This student's question is the right one, and the honest answer is that the path they describe is possible but narrow. Joining UdeM's MSCS program without a MILA supervisor match is not a dead end, but it is a detour that demands deliberate strategy rather than passive hope. The matching window has closed, yet the door remains ajar for those who understand what actually moves a professor's decision.
What made the difference for others in this position was not luck or persistence alone. It was demonstrable signal. Professors at MILA receive far more requests than they can accommodate, so the question is never "Are you interested?" but "What evidence do you have that working with you will advance research?" The students who succeeded after starting without affiliation typically brought one of three things: prior research output they could extend during the first semester, exceptional performance in a course taught by a core MILA professor, or a technical skill that directly complemented an ongoing project. Excelling in class is the most common lever, because it gives the professor a direct, low-risk sample of your ability to engage with complex material. TAing for the right person can help, but only if you also demonstrate research initiative beyond grading.
The realistic picture is this: you have one semester to build a case. That means treating every course as a potential audition, identifying which MILA-affiliated professors teach courses you can excel in, and preparing to approach them with a specific, well-framed idea rather than a general request for supervision. The window for the standard match has passed, but the window for earned attention opens when you show, not tell, that you can contribute. Recalibrate your expectations to focus on what you can control: the quality of the work you produce in the first few months. If that work is strong enough, the affiliation will follow.