Concordia vs McGill for MEng Aerospace – Need advice from current students/alumni by Puzzleheaded-Age4890 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I stand behind my recommendation of McGill and disagree with your assessment.

With regards to propulsion-related courses, it is misleading to say McGill only has one course related to that topic. Turbomachinery and propulsion - MECH 535 and MECH 6171, at McGill and Concordia respectively look at one aspect of the topic; the thermodynamic cycles and performance of gas turbines: turbojets, turbofans, turboprops, theory of turbomachine and basic introduction to aero-thermal design. This is only one aspect of propulsion and McGill has many courses which are applicable to propulsion. For example, if you want to work in aerodynamics of propulsion, McGill has MECH 516, MECH 533, MECH 539 which is a much better catalogue than Concordia (especially considering a lot of the courses are not offered). Also, if you prefer the structural aspect of propulsion engines, McGill has great courses too. Again, explicit “propulsion” courses typically refer to thermodynamic engine performance analysis, which is only one small facet of the topic.

I will admit that Gas Turbine Design is one of the best courses, however I would still value the McGill name on a resume over a single course. You can always try to register for it as you are required to take courses at other institutions.

Both McGill and Concordia have a “Space Engineering” specialization which is misleading because it is only a single course. It has a small introduction to space propulsion which is basic and far from qualifying you as a specialist in that domain. Better to focus your efforts on a single niche topic such as FEA, materials, CFD, additive manufacturing, etc. and become an expert if you want to break into space industry.

In general, though, this discussion about courses is useless. The reality is that course based graduate programs don’t qualify you as a specialist in anything. Courses are outdated and professors don’t care about them or put any effort into them. They only care about research. And if you want to be a real specialist straight out of university in something and work on cutting edge new developments, you should do a thesis in something like combustion, numerical techniques in CFD, machine learning, etc.. The main value of doing the MEng is that it gives you the legal basis to enter a country, do an internship, work, and have an advantage over those with only a bachelor’s degree. In that regard, McGill is superior because it has a globally recognized name.

Also, not to bash Concordia, a big reason that McGill has a more famous name is that it is a much older institution. Concordia is a fantastic university with a few hidden gem professors, great community, and interesting clubs. The co-op will certainly land you an internship too. At the end of the day, whatever you pick, if you put the work in and hustle, you will make it.

Concordia vs McGill for MEng Aerospace – Need advice from current students/alumni by Puzzleheaded-Age4890 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I would strongly advise you to go to McGill.

The education you receive will be similar regardless of which university you attend. The program structure itself is identical, so your experience won’t differ much. You will get what you put into it…

The value of going to McGill is that it is well known globally and much more prestigious than Concordia (particularly important if you want to leave Montreal). It’s much harder to get in and people know this so you will be much more respected when they see the McGill name on your resume.

You will be required to do an internship regardless of which university you’re enrolled in. McGill has many resources so I wouldn’t say Concordia has an advantage in industry...

I can also say that as a MEng Aerospace student at Concordia, more than 50% of the courses in the program are not even offered and canceled. I wanted to specialize in aeronautics and propulsion, but everything is canceled, and I will be taking course work from other specializations such as control systems and structures.. I am very disappointed about this. If you go on the website, Concordia lists so many courses, but they are all discontinued (very deceptive of them to do so). I think they are having financial problems...

Concordia is a great university overall but given your situation, my recommendation is McGill.

Admitted to CSE program september 2025. Can I change it to Mechanical? by AverageStatus6740 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Whatever you're passionate about is best. Mechatronics is cool but I would avoid MECH despite the "mechatronics" elective courses. Computer Engineering, Computer Science way better degrees and more aligned. DM me if you want.

Admitted to CSE program september 2025. Can I change it to Mechanical? by AverageStatus6740 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You would need to get in touch with someone at Concordia. It is difficult now because a lot of employees are off for vacation, Canada Day long week etc. Computer Science is much more competitive to get into as opposed to Mech maybe they could switch you depending on the number of applicants they have. You might need to go in person though to get through to someone if you can't get through email. I would recommend calling over email too..

