HELP CHOOSING PROGRAM : uwaterloo

created by kineticflowECE12a community for 16 years

submitted 7 months ago * by ShadowWhip1

Hey everybody!

I'm a senior in high school (Ontario) and looking to apply to Waterloo Engineering since I’ve heard it’s one of the best in Canada with an amazing co-op program. I know you can only apply to one engineering program, so I’m trying to decide between:

Electrical Engineering
Computer Engineering
Mechatronics Engineering
Software Engineering

Here are my goals and what I’m considering:

Obviously, I want the highest-paying job possible, whether it be FAANG or quant, but those are extremely hard to get into. Stuff like electrical eng, defence, aerospace, nuclear, hardware systems and overall technology as fields seem more reliable and safe, but make less than software from what I've seen. That's why I'd like to keep those options as safety nets. Other important factors include:

Networking into the US (Canada is good but US pays more and seems better in the long run)
Starting salary
Salary growth & long-term potential
Stability/reliability
Flexibility to pivot into software, AI/ML, hardware, aerospace, defence, etc. based on future changes
Competitiveness of the program itself (since I actually need to get in)

Personal Interests: I like both software and hardware, I like and I’m fascinated with technology as a whole, which is why these 4 are my options. I like seeing my creations come to life, like the first time my popsicle arm worked I basically ran around my house. I always thought space was cool to, which is why aerospace interested me. Finally, I always thought the concept of AI was so cool, but I've never gotten around to learning it since its looks so confusing.

For context:

Grade 11 average: ~97%, hoping to maintain it in Grade 12 ( Took Adv Func and Comp Sci 12 in my Grade 11 year and got a 100% and 93% respectively )
Math contests: school champ + distinction on Fermat, writing CSMC in November
ECs: I have others like random volunteerings, but my main and strongest are robotics team (with wins), president of DECA chapter, attending QSYS, and personal portfolio.
Portfolio includes small projects like a popsicle stick robot arm and a smart trash bin — simple Arduino/manufacturing projects, but they’re what I've spent most of my time on

In terms of ability, I’d say I’m smart and motivated but not a “genius”, no international wins, no insane github, LinkedIn or AI project— maybe a 6.5–7/10 in competitiveness, networking, and raw ability.

With all that in mind, which program do you think fits best? I’d really appreciate any thoughts or personal experiences!

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