Chat Session Transcript January 10, 2007 Mays MBA Study Abroad Opportunities
Hey Manav - good to see you! hello Wendy We'll have two current students joining us shortly One, Travis Habhab, participated in our study abroad programs over the summer. Howdy everyone! Everyone - let me introduce Travis. This is Travis Habhab, a current student in our program. Travis participated in our study abroad programs this summer. I invited him here today so he could share his perspective on the program. Welcome to those who have just arrived! Also, let me introduce Aaron. Aaron Rager is a recent (December 2006) graduate of our program. He has worked for our office as a graduate assistant, and is continuing with that role for the next few weeks until he finalizes his job offers. Both Aaron and Travis will be great resources to y'all during our conversation today. Thanks to both of you for joining us today. Hello everyone! Let's go ahead and get started. On behalf of the Mays MBA Program, I'd like to welcome you our Mays MBA Chat Session. We encourage you to be actively involved in our chat session today.
Our topic today is Study Abroad programs at the Mays MBA Program at Texas A&M University. I am a second year MBA finishing up my studies this May. I attended a study abroad program with WHU in Vallendar, Germany last summer. It was a short, but very good program! Travis, are you required to be fluent in the local language to study abroad? Study abroad programs are a great way to add to your MBA curriculum and your resume. Travis - I'm going to turn it over to you, because I think that your firsthand experiences will be of the greatest interest to our guests today. Not at all - the programs are taught in English and most offer a short survival course in the local language while you are there. Is there any requirement for the study abroad program? How do you apply for study abroad? Do you have to submit an application to the university abroad or is it something facilitated by Mays? Good...I took a few semesters of German, but that was several years ago. does study abroad program take place at the expense of internship??? No additional requirements beyond our MBA program, except for having a passport. How long was the program, Travis? What countries does A&M have abroad programs in? You apply while you are in the MBA program through the MBA office and the International Business Office upstairs in our building. I would like to ask if transcripts are necessary for applying. I am currently working in Mumbai and my work schedule doesn't allow me to go to my college..........I can present my original degree certificates for verification.......but to get transcripts made will take at least 2 months....So can I still apply for Mays MBA ? Alberto - We have direct partnerships with 15 different international business schools, in a variety of countries ... including ...
Austria, India, Taiwan, France, Germany ... for a complete list ... see this link ... My program was only for three weeks. It lasted from May 14 - June 2. The majority of attendees still had internships and started them shortly after June 2. http://cibs.tamu.edu/studyabroad/Ggrid.html Do you have middle eastern or asian programs? Travis, did you take a course there? its great that u can pursue an internship and study abroad , both... Did you get to deal with any businesses there, or was it strictly classroom experience? do you have to skip part of your internship for the study abroad program Although there are many study abroad programs, the three recommended for MBAs are the one in Germany, one in Copenhagen and two in France. can any one tell me what is the deadline for fall 2007 full time MBA Alberto - we have exchange agreements with schools in India and China - none in the middle east at this time. What programs in France? where do you have them in India which schools in china do you have agreements with GMAT_MBA - please email your question to me at wflynn@tamu.edu so that I can get exact information for you. Thanks. Would these programs be courses or internships? Laurao - did I take a class where? in germany Let me point out our grid - that contains all of the schools and locations with which we have partnerships ...
Study abroad programs are considered coursework and do require tuition payments http://cibs.tamu.edu/studyabroad/Ggrid.html Yes, the a four credit hour, three week study abroad program. However, if you’re able to secure employment while studying abroad, that can be considered an internship, and may prove worth while financially Do you use up part of your internship period in the study abroad program No The structure of our summer programs allows students to often combine internships and study abroad programs ... Hi wendy ......would like to know about placements- median, average ? Is it easy to get an internship abroad The program was a lot of fun and provided an additional education focus on international business. Sid - it's difficult to give a quick answer to your question - is it easy to find an internship abroad. It depends on your background, your objectives, etc. We have had students successfully pursue and secure internships abroad. What specialization do you have in the study abroad program Our Graduate Business Career Services office can work with you directly on this. The WHU course in Germany that I went to is the best for internships. It starts a few days after your last final and ends three weeks later. I've noticed in some countries, financial analysts are expected to have accounting training...does anyone know if this is the case in Europe as well? wendy, whats your email address just incase if i need to contact you later.. it will be of great help Sac8981 - Mays is proud to have one of the top placement rates in the US - 98% within three months of graduation Govind - and all - I can be reached at wflynn@mays.tamu.edu
Do international students get visas for the study abroad program From my experience, the first year of the Texas A&M MBA program more than prepares you for any study abroad program. The study abroad courses were relatively easy for us Aggies! For more specifics on our placement, go to the following link: This link will provide you with more information (click on it) http://mays.tamu.edu/services/gbcs/employers/data/index.html how much is the tuition for the classes taken abroad? Good morning Wendy! I would like to know whether there are need based scholarships of loans available and does that loan require a co-signer? Laurao - the tuition costs vary according to the program. From the Mays website, in order to get certificate in International business, study abroad option can be used. What if we prefer specialization and still can we apply for study abroad. In simple terms is study abroad option only to get certificate in International business? The WHU program in Germany conducted courses from 8:30 - 12:00, and the afternoons and evenings were free time. The tuition is paid to Texas A&M for 3-6 (or more) credit hours depending on your program. The weekends are also free, and there is a long weekend for traveling further away. What about visas What are the chances of getting scholarship for Indians ? While I was there, I went to Amsterdam and Prague on the weekends and toured Germany and Belgium on the evenings. For example, for the EDHEC program in Nice and Lille, France, students pay in-state tuition for 6 credit hours plus a study abroad fee - and that totals about $1710 USD. Wendy can I hold a part time job while being a full time student?
