There has been a surge in applications from U.S. students to universities and colleges in Canada. This comes after president-elect Donald Trump won the 2016 election and will be coming to office soon.
The AP, via CBC News, reported that universities from Quebec to British Columbia have experienced an increase in its applications and website traffic from the United States. Apparently, this all began when Trump was announced to become the next president of the U.S. on Nov. 8.
While Canadian universities and colleges have increased their efforts in recruiting American students, some experts believe that distress over the results of the presidential election played a major role in the spike. There have been several concerns on what is to be expected during Trump's presidency.
A lot of universities and colleges in the U.S. have stood up against the president-elect's plans regarding immigration. Specifically, schools have vowed to protect undocumented students who will be negatively affected if ever Donald Trump repeals Obama's executive orders, which possibly includes the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy.
17-year-old Lara Godolf, from Napa, Calif., is also worried about Trump's looming presidency. She is especially concerned about how the president-elect's administration will make campuses less safe for women by easing enforcement of federal rules against sexual assault. She has applied in four schools in Canada.
It was noted that applications from U.S. students to the University of Toronto has increased 70 percent as compared to last year's figure. More Canadian schools have also seen a surge by at least 20 percent in American applications.
According to Mic, Jennifer Peterman, a senior manager of global undergraduate recruitment at Montreal's McGill University, there are other factors that may be attracting students to the Canadian institution. The cost of living in Canada as well as McGill's diversity are said to be two of the main reasons that students flock to the university.
Last January, TIME noted that McGill has been consistent in having the largest share of U.S. students.
