SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
McMaster University is located in Hamilton, and comprises 57 buildings, 122 programs, and over 21 500 students [1]. It was first established in the year 1887 and is split into six different academic facilities: Degroote School of Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science [2] . They’re known as the McMaster Marauders with their mascot named “Mac the Marauder.” The institution is home to over 300 student organizations and clubs, however, they do not recognize any fraternities or sororities [2]. Their main academic policy is known as the “McMaster Model,” which focuses on a student-centred, problem-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning which has been used since the 1960s [2]. Only 3700 students live in twelve on-campus residences with a range of building sizes and dormitory styles [1]. Finally, McMaster University is a member of a group of research intensive Canadian universities known as the U15 [2].
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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
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McMaster University is located in Hamilton, and comprises 57 buildings, 122 programs, and over 21 500 students [1]. It was first established in the year 1887 and is split into six different academic facilities: Degroote School of Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science [2] . They’re known as the McMaster Marauders with their mascot named “Mac the Marauder.” The institution is home to over 300 student organizations and clubs, however, they do not recognize any fraternities or sororities [2]. Their main academic policy is known as the “McMaster Model,” which focuses on a student-centred, problem-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning which has been used since the 1960s [2]. Only 3700 students live in twelve on-campus residences with a range of building sizes and dormitory styles [1]. Finally, McMaster University is a member of a group of research intensive Canadian universities known as the U15 [2].
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Check out McMaster's official socials...
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72
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IN THE WORLD
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According to the 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Check out McMaster's official socials...
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RA
NK
IN
GS
#
72
72
IN THE WORLD
#
4
4
IN CANADA
According to the 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings
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How would you describe residence? Would you recommend someone live on-campus? If so, what advice do you have for them?
I am so glad I decided to live on residence; being about a 40-minute drive from Hamilton, I had the option to commute, but choose to live in residence for the convince and social aspects. Though the year got cut short, I got to meet so many incredible people and make memories that I otherwise might not have. If you can, I would definitely recommend living on residence – it’s a really unique experience, and I think it makes the transition into university a little easier. My main piece of advice would be to go to welcome week (it’s a lot of fun and it’s a great opportunity to make friends), and to make sure to get to know your neighbours – not only will you have friends close by, but if you ever have an emergency or an issue like loud noises before an exam, it will be a lot easier to talk about if you know each other. Also don’t stress about which building you will be in - every single building has something unique to offer, from incredible views to a huge game’s rooms, and you can have a great experience no matter where you end up.
The Deer! I loved walking back to my residence at night and seeing deer along the path, especially after a long study session. In all seriousness though, I think what makes McMaster special is the community. The mac campus is such a warm and welcoming environment, and it is truly quite diverse, something that was important to me when choosing a university. The campus and Hamilton are also absolutely
gorgeous and full of
greenery, and I loved
being able to explore it whenever I had a chance.
The best way to get a sense
of the community and
the campus is to visit
Mac, if you can –
there are open
houses in both the
Fall and Spring,
at which you can
tour campus and.
get to interact with upper years.
What do you think is special about the McMaster campus life?
QUESTIONS
For a Former McMaster Life Sciences Student...
How would you describe the workload and work-life balance?
In first year, I was in the life sciences gateway at McMaster, and found the workload to be pretty manageable. The content in first year is at about the same difficulty level as grade 12 for most classes, and the only major difference is an increase in volume of content. I think the hardest part of the transition from high school to university, in terms of academics, is learning to create your own schedule and goals for completing work. It is really easy to push a course aside until an
exam or an assignment comes up, but it is a lot harder to study the night before in university than in high school. Other than that, though, I would say if you manage your time, the workload is very doable,
and I actually found myself having more free time on the
weekends in first year than I did in high school. In terms of a
work-life balance, I think it really depends on what is important
to you and what you prioritize. I had friends who were able to
go home every weekend and spend time with their family and
others who preferred to get more work done on the
weekends, so that they could make time for extracurriculars
or other activities. It really is up to you to create a balance
between your personal life and school, and with some time
and experience you will find what works best for you.
JUICY
A very special thank you to our interviewee...
RHEA SAINI
She is a currently a second-year Health Sciences student at McMaster University after having transferred from Life Sciences. She is an extremely active and involved member within her community. Her story about finding the right program for her is truly inspiring. Read what she has to say about Health Sciences, here.