A 2018 computer science engineer with 4+ years of full-time work and IELTS 8.0 was refused twice: first for an MBA at University Canada West (2021), then for a PGDM in project management at Algoma University's Brampton campus (September 2022 application). Strong language and steady employment weren't the issue — so what was?
How the thread diagnosed it:
- Course alignment was the first question — and the split verdict is instructive. The poster argued sales-and-marketing work experience made project management a fit; other members disagreed: 'his studies and experience do not align with the programs he is applying for.' A CS degree followed by business programs at teaching-focused private/satellite campuses is a combination officers refuse on progression grounds — twice, in this case.
- The concrete fix: apply for a CS/IT program. Returning to the engineering field makes the study plan self-explanatory — the degree, the work history, and the program point the same direction.
- Order GCMS notes before attempt three. Two members insisted on this: the refusal letter's stock phrases don't reveal the officer's actual reasoning, and a third application built on guesswork risks a third refusal. Confirm whether it's progression, the institution, or something else entirely.
The broader lesson mirrors other twice-refused cases: strong IELTS and employment can't rescue a program choice the officer finds illogical. Fix the alignment, verify the real objection, then reapply.