McGill Alumni Portal

Photo: Owen Egan

We caught up with Fehn Foss, U0 Arts and Science student from Hamilton, and Sabina-Julia  Muntean, U3 Management student from Toronto, to ask them how rankings affected their decisions to come to McGill, and whether  they think McGill’s status in the rankings will affect their job prospects.

Before you came to McGill, were you aware of McGill’s rankings

Foss: Before I came to McGill, I had heard through word-of-mouth of McGill’s academic prowess and that it ranked very well internationally.

Muntean: Yes, I was very aware of McGill’s ranking internationally before accepting the offer to attend. I knew that it was known worldwide and recognized as the top school in Canada.

How did it affect your decision to come to McGill? Were rankings a big part of your decision?

Foss: It definitely had an impact on my choice to come here: as a student who isn’t sure which direction I want my studies to take, I decided to look at the universities with high rankings and a plethora of opportunities for discovering a path to take.

Muntean: McGill’s rankings were a big part of my decision to come here. I was very set on attending Boston College for a long time, but when I realized that McGill is not only more affordable but also much better known and had a much higher standing than BC, I decided that it would be a more prudent choice. Wanting to attend law school after finishing my undergraduate degree, I felt that coming from a top ranked school like McGill University would give me an advantage.

Now that you are at McGill, does the university’s top spot in national rankings and relatively high international status affect how you feel about your choice of school?

Foss: The fact that McGill ranks incredibly well is a source of pride and gives me a sense of self-accomplishment for working hard to get here.

Muntean: I’m happy with my decision because I know that whatever I choose to do after graduating, I will have an advantage coming from the number one school in the country, and one of the best schools in the world.

Do you think McGill’s place in the rankings will have an effect on your employability post-graduation?

Foss: I think being at McGill will definitely give me a competitive edge in the job market. Employers will most certainly know of McGill’s international rankings and will probably favour a graduate from McGill in comparison to other universities.

Muntean: I don’t know that McGill’s ranking will have an effect on my employability after graduation, but I certainly hope so. I think that if it comes down to two candidates with identical skills and capabilities—a McGill graduate and someone else who did not go to a top-ranked school—chances are that the McGill graduate will get the job, if only because the employer will recognize the name and know of the school’s position in the rankings.