Written by Alexis (she/her), student
The deadline to accept your Offer of Admission is fast approaching and you still aren’t sure where you want to go. Does that sound familiar?
If that describes your current situation, first of all, congratulations! Receiving an offer is a huge accomplishment and you should be proud of yourself. Second, don’t worry, I’m here to help!
Sometimes even when you think you know where you want to go, making the final call is tough to do. So here are five key reasons why Waterloo beats out the competition.
1. It's all about experience
When choosing the university for you, it’s important to keep your future aspirations in mind. Waterloo is a school that helps you gain relevant experience for whatever you want to do.
North America's largest co-op program, international exchanges, clubs, certificate programs, lab work, field studies, and hackathons are all examples of how Waterloo lets you explore your passions.
If you’re in a co-op program at Waterloo, you’ll have the opportunity to graduate with up to 24 months of paid work experience. You’ll have a great résumé and the interview skills and confidence to jump into the workforce.
You’ll also have had the chance to make lasting connections with employers and co-workers which can pay off when you start job hunting.
I chose Waterloo because of the excellent job opportunities that are available through co-op
Personally, co-op has helped me explore my interests, learn new skills, and build meaningful connections with my colleagues. I feel confident that future employment will be much more easily attainable thanks to co-op.
Learn more about what to expect in co-op →
2. Even the most structured programs can be customized
More often than not, there are opportunities to specialize and enhance your classroom learning. Whether it's through a minor, an option, a specialization, or a certificate, a bit of advanced planning and research will ensure that you’re getting the most out of your education.
You may hear rumours that there are some programs that don't let you customize your degree and it's just not true. It's not always easy and you may feel overwhelmed at all the information, but know that it's possible. We have academic advisors to help you once you get here. You don't need to know your exact path right now though.
The ability to add a minor to my arts degree means I don’t have to compromise. I can study both of my interests and still graduate in the same length of time. It's an ideal situation, so once you get to campus, take advantage of it!
I wasn't sure if I wanted to do only business or only economics. However, Waterloo's Arts and Business program gave me the perfect solution of exploring both disciplines
Discover how to study multiple interests at university →
3. 250+ clubs and a city made for students
Let me kill the rumour that at Waterloo, all we do is study. Wrong. We work hard, but we also play hard.
Spending four or five years focusing on just your studies is not going to be a fun time (or it at least won’t be as fun as it could be). So make sure there are exciting clubs and activities for you to participate in.
At Waterloo, there are over 250 student clubs and 30 athletic leagues — plus residence council and student associations. You’re bound to find something that interests you!
If you somehow don’t find one you like, you can create your own! The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) will support you along the way.
The city of Waterloo is home to two universities, a college, and over 50,000 students! That's larger than my hometown by a decent amount.
This means there are lots of shops, restaurants, and services in our city's core and around the university — all of which are accessible by public transit, which is free with your student card!
It's great that there is always something fun to do and ways to meet new people. In first year, I tried out salsa dancing and it was a blast!
4. Put Waterloo's reputation to work
When comparing your options, it’s important to take reputation into consideration. The name of the institution on your degree carries weight in the real world.
At the end of the day, this factor shouldn't be your top consideration, but it's definitely something to consider. Degrees from highly respected universities can open doors for your career.
Waterloo has been named Canada’s 2nd most innovative university (Maclean's 2024), and we're #2 in Canada for employer-student connections (QS Graduate Employability Rankings, 2022). Who wouldn't want to remind an employer or recruiter of that during an interview?
Any school can give you a degree in computer science, but the opportunities, the networking, and just the feeling of your parents being proud of how far you've reached, it goes to show you that Waterloo can be a dream come true.
5. When you finish, you'll be ready
So, thinking about graduate success is another way you can make your final decision. Your degree is only one part of the employability puzzle.
96% of co-op grads employed six months after graduation worked in positions related to skills they acquired at Waterloo compared to 79% of Ontario graduates.
Waterloo's alumni community is filled with great examples of how graduates are shaping the world we live in. It's also an easy way to see what types of future opportunities there could be for you!
#1 in Canada for graduate employment rate
Right now there are more than 238,000 University of Waterloo alumni in 153 countries. They're out there creating start-ups, becoming best-selling poets, performing world-changing research, and much more.
So, there you have it. Five examples of how Waterloo can help you get where you want to go.
Spend some time thinking about these factors and see how your options compare. At the end of the day, the choice is yours. Make the one that's best for you. Not your mom or dad, or partner, or best friend — you.
Best of luck! I hope to see you in September.
