Founded in 1922, the Ivey Business School is Canada’s leading business school, most notable for their undergraduate program, the Honors Business Administration (HBA) as well as Master’s of Business Administration (MBA). This blog post will speak mostly to notable HBA program and how to best position yourself to get accepted.
The HBA program is a 2 + 2 program, which means you can study whatever major you want in your first two years of undergrad, and the business program actually starts in your third year of university. This means, there are two time frames in which you can be accepted into the HBA program. You can be conditionally accepted when applying to university in your last year of high school through the advanced entry opportunity (AEO) status, or you can apply in your 2nd year of university as a student from Western who did not have AEO prior to coming to Western, or as a transfer student from a different university.
Around ⅔ of Ivey’s HBA class are formerly Ivey AEOs, while the remaining ⅓ are from Western or another University.
Applying from high school
Before applying to Ivey, you must apply for admission to Western University or one of its affiliated university colleges through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC).
Students can apply for the AEO acceptance for the HBA program in their final year of high school. To be considered a competitive candidate, it is recommended to have the following:
- Strong Academics (90%+ average in your best Grade 12 high school courses, including English)
- Mathematics (completion of a mathematics course for university-bound students)
- Leadership (demonstrated leadership in extracurricular activities, community involvement, and work experience)
You must also complete three 500 word essays describing your leadership abilities and submit these as part of your application. Students should spend a good amount of time on these essays as these comprise 50% of the admissions decision. Additionally, ensure that you confirm that all of the references that are stated on the application are correct, as every single reference will be receiving an email to confirm the facts stated are correct.
After getting in through AEO, you must maintain your Ivey AEO status through achieving an overall two-year average of at least 80.0% in 10.0 full university credits. In year 2, you must take Business Administration 2257, achieving no less than 70.0% in the course.
The application deadline for Ivey AEO is January 13, 2022 at 4pm EST.
Please visit here for more information.
Applying from 2nd year of University
University students can apply directly to the Ivey HBA during their second year (or higher) of full-time university study. It is very competitive to transfer to Ivey from another university. There are limited number of places available for transfer applicants and welcome applicants who discover an interest. All students who wish to pursue Ivey’s HBA program must complete the Business 2257 course at Wetern or an approved equivalent from another recognized institution. For the best chance to get accepted, it is recommended to have the following:
- Demonstrated leadership in extracurricular activities, community involvement, and work experience
- 80%+ average on 10.0 full courses at any university (the minimum average to transfer to Western is 70%. The average needed for admission to Ivey HBA may be much higher)
The HBA deadline is January 28, 2022 at 4pm.
Please visit here for more information.
If you’re a high school student considering Western University and you’re both interested in business and another program, the HBA program is a great option for you. With the 2+2 program, you can receive a dual degree in 5 years as opposed to the traditional 6 years.
For those students who wish to pursue a law degree and business degree, you can do so at Ivey through applying for the JD program during your HBA1 year. The JD/HBA program allows students to receive a dual degree in 6 years, as opposed to 7 years traditionally.
Like this article? Keep reading Top Courses At Western University to learn more. Get insights on all things post-secondary. Become a member today at Sign Up Here
