Monthly Archives: April 2011

What does a great [MBA] Education entail?

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Everyone has high expectations from an MBA education. It is a highly sought after degree and everyone wants to get the maximum return. To get the most out of it, you need to examine all the variables that factor in to make up a great education. This high-in-demand education should provide you with opportunities that will go beyond an undergraduate or a strictly academic master’s degree. At least that is what we aim for here at the Rotman School of Management.

The Rotman School combines education with great extracurricular activities. Our student body consists of accomplished individuals with good academic and professional performance. They are self-motivated. They want to invest their time, energy and money in their MBA education to advance their careers. It is our job to provide them with the tools necessary to help them get one step ahead of the game.

Our curriculum

[Integrative Thinking] is the idea behind our cutting edge curriculum. I discussed this approach in detail in my previous post “How do we teach Integrative Thinking?” Instead of teaching you the current trends, we are trying to equip you with a working thought process used by successful industry leaders. Any trend can become outdated overnight, however the thought process will always remain fundamental in any business matter.

Career Services

Two resources at your immediate disposal are the Corporate Connections Centre and the Business Information Centre .

  • Corporate Connections Centre is our career centre. Internship and fulltime opportunities are facilitated through our CCC. They bring employers on campus for industry days, help you with your resume and your interview skills. They are there to support you with your job research.  One thing they do very well is to establish connections in the targeted industry. Through the tradeshows and conferences they attend, they definitely raise awareness of Rotman’s brand. (If you are interested in attending any of the conferences, the school will support you financially as well.)
  • Business Information Centre is the in-house library for business and management information where we can service our business school community with research expertise in company, industry and market research information.

Like most places, Toronto has a hidden job market as well. Rotman will bring you the resources to tap into this hidden job market, however you will have to show initiative as well.

International experience

Those of you who have already read my post “Rotman in Global Context” will realize how much the school is trying to help students gain international exposure. We have study tours, international exchange programs and also internship opportunities in London, England.

Rotman Clubs

At Rotman, we promote networking as much as we can. You will enjoy many public speaking series and panels held at Rotman.  Further to these, our students also enjoy our Rotman Clubs. We have three types of clubs: Industry Clubs and Associations, Regional Clubs and Associations, Social Clubs and Associations. Students who participate in these clubs find their experience highly enriching.

These clubs are organized by the Graduate Business Council . If you want to form your own club, you can work directly with them. Joining one of these clubs or participating in one of them or all of them will show your commitment to your community. You will cultivate lifetime friendships and develop good future contacts.

The Rotman School undertakes all these initiatives to provide you with the best student experience possible.  As you can see, a business education is not always all about the curriculum.

At Rotman we believe our success is based on a combination of four elements:

  • [Reputation]  Top MBA in Canada!
  • [Location]  Downtown location rocks!
  • [Curriculum]  Integrative Thinking!
  • [Career Services] 90% of our students find jobs within three-months of graduation!

 

 

Rotman in Global Context

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The world has become a Global Village, businesses operate without boundaries and more and more people are mobile. We are not afraid to explore new places anymore. With the help of the Internet and social media, we can find information about any place we would like to go and we can even meet with people online to exchange opinions. If we are living in a global context, why not take your MBA one step further and blend it with [international opportunities]?

Diversity is very important for us at the Rotman School of Management. When you look at the school from different perspectives, in fact diversity is what we are made of; located in the most multicultural city in North America, Toronto, having a class body of 40% from all over the world. Last year’s class represented 30 countries and the number of languages spoken was 27! Our campus is a micro globe and on top of these our International Program Services Office (IPSO) works very hard to further your international exposure. We offer various opportunities abroad; exchange programs and 2-week study tours are among the most popular. We have a physical office in London where prospective students can reach out to the Rotman representative, Matilda Kentridge for further assistance. We also offer a “Doing Business International Intensive Program” and International Consulting Projects.

Exchange Programs: how do they work?

We are partners with more than 20 schools all over the world. As you can imagine, all of these schools are as strong as Rotman; they all hold high global rankings. The language of instruction is always English. The application process is very straightforward. You need to fill out an online application form and write a letter of intent. There will be a panel interview based on the applicant’s first choice and the host school will also have a short interview with you. Laura Wood, Director of the International Department, says the key is to maintain a very strong GPA at Rotman and give us as many options as you can because you will be asked to choose 10 out of 23 schools.

