BYU MBA Through the CIS Recommendations, and shared experiences from those who have been there, done that...

it’s now time to master the GMAT Test!!

“The GMAT exam is a standardized assessment, delivered in English, that helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management.”

Putting it into simple words, the GMAT exam is THE real screening process, the key selection criterion for many MBA Schools, including BYU.

Introducing the GMAT Test

• Eevaluate your English skills
  
• Take a mock-up exam right upfront to see how close you are from the target score.
• Make a weekly plan to set aside a number of hours to study, and STICK TO IT!.
• Keep track of your improvement. Simple things like: percent of right answers per every 20 questions, time spent to solve questions, etc. will help you keep focused and being efficient.
  

* Depending on all of the mentioned above, plan for a 1-2 year period to pass the exam.

Preparing for the GMAT Exam

The GMAT Website (http://gmat.com/) is a very good point to start. They have specific suggestions to prepare for the test. I'd also suggest a couple of extra items below.

Understand your learning style

The first thing is understanding your learning style. Many people enjoy sitting by themselves in front of a book for hours; while others prefer having somebody else explaining the concepts for them.
For those who like attending formal courses, I’d recommend looking for the most popular schools globally: Kaplan and Princeton Review, but an official list of schools can be found here. (See other Mexican schools below).

Get and study the official guide

If you want more sample questions to study, you can buy Official Guide for GMAT Review, 12th Edition, the Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review, 2nd Edition, or the Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review, 2nd Edition. Each Guide has hundreds of real GMAT questions, answers, and explanations.

From some friends, I’ve heard the recommendation of studying the official guide three times. They say, doing that will get you at least 600 points at the exam. (Not confirmed).

Presenting the GMAT Exam

Additional Info

• GMAT Prep. DON’T TAKE IT, unless you have spent some time studying and feel confident on passing the real exam.
• Cracking the GMAT
• Kaplan Higher Score GMAT v3 (part 1) and (part 2)
• English Cambridge Review GMAT
• Thompson Peterson ARCO GMAT
• Princenton Review Practice Test
• Barrons GMAT
• AAA English GMAT 2004

**For those living in México, the three most popular options for preparing the GMAT are:

• Las Velez: (http://lasvelez.com/) I took some courses with these ladies. I think they have been around for quite so long (10 years?) that know their business very well. I’m sure they’ll teach you the GMAT trick for a not-so small amount of money.
• KAPLAN (http://kaptest.com.mx/) I used some of their books and mock-up exams and found them challenging and more realistic than other options out there.
• Princeton Review (link here) I have some friends that took their courses and apparently their are more oriented to English-speaking students

It is great to hear you're interested on the BYU MBA program. As I’ve said before, I’m sure it will do great things for your professional opportunities.
The question is now : What do you have to offer to the MBA Program? For this non-trivial question, please make sure you provide yourself with a thorough answer because the admission criteria is definitely not a “piece of cake”, and the competition to get accepted increases every year.
In order to accept you at the MBA Program, the Marriott School of Management requires the following criteria:

REQUIREMENT AS STATED AT THE WEBSITE	WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Commitment to the mission of BYU and its sponsoring organization, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.	- An ecclesiastical endorsement from your bishop
Evidence of management and leadership skills	- At least 2 years of post-graduation professional experience
Academic ability	- GPA not lower than 3.0 (preferably 3.5 or higher) - GMAT score not lower than 600pts (preferably 673 or higher)
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
Completion of proficiency exams.	Approve an undergrad course on Accounting, and on Statistics
For International Applicants Only: Strong English skills as evidenced by the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).	- TOEFL score of 240 or higher

Other requirements not mentioned before:
- Submitting all your documents fully and on time
- Doing well on the interview with a member of the admissions committee
- Attending the International Student Orientation (International students only)

GMAT, the first step

Although the list may seem long and difficult to cover; when watched it closer, it all comes down to one thing:

APPROVING THE GMAT TEST!!

I just don't know how to say it clearer: FIRST FOCUS ON the GMAT Test, and all these things shall added unto you. The GMAT test is the real screening tool…
So many worried aspirants approach us, as graduates students and the admission committee members, with such a detailed/specific questions about the program, the life at BYU, the diplomas, etc.; that it seems that they just don’t get where they are in the application process, and what it the most important task to accomplish.
BEFORE YOU TAKE ANY FURTHER STEP in the application process, please get to know about the GMAT test; understand its purpose and main sections, fees; even schedule and take your first test (if possible), to see how close you are of getting into the program. We’ll discuss the GMAT Prep topic later, but hopefully, I have emphasized it enough.

The remaining steps

The Marriott School has put together an easy-to-follow list of steps in order to prepare and apply to the MBA Program. Please, make sure you read it thoroughly and ask any questions that may show up.

On our previous posts, we have discussed the reason for getting MBA Degree . We’ve also talked about  applying to BYU. Now, I’d like to bring to the table the discussion of whether applying for the Cardon International Sponsorship (CIS) as part of your MBA BYU Application.

Mission

With more than 70 graduates, the CIS started in 1986 with two purposes:

-To provide graduate management education for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints living outside the United States and Canada.

