newsletter

Choosing Your Program……………….Pg.1 Registration Tips……Pg.4 Mentorship Programs…………...…Pg.5 McGill Bucket List…..Pg.6 Building Your Career Plan……………Pg.7 Tips on Saving Money………………….Pg.8 Learning French In Quebec…………....Pg.10 What to Do in Montreal This Summer……………...Pg.12 Taking Standardized Tests………………….Pg.14

Your Path to the

Future

Alright, you are at the end of your

freshman year (congratulations on

surviving thus far!) and now you have

to pick either a major or a liberal

program, or you may also want to

complement that with a minor. You

might also be considering an honours

program as well. What are the

differences between all of these

programs and how should you plan

your degree? Read on to find out some

useful information and pointers in

choosing the best program for your

time at McGill!

MAJOR A major program is where you take

most of your courses at McGill relating

to a primary area of study in science. It

provides a comprehensive look into

that field and usually takes up two-

thirds of your degree requirements,

depending on the specific program.

Examples of majors are Physiology,

Anatomy & Cell Biology, Physics or

Chemistry. Recall that when you were

admitted to McGill, you were admitted

into either the Biological, Biomedical

& Life Sciences group or the Physical,

Earth, Math & Computer Science

group.

You can only declare a major that is

within your specific group. For a list of

majors within each group, click

http://www.mcgill.ca/science/programs

for more information. Note that for

certain majors, for example like

Neuroscience, you have to complete a

separate application as there is limited

enrolment. Be sure to visit the major’s

website for more information.

HONOURS For some students who are considering

uate degree, they may opt to apply to

the honours program. While the

honours program requires you to take

even more courses dedicated to the area

of study, an advantage in enrolling in

the honours program is to get a feel for

research.

SOUSA

April 2015 Issue 4

IN THIS ISSUE

1

graduate schools after their undergrad-

2

There is a supervised research project usually in the

fourth year where you work under a professor from the

program on a project. This provides a strong

foundation for those who are thinking of graduate

school later on. Note that not all departments offer an

http://www.mcgill.ca/science/programs to see what

you can specialize in and the academic requirements in

order to apply.

LIBERAL Some students may not know what they would like to

study in science yet, so a liberal program may be a

suitable choice for them. This is a very flexible

program that requires you to take a core science

complement (CSC) in one discipline with a breadth

component in another area of study. The breadth

component can take the form of a minor in a science

discipline, or you can explore the world of humanities

by doing a major concentration or minor concentration

in the Arts program. Another possibility is to do a

second CSC. The flexibility that comes along with the

liberal programs allows you to test the waters in

different fields and leaves you relatively more room

for elective courses. Again, not all departments offer a

http://www.mcgill.ca/science/programs to find out!

MINORS Minors are an excellent way to explore certain interests

that are outside your major discipline. They are

typically 18-24 credit programs that allow you to gain

a deeper understanding on a particular subject, be it in

Arts or in Science. Keep in mind that if you do a minor

program, then the room left to take elective courses are

http://www.mcgill.ca/science/programs for a list of

minors within the Faculty of Science and a list of

minors for science students within the Faculty of Arts

here http://www.mcgill.ca/science/programs/arts.

INTERFACULTY TRANSFERS Maybe you’re starting to get the feeling your field of

study is not quite your dream program. Maybe you

even want to switch to a different faculty! Don’t worry,

not all hope is lost. As a student who transferred from

Arts into Life Sciences in 2nd year, I can tell you that

Interfaculty transfers are definitely possible.

Why transfer? Interfaculty transfers are not a decision to be made

lightly. Make sure you’re very informed about your

current program, and bring up any specific concerns

with your departmental and SOUSA advisors, who

may be able to help you rectify them. Also, make sure

you research the program that you have your eye on,

and what it will take to be eligible.

Talk to advisors Tell your SOUSA advisor your plans to transfer, and

they can direct you to advisors in your desired faculty

who can help you through the process. Mary Gauthier,

a SOUSA advisor who specializes in interfaculty

transfers into Science, was extremely helpful to me.

What you have to do This depends on the faculty into which you wish to

transfer.

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

2

I chose to transfer from Arts into Life Sciences because

although I took many arts courses in first year, I found I

enjoyed Physics the most. My brothers were also taking a lot

of science in highs school, which really interested me. Finally,

my roommates were in Life sciences programs and I found

their courses really interesting. I also (mistakenly or not)

thought the job prospects in Science might be better. It’s also

worth noting that because of my course selections in high

school, I wouldn’t have been able to enter McGill science

directly anyway, so transferring is the only way I could have

studied science here.

