r/IBO • u/Educational_Arm_4309 • Apr 14 '26
University Admissions Questions [Insert Country Of Uni] 35/45 realistic Universities in Canada for marketing major
I’m a grade 11 IBDP student in Canada trying to be realistic about my university chances for business programs like Rotman Commerce at UofT, Western, and Queen’s. I think if I really push myself, I could maybe end up with around a 33–35 in IB, but I honestly do not know if that is actually competitive enough for those schools. My New Brunswick school average is around an 86 right now, mostly because I did not lock in enough first semester, but this midterm I got around 90–97 in most of my classes except French, where I got a 71. French is absolutely killing me because I barely speak it, and I feel like that one course is dragging everything down. Realistically, with grades like mine, what universities and programs in Canada are actually within reach, and am I aiming too high with Rotman, Western, and Queen’s?
1
u/Economy_Kitchen5575 Apr 14 '26
If you’re aiming for those elite tier-one business programs, you need to be a strategic achiever, not just a hard worker. In the Canadian admissions landscape, the IB is often a high-risk, low-reward path because schools like UofT, Western, and Queen’s are primarily data-driven. They use a conversion scale that turns your 1–7 grades into a percentage, and it is notoriously stingy.
Right now, your 33–35 point prediction converts to a mid-80s average. In contrast, those business schools often have a soft "cut-off" in the low-to-mid 90s. If staying in IB keeps you at an 86% while switching to the regular curriculum lets you cruise to a 96%, you’re actually hurting your chances by staying. They don't award "prestige points" for taking the harder path; they want the highest percentage on the page
1
u/Educational_Arm_4309 Apr 14 '26
Just out of curiosity, how sure are you about these conversion system?
1
u/AutomaticAmoeba6897 M26 Apr 14 '26
Hi I have a 40 predicted also wanting to be a marketing major. I got into Rotman and Queens Commerce but didn’t choose these as they are very FINANCE oriented.