Ubc Or Sfu?

[OrdinaryBoy]

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

I'm looking for a career in aeronautical engineering, if that makes a difference.

From what I've heard talking to professors and various university grads, SFU is closer to high school in terms of teacher accessibility and ease of navigation. I met a professor named Dugan O'Neill at a physics lecture, and he stayed behind for nearly an hour after his presentation to talk to me and answer random questions. I can't say that all the SFU professors are as nice as him, but he would teach one of my classes.

UBC has the advantage in university rankings, but I haven't really seen anything to sway me and say, "UBC is the place for me." I've heard a few complaints that grades depend mostly on the TAs and that some of the teachers are uninterested in teaching. Apparently half of the money you pay for the meal plan living on residence disappears in extra fees, but again, this is all anecdotal.

To be honest, I'm not particularly looking forward to going to university. I understand that the experience is what you make it, but it's intimidating.

[GLASSJAW]

nevermind, i don't even care

[Hamhuis Hipcheck]

To be honest, I'm not particularly looking forward to going to university. I understand that the experience is what you make it, but it's intimidating.

[Dellins]

Because it's true?

I don't know about you but almost everyone I know that goes to SFU is there for criminology so they can write the LSAT and apply to UBC law or didn't get into UBC.

Also SFU offers almost no graduate studies, it's barely a University.

You can say all you want about UBC not being that good, but it's a hell of a lot better than SFU and the fact is most people at SFU (especially the ones in arts/science) are there because they couldn't get into UBC (Which is stupidly easy now, they're using undergraduates as cash cows).

Honestly if you were comfortable about the school you go to would you care about "UBC elitism". Truth is most do it jokingly because you guys get mad so easily and that shows more than what you say does.

And really, SFU can't hold a candle to Sauders school of business, UBC Law, UBC Med and everything past undergraduate studies.

But really OP you should go to UBC. SFU engineering doesn't have half of the option that UBC has (doesn't even have civil) and is very new (it would be better going to BCIT for engineering than SFU).

[NikiShiz]

I go to SFU, and applied only to SFU.

[Panjodh]

UBC is really depressing no joke. But if you got accepted might add well go there

Plus they have a great science program there but it's really hard man..

[canucks_for_cup27]

I'm looking for a career in aeronautical engineering: if you don't mind a ridiculous work load I would suggest UBC for engineering they have a more developed program and you're more likely to find companies offering work programs there.

From what I've heard talking to professors and various university grads, SFU is closer to high school in terms of teacher accessibility and ease of navigation. This is 100% my opinion but I don't think university should resemble high school. It should help you prepare for real life, and real life is not like high school. You are going to be working with limited time and resources from here on out, best adjust to it now. That said there are plenty of teachers at every university that spend extra time with your students and those that don't, it really depends.

I've heard a few complaints that grades depend mostly on the TAs and that some of the teachers are uninterested in teaching: I'm at McGill but from what I've experienced and what my friends in BC have told me this is just bound to come up in your university career. It's not a perfect system but there isn't really a way to make it one. You will find people not giving it their all where ever you end up; it might even be you who starts to drift and just wants to get their grade and get out. This again goes with being able to work in less than ideal situations, you may hate doing it but if you pull it off you have something to be proud of. Learning as to be an initiative on your part as well as the faculties. I know very very few people who do the pre or follow up readings for classes, it goes both ways. If you work hard this won't be a problem.

Apparently half of the money you pay for the meal plan living on residence disappears in extra fees, but again, this is all anecdotal. Again true at any larger university with a meal plan but also greatly exaggerated, if you don't live on rez, don't get a meal plan.

To be honest, I'm not particularly looking forward to going to university. I understand that the experience is what you make it, but it's intimidating. Just make sure to get involved in a moderate sense and find people that you get along with and things will be hard to not enjoy your self. I came across the country not knowing a single person in the city and I don't regret it in the slightest. A, they do everything possible to make you feel welcome and B, everyone is just as intimidated as you are.

[Bossy]

Also engineering at UBC is actually a pretty small faculty, you'll get to know about half the people in your biggest classes and you'll have a handful of people in every single class of yours because of standard timetables.

[aaaa322]

I go to UBC and in all honesty, it doesn't really matter where you get your undergrad. If I were you, I would go to UBC just because the applied science faculty over here has more options than SFU (like others before me have mentioned). But based on undergrad experience, the're about the same. The reason why UBC is so high on the rankings is due to UBC being a very good research institute. If you have any interest ( I usually find most applied science students don't) in grad school; choose UBC as professors often welcome undergrads to their labs (that is if you're mature and willing to work for nothing).

I've had a couple of friends who transferred here from SFU and they tell me the classes here are harder. This legitmately makes sense as the admission average for UBC is higher (thus you get a group of smarter people ON AVERAGE); so you need very hard courses to thin the numbers.

