For Class of ‘25 alumnus Will Norwood, choosing the University of Toronto as his home for the next four years was not an easy decision.
As the top Canadian school and one of the top 20 universities globally, it’s been pleasantly nicknamed “UofTears” for its rigorous academic profile. Tuition costs vary depending on a student’s program choice, but typically falls at $60,000+ CAD ($40,000 USD), with housing between $1,000-2,000 per month. Eighty percent of students at UofT are undergraduates, with nearly 100,000 students enrolled in total.
Norwood plans to major in Ethics, Society and Law, with minors in Bioethics and African Studies.
One of the biggest factors he considered when choosing Toronto was cost: As an international student, he learned that the cost equaled that of a UC in-state student.
Last year, Norwood applied to schools like the University of Chicago, his dream school, also an expensive private school. In hindsight, he’s relieved he was redirected towards UofT instead, and is happy keeping his family’s college costs at a more reasonable level — he found it difficult to justify succumbing to the high price tag of U.S. colleges.
Moving to Canada has been an adjustment for Norwood, who is from England but spent most of his time in recent years in the U.S. To live in Canada, he had to acquire a visa, study permit and bank account. He also had to work out where to buy food on a daily basis. While Norwood is a British citizen, he said it didn’t significantly change any part of the process for him.
For many students, applying for international schools can feel intimidating.
College & Career Center adviser Sierra Ward notes that varying differences can exist between the American college application process and international ones like Canada’s. As some international schools don’t use the Common App, each application form has to be filled out fresh.
However, in some cases, international schools may have later deadlines, fewer essays and no extracurricular requirements — the UK system requires only one essay for all of their schools.
The differences in application requirements also reflect how college culture in other countries varies.
“Non-American colleges rarely have the type of campus life that American ones do, in terms of a cohesive campus, clubs and sports,” Ward said. “They’re often in cities instead of suburbs or rural areas, so they’re very compact and often loud because of the urban setting.”
For some families, far-away locations are a problem. Visiting universities in places like Canada and Spain can be more challenging than visiting schools in parts of the U.S. Ward explained that this may present an additional financial burden for families. Since exchange rates into other countries may not always be guaranteed, the cost of tuition may change from year to year.
In Norwood’s case, his family moved to NYC after he chose to attend the University of Toronto, making visits much more convenient compared to trips between Canada and the Bay Area.
When accepted, Norwood remembers the social stigma he faced from his classmates for deciding to go abroad. When he was accepted into the school, he was thrilled, but the negative muted reactions from his classmates spoiled his joy.
“People didn’t directly say anything, but I felt it in people’s faces,” he said. “People tend to have such an American-centric view, so it is hard to see anything outside as just as good, if not better.”
Still, Norwood has enjoyed the connection to other cultures he draws with his fellow international students in Toronto. Since he plans to work in a political or international law-based job in the future, he aims to get a wider view of the world through his education.
“The experience is incredible and the privilege I have to learn from difficult cultures and experiences is so difficult to reproduce,” he said. “My mom and I also had constant discussions as to how interesting going to schools in three different countries would make me as an individual when hiring.”
Norwood is a prime example of a sentiment widely reflected in college admissions, even from the CollegeBoard itself: a student’s university experience is entirely up to them — there really is no single formula to future success, and every school offers different benefits, be it one in Silicon Valley or thousands of miles away.
“I know you [Saratoga High students] are all applying to 25 schools,” Norwood said. “So why not throw one international one into the mix!”
