York University is my alma mater. I split my time between the main campus and Glendon College. I recently learned that alma mater refers to the educational institution where you completed your undergraduate degree, and not your graduate degree. I have no idea what you call the place where you got your master's degree. If you know, please share. I didn't learn that during my time doing any of my degrees... haha! I recently returned to York to take part in CRAM's inaugural learning sessions that were held at four different universities in Toronto. The panel discussion about Regent Park and the music program for youth was inspiring. The soundpainting was completely unexpected, but mesmerizing to hear, watch, and learn. These learning sessions were free and were held at Vari Hall. Even though it has been ages since I revisited the main campus, which has changed a ton, I got thrown back to when I was an undergraduate student. For this event, only the single-stall, unisex washrooms were available on the main floor of Vari Hall. Considering that there are a decent number of people attending these sessions, there weren't enough washrooms to accommodate everyone. Instead, I walked over to Ross Building (it's connected to Vari Hall), where the women's washroom has six stalls. I am assuming that there are an equal number of stalls for men. It's a knowledge advantage that former and current York students have over folks who are visiting the campus for the first time. There should have been a sign pointing folks to other washroom facilities. The campus has improved a ton since I was an undergraduate. There are far more places to eat. It isn't narrowed down to the old food court and whatever is edible at York Lanes. There is a decent variety of foods, from Thai to East Indian. There's even a Shopsy's! York Lanes also has a Shoppers Drug Mart. When I needed over-the-counter medication or snacks as a student, I had to get some off-campus. When I left at around 10:30 pm, there were a few eateries, Second Cup, and Shoppers all open at York Lanes. Nice! I like the York University subway station. It's modern, pleasing to the eye, and convenient. I used to take two buses to get to to my classes and wished that I had this subway station back in the day. Instead, I ended up learning the art of studying and napping on public transit, which has served me well over the years. I never lived in residence, so my experience is likely different and more positive than those who deem the campus boring. I did an undergraduate degree in computer science and math. I did a number of math classes at Vari Hall and Ross Building. For one of the CRAM sessions, I was in the same lecture hall where I took Linear Algebra parts 1 and 2 one summer. Gone are the desks with pull-out chairs. Instead, stadium seating with moving tray tables have been installed. As technology has evolved, so have the lecterns! The old, basic one in Vari Hall A has been replaced with a massive one with ports and cables. I had a flood of memories the other night. I had a wonderful undergraduate experience at York University. I made decent friendships with both peers and professors. I learned so much about the domains that I majored in as well as the person that I grew to become. York University paid for some of my degree and I am thankful for the finanical help. I have been fortunate to pay it forward now that I am an alumna. After the sessions were over, I took a walk around the Common area. I liked the small arches that were cheerfully lit. The stroll was nice on a warm Spring evening. Upgrades have come a long way. Well done! I need to remind myself to drop by more often. It's nice to reminisce and see all the exciting changes that have happened at my alma mater. I also want a York University sweatshirt after window-browsing the merchandise at the York University Bookstore. (125) read more

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If there is a dispute they discourage the use of lawyers by students because it complicates the process. In other words they can't get away with just doing what they assume is the right thing to do when it tramples student rights. Be careful with Debbie Hansen and Alfred Ene. read more

York University - We protect the University! - Colleges & Universities Near Me - North York, Ontario

If I could review this school as 0 stars whew would it deserve it. this school is disorganized, unhelpful even to the learning disabled and their school computer system is dogshit. You should get emails about important changes to your account, like a successful switch of your major, instead of having to continuously attempt to login to see if the system will finally give you access. The fact that this school has had 3 strikes on less than 10yrs is a testimony to is suckage. They should just start this school system from the ground up, but actually focus on students and their wellbeing, instead of how many more students you can shove into an already crumbling system. read more

I have been trying to talk to someone in financial dept. I've left voice mails and emails for the director of the dept. No responses. My daughter left York in April 2022 after completing the semester and writing exams. In Dec. 2023 they claim we owe tuition and have sent my daughter to collections. They ruined a young person's credit score. I tried to settle the issue before it got to this point but it's impossible to talk to someone in York's financial dept. read more

Maybe not a fair comparison but just came from Campus tour at UBC (Vancouver), although academics are important, a students campus/social life is just as important/meaningful. Difference between the 3 campuses are like night and day UBC-yes, York-no read more

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My experience working as a teaching assistant for this school was good. I used it as work experience for my medical school applications.

