McGill is a very good university..known as the Harvard of Canada.. if your friend is choosing between okay US school and McGill then Canada it is..but if its a known (doesnt have to be a very well known like Yale and Brown...) then I say US colleges..specially if your friend wants to work in the US..its easier when you got your degree from US college.. PS when I chose college, I didnt want to go to McGill cause its too cold there! LOL.. but there are lot of deciding factors and what you are deciding between. As for McGill I have friends who go there..lot of international crowd there so your friend wont feel left out.