I'm a chemistry major though; which is hard everywhere (chemical engineering by the way has very good earning potential in terms of salary; consider it). I'm digressing a little bit, but this year in the Maclean's rankings (If I recall correctly); the chemistry faculty at UBC was ranked 19th in the world. Alot of my chemistry professors are actually very good at teaching; maybe you should consider transferring into science and joining chemistry. Haha, this whole paragraph is me trying to recruit you (or any other undergrad hopefuls reading this). There's only 120 chem majors in my year (I'm in my second year) and that number is going to drop to about 90 next year. We need more chemists! We're a dying breed. We must advance humanity's thirst for knowledge! Haha.

But bottom line; I'll choose UBC just cause there's more choices in applied science than SFU.

tl;dr : It doesn't really matter. I'll choose UBC for having more variety in applied science.

[Columbo]

UBC Engineering has more options and, in contrast to most other faculties at the university, it's actually pretty close-knit. You'll definitely get to know a lot of your profs and fellow students, and you'll feel like part of a community. It is very hard work though.

[KoreanHockeyFan]

I just finished my first year at UBC (finished today actually) and it was...alright. I was in Arts so it makes it a little worse for me as there are hundreds of different courses within the faculty so you never really get to meet a lot of people on a consistent basis. Engineering however, is a different story. Basically, all the first year engineers have to take the same classes so you're bound to run into people that you have multiple classes with. My high school friends that went into UBC Engineering have made several friends and frankly, I'm a little jealous at that. One warning though, the workload is at a much greater amount than any other faculty, but that being said I didn't have that much of a workload this year (well a lot more than high school don't get me wrong, but it was manageable) and I took five courses per semester...

As for this whole war between SFU vs. UBC, the prestigious BS is there unfortunately. I don't really give a flying **** about it and I don't know if employers actually care about whether you come from UBC and SFU, but in my inexperienced point of view, it ultimately comes down to the grades you've got on your transcript, just focus on your work. From what I here SFU has better Kinesiology and Computer Science programs, and at the very least a respectable businesses program that can compete with UBC's on some level. I'm going to say that however, that UBC's campus in general is multiple times better than SFU's. It has an actual "university" vibe to it and not to mention, you have a nice view of the ocean and a couple of beaches to walk around in. The only reason why I personally would transfer to SFU would be for social purposes. The place is smaller, and that makes it easier to meet up with people and/or just run into them by coincidence, to some extent its just a massive high school, which I would love. Pretty much all my friends who went into SFU have met a whole bunch of people. Maybe I just lack proper social skills, but I just took a shortcut and made friends with the friends my SFU friends made.

(I don't know how some of you guys came up with the idea that UBC's campus is depressing, if anything, SFU's grey buildings would be on the more depressing side...)

There's also this notion of how UBC professors are not helpful. They are, you just need to make the effort to go to their office hours, once you do that, the advice and suggestions they give you are invaluable (in my case, and in the most general sense, they helped me greatly on how to write a good paper). I'll admit, some just suck at teaching, unfortunately from what I hear, a lot of the first year Math professors are terrible. Others are hilarious and are some of the best: if you plan on taking Econ as one of your electives, make sure you get Professor Gateman, his exams are difficult but his lectures are amazing. But despite all this, what it mostly comes down to are your TAs, and they're great. Nothing more to say here, they'll help in every way possible and give good advice on exams and papers: use them.

Anyways, enjoy your first year, and pick the university that suits you the best. It's not intimidating, but I don't blame you for feeling that way. I thought I was going to have trouble passing every class, but that's not the case. The difference between high school and university is that you have to manage your time and actually do the work given to you. And hey, you got accepted to the school in the first place, that's gotta count for something right?

[Guest]

If both schools offer what your program of study, then you need to ask yourself how important the school will be in your career search after you've graduated. If it isn't that important, SFU would be my choice. Simon Fraser University is easily accessible by Skytrain (Production Way University, one station ahead of Lougheed Mall, and 20 minutes from Broadway by Skytrain), and the campus itself is quite compact. Lecture halls are all within a small area and you'll be able to access every class without having to walk very far. As a result, it's very easy to meet with friends and acquaintances at the school during your spare time, and you can easily run into people you know. There are a number of dining locations, a pub, a library, a recreational center and a number of other services on campus. UBC faculties seem very segregated in comparison.

If you're planning to live on campus, it may not be for you, as most school services close and the campus becomes quiet in the evening; if you're looking for a compact university where everything is easy to find and all locations are within five minutes of each other, you may prefer SFU. The bus ride from the bottom of the mountain to the school is 10 to 15 minutes, so if you ever want to leave campus, you can do so quite quickly.

It's a nice school. It simply depends on what you're looking for. Many people enjoy being at SFU because of the easier commute and because students aren't isolated from the rest of the city. If it really isn't that important for you to be at UBC and you aren't going to live on campus (thus having to spend a lot of leisure time at the school), SFU may provide you the more enjoyable post-secondary experience.

[ManUtd]

I just finished my first year at UBC (finished today actually) and it was...alright. I was in Arts so it makes it a little worse for me as there are hundreds of different courses within the faculty so you never really get to meet a lot of people on a consistent basis. Engineering however, is a different story. Basically, all the first year engineers have to take the same classes so you're bound to run into people that you have multiple classes with. My high school friends that went into UBC Engineering have made several friends and frankly, I'm a little jealous at that. One warning though, the workload is at a much greater amount than any other faculty, but that being said I didn't have that much of a workload this year (well a lot more than high school don't get me wrong, but it was manageable) and I took five courses per semester...

