Advice on Older Applicant & about the MBA at HEC Montreal

Question

Hi everyone,

I have been thinking about pursuing an MBA in Canada for a long time now, mainly because of the friendly Visa options, although its schools have a good reputation so I do not doubt about quality.

I was admitted to Rotman, UBC and McGill a couple of years ago but decided to decline mainly because I got a huge raise and a promotion at that time. Now, I am 32, in a management position and with a decent salary here in Colombia. Using this site (https://salaryconverter.nigelb.me/) I was able to estimate the salary that I would have to make in Canada and it is about CAD $127k/year (not taking into account taxes which are higher in Canada).

Recently I am considering applying to the MBA again however, given the circuntances and the ROI, I decided to apply to HEC Montreal (1 year program, money is not an issue and can't leave the workforce for 2 years), which seems like a decent school within a good university as it is the Universite de Montreal. I already learned french to ease a possible transition to the work force.

However I have a couple of issue as you might guess, first, I am 32, so I would be 34 by the time I get the degree which I've heard it is not an issue in Canada. I completely understand that in a foreign country it is most likely that I would get and entry level position and hope to get a salary around CAD $80k which is lower of what I am earning right now (a lot less). What I expect to get is a) access to the canadian Job Market which is difficult without a work permit & b) live in a first world country (although I have an excellent life here in Colombia, but I would like to raise a family and I would like to be in a safetier environment)

If you are so kind, I just want to hear your thoughts about the university and ma rationale.

Thanks in advance,
Fernando

bb · Answer

That's an interesting dilemma. What I am almost hearing from you is that you are going for an MBA as a way to immigrate into Canada rather than actually further your career or switch industries.

I think the school is probably fine/great. I don't know much about. I see that the average GMAT is 625 vs. 675 at Rotman, so not as selective and less competitive but may fit your needs. With your work experience, you are probably going to leverage your experience more so than an MBA degree per se for recruiting. You will use your experience to do the talking and then the MBA is your "proof/verification" that you are who you are.

In terms of a salary, I think 80K is a good conservative estimate. I see Rotman grads pull about 93K average in Tech/telecom, so that may be a potential upgrade if things line up.

P.S. Kudos to you for learning French! That's pretty impressive! That was going to be a word of caution for you.

MBADecoder · Answer

While you are exploring Canadian MBAs, you should also check out Richard Ivey, which has Canada's top rated MBA program. And its a one year MBA

fermar84 · Answer

Thank you both for your answers!

bb : Actually I want to switch careers but it has been difficult for me (all my life in the Telco sector). The tuition for an MBA here (the one I'm considering because it's the only worth it here) is the same as a MBA at HEC Montreal.
What really scares me a bit is the age factor, I mean, when I get the degree, I will be 34 (another reason to not pursue the 2-yr MBA) which I don't know if it is an attractive profile for companies. Your are right, I will leverage my experience and the MBA is a proof because I already know a lot of the topics related with Marketing, Sales & Finance. 
I did some research and I think that with CAD $80k-$90k (less of what I currently earn here), I could have a decent life in Montreal and the Visa options are interesting.

MBADecoder : Yes, I actually considered Ivey & Queens, but the price tag is very high and actually the ROI is about the same as HEC Montreal. Combine this with the fact that, internationally, only Rotman & McGill are known outside Canada, so I would have to use the brand only in Ontario.

Finally, the shool of my dreams is Kellog, but, unfortunately I am already too old to pursue the degree there and the Visa issue is getting complicated in the US.

techgeek · Answer

I have a similar profile to yours and have the same dilemma. I see you have admits from all the top schools in Canada. So which school did you end up picking?

Advice on Older Applicant & about the MBA at HEC Montreal

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