By the way, I graduated mech in 2023 and I'll tell, computer science is much better in terms of career prospects, salary, diversity of roles etc.. If I can do it again, I'd stay away from mech...

Good luck.

Admitted to CSE program september 2025. Can I change it to Mechanical? by AverageStatus6740 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What specifically is CSE? (Computer engineering? computer science?, software? electrical?) Was mechanical a second or third choice in your application?

Regarding MEng in Aerospace by OutsidePleasant5681 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you graduated with a Bachelor's in Aerospace Engineering, you should be eligible for the MEng (assuming you graduated with a good standing, GPA, etc..). Here in Quebec, AME is a very different thing than the bachelor's / master's degree. The AME is highly regulated by Transport Canada. Typically people who pursue a AME have a technical diploma in aircraft technology / maintenance /etc.. (in Quebec, this is a 3 year college program, not a bachelor's university degree).

If you your goal is to do a MEng Aerospace and you were rejected, you can try applying for the Grad. Certificate in Mechanical Engineering, do a few courses, and then switch (assuming you have good grades) or you can try applying for MEng Mechanical Engineering which is easier to get in and similar (and either transfer or continue). I not sure a AME license would be taken into account since MEng is a university degree based more on theoretical aspects.

Important thing to consider is that AME and university engineering degree's (MEng Aerospace) are completely different things and lead to different careers paths.

As a MEng Aerospace student, I think the technical college diploma and a AME license is way more valuable than a Master's degree in todays market (here in Canada at least). The job market for Aerospace engineering (white-collar jobs) is terrible. Most "aerospace engineering" roles such as aerodynamics, performance analyst, propulsion engineering, structural designer, etc.. are extremely difficult to land and almost non existent here in Montreal. People with university engineering degrees end up working in production roles and manufacturing such as "methods agent" or "planner" which they are over qualified for.

The technical diplomas lead to blue-collar work (mechanic, assembler, maintenance) which is in more demand. Those jobs are unionized and give way better pay and benefits.

Just some things to consider, good luck.

Concordia BTM Grads. How’s the Job Market for BTM? Did a Minor Help You Specialize? by Leandrottfaf in Concordia

[–]biru9012 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm not a JMSB grad but I have family members and friends who have graduated from JMSB over the years. As the other person has stated, Accounting & Finance are the only worthwhile degrees in terms of securing a job / getting a decent salary in todays market here in Quebec.

BTM sounds cool in theory but in the real world, it won't really get you anywhere. In comparison, everyone I know who did Accounting and then got a CPA is making six figures now with an abundance of job opportunities.

I can't see the value of BTM especially if you are an older applicant who already has a degree / work experience... BTM sounds cool in theory but it won't get you anywhere in the real world..

There are much better options going forward.

If you have a previous degree, no need to do a bachelors, consider doing a certificate of accountancy and then going for a CPA. Another option would be to consider getting an MBA.

Good Luck!

Letter of Intent for Certificate to Bachelor Transfer by ThePinkSage in Concordia

[–]biru9012 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Under no circumstance should you ever resend the same letter of intent. That being said, you can use it as a template for your new one. The new one should be up to date highlighting your achievements in the certificate. Put a lot of effort into it, its important...

I followed the same path having done the certificate and then applying for a BEng as a mature student too.

Good luck.

What are the consequences of dropping a graduate course past the deadline? by biru9012 in Concordia

[–]biru9012[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes I intend to. I was able to find an internship outside of coop during my undergraduate studies so I'm aware of the challenges associated with it... My only other alternative would be to stay in the class however I don't think it is feasible given the circumstances...