We are very proud of our students because so far all of the students interested in an exchange program went and successfully completed the program.

The exchange program is for one term and yes, there will be some opportunities to travel while you are there!

Study Tours: how do they work?

 Study tours are business focused trips to four destinations: Latin America, Middle East, India and China. There are also more destinations in the works! These two-week long tours are offered twice a year, in January and May, and you are with a group of 15 classmates. The application process for this opportunity is quite different than for the exchange programs. There is some research involved; you will be asked to come up with a list of companies and industries you would like to visit when you are abroad. Our IPSO will establish the connections. There will be a 14-hour prep course before you embark on this exciting journey. At the end, there will be deliverables and you will be graded.

You will not only explore different cultures but also get to know some of our alumni located in that part of the world. This is a great opportunity for networking for those who are interested in doing business internationally.

When can one participate in these great international opportunities?

Full-time students can participate in their second year of the program and three-year students can participate either in the second or third year of their program.

Regardless of the program you choose, it will definitely be great personal development for you. You will hone your people and cultural adaptation skills and have great international exposure on your resume!

How hard could it be to write those essays?

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You made up your mind. You studied Rotman’s website thoroughly, thrilled by the Integrative Thinking approach, and you know this new thought process will help you advance your career. You also attended an information session and spoke with a current student. You are convinced that Rotman is for you and now it is time to work on your application. You checked the admission requirements and saw that one of the requirements is to write four mini essays. How hard could that be? The first essay question is only 500 words, and the rest are 250 words each. You have longer Facebook messages. Once you start organizing your thoughts, you realize how challenging it could be to communicate them in a limited space.

We can help you!

As someone working in the admissions department of the Rotman School, I would suggest first trying to understand the questions. When you look at them, you will see that they are all about you. What is the Admissions Committee looking for? We simply would like to learn more about you in order to be able assess if there is a fit. The first step to write a good essay is to brainstorm ideas. You can start by asking yourself this question: If I were reading admissions essays, what would I expect?

I would expect to learn:

  • more about this person’s professional and personal experiences
  • what brought him or her to this stage and what s/he is doing currently
  • why does s/he think an MBA would be beneficial
  • some of the things that make him/her unique; at the end of the day I am looking for someone who will contribute to the class discussions, school and society
  • if s/he has goals
  • s/he can admit weaknesses

If you have answers for all of these points, then you are half way there. The second step is to match your answers with our questions. Once you have completed these two steps, you are ready to put fingertips to computer keys.

Needless to mention: Write something you are passionate about…

Just because you are writing admissions essays for a business school, it does not mean that you should focus solely on business. At Rotman we are looking for creative and innovative individuals. Your biggest accomplishment may have occurred outside of the office.  Maybe you organized a fundraising event for the underprivileged kids in your neighborhood or you might have organized an event in your community, these would also tell us a lot about you. First of all, it shows us that you have a life outside of work (good time management!) and you are willing to contribute to the growth of your community. Having extracurricular experiences and charity work under your belt will have a very positive impact on your application. Also, these experiences will be handy when you are considered for a scholarship upon submitting your application or you apply for one later on in the program.

Ten things you should avoid on your Rotman MBA application!

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Whenever I meet with a prospective student, one very common question is around what to do to make the application more competitive. This is a tough question as there are so many things you can do to strengthen your application. Sometimes people tend to overlook some of the things they have done in their lives such as a volunteer work done some years ago. If you present this experience using the Specific-Measurable-Attainable-Relevant-Time-bound approach, you can make a very good impression on the Admissions Committee.

I have reviewed many applications to date and some of the applications were very strong and they stood out almost immediately and some of them put themselves out of the running almost immediately.

