Volume 29 - Number 8 - Thursday, January 16, 1997


Rated by the Review

Maclean's isn't the only publication out there ranking universities. In fact McGill places number one overall in one of the categories listed in the Princeton Review's new Student Advantage Guide to the Best 310 Universities. It's a dubious honour, though. The Princeton Review editors claim that of the best 310 universities in North America, McGill is the school where class discussions are most rare. Professors pontificate and students keep their lips zipped, says the publication.

McGill and the University of Toronto are the only Canadian universities mentioned in the book, the latest in the popular Princeton Review series of university guidebooks.

The Review surveys 100 students at each of the universities it features to arrive at its conclusions. The McGill students who talked to the Princeton Review team gave Montreal a glowing recommendation--the city is ranked as the fourth best college town in North America.

The University of Toronto might best us in Maclean's, but it's given a rough ride by the Princeton Review. Toronto places third in "professors suck all life from the material," sixth in "professors make themselves scarce," and fifth in "class discussions rare."

On the whole, McGill fares well. The University's high academic standards draw praise from the students questioned, as does the diversity of McGill's student body and the friendly way in which most students interact. One student expressed his general satisfaction with the University "except for the strange trend for those living away from home to slowly turn vegetarian. I hate feeling guilty for [wanting] a good steak."








[ PHOTO: OWEN EGAN ]

Star prospect stays put

It was the kind of opportunity hundreds of young hockey players would kill for--the chance to play for an NHL club's farm team where, if you did well, a single phone call could propel you into "the bigs."

McGill Redmen star Pierre Gendron says he'd rather finish his studies first.

Don't get the third-year physical education student wrong--it was a wrenching decision. "I thought, what if this is my only chance? Sometimes the train only passes by once." But Gendron, who currently leads all Canadian university hockey players in scoring with 44 points in 16 games, decided to take that chance.

He was recently offered a contract by the NHL's Dallas Stars to play for their top farm team, the International Hockey League's Michigan K-Wings, for the remainder of the IHL season.

"I didn't want to [leave] my teammates right in the middle of the season," explains Gendron. "There are a lot of veterans on the team in their last year--a lot of guys who know this is our last chance to make something happen in the playoffs. This is a talented team--we have a shot at doing really well. Also, I wanted to complete my degree--that was very important to me."

The speedy centre has an abundance of hockey skills, says Redmen coach Martin Raymond. "He has excellent vision, good hockey sense and great hands. Pierre is a fierce competitor who plays with a lot of intensity."

Canadian university hockey doesn't generally produce many NHL players--Vancouver Canucks centre Mike Ridley and Anaheim Mighty Ducks centre Steve Rucchin are two notable exceptions. Raymond thinks Gendron has a legitimate shot.

"He will be playing pro hockey somewhere next year," says Raymond. "He was offered a contract this summer to play professionally in Europe and now Michigan is interested in him. Word is spreading."






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