Toronto / Rotman Essay Topic Analysis 2025-2026
The following essay topic analysis examines the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management MBA admissions essays for the 2025-2026 admissions season. You can also review essay topic analyses for other leading MBA programs as well as general Essay Tips to further aid you in developing your admissions essays.
Toronto / Rotman Essay Topic Analysis 2025-2026
Once Toronto Rotman applicants submit their application, they will need to respond to a timed, live written response over the course of ten minutes.
Timed Written Assessment Information
The timed written assessment component is a required part of the Rotman MBA Admissions process. It is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your critical thinking skills in real-time and showcase your unique motives, communication style, and creativity.
Within 2 business days of submitting your application, you will receive an email invitation to complete your timed written assessments. If you do not receive the link within 2 business days, please check your junk/spam folder, and get in touch with Admissions at [email protected] if you are unable to locate the email. You should complete both assessments within seven days of receiving the link. Your application will not be considered complete until this assessment is completed.
Once in the assessment platform, you will have an opportunity to test the technology and complete practice questions. You will then be asked to complete the timed written response.
Good luck and have fun with the process!
Rotman sheds more light on potential topics on their website, noting: “Through the timed written assessment, you will have the opportunity to tell us more about yourself and your motivations for the MBA. Questions may cover topics and themes including: your short and long-term professional goals, and specific instances in your career as they relate to teamwork, leadership, resiliency, innovation, and conflict resolution. Your written, professional communication skills in English will also be assessed through this exercise, so make sure to pay attention to your grammar and organization of thought.”
Given this description, it would behoove applicants to have a thorough understanding of their goals, as well as what they hope to gain at Rotman to achieve these goals.
When tackling other topics, such as teamwork, leadership, etc., you may consider using the STAR technique to structure your story:
- Situation – Set the stage or identify the situation.
- Task – Identify the task or project that you set out to perform, incorporating key players as it relates to teamwork, leadership, etc.
- Action – Describe the actions you took to complete the project and as they relate to the given essay focus.
- Result – Summarize the (positive) outcome.
Be ready use some space to discuss specific ways your experiences will translate to contributing to the Rotman community, which is comprised of more than just your fellow students. Rotman describes themselves “a collegial environment in which all students, staff and faculty commit to treating each other with respect, regardless of their roles at Rotman.” The more descriptive you can be, the easier it will be for the adcom to envision you as a student.
You may try sampling a few common topics among business schools, e.g. impact, teamwork, goals, why MBA, etc., and running through the drafting process. If you know your story, you should be good to go–remember not to stress, just relax and tell your story.
Clear Admit Resources
Before you start writing your responses to the Toronto / Rotman essay topics, check out some of our Rotman resources:
- Toronto / Rotman Profile on the Clear Admit website: up-to-date advice and admissions information
- Clear Admit LiveWire: admissions updates submitted in real time by applicants to Rotman
- Clear Admit DecisionWire: school selections in real-time by admits to Rotman