Wilfrid Laurier University

Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Funding: Public

Population: 15,896

Percent Women: 58%

Tuition (One Year): $7,000 - not including residence fees 

Most Popular Majors for Women: Business, Communications Studies, Economics, Social Sciences 

Greek Life: Yes

Acceptance Rate: 70%

For more information about financial aid, scholarships, majors, study abroad, and average test scores, visit Wilfrid Laurier’s website at www.wlu.ca

“I applied to Wilfrid Laurier for several reasons. First of all I was very interested in the program I applied for, which is essential when choosing the right university. I had heard great things about Laurier from existing students, friends, and family and I just had to give it a chance. Lastly,  the university colours of purple and gold really appealed to me. After getting accepted I knew Wilfrid Laurier was right for me. I loved the campus and the atmosphere of the school and everyone seemed so friendly and welcoming. The campus was clean and beautiful and because it is a smaller campus, finding my way around was a piece of cake."

"The amount of school spirit that Wilfrid Laurier has definitely made me realize how much I wanted to attend Laurier. I also had knowledge of some of the campus clubs and organizations that I wanted to join, which made the decision easy for me. There are so many great extracirricular opportunities at Wilfrid Laurier."

“I applied to Laurier because of my program. I was looking into History and it was the most diverse for first year out of all the schools I looked at. The program was what made me apply, but the tour was what made me accept my offer. As a prospective student I liked how friendly the Laurier community was. On my tour the Ambassadors were so friendly and enthusiastic and even the students we ran into along the way were so eager to help us out, answer questions and in general just welcome us into the Laurier family... even though we weren't part of it yet!” 

“I wanted to go to Laurier because it was close enough to home and I also liked that it was a smaller campus. I accepted without knowing anything about it besides size and location and so far it has been perfect for me!” 

Cover Photo by: Adrian Noronha

"Wilf's Restaurant and Bar is the place to eat on campus, whether you are grabbing lunch in between classes or having a drink on a Tuesday night, Wilf's has you covered. Two must-try items on the menu are the Seagram Wrap and the Spin Dip to start!"

"We have one of the best and most recognized Orientation Weeks in the country. Our O-Week is packed with fun and exciting activities made that much better by the enthusiasm that the Icebreakers bring to the week. Getting the position of Icebreaker is highly coveted and only the best of the upper year students get the privilege of 'breaking'. Even for those wary of O-Week, the breakers will make Orientation Week lovers out of everyone on your floor!"

"The amount of school spirit that Laurier has is hands down one of the best things about our school. No matter the day, you will always see people rocking their Goldenhawk clothing on campus. Events like the Homecoming football game prove that WLU spirit goes beyond the four years you spend here, as alumni come back to enjoy the day and cheer us on. It's great to be a Laurier Goldenhawk!"

"Shinerama is the #1 Cystic Fibrosis fundraiser across Canada and it all started at WLU! Every year we rock it on Shine Day and raise thousands of dollars for CF research. It's amazing to see such a strong fundraiser still running so many years since it started and being able to meet some of the people who we are helping brings it home. Every student at Laurier has experienced Shine Day in one way or another and we come together as a community to continue to bring awareness to this important cause. Bling, bling, CF AIN'T NO THING!" 

"There are so many options and ways to get involved on campus, whether it is through an athletic team, a campus club, Greek Life, Residence Life and being a Don, a Campus Ambassador position, Foot Patrol, Peer Help Line, Board of Directors and student government or a part-time job at Wilf's/Turret... there is truly something for  everyone to enjoy. I found a place in a sorority and have never regretted the decision, but I also enjoy being a part of the other clubs on campus and working with organizations like Charity Ball and Laurier Students for Learning." 

“Loris, the system for course registration, is the most frustrating program I have ever used! Every year selecting classes is a nightmare and the system continually crashes with so many students trying to log on at the same time!”

“The food selection isn’t that great on campus. Sure, the Dining Hall is all you can eat, but it gets old pretty fast as the menu doesn't change very often. The school definitely needs more selection and especially more healthy options for on-campus dining.”

“Buying books during the first two weeks of school is a definite headache. There’s always a huge line and you have to wait forever just to pay. I wish the school would invest in another bookstore, or a renovation on the one we have to decrease wait times.”

“There aren’t enough places to buy coffee on campus. Generally, everything closes at 10 pm, including the Starbucks in the Concourse, so if you need a study pick-me-up later in the evening it results in walking somewhere off campus.”

