Meet The Ivey MBA Class of 2016

Wole Oluwole-Rotimi 

Ivey Business School at University of Western Ontario

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

Undergraduate School and Major (Include Graduate School if Relevant): Schulich School of Business, York University

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Investment Banking Associate, Standard Bank

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? Consistency and discipline can trump raw intellectual horsepower. Plan for the GMAT prep, and work hard at it.

Based on your own selection process, what advice do you have for applicants who are trying to draw up a list of target schools to which to apply? Plan for a class visit, if possible. A few hours spent in the very environment where you will spend untold hours provides incredible perspective.

What advice do you have for applicants in actually applying to a school, writing essays, doing admission interviews, and getting recommenders to write letters on your behalf? Invest some time to think about and write your essay. Writing it all in one or two sittings may not allow enough time to draw out the gems from your experiences. Ensure your referees have a clear sense of the required timelines, and understand how important their input is to the process. Interviews can be nerve-wracking, but try to communicate sincerity and confidence along with your abilities and track record.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? The one-year program was very compelling to me. I want to be back into the workplace as soon as possible. However, the class visit sealed the deal. After I attended a class, I didn’t bother applying anywhere else and focused my efforts on ensuring that my application package convinced the program office that I was a great fit.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? The program has been incredible so far and I am grateful for the relationships I have formed. One of my goals in coming to Canada was to improve my understanding of the Canadian Oil and Gas industry. That’s an area that I am now beginning to explore more deeply with the support of the Ivey Energy Policy and Management Centre. I hope to complete the MBA armed with knowledge and experience capable of making real change in my home country.