Business Administration at Wilfrid Laurier University

Janice (Year 2)

janicewong901@gmail.com

@janicee.wong

What did you wish you knew before going to your university? What made you choose this institution over all others? What are advantages and disadvantages of your institution or campus? List any advice for incoming first-year students about your university.

One of the two main reasons I chose BBA at WLU was because of the co-op opportunity in second year. The second reason was that the program allows me to experience many different areas of business, and allows a specialization within the degree. This was important for me because I was not exactly sure what field of business I wanted to focus on and BBA gives students a lot of exposure to the different segments in the field of business.

Unlike other smaller programs, BBA at WLU was very big, and at times felt very overwhelming. Class sizes were as big as 600, however there were some labs of 30 or so that provided a classroom-type experience. One of the advantages of WLU is its lively atmosphere. The overall student life at WLU was very enjoyable and overall friendly. You can meet many people through the various clubs we have or networking events. There's also many opportunities to do consulting cases and other business competitions.

What did you wish you knew before choosing your specific program? What are the advantages and disadvantages of your program? List any advice for incoming first-year students about your program of study.

While there is an opportunity to get a co-op placement in second year, it is rather competitive. Among my peers, we've discussed the pros and cons of co-op, as it does come with a pretty high fee to access their employer network. Nonetheless, co-op comes with valuable work experience and so it really comes down to the individual. As well, because of the competitive nature of co-op, many students feel discouraged when they don't get in. It's important to know that there are still many other opportunities available, and that not getting co-op is not the end of the world!

What was your favourite university experience?

I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone and joined clubs involving public speaking. Along the way I met amazing people and learned so much about not only business and sales but improved many of my personal skills and abilities. Through this opportunity, it improved my university experience so much!

What was your least favourite university experience?

I had previously enrolled in the double degree program at WLU (BBA & CS); however, by the end of the first term, I realized that I didn't enjoy computer science enough to constantly keep up with the new material. Deciding to drop out was very stressful but I'm very glad I made that decision, as I can now take electives that I enjoy.

What is the hardest part about your program and what were the steps that you took to overcome any difficulties?

Many first year BBA students probably agree that the New Venture Project was one of the most challenging aspects about the program. This project was all year long and involved group work. While everyone in my group miraculously clicked and enjoyed working together, many people did not find that to be the same. The project involves a lot of communication among group members.

Another thing I found difficult was the first year course BU111 and BU121, as a lot of content is discussed during lecture. It's not sufficient enough to learn solely from the lecture slides. The content is discussed more in depth during lectures, so be sure to take note of everything.

If you were able to take electives, what was your favourite elective? If you were not able to take electives, what was your favourite course and why?

I have only taken two electives, but I really enjoyed taking AN100. This is an introduction to anthropology. While it is not a business course, it's still a course that I believe everyone can learn from, as it talks about the notions of different cultures, and how we approach these differences. The professor was amazing too!

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