Need Canadians Help Please!!

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 9:40 am

@Nippy: to get back on topic . . .

How interested are you in studying history? Is it something that you simply enjoy or do you want to pursue the discipline as a vocation? If you want to make a career out of history, you will need to get used to responding to the following statement, "So what are you going to do? Teach?" It's not really a question.

Rather than just look for good universities, you consider the following things: What areas of history do you enjoy? Do you really want to aggressively pursue your training as a historian at the undergraduate level, or would you prefer to get your undergraduate degree as part of your complete college education, then seriously pursue history? Where are the "stars" in your particular field of history?

The best way to become a good historian is to train under the leaders in the field. For instance, if you wanted to specialise in American Civil War history, you would want to attend the University of Virginia where Gary Gallagher is a professor or Princeton where you could study under James McPherson. I am not sure about any of the leaders in medieval scholarship, but if you are serious about history, it is worth attending a college with less prestige than a top tier school if it means studying under a "star" in the field.

The other question you should ask yourself is about the kind of college experience you want to have. Do you want to attend a large school or small school? Can you gain admittance to a Ivy League or other top tier institution (Duke, Stanford, Toronto, etc.)? How much can you afford? Are things like athletics or fraternities important to you?

The bottom line is that unless you get a degree in a highly technical field (metallurgy, nursing, engineering, etc.), what your undergraduate major is means nothing. For the most part, a college degree (at least in the United States) means that you can put up with BS (and I don't mean Bloodstalker), stand in line for a while, and that you have the chutzpah to stick with something for four years.

Getting an undergraduate education under a star in your field will give you a leg up when it comes to applying to graduate school. However, many graduates of smaller schools (public and private) can gain admittance to graduate programs at top tier institutions with little trouble.

So my advice is this: Set up a broad range of criteria for the type of college you want to attend. Of the schools meeting your criteria, make a short list of 6-8. Visit as many schools as you can afford to. See who gives you the most financial aid.

Good luck!

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 9:51 am

Originally posted by HighLordDave:
@Nippy: to get back on topic . . .

How interested are you in studying history? Is it something that you simply enjoy or do you want to pursue the discipline as a vocation? If you want to make a career out of history, you will need to get used to responding to the following statement, "So what are you going to do? Teach?" It's not really a question.

Rather than just look for good universities, you consider the following things: What areas of history do you enjoy? Do you really want to aggressively pursue your training as a historian at the undergraduate level, or would you prefer to get your undergraduate degree as part of your complete college education, then seriously pursue history? Where are the "stars" in your particular field of history?

The best way to become a good historian is to train under the leaders in the field. For instance, if you wanted to specialise in American Civil War history, you would want to attend the University of Virginia where Gary Gallagher is a professor or Princeton where you could study under James McPherson. I am not sure about any of the leaders in medieval scholarship, but if you are serious about history, it is worth attending a college with less prestige than a top tier school if it means studying under a "star" in the field.

The other question you should ask yourself is about the kind of college experience you want to have. Do you want to attend a large school or small school? Can you gain admittance to a Ivy League or other top tier institution (Duke, Stanford, Toronto, etc.)? How much can you afford? Are things like athletics or fraternities important to you?

The bottom line is that unless you get a degree in a highly technical field (metallurgy, nursing, engineering, etc.), what your undergraduate major is means nothing. For the most part, a college degree (at least in the United States) means that you can put up with BS (and I don't mean Bloodstalker), stand in line for a while, and that you have the chutzpah to stick with something for four years.

Getting an undergraduate education under a star in your field will give you a leg up when it comes to applying to graduate school. However, many graduates of smaller schools (public and private) can gain admittance to graduate programs at top tier institutions with little trouble.

So my advice is this: Set up a broad range of criteria for the type of college you want to attend. Of the schools meeting your criteria, make a short list of 6-8. Visit as many schools as you can afford to. See who gives you the most financial aid.

Good luck!

History is something that not only I enjoy, it's something that I've been captivated by. Living in England, we study a really wide variety of subjects, from Italian renaissance to Medieval times. The depth of study changes all the time. I would like to go as far as I can in this. In England I would go on to get my degree and then if I'm good enough go on to a Doctorate but that is only if I can...

The point of me asking this was basically are the Uni's in Canada/America good for History? I understand that Uni's vary in their skills but it's difficult for me to find information about other countries.

Having thought about it, it is more likely that I would study in England. However, it is not completely out of the question, I have a year to decide on this and am willing to wait and look. Time is one thing I have on my side.

At the moment University's in England go under a system called UCAS. This basically assigns points to the grades you got at the AS and A-level exams. My main problem would be acceptance into the colleges/uni's of America, I go under a complete different system to SAT's (is that correct? You take these exams at 16-18?).

Thanks for your time peeps!

[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: Nippy ]

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 10:32 am

Nippy,

you might find this url helpful, it gives you a listing of all the universities in Canada, along with links to their websites.
[url="http://www.campusaccess.com/campus_web/educ/e3uni_can.htm"]http://www.campusaccess.com/campus_web/educ/e3uni_can.htm[/url]

good luck !

p.s I also just discovered that if you go to the homepage of the website and scroll down, there is a comprehensive section dedicated to providing information for international students .

[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 10:56 am

Originally posted by Nippy:

History is something that not only I enjoy, it's something that I've been captivated by. Living in England, we study a really wide variety of subjects, from Italian renaissance to Medieval times. The depth of study changes all the time. I would like to go as far as I can in this. In England I would go on to get my degree and then if I'm good enough go on to a Doctorate but that is only if I can...

