The decision between a CS minor plus a MILA reapplication and direct admission to Polytechnique Montréal comes down to one question: what are you optimizing for? If your goal is to learn machine learning and deep learning to boost your career internationally, the faster path is not necessarily the weaker one. You already have a bachelor's in mechanical engineering and software development experience. That is not a blank slate; it is a foundation. Poly's two-year professional master's program lets you build on that foundation immediately, while MILA's suggestion to complete a minor first is a signal about theoretical gaps, not a guarantee that those gaps will close with more coursework alone.
The minor path has its own logic. MILA is a research powerhouse, and if your long-term goal involves deep technical roles or a PhD, stronger theoretical foundations will serve you well. But you already got into Poly once. That means you can likely get in again later. So the real trade-off is not between MILA and Poly; it is between three to four years of additional schooling and two years of professional experience. In machine learning, industry experience with real datasets, deployment challenges, and production systems often matters more than coursework. Employers internationally care about what you can build and ship, not just what you studied.
The middle option you mentioned, doing one year at Poly and then reapplying to MILA, is worth taking seriously. It addresses MILA's stated concern about insufficient computer science coursework while keeping your momentum. You would enter Poly, complete foundational CS and ML courses, and then reapply with a stronger transcript. If you get in, you lose a year but gain a stronger application. If you do not, you are already enrolled in a solid program and can continue without a gap. The risk is not the extra year; it is the opportunity cost of delaying your entry into the workforce. But you already have engineering and software experience, so you are not starting from zero.
Our take is straightforward: take the Poly admission now. It is the faster, more direct route to your stated goal of boosting your career internationally. You can always apply to MILA later, either during your program or after graduating, when your professional experience strengthens your profile. The minor is a detour that delays your entry into the field without guaranteeing a better outcome. You have the skills, the background, and the acceptance letter. Use them.