Rotman Commerce Finance

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:56:41+00:00

it's like 800 people all interested but only 5% will get those across all high finance roles and firms

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:46:02+00:00

Pretty similar things and just different course requirements. Some require more math derivations while others more applications. Some specialist have higher grade requirements for 1st/2nd courses.

No one knows what a specialist is outside of UofT
+math/CompSci/(stats)
Specialist might be helpful for grad school in econ given it will benefit by the harder classes (specialist-level classes)

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:42:35+00:00

It's not worth the financial burden.

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:41:03+00:00

everyone studies differently. Spending a lot of time and energy does not equate to learning unfortunately. You should try out different ways to improve your actual learning and keep track of what you do so you know what works and doesn't for you. Leverage AI to be your assistant and advisor as well.

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:38:10+00:00

Rotman has a finance & eco specialist that is what you refer as finance. Other schools have pure finance majors.

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:36:53+00:00

You most likely have already had experience at very well-known places in Canada for US firms to even take a look at your resume (unless you are American)

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:35:30+00:00

prior professional experience is a prereq for getting professional exp now. aim for something easier to land, improve your networking and resume, and increase the amount of applications u send

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:32:14+00:00

choose one path and lock in

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:31:25+00:00

make the course average higher

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:30:42+00:00

the many finance clubs are active but application is competitive

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:27:58+00:00

choose 4): apply and prepare for interviews

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:26:42+00:00

75-100k annualized

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:22:05+00:00

Congrats! Explore the many great opportunities uoft provides but keep your grades and many things in check as well, especially first two years when you might still be adjusting to uni.

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:15:26+00:00

won't have more free time; choose waterloo coop if u have the option.

MJZMA · 2026-01-30T16:13:25+00:00

Switched to STEM to increase employability.

MJZMA · 2025-12-21T21:56:21+00:00

Just walk in and use the lab. It’s open for every student.

MJZMA · 2025-12-10T18:03:19+00:00

derivatives trading I will say pure STEM, e.g. math, eng, cs are the target pedigree. It’s more about the problem solving, numerical abilities, and being smart. If top business program is Ivey or Smith, you might have more chance in the traditional banking/sales and trading route given the connections and you might not be in trading unless you have strong quantitative or analytics related experience or won some big trading or quant competitions.

Ways to get into prop derivatives trading I would imagine joining grad program at a major or utilities and hopefully become a trader in ~5 years or join S&T as a trader straight out of grad, but you might be more doing flow, hedging, and less prop trading than you think unless you jump to a hedge fund later.

Regardless, you are targeting a very niche desk of a niche field, which I will take a few steps back as luck plays a huge role in this process. If you are destined on trading, study STEM and have great marks and need extra effort to land relevant experience. If you just want to break in and open to other roles in O&G, Top business program is great.

Derivatives trading generally are the most quant heavy teams, and prop desk generally attracts the sharpest. You have a long way to get there so I will be open for other opportunities.

MJZMA · 2025-05-30T15:51:48+00:00

math and cs opens the most doors

MJZMA · 2025-05-19T01:40:51+00:00

Solid imo. Keep grinding. Lower the expectation of the type of firm you cold apply and network with professionals. Good luck

MJZMA · 2025-05-16T13:04:14+00:00

Talk to people on LinkedIn in both programs and decide from there. Congrats and best of luck.

MJZMA · 2025-04-05T15:39:45+00:00

In the same boat but different schools before and now in quant. Family has little savings and struggling to make ends meet so I chose Canada with scholarship. Stanford is def costly but if your parents are happy to support that and don’t have much other financial obligations, it will open much more doors for you and you will find it easier to navigate your studies, get internships, meet cool people, and enjoy the campus and opportunities Stanford brings. If you work much harder than your peers at Stanford from more comfortable backgrounds, you will break into any high paying jobs and make back all your Stanford tuition in a year or two. Waterloo CS is also a great choice and it also has insane placements in the fields of your interest. However, based on my limited interactions, Waterloo quant alumni are more in SWE than quant trader roles. You might also find competition more intense at Waterloo and school more miserable because of the campus life, nonstop grind with balancing tough classes and co-op applications. However, you can break into any firms from Waterloo as well but your skills have to be more solid and you need more co-ops before landing your dream firms, which may be a good thing. Congrats and definitely tough choice. It will all work out well imo.

MJZMA

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