Relocation to Toronto + Career Switch - Schulich/Rotman/Ivey or T-20 US MBA?
I'm just wondering if anyone has opinions regarding what the best move is for someone looking to transition into management/consulting in Toronto from a Western Canada city (while planning to get an MBA) - a top 20 US school (or top 5 Euro like LBS/IESE, etc.) or a Schulich/Rotman/Ivey MBA?
The reasons for wanting Toronto are simple: no green card issues, Toronto is one of the 5-6 most major markets in NA, and it is a great city.
I have seen a lot of HBS, Duke, Wharton, LBS, IESE, etc. MBA alumni in Toronto and I'm wondering if since it is such a big market they attract top talent from these schools. Could you place easily in Toronto coming from one of these "superior" US schools or is it more pragmatic to go to an Ontario school?
PS: Cost is not an issue, will pay extra $$$ for the superior opportunity that will land MBB or a Fortune company job.
Go to a Canadian MBA if you want Toronto. I'd go to Rotman.
Thanks for your response. I know this was definitely the case with law school. I just figured since business is global the most elite schools are ideal.
If your goal is MBB, I would target M7 schools and LBS / INSEAD. These are the schools where MBB will have the strongest network and focus their hiring. Grads of these schools are the large majority of post-MBA consultants (easy to confirm through LinkedIn). You will have a shot going to a lower ranked international school or to a Canadian school, but it will be much harder and you will really have to stand out from your classmates.
Going to a top school is much less of an advantage though if you want to join industry though.
Top 15 US > top 5 EU > whatever in canada
Not when you want to work in an EU/CA market. If you want to work in London, going to LBS is a MUCH better move than anything in the US, maybe with the exception of HS (and that's a big maybe). Similarly, if you want to work in Toronto, you will have far greater access to local Canadian offices through Rotman than you would through Fuqua (for example). Your answer is typical of someone who's never been to bschool - bschool hiring and opportunities are highly correlated to location, even with HBS or Stanford. HBS has more East Coast opps than S, and S has more West Coast opps.
Agree, Toronto office will not heavily recruit out of region superstar schools. But from longer term standpoint beyond your current goal, it is probably the best to chase a good school on top of North American rankings, and then network a bit harder towards Toronto
very late reply sorry I am not that active here. I have graduated from Rotman. From my class's experience the top employers in finance and consulting prefer people from top schools in the US than from top schools in Toronto. Go check the rankings in the Canadian offices of MBB or the pension funds and see if they are filled with people who got their MBAs in Toronto or in the top US schools.
If money is truly not an issue, then my advice to you will be the same I give to any MBA hopefuls -- go to the best school you can get into.
The reason is simple; you may think that Toronto is your destination right now, but you have no idea what opportunities will appear later on in your career. Maybe your significant other wants to move elsewhere? Maybe you develop an interest in technology? Maybe a family situation happens?
Whatever the reason, having the best brand on your resume possible will make it that much easier to re-locate, should you end up not working for a highly global company like MBB or a F500. Even then, it's not so easy to transfer on a whim.
Canadian schools are no slouches, but if you can do better, do it. Everyone in Toronto, and the world, has heard of HBS, MIT, etc. You aren't guaranteed anywhere close to that with Queens, Rotman, or Ivey.
Source: Canadian, living and working in Toronto for 2.5 years.
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