“For some reason, there are always high school students in our library. Usually this wouldn't be an issue, but they tend to be really noisy and distracting especially during exam times when seats are already limited. Go somewhere else, kids!” 

“Laurier feels like my second (and sometimes my first!) home. A majority of the first year students live right on campus so you’re always running into friends and people from your classes. Having a small campus keeps you from feeling lonely and overwhelmed the first few months.”

“Orientation Week is when you make friends with your floor and people in your faculty. After a week of bonding events with your floor, you’re all practically family. There’s also a few faculty related days when you meet people who can potentially be in your classes. I met a girl in my program and we ended up studying for our midterms together.”

“Head Start helped me with my course registration A LOT, as I needed a course overridden. Also, I met a girl in my program and we stayed in touch and ended up dancing together in first year!”

“There are so many food places on and around campus! Dining hall food isn’t for everyone, so having so much variety keeps you from going hungry in first year, especially with your One Card dollars.”

“The Get Involved Fair is a great way to learn about clubs on campus, but it can get a little overwhelming. People usually miss booths for clubs that would interest them so asking upperclassmen or even just looking at posters around campus can introduce you to clubs that would appeal to you.” 

"BU 208 Interpersonal Communication was the best course I have taken in my Undergrad. It's in the business category, but only open to Arts students. If you are interested in Communications, English or anything to do with speaking or working with people I highly reccomend this course, you will learn great applicable skills and truly enhance your public speaking abilities!"

"Business is the most popular major at Laurier! It's a process, but going through New Venture in first year and then ICE Week in third year will really prepare you for anything that gets thrown at you in fourth year. It's a tough program, but totally worth it in the long run!"

"I'm in Kin and I totally love my program! There are so many interesting courses that you can take and the professors are really accomodating and helpful! I love my minor, which is Psychology, but I find the professors in Kin are what make the program as great as it is."

"No matter what program you are in, I highly reccomend befriending your professors and your TA's. The more you make an effort to get to know them, the more accomodating they will be if you need to ask for help, advice or extensions. Getting to know them and going to Office Hours proves that you are interested in the cirriculum they are teaching and you will make the effort to get good grades, plus having a teacher as a reference will look great on a grad school application in the future."

For a full list of Clubs on our campus, visit the WLUSU website here: http://www.wlusu.com/waterloo-clubs/

“Athletics at Laurier are great! The crowd turnout has always been pretty good to all of the games I’ve been too, and everyone is definitely full of team spirit. Yes, yes, yes we do - we've got spirit how 'bout you?”

“I love going to sporting events. Everyone at Laurier is really supportive of their athletes, and we obviously have great team spirit!” 

"The football games are the best because you get to see the Laurier Cheerleaders! We are one of many Canadian universities that have a legitimate cheerleading team and their halftime shows are really fun to watch!"

“Homecoming is amazing; it's one of my favourite times of the year! Everyone gets super into it. People dress up and party all weekend and alumni even come back to join the party! It's definitely something you don't want to miss as a Golden Hawk.”

For more information visit the Laurier Athletics website where you can find team rosters, game days and more! https://www.laurierathletics.com

"The best way to find girl friends at Wilfrid Laurier is to join a sorority! Here at Laurier we have two active sororities on campus and a dynamic Greek Council, which brings together the organizations. Why it’s great? Being part of Greek Life is a great way to meet new people, guys and girls alike. You form special bonds with your sisters and have the opportunity to gain valuable leadership experiences! Your sorority becomes your home away from home and Greek Life at Laurier brings "Girl Power" a whole new meaning."

"Her Campus Wilfrid Laurier has been a perfect fit for me. Although we are still new to campus, we are officially recognized by the Students Union which allows us extra funding for our events and there are a wide variety of positions available, so there is something for everyone to get involved with!"

"The Centre for Women and Trans People is a great way for girls to get involved on campus. This center focuses on equality for women & trans people and what’s more empowering for a woman than helping other women? Girl power is taken to the next level by getting involved with this service. Activism can be a very rewarding experience, especially when you can see the benefits directly in your community."

"The Wilfrid Laurier Fashion and Lifestyle Society (WLUFLS) is a great way for trendy and fashion-forward women to get involved on campus! Weekly meetings with a focus on fashion and fundraising for a year end fashion show make this club a ton of fun for every body!"

