Laurier ABS Form Examples: Supplementary Application Prep 2023/2024

If you are looking for Laurier Applicant Background Summary (ABS) Form Examples, as well as tips, templates, and other supplementary application prep, then you’ve come to the right place. 

This guide has been updated for the 2023/2024 application. We’ll update it again Fall 2024 when the new ABS Form details are released.

In the meantime, if you’re serious about getting into Laurier, we recommend you schedule a free consultation for our 1-on-1 Youth Coaching services.

It’s important to understand that no matter what program you’re applying to, admissions committees receives thousands of applications every year. To help you stand out 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 Laurier ABS 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: Even though the ABS form examples in the guide will focus on the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program, the ABS question breakdowns and templates in this guide can be used for all programs at Wilfrid Laurier University. If you are applying to more than one program at Laurier, you only need to submit ONE ABS. Have questions? Connect with a coach for support.

If you’re serious about getting into Laurier and reaching your fullest post-secondary potential, connect with a coach. It’s never too early to receive coaching.

Table of Contents

1. 2023-2024 Laurier Application: Deadlines; Admissions Process; Do you need an ABS?; and More.
2. Applicant Background Summary (ABS) Form: Questions; Tip for Writing; Templates; Examples; and More.

2023/2024 Wilfrid Laurier ABS Form 

Laurier Supplementary Application – Overview

Once you apply to Laurier via OUAC, you will be prompted to complete the Applicant Background Summary (ABS), which is a supplementary form to show your extracurricular involvement and other achievements.

The ABS an optional form that’s made up of 5 questions, allowing you to discuss areas such as career goals, extracurricular/employment experience, awards and achievements, community involvement, and more.

Access your Laurier ABS template here. This will help you write unique and memorable answers (keep reading for breakdowns and examples for each question).

Although the ABS is optional, we highly recommend that you complete it (keep reading to find out why).

COACH’S TIP: You can also complete a Special Cases or Extenuating Circumstances Form (aka a Personal Statement), where you can talk about recent or present circumstances that have impacted your ability to achieve strong grades. This is entirely optional, and you should only complete it if there is a specific event or circumstance that has impacted your academic performance (COVID doesn’t really count here, because this has impacted everyone). If you’re not sure if you should submit a Personal Statement, connect with a coach for support.

Laurier Supplementary Application – Laurier ABS Form Deadline

There are a few important dates you need to remember for your 2023/2024 Laurier application. 

Here’s a breakdown for quick reference: 

• January 12, 2024: The deadline to submit your OUAC application for Ontario high school students for Fall 2024 start (the deadline for all other applicants is April 1, 2023).
• April 27, 2024: Final deadline to submit your Applicant Background Summary.
• April 27, 2024: Deadline to submit your Personal Statement (if applicable).
• May 12, 2024: Deadline to submit your unofficial documents (e.g. transcripts) and proof of English proficiency (if applicable). These can be submitted electronically through your student portal account. 
• June 1, 2024: Deadline to accept your offer of admission.
• July 15, 2024: Deadline to submit your final transcripts (if you are admitted to Laurier and accept the offer) in a sealed and stamped envelope from your current academic institution. 

IMPORTANT: Laurier says that you submit your Applicant Background Summary within 2 weeks of submitting our OUAC application, but this deadline is a recommendation only.

According to Laurier’s Admission Office, this 2 week window is given simply so that students don’t forget to complete the ABS. Staff have confirmed that if you submit it past the 2-week window, it will not impact your application. However, keep in mind that the last day to submit the ABS is April 27, 2024 (even if you applied less than 2 weeks before that).

REMEMBER: As mentioned above, if you are applying to more than one program at Wilfrid Laurier University, you only need to submit ONE ABS.

Laurier Admission Requirements and Application Process

You might be wondering how Laurier makes their offers of admission and how they use the ABS in their admissions process. 

This process is easiest to understand if it’s broken into 3 steps.

Step 1: In November-January, Laurier sends out their offers based on grades only. They will send out offers to students with the highest grades first, and then work their way down the list.

