Leen Ghoul, McGill University

Keeping up a family tradition, Leen followed her two sisters to McGill University. The Jordanian-Palestinian, born and raised in Dubai, has just completed her first semester. As a finance major, she’s found her classes both challenging and interesting—her favorite: International Relations. She says she loves the traditional college lifestyle in the vibrant city of Montreal. We recently caught up with her.

IO: Congratulations on completing your first semester at McGill University! How are you enjoying your classes? Any favorites?

Leen: I’m majoring in Finance, so while the coursework can definitely be challenging, my favorite class so far has been International Business.

IO: How is college life? What’s it like living in Montreal?

Leen: I’m living in the dorms for my first year, and college social life has been amazing—especially in Montreal. My favorite part is being able to experience a traditional college lifestyle while living in such a vibrant, outgoing city.

IO: What factors made you decide to attend McGill, and why Canada? Did you also apply to other countries?

Leen: Both of my sisters attended McGill, so I was already familiar with the university. As a Canadian citizen, it made sense to apply to one of the top schools in Canada. I also applied to universities in the United States.

IO: You had some strong and interesting extracurricular activities in high school. Please tell us about the ones you think helped you stand out from other college applicants.

Leen: I think my higher-level internships–at Swiss private bank Julius Baer Group and Arab Bank in Dubai–really demonstrated my dedication to finance, especially at a relatively young age. My research paper, which focused on using artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict future stock prices for the technology sector in the US stock market, also helped me stand out. Both endeavors showed my willingness to go beyond the classroom and explore topics out of genuine curiosity.

IO: Why were you drawn to these activities?

Leen: I’ve always been very curious and interested in business and finance, and I wanted to be confident in what I would study for the next four years. I used my school breaks to actively seek opportunities that allowed me to learn more about and gain hands-on experience in finance.

IO: What was your college application process and timeline?

Leen: Since I applied to U.S. schools as well, I wrote my first Common App draft and finalized my college list in April of last year. Over the summer, I worked on supplements for my early decision and early action schools and finalized my Common App essay. I submitted my Canadian applications in October and my U.S. EA/ED applications in November. I then completed and submitted my remaining U.S. supplements in early January.

IO: Looking back at what you went through last year, what recommendations do you have for high schoolers who are starting the application process?

Leen: Don’t let the extremely competitive nature of the college application process get to you. It’s easy to compare yourself to others, but the best way to get through such an overwhelming time is to lean on your support system and make sure the admissions process doesn’t prevent you from enjoying what is arguably the best year of high school.