Last updated September 14, 2023Last updated September 14, 2023
If you are looking for guidance on the Western Ivey supplementary essays, as well as Ivey HBA essay examples and templates, then you’ve come to the right place.
This Application Prep guide is fully updated with this year’s 2023/2024 application, as well as past applications for reference.
We’ll update this guide again in the Fall of 2024 once the new application details are released.
The big change to the application was the video interview essay.
Students are required to submit answers to five live video interview questions.
We won’t go into detail on that in this guide, but we have a separate guide to help you prepare for any video interviews (and it’s 100% free).
Work with a 1:1 coach to receive comprehensive coaching to elevate your essay writing abilities, interviewing skills, and ensure you are submitting the most unique, authentic, and compelling application possible.
They are also getting rid of a few things, including the Ivey Grad reference, the Work Experience section, and the International Experience section.
Before you dive in, it’s important to understand that the admissions committee receives thousands of applications every year. To help set you apart from the crowd, you need to demonstrate a clear sense of self, strong life experience, and exemplary communication skills.
Our ‘full student’ coaching process does exactly that. If you’re not working with a coach, be sure to read the Self-Awareness, Goal-Setting, and Narrative Communication Skills Guides.
The Narrative Communication Approach™ is a particularly useful storytelling framework that helps you tell a clear and concise story, while creating an emotional connection with the reader. All Western Ivey essay examples and templates use this approach.
We use essay templates to show you a suggested essay structure that uses the Narrative Communication Approach™. Using this structure does not mean your essays will be the same as other students. That’s like saying using the 3 Act Structure makes every play, movie, and novel the same. The content of that story makes it unique.
We also suggest following the 5-step essay writing process we teach, seen here.
REMEMBER: When you’re applying to Ivey, don’t forget that Ivey AEO is a status, NOT a program. This means that you must apply to any program at Western University, like Engineering, Arts & Humanities, Social Science, etc. Then, you must state your intention to apply to Ivey AEO Status on your OUAC application.
If you’re serious about getting into Ivey and reaching your fullest post-secondary potential, connect with a coach. It’s never too early to receive coaching.
For more information about Western Ivey, check out this free Western Ivey Program Guide and this informative video that one of our coaches, a Western alumnus, created to help students just like you.
Table of Contents
There are the main components of the Western Ivey AEO Application (click here for a breakdown of each section):
Western Ivey HBA AEO asks you to complete a supplementary application, which includes two, 500-word essays.
In this guide, we’ll cover the Awards, Activities (including References), and Additional Activities sections.
There is also a Identity Supplemental that is the same as the 2022/2023 application; however, we will not cover this in the guide. Reach out to a coach to help challenge and broaden your thinking about this question.
Identity Supplemental: “We understand that identity and sense of belonging are connected. Is there anything you would like to share about your lived experience and the identity you have shared with us that could better increase your sense of belonging in the Ivey community?” (500 words)
The Western Ivey AEO application deadline for students applying from secondary school is January 12, 2024 at 4pm EST.
The Activity Essays are designed to allow the admissions committee to get to know you, while evaluating your skills and whether you’d be a good fit for their program.
These essays are undoubtedly the most important part of your application.
As one of the admission requirements, Ivey states that they look for applicants with ‘demonstrated leadership through extracurriculars’. These essays are EXACTLY where you show this leadership off.
These essays are where Ivey will separate the admitted candidates from the rejected ones.
COACH’S TIP: With so many applicants, making your essays unique can be tough. We recommend choosing activities that demonstrate your initiative, teamwork, commitment, and achievement. If you are having trouble, connect with a coach and they will help you out.
Keep reading for Western Ivey HBA essay examples, essay templates, and useful tips for writing!
Before getting started, check out this video for some helpful information about the Western Ivey HBA (AEO) application in general:
The general structure of your essay should have these five components (get a detailed breakdown of these components here):
COACH’S TIP: Don’t worry about writing complete sentences at first. Just write 2-3 bullet points under each section, just to get your ideas down. You can edit and perfect your answers later. If you’d like some more information about how to write each section of this essay in our Narrative Communication Guide.
Here are some examples of Activity Essays for the Western Ivey HBA Supplementary Application.
REMEMBER: This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy. Why? First and foremost, this is plagiarism and is a serious offense. Plagiarizing these essays will result in immediate disqualification from the admissions process. This can be easily detected using technology and application reviewers are usually trained and/or able to spot when an application isn’t original and does not align with an applicant’s background, personality, values, etc.
Example 1: Starting an entrepreneurial venture
