Ryerson University

[tonimac]

...isn't represented anywhere in the results. I know its probably because the school is small, and this site is mostly US applicants. But still...anyone waiting to hear? Have heard?

I applied to the Comm Cult program. Still waiting. Getting nervous; they're my top pick.

[euges429]

I'm really sorry, and I don't truly mean to, but...

I just have to laugh at anyone who holds a Ph.D. from Ryerson, or who *wants* to go there for Ph.D., even for their top programs like engineering. Ryerson is a terrible school academically--it's still more a community college than full-fledged university--and I can't imagine any Ph.D. holder from there can get a good job, academia or otherwise.

Again, truly, not to put you down. But Ryerson is even worse than North Western Carolina State University -- if there's such a school. Seriously.

[za232]

I had not heard of Ryerson, probably because of the chronic ethnocentrism that comes with being an American. After some research it seems to be a well regarded Canadian institution...

Furthermore, there is quite a bit more to choosing a university other than purely rankings. Location, faculty interests, size, etc. should all play a significant role. In fact, most of us who are working on a PhD are doing so because of the intellectual stimulation and not simply as a career move. Otherwise we would just get MBA's which would be way easier and result in more money.

What's with the put downs?

[euges429]

I had not heard of Ryerson, probably because of the chronic ethnocentrism that comes with being an American. After some research it seems to be a well regarded Canadian institution...

Furthermore, there is quite a bit more to choosing a university other than purely rankings. Location, faculty interests, size, etc. should all play a significant role. In fact, most of us who are working on a PhD are doing so because of the intellectual stimulation and not simply as a career move. Otherwise we would just get MBA's which would be way easier and result in more money.

What's with the put downs?

Well, I'm from Toronto. Obviously, the best school in the city, if not the country, is UofT. Ryerson has and will always be a community-college-type school. It's trying to grow into a "research-intensive" university, but it really isn't.

I've studied in the States, let me try to make an analogy: Consider, San Francisco. You have Berkeley or Stanford, and choose a community college. That would be the comparison.

Ryerson is nowhere near the top 20 of all Canadian schools (and we're a small country). Even the University of Prince Edward Island is more regarded.

I'm seriously not trying to put anyone down, but Ryerson is a terrible terrible school, for both undergrad, and their few graduate programs. Any Torontonian and Canadian will tell you that.

[za232]

It seems that according to Maclean's Canadian University rankings, Ryerson is #11 among primarily undergraduate schools. I don't know much about these rankings, but this would seem to indicate more of a liberal arts college than a community college. This is similar to the status held by Harvey Mudd, Swarthmore, etc...

Anyways, I am certainly not the expert in this situation and you probably know more than me about the school seeing as you are from Toronto. The point though is that your comment was insulting, whether it was meant to be or not, and really did not add anything to the discussion.

[Minnesotan]

Ryerson has a (very) few well-regarded programs. If you're in those programs, you should disregard what the posts above claim. True, it is not a prestigious university, but the location is great, and I would assume there are some good faculty available to work with, if you search them out.

For the size of Toronto, there are shockingly few universities. Ryerson, I guess, is Toronto's #3 (if we don't include the satellite campuses of UofT and York), which is nothing to sneeze at, all things told. While I would not want to attend Ryerson for the field of study I chose, I think the snobbery around here is getting pretty thick. Prestige isn't everything, folks. Fit, location, faculty support, department goals and specialties, financial package, and many other criteria should be taken into account when choosing a program.

[tonimac]

Yeah I'm kind of shocked by the level of hate here. Everything I'd read about the school and its alumni were all positives.

I guess I won't let the negativity get to me. I fell in love with the program, after all, and that's all that should matter.

[Minnesotan]

This can be solved fairly easily with a quick investigation into where Ryerson graduates are now teaching. I have no information on this, but would be interested to know.

[rising_star]

Luckily, I did a quick Google search for us: http://www.yorku.ca/comcult/

It appears the program is a joint program with York U.

"The programme is relatively new, having started in September 2000. This means that (1) as yet we have little experience of our graduates entering the job market, and (2) while the curriculum is still not fully in place, we have added new courses each year and the curriculum is constantly being reviewed."

[euges429]

Ryerson has a (very) few well-regarded programs. If you're in those programs, you should disregard what the posts above claim. True, it is not a prestigious university, but the location is great, and I would assume there are some good faculty available to work with, if you search them out.

