In reality, it's probably programme- or even professor-specific. That being said, I wouldn't go to Laurier for any STEM programme if I'd been accepted to UW.
I went to Laurier and found it easy (but I was in Arts lol). Generally (except maybe business, etc.), cut-offs were lower so the competition was easier. I took a few courses at UW and noticed that the grade distribution was more difficult (e.g. 90-100 is an A+ at Laurier vs. 93-100 at UW).
Each university has its specialized programs, so whether or not the overall university is harder is sort of a moot point. STEM fields are probably going to be harder at UW because UW specializes in them, whereas fine arts/music and business will probably be harder at Laurier because Laurier has full faculties for them.
In UW, some programs/courses are hard, while some are easy. In Laurier every course is a bird course. What's even more ridiculous, in Laurier you can upgrade your GPA by retaking a course.
Discussions about how "hard" or "easy" a course is are a bit moot, because every student has different skill levels and strengths, and will respond to course difficulty in different ways. However, to avoid descending into some hellish post-modern black whole of relativity, you can make some generalizations about "difficulty".
UW is noted (globally, nationally, and locally) as a Mathematics, Engineering (in a broad sense), and Computer Science school. Beyond that, individual departments may be well-regarded by the broader academic community, as well as individual faculty or researchers. You could say, without requiring much in the way of backing evidence, that the programs UW is most well-known for are likely to be more rigorous, or perhaps more comprehensive than similar programs elsewhere. It's worth noting here that there is great variability between the "same" program at different schools. Furthermore, you can argue that some professors who are renowned in their fields of study may be more rigorous or complete, although this is complicated by the degree that academic rigour follows teaching style and ability, which is again variable.
Ultimately, you can claim that well-regarded programs and instructors at UW offer a comprehensive education in their field, and that such a comprehensive education might be considered by some to be "more difficult" than a less comprehensive degree elsewhere. But general statements about the quality of an institution as a whole are unfounded and not really helpful.
In reality, it's probably programme- or even professor-specific. That being said, I wouldn't go to Laurier for any STEM programme if I'd been accepted to UW.
ReplyDeleteI went to Laurier and found it easy (but I was in Arts lol). Generally (except maybe business, etc.), cut-offs were lower so the competition was easier. I took a few courses at UW and noticed that the grade distribution was more difficult (e.g. 90-100 is an A+ at Laurier vs. 93-100 at UW).
ReplyDeletefriend took CS @ laurier, i took it @ UW
ReplyDeleteway harder @ UW
let's just say i can probably teach the math classes at laurier
ReplyDeleteLol Laurier and s a joke.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to insult an educational institution when you can't edit four words and an acronym.
Deletenot that hard tho
DeleteAll other universities included both are rather lax.
ReplyDeleteUW is a/the top school for STEM in Canada. Schools that aren't UofT/McGill are not comparable.
ReplyDeleteFor other areas, UW is pretty average (excepting maybe kin and psych). Then it's pretty much a tossup between schools depending on the prof/class.
More like UW is a known "M" school. Unfortunately people seem to swallow the propaganda put out by admin, then attempt to use them as facts.
DeleteAs an alumnus I feel obliged to point out that UBC is pretty solid too.
DeleteEach university has its specialized programs, so whether or not the overall university is harder is sort of a moot point. STEM fields are probably going to be harder at UW because UW specializes in them, whereas fine arts/music and business will probably be harder at Laurier because Laurier has full faculties for them.
ReplyDeleteCorrection, Laurier does not offer fine arts. :)
DeleteIn UW, some programs/courses are hard, while some are easy. In Laurier every course is a bird course. What's even more ridiculous, in Laurier you can upgrade your GPA by retaking a course.
ReplyDeleteyou can upgrade your GPA by retaking a course? SMH
DeleteDiscussions about how "hard" or "easy" a course is are a bit moot, because every student has different skill levels and strengths, and will respond to course difficulty in different ways. However, to avoid descending into some hellish post-modern black whole of relativity, you can make some generalizations about "difficulty".
ReplyDeleteUW is noted (globally, nationally, and locally) as a Mathematics, Engineering (in a broad sense), and Computer Science school. Beyond that, individual departments may be well-regarded by the broader academic community, as well as individual faculty or researchers. You could say, without requiring much in the way of backing evidence, that the programs UW is most well-known for are likely to be more rigorous, or perhaps more comprehensive than similar programs elsewhere. It's worth noting here that there is great variability between the "same" program at different schools. Furthermore, you can argue that some professors who are renowned in their fields of study may be more rigorous or complete, although this is complicated by the degree that academic rigour follows teaching style and ability, which is again variable.
Ultimately, you can claim that well-regarded programs and instructors at UW offer a comprehensive education in their field, and that such a comprehensive education might be considered by some to be "more difficult" than a less comprehensive degree elsewhere. But general statements about the quality of an institution as a whole are unfounded and not really helpful.
Since this is omguw, however, have at it.