I did end up spending a whole year doing science

courses that didn’t count towards my Arts

program at the time: so there was a risk that if I

didn’t get sufficient grades to transfer, I would

have just been set back one year while remaining

in the same program (not a great use of time and

money).

honours program, so check out

liberal program so click

more limited. Check out

3

http://www.mcgill.ca/students/transfer-

readmission/home-page/. The requirements I state

here from my own example can give you an idea of

what to expect.

3

Before I could even apply to transfer, I had to take all the

courses that are required for U0 in the science program.

These are the prerequisites. Except physics, which I

completed before considering a transfer, I had to take these

all in U1.

Officially, I had to maintain a minimum cGPA of 3.0, but

admission is competitive so I actually needed to exceed 3.45

to get in.

I had to do better than B– in MATH courses, and

better than B in CHEM, PHYS and BIOL courses.

Since I wanted to enter in U2, I needed at least 9

credits that contributed to my desired program

of study (beyond the U0 freshman courses), with

a minimum grade of B in each.

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

GENERAL POINTERS

The cliché is true: do your program in what you are

interested in! Take pride in what you are learning

and if you are genuinely passionate about your

program, you will do well!

Talk to U2 and U3 students who are in the

program(s) that you are interested in. Find out what

they adored and disliked about the program and see

if it’s something that clicks with you.

Speak to the department advisor about your

aspirations and their opinion about the program.

Better know these sorts of information now than

finding about it later on!

Make an appointment with your SOUSA advisor

discuss your future plans with them. We provide

assistance with degree planning and are here to

help you during your time at McGill.

Finally, don’t worry too much if you realize in your

U1 year that your chosen program is nothing like

what you expected. For many of the programs, you

can switch to another one with a simple click on

the Student Records Menu on Minerva. Be sure to

speak to your SOUSA advisor first before making

these changes as it may affect your expected

graduation term if you have to take certain courses

for your new program.

Applying for a transfer Once you meet the requirements, you can apply to transfer

by filling out a simple form on Minerva. The deadlines can

be found at: http://www.mcgill.ca/students/transfer-

readmission/home-page/.

When applying, you will be able to submit three choices.

My strategy was to apply to different Groups in Science

instead of using all three choices on one Group. I knew that

it would be relatively easy to change majors within a

Group if I wanted. My final advice would be to get as

informed as possible before making an interfaculty

transfer. There is a lot of effort and some risk involved, but

if you know what you want, it is certainly worth it!

-- By Jollee Fung and Jon Reid

3

The requirements may be found at

(at http://www.mcgill.ca/science/student) and

Registration Tips

As a fourth year student, I can still remember how

stressful registration day can be. From finding out that

certain courses require departmental or instructor’s

approval to being kicked out of Minerva due to server

overload, there are too many things that can happen

on that day and can definitely be very overwhelming to

some students. Well fret no more, we have compiled a

list of tips that can be very helpful for you! Be sure to

take a look at them before your registration day.

Before registration day

First, click

http://www.mcgill.ca/students/courses/add/when to

find out the specific registration time for your year

and major. Next, go on to the webpage for your

major and check out what courses you may be

required to take next year!

Don’t forget the complementary courses, as well

as browse around some elective courses that you

can add in as well. The important thing is to see if

there are courses that require the course

instructor’s permission before you can register for

it on Minerva! Try to email the professors one to

two weeks in advance so you have plenty of time

to get in touch since the most frustrating thing is

to realize you have to ask them on the day of

registration.

Do you know about the visual schedule builder

(VSB)? It allows you to enter your courses for a

semester and then you can see your course

schedule magically come to life! You will be able

to see if there are conflicts and all the possible

combinations with different sections of lecture or

labs.

--By Jollee Fung

4

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

1. Log into Minerva 30 minutes before your

registration opens or else you might not be able

to get in right when it starts.

2. Go to the “Quick Add or Drop Course

Sections” and let your fingers type away the

CRNs!

3. Cross your fingers and hope that the Minerva

server runs smoothly and that it doesn’t “time-

out” when it is overloaded with so many people

trying to access it at once. If it does happen,

don’t fret. Simply open Minerva and try again.

