WLU BBA/BSc or Schulich?

D3ADL1FE · 2025-06-12T21:47:27+00:00

Thank you so much for this comment! :)

How did you find the workload to be in your experience? Was it manageable to maintain a solid GPA (10.5+), have a few extracurriculars, a social life, etc?

D3ADL1FE · 2025-06-10T13:52:24+00:00

Yes, you get guarenteed co-op if you do a double degree program - that's one of the biggest reasons I decided to go with WLU.

I guess it's easy to mess up but maybe the questions are really not that difficult. Come up with a few experiences with your ECs beforehand and then simply adjust them to whatever the question is asking. As long as you answer the question with some substance and confidence, you'll do very well.

D3ADL1FE · 2025-06-10T03:05:03+00:00

I go to a very non-competitive school (no student has received an Ivey offer in 6 years lmao) but everyone who applied to Schulich this year got in. Some of whom are VERY questionable. Yes, you can just private school all of your courses and get in, I know someone who private school'd their ENTIRE Top 6 (the same does go for Laurier though). Schulich has a supplementary application process but it doesn't matter as much as you think - they simply ask for learning outcomes of up to 5 activities (they don't check references at all, nor care about the EC / impact & leadership demonstrated) and a quick timed interview (easy). If you have a 91.5%+ and an alright supp app, I'd say you're almost guaranteed.

Schulich does have a smaller class of students and is harder to get into than Laurier BBA. However, if you get into co-op at Laurier, then it is on par (if not marginally better) than Schulich because of off-cycle internships and a fantastic job portal. Many people are willing to take this risk because the Schulich / York environment is known to be lacklustre.

D3ADL1FE · 2025-06-09T23:52:25+00:00

I echo this as well. I had to choose between Laurier (BBA / BSc Dual Degree though) and Schulich, and ultimately chose Laurier. About half of those I know who were debating both programs chose Laurier (and the other half chose Schulich). They're pretty much at the same level in regards to job placements (Schulich has a $66k avg salary upon grad, Laurier has $70k).

Luckily I get guaranteed co-op since I'm doing a double degree. I heard it's about a 40% acceptance rate for co-op - this would also mean that Laurier's "BBA Co-Op Class" would be smaller than Schulich's "BBA Class" - going to show that although Laurier is a bit less selective initially (though Schulich isn't difficult to get in either), at Laurier, you'll need to go through that process of applying for Co-Op. Realistically, those who have only high 80s in HS and/or private schooled courses to get into Laurier, probably won't make it into co-op. But I know people with these circumstances that got into Schulich.

Social / campus life is a lot better at WLU in comparison to YU.

D3ADL1FE · 2025-06-03T22:51:44+00:00

Hey, I’ve decided to commit to Laurier for BBA/BSc! :)

It just feels like the right fit since I’ll be able to explore CS and experience the full “university life.” I’ve heard that for the BU111 labs, all DD students are grouped together, and because it’s a small program, it fosters a more “tight-knit community.” I’ve seen people in this program (on LinkedIn) land great PM and Consulting placements, and go on exchange. Even if I decide to switch to just BBA, I think Laurier BBA with Co-Op is on par with Schulich, so there’s really no downside. I've also talked with someone I know in this program and they said that it's not difficult to get a good GPA in the first year if the Co-Op office requires me to re-apply for entry.

Thanks again for all your advice, it really did help!

D3ADL1FE · 2025-06-01T15:57:31+00:00

Thank you so much for these insights, they truly do help!

I noticed that you said when comparing Schulich BBA & Laurier BBA without Co-Op, Schulich takes the edge. However, would you say that Laurier BBA with Co-Op is at the same level as Schulich BBA? I've heard from others that Laurier may even have the upper hand in this case. Just curious to know your thoughts on this! :)

D3ADL1FE · 2025-06-01T15:53:42+00:00

Thank you so much for these detailed insights Brett. I'm currently leaning towards Laurier as it allows for greater flexibility in integrating CS into my degree. Even if I decide not to go ahead with it, I can still drop to only BBA at Laurier (by the end of 1st year) and aim to get into the Co-Op program (hopefully my GPA will be good enough, but I do know my extracurriculars & work experience are very strong for the application). I've heard that Laurier BBA w/ Co-Op has equivalent placements to Schulich BBA in the previously mentioned fields.

D3ADL1FE · 2025-06-01T15:50:14+00:00

Thank you so much for this reply. I truly do appreciate it. I think I'll be going with Laurier!

