Live Chat October 4, 2010, 3:59PM EST

Chat Transcript: University of Toronto MBA Admissions

Rotman's Cheryl Millington fields questions about jobs, curriculum, and strategies for landing a spot at the top-ranked Canadian B-school

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While MBAs in the U.S. and Europe struggle with a slow-to-recover economy, Canadians are faring better, said Cheryl Millington (screen name: CherylAtRotman), director of recruitment and admissions at University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management (Rotman Full-Time MBA Profile), during a recent chat event on admissions. Taking questions from audience members and Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Francesca Di Meglio (screen name: FrancescaBW), Millington also offered advice on how to win a seat at Rotman's full-time MBA program. Here are edited excerpts of the chat:

tdara: What are the requirements for a management master's?

CherylAtRotman: The admission requirements are as follows: B average in any four-year undergraduate [program], two years of work experience, a GMAT score of 540 to 780 (the average is 650), two professional references preferably from managers or supervisors, four admission essays, English proficiency test results if you were not educated in an English-language school system, and an interview if you are invited. Interviews are friendly and give you a chance to sell yourself.

FrancescaBW: What makes Rotman unique and different from the other MBA programs out there?

CherylAtRotman: Essentially, we want to teach you how to think like a successful business leader. In business, you are often faced with difficult choices and instead of choosing one unpleasant choice over another unpleasant choice, we give you the tools to develop "and" rather than "or." You will learn all the business models you will learn at other business schools; however, you will learn when to use the models, when to combine models, and when it's necessary to make your own.

FrancescaBW: What would you say is the biggest mistake most applicants make when completing their applications or interviews?

CherylAtRotman: I see two types of problems: first, people who oversell themselves, and second, those who undersell their achievements.

FrancescaBW: What advice do you have for those committing either of those errors?

CherylAtRotman: Last year I met someone who represented his country at the Olympics. He mentioned it in his application, but never discussed it in his interview. You have more influence on the admission decision than you might think. Think of your application as a dialogue between the admissions committee and you. Pretend we are at a cocktail party. What would you say to impress me? What stories would you tell about yourself—personal and professional—that will make me say "Wow!"?

FrancescaBW: What would you say is the most important part of the application? Why?

CherylAtRotman: The essays and references are the areas where candidates can really make their applications sing. It gives you an opportunity to be more than just a GPA or GMAT score.

FrancescaBW: True. But how important are the GMAT and GPA?

CherylAtRotman: They are very important and tell us about your mental horsepower and how likely you will succeed in the program. The GMAT also levels the playing field with candidates who are educated in different parts of the world and with different degrees.

Most of you will spend weeks—maybe months—preparing for the GMAT. While it is important, a strong GMAT score cannot soften the blow of a less-than-competitive application, nor does a weak score mean that you will be denied admission. Pay more attention to the school's range of GMAT scores rather than the average. The same is true for your GPA.