Tuan Nguyen

Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

“A curious daydreamer.”

Hometown: Quang Tri, Vietnam

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a spontaneous nerd, which means whenever I come across something intriguing, I can spend hours reading into details about it. It could be anything from geography to health science.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Economics and Law, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh city

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Keppel Land Vietnam, Senior Finance Executive – Control Assurance

Integrative thinking is one of the cornerstones of the Rotman MBA experience. What does integrative thinking mean to you and how have you been able to apply it thus far? For me, integrative thinking is quite difficult to capture and apply; however, once you understand the purpose behind it, it would be a life-changing method that would help you solve problems in the most creative way. In essence, integrative thinking requires you to embrace multi-faceted considerations in your process of building the best solution for your problem. The idea of integrative thinking is heavily embedded in courses taught at Rotman. You would be surprised to realize that your problem in the marketing course will be examined under different perspectives in the strategy course, and that allows you to form a holistic view of the problem.

What has been your favorite part of Toronto so far? Why? For many people, Canadian cold weather is a deal-breaker, but I truly enjoy it. This is probably because I come from a tropical country, where I used to find myself miserable dealing with the heat and sweating all year round. As long as you dress properly, winter can be just as beautiful and enjoyable as summer.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Toronto Rotman’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? It is quite apparent that prospective students choose Rotman because of its reputation and rigorous academic program. However, one aspect that makes Rotman’s MBA distinct from other programs, in my opinion, is its supplemental programs and services that help Rotman students stand out and gain competitive advantages. Self-Development Lab is an excellent resource for you to become a better version of yourself in terms of soft skills and self-awareness. Career service is where you learn how to position yourself better in the job market and is also a place to help you navigate your job search with personalized and expert suggestions from your career coach.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Toronto Rotman? As I want to pursue a career in consulting after graduation, joining Management Consulting Association is a must for me. So far, I’m very impressed with the resources provided by the club to support its members. Many workshops and events were held during the term to help members familiarize themselves with industry practices and interview processes and to have a chance to connect and talk to people in the industry.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As a team leader in my previous roles, my biggest achievement is successfully building up my winning teams. I also had opportunities to mentor many juniors, helping them maximize their potential and professionally succeed in the firm.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? Since I just began my MBA journey about 3 months ago, there’s nothing big worth mentioning. Probably, given the notoriously heavy academic workloads of Rotman’s MBA, I managed to survive the first two terms.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? My most memorable moments would be with my academic team. The fact that people in my team come from different backgrounds and cultures allows us to exchange a diversity of ideas and examine our group projects from different perspectives. I’m truly grateful for having a chance to work with them because I learn a lot from my teammates.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Toronto Rotman’s MBA program? My number 1 advice is “be yourself”. Don’t be afraid to express weaknesses because the program is there to help you minimize your weaknesses and develop your strengths. What the school wants to see in you is your aspiration and your future potential to become a successful leader. If you are worried about your low undergrad GPA or low GMAT score, then you shouldn’t be because the school will evaluate your application holistically based on various criteria and the quantitative standardized test is just one among a zillion of elements.

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