The point of me asking this was basically are the Uni's in Canada/America good for History? I understand that Uni's vary in their skills but it's difficult for me to find information about other countries.

Having thought about it, it is more likely that I would study in England. However, it is not completely out of the question, I have a year to decide on this and am willing to wait and look. Time is one thing I have on my side.

At the moment University's in England go under a system called UCAS. This basically assigns points to the grades you got at the AS and A-level exams. My main problem would be acceptance into the colleges/uni's of America, I go under a complete different system to SAT's (is that correct? You take these exams at 16-18?).

Thanks for your time peeps!

[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: Nippy ]

Nipples, Come to a Canadian Uni, and I'll show how to live in Canada.. Ice Hockery, good ol' North american Football, Beer busts, beer blasts, keggers, stone hoists, AA, Beer nights...

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 11:06 am

@Aegis,
don't forget Bob and Doug McKenzie

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 11:17 am

Originally posted by dragon wench:
Nippy,

you might find this url helpful, it gives you a listing of all the universities in Canada, along with links to their websites.
[url="http://www.campusaccess.com/campus_web/educ/e3uni_can.htm"]http://www.campusaccess.com/campus_web/educ/e3uni_can.htm[/url]

good luck !

p.s I also just discovered that if you go to the homepage of the website and scroll down, there is a comprehensive section dedicated to providing information for international students .

[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

Thanks DW!

Originally posted by Aegis:
Nipples, Come to a Canadian Uni, and I'll show how to live in Canada.. Ice Hockery, good ol' North american Football, Beer busts, beer blasts, keggers, stone hoists, AA, Beer nights...

I'm noticing a common theme to this Aegis...

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 11:33 am

@ Aegis, what particular University would you like to go to?

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 1:43 pm

Originally posted by Nippy:

The point of me asking this was basically are the Uni's in Canada/America good for History? I understand that Uni's vary in their skills but it's difficult for me to find information about other countries.

Having thought about it, it is more likely that I would study in England. However, it is not completely out of the question, I have a year to decide on this and am willing to wait and look. Time is one thing I have on my side.[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: Nippy ]

If medieval European history is your thing, you are far better off staying in England where primary source material will be closer and more accessible. The United States and Canada train some very good historians, but the vast majority (70%+) concentrate on American history or modern European history.

Again, if you are interested in training first as a historian, you may want to come to North America to study under some of the professors here, but if you want to begin immediate research on your area of concentration, you should stay in England or possibly look for a university in Switzerland, France or Germany (depending on where the "stars" in your field are).

GandalfgalTTV · Post by **GandalfgalTTV** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 2:16 pm

Originally posted by Nippy:
I see... LURKERS...

Disclaimer:

I neither own nor want the copyrights to 6th Sense, thanks for your time! Remember to recycle!

Ofcourse you see them, they're everywhere.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 2:23 pm

Originally posted by Gandalfgal The Talking Variant:
Ofcourse you see them, they're everywhere.

But they are supposed to be unseen!

GandalfgalTTV · Post by **GandalfgalTTV** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 2:28 pm

A great force of evil, even when hidden, will always be seen.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 3:00 pm

Originally posted by Gandalfgal The Talking Variant:
A great force of evil, even when hidden, will always be seen.

So you admit it!? Begone foul demon! Go from my presence!

GandalfgalTTV · Post by **GandalfgalTTV** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 3:02 pm

But please Nippy, I've seen the light.

ThorinOakensfield · Post by **ThorinOakensfield** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 3:06 pm

Originally posted by Nippy:
So you admit it!? Begone foul demon! Go from my presence!

you mean she's a comm?

GandalfgalTTV · Post by **GandalfgalTTV** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 3:09 pm

Originally posted by ThorinOakensfield:
you mean he's a comm?

You made a spelling error.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 3:33 pm

Originally posted by Aegis:
Well, I must warn you. If you decide Canadian and historical studies, you might meet me... (Muwhahaha!) In Ontario (highest edu. in Canada, so recommended) University of Windsor, Trent, McMaster, Ottawa, University of Toronto... Thos are the ones off the top of my head. I'm personnally looking at McMaster, Windsor, Ottawa and UofT.

i knew I posted it earlier

. These are some Ontario Uni's that I'm thinking about.

ThorinOakensfield · Post by **ThorinOakensfield** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 3:34 pm

Originally posted by Gandalfgal The Talking Variant:
You made an spelling error.

So did you.

GandalfgalTTV · Post by **GandalfgalTTV** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 3:44 pm

I know.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 4:43 pm

So my important future has been turned into spam? Ah to hell with it! Spam away!

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 5:07 pm

Originally posted by Nippy:
At the moment University's in England go under a system called UCAS. This basically assigns points to the grades you got at the AS and A-level exams. My main problem would be acceptance into the colleges/uni's of America, I go under a complete different system to SAT's (is that correct? You take these exams at 16-18?).

How about Scotland? You keep saying England...

I mean, I met a few people (including professors) in England who told me education in Scotland is a lot better than in England and Wales.

Also, the difference between UK and the USA is not just the entrance requirement, but also university structure itself. I have checked both countries before decided to come here, and found the carriculum are very different.

PS. My old flat mate, who was an exchange student from UCLA, told me American students study harder...