Today, I decided to write about 10 things that would definitely be detrimental to your application:

  1. Rushing your application: You have to proof-read your application. We respect the fact that you are applying to multiple business schools but we really do not need to know which ones they are.
  2. Generic essays: Doing some research beforehand will definitely strengthen your application. You might think all MBA programs out there are similar and yes in some ways they are but every business school has a competitive edge. Figuring out that competitive edge and highlighting it will show the Admissions Committee that you have done your research well. Also tying their competitive edge to your future goals will make a long-lasting impression.
  3. Choosing wrong references: When it comes to references, we do realize that what they will say about you will be beyond your control, however, having said that, there are still some things you can do to prepare your referees. You can educate them about Rotman’s MBA program. You can let them know that this program is based on team work heavily. This means we are looking for individuals who have good interpersonal and conflict resolution skills. Our student body is made up of 40% international students; we want individuals who value diversity and who are flexible. You will be asked to attend many employer events and networking sessions; we need people with good communication skills to approach various business leaders. Also knowing how to present yourself well will go a long way.
  4. Submitting an incomplete application: At the Rotman School, we review applications once they are complete. You will have to submit every single component required.  This includes external components such as transcripts from all institutions attended, including exchange programs. Both of your references submitted and your test score must have arrived at the Rotman School.
  5. Generic questions during the interview: If you are invited for an in-person or phone interview, it means you are inching ever closer to being admitted into our program. The Assistant Director who reviewed your application thought you made a competitive candidate, thus contacted you for an interview. Turning this opportunity to your advantage is in your hands. Consider this like a job interview; come prepared and well-dressed. Have thoughtful questions. Asking the tuition fee or the duration of the program will not help you much. Asking anything that can easily be found on the website will show that you have not done your research with due diligence.
  6. Excluding pertinent information: You are expected to submit a truthful application. Excluding any pertinent information such as your current studies or past work experience might jeopardize your application. Also, always keep in mind small things can strengthen your application remarkably.
  7. Underestimating the MS Word’s spell check tool: English might be your native language but it does not mean that you mastered the Spelling Bee! Those IT professionals at Microsoft developed spell check feature for everyone. Take advantage, but don’t rely on it exclusively, as there are many words that sound the same that have different meanings!
  8. Writing those essays for the sake of writing: Yes, you are applying for a business school but this does not mean that you should exclude the human factor. We receive around 1100 applications a year; yes, we have a lot of reading to do. Isn’t it a great opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd? Definitely write something you are passionate about. For more details, you can refer to my past post “How hard could it be to write those admissions essays?”
  9. Exaggeration: We are all human beings and we all make mistakes. The art is taking ownership of our mistakes and turning them into a learning experience. If you are able to demonstrate these qualities, you will definitely earn some brownie points.
  10. Plagiarism: Refrain yourself from copying and pasting directly from the Internet and Rotman’s website. It is easy to tell from the tone you use in your essays which sentences are genuinely yours and which ones belong to someone else!

Paying attention to these 10 points will definitely increase your chances of admittance into Rotman’s MBA program.Of course, once you polish your essays, it’s time to get ready for the admissions interview!

 

 

 

 

Rotman School taps in to Ontario’s Energy Sector

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While the Rotman School’s reputation in finance precedes it, we can say with certainty that we are strong in a number of areas. Our Corporate Connections Centre [CCC] targets specific industry groups and companies as per the school’s overall career services strategy. We try to identify the top MBA employers.

Recently we started to tap into non-traditional job opportunities to provide our students with a wider spectrum of opportunities. Our CCC was at the Enercom Conference  this week with 10 of our students. It was a very productive conference. Not only did we learn more about the rising energy sector, we were also able to cultivate some relationships; we had a booth and were able to connect with many industry leaders in the energy and construction sectors.  This conference was especially useful for our students who have an engineering background and now are interested in the management aspect of these industries. They have the technical skills from the engineering background and through our [Integrative Thinking] approach, they are developing a new thought process which will help them see all dimensions of the business model they are working on.

Taking our students with us to these events is not something new to us; every year we take a number of our students to conferences to help them network and explore different opportunities. To support our students, we have some bursaries in place. To give you some examples of our initiatives, last year we attended the National Black and Hispanic Conferences, and just this February we took 10 students with us to an entertainment and media conference in New York. The next conference is in Chicago, the Kellogg Technology Conference, and we will have 5 students with us.

As you can see, the Rotman School does not limit itself with on-campus initiatives; we reach out to many off-campus resources to make sure we provide our students with as many options as we can for their internship and post-graduate opportunities. Kudos to our Corporate Connections Centre for their efforts!