4. Remember that if its a required course, the

departmental advisor should be able to get you

in. So don’t worry if it’s all full. For other

courses, keep in mind that there is A LOT of

movement during the summer and especially

during the add/drop period for each semester so

there is a pretty good chance that you will be

able to get in.

5. Finally, if you are really unable to get into a

course next year, remember that as you get

more senior, your registration period opens

earlier so if you can’t take it this year, there is

always next year!

REGISTRATION TIPS

Before this tool was created, we had to do this by

hand! I was incredibly grateful for its invention in

https://vsb.mcgill.ca/.

Note down all the CRNs, the course codes, for

your desired courses. This is definitely one of the

tips that I have learned throughout all my years at

McGill. With these codes handy, you can simply

select the “Quick Add or Drop Course Sections”

option when you are in the registration menu on

Minerva and enter all the CRNs as fast and as

accurate as you can. This saves SO much time

compared to others who would have to select the

course one by one.

-- By Jollee Fung

my third year. Check it out here:

5

Connect with a Mentor! The time you spend at university may become the most

formative years of your life. That’s why it’s a great

idea to consider taking part in a mentorship program

where you can be paired up with a McGill alumni,

graduate student or other students in your department.

Connecting with someone who has a wealth of

knowledge and experience in a specific field presents

you the opportunity to learn something new, exchange

opinions and views and expand your social network.

By offering guidance both academically and

professionally, a campus mentor can be a great

supplement to your learning and overall university

experience. There are several types available at

McGill.

Staff-Student Mentoring Program Sign up for this program if you are looking to talk to a

McGill faculty member, staff member or graduate

student. There are no requirements as to which topics

you must discuss outside of suggested conversation

starters on the First Meeting Checklist so the direction

of your meetings and how often you want to meet is

entirely up to the pair of you!

Widening Participation Committee (WPC) Mentoring Program This program is for you if you are

from one of the following backgrounds:

Indigenous North American, Black communities or

rural and low-income backgrounds and are looking to

pair up with someone from the field of medicine from

one of the following schools: School of Physical and

Occupational Therapy, the Ingram School of Nursing,

the Faculty of Medicine, and the School of

Communication Sciences and Disorders.

CaPS Mentor Program This is a great choice if you want to focus on

discussing career advice and building your career

network. Through CaPS (Career Planning Service),

you will be able to pair up with a McGill alumni who

graduated from the same program/degree as you or

have worked in a field of your interest. You can view

the current list of mentors from a link found on this

webpage: http://caps.mcgill.ca/ci2/.

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

How to Pair Up

• Fill out the Mentee Application Form found

https://secureweb.mcgill.ca/mentoring/mentees/

mentee-application-form. If you are looking for

a mentor in a certain field or with specific

interests or hobbies, you can also make note of

that on this form.

• You will receive an email notifying you of a

successful match which will also provide a

description of your mentor’s background and

contact information.

• Contact your mentor and decide on your first

meeting

• Read the First Meeting Checklist found here:

https://secureweb.mcgill.ca/mentoring/mentees/

first-meeting-checklist which outlines possible

topics of discussion for your first meeting.

Be sure you and your mentor both sign the

Mentoring Guidelines form found here:

https://secureweb.mcgill.ca/mentoring/files/mentori

ng/final_guidelines_and_agreement.pdf.

How to Pair Up

• Fill out of the WPC-Med Mentee Application

http://www.mcgill.ca/mentoring/mentees/wpc-

med-mentee-application-form.

• If you meet the eligibility requirements, you

will receive an email notifying you of a

successful match and a description of your

mentor’s background and contact information

• Your mentor will email you so the two of you

can decide on your first meeting

How to Pair Up

• Fill in the online application found here:

http://caps.mcgill.ca/ci2/index.php/student/regis

ter_form

• You will receive a notification once you have

been successfully matched 5

here after logging in:

Form found here after logging in:

6

6

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

Think you’ve seen all of McGill already? Maybe not! There are many

hidden gems in our university for you to explore! Check these items

off as you go:

Discover all the tunnels that connect certain McGill buildings

together. Let me give you a hint: there are 4 underground tunnels in

total!

Enjoy a nice scoop of ice-cream at Frostbite in the McConnell

Engineering building during the winter and the summer.

Visit the Midnight Kitchen in SSMU with your own container and

cutlery for a free vegan lunch at 12:30pm, Monday to Friday.

Explore the Redpath Museum at night in a Flashlight Tour! The

entire museum is dark and you will be guided by student guides with a

flashlight to learn all about the exhibitions. Don’t be too scared of

the dinosaur display if you go at 1am!

