Hello Everyone!

I want to make some decisions ahead of time and I will much appreciate some help.

I am from Colombia, with 2 years of experience as an entrepreneur and will be joining an MBA in sept 2019.
Although I will eventually return to my venture and family business. I want to have some experience in a Finance related area (2-3 years). So, the Finance track of the program should be considered.

Rotman: Admitted
Pros:
• Canada offers a 3-year work permit.
• Rotman is arguably the best BS in Canada, plus top in Finance.
• Active recruitment from Canadian firms
Cons:
• Employment reports not so great (only 85% after 3 months)
• Salary is lower (low ROI)
• Canada market prefers experience (?)

IESE: Interviewed
Pros:
• Highly ranked globally + affinity with case method
• I love Barcelona and school fit
• 94% of Placement after 3 months and high salaries
Cons:
• Europe's difficulties for immigrants (sponsorship Visa) / just around 36% of graduates manage to get the work permit.
• Spanish (is my native language so I would prefer an English environment)
• More into industry and consulting

LBS: Submitted
Pros:
• London-financial hub
• High reputation+ strong in finance
• 94% of Placement and high salaries
Cons:
• Only 6 months to secure a job + sponsorship from a company
• Brexit? Could it affect the experience?
• Life in Pounds is the most expensive.

Simon Rochester: Interviewed
Pros:
• Strength in Finance
• 93% placement+ high side salary.
• STEM option- 2 years to work in the US
Cons:
• Rochester is isolated + difficulties with recruitment
• Overall not that prestigious-second tier school in a country with over 300 BS.
• US H1B thing+ only around 5% of sponsorships is done in finance area.

Yale, Cornell, Booth: Submitted---(Top choices)
Pros:
• Global reputation
• high placement+ high salary.
Cons:
• 1 year to stay in the US +H1B


Overall, I would need to early decide among Rotman, IESE, and Rochester Simon (before the deposit due date of Rotman).

If afterwards i'm somehow admitted to any of (LBS, Yale, Cornell, Booth) I would need to decide if I assume the lost of the deposit and attend to one of those schools.

The non-Stem US options don't meet your desire to work in for 2/3 years experience. With LBS, I think you would be much more successful.

Luckily you are in a position where you can't make a wrong decision. If you get into LBS or Ivy league schools then go for it. I think Rotman is a far better option than Simon. IESE can be interesting too given your fluency with Spanish it may turn out to be a better option as well.

My preference would be LBS > Ivy (Chicago > Cornell > Yale) > IESE > Rotman.
Chuck Simon. Also ROI depends on how much you invest in. Did you get any scholarship at Rotman?

My standings are quite similar:
LBS = Chicago > = Yale > Cornell > IESE >= Rotman.

I got a 20k scholarship at Rotman.

my most immediate concern is deciding between IESE and Rotman. I like both equally, IESE is better ranked but working in Europe is very difficult for a latin-american. Rotman place a lower percentage, but I'd get a 3 year work permit.

I will have to make a decision between Rotman and IESE. afterwards i'll decide if I lost the deposit for (LBS, Chicago, Yale, Cornell).

I mostly agree about rochester Simon, but they actually place better than Rotman.

Those standings is how I would see them as well. Landing a job in Spain as a Latin American with an MBA from IESE shouldn't be *too* difficult. Canada is a bit 'safer' but with the IESE degree you'd have much stronger lifelong earnings. Also depends on where you want to end up - it will be much harder to transition to Canada after a degree from IESE than one from Rotman.