Let’s use Laurier BBA as an example to show this process (remember that this will be similar for all other programs at Wilfrid Laurier University).

Laurier BBA says that a competitive admission admissions range is in the low 90s. This means that the first group to get offers will be to students who have grades in the low 90s or above.

From there, they wait to see who accepts the offer and who doesn’t. 

Step 2: Once the deadline has been reached (this deadline is different each year), Laurier BBA will see how many spots they have left from students who didn’t accept the offer. 

For example, say only 700/1,000 students accept their offer, then the admissions committee must send out 300 more offers to get the number back to 1,000 to fill the first year incoming student target.  

Pay attention because this is where the ABS comes into the mix. 🙂

Step 3: The admissions committee now goes beyond grades and uses the ABS to decide who gets an offer in the next round of acceptances.

According to the Admissions Office at Laurier, the ABS is reviewed by faculty for applicants who fall within 3% of the final May cut-off. Then, they send out the next round of offers.

If you are one of these students who didn’t receive an offer during the first round, then the ABS could mean the difference between acceptance and rejection from the program — no matter what program you’re applying to.

Laurier Supplementary Application – Do You Need to Submit an ABS?

If your grades are really strong, you might be wondering “How important is the ABS for my application?” 

Long answer short — we ALWAYS recommend that EVERY student submits an ABS because it allows you to showcase who you are beyond your grades — and will only strengthen your application!

If you’re still undecided, we’ve put together this chart below using Laurier BBA as an example. Here, you’ll see this program’s grade cutoffs and a ranking of how important the ABS is based on that (with green being least critical and red being most critical). 

REMEMBER: If you are applying to a program other than BBA, check the program’s website for the grade cutoffs, and then simply substitute those numbers in the chart below.

*IMPORTANT: As mentioned above, we recommend that ALL students submit an ABS, no matter what the grade cut-off is.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what we suggest based on your grade average. If you fall into the:

• Green: Your grades are above the competitive admission grade range. You will likely get an offer from Laurier (as outlined in Step 1 above). You can complete the ABS, but only if you have time and it doesn’t compromise other supplementary applications that are mandatory for the other programs you’re applying to.  
• Yellow: Your grades are in the competitive admission range (based on the grades of students who were submitted to the program last year). You might or might not get an offer from Laurier in the first round of offers (as outlined in Step 1 above). You should definitely make the time to write an ABS, so that it will complement your grades and make your application even more competitive, especially if you are one of the students being considered in the second round of offers (as outlined in Step 2-3 above).
• Red: Your grades are in the minimum admission grade range and you are not in the competitive category. You will likely not receive an offer in the first round of offers (as outlined in Step 1 above). Completing an ABS is very important so that you can be in the competitive range when being considered for the second round of offers (as outlined in Step 2-3 above). If you don’t write an ABS, it is likely that your application will be rejected.

If an applicant doesn’t submit the ABS form and they also don’t meet the required average or an offer, they will be assessed for an alternate offer (i.e. in another program at Laurier). 

Again, you should write an ABS, no matter how strong your grades are.

You wouldn’t make a huge decision without a backup plan, right?

Think of the ABS as your application’s backup plan. You have no idea if you will get an offer based on grades alone. If you don’t get an offer in the first round, the ABS is the only thing that will keep you in the admissions race if your grades don’t get you an offer right away. 

If you don’t write an ABS, you’re basically leaving your application up to chance (and no one wants that!).

We know this process is a bit confusing and that every situation is different. If you are still unsure about the Laurier admissions process and you need some help with the ABS, connect with a coach for support.

Submit a unique & memorable ABS Form.

learn more

Joel

Laurier ABS
Expert

Laurier Applicant Background Summary (ABS) Form Examples & Templates

Laurier ABS Form – Overview

The ABS is where you can make a lasting first impression and show what makes you unique and a perfect fit for the program you’re applying to. 

So what is Laurier looking for? They want students who are strong leaders, committed to helping their communities thrive, have well-rounded experiences, and can contribute to Laurier’s community as a whole.

All 5 questions on the ABS are personal questions, meaning that they are intentionally left pretty open-ended so that you can talk about a broad range of experiences, values, skills, interests, and goals. 

