Written by Alexis (she/her), student
Choosing which university to go to isn’t easy. If you haven’t done your research and don’t know the differences between schools, it can be especially difficult. But we’ve got you covered – to help get you started, here are some things that make Waterloo different from other universities.
Unmatched experience
Waterloo is home to the largest co-op program in North America. There’s an entire building (the Tatham Centre) dedicated to co-op. It has 130 interview rooms and 37 phone/webcam stations where interviews are held with our 7,100+ employers. It also houses numerous resources to help you with résumés, interviews, professional development, and more.
Resources at the Tatham Centre helped to improve my résumé and prepare for my interviews. Co-op was intimidating to me at first, but after using these resources I’ve gained a lot of confidence!
Students in the Waterloo co-op program have between four and six four-month-long co-op terms during their undergraduate degree. This means you get to graduate with up to two years’ experience, try out many different careers, and graduate with much less debt.
When deciding where to transfer, the co-op program at Waterloo was what ultimately helped me make my decision… I’ve had the opportunity to try different jobs and gain experience and now entering into my final year, I have a good sense of what I want to do after university.
Ideas that belong to you
One of the best parts of being entrepreneurial at Waterloo is that your ideas are completely yours. Our intellectual property (IP) policy states that all intellectual property is owned by the inventor. So, even if you create something on Waterloo campus, it’s all yours; Waterloo doesn’t own any of your idea. If this doesn’t impress you, it’s worthwhile to note that this IP policy isn’t something that exists at all other universities – often, a university will own the rights to its students’ IP.
Getting down to business
At Waterloo, we do our business programs a little differently. Rather than having to commit to just studying business, Waterloo has what we call “+ business” programs. Basically, these programs allow you to combine an interest in arts, math, science, environment, or sports with business.
Don’t worry; if business is what you'd like to have as your main focus, we also have accounting, finance, and risk management programs in our world-class School of Accounting and Finance.
I chose to study Honours Arts and Business at Waterloo. I really like that I'm able to combine multiple interests instead of just committing to one.
One-of-a-kind programs
Many people know Waterloo for its Science, Computer Science, Engineering, and Math programs, but we have some unique programs that really set us apart from other schools.
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Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies: explore relationships, communication, parenting skills, the effects of media on our understanding of gender/sex/relationships, and more.
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Environment and Business: study finance, field ecology, entrepreneurship, environmental ethics, and more, and gain an in-depth understanding of environmental issues and the business world.
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Knowledge Integration: learn how to solve complex problems, communicate effectively, and make a difference in a complex and changing world. In KI, no degree is the same; you get to build the program around your interests.
A city for students
The city of Waterloo is another factor that contributes to making Waterloo different from other universities. In the city, there are two universities and a college, which means you’ll build connections with people outside of your school community.
Another perk of having so many students around is that there are always things to do and people to meet. Waterloo is filled with places to shop, eat, and have fun. With countless restaurants, pubs, arcade bars, board game cafes, shopping malls, the St. Jacobs Market, and Waterloo Park, there’s plenty to see and do. And with your WatCard, it’s especially easy to get around and see all of these places.
With Laurier right down the street, I’ve been able to take classes there and meet people outside of Waterloo.
Waterloo truly has so much to do. Even after being here for over two years, I still feel like there are so many things I haven’t seen or done yet!
Clubs for EVERY interest
Clubs are a great way to meet new people and build lasting friendships. We have traditional clubs like book club, chess club, debate club, band, and more. But we also have some clubs you would never even think of!
- Campus Crusade for Cheese: a club that brings together students, faculty, staff, and alumni who enjoy or wish to sample cheese.
- DJ Club: for all those who want to learn how to DJ or for those who just like the music.
- Humans vs. Zombies: a game where a team of humans defend themselves from a growing hoard of zombies with nerf blasters and socks.
With the 250+ student-run clubs here at Waterloo, there is bound to be a club that suits your interest! If not, you can always grab a few friends and start your own club through the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA).
I hope you learned a little about what makes Waterloo different from other universities. To learn what makes university different from high school, read our 7 differences between high school and university.
