The end of Ivey Business School
As I’m sure you’ve all heard the news recently. People are finally dancing around what’s been obvious for a while: **Ivey Business School’s biggest modern advantage was the Evercore U.S. pipeline, and with that effectively gone due to visa realities, the whole “Ivey is the clear #1 finance target” narrative kind of collapses. Strip out Evercore and you’re left with no co-op, no real off-cycle flexibility, a clunky 2+2 model the dean himself admits doesn’t work anymore, thin club density, and outcomes that Queen’s (and frankly Waterloo/UBC/Laurier) already match or exceed with better structure. Top kids will always place anywhere but for the median student, losing Evercore was the canary in the coal mine. Also now that Waterloo Moelis SF Pipeline is gone as well (due to other reasons, iykyk). I think it’s clear that Queen’s now takes the #1 spot.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, the claim about Ivey Business School's decline is rooted in several structural and reputational challenges. While Ivey has historically been a top finance target in Canada, particularly for Wall Street placements, recent developments have raised concerns:
Loss of the Evercore U.S. Pipeline: This was a significant advantage for Ivey, and its absence weakens the school's claim as the top finance target. Visa realities have made it harder for Canadian schools to maintain consistent U.S. placement pipelines.
Structural Limitations: Ivey's 2+2 program model (two years of general studies followed by two years in business) has been criticized for being outdated and less flexible compared to other schools with co-op programs or more integrated business curriculums.
Competition from Other Schools: Queen's University (Smith School of Business) is increasingly seen as a strong rival, with better club density, networking opportunities, and outcomes that rival or exceed Ivey's for the median student. Schools like Waterloo, UBC, and Laurier are also gaining traction due to their co-op programs and flexibility.
Pipeline Challenges Beyond Ivey: The loss of the Waterloo-Moelis SF pipeline further highlights the challenges Canadian schools face in maintaining consistent placement pipelines in high finance.
While Ivey still has a strong alumni network and top students will continue to place well, these developments suggest that Queen's and other schools are closing the gap—or even surpassing Ivey in some areas—making the "Ivey is #1" narrative less definitive.
Sources: Here are the Target Undergraduate Schools in Canada, Here are the Target Undergraduate Schools in Canada, Canadian Target Schools Ranked By Detailed Global Placement Data, Canadian vs USA vs International unis
IB for Canadians is over. Nation is doomed too
It’s so over. The only thing that can save us is a merge with the US.
Yeah there's nothing going on for Canada, just a small and stale place atm
Genuinely yes
no joke this is what the country needs
Trump should slap on a nice 5x
This is a much more fun thought experiment than the U.S. acquiring Greenland tbh
What are the synergies between a US & Canada merger and walk me through how the merger would impact goodwill on the balance sheet
What's Canada's EBITDA?
Waterloo never had a Moelis pipeline to begin with they sent max one person per year
Technically it’s a pipeline, either way whatever they had. It’s gone lol. (Wouldn’t be surprised if someone from Queen’s takes it)
Can anyone confirm that it’s because of the guy who didn’t take the return
Now I might be able to get into Evercore let’s goooo
What's the point of going to Queens now? Why would you spend 4x more money than going to Laurier/Waterloo when exits are still going to be the same across the Big 5 banks in Toronto/Mtl? I imagine there's still a difference but probably only marginal and likely not worth the additional debt required to go to school there.
Three words: Goldman fucking Sachs
So you're going to get yourself in 60k+ extra debt in exchange for a marginally higher chance than other interviewees at other schools to land 1/4 spots as a GS SA in Toronto making barely any more than Big 5 IB once you hit FT and with identical non-existent exits (Altas/Onex/other Canadian garbage PE) while sweating 5x harder?
AFM is 60k+ as well
Delta not total cost
Careers are long, you go to a target school, there's a ton of people on bay st you instantly have a connection with. You want to move around (when things are less crazy)? Your alum knows a guy. I've seen/heard a ton of times when target school alums help their own through networking referrals and whatnot for the simple reason of they are [Ivey/Queens].
del
congrats on queens
d
I'm going back to Waterloo! Where the vampires hang out!
I have heard about this Ivey stuff are Queens GS & MOE kids unaffected? Aren't they on TN's aswell?
only Evercore got the heads up from the trump admin afaik, cuz like 20% of their employees are Canadian
Waterloo and Laurier has goated coops and 5 year prorgam, which is very valuable now cause all your Western folks are looking to take a gap year/dual degree and rerecruit, but have basically no scheduled coops nor pipeline into them. E.g., can't get their asses into MS Toronto and GS Toronto for coops, where most people get a return from the firms for FT
Sleeping on ubc goldman pipeline
Think I’m gonna keep taking my NyQuil on that one
Used to pray for times like these. No more UofT kids terrorizing my group’s off cycle pls give me some desperate Ivey chuds I can work into the ground
desperate ivey chud here
PLEASE work me into the ground
Get in line lil bro
Time to compete with the Waterloo/Laurier kids who have done buyside co ops already at shops like top pensions & Onex/Altas
Good luck
No more US advantage for u chuds LOL
What happened with Waterloo's Moelis SF pipeline? Interned there last summer so curious.
Man it doesn’t take much put two and two together from the one guy who interned there from Waterloo that summer lol, can’t rly say more without getting removed
Not the reason and they have someone incoming from Waterloo so their “pipeline” isn’t stopped
ivey kids are degens
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