For the size of Toronto, there are shockingly few universities. Ryerson, I guess, is Toronto's #3 (if we don't include the satellite campuses of UofT and York), which is nothing to sneeze at, all things told. While I would not want to attend Ryerson for the field of study I chose, I think the snobbery around here is getting pretty thick. Prestige isn't everything, folks. Fit, location, faculty support, department goals and specialties, financial package, and many other criteria should be taken into account when choosing a program.

I truly didn't mean to insult Ryerson or those who go (or plan on going) there. But it's hard for me why anyone would choose Ryerson for a graduate program. Possibly their engineering program, since they used to be a polytechnic institution (a primarily undergraduate one at that). In Toronto, people here know (or have the belief) that if you go to Ryerson (for undergrad), your high school GPA was terrible.

But anyways, I somewhat agree with you that for the size of Toronto, we have so few universities. It's hard to say that because most universities here lie right OUTSIDE of Toronto. In the city proper, you have UofT, York University and Ryerson University. But right outside, within two hours' drive at the most, you have Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier, University of Western Ontario, 3 more. A bit farther, you have Windsor and Queen's, though they're a good 3+ hours away. We also have a bunch of community colleges.

Compare, say, New York City. You have NYU and Columbia, but those are the two "big" or "prestigious" schools. You also have City University of New York and other "city" or "state" colleges, but they're not well-known. San Francisco, UC-Berkeley is near, but even Stanford is outside SF. So SF proper technically has no strong schools (UCSF is primarily a medical school).

[euges429]

This can be solved fairly easily with a quick investigation into where Ryerson graduates are now teaching. I have no information on this, but would be interested to know.

I'm willing to bet my life that no Ryerson Ph.D. graduates hold academic positions in any of the top 30 programs in Canada -- in CANADA. My conviction is strong. You can put me down for putting Ryerson (and its students) down, but it's the truth. If you don't live in Toronto, you really don't know the overall (poor) reputation of Ryerson. You just don't.

I will say this (positive thing), though. Ryerson is good at producing grads who go into industry, or at least, non-academia. So if your plan with your Ph.D. is to go into, journalism, or other non-academic job, Ryerson may be the best choice. They value "real-life" experience, and not so much on "research" or "theory" as say UofT or other schools would.

[euges429]

Yeah I'm kind of shocked by the level of hate here. Everything I'd read about the school and its alumni were all positives.

I guess I won't let the negativity get to me. I fell in love with the program, after all, and that's all that should matter.

It's kinda like this. You're not from Toronto, right? So it's really hard for you to know the school in more detail.

Think of it this way: in the "general public," Harvard is the top-school, possibly in the world. But within the academic circle, Harvard is known as very overrated, and grades are inflated. Still a strong school, but not as strong as the general public would tend to believe. If you're in the academic circle, you can tell your grandma that Harvard isn't *that* strong, but she would have a hard time believing you, since what the "general public" knows is that Harvard is, well, Harvard.

[tonimac]

I suppose I can see the point here, about Ryerson. I just really want to go there, so it's a bit discouraging to hear negative remarks. I understand what you're saying, but do you understand how I now feel conflicted and confused?

I do want to go in to the industry, I in no way aim to be an academic for the rest of my life. And the one thing about the program, comcult, that makes me feel somewhat put at ease is that it's a cooperative program with York. Meaning I'll be attending conferences and classes at York.

[Minnesotan]

Oh, the hours one has to spend on subway and bus to get to and from York, compared to anywhere remotely livable! You will learn to dread the sight of Downsview Station (especially when the 196 is done for the night). I have some friends in the joint Ancient History program at York/UofT, and they are getting bedsores on their butts from riding public transit. It probably won't be so bad in 2010, when they extend the subway, but until then it's a crappy commute.

Anyway, I hear that York has a well-respected communications program. I'm sure you'll have plenty of good faculty to draw on there.

[euges429]

Oh, the hours one has to spend on subway and bus to get to and from York, compared to anywhere remotely livable! You will learn to dread the sight of Downsview Station (especially when the 196 is done for the night). I have some friends in the joint Ancient History program at York/UofT, and they are getting bedsores on their butts from riding public transit. It probably won't be so bad in 2010, when they extend the subway, but until then it's a crappy commute.

Anyway, I hear that York has a well-respected communications program. I'm sure you'll have plenty of good faculty to draw on there.

Haha. York is good. Not as strong as UofT overall, but some of York's programs are well-regarded.

[tonimac]

Haha. York is good. Not as strong as UofT overall, but some of York's programs are well-regarded.

God, I hope for the amount of times you've plugged UofT that they're at least paying you or something.