I have been trying to get information from York U for weeks, without success. At first, I received ambiguous emails that caused us to go back and forth for 3 months until I received any useful information. Then to follow up and find out about completing my degree, there has been zero response, not to emails, not to voicemails, and not to Zoom calls. COVID is no excuse for this kind of deplorable customer service. I don't know what they are doing, but they definitely do not have the well being of their students in mind. I wish I could change universities, but that would involve communicating with York which is apparently impossible. read more

I attended York a couple years back but left after my second year studying chemistry. I actually lived on campus the first year and commuted the second year. Let me just say that I regret living on campus. I would explain but it's a very long story. The university is located in an area where there is absolutely nothing around it. So if you're living on campus and want to wander off campus for fun things to do...better take the TTC and actually head down to downtown Toronto. There are plenty of busses from various regions that drop students off so commuting isn't a bad option. The majority of the buildings have no character at all due to their concrete structure and design. The only building that is a highlight of York University is Vari Hall. When I was studying there, most of my profs were decent but some weren't that great. It's also hard to get extra help when the prof is bombarded with dozens of other students. I'll end my review off with the following statement that York is known for: If you go to York you can hold a fork. OR maybe...If you go to York you'll get forked. read more

Keele campus: I've been attending this University for a few years now. In terms of the campus, the reason why it's not 5 stars is because of the security issue. I cannot deny that it's an ongoing problem that has never improved and seems to only get worse, as I get constant security bulletin e-mails alerting me of robberies, assaults and other crimes that happen on campus. I would look at the place and time that it happened and it's not even near the village, which is the common perception of many people on where the crime takes place. It could be happening near Schulich building or near the Student Centre and it makes me think, I go there too, at those times too, that could have been me. If security improved significantly, even though I know York has taken measures to attempt to improve it, I would be on campus more. Aside from those problems, I think the campus has a lot to offer. York Lane mall has many decent restaurants and I've been to the Underground once a few years ago and the food was great. There are restaurants or eateries in practically every building around York.. even in the small buildings like New College! I would find it hard to believe if someone told me that they tried every single eatery on campus because I feel there are stretches in the campus that even I've never been. There are constantly booths in Vari Hall of volunteer opportunities, clubs, events going on, contests, charities.. all kinds of things! Scott Library has five floors and the first two floors is buzzing with students. If you don't get there early, you can't get a seat. Getting a room to study is extremely difficult. I used to be able to get a seat easily in the library years ago, but not anymore. During my first and second year, I remember students would pull the fire alarm during exam days to try to get out of exams. It would backfire because it just wastes time and the prof ushers the students to go back in afterwards to write the exam as is. It stopped happening after that for good. I've been able to sell several textbooks of mine on campus and never had a bad experience really. You'd think maybe there'd be a security issue here, but nope. read more

The recent strike (that lasted around 140 days - over 4 months!). It clearly shows you how much York University really cares about their students. THEY DON'T. The kids are the only ones suffering in this mess and all they think about is the cost. Complete. Total. Sham. read more

Not the best. Education is biased and the faculty discriminate against anyone who does not share their perspective. I was an outstanding student and the treatment I received from this 3rd rate institution reflects the absolute lowest levels of academic integrity and ethics I have ever seen in my entire life. You deserve better than this, please save your self the trouble and go elsewhere. read more

