Laurier BBA vs Schulich BBA
Hi
I am currently a HS senior in Canada and I've been accepted to a couple of business programs. However, my top choices are Schulich BBA and Laurier BBA. I will be commuting so I only have to worry about tuition when it comes to finances and the cost for both will be similar after factoring in scholarships. They are about the same distance from me so location is not a problem either. They both have strong alumni networks and good clubs among other things.
It just boils down to which one is essentially "better" i.e. which program will provide me with more opportunities. On one hand, Laurier has co-op and on the other hand Schulich seems to have more of a "reputation" but this is subjective. On paper they both seem very similar and good schools but I would like to hear some opinions because I am very undecided at the moment. For reference, future careers I am interested in include IB, consulting and accounting (not a final list by any means tho). Thanks in advance
When comparing Laurier BBA and Schulich BBA, both programs have their strengths, but the decision ultimately depends on your career goals and preferences. Here's a breakdown based on the most helpful WSO content:
Schulich BBA
Laurier BBA
Key Considerations for Your Career Goals
Final Thoughts
Both programs are excellent, and you can't go wrong with either. The decision should come down to whether you prefer the hands-on experience of a co-op program or the prestige and networking opportunities of a more globally recognized school.
Sources: Here are the Target Undergraduate Schools in Canada, Canadian Target Schools Ranked By Detailed Global Placement Data, McGill Desautels vs. Queen's Commerce, LBS vs UCL vs Imperial for IB, Need advice on Canadian undergrad business schools
Didn't go to either so can't speak on the actual classroom time, but got into both with friends at both, interviewed both school, worked with both alumni, and as a smith/ivey grad I know the "stigmas" that "targets" hold against them so I'll share my 2 cents.
Personally I'd pick schulich, unless laurier / waterloo double degree
- laurier has great coop placements, mainly because they stack up fall/winter internships, which no target school in Ontario is competing for. This is good for experience, but makes getting a full time offer pretty difficult
- laurier coop is great, but not guaranteed. Laurier is a HUGE program, I think they have like 2-2.5k students PER YEAR, you're literally a needle in a haystack to begin with, and you need to reapply to coop program once done first year
- schulich kids are smarter/better at their jobs. All schulic kids I worked with got returns, only 1 of 5 laurier kids got returns because they were genuinely useless (allegedly) even tho they came in with the most impressive resumes
- being in toronto makes networking slightly easier (in person chats > calls)
- laurier bba is also competing for IB/Finance jobs with the waterloo math/cs double degree kids, and from what I've seen they tend to be the ones who get most roles
Thank you for responding and providing your opinion with reasoning.
For your point on Laurier having fall/winter placements and how that makes getting a full time offer difficult, I was just wondering how come? My understanding was that work experience matters a lot and more work experience leads to transferrable skills being developed which can help translate an internship into a FT offer. I could be mistaken though.
For IB, Consulting, and most top corporate jobs recruit you from your final summer internship (3rd year).
For ex. The big 5 banks hire summer interns based on the projected amount of fulltime analysts they want to take on in the following year (give or take a few), meaning that the full time spots are allocated to summer interns, and "theirs to lose".
Fall/Winter coops can still lead to ft return, but it's difficult as there's no spot allocated for you, and you may need to reapply to the same company. I've seen people get screwed over by this, but also seen the positives of graduating with 4-5 strong off cycle coops.
Hey, I'm a grade 12 student from toronto and I have offers to Rotman Commerce, Laurier BBA, and UW AFM.
I was leaning towards AFM in hopes of breaking into a FO role, would you advise against it? Should I take Rotman or Laurier over it?
Laurier probably the best, seen Altas, ares and more
I agree with the point about but i would rather go with Laurier. Before I get into anything else I think it’s important to say that they are both pretty good programs and regardless are you going to give you pretty similar opportunities.
Really where I think Laurier shines is the ability to do co-op like the comment above said you’re not really competing with Western or Queen’s kids and assuming that you’re still very hard-working, take the time to network and are on top of your shit it can really set you up and be far better than schulich.
Thanks for responding with reasoning. I understand the point about co-op and how it's extremely helpful. However, what's throwing me off about Laurier is the fact that I will be commuting. Laurier is known to be more of a live near or on campus type of school whereas Schulich is generally known to be a commuter friendly school. Do you believe this could possibly play a part in my university experience and my access to opportunities?
100% at the end of the day it will be harder if you are commuting. But I this you would just have to be more intentional by trying to meet people also interested in finance rather than going home right away. Deff doable
Hey, I'm a grade 12 student from toronto and I have offers to Rotman Commerce, Laurier BBA, and UW AFM.
I was leaning towards AFM in hopes of breaking into a FO role, would you advise against it? Should I take Rotman or Laurier over it?
I would go with afm, have a few friends there who broke into banking and ultimately I think their co-op program is a huge advantage if used properly.
Schulich is a better pick for finance than Laurier. Laurier’s co-op program is super competitive, you need to apply early, often during first year, and it’s tough to secure a spot. At Schulich, I feel you get a head start on building connections, which is huge in finance. Networking through events, alumni, or platforms like linkedin or lunchme matters more than just relying on co-op placements. Schulich’s vibe pushes you to learn how to pitch yourself early, whether it’s at career fairs or through profs who know industry folks. Laurier’s co-op system is great for structured job apps, but finance jobs often come from who you know, not just a polished resume or cover letter.
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