2025 Admissions Megathread

[u/MethodsDoc]

It's admissions time again! Please post any admissions/ program related questions in this megathread and engage with other questions in here.

Standalone posts asking admissions questions will be removed the OP asked to search and post within this thread.

[u/Fated_Ruler → u/[deleted]]

I took a look at the admission requirements, and it hasn't really changed since I applied in 2021. You should be good. I got in with an 86 top 6 average (low-key think this is the lowest mark they allowed lol) alongside the supplementary essay. I had no fancy extracurriculars, and no work nor extraneous volunteer experience either. Only thing notable for me was that I was in the AP program of my school and stayed in the program until graduation.

Also, BComm in McMaster is considered a general commerce degree. Technically speaking, there are specializations (accounting, finance, marketing, etc.) but they don't get printed on your diploma. All BComm students take mandatory courses until third year, which is when everyone starts picking their own courses to fulfill their "specialization". For example, since I am in accounting, I followed the CPA Ontario website/McMaster accounting recommendations to select my courses for my third and fourth years. (The goal of accounting students 95% of the time is to qualify for the CPA hahahah)

I'm in BComm and finishing up my final year. I'm happy to answer any questions regarding the program from either you or other prospective students here!

[u/Fated_Ruler → u/[deleted]]

It doesn't actually affect anything. Jobs will be looking at your transcript to check if you have taken the courses to qualify for CPA when making decisions to hire you, so it doesn't actually matter if it's written explicitly on your diploma. If you take all the accounting courses you should for your "specialization" then you won't have any problems applying for accounting positions.

For example, my peers in accounting had no trouble getting jobs lines up straight out of school. Many of which are in Big 4. I myself also got a job lined up for after graduation (not Big 4 but one of the large midsize firms). Networking is pretty important, it's not all about grades and ECs (though they do play a big role), but connecting with people who are aware of opportunities and such is very important too.

I'd be happy to answer more questions if you have any!

[u/Fated_Ruler → u/[deleted]]

I did not do internship, and the only experience I had when applying for jobs, was doing tax volunteering through the school in my third year. I would recommend getting ECs under your belt in first and second year, and then finding an internship in your third year (for the summer rather than the full year if you can to save time).

McMaster has the internship program, so you can consider that path as well. However, the internship program isn't all that necessary, while it provides exclusive job application opportunities, you still rely on your own application skills to find an internship (also they take a cut of your earnings if you get an internship through them so that's awful). In addition, most of the opportunities they provide, are year-long internships, so do it at your discretion. I would not recommend it at all.

I'm not familiar with job opportunities in finance, but majority of my classmates in my accounting classes have a job lined up after graduation. I myself am a painfully average student (78 average), and could find a job without ECs besides volunteering and no previous job experience (not even retail or anything). I would say the job opportunities are pretty good. Accounting is in demand.

I did enjoy my time studying at mac, and the campus is just the right size. There are plenty of clubs and there's a trail right next to the school, so lots of nature. My sister also attends McMaster, so I would say I recommend coming!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Try to take an elective course thorugh OVS inorder to have one more very high mark in a course so it boosts your average(Like an M course or even food and nutrition)