rankings... as an university town, Oshawa does not have the vibe, it still feels like an auto factory town.

Hamilton is a steel town, they still have a good university.

Every city has its industry. Besides.. the GM plant is in the south end, no one pays attention to it. All of the development in Oshawa is in the north end.

[Aznsilvrboy]

Hamilton is a steel town, they still have a good university.

Every city has its industry. Besides.. the GM plant is in the south end, no one pays attention to it. All of the development in Oshawa is in the north end.

UOIT campus is in the north end, far from downtown (have to take bus), practically in the suburbs. There's practically no life outside of campus grounds within walking distance (minus 20 minutes walk to McDonalds and Burger King). I think the campus surroundings needs to get busier and more commercialized. They can attract a lot more students that way.