"Two words. 'Frozen Yogurt'. One word. 'Menchies'. Looking for a good Friday night dorm bonding activity? Go get some frozen yogurt and Menchies. It's right across from campus and each creation is your own, you can do no wrong."

"I dare all of my students to take a walk down Uptown Waterloo during their first few weeks on campus. There are so many great privately owned cafes, restaurants, and local eateries, it's really the place to be seen. You meet a lot of cool students there from both schools (University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University) and it is a great place to study if you want to get away from campus and the dorm. Just choose a café, grab a mocha, open your books and you're good to go! I highly recommend Death Valley's Little Brother."

"There are two Tim Hortons on campus. They're about a seven minute walk from each other, but the one in the Science Atrium is always busy and there's practically no way to avoid the line. Starbucks is another good option, it's right in the middle of campus in the Concourse and below the 24 Hour Lounge. Of course it's pricier but we all need our coffee fix some way or another, plus they both take OneCard dollars!" 

"There is a food court located in the middle of campus right by the quad. They've got sushi, pizza, thai food, pitas, sub sandwiches and a café that serves fresh coffee and baked goods. It's right by the quad too, so if it's a nice day I meet my friends outside and we eat together, lounge in the sun and go over our notes...sometimes. There's more lounging than reviewing"

"I love going to Veritas. It's a cool café on campus that is open to all students. I call it 'The Posh Peruvian Café du Monde'... not often but if you asked me to define it in 6 words that's what I'd say. I order their amazing grilled cheese and their homemade soup and sit on their patio during the summer and read."

"I used to go to the dining all of the time during my first year and loved it. It was all you can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with different stations. I was always at the pasta and omelette station - their Mexican omelette was my favourite. There's always something for everyone, so my friends and I went in, got our food, sat down, finished... then went back for more. It's the easiest way to spend OneCard meal plan money too."

“When I was applying for university, students who had above a 90% average at the end of high school got their first pick at which residence style they wanted. Apartment and traditional style dorms both offer single and double rooms. Apartment style residences are mainly off-campus but no more than a 5-10 minute walk whereas traditional dorms are mainly on campus.”

“Residence is only offered to first year students. Upperclassmen usually live around campus in either apartments or houses.”

“Homecoming and St. Patrick’s Day can get pretty crazy so security is more enforced during those times. Residences have a wristband policy so you have to sign in your guests beforehand. People without wristbands aren’t allowed into the buildings.”

“Dorms are what you expect them to be. Communal bathrooms obviously aren’t the greatest and you definitely have less space than your room at home, but residence life is one of the best experiences in university. It’s more about the friends you make rather than the comfort. As long as you don’t go into it thinking it will be a five-star hotel, you won’t be disappointed.”

“There are virtual tours of the residence buildings and different room styles on the WLU website. It definitely helped me decide how much to bring since some residences have smaller rooms comparing to others.”

"You've got... Pearl on Fridays and Saturdays, Dallas, Karaoke at Chainsaw. Flashing lights and dance music at Beta, Fridays ladies get in for free. Fox and the Fiddle on Tuesdays to meet some great people and dance two days of the school week away, good preparation for class on Wednesday. Wednesdays at Phil's is wicked awesome. Thursday... I want to say salsa at the Flying Dog. Then we're back to Friday. I think that pretty much covers it. To sum up there's never a dull day in the city of Waterloo."

"If you're looking for a lot of hipsters, Uptown Waterloo is your place. Whether you want to hide from it or embrace it is totally your choice. They've got contemporary art shows, a market in the square, skateboard shops, lots of bike shops, and did I mention the hipster cafes?

"Waterloo is known as one of Canada's leading start-up communities. The city is full of entrepreneurship spirit. We all strive to make this community better in our own separate way, There's a place called Communitech that works with anyone who has an idea they want to pursue and just need help getting it off the ground. All in all we're a community that sticks together."

"I love browsing the shops in Uptown Waterloo! There are more well-known stores like American Apparel, but one of my favourites is Meow Boutique! Definitely a great place to score some one of a kind finds!"

"In the winter they make an ice rink in front of the strip mall! It's a great place to go and hangout with some friends and it's always fun to ice skate in the winter months, plus it's free! You can even rent skates right around the corner at a place called McPhail's."

Want more information? Visit www.hercampus.com/wilfridlaurier !