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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 6/2/2011
Posts: 209
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I chose Schulich
And in my opinion, Schulich should be considered one of the "Big 3", not McGIll.
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 3/11/2012
Posts: 124
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I've never even heard of the term "Big 3"... Sounds like subliminal uni bashing.
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Rank: Frosh  Joined: 12/19/2010 Posts: 47
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Never heard of the Big 3 either, and if anything I feel it should be Ivey/Schulich/Queens. As for your post, I have a friend who turned down those schools and opted for Rotman; good campus, good connections in Toronto, internationally known (esp. MBA), etc. Western University of Canada
BMOS - Honors Specialization in Finance
AEO - Richard Ivey School of Business
Goal: Ivey HBA + J.D. Law Dual Degree, Class of 2017
Summer Intern at Deloitte
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President  Joined: 4/11/2011 Posts: 924
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I actually don't know anyone from my school choosing Schulich/Rotman over QC/Ivey, if they were offered admission, but I'm sure there's a whole lot on this forum. I'm guessing its mostly because of costs, Ivey tuition is stupidly high, and commuting saves a lot of money. Otherwise, its hard to justify going to Ivey/Queens/Desautels if one is trying to pursue something like a CA designation, which Schulich is already excellent for. That being said, its a matter of future prospects, if you want to do finance, go to Ivey, etc. Queen's admission process is also kinda unpredictable, so a lot of qualified applicants didn't even get offers. University of Waterloo: Systems Design Engineering
Class of 2017
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Rank: Valedictorian
Joined: 5/27/2011
Posts: 565
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Waterloo isn't one of the "Big 3" you're referring to, or even the "Big 3" (Ivey/QC/Schulich) some people on this thread were thinking of. I chose it because I want to go into accounting, and Waterloo is >= the Big 3 for accounting, and I personally prefer Waterloo.
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 4/7/2011
Posts: 148
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I decided to go to UBC rather than the "Big 3" of 3 main reasons: 1. Huge scholarship from UBC 2. I wanted to go to a university where I didn't know anyone. There's a lot of people from my school going to Queen's and Western so I didn't want to go despite their prestigious business programs. 3. My family and I originally came from Hong Kong, and I want to start a career there instead of in Canada for several reasons. UBC is more well known in Hong Kong and China than Queens and Western. UBC Sauder '16
McGill University - Arts [accepted]
McGill University - Commerce [accepted]
Queens University - Commerce [accepted] - Chancellor's Recipient
Laurier/Waterloo DD - BBA/Computer Science [accepted]
University of Toronto - Commerce [accepted]
York University - Schulich BBA [accepted]
University of British Columbia - Finance [accepted] - Major Entrance Scholarship Recipient: $40,000
University of Waterloo - Math/CA [accepted]
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Rank: Valedictorian Joined: 12/24/2010 Posts: 624
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I think the "Big 3" illusion isn't as alive as it is in the U.S... Even then, I feel like those three schools are only particularly "Big" for finance. I think for an undergraduate who wants to stay in Canada, Schulich > McGill. The University of Western Ontario
Class of 2015
BMOS with AEO Status
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Rank: Valedictorian
Joined: 3/22/2011
Posts: 521
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlZ0bFbM8kI ;) This solely depends on one's goals. University is a unique experience for everyone and any of these schools could be better that the other ones, depending on the prospective. I chose Schulich because it is one of the top schools: great reputation, growing network (not as old as Queen's or Ivey, but very established due to its MBA program), perfect location for me (active networked), cheap (free with my internal + external scholarships), great student body and culture and it is gaining momentum (in 16ish years it got to the same level as Queen's; I am excited to be a part of this change and look forward to helping build this school to be #1 in the next decade). PM if you have any questions with regards to school, university, jobs, etc. I am glad to help out and share what I know. Dmitry Kutsyy iBBA ’15 (Candidate), Dean’s Honour List | Schulich School of Business Ambassador | Schulich School of Business Research Assistant Lead | Schulich School of Business Mentor | Schulich Protege Program Sales Consultant | Hugo Boss LinkedIn
