Interview with MacLachlan College Alum, Haider Ishtiaq
- Name
Haider Ishtiaq - University (major)
University of Waterloo (Environment and Business)
Haider, an alumnus of MacLachlan College, shares how the IB program, strong teacher relationships, and extensive extracurriculars helped build his confidence, perseverance, and academic foundation, shaping his university success and future goals.
Highlights from the interview
MacLachlan really helped me build a solid grounding for where I was going to go. Learning about different things, not only in class but also having those one-on-one experiences with those teachers, really taught me how to push forward in life and what I want to aspire to be in the future.
If I were going to write a résumé for all the extracurriculars I did, you'd have a couple of pages. I did basically everything from A to Z. Every day was never dull. I was always up to something after school or before school.
For subjects I preferred and excelled at, I really loved English. Pairing that with public speaking and debating goes hand-in-hand. That grounded me and helped me do well.
One of my proudest moments was receiving my Duke of Edinburgh bronze at MacLachlan College. Then, another proud moment was at graduation: I received three awards: two subject awards and one Spirit and Pride award.
I also believe that being in a private school, you really get to build a strong relationship with your peers and your teachers. They always message me, always check in with me on birthdays or if they see me doing something cool, and it always means a lot to me.
I think what really makes MacLachlan unique is their inclusivity. MacLachlan really gave me those chances to explore everything I wanted in high school, whether that was sports, extracurriculars, or academics, and every teacher was behind me, supporting me.
One of the biggest lessons I learned was perseverance. I think hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard and that was a motto I lived by in high school.
MacLachlan taught me discipline. That discipline really helped me in my first year because when other students were scrambling to find their footing, I already had my grounding solid from MacLachlan. It really helped me be sustainable with my routine and support myself through everything.
Three words about MacLachlan College are inclusive, driven, and supportive. It felt like a family.
I would say MacLachlan is an amazing school to be in. Your child will always have something to do, someone to talk to, and someone supporting them. If you're looking for a school that will not only help your child academically but also socially and mentally, I would say MacLachlan is one of the best.
