Graduate/PhD 2014-2015 applications and acceptance notices: Canada

[prospectiveplanner]

Hello all,

I realize thread may be a bit premature but I am planning to apply to Canadian schools for acceptance to schools in September 2014. Hoping others are out there with similar intents and can share their stats and school choices. Also, for current planning students, it would be great to shed light on the stats (and other experiences) that got you into school, as well, as your current experiences at your respective programs.

I am planning to apply to UBC, U of T, Ryerson, McGill and U of C (if the Masters of Planning gets accredited by APPI/CIP).

My last two years of undergrad GPA: 3.45
Other education and professional experiences: Juris Doctor, recently called to the bar and working as a first year associate at a litigation law firm (however, no planning related law)

Also, for current students who applied to schools, having already obtained graduate education (ex. MBA, J.D., other Masters program), how did your GPA from that program affect your application? The admission information for all the schools I'm applying to only seem to take into account undergrad GPA, however, I believe I still need to send all my law school transcripts. My law school used a different grading scheme which, unfortunately, lowers my GPA, as well, law school grades on a curve.

I am also interested in the, albeit overdone, what are my chances in light of my stats? For current students, I'm interested in the make up for your class and various professional backgrounds of your fellow classmates.

Please feel free to add anything else to this thread

[L.S.R]

Hey!

I'm will also be applying to various universities for a M.PL.

My preferences starting from most desired to least is:

University of Toronto, McGill, Ryerson, Waterloo, Queen's, UBC, Dalhousie

I'm going into my last year at Queen's (majoring in Sociology) and right now my GPA is sitting at 3.3 which is a B+ (Queen's GPA grading scheme uses the 4.3 scale). I hope to get the average up to a 3.7 for a A-. I have already completed a diploma in Corporate Media Production from Seneca College before starting at Queen's, which I graduated from with honours. The course was not planning related at all but I did acquire some Adobe Illustrator skills from taking the program. From what I have read most Planners should have a rudimentary understanding of Illustrator. As for actual planning experience, I'm sitting on the committee responsible for overlooking the renewal of the Queen's Campus Master Plan.

I'm positive your Juris Doctor will be an asset to your application. A large portion of planning deals with understanding and following, policies and design guidelines. Do you have an specific interests? Why did you decide to make the switch?

[L.S.R]

anyone else out there?

[DevPlanner]

Hi All,

I'll also be in the process of applying to a few universities for my MUP.

Mainly (from most, to least desirable):

Mcgill, UBC, UofT, and Queens.

I've just finished my Political Science degree (Public Policy stream) from the University of British Columbia. My upper year GPA is sitting around a 3.7.
As of now, I am doing some volunteer work down in Kingston, Jamaica with the Canadian High Commission. I don't have much past experience in Planning, but I have been fortunate enough to work within the Regional Political network in Vancouver, the Canadian Public Service, and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. I am hopeful that my lack of planning background can be made up through these various, other roles.

To the others who have replied so far, what are your interests within planning, and what moved you in this direction?

[L.S.R]

Hi All,

I'll also be in the process of applying to a few universities for my MUP.

Mainly (from most, to least desirable):

Mcgill, UBC, UofT, and Queens.

I've just finished my Political Science degree (Public Policy stream) from the University of British Columbia. My upper year GPA is sitting around a 3.7.
As of now, I am doing some volunteer work down in Kingston, Jamaica with the Canadian High Commission. I don't have much past experience in Planning, but I have been fortunate enough to work within the Regional Political network in Vancouver, the Canadian Public Service, and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. I am hopeful that my lack of planning background can be made up through these various, other roles.

To the others who have replied so far, what are your interests within planning, and what moved you in this direction?

Hey DePlanner

I'm still trying to figure out my area of interest but thus far I have a keen fascination with how to make cities more 'sustainable' and 'livable'. I could see myself working for a municipal
government as a planner and political activist. Having a background in sociology has made me aware that a top-bottom approach to change is both exclusive and ostracizes a large
demographic of people. I definitely support the principles of place-making. That being said, my current thoughts on the best planning practices is always evolving.

As for your volunteer work, I would imagine that any type of travel, and public sector work experience will be an asset to your application. Be sure to emphasize this where ever possible on it.

[Vancity]

I've just finished my Political Science degree (Public Policy stream) from the University of British Columbia. My upper year GPA is sitting around a 3.7.
As of now, I am doing some volunteer work down in Kingston, Jamaica with the Canadian High Commission. I don't have much past experience in Planning, but I have been fortunate enough to work within the Regional Political network in Vancouver, the Canadian Public Service, and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. I am hopeful that my lack of planning background can be made up through these various, other roles.

To the others who have replied so far, what are your interests within planning, and what moved you in this direction?

Hi, I just googled `"Regional Political Network Vancouver" and nothing came up.. could you provide a link to their website?

[DevPlanner]

Hi, I just googled `"Regional Political Network Vancouver" and nothing came up.. could you provide a link to their website?

Sorry - I realize that sentence is a little loopy - Let me clarify.

I meant to say that I've worked in the Political network in Vancouver. I'd just rather not say specifcally what stripes (if you catch my drift) -

[Vancity]

Sorry - I realize that sentence is a little loopy - Let me clarify.

I meant to say that I've worked in the Political network in Vancouver. I'd just rather not say specifcally what stripes (if you catch my drift) -

Oops, the way I read it - it sounded like an organization, my bad

[Plan Beats No Plan]

I have some rather anecdotal information but I thought I'd share anyway.

My former graduate adviser was a visiting prof at McGill's School of Urban Planning during a 2011 sabbatical. She said that the school was really trying to get bigger and that they did not have the resources (faculty, facilities, funding) to serve the associated increase in graduate students (at that time). Now I'm not up on the politics of academia, so it may just have been a case of her drawing the short straw as a visiting professor and thus her class sizes were larger and office and classrooms were subpar in her mind. She did enjoyed living in Montréal, however.

At the very least it might be something to ask about or look into during a visit. Maybe ask about their "full-time" faculty to student ratio, etc.

[L.S.R]

bump