Grad student perspective here. I picked up my Masters at YorkU a few years back and can't be prouder of my #Yorkie roots. Students love to rip on this place and while most of them are right... there are still glimmers of hope if you look hard enough. To start with the pro's: Academic stimulation: 4.5/5 Maybe you could "hold a fork" in an undergrad at York, but once you hit grad school you can kiss that lie goodbye. YorkU's leftist roots means that, in the Humanities, you'll be dealing with lots of theory, philosophy, and other verbose things that make your head explode. (My classmates traded Marxist memes for fun.) But if you're overall hip and cool, you'll fit in right here. Are you sick of "old school" fields like English Literature? Check out the Social & Political Thought program, or the Science & Technology Studies, then. Don't like being told what to do? You've found the right place. Unlike other schools that make you do thought-work for their professors and win scholarships so they can stop funding your a** (*cough* UofT), YorkU will mostly let you do your own thing. Work-life balance: 4/5 York's benefits are actually good. I've lost count of all the (actually useful) career talks they give on campus; I got glasses and stuff; and up until recently, York funded almost all their masters students with part-time work. Prof's do believe you have a soul and act accordingly. BUT, in order to get those benefits, the university goes on strike every 3 years... so be prepared to sacrifice for them. Real-world relevance: 4/5 I certainly felt my studies were a lot more interesting and relevant to the real world than at Stuffy Undergrad Institution. You could read Shakespeare alongside political theory, study an entire class on apartheid writing, and more. My courses even sounded cool to non-academic people, who normally fall asleep as soon as I lapse into academese. But, here are the caveats: Administration: 2/5 Like many other Yorkies I've had my share of administrative nightmares. God bless the admin lady at my department who helped me tackle them. And my prof's, too. You'll survive. Architecture: 1/5 Okay, who designed the Student Centre/Scott Library area??? The complex is waayyy too small for the number of students that flow through it every day. Sharp corner turns, low ceilings, hard-to-see pathways means you're always bumping into people. Don't architects/engineers/etc. learn how to solve these kinds of problems? For shame, YorkU architects, you had one job and didn't do it. Foods/Amenities: 2/5 Toilet paper is not even 0.5 ply. Bathrooms look as though people die in them. Cafeterias are routinely closed after 3pm/during exam season, aka. when you're hungriest. However, my tuition cost half as much as University of Toronto, so I should complain less. Plus, York Lanes lets you do all your errands in one building. "Safety": Should there even be a rating for this, lol? Just use your smarts; don't pick up your car alone in an empty, creepy lot at night. The verdict: Good intentions and imperfect execution, YorkU has its charms. If you don't mind going on strike every 3 years, come here for graduate or professional schooling. Even in the Humanities alone, you'll become a more creative thinker (it's no coincidence that YorkU has some of the finest Fine Arts degrees out there). Not sure about the undergrad, though, which sounds like a mixed bag. Graduate at your own risk. read more

York university is a great school. Not only does it house great degree programs, but also the social, culinary, and culture scene is very prevalent. The campus is beautiful, it might not seem to, if you've only made it through the bus loop and Vari hall, but once you explore you'll find the beauty of it - from the pond, to the rooftop of the Ross building, to strolling down the campus in the fall. Speaking of the fall, it's the most beautiful time to be at York. Not only classes are starting, school clubs are also on full recruitment mode, meaning amazing events that cover a wide range of interests and affiliations. Every university has its good and bad aspects, but to me, York has more good to offer than bad. read more

York University - Colleges & Universities Near Me - North York, Ontario

I didn't have trouble with admin like other here... but you have a better than 50% chance of getting a really horrible prof. There are some profs that are great, just like at U.of T. (where I got my masters). But most profs at York are inept, lazy bullies. You teach yourself and they mark you very arbitrarily. It's galling. But York students are very knowledgeable and friendly. read more

York University is located in Toronto and is one of Canada's largest universities. Wow, the reviews on here are really hit or miss - what to say about York... I finished my undergrad here and loved it. The people are nice, the campus is beautiful and my programme was pretty awesome. The campus is actually designed and built off a Californian university - so this is why it's amazing for summers and not so great in the winters for walking around. As for administration - the young people that are "York'd" - yes, administration can be hit or miss but if you actually look at universities, they're all the same. There's no university in Canada that has the best admin that "cares about you deeply." I had some of the most amazing professors, some of which I still talk to - to this day. I've had friends who had great experiences here and some who had problems. There's a lot of bad press when it comes to York and the issue is the fact it's not downtown, Toronto. It's out in the suburbs so anything that happens... York is immediately perceived to be "negative." While things do happen here, this is a population of 75,000ish people, imagine a small city, do you expect NOTHING to happen? What I can say about sending your kids here - 1) it's a very friendly environment, most universities are. 2) school spirit is very high, a lot more since I've convocated LOL. 3) it's got strong programmes in social sciences, schulich, Osgoode, etc. (Not that other programmes are bad) 4) universities in Canada are not the same as in Hollywood movies and the United States. Unless your kid is going to another country for grad school/professional school or to work, reputation is still important but not as important. York is recognized worldwide. Overall, there have been good and bad at York, I've had administrative issues as well but you can't expect perfection and it to go smoothly. However, they handled it and the journey was great! All the best to current and future students! :) read more