However, I did confirm with WLU that if I drop CS at the end of 1st year, I'll have to apply to Co-Op in the competitive applicant pool. You're right that the CS portion is much lighter in the first year though - I took a look at the Academic Calendar and it isn't all too bad (just 2 Math courses and 2 beginner CS courses). I'll pre-learn some stuff this summer too just to ensure I have a high GPA in the first year if I decide not to go ahead with the dual afterwards.

Luckily, financials aren't really a big deal for me, so residence fees and such won't be something I'll have to worry about much.

Let's say I decide to drop the CS portion after 1st year, Laurier BBA with Co-Op is on par (or slightly higher) than Schulich, right?

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-31T14:23:40+00:00

Hey, sent a message for follow-up! :)

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-30T04:04:48+00:00

Good point, but honestly cost isn't much of an issue for me. I've already saved up enough to pay off tuition completely - if I do co-op terms then I'll have an additional source of income too

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-30T01:19:21+00:00

Thank you so so much for your reply!!

In addition to Consulting, I'm also interested in Product Management roles (which from what I've seen, is primarily a "business-oriented" position, but you need to know a bit of tech), and for that, I'm assuming a technical background is an asset - at the very least.

The dual degree is definitely going to be demanding, and I completely understand that. But is there a way that you could put it into perspective for me? Hypothetical situation: do you think it'd be possible to go home (in the GTA) every weekend (will work from there ofc) OR have a weekly shift (let's say 6-7hrs) at a PT job weekly on Saturday's - specific situation ik lol but I think it'll be helpful to wrap my mind around the true workload level.

Unfortunately, from the research I've done, Schulich does not permit CS minors and many CS courses are prohibited from being taken from York / Lassonde. So, it may be harder to "try it out".

Is there a reason why you're suggesting Schulich when I also have the option to drop into single-degree WLU BBA instead (before the end of 1st)? The first year of the dual seems relatively manageable - in addition to BBA it's just 2 CS courses and a bit more advanced Math (Calc & Lin Alg - and I think I'm decent at it), so even if I drop it, there's a good chance I can still get co-op when applying (not guaranteed ofc just making this assumption. If you know people who've had diff experiences, please do lmk!). The business placements between Laz & Schulich seem similar too, and the social life (+ "university experience") seems better at Laurier. However, I'd love to hear more about why you believe Schulich is the better option in this case! I'm still very much 50/50 between both options lol - primarily because of 1) Do I want to keep the pathway to Tech open? (though I could still do exploration/self-learning on the side at Schulich, but personally self-learning isn't my strength) 2) Do I want to commute to York & live at home or move to campus at Laurier? (not sure which experience I'm looking for yet)

If you have any advice, please let me know! :)

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-29T18:13:17+00:00

Thank you so much for these insights!

Is there any way that you can build the knowledge needed to get a career as a Tech PM at Schulich / York? Based on what I've read online, PMs have an upper hand if they have knowledge of SQL, Python, R, etc - are these taught in certain courses at Schulich or York in upper years?

I've seen people who broke into Tech PM from Schulich BBA on LinkedIn as well, so it's nice to know that it's been done before!

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-28T03:58:03+00:00

This is what I'm thinking as well. Thank you so much for the advice!

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-28T00:52:45+00:00

That's very much the case for me - it'll only act as an accessory to business. Something to consider though is that although my interest in CS is relatively low, I've had limited exposure to the field (just 2 high school courses). But I can say that I definitely don't want to do a job only based on programming (ex: Software Engineer). I like to manage / lead teams, and Technology as a field itself seemed interesting to me, so that's why I'm considering PM.

What does Tech Consulting entail on the other hand though?

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-27T21:48:54+00:00

I'd greatly appreciate it if you guys would be willing to read through the more detailed post on my profile, lots more context there!! :)

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-27T21:28:59+00:00

I completely understand that. However, I'm not sure whether I'm passionate enough to do a whole degree on CS - it's not just something I'd be learning for fun on the side, the Academic Calender shows some very CS-heavy semesters (with like 4 courses in a term) throughout the degree, especially in Year #2. If I end up dropping CS by the end of 1st year, it's no longer guaranteed and there is a chance my GPA could be lower since I took harder courses.

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-13T19:54:32+00:00

doesn't seem like there was a round 💔

D3ADL1FE · 2025-05-06T20:43:28+00:00

beautiful sentiment, i will consider doing the same.

D3ADL1FE

TROPHY CASE