Buffalofan4255

You know, it's kinda dumb that you're equating job opportunities with academic University affiliation. I'd say this is a case where a statistical relationship doesn't equal causation. Let me explain... U of T has about 500 American students total between grad and undergrad. Yes, it's an incredibly small amount. Fact of the matter is McGill is the only Canadian school that actively recruits in the US. Doesn't mean that if you get a PhD from a Canadian school, you're doomed for American academic jobs. Instead of judging that a PhD from Toronto will be sub-par towards PhD from Illinois, perhaps it's better to judge how academics view a university's prestige instead. Because with only 500 American students, PhDs vying to get an American academic post is rare and hard to come by. Perhaps that's the reason why Canada hasn't sent as many academics into US schools as the average US school does. Perhaps Canadian PhDs want to stay and continue to live in Canada. Back to my proposition to best judge whether a degree from a particular institution is worth it from a reputational stand-point. Look at the THE 2015 rankings, they survey academics from around the world, and is one of the best measures for this question. And with that said, U of T was ranked #16 by academics. Case closed.

You know, it's kinda dumb that you're equating job opportunities with academic University affiliation. I'd say this is a case where a statistical relationship doesn't equal causation. Let me explain... U of T has about 500 American students total between grad and undergrad. Yes, it's an incredibly small amount. Fact of the matter is McGill is the only Canadian school that actively recruits in the US. Doesn't mean that if you get a PhD from a Canadian school, you're doomed for American academic jobs. Instead of judging that a PhD from Toronto will be sub-par towards PhD from Illinois, perhaps it's better to judge how academics view a university's prestige instead. Because with only 500 American students, PhDs vying to get an American academic post is rare and hard to come by. Perhaps that's the reason why Canada hasn't sent as many academics into US schools as the average US school does. Perhaps Canadian PhDs want to stay and continue to live in Canada. Back to my proposition to best judge whether a degree from a particular institution is worth it from a reputational stand-point. Look at the THE 2015 rankings, they survey academics from around the world, and is one of the best measures. And with that said, U of T was ranked #16 by academics. Case closed.

Of course rankings are completely subjective, however, they can certainly be used to get an indication of how well regarded universities are. On top of that, if all rankings are putting the University of Toronto between 14-24, I'm gonna agree that the University is between that range (I.e., best in Canada, better than Northeastern, NYU, and Carnegie Mellon for sure, etc).

Canada rarely places PhD's as professors in US schools? Really? Firstly, there's only 3 Canadian schools that are top 100, with McMaster close but currently out. Speaking from personal anecdote though, the president of my undergrad uni (in the states) got both his MSc and PhD from the U of T. My undergrad departments (2) have a combined 15 faculty members out of ~50 that have at least one of their graduate degrees from a top Canadian school. The University of Waterloo is one of the biggest draws for top computer scientists and engineers in the world. Toronto is the 3rd biggest place in North America for startups, and the University of toronto was recently ranked #1 for startups in North America. You're 1. Talking out of your ass and 2. Being naive about an entire country if you're stating Canada doesn't produce top PhDs.

Also, the 2015 times higher education reputation rankings just came out. These rankings are just based on perceived reputation, not research funding or this or that. University of toronto was #16, higher than UPenn, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, NYU, Brown, Carnegie mellon, and so many others.

Personally only applied to UK and Canadian schools, I'm an American coming from an American undergrad. I'll be attending the U of T, and also got accepted to University College London. I had the option to apply and likely get accepted to similar programs at Yale, Michigan, Duke, and Columbia. I didn't even apply cuz the Canadian and UK programs were frankly better, and the prestige was high. U of T and McGill are the Harvard/Yale or Oxford/Cambridge of Canada. Both are excellent and have awesome reputations. Whenever I wear my U of T sweatshirt in my undergrad facilities, I always get comments from faculty and students like "whoa did you go there??" it's a very cool experience. Good luck at McGill!

Had to choose betw. a top canadian and a top UK myself...went with the Canadian because of the program, which ideally is what you should be doing as well, simple as that

if you guys are interested in Munk, check out www.thinkcds.org - a student-run development think tank partially based out of the Univ. of Toronto

hey if you guys are interested in development at all, check out www.thinkcds.org. - student-run think tank

fantastic choices obviously. But this is also clear as day. Closer to family, both are similarly priced and expensive, but access to research is probably similar as well (high). Harvard. The thing about a Harvard degree, is that it transcends into everything you do in life. "Oh he/she went to Harvard." You know which one to choose. *whispers repeatedly, "come to harvard"

FYI, UB's research in behavioral economics, neuroeconomics, neuro (general), and psych is among the best in the country. Some of the top researchers in these fields are at UB...and many professors have 300+ pubs (check out Dr. Leonard Epstein for example...some of the most innovative behavioral research out there). A lot of UB's research in these areas have been presented in major ted talks alongside research from top tier global institutions... http://medicine.buffalo.edu/content/medicine/departments/neurology/faculty/profile.html?ubit=lwrabetz

Fyi, there's a reason why Obama came to UB to announce his plan to reform higher education in August of 2013 Btw, the city's population might look small (290,000), but each town surrounding buff is 100,000. It's crazy actually how big the suburbs are....I believe the population of the region is about 1.7 million.

