Sometimes the best way to get out of a rut is to make your own path

The last thing I wanted to do when leaving university was to ever think about school again. After countless hours devoted to studying, internships, and student groups I was ready to be paid for my time for the rest of my life. But that just was not going to happen in the US after the meltdown; jobs became scarce quickly, panic started to set in, and I had to take what I could get like everyone else.

For two years I put just as much time into finding new employment as I was working with a logistics company by day and craft beer merchandiser by night. In September of 2009, after being told I was second in line for a job I was working towards for six months, I knew enough was enough. I'd end up stuck in a very long rut if I didn't find another alternative, and that's when my father suggested an MBA.

I think an MBA was always on his radar, but not on mine. However, once I weighed everything out I knew there was no better alternative in advancing myself while everyone else struggled. Right away I set myself to the GMAT knowing that I perhaps was already behind the eight ball compared to other candidates.

I got to work quickly, finished the GMAT by December and then had to decide which schools to apply to. Philadelphia left me very little choice, it seemed like Wharton or bust, and I had no desire even to try to apply there. So I began looking at reputations for schools, locations which would interest me, and most importantly that unique factor of having something to offer that no other school had.

Six years ago my parents moved to Montreal for the first time. My father is in aviation and had just gotten out of the airlines and began to work for IATA. So for vacations, parts of summers and any form of break I would go up from Philadelphia and see them. Once they were there, they suggested that I should take a look into transferring to McGill. I had heard the name many times by reputation, but I was already well established in my undergrad and had no desire to move. For the MBA though, I took notice of the name. Once I saw it had unique offerings such as small classes, strong international diversity, and a center designated to the studies of entrepreneurship, I was sold...

- Article by MBA student, Greg Illson

Read full article: Financial Post, September 15, 2011