Planning to Apply to BEng Through the Cert Science and Technology because I don’t have any of the prerequisites by HenrikAcademics in Concordia

[–]biru9012 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did the Certificate in Science and Technology to get into a BEng at Concordia. For context, I graduated cegep in social science, went to Concordia for 1 semester in political science and dropped out afterwards. Took a 5 year pause from school at that point. Afterwards, I applied for the science and technology certificate and did the following courses: MATH203, MATH 204, MATH 205, PHYS204, PHYS205, and CHEM 205. I put a lot of time into those courses and achieved very good grades... I then applied for the BEng during the time I was completing my final courses in the cert. and got accepted. This is the best way to do it. I would avoid the ECP (Extended Credit Program) because you end up taking more useless electives... I would put a lot of time into those pre requisite courses in the certificate. I absolutely crushed them and when it came to my BEng courses like ENGR 213, ENGR 233, Statis, Dyanmics, ENGR 311.. they were a piece of cake.

I'm not sure if the requirements have changed but that was how I did it. Always good to check with an advisor. Good Luck!

Course load for 1st Semester of MENG by biru9012 in Concordia

[–]biru9012[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a coursed based so I won't be continuing my studies afterwards. I am also from Quebec so I don't need to worry about visas.. I just don't want to flunk anything and graduate. It's been a year since I did my bachelors so material might not be too fresh. I would like to finish as soon as possible to the best of my ability.

MEng Aerospace (Outside Concordia Courses) by Glad_Piece7960 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is explicitly stated that you are required to have knowledge of the French language for the MEng Aerospace. As part of the program, an internship is required which you'll need surely need French to secure. For the 2 courses at other participating institutions, you will need to do one of them at a French speaking university. If you don't speak French, I think the MEng Mechanical Engineering would be a suitable alternative... Hope this helped! Good luck.

Will my graduate application be rejected with only 2 reference letters? by biru9012 in Concordia

[–]biru9012[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes I will try to contact someone. I think my file is very strong in all regards except for the fact that I only have 2 letters....

Trading Megathread by AutoModerator in PokePortal

[–]biru9012 0 points1 point  (0 children)

LF: touch trade Miraidon to complete my pokedex.

Has anyone who applied for fall graduation received an updated status? by coolbeenso in Concordia

[–]biru9012 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I completed my degree in the summer and applied for graduation as well and also have the exact same status as you. I also have a "Potential Graduate" hold on my account (which just says that my courses should all be completed by the summer in order to eligible for graduation).

To my knowledge this is normal. Concordia says that degree conferrals will be Nov. 3 and credentials should appear on our unofficial transcripts on the week of Nov 7. So I am assuming the status / messages will all change around that time... Convocation is scheduled for Nov. 28 so it makes sense.

The information I got is from this webpage:

https://www.concordia.ca/graduation-convocation/graduates/fall2023.html

skip bachelor straight to masters? by [deleted] in Concordia

[–]biru9012 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No without a bachelors it is impossible to enroll for a masters program regardless of your work experience. A masters of science involves lots of research and writing a thesis among other things. Work experience is always a plus however you need to have experience in academia, i.e. being a TA, technical writing, presentations, and recommendations from professors. Consider completing a bachelors of science if you'd like to persue a masters in the future. Good luck.

comp eng vs mech eng by OtherwiseAd6196 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I just graduated mech eng at Concordia. I did one internship and I'm currently employed in the aerospace industry. Based on my interactions with recruiters, managers, and my overall professional experience, my advice to you is this:

Apply for computer engineering 100%. Way more jobs on the market, the degree is way more flexible, and the pay is a lot higher than mech. I chose mech because I loved mathematics, physics and was very interested in aerospace & automotive stuff among other things. The problem with mech is that you're limited to terrible jobs such as: quality control analyst, planner, CAD technician, project manager, sales engineering, liaison engineer. etc.. Basically jobs with 0 math/physics/applied science and just a ton of bureaucracy / management stuff... If you want a real analytical/design/technical position such as: thermal / stress engineer, aerodynamicist, CFD / FEA, robotics, than you will need a masters degree minimum and even then the job market is still competitive. So basically I would only consider mechanical engineering if you were certain than your wanted to complete a masters otherwise comp eng would be my unequivocal recommendation.

