During my time as an undergraduate business student in India, I consistently focused on exploring new opportunities and planning for my future. In early 2021, I travelled to Canada to visit family. As flight restrictions extended during the pandemic, I spent several months here. There was something about this place, the people, the environment, that made me want to stay longer. Out of curiosity, I typed those five words into Google: “Best Business School in Canada”. Ivey came up in the top four.
I opened the website, read about the programs and curriculum, and did what every student probably does: I checked the QS ranking. I was genuinely surprised. It felt way out of my league, but I’ve always been someone who loves a challenge. I still remember, back in 2021, I submitted my resume for a review and asked which program would fit me best. I was only in my second year of undergrad, but I wanted to start building my profile right from the beginning.
Within a few days, I received a response saying my profile was a potential fit and that the MSc program seemed like a great next step for me. At that time, I was new to LinkedIn. I had no clue about coffee chats or how strong Ivey’s alumni network was. I just went with my instinct and started sending connection requests to Ivey alumni. I didn’t expect anyone to reply, but to my surprise, everyone I reached out to accepted my request and even agreed to hop on virtual calls. I asked them all the questions I had about how they built their profiles and what their Ivey journey was like, and their advice was truly valuable.
I knew I needed work experience to strengthen my profile, so without wasting time, I started applying for jobs. Eventually, I got one at The Economic Times. I was the youngest on my team, and I was fortunate to work with amazing people who taught me so much, including digital marketing, social media management, interview planning, content generation, stakeholder communication, campaign strategy, performance tracking, you name it. That was a hectic but exciting phase of my life. I was juggling GMAT prep, a distance learning postgrad program from IMT Ghaziabad, a full-time job, and volunteering wherever I could.
When application season finally came around, I had so many stories to tell. I still remember that morning when I checked my emails and saw my acceptance letter. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. My family was over the moon. They’ve always been my biggest supporters, pushing me to achieve every dream I’ve had. I couldn’t have done this without them.
Fast forward to August 2024, I landed in Canada once again and reached London, Ontario. It was my first time living completely on my own in a different country. On Day 1, I met so many new faces, and I connected with everyone so quickly. Like I said before, there’s something about this place that just makes you want to be here. My first learning team turned out to be the best one. I didn’t just find teammates, I found real, lasting friendships.
The classes at Ivey were completely different from my undergrad experience in India. I wasn’t just learning business concepts; I was applying them to real cases and solving actual business problems. The case-based method was completely new to me, and the first few months were overwhelming. But things started to get better, thanks to the incredible professors at Ivey. Every professor here is just one email away, whether it’s the smallest doubt or the toughest finance concept, they’re always ready to help you master it. What I love about the Ivey curriculum is that every single class revolves around one case. It means reading the case on your own, analyzing it, and forming your own opinion before class. But what I genuinely look forward to is the discussion day. Sitting in your seat, hand up, patiently waiting for the professor to call your name, that feeling is unmatched. It’s exciting to share your perspective, hear others, and sometimes even challenge each other’s ideas. That’s when real learning happens.
One of the most impactful experiences I’ve had was visiting Diamond Aircraft and witnessing first-hand the end-to-end aircraft manufacturing process. I had always assumed it was purely technical work, but this experience deepened my understanding of how critical operations management, supply chain coordination, and process optimization are in driving efficiency, quality control, and timely delivery in such complex industries.
I also finally experienced how powerful the Ivey alumni network is. The Career Management team taught me how to reach out for coffee chats, what to ask, and what to avoid. I came to Ivey thinking consulting was the only career path I wanted, but through alumni and career chats, I discovered three new career paths I didn’t even know existed.
Right now, I’m working on a project with CIBC, I’ve participated in a competition organized by Scotiabank and SAS, and I’ve worked on projects with Big Brothers Big Sisters and FSRA. None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t taken that one first step, “making that one Google search, and sending that one resume inquiry”.
Sometimes, taking a single step is all it takes to start something life-changing.
I will forever be grateful to Ivey for everything I’ve learned here.