Before getting into the specifics of how we chose the University of Waterloo, it is worth pointing out that the following analysis will be biased, but not untruthful, as we clearly thought that Waterloo was a better fit for us.

Waterloo VS UofT

In my opinion, the University of Toronto was the greatest contender next to Waterloo, with its world renown academia and a prestigious engineering program.

UofT’s most attractive element is the possibility of a general first year (and second year if you’re in engineering science), which would allow an exploration and understanding of every program before committing to one, compared to Waterloo who forces the choice going into first year. If after researching all the programs you’re still unable to decide on a specific one, UofT’s general first year might be for you.

However, there was one very specific aspect of Waterloo that drew me in; CO-OP. The University of Waterloo is perhaps most well known for its co-op and for all of the opportunities that co-op offers. After five years of education, coming out with 6 terms of job experience and personal connections with others directly in your field can be very helpful when looking for a job directly post graduation. This isn’t to say that UofT doesn’t give opportunities for internships, as it of course has PEY co-op which allows you to do 12-16 consecutive months of work experience. The difference then lies in the length of the co-op, as well as the support that is given from the university system.

UofT’s long co-op can be very effective at diving deep into a field and really getting to know a company well, as the first month or two of any internship or co-op is about getting to know the company and learning the basics of how it functions. With 4-month co-ops, it may not be possible to dive as deep as it would be for a long yearlong coop, but there is a caveat. If you end up choosing a company that you don’t like, that year won’t be much fun.

However, apart from the PEY experience, UofT does not provide other support during the summer months. You will need to be able to find your own summer internships and that can be quite intimidating when also faced with your regular course work. Waterloo does a very good job of forcing you to get those co-op, because if you don’t, you can’t graduate. The pressure from your advisors as well as the rest of your peers will be motivating you to get your co-op in order. Additionally, Waterloo provides many resources to help you find a co-op, from Waterloo Works, which has all of the job listings for co-op students, to resume critiques and interview practice.

In conclusion, if you think that you’ll be able to take the initiative to find your own internships, UofT might be the place for you, but if you know that you’ll need someone to stand over you and remind you to write your resume, apply for jobs and to do interviews, Waterloo will do a very good job of doing that.

Waterloo VS UBC

The general consensus seems to be that the degrees are virtually the same but Waterloo has a better co-op and UBC has a better student life scene. Waterloo is said to offer significantly more jobs through WaterlooWorks which can be very helpful when looking for a job. However, if you’re looking for a more classic ‘college experience’, UBC will have a better community and campus feel.

Waterloo VS McMaster

McMaster is not a bad option for an engineering degree, the university is very well known and ranking wise, the engineering program isn’t too far down the list. They do offer co-op which can be very flexible, ranging anywhere from 4 to 16 months of work.

However, given the choice between Waterloo and McMaster, I think that Waterloo does better in almost all areas (such as co-op, employer reputation and academic reputation), except for perhaps in the area of stress and mental health. McMaster will be less stressful and not as intense while providing the exact same degree, and if that’s what you’re looking for, there is no shame in taking that path.