When I was in grade 12 I had no idea where I wanted to end up in my life, as some of you can probably relate to this causes a problem for university applications. Even when I decided that I wanted to accept my AEO status and come to Western I still had more choices I needed to decide upon. I had applied and been accepted to both the kinesiology program and to BMOS. I remember wondering which one would fit my personality the best as well as prepare me for Ivey. Lots of hours were spent talking to people I knew who went to Western and searching forums trying to get a sense of what different programs were like.
To spare you time and provide a better insight into how various AEO students are faring in their different programs, I have conducted a short interview between two other students, Anna and Zoe, and me, Chris. As you will soon read, we are all in different programs and we provide our own personal experiences about the choices we made.
What Program are you in?
Anna – Political Science
Chris – BMOS
Zoe – Sexuality Studies (Arts & Humanities)
Why did you choose that program?
Anna – It’s a versatile program that can allow me to pursue law or business in the future or anything government/social service related. I also enjoy learning politics.
Chris – I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do when I was in high school, and I thought BMOS would give me a good foundation for future business studies. As well I thought it would give me a chance to meet many other students who aspired to go to Ivey as well and start networking earlier on.
Zoe – This program is interdepartmental and interfaculty so it lets me take classes in all different disciplines. I can take comparative literature, geography, history and women’s studies classes that all contribute to my degree and let me study through a variety of different lenses. I love this program because the subject material is really interesting and relevant to me. Small class sizes allow for lots of discussion and you make great connections with other students and professors!
What marks can be expected in your program?
Anna – Politics 1020: 75% – 80% average
Chris – According to the BMOS department; marks should be in 65-70% range. However from my own experience I tend to see a huge amount of variance in marks in a class of 200 it can be common for 30 people to get in the 90’s while others get below the average. So if you put in the work good marks are definitely achievable in this program.
Zoe – It’s difficult to do really well in an essay-based program. I would say most people get 70s. Really good exams get 80s (90s are very rare). By the same token it’s easier to pass because the exams aren’t black and white like multiple choice ones are, they allow you to show what you know.
How are you assessed? (ie. Are there essays or reports, are the exams multiple choice, short answer, essay format)
Anna – 4 multiple choice exams, 2 essays, participation in tutorial, completion of online quizzes and a small assignment.
Chris – The majority of exams are multiple choice so you should get used to this testing style and ask for help if you aren’t familiar with it. There are certain strategies that can help you for this type of testing.
Zoe – Most arts courses are essay-based and will include term papers as well as essay based exams. There may also be an online component in the form of reading responses or weekly quizzes.
Is there a lot of writing or math involved in your program?
Anna – You only need to write when you do the essay and answer tutorial questions.
Chris – The courses where I had to write I chose as electives such as Economics and Sports, the MOS program itself doesn’t require too much writing in 1st and 2nd year. There is required math courses as part of this program but there is selection in which type of math you take.
Zoe – Definitely a lot of writing! The only math you’ll see is in the mandatory science/math credit
What is your favourite course?:
Anna – Business 1220 hands down! I love the case study method and I love the fact that you get to participate so often in the class. The cases are interesting to do and I’ve learned a lot from the different sections (marketing, finance, organizational behaviour, etc) that I can apply to real life.
Chris – MOS 2275/2276, Business law was one of my favourite courses the material in it is really interesting to me and a lot of it is related to things you see happen in daily life. As well the profs for this course are all very helpful.
Zoe – Women’s Studies 2160A: Intimate Relations: Sex, Gender and Love
I hope that this interview has been helpful for those of you debating on which program to take. As you can see there really is a large amount of choice in what AEOs can study here at Western. If you have anymore questions feel free to let us know and good luck with your acceptances.
Talk again soon,
Christopher Cheung