Support your department in the interdepartmental hockey games

held at the McGill Gym.

Visit the mystical Islamic Studies Library in the Morrice Hall and

the Osler Library of the History of Medicine. You will be astounded

by their beauty!

Take the shuttle to the MacDonald Campus and enjoy the serene

landscape for a minibreak.

Browse through the Blackader-Lauterman Collection of Architecture

and Art in the Blackader library. Part of the fun is the quest to

discovery the location of this library within the McLennan-Redpath

Library Complex!

Grab some food at the Open Air Pub held by the Engineering

Undergraduate Society. It features live bands and is an excellent venue

for you to get together with your friends to have a good time.

To go beyond the McGill campuses, consider attending outdoor music

events such as Piknic Electronik, Igloofest, and the Tam Tams! --By SURPASS Team

Department-Specific Mentorship programs Some science departments offer mentorship programs

with upper-level students within the same department (I

wish mine, Anatomy and Cell Biology, did when I was in

U0!). These types of mentorships are offered through the

departmental student organizations. For example, the

Physiology student organization PULS offers a U1/U3

mentoring program. Look out for these types of

announcements which are usually made at the beginning

of the term in core classes under the offering department.

You can also check out the website of your departmental

student organization to see if your department offers a

mentorship program.

--By Huachen Guo

7

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

U0/U1 U2 U3

Identify your personality, talents, values and

interests

Research your career(s) of interest

Decide on a major/minor/honors/liberal

program with your career of interest in mind

and go over your course selection with your

departmental advisor

Plan an initial visit to CaPS to get familiar and

find out what career options are suited to

your major

Organize a career information folder to keep

track of any research you do on your

career(s) of interest

Start getting involved in extracurricular

activities

Volunteer – there are tons of

volunteer opportunities related to

your career of interest. For ex. if

you’re looking to eventually go into

medicine, search online for local

hospitals to help out at, pay attention

to the myriad of announcements at the

beginning of science classes that are

always looking for volunteers such as

SAMA, etc and check out related

volunteer postings in email listservs

sent out by SSMU/SUS or your

department

Join related organizations – go to

Activities Night in September and

January where all the university

organizations will be recruiting. Many

of these groups offer great advice on

steps to get to the profession of your

dreams and allow you to meet

likeminded individuals

Update your resume to keep track of your

experiences

Explore your career of interest further

Job shadow someone working in the field

Some organizations that you can

join at Activities Night, for ex.

Medspecs offers job shadowing

opportunities

Volunteering can be a great way to

learn firsthand what a day at the

job is like. For ex. volunteering at

an occupational therapy

department of a local hospital

allows you follow and observe a

therapist as they work with

patients

Talk to people working in the field

The CaPS Mentorship Program is a

great way to connect with a McGill

alumni working in your intended

field (see related article)

Talk to employers to find out the kinds of

attributes and skills they are looking for

and see if they are aligning with yours

Take time to reflect upon your intended

career – Is this still what you want to do

after you’ve taken some related courses

and gotten to experience first-hand what

an afternoon onsite at the job is like?

Keep volunteering and pursuing your

extracurricular activities

Visit CaPS and join their workshops on

refining your resume, writing cover

letters and practicing networking

Look for a relevant internship or part-

time job (http://www.mcgill.ca/caps/)

Decide if you want to pursue further

education and synch your course

selection

Take a look at your

career of interest from

a long-term

perspective. What are

your specific career

goals?

Create a LinkedIn

profile

Attend CaPS workshops

on finding jobs, developing your job

search tools and

practicing your

interview skills

Attend on-campus

career fairs and build

your network (check

CaPS for events and

dates)

Network with off-

campus employers as

well

If you have decided to

pursue higher

education, apply to

those programs

--By Huachen Guo

7

For that Dream Job: Building Your Career Plan

8

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

8

Cheap Tricks! HOW TO SAVE MONEY AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AT THE SAME TIME It’s just not fair: you’re on a student budget, but

Montréal has so many great things to spend money on.

Here’s some tips to make sure you don’t go broke

before the semester ends!

Keeping track Before you start budgeting, it’s a good idea to know

where your funds are going. This gives you an idea of

where you can cut your spending most effectively.

Check your credit and debit statements regularly so

you know where all the charges are coming from. You

may be surprised at how fast it all adds up, but

knowing is half the battle!