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 2/18/2012
Posts: 30
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MINTOK wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlZ0bFbM8kI ;)
I laughed more than I should of from that video. Laurier BBA/BA - Class of 2017
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 6/2/2011
Posts: 209
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TheReem wrote:erudite wrote:I chose Schulich
And in my opinion, Schulich should be considered one of the "Big 3", not McGIll. You never answered my question. Why did you choose Schulich? When I was applying to schools (2009-2010), "Big 3" was a big thing, as these were the school that received consistent recruiting efforts from firms in New York. The reason I ask is because the Big 3 receive more international recruiting (despite Schulich's iBBA), have rich history & tradition, and have top faculties. I guess Schulich has cheaper tuition, a better location, and could present a lot of opportunities to the proactive networker, but that's maybe 5% of the population. Oh. I'm not really interested in international recruiting though and finance isn't something I'm interested in going to. I plan on staying in Canada and working towards a CA designation, which is something Schulich is well-known for. There are quite a number of people who have turned down Waterloo AFM, Ivey and Queens for Schulich this year. Queens is too much of a hassle for me...yes it's a great school, but I don't think its worth the distance and cost. Something like rez experience and "tradition" isn't a factor at all for me. And I know many people are extremely turned off by Ivey's 2+2. And honestly, I don't know anything about McGill lmao. It's not accredited by ICAO so I didn't look into it. :P And Waterloo AFM is too specialized for me. I don't think I could go wrong with Schulich.
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 3/11/2012
Posts: 124
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TheReem wrote:jelly wrote:I actually don't know anyone from my school choosing Schulich/Rotman over QC/Ivey, if they were offered admission, but I'm sure there's a whole lot on this forum. I'm guessing its mostly because of costs, Ivey tuition is stupidly high, and commuting saves a lot of money. Otherwise, its hard to justify going to Ivey/Queens/Desautels if one is trying to pursue something like a CA designation, which Schulich is already excellent for. That being said, its a matter of future prospects, if you want to do finance, go to Ivey, etc. Queen's admission process is also kinda unpredictable, so a lot of qualified applicants didn't even get offers. To put things of being "unpredictable" in perspective, in one of my class groups, every single one of us (6), were high school student council presidents or senior executives. Basically anybody who weren't very, very smart (95%+, IB, AP), were on varsity sport teams, student council, and had been a part of (inter)national volunteer initiatives. Other trends i noticed: top private schools, parents graduated from Queen's, extenuating circumstances, job experience Sure, you can have a 90% average, have stacked 300 volunteer hours at your local library, and maybe you even directed the school's talent shows and concerts while working part time at a local store. You're perfectly qualified, but guess what? J attended FHCI until 11th grade, where he was the treasurer of the student council, and a co-captain on the football team. Every summer since the 9th grade, he has interned at a Seven Sister law firm where his dad is a partner. He was also able to run a financially successful fundraising campaign thanks to the generosity of the residents of FH. In the 12th grade, his parents sent him to Neuchatel, where he broadened his wealth of knowledge in the French language and the Swiss culture. During one of the summers, he was also part of the Shad Valley program. To top it off, J's mom is a graduate of Queen's Commerce, while his dad is a graduate of Queen's Law. Even though you're perfectly qualified, and have potential to become a leader, J is a better candidate because he has evidence of his leadership, rather than just potential. It's in his genes to be successful, and Queen's would rather invest in a student who is more likely to be in a position to support the school in the future. Interacting with my colleagues at Queen's, there are no "surprises". You're either intellectually gifted, or you have other assets, whether it be leadership, charisma, athleticism, or experience. So for you to insist that the admission is "unpredictable", you speak out of ignorance, rather than knowledge. Which makes it all the more funny when in the end, the majority of Queen's Commerce grads are getting the same jobs as grads from any other university. And since when did universities start doing background checks on their applicants?
