As a parent of an Anglophone student who went to McGill and a college counsellor, I understand the frustration both the universities and parents are feeling based on the government’s new policies for English universities in the province. For parents outside of Quebec whose high school student is considering McGill or Concordia, some questions to ask yourself (and your student):
- are you financially prepared for the extra $3k tuition annually?
- would the additional requirement to gain the required fluency in French affect your ability to keep up your grades for your degree, and is this a requirement you’re willing to fulfill?
- do you support the policy that a portion of your tuition dollars be redirected to support French universities in the province?
While both McGill and Concordia have seen significantly decreased application numbers for the upcoming school year, both universities are fantastic institutions that still might be the right choice for your student to complete their higher education at. I always tell students and parents that there are almost an infinite number of factors to consider when choosing a university. These new policies inject just a couple more factors to consider in your decision, but shouldn’t cause you to dismiss these universities without weighing any other considerations.