I'm a senior at UB right now and will be attending the University of Toronto next fall for my masters (global top 20). UB is a really fantastic school actually, and is a really comprehensive school (largest in NY state and is the flagship public school of the state). Architecture, dental, medicine, engineering, business, education, law, public health, planning, etc. UB's alumni are pretty well regarded too...including the CEOs of Paramount Pictures, A&E Networks, Coca Cola, j crew. Wolf Blitzer and the former prime minister of Somalia are also alum...and the school was founded by the 13th president of the US, millard Fillmore. As for buffalo, the city has a ton of history, and was for a while one of the top 5 wealthiest cities in the US. Buff right now is going through a cultural and economic "Renaissance" and is attracting smart people who are involved in re-building and developing the region. I'm originally from Boston, MA, and I've grown to absolutely love the Buffalo region. The people are friendly, the community is strong, and you can have a stake in something here. As for UB, the students are smart. In terms of medical, Buffalo is becoming a center for top medical services in the country. UB is getting brand new medical facilities downtown in 2016 and the Buffalo Niagara medical campus is thriving. About $3 billion has been invested over just the last 5 years. UB is also a very wealthy University, and has the largest endowment over any public in the northeast ($730 million). Jeremy Jacobs (an alum) is the current chair of the UB council, he's a billionaire and owns the Boston bruins. Buffalo is quickly becoming a top place for young people too, there's a recent NYtimes article that showcases top places where college graduates are going to, and buffalo was in the top 3. UB is also about 30% international students, and buffalo brings in thousands of UN refugees, so the city is actually extremely diverse. Come check out what's going on in Buffalo...you'll love it im sure

Both schools are top notch, congrats! If you want job placements, USC has greater global and national reputation, it's really an outstanding institution. If you're looking to go into academia, I'd sway more for USCB for its more intimate environment. In this case, I'd choose USC...a lot of pride for the school (football, basketball, rivalry with UCLA), being in Los Angeles, and you're still not far from the beach .

I've already sent in my deposit for an MSc in Sustainability Management at the University of Toronto, but recently noticed that Columbia also has an MSc in Sustainability Management. However, their program is under the school of continuing education, and is composed of only 10% students who are straight out of undergrad (like myself). Having asked their admissions staff some questions, I found out I'd be competitive. Would it make sense to apply, or is Columbia's continuing education school a 'lesser' institution? How do the two unis compare by reputation standards? (from the US)

I'll be attending the University of Toronto for an MSc in Sustainability Management within the Institute for Management and Innovation. IMI has a Master of Biotechnology that is already working quite well with companies in Canada, US, and the UK. Not sure if you've had a chance to take a look or have seen it yet...but U of T is generally regarded as #1 in Canada. http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/mbiotech/mbiotech/mbiotech/ In terms of your research interest...Toronto's geography department (which does a lot of work on this) is regarded as the best in Canada and top 10 globally, while similar departments at McGill are unranked actually.

I'm an American who will be attending UToronto come the fall for my masters. Canadian unis are fantastic and I've found the U of T, UBC, and McGill students to be of a similar calibre as students at Berkeley, Cornell, Brown, Michigan, and Carnegie Mellon. Their reputations also hold up quite well globally, and employers recognize their value in the states. With that said, is it better to go to the 2nd/3rd best Canadian uni than the 20th best American uni? I'd say probably

All are fantastic universities with great reputations... from my understanding though, amsterdam has the greatest prestige, if that's what you're going for. with that said however, a 1 year development program might not give you all the well-rounded skills you're looking for. In terms of program, it sounds like SKE is the best program. the 9 month program at barcelona is really not worth it, that's a joke for a masters.

Hey guys...I have an updated question I need to ask.... I recently did some more research on another Sustainability Management program, this time at Columbia University. I found out that I am indeed competitive for their program. Question is, the program is housed in Columbia's School of Continuing Education. It's still a MSc in Sustainability Management though. I've already 'accepted' and sent out $400 to Toronto...but yeah I'm having second thoughts if this program exists at Columbia. Any thoughts from peeps?