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Rank: Senior Student  Joined: 12/24/2011 Posts: 87
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TheReem wrote:jelly wrote:I actually don't know anyone from my school choosing Schulich/Rotman over QC/Ivey, if they were offered admission, but I'm sure there's a whole lot on this forum. I'm guessing its mostly because of costs, Ivey tuition is stupidly high, and commuting saves a lot of money. Otherwise, its hard to justify going to Ivey/Queens/Desautels if one is trying to pursue something like a CA designation, which Schulich is already excellent for. That being said, its a matter of future prospects, if you want to do finance, go to Ivey, etc. Queen's admission process is also kinda unpredictable, so a lot of qualified applicants didn't even get offers. To put things of being "unpredictable" in perspective, in one of my class groups, every single one of us (6), were high school student council presidents or senior executives. Basically anybody who weren't very, very smart (95%+, IB, AP), were on varsity sport teams, student council, and had been a part of (inter)national volunteer initiatives. Other trends i noticed: top private schools, parents graduated from Queen's, extenuating circumstances, job experience Sure, you can have a 90% average, have stacked 300 volunteer hours at your local library, and maybe you even directed the school's talent shows and concerts while working part time at a local store. You're perfectly qualified, but guess what? J attended FHCI until 11th grade, where he was the treasurer of the student council, and a co-captain on the football team. Every summer since the 9th grade, he has interned at a Seven Sister law firm where his dad is a partner. He was also able to run a financially successful fundraising campaign thanks to the generosity of the residents of FH. In the 12th grade, his parents sent him to Neuchatel, where he broadened his wealth of knowledge in the French language and the Swiss culture. During one of the summers, he was also part of the Shad Valley program. To top it off, J's mom is a graduate of Queen's Commerce, while his dad is a graduate of Queen's Law. Even though you're perfectly qualified, and have potential to become a leader, J is a better candidate because he has evidence of his leadership, rather than just potential. It's in his genes to be successful, and Queen's would rather invest in a student who is more likely to be in a position to support the school in the future. Interacting with my colleagues at Queen's, there are no "surprises". You're either intellectually gifted, or you have other assets, whether it be leadership, charisma, athleticism, or experience. So for you to insist that the admission is "unpredictable", you speak out of ignorance, rather than knowledge. I got accepted to Queen's Commerce with my best ECs being DECA in Grade 12 and Exec of a club in Grade 12 :/ I'm pretty sure Queen's just messes up its acceptances a lot…. Applying to: Queen's Commerce {Accepted}Schulich BBA {Accepted}Laurier BBA {Accepted}Rotman Commerce {Rejected- Never Did PS} --> UTM Commerce {Accepted}DeGroote Business {Accepted} Class of 2016
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Rank: Senior Student  Joined: 5/11/2012 Posts: 274
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It seems like IVEY is the hardest to get into, so that must count for something  Serious BusinessYork- African Studies --> RejectedNippissing- Commerece --> RejectedLaurentian- Communication --> RejectedAlgoma- Anishinaabemowin --> WaitingUofT- Engineering Science --> Waiting (Pleasee)
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 6/9/2012
Posts: 1
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I have been accepted to McGill and Queen's (scholarship for both; didn't apply to Ivey), but I opted for Rotman instead (background information on myself: 90+ overall average, diploma IB student, 300+ hours of volunteer experience, self-employed, have quite a few awards - regional, provincial, national, and international - for various extra-curricular activities and sports - most notably, Speech - Chinese and English-, basketball, and Junior Achievement Company Program). Honestly, I think all schools provide a decent education - for me, there is no such thing as the 'Top 3 in Business'. Honestly speaking, 'Top 3 in business' almost sounds arrogant to me. Yes, these schools provide good opportunities for students, but they only provide opportunities. It's up to the individual to take make full use of it. Not all students are suitable for schools - I think it's important to look past the whole 'prestige' thing, and actually find a school that is suitable for you. (I am in no way denouncing the 'Top 3' that you listed; simply stating my opinion).