Food is probably where you can save the most

money. Remember that both time and money are

limited resources, and you often have to trade one for

the other. The more time you put in, the more you can

save!

• Try to avoid eating at restaurants. This is a very

expensive way to feed yourself, and more often

than not, you aren’t getting the healthiest food! I

like to restrict my restaurant meals to those that

are social events, like seeing a friend or having a

celebratory dinner. Trips to the burger joint alone

will cut into your budget for these fun events!

• Pack your own lunch and coffee. As stated above,

eating at restaurants is expensive. Getting coffee

at cafés (even Tim Hortons) also adds up. Make

your own lunches at home and make your coffee

and tea before class. This really requires preparing

ahead of time! Invest in good Tupperware, a

Thermos, and a French press.

• Try different grocery stores, and get what’s on

sale. Once a week, I check out the selection at two

local grocery stores, and Pharmaprix ($2 for a

dozen eggs!) I pick my fruit and veggies based on

what’s on sale that week: that way I save money

and get a nice week-to-week variety. I also make a

habit of going on the day of the week when they

change their sales and restock everything (that

way, if they have a huge sale, you’ll get there

before the inventory runs out!)

• Buy food in bulk, especially when they’re on sale,

and stick them in the freezer.

• Check out Facebook for food sales

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/27609691917

6548/?ref=ts&fref=ts)

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/18954271449

8636/?fref=ts) on campus! It’s often cheaper than

eating at the cafeteria, and as a bonus, you support

good causes!

Learn to use Excel, and start planning monthly limits

on things like food, entertainment, clothing and phone

bills. Start with your rent and tuition, since those will

stay constant. Make sure you continue to keep track of

your spending! It’s not good enough to just estimate if

you’re sticking to your plan. Reward yourself if you

come in under your budget for the month! But don’t

spend your entire surplus: you never know when

you’ll have to go over budget next!

SETTING A BUDGET

Food

• Check out Facebook for food sales

and food giveaways

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

Rent is determined once you find a place to live. For

most people, cost factors into this decision.

• In general, cheaper housing can be found a

greater distance from McGill. Try to optimize

the cost/distance balance to suit your needs!

• It’s often cheaper to live with others; the more

people, the less each pays. This is called an

economy of scale!

• Pay your rent on time or early to avoid penalty

fees.

• In terms of utilities, remember to turn off the

lights when you don’t need them, and turn off

your heat and air conditioning when you’ll be

gone for a significant amount of time!

Montréal has roads, bike paths, a metro, buses, and

cabs. Use a combination of these to your advantage to

get the most savings and the best transportation for

your needs!

• Don’t buy an OPUS card if you won’t end up

getting your money’s worth. Do some

calculations based on the number of trips you

take on transit per month to see if getting a

monthly pass or a discount on 10-packs of

tickets is really worth it for you! It may be

cheaper to buy single-use tickets.

• Walk short distances. Not only is it 100% free,

it’s good for you!

• Consider investing in a bike. Bicycles are free

to operate (but not to maintain), a great way to

get exercise, and in some cases they’re faster

than the metro or a car. Look at Kijiji and at

local bike shops and co-ops for good deals on

used wares, but beware stolen bikes! Also,

service the bike yourself at McGill’s bike co-op

(https://theflat.wordpress.com/) for huge

savings and a sense of fulfillment! And

remember to always wear a helmet!

• Uber is a service similar to a taxi, but it can be

cheaper depending on demand. Try it out, your

first ride is free! https://www.uber.com/.

• If you’re out late on Friday or Saturday and

it’s not safe to walk home but you can’t afford

(http://ssmu.mcgill.ca/drivesafe/). Their lovely

volunteers will get you home in one piece, at no

charge.

If your home internet service has limited bandwidth,

download big files (like lecture recordings) on

campus! McGill’s internet is speedy and you’re

already paying for it, so why not? Taken to the

extreme, you could even cancel your home internet

service and rely on McGill’s, if you’re on campus a

lot and don’t need it at home!

• Keep your old cellphone even after your

contract expires, and take it with you on a plan

that only gives you the services you need. Do

some research and find a plan that’s right for

you. Take good care of your phone!

If you venture outside the McGill bubble, you can find

some great thrift stores, namely Village des Valeurs

and Fripe-Prix. Although you might not want to get

your whole wardrobe there, you never know what you

might find! The books and kitchen stuff are great too.

