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If you’re looking to take your career to the next level by enrolling in an Executive MBA program, Canada is home to a number of schools that should be on your radar.

When Financial Times put together their 2015 list of the world’s 100 top MBA programs, five Canadian programs made the cut. According to Financial Times, the five top EMBA programs in Canada are:

– Schulich School of Business (York University)

– Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto)

– Ivey Business School (Western University)

– Smith School of Business (Queen’s University)

– Haskayne School of Business (University of Calgary) 

Which school is best for you depends on individual fit, and different rankings will emphasize different criteria – but there’s no doubt that these five schools offer highly respected EMBA programs. Here’s what you should know about them.

How to Get In Step by Step 

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of schools, you embark on the multi-stage process of actually applying. For each school, you’ll want to know what each step along the way involves and make sure you’re prepared for what’s coming. Your path to acceptance will go something like this:

1. Research the school 

The first step to getting into a top EMBA program is finding out as much about the program as possible. This is key not only so you know whether the school’s a good fit for you but also so you can make it clear you’re informed about the school throughout the application process.

A good place to get started with your research is the website for the EMBA program you’re interested in. The websites for the five top EMBA programs in Canada are:

– Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA

– Rotman Executive MBA

– Ivey Executive MBA

– Queen’s Executive MBA

– Haskayne Executive MBA

2. Attend an info session 

Besides doing your research, you should also attend an information session for each EMBA program you’re interested in. Upcoming info sessions can be found by looking on a school’s website or Googling “[school name] EMBA info session.”

Going to an info session is a great way to learn more in detail about a program you’re interested and to interact with people at the school. Some schools, like Schulich, Rotman and Haskayne tend to hold info sessions primarily on their main campuses while others, like Ivey and Queen’s hold info sessions in different cities across Canada and even online.

3. Connect with an adcom 

Once you have a thorough understanding of a school from doing your research and, if possible, attending an info session, talking to an adcom is a great way of moving forward and learning more.

A conversation with an adcom will give you an opportunity to find out more about the program and ask any lingering questions. It also can’t hurt in terms of starting to build a relationship with the admissions committee (as long as you aren’t obnoxious).

A good way to get in touch with an adcom is through an info session. You can also find contact information on schools’ websites – usually EMBA admissions will have its own email address and/or phone number.

Many of the top EMBA programs in Canada also have channels you can use to get in touch for a one-on-one conversation with an adcom or feedback on your resume:

– Schulich will tell you whether you’re eligible for the EMBA if you email or fax them your resume.

– Rotman will set you up to meet with an adcom via Skype or in person once you’ve completed the pre-application form.

– Ivey lets you schedule a one-on-one EMBA admissions meeting.

– Queen’s assigns you an Application Advisor to provide a preliminary assessment of your resume. You can also get in touch with an Application Advisor via phone.

4. Revise your resume 

Your resume is essential to making the case that you’re qualified for the EMBA programs you’re interested in, and you want to present your strengths and experience as clearly as possible.

Part of this involves tailoring your resume to the schools you’re interested in. For each program you’re applying to, revise your resume to take into account any preferences or requirements on the part of the admissions committee.

If you have the option of getting a preliminary assessment of your resume, you should take advantage of this opportunity and incorporate the feedback you get. Some schools also have guidelines about what to cover in your resume:

– Queen’s asks that your resume include “academic experience, work experience, memberships in professional associations and volunteer and community activities.”

– Haskayne specifies that they’re interested in “business experience, academic achievements, professional designations and community involvement.”

– Rotman’s minimum admission requirements include 8+ years of working full time, 3+ years in a mid-to-senior management position, evidence of teamwork and leadership skills, experience managing people and projects and ongoing full-time employment.

In general, anything that demonstrates your experience and potential as a leader is fair game for your resume, including work background, academic accomplishments and community service.

5. Prepare for school assessment test 

Depending on the school, you may be required to take some sort of assessment test as part of the application process. This isn’t something you can prepare for overnight, so you’ll want to start studying up well in advance.

The assessment tests used by the top EMBA programs in Canada are:

– Rotman uses the Executive MBA Diagnostic Test (EDT), which focuses on basic quantitative skills, if you have an undergraduate degree the school recognizes, or the GRE or GMAT if you don’t.

– Schulich, Ivey, Queen’s and Haskayne require the GMAT of some applicants (more on that in a minute).

6. Interview 

EMBA programs will typically follow up your application with an interview. After you’ve submitted your application, they will contact you to schedule the interview. Some programs, like Schulich, will do the interview before you submit your application if you meet the basic eligibility requirements.

EMBA interviews can last up to an hour and generally take place over Skype or in person. There’s lots of territory they can cover, but you should go in ready to talk about your interest in the program, your preparedness for the program, your goals and the application materials you submitted.

7. GMAT Requirement 

Some of the top EMBA programs in Canada will ask that you take the GMAT while others will waive this requirement based on your background. The guidelines used by the schools are:

– If you don’t have an undergraduate degree recognized by the University of Toronto, Rotman requires that you take the GMAT and score at least a 500, preferably a 550, or take the GRE and achieve an equivalent score. Otherwise, you can take the EDT.

– If you meet Schulich’s basic academic requirements, including having a recognized undergraduate degree, you don’t need to take the GMAT. They will clarify whether you’re exempt from the GMAT if you get in touch.

– Ivey waives the GMAT requirement on a case-by-case basis, taking into account both academic and work experience. You can contact them for details on your situation.

– Queen’s does not require the GMAT by default but may recommend it to fill gaps in your application.

– Haskayne may waive the GMAT requirement if you have an undergraduate/graduate/professional degree with at least a 3.0 GPA overall as well as a 4.0 in your last two years of study, plus seven years of subsequent work experience.

Interesting Trends/Unique Opportunities

Each of the top Canadian EMBA programs has a slightly different bent. When narrowing down the list of programs you’re interested in, be sure to take into account the different advantages each school offers.

Some unique aspects of each EMBA program to keep in mind:

– Rotman’s EMBA is the shortest of the top five Canadian programs, taking place over 13 months.

– Schulich’s EMBA is run in partnership with Kellogg School of Management. Electives through Kellogg can be taken at other partner schools worldwide, and students from global partner schools will also study at Schulich.

– Ivey’s program emphasizes their hands-on Case-Method learning paradigm. It also features a ten-day International Field Study Trip.

– The Queen’s program is less geographically centralized. It can be taken in person through a “Boardroom Learning Center” in one of nine cities throughout Canada, or it can be done remotely as part of a “Virtual Team.”

– Perks of Haskayne’s program include an International Study Tour and a series of executive speakers.

As you can see, each of the top EMBA programs in Canada is different in terms of its emphasis and learning model. It can take some research to get a handle on these differences, and that’s before you even get started with the actual application process!

But make no mistake: all the work of researching and applying will more than pay off in the end because an EMBA can open up entirely new doors in your professional life.

And EXPARTUS is here so you can find the right school, make the most of the application process and get into an EMBA program that will take your career to the next level. Contact us to learn more about applying for an EMBA or to get a free assessment to figure out your best EMBA options!

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