My name is Jane Doe and for the 2001-02 school year I was a student of Mount Allison University, ranked by MacLean's magazine as one of the best undergraduate schools in Canada. But is this school everything that it is presented to be? My answer after having experienced it firsthand? Never judge a book by its cover.

Mount Allison claims to be one of the fairest schools when it comes to giving poor students breaks on their tuition. I come from a single parent home and have three younger sisters (all under the age of ten) Mount Allison basically looked at me and laughed. I managed to get books for one course, and that was all that I had last semester. Yet, each month, the faculty had fancy suppers and there was an asphault curb placed to guard a dead tree and some dried grass near the student centre. That could have bought someone a fdew dozen books.

And the professors? Okay, there I will say that most of them are good, but some of them have their heads shoved so far up their asses you are wondering why they aren't talking through their stomaches. They are condenscending and almost rude in their lectures. You think that they would have a bit more respect for those students who are paying their salery.

But best of all, to secure their MacLean's ratings, for yet another year in a row, they have instituted a sped program where many students with low GPAs are forced to go and learn what many of them already know. First year university is going to be harder than high school was. We all know that. And yes, some students do poorly, isn't that to be expected? In the instance of this class, I suggest that it be both voluntary and free. At the moment, you are expect to drop your life and shell out $25 for this. Perhaps so the university can put in more curbs.

We are taught to believe everything we are told and yet to question what society spoonfeeds us. Schools feed us crap about universities and more often then not you don't hear a student's opinion on the school. And if you do, it is usually one that the university has picked (you know the type, athlete, blond, 4.0 grade average, perfect in everyway) who will travel from school to school and tell you the wonders of being trapped in a one stoplight town for the next four years. And the wonders of paying for the pleasure of being there.

Question this. Talk to REAL students. And refuse to be spoonfed ANYTHING about a university, especially this one.

Five Things I Won't Miss About Mount Allison

Have visited here since January 15th, 2002