Sciences Po & Berkeley [CAD$250k] vs University of Toronto [CAD$100k]
Context: Canadian from Toronto area. I’ve recently gotten interested in public sector & comms. consulting in the past year; I am still very interested in politics but I’d like to keep my options optimized if I do end up pursuing consulting. My goal to work in NYC/DC, not Canada, and I will do whatever I can to aim for that, including aiming for US + Canada dual citizenship before I am 35.
I am fully aware that it will be difficult or impossible to work in the USA, especially public sector, as a non citizen.
I’m not 10000% sure I want to pursue grad school. Grad school isn’t guaranteed and I’d only do it if necessary.
Majors:
SciencesPo/Berkeley: Government, Econ (2 bachelors degrees)
UofT: Public Policy & Governance, Econ + Urban Studies
TLDR:
Which scenario would be optimal:
- Sciences Po B.A., Berkeley B.A. (Political Econ) (2 years + 2 years + work experience, unless recruited from undergrad) ($250k CAD)
- UofT B.A. with an MBA or MPA/MPP/Related Master’s in a top target in the USA (4 years + work experience + 2/3 years ) (Max. $100k + 200k for a potentially unfunded Master's degree?)
Do play it safe or take a risk? I do not want to regret not taking the leap in the future and am looking to see if the boost from Berkeley as a Target in consulting would be worth it, as an international - my main point of hesitation is that I might not want it, or make it, after 4 years (i am still a small-brained 18yr old)
I like the idea of doing 1 bachelor degree, finding your path and then considering potential options after as you mention.
Unless you've got a rich family, 250k is a lot to shell out here. Unless there's some really good alumni of this program. Do you have to add living expenses for Sciences Po whereas Toronto you can live at home?
I also like the idea of exploring my options (A bit scared of locking into consultancy) but I'm so scared that I'll be pigeonholing myself into Canada since I've read so many stories of people who wish they went into consulting from a target undergrad (which I have the opportunity to go to)
My parents may be selling assets (shoutout GTA housing market!). It's still a burden obviously, but we aren't going into debt.
I have a list of the alumni and it seems they're mainly European or Californian, so most get jobs in French/Euro govts. or work for consulting/tech/govt in the US. I suspect a large chunk of them are already from rich families....lol
I live too far from UofT to live at home, and Sciences Po housing is cheaper than UofT housing by a mile lol.
A breakdown of the costs for the dual degree is:
Berkeley co-op housing is about $11k USD per year. $22k all in all. A conservative estimate for my time at Berkeley would be $130k USD or $178k CAD plus flights/other costs.
Sciences Po is $45k CAD for tuition, $12k CAD for housing both years, $10k for living expenses, plus additional costs. A conservative estimate would be $72k CAD, making the total $250k CAD.
These are all figures I got from current students who are also international/out of state in the program.
Good thing about consulting is there is lots of exits, so you aren't really locked.
The bigger uncertainty for me is your right to work. Do you even get a proper graduate visa from USA/France(EU), given the programs are 2 years but you get a full degree?
While both programs are super targets in their geographies, I'm not sure how that affects you coming back to Canada. Obviously if you can land something in the states Berkley is a good name.
I meant locked in during my undergrad to go into consulting right after. Never rlly considered consulting up until like 8-9 months ago when I applied to colleges.
I will have a STEM-OPT visa that will give me work authorization in the US for 3 years I believe - also, being Canadian, I can work in the USA with a TN1 visa at a consulting firm with no sponsorship, just a job offer
I do not want to come back to Canada. I'd like to reside permanently in the US if possible... hoping that a job in a good consulting firm could facilitate that.
Is UofT truly good for consulting? Ivey and Queens Smiths is def. better lol but if I can likely transfer from Toronto office -> NYC office from a firm post-undergrad then say less lmao way less risk in that plan I think
I just talked to the dual degree coordinator... there is no guarantee I'd get a job post-grad but it's definitely possible and it's happened before - I've talked to several international-born alumni of this program now who have all told me the same thing, if I focus on making a consulting firm I could probably be able to get a job in one (maybe not MBB, but I will not be unemployed).
But at one point I will need a grad/professional degree from a US school. What path would be realistic and take me there with the least cost + urgency?
Berkeley → US employment → Sponsored degree
UofT → Canadian employment → US internal transfer → Sponsored degree
UofT → Canadian employment → full-pay/scholarship/fellowship degree
To be honest, ideally I'd love to take the path of uoft undergrad -> consulting in the US, since I'd get to explore a lot more at UofT with less pressure and I'd be more comfortable. But it is still hard to pass up this opportunity to possibly get American employment out of undergrad, even if it is not guaranteed... It's just a question of whether my safer path is realistic... (45% of recent MBB hires were straight from undergrad right?)
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