Undergraduate degree in America or Canada

The summer is essentially very boring. So, although being in Year 12 (September), I would like to just give a bit of thought to my university prospects.

I have done a lot of research but I have found it really hard to locate the correct and relevant information and I am put off of contacting admissions offices because a lot of them present very rude responses.

I was considering Harvard College because some family did attend there and it would be nice to try, even though I have no expectation of gaining entry, Princeton as it's good for my course, Stanford (same reason as Princeton), UCLA and Amherst. For Canada, I was looking at Toronto and McGill.

I would like to study History.

Money is an issue; my parents would be fine with British fees but the American fees are so extensive. What universities abroad offer decent financial aid packages for foreign students? Also, how does sitting the SAT and ACT work for British students?

Furthermore, I'd appreciate it if someone could give me a breakdown of the application process and when you should begin it.

Thank you so much in advance!

Hi there.

I can't tell you much about the US universities, but I can give you some insight on Canadian universities. I think both Canadian universities that you've mentioned are good for history, but I think it really depends on what kind of history you are interested in specialising. If you could give us more information, that might be more beneficial for you.

As for financial aid, I can tell you that U of T and McGill provides minimal assistance for international students. Even if you do get outstanding grades, they will not give you much unless you are almost receiving perfect scores. With regards to the Ivey League colleges, they do have need-based financial aid programs, but chances are very unlikely as they have certain restrictions and numerous criteria in order for you to be qualified for it.

Note that state colleges rarely provide you financial aid, as they usually charge out-of-state tuition fees for those within the US. Instead, I would recommend looking for liberal arts colleges with need-based financial aid programs.

If you do choose to go to a Canadian university, you will be better off financially as opposed to being in an American college (unless you receive a generous amount of scholarships). Given that American colleges require the SAT or ACT, you might be better off studying at U of T, UBC, or McGill.

I'm not sure about where I'd like to specialise if I attended these Universities.

What are fees like at McGill in comparison to Harvard and the like?

Generally, History is considered as part of the arts or humanities program, depending on the university, so you will have time to decide what kind of history you would like to specialise in as you move onto your upper years.

Based on the 2014/15 tuition fees, if you study at McGill, you would be paying approximately $25,000 if you take the normal amount of modules in a year, compared to $44,000 at Harvard. U of T would be similar to Harvard at around $35,000 and UCLA would be around $36,000. Note that the Canadian dollar is weaker than the US dollar, which would be beneficial to you given the weak exchange rate when paired with the British pound.