Written by Simran, student
My name's Simran and here's my journey into the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program at Waterloo!
Finding my fit
About two years ago, I was struggling to decide which university I wanted to go to.
Waterloo was one of my top choices because of how good the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program was — and co-op made it even better. But, I was also considering more general business programs from a number of great schools and for the flexibility they would provide me.
In the end, I was all about numbers and becoming an accountant. So, I chose Waterloo and their AFM program which provides a direct route to the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. But even thinking beyond the program, when I looked up pictures of the school, it made me feel like I could picture myself there.
The Accounting and Financial Management program
My program — Accounting and Financial Management — has its home in the Faculty of Arts but also belongs to the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF). Thus, I consider myself to be super lucky when it comes to my faculty, just because I kind of get two of them. This ‘dual citizenship’ has resulted in me having some of the best experiences of my life — from orientation week almost two years ago to simply hanging out in the SAF lounge a few days ago, and absolutely everything in between!
Being a part of these communities has provided me with a large number of opportunities for both my personal growth and my development as a future accountant. More than that, they have given me so many unforgettable memories along the way. I’ve met dozens of great people who are passionate about the same things as me, which has given me so much love for my faculty and those in it.
Building my home
Being a part of SAF has helped me grow and mature in ways I didn't believe were possible. I'm so much closer to where I want to be in life, and with every passing moment, I get even closer!
From the Launch your Career conference and networking sessions to late nights working with my friends and even to the way our courses are structured, everything my program does is geared toward helping students like me become successful. We're constantly learning skills that will help us in our post-university life, no matter what professional path we choose to pursue.
But the number one reason why I love studying business at Waterloo is that no matter what, they want us to succeed as students and as adults; and to enable this, they do so much more than what anyone could ever imagine — be it tutoring, workshops, or even providing us with study and care packages whenever we need them.
Considering I was flying 11,000 km away from home to start university, I was looking for a new home and in the University of Waterloo, I found one. So, at the end of the day, I did figure out what was the best fit for me and almost two years later, I can honestly say I made the right choice. I’m so grateful to call Waterloo my home away from home.
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