John Wilkins is the most stuck up and rude professor I had the misfortune to have. Honestly the entire University is full of stuck up, unprofessional "academics" and they will get away with it as there is no accountability for their actions. This university is the biggest scam I fell for in my life. read more

I applied to yorku hoping to get into an undergraduate program. Then it happened that I needed to change my application to a different admission term. I tried contacting them using all the means of contact provident on yorku future students website. Yorku has the most horrible communication system. None of the things they put on the website work. I tried calling for over three months and the message I get is "we're currently busy, try again letter". I got the same message no matter what time of the day I would call. The live chat is not accessible and neither is the zoom. As a new student this was a bad experience for a university so big. read more

York is the the worst university ever no wonder their ranking low...they don't freaking answer the phone and the students that work there admissions don't care been waiting 3 hrs after being told 1hr wait...such horrible service not even sure why they are there...TERRIBLE read more

DO NOT STUDY AT THIS UNIVERSITY. DO NOT LET YOUR KIDS STUDY AT THIS UNIVERSITY. I'm serious. As I'm doing my final semester of undergrad, I am SOO glad to be done with this hellhole. I came here because of the prestige of the crim program, but am I ever glad to leave! 1. They don't care about you, but if you have money- you're in! No care on student individuality. They want your $ and that's it. 2. School looks like a prison in all places other than vari hall. I'm at school and should not be terrified turning into each corner/hallway, scared of catching an STD just standing there. Places are drab, and although janitors try their best to clean up the mess, it just doesn't work. There's nothing attractive about this school. Maybe the fountain they turn on for the first 2 weeks to show the new meat that they've made the right choice. 3. Security bulletins every 2 days are not okay. I can't say there's been a single year where we've gone over 2 weeks without some sort of armed robbery or indecent act. IS THIS A SCHOOL OR A JAIL? 4. Textbook robbery.. I'm sure with every school, we're bound to get scammed with textbooks. Personally, I have not bought a textbook since my second year because we barely end up using it and then the bookstore wants to buy it back for 90% off? Bye. 5. Commuter school in toronto = lots of traffic and people. Too much commotion through buses and random students from other schools getting off at the YU stop. (I guess a pro is that we have a lot of commuting options) 6. TAs are ridiculous.. really, York, you don't think we notice that you underpay first year master's students to teach us stuff that they barely know about???? 7. If you want a strike at least once in your educational career, come here!! Ps. did you hear one professor got ran over by a student trying to enter the school during the strike?? #ratchet 8. Parking authorities are STUPID! I got a ticket even though I had the appropriate ticket on my dashboard. Funny thing is, I bought the ticket 3 minutes before the parking authority decided to ticket my car and claim that "my ticket wasn't visible" ...suck an egg. Also, I sent the pic to York and they said go to the online court and fight it (because I'm clearly in the right) and they still dismissed me. Now every few weeks, I get another mail from the university threatening to withhold my graduation. HA, I'd like to see you try! 9. Tenured professors think they can treat you like crap. But they forget the anonymous evaluation we all get to write on them- ha, congratulations, you played yourself. 10. "If you can hold a fork, you can go to york" OK, BUT WHERE'S MY FORK? Such a bad status to everyone else, and they think york is the easy way out. Hell, I wish it was! There isn't a single day I'm at this university and don't think 'I hate it here.' One pro: very multicultural and A LOT OF SPIRIT. But then of course, the schools that do bad academically usually do. read more

Students there a friendly but the staff that works there are lazy and don't seem to care about anything but their job which they like to get others to do anyway. The professors are very friendly and most are helpful but many cannot communicate in English which I would think would be a requirement for someone teaching a class. read more

This school cares more about it's debt than it's students, and will do everything they can to financially screw you over. (They literally enrolled my friend into a course... Halfway through the semester.... Without her knowledge... When she did find out after looking at her exam schedule, she contacted the department and she has to petition it to try and get her money back - no guarantees obviously) Want to use the gym? It's $15 for the year, which sounds great but most other universities don't charge their students. Plus, the gym is small and always packed, so grab a seat because the stationary bikes are pretty much your new best friend and take a whiff of that damp and sweaty air (but you already noticed that upon walking through the gym doors). The thing this university needs most is to build more libraries to accommodate the massive number of students. Walk into any library during the weekday and I guarantee there will be students studying on the floor because there is absolutely no bloody room. Administration is a hit or miss, I've encountered very caring individuals who actually try and help, to others who refuse your questions or hang up immediately after picking up. The professors are also a hit and miss as most are on short term contracts, resulting in varying teaching methods and levels for one course. Some are fantastic and others won't ever respond to your emails, if they even give you one that is. Honestly, RateMyProf is your best friend when choosing course professors. Expect many weekend midterms during times when the library or Tim Hortons isn't even open, and a high possibility of a strike, but I'm sure you knew that. As for security, they would rather hire a bunch of people to walk (security and students) around campus to make it seem safe than install some actual lighting for the campus. It's pretty darn scary to be walking both on and off the main paths after sunset when it's pitch black. Campus food is alright, but I wouldn't consider any of them healthy and the cafeteria food is pricey too. read more