Thank you all for the awesomely detailed and lengthy responses. I've chosen Toronto! I'm still waiting to hear back from the LSE, but Toronto is it. Here's my reasoning weighed out of 100 points because I'm an economist ..... 1. Program (30 points) Toronto is more suited and tailored for careers, but as a professional degree, it also has a research course (but not dissertation...it's either a research paper, literature review, or case analysis). However, Toronto's program is also very new...that can be a downside for alumni connections. UCL is solely research and essay based, which I really like, but lacks the professional outlook - the program is devoted to developing countries, which is great, but can pigeonhole me down when I'm looking for a career in sustainability and management here in the U.S. (D.C. preferably). However, UCL's month abroad researching in a developing country is fantastic. LSE on the other hand offers none of these perks...just research in a library for 12 months -__-. Toronto: 27 UCL: 22 LSE: 19 2. University Prestige and Reputation (30 points) 'London' on a resume has je ne se quoi. Reputation of the U of T is similar to UCL, but falls short of the LSE. However, the LSE program doesn't offer research OR any professional components. In addition, rankings wise, U of T beats LSE because the LSE is focused solely on social sciences, and I enjoy a comprehensive uni, especially when I can beat down on fellow unis such as Cornell. F*** Cornell. Toronto: 26 UCL: 27 LSE: 30 3. Location (15 points) While London is incredible, Toronto is also the best city in Canada. The lifestyle and experiences would be at least similar, that is both cities are culturally diverse, cosmopolitan, and eventful. London beats Toronto out, definitely, but not more than 1-2 points. Toronto: 13 UCL: 15 LSE: 15 4. Cost (15 points) Because Toronto is a 2 year MSc, while UCL and LSE are 1 year programs, cost is roughly the same when put into those cost estimators the unis give you. Toronto is $75,000, UCL/LSE are about the same, although London groceries and such may come out to be more expensive. For this reason, I'm giving the programs the following points: Toronto: 12 UCL: 11 LSE: 11 5. Miscellaneous (10 points) Girlfriend in Buffalo, London has that whole 'James Bond' thing, Toronto helps me form an identity around the region (coupled with a Uni at Buffalo undergrad), location with respect to home in New England, alumni connections of unis, etc. etc... Toronto: 10 UCL: 9 LSE: 9 Overall score... Toronto: 88 UCL: 84 LSE: 84

Yeahh I get the commute thing, but I'm relatively used to it. Worked in DC this summer, my commute was an hour, and worked in Boston the summer before, that was 1.5 hours. I don't mind it really, and if anything, it's meditation time Haha. I'd really prefer being on the St. George campus to really take it all in, including the city. Quite honestly, while the program won't be a breeze, I don't think Ill have to compromise life standards all that much, and in that case, I'd rather be downtown

No way - that's awesome. Just wanna clarify btw...UTM is still a University of Toronto degree, as opposed to a UTM degree, right? Just wanna make sure...

wow some really good answers here - much better than reddit. Mrpink - yeah I know it's on Mississauga - which I actually really like the campus there. But I'm also gona really try to get into Graduate House, which has 300 spots for graduate students on the St. George campus in a beautiful modern building for only USD $750/month rent, which isn't bad! Toronto's program is very applicable and practical. You learn how to model, how to use law, economics, science, and management with respect to sustainability and environmentalism. UCL's program is solely on developing countries really...and I feel like that'll pigeon hold me down, especially if I'd like my career options be open to the public sector (NGOs, government, particularly in D.C.) and private sector (particularly SpaceX, Boeing, Tesla, and the start-up community). One thing that's on my mind though...is that for the last 3 years, I've been really set on going to the UK. Maybe it was because of a breakup with a long term girlfriend...I'm not sure....but I knew I was set on Edinburgh. I actually visited Edinburgh Uni and the city last January...and really liked it. One year later, I didn't even apply to edinburgh. Toronto, UCL, LSE, and Oxford were simply better. Now I also have a new girlfriend...one who's a lot lot lot lot better, and things are quite honestly great. But idk if I'm being swayed to go to Toronto simply because of her...instead of going to that dream place of London, UK. And I'm just worried I'll regret a decision here either way...

Just got accepted to Toronto's program!! So now the really tough decision....and I need help In terms of the program itself...I do like Toronto's better. UCL's is devoted to developing countries, while Toronto's is completely holistic. That's not to say though that the concepts at UCL can't transfer over to first world countries. Here's the breakdown of the cost: UCL: $70,000 for the full 1 year (it's a 1 year program) Toronto: $60-70,000 for 2 years UCL - get to do a dissertation, and then live in a developing country conducting final research for a full month Toronto - co-op program, and a research paper Obviously this is a very personal decision...but I need second thoughts. Is Toronto as good of a school as UCL? If so, I'd give weight to Toronto. Is Toronto as a city, as cool and awesome as London? Arghhh this is so tough. I should also note that Toronto is a professional degree program, while UCL is a research based program. I have 3 years of research experience already as an undergraduate in labs. I'm not looking to go into academia, and am just looking to get a decent job either with one of my former internship places (NASA HQ) or in politics, most likely either in Washington D.C. or Buffalo, NY.

From the United States and I have a challenging question... Just got admitted to University College London for an MSc in Environment and Sustainable Development - I'm so so excited. However, I'm also waiting on offers from the London School of Economics (same program) and the University of Toronto for an MSc in Sustainability Management. Costs are the same...Toronto is professional while UCL is research based. My girlfriend is in Buffalo, NY for her masters currently, so that gives weight to U of T. but how's the brand of UofT versus UCL in the United States, particularly in Washington D.C., where I'd like to be?