A Tip for Success

Posted on by William Bishop

When I started at the University of Waterloo, like many students, I struggled at first to figure out how to study effectively.  I realized after my midterm exams that a few things needed to change if I was going to be successful in Waterloo Engineering.  I setup a study schedule and I started working in the Davis Centre (DC) library a bit more often.  However, the thing that probably helped me the most was a series of study books that provided me with the practice problems I needed.  This series of books, known as the Schaum’s Outlines, helped me survive difficult courses such as Calculus, Physics, and Circuits.  Apparently, I was not alone.  A few years ago during a discussion with Pearl Sullivan, the Dean of Engineering, she mentioned that she also used these books to study for difficult courses.

Today, as I was visiting the campus for Engineering 101, I noticed that the W Store has a sale on these books.  All of them appear to be 25% off.  If you are an incoming student or the parent of an incoming student reading this blog, I suggest you take a brief look at these books in our bookstore in South Campus Hall (SCH).  They are not expensive.  Most of the books sell for approximately $25.  This is a small price to pay if it helps you get through a difficult course.  Below is a photo of the bookstore with these books on display:

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Also, I should point out that it was great to see so many enthusiastic incoming students.  When I last heard, 691 incoming students were in attendance for Engineering 101 and I am sure a few more showed up after I checked the official count.  I will be participating in the panel discussion for ECE students at the afternoon tutorial session in E7 4053.  Feel free to drop by and ask me your questions.

For those who want to know what it was like at Engineering 101, here is a photo taken from off-stage of the crowd listening to Pearl Sullivan giving her introduction:

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There wasn’t an empty seat in the venue.  Thank you and welcome to Waterloo Engineering!

Published by William Bishop

I grew up in the small town of Welland, Ontario in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula. In my youth, I enjoyed softball, golf, and the uniquely Canadian sport of 5-pin bowling. My high school years were productive. I excelled at my studies and had enough time to devote towards extra-curricular activities to earn a school letter. I was fascinated with computers having owned a Commodore 64 and having maintained a network of Unisys machines running a very early version of QNX at my local high school. I had part-time jobs teaching computer courses to both adults and children at local secondary schools. I worked hard in my final year of high school to excel at the now defunct Descartes math competition and earn a spot in Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. Little did I know that I would stay at the university for three degrees and eventually a permanent faculty position. Now, as Director of Admissions for Waterloo Engineering, I hope to share my thoughts on the road towards a career engineering.

4 thoughts on “A Tip for Success”

    1. We process all of our wait list applicants by July 31st. Any applicants that have not heard back from us by July 31st may safely assume they will not receive admission for the Fall 2019 term. We do have a long list of wait list applicants and very few positions available. All of our most popular engineering programs are currently at capacity.

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  2. Hello Professor,
    I will be applying to Waterloo engineering this year and I was wondering if my chances for admission will be reduced if I am taking 6 courses instead of 7 or 8 courses? The courses I am taking are all the required ones for engineering, and I go to a non-semestered school.
    Thank you

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    1. An applicant taking only 6 courses can receive an offer of admission to Waterloo Engineering, provided the courses taken are the required ones. You should indicate the reason for taking only 6 courses on your Admission Information Form (AIF). If there is a good reason for doing so, the lighter course load will have no negative consequences with respect to your application. Applicants that demonstrate significant activity through course work, extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, and employment are slightly more likely to be accepted.

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