Class of 2022: Their Next Adventures

Lauren knew she wanted to pursue a business degree in postsecondary, but she closely considered both the University of Ottawa and Wilfrid Laurier University before making her choice. “One of the main factors I looked at was whether or not the schools had a co-op program,” Lauren says. “I liked uOttawa’s co-op program and its work/study sequence more than Laurier’s.” She also likes that Ottawa offers many interesting exchange options and that Ottawa’s student population is made up of students from many different countries.

Another deciding factor was the city itself. “I felt at home in Ottawa when I toured the campus,” Lauren says. “It's a bilingual school, and I was a French immersion kid, so I figured that living in Ottawa would also help to improve my French through increased exposure.”

In Grade 11, Lauren’s Adviser showed her the Ontario Universities’ Info site, where users can browse all of the schools and programs in Ontario. “That’s what put uOttawa on my radar,” Lauren says. In Grade 12, she met with her Adviser a few times to discuss universities. “My Adviser and a few teachers all shared that they felt uOttawa would be a good fit for me,” she says.

Lauren is most excited to start this new chapter in her life and experience living in a new city, as she has lived in Toronto her whole life. “I'm also excited to hopefully start co-op in my second year, as it'll give me important job experience,” Lauren says. Her ultimate career goal is to become a human rights lawyer, but she is also open to other paths. “If I decide that law isn’t for me, I want to get an MBA and work somewhere in the business world,” she says.