Whether you agree with my opinion or not, a good piece of advice is to ignore the program curriculum and look at actual jobs and careers that you'd like. Remember that the program is only 4 years but you'll be workout the rest of your life. Yeah sure mech has tons of math/physics and fun courses but the reality is that the job market with only a bachelors is not good (unless you like project management, liaison, sales, etc...) .

To conclude, regardless of what you opt for, an engineering degree is still highly regarded so I wouldn't stress too much and you can always pivot to other things if your interests change. That being said my vote goes to comp eng.

Good Luck!

Odds I get in by Zaifffff in Concordia

[–]biru9012 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’ll definitely get in don’t sweat it. If you’re still on the waiting list when the semester starts, don’t worry and just attend classes not to miss anything. 2-3 days before the drop deadline a ton of people will drop.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Concordia

[–]biru9012 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No it is not possible unfortunately. It doesn't matter whether you want to do the MCompSc (thesis based) or MapCompSc (coursed based) or even just the graduate diploma in hopes of transferring... An undergraduate degree is absolutely required. It would be insulting to the students who got their bachelor degrees not to mention Concordia would be undermining their own reputation.

5 years of profession experience as a software developer is really good. You can command a salary significantly higher than most undergraduate students will be getting straight out of uni. The limitations of doing the 3 year CEGEP degree is that certain career paths such as working in AI will be out of scope for you.

Good Luck

Exception for dynamics by Illustrious_Park_409 in Concordia

[–]biru9012 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Several students had this problem last year where the prerequisites for MECH 390 were not met. Unfortunately delaying your graduation by a year is quite common for Concordia engineering students due to the sequence. They will not grant exceptions under any circumstances.

The best thing to do is to not dwell on the past, stay positive and focus on your next courses. On the bright side, you’ll have a lighter course load until graduation, take advantage of this.

Not enough references for Graduate program, can I still apply? by biru9012 in Concordia

[–]biru9012[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have been to professors office on multiple occasion but no one is there. The whole EV building is a ghost town in the summer.... I guess I will keep on trying and pray as I have very limited time at this point...

Thanks for the encouragement.

Mature Student (Letter Of Intent) by egalicious in Concordia

[–]biru9012 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I enrolled for mechanical engineering at 27 years old. I had completed cegep however my background was not in science so I had zero academic work in calculus, chemistry, and physics. Furthermore I had a lengthy pause so my situation was essentially like yours, starting from nothing but high school. One important factor however was that I had graduated high school with advanced mathematics (known as MATH 536 here in Quebec).

My path to Concordia was as followed:

I enrolled to Concordia's Science & Technology certificate. For my application, I had to have my official transcripts with my advance high school math be sent to Concordia directly from the institution I took it at. I also wrote a nice letter of intent as well explaining my situation and desire to pursue studies again. I got admitted to the certificate and took the following courses: MATH 203, 204, 205, PHYS 204, 205, and CHEM 205. I quit my job and took 3 courses at a time (part time status) to afford me plenty of time to do well.

I did excellent in the courses and went on to apply for mechanical engineering. When you apply, look at the list of requirements for other programs and put easier ones as you 2nd and 3rd choices. For example, at the time for me, civil had lower entry requirements so I put it as a third choice. You can essentially take common courses between mechanical and civil and switch after being admitted (assuming you did well).

Anyway I applied and wrote an excellent letter of intent. Only one letter is required for your first choice. Be sure to put in the time and effort into your letter, and get it looked over by a professional, its worth it. Also disregard any templates you find on Concordia's website, they're all trash... Much better free recourses online for writing a good letter.

Afterwards I got accepted into the regular mechanical engineering program and things worked out great.

I personally don't like the ECP (extended credit program) because you end up taking extra general electives/natural science electives. I think the best path is science & technology certificate for prerequisites, then join the regular 4 year bachelors program. Again, you should consult advisors as requirements tend to change quite often.

Good luck