Hi, I recently got accepted into the Rotman program at Utsg and I’ve heard a lot of good and bad things about it. I’m mainly concerned about the dropout rate being incredibly high and I was wondering what the reason behind that it (ie. is it calculus or econ, ect.) and secondly I was wondering what the atmosphere for that program is like (how do the students act around each other). Thanks!
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hey there,
one of the things i’ve learned from 1) hearing about a university and then 2) attending that university and comparing my own experience to what people told me, is that people tend to talk more than they tend to know. a lot of the things that you’ve heard about rotman are likely just the natural inflation of fact that happens when rumour passes through a lot of people. opinions can be valuable for comparison purposes, but if someone’s just repeating what they heard from the brother of a friend who went to rotman (or if you’re just reading the opinion of randos online), then what you’re hearing is probably at least a little distorted. for that reason, i wouldn’t worry too much about what people say.
k, now that all that’s said and done, let’s get down to my opinions.
rotman is one of the best – if not the best – business schools in the country. that doesn’t happen just because of great cafeteria food. if a program is that good, it is usually also difficult. that may be one reasons you hear bad or off-putting things about it. it’s true, the school may not be right for you – in which case, you can switch into what you think is right for you, and there’ll be no harm done. however, it’s definitely not impossible to do well at rotman, and if the school is right for you, you’ll be able to get through it. and more than that, you’ll enjoy it.
i think people just have a habit of complaining, and they don’t bother to mention the nice things – but that doesn’t mean that the nice things aren’t there. small classes, state of the art facilities, and convenient access to a world of extra-curricular, co-curricular, and professional opportunities are just a few of the things that makes this school really worth it.
as well, the university is not just going to throw you into hot water when it comes to your classes. they want to help you as much as possible, because they know the transition can be a little tricky. if you’re worried about econ, there are tutors and a study centre available to help you out. there are also multiple math aid centres (tutors included) on the downtown campus available to you, all for free.
the dropout rate is something i couldn’t find information on. that means the stuff you’ve heard may or may not be accurate, so don’t put too much stock in it. besides, who’s to say you have to play by the numbers? if this is something you want to do, you do it. let the other people stay or drop out; it’s got nothing to do with you.
as to the atmosphere, that’s something i don’t know about. i know that rotman has a vibrant student life scene and provides lots of opportunity for students to connect, but the feeling you get from a school is something only you can determine. if you’d like to see for yourself what kind of vibe you get from rotman, i’d suggest you take advantage of the marvellously extensive events and information sessions the school provides. attending a few of these will give you a good feeling for where and if you fit into the rotman environment.
at the end of the day, you have to put a certain amount of faith in the fact that the admissions committee knew what they were doing when they accepted you, and also in yourself. if something is right for you, you’ll know it.
best of luck this fall!
aska