You need to go beyond the surface and provide deep insight about who you are. The admissions committee wants to see that you know where you’ve come from (and where you want to go). You might not realize it, but displaying your strong self-awareness will help set you apart from other applicants — that’s why we’ve written a whole blog about it here. 

When thinking about the topics you want to discuss in your ABS essays, choose ones that will allow you to: 

• Highlight key skills that are fundamental to who you are, like leadership, problem solving, time management etc.
• Draw upon specific traits that Laurier looks for like commitment and dedication.
• Showcases your values, like making an impact on the world, or connecting with people around you. 
• Be unique and authentic.
• Discuss how you evolved as a person and leader because of the learning outcome that the experience/person initiated.

If you have completed your Student Identity Blueprint™ and gone through the Discovery phase of our coaching process, identifying these experiences and answering these questions will be easier (if you haven’t filled out a Blueprint, connect with a coach to get started). 

Here are the 5 questions you will see on the Laurier ABS, as well as breakdown, templates, and examples for each so that you can write truly memorable, unique, and authentic answers.

Laurier ABS Form: Question 1 

Briefly tell us how the Laurier academic program(s) you have chosen will help you towards any future career plans and aspirations you may have (2000 characters).

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 1 – Breakdown

This section is entirely focused on your plans and goals for the future. 

“Future career plans and aspirations” is meant to be really open-ended, but remember that it can include both career and academic goals. 

Here are some prompts to help you think about your future career plans and aspirations: 

If you’re having trouble identifying exactly what career path you want to take and what your other aspirations are, don’t worry! 

We see so many students who have a really tough time identifying goals and aspirations because they were never taught how to do this in high school. 

We believe that Laurier, along with other competitive universities, seek students who are self-aware and action-oriented.

If you’ve already completed your Student Identity Blueprint™, you have already written down your achievements and future goals. Use the Blueprint to think about how Laurier will help you get closer to completing those goals. 

This is why our Youth Coaches work with students to identify Audacious Yet Authentic (AYA) goals — these are basically next level goals that are perfectly aligned with your identity and aspirations (and this is what goes in the Aspirations section of the SIB).

When working on this essay, you can think about the goals you identified and prioritized, and then think about how Laurier can be a part of your action plan to achieve them. If you need support with your AYA goals, connect with a coach for 1-on-1 support.

When describing your aspirations, remember that it’s better to choose one or two really focused goals, rather than a bunch of goals you haven’t thought about much or can’t back up. The important thing is quality over quantity here.

COACH’S TIP: To make your answer memorable and unique, give the reader an inside glimpse into your journey using our Narrative Communication Approach™. Use storytelling to describe how your aspirations evolved from your initial interest in the program you’re applying to, as well as the experiences, challenges, and victories you had along the way, and describe how all of these have made you completely certain that Laurier will help you continue on this journey (keep reading to learn how). Emphasize emotional connection and character development to really stand out.

Once you’ve chosen which goals you want to discuss, provide specific examples why the program at Laurier that you’re applying to is the only program that can help you achieve them.

Make sure that you do your research here so that you know the ins and outs of the program. Actually asking yourself, “Why do I want to go to Laurier?” and “Why does this program stand out to me?” is a good place to start. Do some reading about Laurier’s clubs, student life, annual conferences, faculty, and co-op opportunities, so you can see what really speaks to you and will help you achieve your goals.  

For example, let’s say that your goal after graduation is to start a digital agency for “web 3.0” (e.g. crypto, NFTs, etc.). Here’s some ways you could conduct deeper research on Laurier’s BBA program to ensure it aligns with this goal (and then communicate this in your ABS): 

• Looking at the BBA curriculum, you see that Laurier has a “Creativity in Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Environments” class that you think would help your startup have a competitive edge over other agencies. 
• Looking at Professor Marzena Cedzynski’s research papers in the Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, you’re eager to learn about new product development and marketing by taking one of her classes at Laurier. 
• Looking at other opportunities at Laurier, you stumble upon Startup Laurier, which would help empower you to get your agency off the ground.

