Hey everyone!

I recently got taken off the waitlist for Engineering 1 coop. I already accepted my offer from Ryerson a while ago, and I'm just looking for some advice from more knowledgable Mac students.

1. I understand McMaster is known for their chemical and mechanical engineering programs. I plan on going into electrical or computer engineering. How are the ECE facilities at Mac (I don't hear much about them)? How is the teaching quality and student support?

2. Do you find it difficult traveling to coop/internship interviews in Toronto during the school year? Being from Toronto, that is the biggest advantage towards Ryerson.

3. Also, I plan on going into the aerospace industry after I graduate. Do you think I'll have a greater advantage going to Ryerson because they have some connections with Bombardier?

I'm really stuck between the two schools and would really appreciate the guidance from those who might have more experience than I do.

Thanks for your help!

Computer engineering is easy to get into after first year. Electrical is more comptetive, need about 75ish to get into. Both programs are similar in the courses they take, and there is a lot of flexibility in the courses you can take (so you can take many electrical courses in computer and vice versa).

Most people get coop after 2nd year, and in terms of travelling, there is a 2hr bus that goes from McMaster to York Uni, Go Bus 47.

That's all I can tell you, hopefully some other upper years can give you more.

McMaster is better than Ryehigh, end of the story

1. Mac and Ryerson are about on par. Having been out of undergrad for a year now, I can tell you that my views have slightly evolved on this topic --- a year ago, and throughout my undergrad, I would've confirmed that any accredited engineering program is exactly equal to the other, because they're all accredited, and that you make your own reputation. Today, I would say there are (minor) advantages to some programs at certain institutions -- but the difference between Mac and Ryerson is negligible. It's the internal communities that really make the difference though -- I mean the student groups that develop and maintain the extra-curricular opportunities to build on your academic knowledge.

2. Not everyone travels to Toronto for co-op and internship. At the risk of sounding offended, TO is not the center of the universe. There are co-ops and internships all over the place, and it would be an equal hassle to you at Ryerson if you had an interview/internship in London, St. Catherines, or elsewhere. If you get hired in Toronto, you then have to weigh living expenses and other things like that.

3. Ryerson has a REALLY close relationship with Bombardier, I know that much. That being said, I wouldn't choose a University program because of their relationship with Bombardier -- after all, you may notice that Bombardier's aerospace division is looking a little bit like Nortel right now... But further to that, Mac also has a relationship with Bombardier, especially through its Bachelor of Technology program, I believe.
Regarding Aerospace, your BETTER bet, if you're absolutely set on it, is a school with that specific program (York, Carleton, Windsor, I believe?) But you can get into the aerospace industry from mechanical or electrical programs at any school -- you just have to build your own experience at University to market yourself appropriately (i.e. you might look at what kinds of aerospace-related student projects exist at each school; or which kinds of hands-on student projects are available. Then ask yourself which facility will put you in the best place to participate in those... It's my personal belief that if you choose Ryerson because they have the same opportunities as Mac, but you're also going to end up living at home in, say, Markham, and commute daily, then you're fooling yourself to think you would be as involved if you were at Mac, living on/off campus, in West Hamilton)

Anyways, best of luck.

Thanks for your detailed response, Mike. It's really helping me get closer to a final decision.

If you don't mind answering a couple more questions: How did you find the student groups at Mac? Do they maintain the extra curricular clubs/teams well?

No problem.

Unfortunately, I think it will be tough to differentiate the student groups between Ryerson and Mac. Both of these schools in particular have very strong student bodies (referring to engineering) with excellent facilities to support them. I have (obviously) extensive experience with Mac's student groups, and I actually have above average knowledge (for an outsider) of the Ryerson opportunities, through work I took on at a provincial level.

In this particular case then, I think it will be a matter of what kind of living situation you would have, more so than what's available. As I noted in my original post, if you choose to live at home, somewhere outside of downtown Toronto, that will seriously limit your involvement. Perhaps you would plan to live near Ryerson --- but that obviously gets extraordinarily expensive compared to the same decision at Mac. But maybe the cost of living isn't an issue for you... Or maybe "home" is already downtown?

You're between two excellent programs here --- looking back on your situation as if it were mine, I would simply be balancing that living situation to maximize my available extra-curricular opportunities, then make my decision and never look back

Sidenote: If you're at all active in sports as an extra-curricular, Mac would win this decision because there are plenty of facilities available on-campus. Ryerson, being downtown, has less green space immediately available. Prior to this sidenote, I was only comparing engineering student opportunities like Solar Car, Formula Hybrid, Baja, etc.

What's making the decision more difficult is that I'm only a 15 minute bus ride away from Ryerson.

I assume you mean 15 minutes between Ryerson and home.

