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The
Barenaked Ladies, Toronto, and Niagara Falls are all cool
things Canadian. Next up, college -- Canadian style!
American
Students Find Scholastic Haven (and Savings) in Canada
by
Rebecca Vara
February 2002
The
CollegeBound Network NewsClick --
Herds of American students are heading for the Northern border
to sow their educational roots in Canadian colleges. Why?
The answer is simple, they say: A quality education at a reasonable
cost. "An exceptional education with low tuition is one of
Canada's best-kept secrets," explains University of Toronto
sophomore, Diana Nelson, who originally hails from Chicago,
IL.
When
Diana and her parents began to explore her options, they compared
a typical American college/private institution, most of which
cost between $20,000-$30,000 a year, to the University of
Toronto. "Granted that the top universities in the U.S. are
the most expensive, UT provides the same education at a lower
tuition," she says. The school (which was rated the best overall
university in Canada, acccording to MacLean's Magazine,
adds Diana) has three campuses, offers over 300 different
majors, and promises portability of its undergraduate degrees
to U.S. graduate/professional schools.
"Tuition,
room/board, and book expenses cost a U.S. student a mere $12,000
a year at UT," explains David Zutautas, a U.S. student
recruitment counselor. It's no wonder that of the university's
52,000 students last year, 900+ hailed from the U.S. "And,
the numbers should continue to rise."
Having
a student body rich in cultural diversity is an added perk,
Diana believes. "From a cultural point of view, I have
shared my American background with many people, and in turn,
I have learned about so many [other] diverse backgrounds."
The enriched sense of European flare and proximity to home
is quite attractive, too, she adds. "The idea of studying
in Canada is like studying abroad in a different country,
even though I am relatively close to home."
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