Listing specific and quantifiable reasons such as these will not only show that you have researched the program, but it will show that you are passionate, dedicated, and would be a great fit for Laurier.

Need some help deciding on which goals to write about? Connect with a coach for 1-on-1 support.

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 1 – Template

Get started on your template here (click File > Make a Copy > Save the template to your computer).

As mentioned above, all the templates and examples in this App Prep Guide follow our Narrative Communication Approach™. This structure uses storytelling to create an emotional connection with the reader, while showcasing character development, deep learning outcomes, and personal insight. The result? Truly unique, authentic, and memorable essays. Check out our Narrative Communication Approach Guide to learn more.

REMEMBER: There’s a 2,000 character limit for this essay, so be as concise and clear as possible.

The general structure of your answer to this question should have these components (get a detailed breakdown of each of them here):

• Hook (Optional) (~200 characters)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect. 
• Context (~550 characters)
  • Provide some background about your interests (e.g. how you became interested in that field, what you’ve done so far to develop that interest, etc.).
• Catalyst (~500 characters)
  • Describe 1-3 future career plans and aspirations you have that are related to this interest (they can be professional and/or academic). Briefly state how you set these goals and why they’re so important to you.
• Outcome/Reflection (~750 characters)
  • For each goal, give a specific example of how the Laurier program you’re applying to will help you achieve it. Provide as much detail as possible and use specific examples wherever you can (e.g. listing specific faculty members you want to work with, co-op opportunities, student clubs, etc.). Wrap up the essay by briefly explaining why Laurier is the best fit for you and how you will contribute to the student community as you work to achieve your goals.

Laurier ABS Form Example – Question 1

Here’s an example of a response for this question. All of the examples in the guide are business focused, but they are designed to show you what a strong essay looks like, no matter what program at Laurier you’re applying to.

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.

Laurier ABS Form: Question 2

Please list any extracurricular activities or employment experience you have which you think demonstrates good citizenship and leadership qualities.  These could include school involvement, volunteer experience, work experience, involvement in athletics or the arts, participation in student exchange or leadership programs, or other activities which show your leadership and innovation skills. You can respond to this question in bulleted/point form. (Max. 2000 characters)

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 2 – Breakdown

When thinking about which extracurricular activities and/or employment experience you want to include, make sure you choose ones that had a positive impact on your life and the lives of others and allowed you to develop your skills, especially in leadership. 

They are asking for activities/experiences that demonstrate both good citizenship, like contributing something to your community or identifying a social or economic issue, and leadership qualities, like an experience that showcases how you lead a team, deal with challenges, and evolve your leadership strategies for future opportunities. 

Try to evenly distribute both qualities (i.e. don’t focus entirely on good citizenship and just have one activity that shows leadership qualities).

You also want to choose activities that will show the depth and breadth of your experiences.

For depth, you want 1-2 activities that you’ve put the most time and effort into. We also call these X-factors or independent leadership projects (ILPs). These are the ones that WOW reviewers.

For example, this could be a non-profit you started, a fundraising event you organized to address homelessness in your community, or a TEDx talk on an issue you’re passionate about (check out a real example of one of our students here!). These are the BIG accomplishments that you’re super proud of. 

For breadth, you should include 4-5 activities that demonstrate your well-roundedness. These are still super important for helping shape who you are. 

For example, this could be a sports team you captained and lead to the league finals or a summer social media internship you obtained at a direct-to-consumer tea brand, which developed your communication skills.

Structuring your activities in this way will show the committee that you have well-rounded experience in many areas as well as dedication and commitment.  

Finally, make sure you focus on quantifiable outcomes from that position/experience. This can be specific numbers, like money raised or participation percentages, or it can be improvements on you as a person, like developing skills, gaining valuable experience, etc. 

For example, if you were the President of your school’s Economics club, you could say that you increased participation in the club by 50% because you led a team to create an entirely new marketing strategy. 

Or, if you were an intern at a tech startup and you improved your communication skills because you helped with social media strategy while also improving your public speaking because you had to frequently present your ideas to a large audience. 

