Originally Posted by Alexmahone

How about for math?

The Math Department at Mac has Dr. Lovric. This is clear evidence supporting the fact that we have the best Math department in the world.

Originally Posted by Alexmahone

Well, which universities are the top choices for someone finishing high school? When different ranking websites list different ranks, how do you know which is more reliable?

To fully understand the global ranking systems, you have to read up on their methodologies of scoring. The three biggest global rankings are ARWU, The Times and QS (well as far as I know anyways). As for Maclean's, they're a mystery as they don't publish their methodology, which is why a lot of universities stopped stopped sending them info (Mac included).

The ARWU is tilted towards research based universities, with 40% of their scores based on academic papers published and research performances, and 50% of it going towards the research awards and Nobel Prizes that staff and alumni won (see here).

26 - UofT
37 - UBC
64 - McGill
89 - McMaster
102-150 - University of Alberta

The QS rankings are more bents towards academic reputation then actual research output. 50% of their score comes from the reputation the university has with profs and employers, 10% going to how many international profs and students they have (see here). Mac doesn't make the top 5 here (were 7th... sorta depressing).

17 - McGill
23 - UofT
51 - UBC
100 - University of Alberta
137 - Universite de Montreal

The Times, is more of a mix of the other two. 30% of the score comes from teaching, 30% from research, and 30% from citations (see here).

19 - UofT
22 - UBC
28 - McGill
65 - McMaster
100 - University of Alberta

So to answer the question, based on these three rankings, the best university in Canada is UofT. But that's not really a surprise. UBC and McGill are pretty much neck and neck for second and third, Mac would fare at fourth, and Alberta at fifth (who knew, thought it be like Western or something).

Why does the number of international students and profs factor into the QS ranking methodology? I dont think the quality of a school should depend on types of students:S

Originally Posted by Chris23

Why does the number of international students and profs factor into the QS ranking methodology? I dont think the quality of a school should depend on types of students:S

Most likely has to do with academic reputation. If a big portion of the faculty comes from around the world, it means that the particular institution is widely recognized and is reputable.

For Math and Eng, Waterloo is the best University in Ontario, period.

Originally Posted by nikJ

For Math and Eng, Waterloo is the best University in Ontario, period.

Academically yes, I would still never go there since it looks like a concrete prison :b

Originally Posted by nikJ

For Math and Eng, Waterloo is the best University in Ontario, period.

Ah, do tell.

Edit: Oh snap, missed it by a minute.

Originally Posted by Snowman

Academically yes, I would still never go there since it looks like a concrete prison :b

Nah, they actually have a pretty nice campus with rock/dinosaur exhibits and a nice river thing running through.

The reason I wouldn't go, however, is because they essentially bludgeon your social life to death using a baseball bat made out of math and engineering courses.

The best school is always going to be the one you (yourself) goes to.

Don't believe me? Ask a Western kid what the best school in Ontario is. Chances are he'll say Western.

Originally Posted by mastercool

The best school is always going to be the one you (yourself) goes to.

Don't believe me? Ask a Western kid what the best school in Ontario is. Chances are he'll say Western.

Well, I'm going to McMaster but I'm not saying it's the best school, am I?

Originally Posted by Alexmahone

Well, I'm going to McMaster but I'm not saying it's the best school, am I?

have to agree with that. I go to mac (MARAUDERS!!) but I don't consider it the best uni. that'd have to be UofT or McGill.
See also: a kid who goes to Laurentian or Nipissing.

It really depends on how you catalogue it. If its life sciences: McMaster, University of Toronto, McGill (not in that order), are going to be the top schools. Mathematics - Waterloo. Finance (pretty much anything business related): Ivey (Western), Queen's, McGill <--- for undergraduate recruitment. As you can tell, it definitely varies.

If the choice were mine, I would study History at Harvard than Health Sci at Mac.

Originally Posted by Snowman

Academically yes, I would still never go there since it looks like a concrete prison :b

Their older residences (don't remember the names, but they all look like brick anyways) are eerily similar to that juvenile hall 15 minutes away from my home in Winnipeg.

Just saying.

Originally Posted by nikJ

For Math and Eng, Waterloo is the best University in Ontario, period.

In math, the basic degree requirements at Mac (and every other school in Ontario) are a joke. However, Waterloo and UoT have requirements which make their basic programs slightly less of a joke. So people say that they are "the best". Anyway, the basic courses required for graduation in math at UoT are better than the basic courses required for graduation at Waterloo, so even with this very limited definition of "the best", I'd say UoT would take it over Waterloo.

However, there are great mathematics courses (not mandatory, obviously) that one can take at Mac, UoT, and Waterloo (and probably other schools, but I'm not familiar with their curricula) and that are similarly difficult, taught by similarly good professors, and are similarly enriching across the board.

Long story short: there isn't a "best" school for mathematics in Ontario. All of the schools are awful, and all of the schools are great. It depends on what courses you take.

Originally Posted by Alexmahone

How about for math?

Get to know the faculty at any university (although as I said I can only speak for Mac, Waterloo and UoT, although I'm sure the rest are similar) and you'll find yourself taking stimulating courses taught by profs that really care about the material. Try to take fourth-year/grad courses as soon as you possibly can, so you can get a taste of what real mathematics is like. Stick with the degree requirements and you'll be bored.

Chances are that, during an undergrad education, you will not reach the point at which the research quality of faculty really makes a difference, simply because you will not be focusing on one very particular area. Chances are that, whatever your general area of interest is, there will be at least a couple of profs who, while perhaps not actively researching in that area, have a lot of familiarity with it nonetheless, and many more profs who will have familiarity with the area up to, say, the graduate level.

The problem with Mac is that you can't directly get into grad courses. You have to deal with administrative bs whereas at UofT noone cares and you can take w/e course you want.

Mac has one of the best analysis research group in Canada though courses in this area somewhat limited. As for Waterloo, it doesn't even have proper freshman analysis course and UofT definitely has pretty undergrad/grad course selection.

As Maharatta said, it just depends on you not on university. It's just easier to enroll in one than in another.I'm covering same/more material here at Mac compared to UofT. For example, they cover Analysis 2 in 2nd year(liek omg) and Mac covers in 4th year. NP, take summer courses after 1st year and get into 4th year analysis.