I chose Rotman because I feel that UT is more suitable for me. It's tough to describe, but I feel more at ease and more at 'home' there (no, I am not an Ontario student either). You'll know the feeling once you experience it. If I am going to spend the next four years at a school, I may as well pick a school that I love, right? Another factor that pushed my decision for Rotman was because of the location - downtown Toronto. Toronto is the financial hub of Canada; even though UT does not provide co-op for business, the location itself allows for extensive networking. Plus, Toronto is a big city. I'll have fun there. c:
Furthermore, Toronto is internationally recognized. If I do ever plan on working abroad, I know that my education background will be acknowledged. As well, UT is fairly well-rounded in terms of the programs it provides (it's not just known as a 'business' school, whereas Queen's is pretty much mostly known for it's business school), and the massive size of its student body allows for more networking with people who may potentially be the top of their field later on.
Even though I like Queen's (undeniably great program and a wonderful, tight-knit community), and McGill (Montreal is a beautiful city; very cultured and fun festivals all year round), I still feel that Toronto is a more suitable fit for me. I think I was very lucky, because I found my 'perfect' school before I went to university. Hopefully, you'll find (if you have not already) your perfect fit too. c:
TL; DR:
Most of the universities that people are considering on this forum provide a decent business program (no such thing as a 'bad' business program). Pick the school that suits you best.
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 2/18/2012
Posts: 30
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TheReem wrote:I am curious.. If you had an offer from McGill/Queen's/Ivey but chose to attend another school, how come? I am particularly interested in Schulich/Rotman attendees as they don't offer co-op, as other schools do (Waterloo, Laurier, UTSC).
Thxz It all depends on what career you are trying to pursue. I have classmates that want to get their CA and chose waterloo or laurier over mcGill/queen's/ivey (waterloo= skip 2/3 accounting exams and laurier= most UFE gold medal winners + access to CATO jobs). Also a few wanted an actuarial designations and choose UofT and waterloo. mcGill/queen's/ivey may have a better international reputation but to many it doesn't matter because designations like the CA, CFA, CBV are already internationally recognized. It seems like a lot of students are seduced by mcGill/queen's/ivey reputation/name but aren't sure to why exactly they are so renowned in the first place and how those programs will help them with their career goals. Laurier BBA/BA - Class of 2017
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President Joined: 4/11/2011 Posts: 924
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TheReem wrote:
To put things of being "unpredictable" in perspective, in one of my class groups, every single one of us (6), were high school student council presidents or senior executives. Basically anybody who weren't very, very smart (95%+, IB, AP), were on varsity sport teams, student council, and had been a part of (inter)national volunteer initiatives. Other trends i noticed: top private schools, parents graduated from Queen's, extenuating circumstances, job experience
Sure, you can have a 90% average, have stacked 300 volunteer hours at your local library, and maybe you even directed the school's talent shows and concerts while working part time at a local store. You're perfectly qualified, but guess what?
J attended FHCI until 11th grade, where he was the treasurer of the student council, and a co-captain on the football team. Every summer since the 9th grade, he has interned at a Seven Sister law firm where his dad is a partner. He was also able to run a financially successful fundraising campaign thanks to the generosity of the residents of FH. In the 12th grade, his parents sent him to Neuchatel, where he broadened his wealth of knowledge in the French language and the Swiss culture. During one of the summers, he was also part of the Shad Valley program. To top it off, J's mom is a graduate of Queen's Commerce, while his dad is a graduate of Queen's Law.
Even though you're perfectly qualified, and have potential to become a leader, J is a better candidate because he has evidence of his leadership, rather than just potential. It's in his genes to be successful, and Queen's would rather invest in a student who is more likely to be in a position to support the school in the future.
Interacting with my colleagues at Queen's, there are no "surprises". You're either intellectually gifted, or you have other assets, whether it be leadership, charisma, athleticism, or experience. So for you to insist that the admission is "unpredictable", you speak out of ignorance, rather than knowledge.