I went to this university for my first year only. I decided to transfer to Concordia to learn French. Overall, this is a good university. Some of the classes are impractical such as Vampires in literature. A Study the rise of Vampires in Literature and the presence of AIDS in society. This sounds like an interesting course, but this elective will only help you if you're studying a humanities degree. Some of the students, on the otherhand, contribute to the school's moniker dork. When you walk down the hallways, you constantly have people check you out. These suburbanites are concerned about what you are wearing and the way you are walkinig. It felt a bit like a combination of Jersey Shore and Blue Velvet. I would recommend people to study here for the programs that they offer, but don't expect to network with a lot of exciting people. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about this university. As a mature student, I graduated from the HRM Honours Degree program with cum laude status. The Professors were fantastic, responding to emails, caring about students, and doing a fantastic job. The quality of education was superb, and I dont regret for a minute attending this university. I did 90 percent of my courses online, so I cant say, nor do I really care about campus life. It provided me with a solid education that was not easy to acquire! If you think this place is easy, think again. read more

Great school for adults / mature students. They offer the most flexibility in terms of being able to take full-time or part-time course load. Lots of scholarships and bursaries available. Easy to get to with TTC and new subway access is being built. Some of the buildings are old and need massive updates. They don't have good study spots and the library needs major renovations. read more

There are a lot of creepy pervs, unprofessional or simply unqualified "proffs" or instructors that are teaching very important courses. Remember the cliche about creepy old (or middleaged in some cases) white guys? Yea, they are many of them in this Institution as well. In fact, I know from experience that many small community colleges have more professional instructors than the kind of weirdos that are being hired at York. It is either the weirdos or those that never escaped high school cafeteria mentality while teaching university-level courses to adults. This kind of behavior is especially rampant in their Social Sciences and Humanities departments including or in fact especially in their esteemed administrative studies programs departments. Meanwhile, the departments are often so shady when it comes to dealing with student complaints. They will always side with their instructors no matter what, it is always the student's fault or they will brush the complaints under the rug. Yes, there are a few good very dedicated professors but they are few and collateral damage, unfortunately. read more

Came to pick up a friend. Not easy driving a messy road in school area. I was confused which building at first but I finally found my friend. read more

York University - At York University - Colleges & Universities Near Me - North York, Ontario

My credit card information was stolen in a data breach resulting in untold hours on the phone with the bank and credit card trying to sort everything out. I had no idea where it was from until months later when I got an email from York University notifying me of a "potential breach" at the time I made a purchase from their bookstore which blamed a third party. No responsibility was taken, and repeated emails acknowledged my "concern." I was not "concerned," I was a victim of credit card fraud when they failed to safeguard my data. I will not buy from their bookstore again. read more

I did my undergrad in English at York University. The worst part of this university is the administration. They don't have nearly enough staff to handle the student population, which results in lost documents and long line-ups. I've been blocked by red tape, been given the wrong advice from guidance councilors, and even been penalized for things that weren't my fault. I know such things happen regularly at every university, but when your University is known for it? Not good. (It's called getting York'd, by the way) As with any university, the teachers vary as well. I've had professors who genuinely care about their job. These are the professors who deserve their job. However, more often then not, there are the professors who don't care about their students; they're unavailable and just read off the slides in class. Also, the strike a few years back didn't do anything to help the university. What used to be on every students top 10 list would probably not make the top 15, now. I know a lot of parents are cautioning their children NOT to go to York. Unfortunately, York is now suffering from the "too big to care" syndrome in which they're so successful that they've largely ceased to care about their students. There are dedicated staff, but these are become a rare occurrence lately. Overall, the university is, at best, average. It's certainly not getting any better. read more

