Business School Breakdown: Navigating University Life, Culture & Friendships

Welcome back sista <3 

This week we break down our business school experiences from two of the best business programs in Canada. We break own the course structure, campus life, and business school gossip…Abby went to Queen’s commerce while I did Ivey at Western.

The Application Process

For Abby, the application process consisted of a lot of well thought out Essays. Using her small town upbringing to her advantage Abby’s applications stood out from the average individual. Her biggest piece of advice for those in their application process; Figure out what makes you different from everyone else and use it to differentiate yourself. Take advantage of your extracurriculars, community involvement and your self growth.

Applying to Ivey, after a few years at Western was pretty much the same deal. Obviously, there’s maintaining your grades and then a similar essay portion required. I took advantage of being a part the Cross Country and Track & field team at Western, speaking to being an athlete and being a part of a community an representing the school. Like Abby, I differentiated myself from most other applicants with different that the norm extracurricular.

Course Structure / Learning

The course structures are very similar for commerce and Ivey, difference between the two is that Ivey is a “cased based” learning instead of lectures. You basically learn through a company “story” and their problem or new venture. For both schools, be prepared for a ton of group projects, presentations and really stepping outside of your comfort zone, especially when the prof likes to cold call.

And, if you’ve heard of “The Ivey Curve” yes, it’s so real. Once you’re in, you’re in. 

Our favourite part of the schools structure were the smaller, intimate classes. Abby and I were grateful to be able to get to know our prof & classmates well, similar to high school. In most undergrad programs you are just another face of hundreds.  

The clubs are intimidating, and Abby and I both agree, not our thing. So, if you get to school and have no idea which one to sign up for but the girls beside you know the execs, just know you’re NOT alone and you don’t have to sign up for the club just because other people are.

The Night Life

If you love to party, you will love Western. Wine Wednesday, Ivey Thursday and the list goes on…

For queens, the night life is pretty comparable, maybe unpopular opinion but Abby and I are partial to the bars in Kingston.

Biggest Pieces of Advice to our younger selves enter university:

This might sound cliché but just be yourself. Don’t change your personality to get “in” with a particular group of girls that consider themselves “popular”… its crazy that I popularity was still a topic coming out of my fifth year of university, but for some reason it never goes away.  

Abby’s piece of advice is to stick it out. Let’s be real, its going to be hard and there are going to be a lot of highs and lows. But once you are able to look back on them, they are so minor and it’ll only make you stronger.