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(bruh I want to know too)

END OF BLOG :’)

jkjk

You may wonder how I got this much money from UofT.

The little summary would be: a combination of awards, entrance scholarships, UofT-specific scholarships, as well as the Schulich Leader Scholarship.

There were a couple of different considerations:

Finance

So, you may wonder where I chose to go over $140,000 from the #1 university in Canada (debatable but we ignore that part).

No…
University of Waterloo didn’t provide me a similar amount…
In fact, UW didn’t even offer 1/10 of the amount UofT offered.

It was clear the amount would of covered all my tuition and living expense despite the high tuition cost of an engineering degree at UofT.
In addition to the external scholarships I’ve received, I would end up earning money (with the only academic requirement being passing with a 60% average).

Especially since UW CS also costs ~16k/year, it was very clear that UofT would leave me in a much better position financially.

TL;DR UofT was a clear choice here

Family and Distance

After living in London, Ontario for the past 10 years, I must admit that there was an emotional connection to this city.

Waterloo was approximately 1.5 hours while Toronto almost doubled the distance. Also considering the annoying traffic near GTA, it was clear that Waterloo was a closer choice.
This means I was able to visit my family more often, even weekly if I wished.

Looking back from 1A, this thought was quite hopeful…there was no time, and simply surviving was the goal there-

TL;DR - Waterloo was closer to home


Program and Interests

This was quite a long story…
Ever since I discovered my interest in STEM as a general field, I was dead-set on pursuing an engineering degree, which was heavily influenced by my experience from FRC and my robotics team.

At the time of the decision, I was choosing between the TrackOne Engineering at UofT and the CS/BBA (Computer Science and Business Administration Double Degree) program at UW.

Debatably, these were very contrasting programs.
I’ve included a table below to contrast the programs and my personal considerations between them:

TrackOne CS/BBA
Schulich Leader Scholarship + Network + “Prestige” Two degrees + Co-op (potentially more career options?)
Allowed me to choose any engineering program I wished in my second year I could drop to CS anytime if BBA is not for me
Relatively more familiar with the field of engineering Didn’t even know what Computer Science was or touch a single line of code until Grade 10
Would be leveraging on my strengths Would be working on my weaknesses



To be completely honest, I never thought about actually pursuing the CS/BBA degree when I applied because I was so sure on pursuing engineering.
In fact, I was planning to turn down Computer Science from UW for the Systems Design engineering program (also at UW).

You may wonder why only CS or Engineer programs?
To be honest, many also ask why…but that’s a question for later.

It was not until April and Early May that I gained more exposure to Computer Science, both as a career field and the academic program itself.
I looked through the courses and options: flexibility was definitely very attractive but I also didn’t mind the rigid + routine schedule of an engineering degree.

Now, CS/BBA is also known for its rigid schedule, but I felt that I would be learning and gaining a more diverse set of skills. At the time of decision, CS/BBA felt more practical, especially due to the number of introductory courses that engineering programs have. For example, first-year sciences at UofT simply looked like high school Chemistry and Physics review: to me, this felt like a waste of time and money.

Another consideration to choose CS/BBA over CS alone was that I really enjoyed DECA and my business classes in high school.
Graduating with two degrees in 5 years sounded like a nice deal, especially since there was nothing to lose by choosing CS/BBA over CS, as you can drop BBA anytime (if UW is your home university).

TL;DR - Switched program enrollment intentions at last minute

Stubbornness

Admittedly, part of the decision came from my stubbornness. UW was the first university I ever considered and I spent months polishing my AIF…
In fact, I began writing ideas for what to write on the AIF since Grade 10 …

I was not taking chances -

An elementary school teacher once said that UW was a good reach school for me. I said I will get into UW, and so I did.

Even before I found my passion for STEM, I looked at UW:

  • it was close to home
  • had the study tryhard environment I was looking for
  • Coop = opportunities = less likely to become unemployed upon graduation + able to pay for part of the tuition
  • I enjoyed the science classes at school - and UW is known for STEM.

Throughout the years, I’ve talked about UW as a potential university so many times with my parents that they began to assume my university was waterloo and planned around that. From this, it felt going to UofT would equal “years of effort wasted”.

TL;DR - Always wanted to go to UW

Timing

The majority of the amount that UofT offered came from the Schulich Leader Scholarship, which was valued at 100k at the time (they raised it to 120k now for the engineering category).
Unfortunately, UofT offered this scholarship shortly after when I committed to the UW CS/BBA program.
At the time, I was already fully committed, meaning that I:

  • planned out a rough draft of courses for the next five years
  • set out my academic and career goals, including specialization and options
  • planned bus/travel routes from/to UW and WLU every day.
    Usually, I always stick to my plans and goals I set out to accomplish, so it felt wrong that I was changing my plans. I must admit that if the Schulich Leader offer had come earlier, I would of taken it.

TL;DR Schulich Leader offer came later than UW admission offer

Friends

While almost all my friends from high school went to Western University, I knew the most people at UW.
I definitely knew people at UofT too, but most of them were more of “collaborative peers” from different competitions and programs like Shad and CSSI.

Also, “Follow your heart”

TL;DR Had closer friends at UW

Career and Future

UW had always been known for its co-op (WaterlooWorks). While UofT has PEY, most would agree that UW’s co-op program was more structured and mature.