Even though I don't study here I love York U. It's always busy with students but you see a nice diversity of people here. I usually use York U for transferring from TTC to York Region Transit (YRT). read more

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Well, I have to say that in its own way it a a brilliant, if radical, place to be. You will find that you'll get swept up in the politics and desire to change the world and your life will be changed forever but really that's what university is all about. It isn't easy to choose courses but then the electronic method of signing up for courses is brilliant. Profs are varied as you would expect and the courses are ecclectic. read more

Do yourself a favor: DO NOT CHOOSE YORK. Administration does not care and they won't help you. I came to an "enrollment appointment" and it was just full of students who had no idea what they were doing. I asked for an advisor to help me, no help. Simply told me to go to the website and read, and just walked away back to her office. I spent a good 30 minutes searching on the website but did not find any information. I kept waiting thinking she went to grab something (because she left without a word) but nope. She never came back. On the same day, I emailed the faculty in hopes of resolving the issue. Did not get an email back until ONE MONTH. Did not even sit through a class and I hate this school already. Do not ever go here!!!!!!!! Worst service ever.. campus is very dirty and staff will not care about you! Ended up going to Ryerson instead. :) read more

Absolute worst university in the world when it comes to assisting students. Not a single person in the admin departments knows anything. They always expect students to figure out things for themselves with no information provided to them. Every single experience I had for the past four years with any "information centre" gave me the same responses, "I'm not sure about that, never head of that, I don't know." Their job is to provide information to students and the least they can do is help to figure it out. If they have no interest in working at that institution, they really shouldn't. Maybe showing some care for students will overall help the University do better. Maybe they can stop going on strikes and leave their jobs to work elsewhere. read more

hide your kids, hide your wife cause everybody is getting f***ed over at York U jesus christ i'm on my year off and i'm SO reluctant to go back. but i have one year left so i'm gonna pull through it. seriously though trust me you don't even want to know the reasons but he's a little poem why you shouldn't study at YorkU? let me tell you this place is doodoo they steal all your money they charge you for honey if you want anxiety or depression entirely go to york 80% chance you'll stab yourself with a fork a large corporation who don't have the patience to listen to your problems if you got em' you solve em that should be their slogan 2 hour commute with one token so for your personal safety and mental health please don't go, they only want your wealth so i leave on a note, because i truly am blue so to York University, I say F*** You :) read more

Sorry to have to do this but York un. Is the worst place you can go for education. I spent 4 years there with no gain, no degree and no skills I can apply in the real world. The professors are professional students and the facilities are terrible. There is little to no activities outside of school and it is located on the ass end of Toronto. Every year the degree program changes and there is a large requiement for redundant Gen Ed courses and courses outaide the major area of study and even when you study your subject it doesn't help you in any real world job situations It is basically like extended high school. I'm not sure why degrees are praised as it doesn't give you anything practical, any skills or even industry specific knowledge, it costs more and there are no standards of education because the university is self governing. Most of the people there are awkward slackers just like people in high school, not the mature successful hopeful go getters advertised on movies and TV. Do not waste time on university go to college which is much more affordable and learn something good for a job or carrier. If you don't like it you can always get more credentials as the are much easier to obtain once you have a diploma. York u you are the epitome of failure. read more

York university has a beautiful campus and a lot of programs to offer but other than that it's a crap university .Out of all the universities I was accepted to I regret my decision on choosing York . The teachers , administrations, social life , area all suck .Basically, it's a bigger high school , nothing around , boring , it's HELL HERE. Go somewhere else PLEASE. read more