Rent

Transportation

Internet and Phone

Clothes

9

a cab, no worries! Call Drivesafe

Améliorez Votre Français! LEARNING FRENCH IN QUEBEC

• Go to the shops on St-Catherine often to keep

up-to-date on sales. There are always great

deals at places such as Winners, H&M, and

Simons, to name a few.

• Learn how to do some minor sewing. Not every

disconnected button is a reason to buy a new

shirt!

• Keep track of all the great software resources

offered for free by McGill, like Microsoft Office

365 and 1Tb cloud storage on OneDrive.

• Buy textbooks on McGill classifieds or Kijiji. If

you don’t think you’ll use the textbook much,

or you want to read before you buy, see if it’s

on reserve at the library and you might not

need to buy it at all!

• It’s always good to check Kijiji and McGill

classifieds for things you want to buy. I’ve had

great luck with musical instruments,

photography equipment, and furniture.

• Shopping online is often the best way to find

deals. You just need to plan ahead to account

for the shipping delay.

• Pay off your whole credit card bill every

month: interest adds up fast.

• Sign up for rewards programs to get free stuff!

• Keep your receipts for expensive purchases so

you can make warranty claims if necessary.

This year I got my phone’s earphones and USB

cable replaced for free by just bringing in the

receipt!

--By Jon Reid

10

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

School

Other

Why learn French?

First things first: French is not an easy language, and

you’ll need motivation.

• If you speak French, you’ll have many more job

and volunteer opportunities available to you in

Quebec. It’s also a valuable asset for jobs outside

Quebec, and some graduate and professional

schools! (For example, uOttawa’s medical school

prefers bilingual applicants, even in its English

program.)

• You can impress your friends, family, and that

special someone: everyone knows French is a

beautiful language.

• You can understand what’s going on in the

city: from metro announcements to store signs

and menus, Montréal establishments are not

obligated to have English. French is especially

prevalent as you get farther away from

downtown!

• You may get better service if you

accommodate the language preferences of

your waiter, driver, or cashier.

• You can meet & interact with people in

Quebec that don’t speak English! For me,

French made long trips on the chairlift at Mont

Tremblant much less awkward.

McGill Classes McGill’s French language centre offers a variety

of French as a second language (FRSL) courses

that can be completed for course credit. The

website can be found at http://www.mcgill.ca/flc/.

Are you infatuated with the

francophone culture in Montréal, but

haven’t gotten around to speaking

French yet? Here are some avenues to

get you started! C’est facile!

11

• Courses are offered at all levels,

from beginner to advanced.

• You must take a placement test

http://www.mcgill.ca/flc/prospective

-students/placement-tests

for details.

• Courses may be offered in the fall,

winter, or summer semesters, or for

the full year.

• Taking these classes tends to teach

you a lot about grammar and

vocabulary, but are not the best

way to learn practical French.

McGill Minicourses SSMU minicourses are a more affordable

option with a lesser time commitment,

and no stress about marks!

• You get 8 90-minute sessions: once

a week for 8 weeks.

• Minicourses run during all

semesters and cost as little as $50.

• Sign up at

http://ssmu.mcgill.ca/minicourses/.

Government Programs Picture this: you get immersed in a French

community for over a month in the

summer, not only learning the language

but also about the culture. You live there,

eat there, and sleep there, and you do all

this with a group of great people with the

same goal. And the government foots the

bill. There’s no way that could exist could

it? Yes it does!

• The government offers bursary

(http://www.myexplore.ca/en/).

• Many of the deadlines for this

summer have passed, so keep it in

mind for next summer!

11

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

Je Parle Français! HERE’S A FEW USEFUL PHRASES TO GET YOU STARTED

«bonjour» (“bohn-jhour”) «salut» (“sah-lu”)

hello

«ça va?» (“sa va”) how’s it going?

«ça va bien» (“sa va byehn”)

it’s going well

«ça va mal» (“sa va mal”) it’s going badly

«pas mal» (“pah mal”) not bad

«s’il vous plait» (“see vu pleh”)

please

«merci» (“mehr-see”) thanks

«c’est correct» (“say korekt”)

it’s OK

«de rien» (“deh ree-yehn”) it’s nothing/you’re welcome

«je ne comprends pas» (“jhuh com-prah pah”)

I don’t understand

• The government will provide you with funds to cover

food, board and tuition.

First-hand experience Use the resources you already have, or try something new that

will get you speaking French. The most important thing is not

being afraid to look silly or make mistakes. Have fun with it!