-To prepare participants for leadership roles in their chosen professions, their communities, and the Church when they return to their native countries or region.

Level of Support

This visionary and truly generous program provides students, during the two-year MBA** program, with:

• A  scholarship  to cover health insurance, textbooks, and tuition
• A loan to cover rent, food and utility expenses

Eligibility Criteria

The following requirements apply to  ALL the applicants:

1.- Being admitted into the MBA Program**

2.- Not a U..S. or Canadian citizen

3.- Temple sealed with current current temple recommends

4.- Be willing to leave the U.S. and Canada after graduation

The CIS program strictly gives you one additional year to stay in the U.S. for an Academic Training. However, I’ve seen that period sometimes has been extended even up to 3 years on a case-to-case basis.

As you can see, the eligibility criteria is really not that complicated. But let me just emphasize one item: I commend you to be thoughtful and up-front on your plans for the future. If you are looking for platforms or opportunities to let you get in the U.S. just to stay there, then the CIS Program is not right for you. Every student that tries to cheat the CIS Program by staying in the U.S., only reduces the chances  for future students more willing to honor their commitments.

So, please don’t do that to the CIS program.  BYU offers several other scholarships and loans just right for your needs.

Personal savings

The loan portion of the funds will vary depending on the number of children you have. From personal experience and from what I noticed with other CIS colleagues, modestly living, the funds will cover your necessities and education expenses.  Please note that during the summer (a 4 month period), the loan is suspended assuming that you will receive an income from your internship, or from your work on campus.

You will need to bring additional savings to:

- Pay for your transportation expenses to get to Provo

- Pay for your rent, and food before the school starts and the first deposit is received (Approx Sep 15)

- Furnish  your apartment (beds, couches, and a TV of course!)

- Buy a automobile (Even though CIS Program explicitly asks students not to get a car while in the program, you will notice, after two weeks, that you will not get too far without one)

- Extra savings for emergencies (such as ours when my 5-year old boy broke his arm)

- Eventual flights to career fairs (Looking for both internship and full time job)

Paying back the loan

So here’s the deal: Upon graduation you will have not only an MBA degree, but a debt that could be about [ 25,000 – 35,000] USD. You could  make your own estimation of the amount of debt.

Six months after graduation, you will have 10 years to pay back your loan.  Currently the interest rate is ZERO %!! for those who honor their commitment to return to their home countries.

 

That’s the deal! To me there is no better opportunity to get a top level MBA degree for just that debt. Just find out the amount of debt that get  graduates from other top schools, and you will confirm what a great blessing the CIS is.

Good luck on your decision!

 

** The CIS Program is also applicable to ANY of the graduate management degrees available at the Marriott School of Management (i.e. MBA, MPA, MAcc, and MISM). But that’s another story…

This is the very first question an aspirant should be thoroughly responding to him or herself,  and it’s not an easy one, indeed…

So, yes you're right! The CIS is an extraordinary and amazing chance for LDS international students, but... What are you going to be doing back home with an MBA degree from BYU, two years after visiting all these nices places the Church has in Utah? In order to have a SOLID answer for that question that is CONGRUENT to your goals, education and professional experiences, I highly recommend you spend quite some time researching the MBA degree.

The MBA degree will typically be a very cost-effective investment to help you "increase your salary potential and advance your career". Fancy words to mean that MBA will help you jump from a middle level position to a managerial one. A position that will take 5 years to reach otherwise.

"The MBA is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. It is a degree designed to give you the ability to develop your career to its fullest potential, at an accelerated pace. What will you get out of an MBA? Aside from a powerful life experience, the MBA degree should supply three main value propositions: Networks, and Brand, Skills". That includes hard skills (finance, marketing, supply chain, HR) and soft skills (Global management, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, etc.).

Now, having said that, there are some risks involved on investing time and money in a probable future return; where the worst case scenario would be not being able to secure a decent job even 6 months after graduation. (And these chances are not far from us, since I have close friends that have gone through that difficult situation).

Applicant’s age and years of experience play an important role into the equation: Having too few or too many of either (e.g. 1year of experience, or 40 years of age with 7  years of experience, etc.) could decrease the chances of an MBA graduate to attract full-time job opportunities  (The Executive MBA program may be a better fit for an experienced aspirant since she(he) typically holds a managerial position and is interested on a more Directive type-of position. But that's another story).

The other two elements that complement the equation are: The quality of a candidate’s pre-MBA experience and how the MBA major selected fit into that background.  And please don’t get me wrong because candidates are not expected to be General Managers or Directors (as I said, that is exactly what the MBA is for), but strong evidence of soft skills are helpful such as Leadership roles, innovation, proactive motivation, etc. The major or emphasis at the MBA Program when chosen  thoroughly, will help graduates to strengthen her(his) professional profile.  The MBA degree  allows career changes, like in my case, where the degree helped me change from a technical background (Computer Engineering) to a marketing position. However, choosing a major that is too disconnected from the graduate’s background may again decrease the changes to secure a good job afterwards.