The important thing is to show that these experiences allowed you to not only grow as a personal and young professional, but that these skills you improved had a possible impact on others and made a difference to those you were working with.

If you need some help choosing which activities to list in your ABS, connect with a coach for 1-on-1 support.

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 2 – Template

Get started on your template here (click File > Make a Copy > Save the template to your computer).

We recommend formatting your activities under three headers: 

1. Extracurricular Activities
2. Employment Experience 
3. Other Experiences & Achievements

Under each of these headers, aim for at least three activities.

Use the following format for each activity:

[Role Name], [Organization]: [Description of what you did]

For the description, please do not list the responsibilities of this position. Instead, describe details like:

• What you did
• The unique impact you had
• Skills you built
• Challenges you overcame
• A list of quantifiable outcomes (e.g. money raised, hours volunteered, etc.)
• What you learned

Once you have done that, briefly describe how taking part in this activity demonstrates your good citizenship and leadership.

Keep in mind that there’s a 2,000 character limit for ALL your activities/experiences combined.

You may write your bullets in either first or third person.

Need some help making sure your Activity Descriptions are unique, authentic, and memorable? Connect with a coach for support.

Laurier ABS Form Example – Question 2

Here’s an example of a response to this section. 

REMEMBER: This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy.

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Laurier ABS Form: Question 3

Please list any awards or recognitions you have received for your academic and/or extracurricular achievement. This could include completion of a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) or enrolment in specialized programs, courses or curriculum. (Max. 2000 characters)

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 3 – Breakdown

Like Question 2, this question is meant to help the admissions committee learn more about what you’ve accomplished in your academic and professional life. 

For this question, you can also write a list that outlines the awards and recognitions you have received either at school or during your extracurricular activities. 

You might be wondering what qualifies as an award or recognition. 

Try to stick with awards and recognitions from Grade 10 or later, both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when thinking about which to include:

• Did it require a high level of commitment and time to achieve? 
• Did it allow you to apply and improve your leadership skills and teamwork? 
• Did it allow you to make a recognized impact in your event/activity/community?
• Did it have a lasting impact on you, such as an influential learning outcome, contribution to your future learning strategies, etc.?

To make your essay memorable and unique, we suggest that you focus your achievements around a theme. 

Your theme should be in line with qualities that Laurier looks for in its students, like leadership, community, social responsibility, teamwork and collaboration, and a strong interest in the field you’re applying to (e.g. business, history, engineering, etc.). 

For example, say the theme of your essay is teamwork and collaboration. Wherever possible in the essay, you would emphasize how you worked with a team to address challenges, innovate your approach, and achieve the end goal. 

Choosing a theme like this will help keep your answer organized, while also showing that your skills, interests, and experiences are exactly in line with what Laurier is looking for.

Structure your answer in chronological order, starting with your earliest academic and/or extracurricular achievement (stick with awards and achievements from Grade 10 onwards). For example, say you won an award in Grade 10. You would discuss this first, before moving onto your high school achievements. This will allow you to highlight your personal growth, dedication, and self-awareness as you worked hard to accomplish more and more challenging things. It will show your evolution over time.

Your accomplishments are super impressive, but what’s really important for this answer is how you articulate what you learned from achieving them. Maybe you were a super introverted person and you challenged yourself to go outside your comfort zone, which eventually led you to winning the debate team tournament at your school. Or maybe you suffer from a learning disorder and, despite what everyone told you, you worked really hard and made the honour roll. 

The journey is more important than the destination here, and what the admissions committee really wants to see are the learning outcomes and how these learnings will impact you going forward.

COACH’S TIP: Use our Narrative Communication Approach™ to structure your answer like a story, while really emphasizing your development over time. Audiences react to emotional connections, and this structure can help you communicate all the countless hours you put into achieving big things.

Finally, don’t forget: use this essay as an opportunity to (humble) brag! You’ve worked really hard to get to where you are, and now it’s time to flex your achievements. 🙂

Need some help structuring your academic and extracurricular achievements into a story that gets noticed? Connect with a coach to learn more.

