Hi, my name is Honoré, and I'm from France. I have recently been accepted to McGill University in Canada. The Canadian university application process is much more straightforward than the process for universities in the USA, so this article will be relatively short!
My background
I lived in Asia (China, Indonesia and Malaysia) for a couple of years when I was around 12 years old. After I returned to France, I first lived in a small French city named Clermont-Ferrand, located in the middle of France. Right after that, I went to Versailles, where the famous castle is located. Currently, I'm in my final year at Lycée Hoche, a renowned public high school in France.
In France, there are some mandatory subjects for every student, such as history, geography, and French. In the first year of high school (premiere), you choose your specialty – three subjects you will study more in-depth. Personally, I chose mathematics, economics, and geopolitics. In the final year of high school (Terminal), you narrow down your specialty to only two subjects – in my case, it was mathematics and economics.
Why McGill?
For French citizens, McGill University offers a reduction in fees, making it affordable for us. Additionally, one of my cousins attended McGill University, and he told me that it was an amazing experience. I have always wanted to attend a university in North America. I think that Montreal and Quebec will be perfect for me because there is a mix of French, Canadian, and American cultures.
I plan to major in economics in the Faculty of Arts. However, if I decide to pursue business, I think I will choose entrepreneurship as my major. McGill is quite flexible with majors since students can change them every semester.
Application process to Canada
For applying to universities in Canada and McGill specifically, you directly apply on the university's website. The process is quite easy. You just need to provide some documents. Completing the application takes roughly 30 minutes, so you can apply easily. With one application, you can apply to two faculties. There are no essays or interviews required. The only components of the application are your grades, class rank, and teachers' reports (these are not recommendation letters). Also, as English is not my native language, I submitted the DET (Diplôme d'études en langue française).
The application process is quite straightforward and clear, but applicants need to ensure that they have very good grades, since this is what will decide if they are accepted or not.
Grades & DET Score
During my first semester of première (the first year of the final two years of high school in France), last year, I averaged 16.5 out of 20, with 17 out of 20 in mathematics and 16 out of 20 in economics. During the second semester, I averaged 15.5 out of 20 on all my grades combined. In mathematics, I was averaging 15.5 out of 20, and in economics, 15 out of 20. The second semester is generally more challenging than the first. This year, I averaged 17 out of 20 on all my grades combined, with 18 out of 20 in mathematics and 17 out of 20 in economics. However, what is really important in France is the class rank. This year, in mathematics, I am ranked second out of 40 students, and in economics, I am ranked third out of 33 students. On the Duolingo English Test, I scored 130.
