4 Reasons Why It’s Better To Go To College in Canada [Friday Faves]

August 3, 2012 12:00 pm     Posted in College, Homepage Exclusive  Canadianne-Queen's University g+ page


By Canadianne

When you were applying to colleges back in the fall semester of your senior year, you probably forget to include Canadian schools on that list. (You probably also forgot to include “schools with no Friday classes”…but that’s a blog topic for a later day.) Sure Canada is freezing, but that’s no reason to not go to school there. Think we’re wrong? Just check out our reasoning and tell me that you’re not debating transferring.

1. Cost: Tuition is a fraction of that at an American school, so your chances of earning a degree are based on merit, not your piggy bank (or parents’). Unlike the States, almost all Canadian universities are publicly funded making tuition per program fairly standard at each university. The prestige of the institution and how much it costs to attend is almost entirely unrelated. Having attended private school all my life, it was refreshing to start university knowing we’d all had to earn it. There are obviously exceptions, but Canadian universities don’t typically accept students based on daddy’s most recent bank statement.

2. Drinking age is 19: It’s always confused me that at age 18, the US government considers you responsible enough to handle a gun in Iraq, or get hitched without parental consent, but you need another three years of maturation before you can legally drink wine with dinner. With the exception of Alberta and Quebec (where it’s 18!), the Canadian drinking age is a reasonable 19. Not that you need to be trashed to have a good time, but some of my best nights of sophomore year were spent at the campus pub catching the game with friends over a pitcher.

3. Free Healthcare: So you’ve had 5 too many, and you end up passed out in a snow bank. Not to worry, you can get your stomach pumped for free! Ok, maybe they’d charge you for that, but check-ups, STD testing, emergency hospital visits etc are all covered by universal healthcare. Student life is stressful enough without having to worry whether or not your insurance will cover that unexpected trip to the campus clinic.

4.  Canadian Boys: Perhaps I’m biased, but there is really nothing sexier than a hockey player (For reference please google Kevin Bieksa). Let’s note two gorgeous celebs (Carrie Underwood and Hillary Duff) have recently tied the knot to NHL beauties. In chilly Southern Ontario (home to a cluster of college towns), there is a bevy of hockey hotties with whom to practice your stick handling (couldn’t resist that pun). If athletes aren’t your type, maybe travel east to Quebec. There’s just something about the French that’s a little bit hard to resist.

So if you’re not convinced, come see for yourself!

[lead image via Vepar5/Shutterstock.com]

9 Comments on "4 Reasons Why It’s Better To Go To College in Canada [Friday Faves]"

  1. ..... says:
    Fri, 3rd Aug 201212:52 pm 

    Right on lady. I adore Canada (except for the whole not being a real country thing) however Canadian schools are biased against Americans. That automatically makes them suck.

  2. Mary says:
    Fri, 3rd Aug 20121:25 pm 

    Maybe it's just me, but since when is Canada not a real country? Being canadian, i sure pay a lot in taxes to my government!
    And really, it's not that cold, except maybe in february! But then again, when it's 15 degree Celsius in march, everyone is wearing short and sandals, i guess we don't feel de cold as much.

  3. Lauren says:
    Fri, 3rd Aug 20122:55 pm 

    How is Canada is not a real country? Please feel free to enlighten me..

  4. Candace says:
    Fri, 3rd Aug 20123:06 pm 

    Saying Canada is not a real country is really rude. I agree with Mary It's really not that cold here!

  5. Emma says:
    Fri, 3rd Aug 20126:48 pm 

    Wow super rude to say Canada is not a real country. Further, as a Canadian, and one that went to a Canadian University with many Americans, I can say that there is not a bias against Americans at our schools. At least not automatically. If perhaps you ran into a bias, it could have something to do with your attitude towards Canada. All the Americans I know that went to my school loved it, and Canada.

  6. Rina says:
    Fri, 3rd Aug 20129:34 pm 

    Certain aspects of this article are misleading if the author is writing to convince US Americans to go to a Canadian school. For instance, international (non-Canadian students) do not get the cheap Canadian tuition costs, they have to pay significantly more money. In relation, non Canadians do not have access to Canadian free health care, they have to get student health insurance. Also, the author forgot that the drinking age in the province Manitoba is eighteen.

  7. .... says:
    Sat, 4th Aug 201211:45 am 

    Canadian schools being biased? Now that's the biggest crock of shit I ever heard! We know more about you and your country than you Americans are taught about us and ours. Get your facts straight before you spout off!

  8. Ally says:
    Sun, 5th Aug 20122:13 pm 

    All of these reasons WOULD apply if you have Canadian residency or citizenship, not a student visa. Our tuition isn't that cheap and we don't have the number of scholarship opportunities you guys do by a long shot.

  9. Cait says:
    Sat, 25th Aug 201210:27 pm 

    Haha I love this so much I had to show it to my boyfriend. He is Canadian and lives up there while I'm a U.S. Citizen living and going to school here. We've been dating for quite some time now so basically he tries to somewhat jokingly convince me to transfer up there all the time. Anyways, this was good for a laugh. Canada is a wonderful, lovely country and it is true that you can go to school much cheaper up there often times. And yes, drinking age is lower than the U.S. lol

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