If you're okay with living at home, that's probably your best situation then. It will save you thousands over the years. To me, it was worth getting out of the house and into my own lifestyle though. But everyone's situation is different. 15 minute bus ride to Ryerson is pretty darn good!

Just cuz someone writes a long story and says Ryerson, a college before being a university, in the centre of toronto in between UofT and York, a nameless university a 100 mile away from Toronto, is the same as McMaster, having NOT been there, having NOT studied there, thinking he is the almighty I KNOW IT ALL crap, as can be seen in all the previous forums, I would step right on his words and crush it and come to Mac. To get a proper aerospace engineering job, you need a master's degree, as it is a very specialized field. How I know it? My uncle is an aerospace engineer. Also, UofT is EXCELLENT for Masters in Aerospace engineering. So, that's my suggestion. Just cuz someone writes an essay and tries to feed you horse shit, I think you are smart enough to see through the crap he is feeding.

To me, it is a crystal clear decision. I would always take gold over silver. And trust me, I am being very lineant when I say silver for Ryerson. I met someone in Chemical Engineering in Ryerson, one of the ONLY compulsary Co-op program, where he was suffering hard in third year cuz he was not able to get a job. Thnk about it, when you have the same average, why would an employer pick a Ryerson student over McMaster? It took the student hard work to get from High School to McMaster rather than to Ryerson, McMaster is much more presigious, as can be seen in the university ranking, wonderful community, wonderful professors! There is a reason McMaster ranks higher than Ryerson, cuz it is BETTER, simple. And for professors, if a GOOD prof wanted to teach, why would he pick Ryerson over McMaster? McMaster has better research funding, and thus attracts smarter professors! You learn from the best, you can do research with the best! THere are UNLIMITED benefits to coming to McMaster than Ryerson. Please, dont eat the horse crap the other poster is trying to feed you. Simple, McMaster >>> Ryerson

Too many flaws in your posts, Ralts...

" if a GOOD prof wanted to teach, why would he pick Ryerson over McMaster? McMaster has better research funding, and thus attracts smarter professors!" --- You assume good researchers are the best teachers.

" when you have the same average, why would an employer pick a Ryerson student over McMaster?" --- Because both engineering programs are based on the same national accreditation standards.

"I met someone in Chemical Engineering in Ryerson... he was suffering hard in third year cuz he was not able to get a job" -- Nice! You know a guy there?

Similarly, "How I know it? My uncle is an aerospace engineer." -- Cool story. But that doesn't make you the authority on what anyone needs to get into aerospace. There are plenty of Bachelor's degrees that can work their way there. Also, Lexicon is choosing a school for a Bachelor's program --- not a Master's program.

Originally Posted by mike_302

Too many flaws in your posts, Ralts...

" if a GOOD prof wanted to teach, why would he pick Ryerson over McMaster? McMaster has better research funding, and thus attracts smarter professors!" --- You assume good researchers are the best teachers.

" when you have the same average, why would an employer pick a Ryerson student over McMaster?" --- Because both engineering programs are based on the same national accreditation standards.

"I met someone in Chemical Engineering in Ryerson... he was suffering hard in third year cuz he was not able to get a job" -- Nice! You know a guy there?

Similarly, "How I know it? My uncle is an aerospace engineer." -- Cool story. But that doesn't make you the authority on what anyone needs to get into aerospace. There are plenty of Bachelor's degrees that can work their way there. Also, Lexicon is choosing a school for a Bachelor's program --- not a Master's program.

Always happy to see someone dispatch of Raltsy like that. Cheers Mike!

Originally Posted by mike_302

1. Mac and Ryerson are about on par.

Having spent a 16 month internship working alongside Ryerson electrical engineering students, they've basically taken exactly the same classes as me. Hell, their labs and projects sounded cooler than ours.

Originally Posted by mike_302

2. Not everyone travels to Toronto for co-op and internship. At the risk of sounding offended, TO is not the center of the universe.

Seconded. I did a co-op in North Bay one summer, and I worked alongside students from Waterloo, U of T, Western, Lakehead, Laurentian, and Queens - just to show you that all walks of life can lead to the same places.

Also, about half of my interviews have been phone interviews, including one for Hydro One in Toronto.

Originally Posted by ralts40(2)

Thnk about it, when you have the same average, why would an employer pick a Ryerson student over McMaster?

Work experience, sociability, individual interests like hobbies and projects, demonstrated ability to learn, leadership capability... Any number of reasons.

Originally Posted by ralts40(2)

wonderful professors!

Lol.

Originally Posted by ralts40(2)

You learn from the best, you can do research with the best!

You learn from people who can teach well, otherwise you learn from a textbook and Google. Unfortunately, most professors at McMaster leave you depending on the latter.