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 3 – Template

Get started on your template here (click File > Make a Copy > Save the template to your computer).

Use the following format for each award/recognition:

[Award Title], [Granting Institution/Organization Name]

[Award Description] 

For the description, briefly describe what the award/recognition was, and provide details such as how long it took to achieve, where you placed among other competitors, outstanding qualities that helped you earn that award, etc.

REMEMBER: There’s a 2,000 character limit for ALL your awards/achievements combined.

Laurier ABS Form Example – Question 3

Here’s an example of a response to this question. 

REMEMBER: This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy.

Laurier ABS Form: Question 4

Briefly explain a time where you demonstrated leadership that yielded a positive result. (Max. 2000 characters)

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 4 – Breakdown

You can probably tell by this point in writing the ABS that leadership (along with community involvement) is a key quality that Laurier looks for in its prospective students.

You might be worried because you haven’t had a lot of experience leading a team or a big group of people. 

But don’t worry – you have more experience in this area than you might think!

It’s all about how you frame this question. 

‘Leadership’ is a big term that can be broken down into a bunch of other essential skills that you’ve probably already worked on without even knowing it.

You’ve probably had the chance to develop these skills through independent leadership projects, like founding your own nonprofit initiative (check out Stephanie’s story here) or giving your own TEDx Talk (like Isaac did).

Here are some skills that a leader must have:

• Initiative 
• Communication (both oral and written)
• Planning and organization 
• Time management 
• Strategic thinking 
• Problem solving 
• Self-awareness 
• Learning agility
• Leading a life of Influence and impact
• An inclusive mindset that fosters inspiration and inclusivity  

Chances are that through your academic, extracurricular, independent projects, and employment experiences, you’ve worked on some of these skills. 

For this essay, try to think of a situation where you went above and beyond the call of duty to address a challenge or get something done, and then talk about how it’s because of this effort that you and your team succeeded. 

Laurier doesn’t expect you to be a perfect leader, they just want to see that you’re making the effort to improve your leadership skills and that you’re focusing on evolving your learning strategies. 

You can still be a leader even if you aren’t a manager, team captain, or another similar role. 

For example, say you were working as a volunteer at your local Red Cross on a fundraising event, and then at the last minute your keynote speaker canceled. You took the initiative to get in touch with an influential activist in your community that you’d met at a conference a few months back. You put together a proposal that outlined why your fundraising cause was important and how the activist’s participation would increase donations because you had learned from other experiences that speakers who had experience in the field could relate to the audience’s emotional sensibilities through the stories they tell. In the end, the activist loved your proposal and agreed to be the keynote speaker, and a record amount of money was raised that year. This is a great example of leadership because it showcases skills like initiative, communication, strategic thinking, influence, and problem solving.

We know that improving in all these skills can be really difficult, and that’s why we’ve created our ‘full student’ coaching methodology. For more than 10 years, our Youth Coaches have worked with students to go after big goals that will allow them to build self-awareness, communication skills, mental and physical wellness, and leadership skills. 

We’ve also created some helpful Skills Guides that can help you start your leadership skills journey. Check them out here: Deductive Communication, Narrative Communication, Self-Awareness, and Goal-Setting. 

If you’re serious about reaching your fullest post-secondary potential and being the best version of yourself, connect with a coach to start your journey.

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 4 – Template

Get started on your template here (click File > Make a Copy > Save the template to your computer).

REMEMBER: There’s a 2,000 character limit for this essay, so focus on being clear and concise.

The general structure of your response should have these 5 components: 

• Hook (Optional) (~150 characters)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect.
• Context (~300 characters)
  • Give some background about the activity, like when and why you got involved, who was involved with you, and where it took place. 
• Catalyst (~450 characters)
  • Discuss the situation, conflict, and/or challenge that prompted you to take the leadership role, and what specifically you had to do.
• Outcome (~700 characters)
  • Describe exactly how you faced the situation, conflict, and/or challenge, while emphasizing the skills you used as much as you can. Then, explain how your leadership solved the situation/challenge. Be as specific as possible when describing the positive result, using quantifiable outcomes where possible.
• Reflection (~400 characters)
  • Describe your biggest learning outcome from this experience and discuss how this shifted or influenced your perspective of leadership, as well as how your learning/leadership strategies evolved as a result of this experience. If possible, tie this learning back to Laurier and very briefly state how your plan to continue to evolve your leadership and other skills as a Laurier student.