People will appreciate that you’re trying. This is the best way

to learn practical French.

before registering. See

programs such as Explore!

12

• Try out a job or volunteer position that allows you to speak French, but with no requirement for

high-level French. Working as a cashier at Schwartz’s, which gets mostly English or bilingual

customers, was by far the most helpful experience in my French education.

• Ask your Francophone friends or roommates to speak French with you. Tell them it’s OK to correct

you when you say something wrong!

• Read French newspapers (le métro is free: http://journalmetro.com/), watch French TV or listen to

French radio (Radio-Canada) to get that pronunciation down.

--By Jon Reid

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

F1 Grand Prix Weekend When: June 5 – 7 Where: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve Kickoff a true Montreal summer by joining in the celebration on Grand Prix

weekend where it’s all about the adrenaline-pumping action, wild parties,

fine dining and fast and expensive cars. Cheer on some of the greatest

drivers from around the world as they race around the track at the famed

Gilles Villeneuve Circuit.

In addition to the main event, select streets and neighborhoods will close

their lanes to traffic and hold their own festivities during the three days.

Crescent Street is a famous stop which annually holds its giant outdoor

event with pit stop challenges, live performances, and autograph sessions.

Equally well known is the Peel Paddock event a few streets down, a glitzy

themed party featuring car shows, fashion shows, live concerts and

delectable gastronomy. Check out the official Grand Prix website for

tickets, this year’s featured nightclubs and much more at

http://www.grandprixmontreal.com/index.php.

Montreal Beer Festival When : June 10 – 14 Where : Palais des congrès For all the beer lovers out there, Montreal’s beer

festival is the largest in Canada regularly attracting

crowds of hundreds of thousands each year. Since

its debut more than a decade ago, this gathering

offers some 500 different varieties of beer and

ciders from around the world to eager tasters

every year. Whether its ales, lagers, porter, stout

or wheat beers there is something to interest

everyone.

Some past notable brews include a Belgian strong

dark ale called Cuvée van de Keiser Blauw which has

a sweet aroma with notes of cocoa, toffee, apple

and spices and Birra del Borgo Keto Reporter, an

Italian brew with a mild, roasted malt aroma and

notes of coffee, bitter chocolate and spices. Many of

these offerings are unique to the festival and are

not available in Quebec stores. Industry brands

such as Molson and Stella Artois will be present

alongside microbreweries and local pub and brew

favorites such as Dieu du Ciel, Brasseurs de

Montreal, and Le Saint-Bock. Admission is free while

tasting coupons can be purchased for a dollar each.

Tasting options cost anywhere from 2 to 8 tasting

coupons and up to 8 oz is served. Details at

http://festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca/en/festivals/mo

ndial_de_la_biere_montreal_2015/.

Celebrate Summer 2015 in

Montreal! A QUICK GUIDE TO ITS EVENTS AND FESTIVALS Summer is always a festive affair in Montreal, and

this year is no different. If you are planning on

staying in Montreal, this is your chance to explore the

city at its peak of celebration. No matter where you

go, there is a wide and eclectic array of activities and

offerings including music festivals, outdoor dancing,

firework competitions, food exhibitions and comedy

galore. Below, we highlight some of the best events

summer 2015 has to offer:

Festival de l'International des Feux Loto-Québec When: End of June to beginning of August Where: La Ronde If you haven’t gotten enough of the stunning firework displays

during the last winter season, don’t worry. The summer edition is

even bigger and more spectacular! Come out to the spectacular

shows presented by the Montreal International Fireworks

Competition held at La Ronde where pyrotechnicians who

represent their countries from around the world compete with

each to see who can blast off the best-designed compositions

while remaining synchronized to the theme of a soundtrack, all in

quest of the prestigious Jupiter Trophy. To get an up and close

view of the fireworks, you can purchase day tickets which are

around $50 – 70 and provide full access to La Ronde’s rides and

roller coasters. If you’d rather save than splurge, there are a few

sweet spots where you can get almost as good a vantage point as

those sitting with the judges at La Ronde without spending a dime:

Parc Jean-Drapeau, Jacques Cartier Bridge (which is better if

you are getting there by car since it’s a bit far off from the

metro), Old Port, and Clock Tower beach. The official website for

2015’s competition is not open yet, but you can check out last

year’s program at http://internationaldesfeuxloto-quebec.com/en/.

