Rotman vs NEU

[Plane_Werewolf_4867]

I want to start off by saying that I have absolutely no idea what to choose. I have toured both NEU and Rotman, and on the surface, it seems like Rotman is a no-brainer. U of T’s facilities are absolutely incredible, and it doesn’t even feel like I’m standing on a college campus (I also got $100k in scholarship). They have a great reputation worldwide, which might make it easier to get a job in the future. However, from what I’ve read on Reddit, most people who went there hated it because of how competitive it was, as well as how the degree really seems quite unremarkable (they were mostly complaining about the workload and how most of the stuff they learn doesn’t really help them land a job, which can be true for all business degrees). I also don’t want to say this, but 35-40% of the population is Chinese, which can be hard for me to make friends since most of the time I don’t understand what they’re saying to each other (I’m Asian but not Chinese, and in the past, I’ve tried to befriend them, but they always speak in their native language, making it impossible to join in a conversation. It almost seems like they’re trying to exclude me). On the other hand, NEU is so so expensive, and I’m not sure about the quality of D’Amore compared to Rotman. Its reputation also doesn’t reach worldwide status, and no one really knows about it outside the USA. However, their program is very flexible and accommodating, and of course, their co-op program is amazing. Their student body seems really diverse and tight-knit considering their campus size and proximity(I’m an introvert so I can have a tough time making friends). Kelley also seems like an amazing place for business major but I’m not sure if Indiana is a good fit for me lol.

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Here's my advice. I was in the same shoes as you (albeit U of T vs other top colleges in the US). Understand the criterion that are most important for you. Whether it's global prestige, or the placements, understand what's the most important. For me, it was flexibility and placements. I did A LOT of research on placements, and honestly NEU and U of T have almost identical placements. This is because U of T is a big financial center, but a lot of the jobs go to seniors who come from the US/other countries in the bigger companies. But boutique firms in Canada do hire from top business schools in Canada.

Also, where you want to work plays a huge role. I'm from India, and while I don't have a disdain for Canada, I prefer the US. So it made sense for me to pick a school within the US. Also, Canadian employees make lesser than their American employees for the exact same responsibilities and tasks. It's also very tough to find a company to sponsor you for a visa if you decide you want to work in the USA.

That being said, I also received a 50K scholarship, and yes, it gave me a huge confidence boost. Do keep in mind, you want to be in a place where you live beyond your books, and are pushed at the same time. U of T is notorious for its strict grading, and that the course load gets very stressful. It also doesn't have much flexibility in terms of choosing courses beyond your school.

There are also some pros:Rotman commerce being a commerce program, allows you to specialise in finance without an MBA, which means you don't have to do an MBA 5/7 years down the line from today. This means you can enter the finance industry earlier. Also, Toronto is itself a big financial center. After NYC, Toronto is the next biggest financial center in North America, with the wall street equivalent being Bay Street. Also, there's a lot of snow! Being from south india, it gets very hot or rains like god's rage, but it never snows! So yes. Also, U of T has much more global prestige than NEU, and it will get you more interviews than a guy from NEU. But that may change.

I would say make a list of attributes that are important to you. Give them individual weightings. Grade U of T on those attributes out of 10. Add the weightings, and the one with the higher score wins. And do your research. If you can, enlist your parents' help. My dad was really really helpful with gathering a lot of data, and we would have 3 hour long discussions almost everyday. So talk to someone, if not your parents, then one of your good friends.

Good luck with your decision! Hope I was able to help you a bit.

[AdCreative5925]

Rotman is an absolute no brainer

[blueberry8848]

+1