UPDATE: This article was originally posted on September 9, 2019. It has been updated with new information and tips below.
With the Creative Destruction Lab and a focus on self-development as a crucial component of leadership growth, The University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management offers those lucky enough to be admitted access to an unparalleled array of academic and extracurricular opportunities.
However, as Toronto continues to grow as a global hub for tech-savvy entrepreneurs and executives alike, Rotman’s MBA program has become even more sought after, making it more challenging than ever to secure a spot at this world-class business school.
That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Rotman admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to Rotman MBA sample essays to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot.
1. Who is Rotman looking for?
“We believe that exposure to a rich diversity of viewpoints makes for a superior learning experience, and pride ourselves on building a diverse class of exceptional individuals who will go on to make the School proud as professionals and alumni.” Rotman Admissions
Every year, Rotman’s admissions team selected 271 students for the honor of joining their prestigious MBA program. With a focus on academic and career excellence as well as on diversity, Rotman admits to the Class of 2026 had an average of 5 years of work experience and GMAT scores of 675.
Nonetheless, Rotman looks beyond demonstrated brain power and seeks to compose a global class of leaders.
If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Rotman’s open-ended admissions essay questions.
TOP TIP: Keep in mind that in addition to a video essay, Rotman has a short written component that applicants must answer after submitting the formal application. Learn more about what this new challenge entails here.
2. How should I answer the Rotman essay questions?
According to Rotman’s admissions team, “Our admitted students stand out by doing interesting things with their personal and professional lives — something we describe as the ‘spike factor’; what are the things that you have done in your life that demonstrate Passion/Grit/Resilience/Innovation/Drive/Ambition and more? This can cross all or any aspects of life outside of work – hobbies, volunteer activities, awards, entrepreneurial ventures, sports and the arts.”
Choosing to retain their questions from last year, Rotman’s application is unique in just how broad the essay question is. We believe this is an excellent opportunity for candidates of all backgrounds to really show off what makes them unique.
2.1. Essay 1 Tips
Essay: Our admitted students stand out by doing interesting things with their personal and professional lives — something we describe as the ‘spike factor’; what are the things that you have done in your life that demonstrate Passion/ Grit/ Resilience/ Innovation/ Drive/ Ambition and more? This can cross all or any aspects of life outside of work – hobbies, volunteerism, awards, entrepreneurial ventures, sports and the arts. We believe that exposure to a rich diversity of viewpoints makes for a superior learning experience, and pride ourselves on building a diverse class of exceptional individuals who will go on to make the School proud as professionals and alumni.
Explain your spike factor (something unique about yourself) that you believe will contribute to the Rotman community and is aligned with Rotman values. (up to 500 words)* Optional – Please upload 1-3 of your ‘spikiest’ pictures to the supplemental items section of your application here. Note: Your photos must be uploaded as a single PDF.
Though the wording has changed slightly, Rotman has continued to ask candidates to share their spike factor in their essay, retaining the strong focus in this essay on connecting your background with the school’s values.
For this reason, before starting your essay, we suggest you take a look at Rotman’s values, to make sure you have a clear understanding of what drives the Rotman community.
One of the hallmarks of Rotman is the diversity of its class and of the different educational formats employed in the MBA (from lecture to lab to experiential learning, Rotman truly offers it all). This means that each student not only needs to be able to successfully navigate the MBA’s structure, they must also contribute to their classmates’ learning both inside the classroom and in the Rotman community at large.
Rotman’s strikes at the core of this ideal, giving candidates the chance to explore their values. More importantly, it gives you the chance to show how you can add value to Rotman’s diverse student body in a way no one else can.
This essay should show Rotman who you are and what makes you tick.
You might choose to focus on one of the characteristics listed in the question, though this is not strictly necessary.
When considering how to approach this essay, first take a look back at your personal and professional experiences to identify the “tipping points” in your life. What has led you to the point you are at now? What has made you YOU?
Then, describe not only what these experiences were but also how they impacted who you are and your life choices. Given the number of photos you are allowed to submit to complement your essay, we suggest you focus on 1, 2 or 3 examples in your essay.
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This essay allows you to describe your personal and extraprofessional examples (though you can also work in a few professional examples too!) to show Rotman a complete view of who you are as a candidate. Make sure to connect your examples to Rotman’s values in some way in order to fully answer the question.
With the narrower focus of this question this year, however, make sure to choose a single theme and follow it all the way through. Jumping around without logic or connection will cause this essay to miss the mark.
Finally, don’t forget that Rotman also requires a video essay as part of its MBA application. Make sure to plan ahead to ensure you do your best!
TOP TIP: If you want to learn even more about Rotman, check out this recording of our most recent webinar with the school.
Looking for Rotman MBA essay examples?
Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here.
3. Struggling to Make Your MBA Application Stand Out?
The MBA application process can be overwhelming. Between deciding your profile strategy, writing multiple essays, tailoring your resume, and preparing for interviews, it’s easy to feel like your application isn’t capturing the true strength of your profile. The reality is that many applications fail to stand out, and the competition is fiercer than ever. Without the right guidance, you could miss out on your dream school.
But you don’t have to do this alone. With a 98.9% success rate, our expert MBA consultants know exactly how to make your application shine. From crafting compelling stories that showcase your unique experiences to helping you fine-tune every detail, we provide personalized, 1:1 support at every step of the process that ensures you get into your top choice schools.
That’s the approach we took with Carlos, who was admitted to Rotman. In their words:
‘As a first-time MBA applicant from Colombia, Ellin’s support and thoughtful feedback were key for me to structure and better communicate all of the stories that I wanted to convey in my application process and ultimately being accepted with a scholarship award at Rotman, my top business school choice. Right from the start, Ellin and her team focused on fully understanding my profile and suggesting the best ways to help me highlight my best examples and stories using effective communication strategies. As a Round 2 applicant, Ellin’s flexibility and responsiveness were essential. She was available and ready to answer questions, even during the busy holiday season, so I always felt supported during my application process.”
If you’re ready to turn your MBA dreams into reality, learn more about working with us here. Let’s work together to craft an application that gets you noticed and accepted into your dream schools!
4. Rotman Deadlines
Here are the deadlines for the 2024-2025 season. You can access the Rotman application here.*As of publication in August 2025, deadlines for this year had not yet been updated on Rotman’s website.
Round 1: September 25, 2024
Round 2: January 15, 2025
Round 3: March 5, 2025*
Round 4: April 30, 2025
* All international applicants (excluding US Citizens) are highly encouraged to apply by Round 3 (early March) in order to ensure ample time for visa processing after accepting the offer of admission.
Rotman considers applications once all required documentation is received. If you submit your application between round deadlines, we will typically issue a decision within 8 weeks.