Festival International de Jazz de Montreal When: June 26 – July 5 Where: Quartier des spectacles Arguably the most famous music festival of summer in Montreal,

the International Jazz Festival is the world’s largest jazz festival (as

certified by the Guinness World Records!) where renowned

musicians, fans and music aficionados come together to celebrate

the tradition of jazz. Each year 3,000 jazz players, DJs, bluesmen,

rockers and other entertainers grace the stages of numerous

concert halls and outdoor arenas from noon to midnight in more

than 1,000 concerts throughout the ten day event, two thirds of

which are free to the public in outdoor performances. Festival

legends have included Aretha Franklin, Dave Brubeck, Stéphane

Grappelli, Leonard Cohen, and Ella Fitzgerald among other notables.

The lineup of upcoming performers for the 36th edition of the

festival include A Filetta, Chris Botti, Huey Lewis and the News,

Bobby Bazini, and Madeleine Peyroux along with many many more.

Check out the official website for tickets and more information:

http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/default-

en.aspxhttp://www.montrealjazzfest.com/default-en.aspx.

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

13

--By Huachen Guo

14

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

Pros Cons

• Getting it over with, freeing up your future

summers for internships and research

opportunities that come later in your

undergrad career.

• Your scores may expire soon after you

graduate.

• Gaining experience with the test, and giving

yourself lots of time to rewrite it if you

don’t get the scores you want.

• You may not have done all the courses that

teach the material on the test. Additionally,

in the future you may take courses that are

not required for the test, but give useful

background information.

• The tests often examine material from first

and second-year courses, and there are

obvious advantages to writing while the

material is still fresh in your mind.

• Some schools may look at all your scores, so a

bad first score could disadvantage your

application. Look into the schools’ policies

first!

Diagnosis If you’re a first year and you made it this far,

you’re ahead of the game. But I recommend you

take a step further and take a free diagnostic test if

you can find one, especially if it’s administered in

a way that mimics the actual exam. Even if you

don’t plan to take the real thing this year, you get a

good sense of what’s in store for you when you

do, and how much preparation you’ll need.

• Services

(http://www.kaptest.com/)

and

(http://www.princetonreview.com/)

free tests, including real events and online

versions.

• Don’t bother studying before the diagnostic

test, just use it to get an idea of what the

test is like and where you’re starting from.

• Compare your scores to competitive scores

for the programs you’re interested in to

gauge how much time you’ll need to

prepare. If you’re very far off, you may

want to look into a preparation course,

which are offered by several companies.

Deciding to write Decide whether you’d like to write the test this

year. Here are some factors to consider:

What test? The first step is to determine what test you have to

write. Look up the requirements of the program you

want to enter at several schools, since they may differ

in their requirements for a certain test. And if you

want to study abroad, make sure you look at schools

in the right country, since the tests for the same

program may be different from the Canadian

equivalent.

Information Go to the website of the institution that oversees the

test (e.g. AAMC for MCAT) to get official

information about content, length, cost, and dates of

administration.

Summer & the

Standardized Test Whether you want to enter law school, medical

school, graduate school, or another postgraduate

program, there may be a standardized test in your

future. Start thinking about the LSAT, MCAT, or

GRE early on to maximize your score!

:

14

like Kaplan

the Princeton Review

offer

SOUSA newsletter Issue 4

The Test Day Many people advocate relaxing and cutting back

on studying immediately before your test day.

Make sure you’re prepared, with necessary ID,

snacks and water, and whatever other materials

you’re allowed (depends on the test). Get there

early. When it’s over, celebrate! You’ll see your

scores up to a month or so later.

If you don’t write Looking into the test now will help you be ready

when you decide to write it. Now you know it’s

not as scary as rumours make it seem, and you

know where to find resources to help you.

Good luck!

15

Booking As soon as you decide to write the test, book a date. For

example, summer dates fill up fast for the MCAT. By

April 28th, all seats for the whole summer in Quebec and

Ontario were full.

Studying You will probably need study books for your test. If

possible, go look at the different brands (your friends

may have them or you may see them in a bookstore).

Also, check out online reviews. You may be able to

purchase used books on Kijiji, but make sure they’re up

to date! Set up a rigorous schedule for studying so you

will able to get enough hours in before your test day.

SURPASS Team

Huachen Guo

Jollee Fung

Jonathan Reid

--By Jon Reid

Thanks for reading! SOUSA hopes

you had a great year and wishes

you a fantastic summer!