Calling all Rotman (Toronto) MBA Applicants:(2017 Intake)Class of 2019

It's great that you're able to narrow down your choices. I'd caution you against narrowing down your applications if you still intend to apply to the other schools. Narrow them down once you've got the offers of admission is my advice, but also focus your application efforts to the schools you really want, but still apply to the others.

Yes, French is a great asset, but it is not easy to learn, especially not while you're doing your MBA at the same time, or even after, when you're trying to establish your career immediately post-MBA. Montreal is also not like the rest of Quebec where they're very francophone; you can get by in Montreal without speaking a word of French. Think of it as trying to learn Chinese in Hong Kong or Korean in Seoul.

I'm also aware that 30% of Desautels grads come to Toronto, but I'm also willing to bet that these grads have an established network in Toronto already, or have a good starting point. If this is true, it's very hard for international students who might not have a base. However, the Korean community here is pretty big and they're very inclusive of other Koreans, so you might have a leg up.


I think you're getting too hung up on the stats. I was aware of these stats going into the MBA, and I started the MBA with no real work experience coming directly from graduate school. Work hard in class, work hard in interview prep, work hard in networking, and you'll be fine. I think you're in a much better place than me when I started.

You have to realize that not all Rotman MBAs are the same. Just like anywhere else, there are those who do not put in the effort and feel that they're entitled to things just because they got in, and I'm pretty sure they make up the majority of the 15%.

It's difficult to tell what industries they're from. Yes, I knew most of them, but that was during the MBA. Post-MBA, I've been focused on my career and the only ones I really keep in touch with are my fellow consultants. Unfortunately, I can't help you on this point.

Support is great from the Career Centre. Again, you'll have to put in the effort. They're not going to go above and beyond just because you're a Rotman MBA, but if they see you coming to their office to practice interview skills or develop resume-writing or cover letter skills and know you're working hard at it, they're going to invest that much more in you. Post-MBA is the same. They know how tough the job market is, and they're willing to help. Keep in mind though, their primary charge is the current students, so it might be difficult to get their full attention and effort during heavy recruiting periods, but other than that they're very helpful. You also retain access to the career portal for job postings, but I don't know for how long after. I do know that some of the postings I saw indicate that the companies were looking for grads from as far back as 2014.


I think you are talking about CDL, the Creative Destruction Lab. Yes, that's competitive to get in, and you have to do interviews. The CDL is a start-up incubator, and you work directly with the start-ups, so the interview system is understandable. There's also a limited number of start-ups, so the limited seats make sense.

Other than that, getting into the rest of the second-year courses is based on how you allocate your points, and it's a pretty good system that'll take me too long to explain. I never had any trouble getting into the courses I wanted, so I don't think it's an issue. As for first-year, well they're all core courses and mandatory; you don't even have to choose anything until the summer courses.