Laurier ABS Form Example – Question 4 

Here’s an example of a response to this question. 
REMEMBER: This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy.

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Laurier ABS Form: Question 5

Laurier is known for being an actively-engaged community of students, staff and faculty who volunteer, participate and give back to our community, both on and off campus. Briefly describe how you will contribute to the local and/or Laurier community as a student here. (Max. 2000 characters)

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 5 – Breakdown

If you do some research about Laurier (and we highly recommend that you do!), you’ll notice that this university takes community involvement very seriously, and they really encourage their students to be active within the university itself. 

The Laurier Community Hub and their Government and Community relations team focus on building reciprocal community relationships where they can provide support to community organizations at the local, provincial, and federal levels. 

While community partnership certainly involves helping those less fortunate in the community and addressing important social issues, Laurier views ‘community involvement’ more broadly than you might think. 

At Laurier, community engagement also includes activities like:

• Youth programs
• Professional development and education
• Arts and culture
• Sporting events and athletics
• Research
• Business development and entrepreneurship

Check out the full list of Laurier’s community partnerships here.

Ever program at Laurier wants to accept students who are going to contribute to the Laurier community as a whole, as well as the community of Waterloo, Ontario in general.

COACH’S TIP: This answer is focused on activities both inside and outside of the Laurier community, so you want to make sure that you address both. We recommend that you provide 2-3 examples for community involvement outside of Laurier, and then 2-3 examples of opportunities within Laurier.

For opportunities where you can contribute within the university’s community, do some research on the clubs, societities, and opportunities that align with your skills and interests. For example, say you are a talented communicator since you’ve been working with your coach and you want to help teach your peers how to improve their own communication skills. You could say that you’ll give back to the community by joining Laurier’s Golden Speakers Club and helping its members build the confidence they need to speak in public and connect with their audience, while continuing to improve your own communication skills. Or, you could say that you are interested in joining the Women in Leadership (WILL) club at the Lazaridis school so that you can contribute what you’ve learned while also continuing to learn and grow as a student and young professional. 

For initiatives outside Laurier, again do some research to find local charities, businesses, and social issues that you want to be a part of. The key is to show that you’ve thought about how you will work outside the university as a representative of Laurier in the Waterloo community. Since Laurier is well-known for its co-op opportunities, a good place to start would be to do some research about potential placements that are in line with your interest in business and would allow you to contribute to the community as a whole. 

Just remember that you don’t have to have an exact plan of what you’ll do, but the admissions committee wants to see that you’ve thought about these sorts of activities and that you’ve done your research. They want to see that community involvement is just as important to you as it is to them.   

No matter what activity you choose, the important thing is that you show that you are committed to contributing to your community, while also using your experiences in the community as an opportunity for you to grow as a student and young professional. 

If you aren’t sure about the activity you’ll discuss or how you’ll contribute to the community, connect with a coach and they can help you figure it out. 

Laurier Supplementary Application: Question 5 – Template

Get started on your template here (click File > Make a Copy > Save the template to your computer).

REMEMBER: There is a 2,000 character limit for this essay. 

The general structure of your response should have these components: 

• Hook (Optional) (~250 characters)
  • Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect.
• Context/Catalyst (~750 characters)
  • Provide some background information about the types of initiatives/projects that are of interest to you, and discuss any previous experience with these initiatives (if applicable). 
• Outcome (~550 characters)
  • Provide some specific examples about how you will contribute to the community and why these initiatives are important to you. Give as much detail as you can about what you will contribute, as well as what you hope to gain from these experiences.
• Reflection (~500 characters)
  • Discuss how being involved in your community will help you become a valued member of the Laurier community.

Laurier ABS Form Example – Question 5

Here’s an example of a response to this question. 
REMEMBER: This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy.

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