Finally,  think twice about your reasons, background and goals, and I'm sure you'll reach to the best alternative for you!

___
READ MORE INFO AT:

  Why get and MBA Degree?

Why get and MBA?

Why an MBA May Not Be Worth It

Why an MBA?

Hopefully at this point in time, you have already made up your mind as to why an MBA degree would be a good fit for you.
Now, the question is: Why BYU?

The mission of the Brigham Young University MBA Program is to:

“To attract, develop, and place men and women of faith, character, and professional ability who will become outstanding leaders capable of dealing with change in a global environment”.

In selecting the most appropriate  program , BYU MBA website recommends the following  criteria :

Placement Salary and Statistics

BYU claims to have placed 95% of second-year students, and 98% of first-years. My own experience confirms these rates as true, BUT ONLY FOR American students. Placement rate for International (foreign) students is significantly lower than that, since many internationals are just not able to secure internships (myself included) or full-time jobs.

Now, the challenge with international students  is not particular of  BYU; many well-known American and European programs have it too .

Curriculum and Faculty

“The Marriott School has 145 full-time faculty members known nationally and internationally for their teaching expertise, business consulting, research, and publishing”

From my experience, faculty’s expertise at BYU varies from major to major  (i.e. Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Supply Chain Mgmt., Product Development), being Finance and OB/HR two of the strongest.

Program Size

BYU’s overall class is about 165 students; although the class size increases every year. From my perspective, enrolling into a small program allows you to get to know and mingle with most of your fellow students; also,  you receive a very personalized attention and close help from your Professors, and Board of Directors.  Instructors will put you, as international student into a small group with other American students so you can share your views and learn from them.

The downside of being on a small class is that you do not have as options in courses as you would on bigger programs. At BYU, you may not find those specialized/specific topics that you are looking for when specializing in a business area. 

The BYU MBA program has also been strongly criticized  for its lack  of diversity, rankings would bring in the school’s high percent  of the incoming students graduating from some Utah-based university (70%+; wih 62% from BYU);  the class profile shows also that almost all the them are LDS members, returned missionaries (83%) and married (66%); finally, only 15% are international students. All of these indicators could create a barrier for understanding and embracing diversity. Now, I’ve seen a strong emphasis on MBA Board of Directors to include more and more women, international and non-Utah-based students into the program. I’d expect the class profile to be more and more diverse as time goes, and as capable International students as YOURSELF enrolled into the program! ;-)

Cost and Financial Aid/ Scholarships

The  BYU MBA Program traditionally shows up as one of the “best bang for your buck” among US Programs.  On the one hand, BYU has a very competitive cost compared to other schools  thanks to the funds coming from the LDS Church to subsidize it. On the other hand, BYU offers very attractive scholarships available specially for international students (e.g. The Cardon International Sponsorship Program)

From my experience, it would take approximately 3-4 years to pay your loan from BYU, compared to 7-8 from some other well-ranked MBA school.

Student Life and Location

This is one of the strongest reasons why LDS, married international students  apply to BYU.  First, provided the high percent of LDS married students at its MBA program, BYU has amazing clubs (i.e. MBASA, IWA, etc.) and activities for families that will keep your wife(husband)  and children really entertained and comfortable, while you’re drown with projects and homework. It is not fortuity that BYU always ranks #1 as Family Friendly program.

Now, as LDS international, this is an amazing opportunity for you to get to visit the Church sites, attend meetings (including General Conferences) , mingle and learn from seasoned and knowledgeable LDS leaders and members. For instance, during our time at BYU, my family and I attended what is called a Family Ward (as opposed to Student’s Ward), where we got to know and hear stories from Pres. Benson’s son, Pres. Kimball’s grandson, and Elder Hinckley (Pres. Hinckley’s son), among others. Not to mention the great ideas and activities we learned by watching my High Priest Group Leader, Young Men’s advisers, and talented Primary Teachers. This was for my family, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Rankings and Reputation

“U.S. News ranks BYU twenty-ninth among other schools in the United States, the Wall Street Journal ranks it first among schools with an entering class of less than 250 students, Business Week considers BYU as a tier one school and ranks it twenty second among other school within the United States, and BYU is ranked second in ethics by the Wall Street Journal and as the second most family friendly school by the Princeton Review.”

Rankings will always depend on the evaluator’s criteria, but overall,  I’ve seen a BYU MBA’s  increase in rakings year after year; specially in the fields of Leadership, Integrity and Teamwork.

I’d highly recommend you follow the most relevant rankings for your region (i.e. America Economia for LatinAmerica, or Financial Times for Europe, etc.) Unfortunately, because of its small class size,  BYU is considered a regional school and therefore it is not included in the Global MBA rankings. Also, most headhunters recruiting abroad would only follow global MBA rankings and JUST A FEW would know about Brigham Young University in Utah.

Alumni Network

Many efforts have been implemented by MBA Directives to strengthen the alumni network at BYU such as student’s clubs, strong teamwork orientation and the BYU Management Society that works around the globe.

This efforts however,  still have much room for improvement since local Management Society Chapters, at least outside of US, have only a few members and they rarely network or collaborate amongst them.