UBC or UofC

[Icy-Appearance-1906]

Hello Everyone,

I've been admitted to UBC and Calgary. UBC is the better school (+cheaper tuition), but rent prices in the Lower Mainland (ugh).

I have family connections to both cities

I'm open to working in either city after graduation.

I'm trying to maximize my opportunities while limiting debt. If anyone admitted has insight into which school disperses more need-based bursaries, that would be helpful too.

Thank you in advance!

[Patient0L]

3 minutes ago, Icy-Appearance-1906 said:

Hello Everyone,

I've been admitted to UBC and Calgary. UBC is the better school (+cheaper tuition), but rent prices in the Lower Mainland (ugh).

I have family connections to both cities

I'm open to working in either city after graduation.

I'm trying to maximize my opportunities while limiting debt. If anyone admitted has insight into which school disperses more need-based bursaries, that would be helpful too.

Thank you in advance!

I can’t speak to Calgary but I found UBC to be pretty generous with the $$. The tuition is super low too.

None of your commutes look very good. Time is tight in 1L. Why are you aiming for a 30min commute as your best option?

[CleanHands]

8 minutes ago, Patient0L said:

I can’t speak to Calgary but I found UBC to be pretty generous with the $$.

Note to readers: YMMV.

I got nothing, but that's the story of my life.

[Icy-Appearance-1906]

34 minutes ago, Patient0L said:

I can’t speak to Calgary but I found UBC to be pretty generous with the $$. The tuition is super low too.

None of your commutes look very good. Time is tight in 1L. Why are you aiming for a 30min commute as your best option?

Thanks, @Patient0L I'll be optimistic for Allard's scholarships and bursaries.

Also, these are approximate transit times. Could I PM you a housing question?

[Patient0L]

1 hour ago, Icy-Appearance-1906 said:

Thanks, @Patient0L I'll be optimistic for Allard's scholarships and bursaries.

Also, these are approximate transit times. Could I PM you a housing question?

Totally.

[FranksRedHot]

I know people at UBC with 2 hour commutes each way and they are physically and mentally drained to a far greater level than anyone else. At least half of the people I know have a roughly 30-40 minute commute and handle it no problem. 4 hours out of your day commuting, no matter what school you go to, should only be considered if your finances are extremely tight (so tight that time=money is no longer relevant), or if it is temporary while you secure safe housing. 

 

I take transit to UBC every day, and as much as people gripe on it, it is almost always a reliable option to get to school once you figure out how it works, especially if you manage to rent a place that is on one of the direct to UBC lines. 

 

Good luck!

[GoatDuck]

I'd go with UofC. If you're open to working in either city, the Calgary legal market will almost certainly give you a better income-to-COL ratio, so just maximize your opportunity to get the job you want in Calgary by attending UofC. 

[Patient0L]

7 hours ago, FranksRedHot said:

I know people at UBC with 2 hour commutes each way and they are physically and mentally drained to a far greater level than anyone else. At least half of the people I know have a roughly 30-40 minute commute and handle it no problem. 4 hours out of your day commuting, no matter what school you go to, should only be considered if your finances are extremely tight (so tight that time=money is no longer relevant), or if it is temporary while you secure safe housing. 

 

I take transit to UBC every day, and as much as people gripe on it, it is almost always a reliable option to get to school once you figure out how it works, especially if you manage to rent a place that is on one of the direct to UBC lines. 

 

Good luck!

☝🏼. The key is only having one bus. On the days I take the bus to school, I get a seat and read until the end of the line. It’s quite chill. (After a highly competitive game of musical chairs.)

[About3iqPoints]

If you are willing to spend $1,500-$2,000 on UBC rent, you could live on campus and your commute would be significantly under 30 minutes. 

[Goldenbears19]

14 hours ago, Icy-Appearance-1906 said:

Hello Everyone,

I've been admitted to UBC and Calgary. UBC is the better school (+cheaper tuition), but rent prices in the Lower Mainland (ugh).

I have family connections to both cities

I'm open to working in either city after graduation.

I'm trying to maximize my opportunities while limiting debt. If anyone admitted has insight into which school disperses more need-based bursaries, that would be helpful too.

Thank you in advance!

I also had the choice between going to Vancouver or staying in Alberta. Ultimately, I couldn’t justify the extremely high cost of living in Vancouver. They’re both great schools but financially Alberta made so much for sense.