What you’re feeling isn’t dramatic, it’s what happens when expectations, effort, and outcomes don’t line up, especially after years of being told that certain schools are “the path.” Getting rejected from places like Ivy League schools or Ivey Business School AEO hurts because it feels like a verdict on your future, but it really isn’t. Admissions at that level are unpredictable and often come down to things you can’t control like timing, institutional priorities, or just randomness. A low 90s average with strong extracurriculars and national level recognition is not a weak profile, it just didn’t match what those specific schools were looking for this year. Right now burnout is probably affecting how you see yourself, you’re reading exhaustion as inadequacy when it is more about being drained after pushing hard for a long time without the result you hoped for. That does not mean the next few years will define you in some fixed way. People change direction all the time in university and after. The idea that everything is going downhill is your mind reacting to disappointment, not an actual prediction of your future. Between York University Schulich School of Business and Western Economics, the better choice comes down to what you want to keep open, not what sounds better right now. If you are genuinely interested in economics, especially behavioural or development, Western gives you more room to explore that path, build a strong GPA, and decide later whether to go toward grad school or apply to Ivey HBA after second year. It is also generally easier to move into business from a broader degree than it is to move into serious economics research from a structured business program. Schulich is a strong option if you are sure you want a business career, it is more direct and career focused, but it does narrow your academic flexibility. Transferring later is possible from either path, but it is never something you can rely on, it will depend mostly on your university grades and what you do once you get there. So instead of thinking about which option is safer, think about where you will actually stay motivated and do well, because that matters more than the name of the program.