I'm sure there are many outstanding Queen's Commerce students, but realistically, how many of the total students did as much as "J"? I'm sure J is amazing and has huge potential, but how many Js are out there? If QC was to fill their program, I highly doubt they'd find that many Js. I know someone who was admitted with pretty much some random volunteer hours and some experience on a Junior Achievement Company, some retaken/private school marks. I wouldn't exactly say I'm ignorant, there is unpredictability all across the board - I just found it, in my opinion, most prominent in Queen's Commerce admissions. I've heard of many brilliant students being turned down from Queen's, accepted to other schools. If you look around the business forum, you will even find some people admitted to internationally renowned schools and yet? No Queen's admission. I actually know a bunch of bright individuals in Ivey HBA who weren't admitted to Queen's out of high school. And here they are, top of their class, getting opportunities to work in places all across the world. Accepted to literally every other program they've applied to, and yet, no Queen's. I'd call that unpredictable. Don't get me wrong, Queen's Commerce is a world-class program. I just don't think they have a perfect admissions process and there were some very qualified applicants that, in my humble and probably insignificant opinion, should have gotten in. University of Waterloo: Systems Design Engineering
Class of 2017
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 5/20/2012
Posts: 37
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Best experience ever. UBC Sauder student.
Major: Finance
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 9/10/2011
Posts: 26
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I got into queens commerce and Waterloo afm-pa but I chose rotman commerce because I really love Toronto (I live about 40 minutes away right now), international uni name (they harp on this so much) and I want to be a CA. queens is really nice but Kingston is too small, that extra diploma thing you need to get if you want to get your CA, the distance, and the iffy, possibly racist student body? i just felt more comfortable in Toronto. I didn't choose Waterloo because I hated the campus and city, and the student life seems really boring and nerdy. queen's commerce - accepted
u of t st. george rotman commerce, victoria college - accepted
waterloo AFM CA co op - accepted
leaning towards rotman right now.. but that changes about 3 times a day
how am i ever going to make a decision?
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Rank: Frosh  Joined: 6/4/2012 Posts: 31
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SophiaG wrote:I got into queens commerce and Waterloo afm-pa but I chose rotman commerce because I really love Toronto (I live about 40 minutes away right now), international uni name (they harp on this so much) and I want to be a CA. queens is really nice but Kingston is too small, that extra diploma thing you need to get if you want to get your CA, the distance, and the iffy, possibly racist student body? i just felt more comfortable in Toronto. I didn't choose Waterloo because I hated the campus and city, and the student life seems really boring and nerdy. Rotman Commerce is just as "nerdy" as UW AFM, btw. lol. More people speak Mando fluently in RC than English. Queen's Commerce 2014
Major in Information Systems & Management Accounting
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 9/10/2011
Posts: 26
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TheReem wrote:SophiaG wrote:I got into queens commerce and Waterloo afm-pa but I chose rotman commerce because I really love Toronto (I live about 40 minutes away right now), international uni name (they harp on this so much) and I want to be a CA. queens is really nice but Kingston is too small, that extra diploma thing you need to get if you want to get your CA, the distance, and the iffy, possibly racist student body? i just felt more comfortable in Toronto. I didn't choose Waterloo because I hated the campus and city, and the student life seems really boring and nerdy. Rotman Commerce is just as "nerdy" as UW AFM, btw. lol. More people speak Mando fluently in RC than English. speaking mandarin =/= nerdy in fact this sort of prejudiced belief is the kind of thing that contributed to me not choosing queens. waterloo is known for their engineering/math/accounting programs. the best students there are engineering/math/accounting students, people in their arts programs are just rejects from schools with more prestigious artsci programs. u of t has strong students in every program. i wanted a student body that was strong academically, but still knew how to have fun, had some creative students. waterloo doesn't seem like a fun school. u of t students are academically responsible but still know how to let loose. queen's commerce - accepted
u of t st. george rotman commerce, victoria college - accepted
waterloo AFM CA co op - accepted
leaning towards rotman right now.. but that changes about 3 times a day
how am i ever going to make a decision?
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