There was no Yelp post for Glendon campus so I'm going to do a review for both the Keele and Glendon campus. First of all, both campuses are like night and day. Glendonites who go to Keele will find it either too busy or they enjoy that big uni life. Keele students who go to Glendon will either find it pretty, or creepy (because it's too quiet). Glendon Atmsophere: During my first 2 years there, I really disliked the atmosphere because it felt too much like a high school. It was crowded, and there wasn't much space for students to relax/study. After the Centre of Excellence was built though, the experience was SO MUCH BETTER. Finally we have up to date lecture halls, and more lounges for students to relax. The library is also up to date. It's quiet, so it's really great for studying. Unlike the Keele library (Scott), there are lots of seats available on all 3 floors. Even if you can't find a place at the library, the Centre of Excellence is quiet enough for studying. Just like the Keele campus though, there will be people who seem to have never graduated from high school (gossipy, overly judgemental people with valley girl accents). Academics: One thing that I've noticed (personally) is that Glendon students tend to be more attentive during lectures. Maybe it's the smaller class sizes, or maybe they're more mature? I don't know, but it is easier to concentrate. XD Glendon is better for politics, international studies, and their French programs. The courses aren't as diverse as Keele's. So if you're looking for interesting language courses, take Keele's classes. They even have ASL. Keele Atmosphere: Really busy. It's a bit hard to find places to relax in between classes, so I tried to avoid classes with 3 hour breaks. They have restaurants, and shops conveniently located. It has that big university feel. When you're in the right classes, it is possible to make good friends though. Academics: A lot of times when you take courses that are listed as electives (especially 1st and 2nd year courses), SIT NEAR THE FRONT! Why? To avoid all the chatter and facebook/twitter buzz near the back. Some of the students are really disrespectful. However, the electives are really interesting! They're not necessarily 'easy', but you do learn a lot from the profs who care. I really enjoyed the East Asian Studies courses. read more

If you are considering York University for your undergraduate degree, think again. With over 45,000 students, and a tendency toward TA strikes, the administrative side of this school just can't keep up. Phone calls go days without being returned, information gets lost in piles waiting to be scanned into their system, and those who answer the phone (if it's answered at all) are rude and tend to talk to students like they are idiots. I was a student at York for 3 years and am dealing with them again so I can get my degree and graduate. My petition to have my credits, earned at another institution, counted was submitted this summer and although it was recorded for expedition for October's Convocation, it was not expedited as requested and as a result, I will not be graduating. York's explanation: None - they are looking into it. Dealing the with administration at this school has brought me to frustrated tears every time. Save yourself the aggravation. Go ANYWHERE else. On the other hand, if you are a student who will never change classes, majors, or address, who knows exactly what your academic path will be, without any possibility of a need to interact with the administrative body until you apply for graduation, go for it. The profs are amazing, the classes engaging and generally pretty cutting edge. Just make sure you never need any kind of form processed (this includes student loans) or you could find yourself like me - in debt with years of university experience and nothing to show for it. read more

TERRIBLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE!! Transferred to Seneca to finish, I swallowed the $1500 I lost there just to get out. If you choose this university, you will regret it like I did. I'm doing so much better at Seneca in the HRM course. read more

My advice, enroll at most any other university / college! Stay away from York. I am in my final year at York. The professors are really hit or miss. I've been impressed by no more than a handful of them. Want a professor that speaks lectures in clear, understandble English? That mite not happen at York. Quite a few profs also show zero passion for teaching. They will present 3 hour lectures with no more than a typewritten paragraph of text on the overhead projector. They will leave in the middle of student presentations, and have TA's mark instead. I had one professor that taught curriculum that was outdated by 20+ years and disproven... yet he still stuck with it. I guess paying people $100K a year doesn't create quality. Strikes Strikes Strikes... York seems to be one of the worse schools for strikes. The TA's wanted a pay raise over $52 / hour. Are you serious? This strike non sense has negatively impacted my school year AND made it much more difficult to stay on track with school assignments. The communication before and during the strike was also poor. It left most students not knowing what to do. The strikers also decided to block roads and people from entering / exiting campus. Very bad if you live on campus or want to use the library and other resources your tuition pays for during the strike! We ended up missing almost 5 weeks of classes in a 12-16 week course. But still no partial refund of tuition from the York coffers. There will be more strikes in the future at York, no doubt. Security. Where is it? York seems to grab many headlines about sexual assaults, a food court shooting, mobbings, robberies, and shifty tunnels being found on property. Yet in my years at York, I've seen security only a handful of times. There seems to be no more than 2 security on a campus that houses 80,000 students. Way to save money at the expense of students' safety York! Why can't you stay on par with other universities and have special constables or police on campus? You need it. To summarize, I am not happy with the majority of my experience at York. High tuition costs paid for sub-par quality education. Would not recommend. 2 stars. read more

I have had the worst experience ever possible with this university. Ended up stuck with them for an extra semester because I was misinformed on the courses needed to be taken. Also, I submitted my form to graduate in a timely manner, but was told that there was an online form to fill out; so pretty much my fax was disregarded, which delayed my graduation. I would never send my child to York or go there myself for that matter. read more