[Scottish⑦Canuck]

No matter how many times I read the title of the thread, I still think it says STFU every time.

[AK_19]

UBC easy. It has nothing to do with prestige (which is a BS reason to go there) but simply that it has more to offer with engineering. If you were in arts or sciences, I can see how sociability with other people might be a problem but it shouldn't be with smaller faculties like engineering. The reality is that you are closing doors by going to SFU as they simply don't have the breadth of fields to go to as UBC does. I understand aerospace is what you are interested in but a lot can change in 4 years and I think keeping as many windows as open is probably a good option for first years in general.

[Piezo117]

If you're serious about career development following your degree UBC is the best choice at the moment. Their co-operative education programs (if you choose to go that route) are leaps and bounds ahead of SFU in terms of getting their students placed in industry and academic settings where they can learn practical skills.

Coming from someone who has hired co-op students in the sciences / applied sciences sector, it is always a a race at the start of every semester to interview co-ops and turn over offers within 24 hours. Trying to interview and hire students from SFU is like pulling teeth.. their coordinators are always slow to the punch and 2-4 weeks behind UBC.

The results are evident because UBC students are always well prepped by the co-op office, while SFU students come in not having a clue what they're walking into.

[KoreanHockeyFan]

If you're serious about career development following your degree UBC is the best choice at the moment. Their co-operative education programs (if you choose to go that route) are leaps and bounds ahead of SFU in terms of getting their students placed in industry and academic settings where they can learn practical skills.

Coming from someone who has hired co-op students in the sciences / applied sciences sector, it is always a a race at the start of every semester to interview co-ops and turn over offers within 24 hours. Trying to interview and hire students from SFU is like pulling teeth.. their coordinators are always slow to the punch and 2-4 weeks behind UBC.

The results are evident because UBC students are always well prepped by the co-op office, while SFU students come in not having a clue what they're walking into.

[Piezo117]

I can't speak for Arts co-op, all I can say is that it's a rat race trying to get the students from UBC.

As far as edge goes, if you're talking about differences between UBC and SFU students it can come down to things as trivial as basic interview and resume preparation skills. I find that the overwhelming majority of SFU students come into these interviews without a clue what they are getting themselves into, and these are bright kids so obviously it must have something to do with the way the co-op office preps them. The UBC resumes are better formatted, and better indicate the specific examples of work and skills that they have.

The downside to the way the UBC co-op office hand-holds their students is that sometimes you end up 80% of the resumes coming in all looking identical as far as formatting and content (i.e. everyone's taken the same courses so there's only so much to talk about). If you're at the top of the pile due to the alphabetical ordering you'll garner some early attention but after 5-10 of these our eyes just gloss over.

The students we hire all exhibit something in their CV/Resume's that is unique.. i.e. seeking out volunteer experience in other academic labs, other relevant work experience that applies to the job.

[ronthecivil]

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

I'm looking for a career in aeronautical engineering, if that makes a difference.

From what I've heard talking to professors and various university grads, SFU is closer to high school in terms of teacher accessibility and ease of navigation. I met a professor named Dugan O'Neill at a physics lecture, and he stayed behind for nearly an hour after his presentation to talk to me and answer random questions. I can't say that all the SFU professors are as nice as him, but he would teach one of my classes.

UBC has the advantage in university rankings, but I haven't really seen anything to sway me and say, "UBC is the place for me." I've heard a few complaints that grades depend mostly on the TAs and that some of the teachers are uninterested in teaching. Apparently half of the money you pay for the meal plan living on residence disappears in extra fees, but again, this is all anecdotal.

To be honest, I'm not particularly looking forward to going to university. I understand that the experience is what you make it, but it's intimidating.

[Onions]

I'm a geologist currently going to SFU.

Here's the thing. Go look at the programs themselves. Look at the courses your required to take, look at the course descriptions.

I had the same issue. I picked SFU Earth Sciences rather than UBC Earth's and Ocean Sciences. Why? I like the layout of the SFU program a lot better. It helps me get my P. Geo a lot easier.

Because it's true?

I don't know about you but almost everyone I know that goes to SFU is there for criminology so they can write the LSAT and apply to UBC law or didn't get into UBC.

Also SFU offers almost no graduate studies, it's barely a University.

You can say all you want about UBC not being that good, but it's a hell of a lot better than SFU and the fact is most people at SFU (especially the ones in arts/science) are there because they couldn't get into UBC (Which is stupidly easy now, they're using undergraduates as cash cows).

Honestly if you were comfortable about the school you go to would you care about "UBC elitism". Truth is most do it jokingly because you guys get mad so easily and that shows more than what you say does.

And really, SFU can't hold a candle to Sauders school of business, UBC Law, UBC Med and everything past undergraduate studies.

But really OP you should go to UBC. SFU engineering doesn't have half of the option that UBC has (doesn't even have civil) and is very new (it would be better going to BCIT for engineering than SFU).