A lot of the consideration boiled down to opportunity cost:
How fast can you earn back the 100k
Will there be more opportunities at one place or the other
UW Co-op program allowed me to “try out” different positions at different companies

Most would agree, however, that UW co-op does not “deserve” 100k. One argument made was “if you are good enough to receive Schulich Leader Scholarship then you are more than good enough to get a job”.

(side note: after coming to UW, I’ve also realized that WaterlooWorks was more of a restriction than an opportunity)

I couldn’t deny these arguments, but I also felt that putting myself in stressful conditions would push me to find my potential.
I knew I would feel more challenged here, would grow more, would learn more, and felt that I would have a more diverse opportunity, potential, and path.
I guess one way to put it, according to my dad: “you’re intentionally making your life harder”. But then I would just argue that challenges push me further (which in reality might be just me being a UW simp oops-).

TL;DR UW’s coop program seemed to give more promising career path + flexibility to explore

Personality

Lastly, I knew that I would fit in better in the UW environment.
First of all, Waterloo and Toronto were very different two cities. UofT being the center of downtown was very busy and lively, while UWaterloo had that “nerd” feel of study and grind.
As an introvert who kinda enjoys studying and would do so for fun, I liked the UWaterloo environment better, even if the campus was slightly dead.

TL;DR Felt more personally connected to UW

Summing it up:

  • Finance: UofT
  • Family and Distance: UW
  • Program and Interest: UW
  • Stubborn: UW
  • Timing: UW
  • Friends: UW
  • Career and future: UW
  • Personality: UW

Not going to lie, I was surprised that UW won majority of these. I guess I also shouldn’t be surprised, considering how much thought I put into the decision at the time.

(Or perhaps also because I’m a UW simp I’m slightly biased since I’m already here.)

Looking back, do I regret it?

At times, I definitely do. Especially since WaterlooWorks was not what I expected it to be. However, I met some very friendly, bright, and intelligent people here - some of whom became one of the most important people in my lives.

Would I take the 100k if I went back in time?
Realistically, I don’t know.
Back in Spring 2022 when I already received ~20k from UofT I said I’ll attend if they give me 100k…I guess I didn’t in the end anyways.

For the 2023 year, Schulich raised its amount to 120k. I asked my dad what his thought was, to which he just laughed: “but if UofT offered you 120k, you know you’d turn it down anyway, wouldn’t you?”.

I mean…he probably wasn’t wrong…

Below I attached my Schulich Essay…as memorial I guess (even though it’s so cringing looking back..) :’)

Every challenge is a new opportunity for personal growth. This mindset results in my determination to succeed, utilize my knowledge to solve real-world problems, and create tangible impacts. As a student, this begins with a strong work ethic, time management, and perseverance skills, which are all important traits of a Schulich Leader. These qualities have allowed me to maintain academic excellence despite physical and emotional challenges during the pandemic while staying committed to extracurricular activities.

I have always had high expectations for myself and compete constantly with my past self to yield improvement. This can be measured through my grade averages in Grade 9, 10, and 11, which increased from 95% to 96% to 99%, respectively. Each year, I take upper-year courses to accelerate my learning. My achievements in my studies are further demonstrated through academic awards. In addition to receiving honour rolls in all years, I have won proficiency awards for attaining the highest grade in the following courses: AVI1O1 (Visual Arts), ICS2O1 (Computer Studies), MPM2DE (Enriched Mathematics), ICS3U1 (Introduction to Computer Science), SPH3U1 (Physics), MCR3U1 (Functions), ICS4U1 (Computer Science), and SCH4U1 (Chemistry). It is my high expectations that have pushed me towards my potential, and I will continue doing so during my undergraduate studies where I can gain a deeper understanding of technology to create a real-world impact upon graduation.

Through self-education and extracurricular experiences, I can cultivate my creativity, leadership, and technical skills. To enrich my learning, I have participated in Shad and numerous hackathons, where I developed innovative solutions to real-world problems. I often take initiative and responsibility to drive the team’s progress, ensuring that everyone’s perspectives are considered in the design. During the 2020-2021 academic year, I have enrolled in a year-long course, Qubit by Qubit’s Introduction to Quantum Computing, taught by MIT and Oxford scientists. This experience sparked my interest in quantum computing and inspired me to pursue the goal of launching my own technology startup. It is my passion and dedication for STEM that motivated me to seek enrichment beyond school, and it will drive me to become a great Schulich Leader.

As a volunteer at the London Public Library, I recognized my capability to create a difference in the community. With my peers in Qubit by Qubit, I co-founded MeteoriteGlobal in January 2021, an initiative to provide accessible STEM education to high school students, which has since attracted over 50 members across six teams. I am determined to become a role model that inspires both myself and others to become the best version of themselves.

I constantly challenge myself by participating in extracurricular activities like DECA that are outside my comfort zone; as a result, my public speaking skills have improved drastically. This, in combination with my organizational skills, makes me a natural leader in hackathons and school clubs, especially since I enjoy working in teams bonded by passion and a common goal. To encourage STEM and entrepreneurship at school, I took the initiative to restart numerous clubs that have been previously suspended by COVID-19. Around the school halls, one can find at least 20 recruitment posters of my creation. As the co-president of Science Club and executive of both International Club and Business Club, I regularly plan, organize, and host meetings. Outside of school, I am the co-lead of FRC Team 4617, DAUN, the first and only all-female FRC team in London, Ontario. Taken together, these experiences have given me the necessary skills to lead high-achieving teams for the purpose of solving complex problems. I am confident that my achievements and skills exemplify what it is to be a Schulich Leader.