[tonimac]

Oh, the hours one has to spend on subway and bus to get to and from York, compared to anywhere remotely livable! You will learn to dread the sight of Downsview Station (especially when the 196 is done for the night). I have some friends in the joint Ancient History program at York/UofT, and they are getting bedsores on their butts from riding public transit. It probably won't be so bad in 2010, when they extend the subway, but until then it's a crappy commute.

Anyway, I hear that York has a well-respected communications program. I'm sure you'll have plenty of good faculty to draw on there.

I'm used to the woe that is public transportation, hee. I commuted from Philadelphia to New York City twice a week last semester for an internship. A grand total of one PA subway, one PA train, one New Jersey train and two New York City subways. What a pain.

And thank you, Minnesotan. You've been very helpful. I know the program is young, but the cooperation between the two Universities seems to be working well and the symposium the schools hold together in communication seem intriguing. I'm optimistic.

[Minnesotan]

I think being excited about one's program is a good sign. A lot of people on these forums are dissatisfied with their dream schools before they even get there, and I've seen how miserable these people become after a year or so in. Maybe the application process, and all the pressure they put on themselves to find the "perfect" program with the right level of prestige, embitters them. I don't know. All I can say is that the people who are genuinely excited to be going where they're going (regardless of perceived prestige) seem to have a better time during grad school.

[tonimac]

I think being excited about one's program is a good sign. A lot of people on these forums are dissatisfied with their dream schools before they even get there, and I've seen how miserable these people become after a year or so in. Maybe the application process, and all the pressure they put on themselves to find the "perfect" program with the right level of prestige, embitters them. I don't know. All I can say is that the people who are genuinely excited to be going where they're going (regardless of perceived prestige) seem to have a better time during grad school.

Prestige wasn't even on the short list of things I considered when filling out my applications. Clearly I wanted to go to an accredited, known and well established University. But when I made my short list of schools I really only paid attention to the details of the program and a few Professors whose work I admired. Also I have to admit Toronto was a big factor in my decision making process. My undergrad degree is in Film and Television and having grown sick of New York and possessing no desire whatsoever to go to LA, I thought Toronto was a good place to find an artistic community that also had connections to the film industry through festivals and independent film production.

Ryerson and York's program has connections to the industry in Toronto which is why the program ultimately drifted to the top of my list. I have a fair amount of industry experience, but in TV and Film its always who you know.

That turned into a very unnecessary rant about why I'm interesting in the school. Sorry, that was probably unnecessary. I guess I wanted to defend my choice, not to you, but to those questioning my decision.

[euges429]

God, I hope for the amount of times you've plugged UofT that they're at least paying you or something.

Well, for my undergrad and masters, I went to Berkeley and Princeton, respectively, even though I'm from Toronto. I'm not as biased as one might think, since I tried to AVOID Toronto during those years. But it's a strong school in many programs, no one can argue with that.

I hate UofT in many ways. I can write a 100-page essay on why I hate UofT. But I have to respect its strengths, which I'm doing.

[rising_star]

Princeton has master's degrees?

[euges429]

Princeton has master's degrees?

Well, I lied, but intentionally. I did my undergrad at an institution very similar in size and "prestige" as Berkeley, same thing for my master's at "Princeton." I tend to not give out the specific schools I attended, primarily for privacy reasons. So, for my master's, I went to a equally-prestigious private school, similar ranking, similar size, etc...

But to formally reply to your query: Actually, Princeton does have master's degrees.

[faraz107]

well!

About Ryrerson can anyone give me his/her personal experience esp. about Masters in ECE (Electricla & Computer) Engineering?

Lots of different ideas i have heard; but, can someone tell TRUE experience! PLEASE!

thanks,

Faraz.

[abomb]

does anyone (euges429 ?) have any thoughts about Ryerson's Photographic Preservation and Collections Management masters program (PPCM) as being one of the better programs at the school?

[gezzloume]

Haha. York is good. Not as strong as UofT overall, but some of York's programs are well-regarded.

I have to disagree with you there. I attended both U of T and York (at one point simultaneously) and York is stronger academically. They are ahead of the game and U of T isn't. U of T is all about their name (prestige) and their semi-pretty campus. However outside academics, I think everything else about York (their location, their extracurriculars, and their administrative staff which seems to be determined to prevent you from having a smooth transition through the mandatory administrative processes like getting into compulsory courses or graduating!); and in all the areas York falls short, U of T is better in.

As for Ryerson or any other university, its up to the applicant to decide whether its worth for them to attend a particular school. Every school as advantages and disadvantages but I would hope that choosing a school that you love the program (or programs) they offer and at the same time you're excited to see how your participation in this program will help you grow as a professional and maybe even on a personal level, should be the primary factor influencing your final choice.

I hope that helps and peace to you!