Not sure if anyone knows the answer to this, but for actually working abroad after graduation, it seems that accounting qualifications are more portable than other specialties. Has anyone found this to be true or false in their experience? Sid - our International Student Services office works with international students to handle any visa issues. We have not had any difficulty with international students participating in study abroad programs. I have score of 680 and 32 months of work experience ........what u would say about my chances ? I saw that last years class had employers from China Petroleum and China Manufacturing. How does foreign employment work after graduation? Sac8981 - all students are considered equally for admission and scholarships. International students can receive scholarships from our program, and they often do. Last year at WHU, the program and application fees totaled about $1300. Last year, all three of us received $1500 financial aid. The only fees out of pocket were travel, room and board. Hey Travis, can international students get visas for the study abroad program I see the term "professional work experience" a lot in MBA literature. Can anyone define "professional work experience"? Aashish - yes - you can hold a part-time job while being a full time student. We recommend no more than 20 hours per week. If you are an international student, you would be limited to on-campus jobs. it’s mentioned that 15th Jan is the last date for scholarship .. so for an international applicant’s scholarship wont be offered for the other rounds How big is each new incoming MBA class? What is the criteria that Texas A&M places more emphasis on from the admissions perspective Yes on the international students. A Texas A&M student from China went with me last year. Sac8981 - I'm not comfortable discussing individual qualifications in this setting. Our average GMAT is 643 and our average years of work experience is about 5 years.
MsVeteran - "professional" work exp can be broadly defined by postundergraduate, full-time work...but obviously, there are exceptions based on each individuals background case by case basis We have a lot of very good questions here .. This is wonderful. I'd like to share some specific information on study abroad that is of interest to all ... and then I'll open our discussion up to other questions ... Do we need to submit a financial affidavit form of any kind before the deadline or at a later date At the Mays MBA Program at Texas A&M University, ... We place a high value on international experiences for our students, and we back up that philosophy by providing scholarships to support students who participate in summer study abroad programs. Aashish - I was able to manage a family and two part-time jobs. Its difficult, but manageable. On the site its mentioned that 3 professional recommendations are required... but can the third recommendation be from a member of voluntary organization I am involved with? Scholarships for study abroad programs range from $300 to $700 depending on the program. We provide these funds to make study abroad more affordable and achievable for our students. All students can qualify for this scholarship support for study abroad. Corporate recruiters also value international experiences. The more immersed you are in a study abroad program and the greater the length of the program, the more impact it can have on your resume. Overseas programs do more than expose you to the changing global business environment. Completing a study abroad program demonstrates initiative, the ability to take risks and an ability to navigate in unfamiliar, foreign environments.
Wendy, do the three recommendation forms that Mays require necessarily come from work place or can I submit one academic and two professional recommendations? Also, will it have any bearing on my application in any way? Study abroad can take place for personal/professional and informal interest, or it can be part of the Certificate in International Business with the Mays MBA Program. Travis - did you complete your study abroad programs for the Certificate in International Business? Where can I find a list of courses that are offered for each specialization and certificate? Mays is a CIBER school - CIBER stands for Center for International Business Education and Research. No, I just did it for additional personal and professional experience. It was well worth it. I learned a good amount and had a blast! Wendy does that mean we can get both a specialization and certificate in International Business? Wendy are there recruiting trips to other cities organized by Mays? By taking a specialization and opting to go abroad. Specializations and certificates are discussed in detail on our web site .... but let me share some information here ... www.whu.edu/cms/index.php?id=237&L=1 is the website for WHU's study abroad program. We offer several certificate programs - including one in international business, and also in entrepreneurship, supply chain Management Wendy, do we need working experience to apply MBA of accounting If you guys check out that website, you can get a better idea of the experience you will receive - from studying, to living and vacationing while you are there. Certificate programs have specific requirements and completion of the requirements leads to a designation of "Certificate of ..." on your academic transcript. Thanks for the link, Travis!
Specializations are more fluid and allow students to put together their own custom-designed set of courses for the specialization. Here's the link for information on our specializations and certificates: http://mba.tamu.edu/degree/ The Mays MBA Certificate in International Business requires that students study abroad and complete 12 credit hours of courses in international business. I got to spend 4 weeks in Germany as a undergrad and really enjoyed it. These courses may be completed in conjunction with study abroad programs, or may be completed here at Mays in the spring semester of the second year. Germany is definitely a lot of fun! Where did you study, MsVeteran? We had an exchange program with the University of Vechta. It's about an hour south of Bremen. Recently, one of our alumni was featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal (Studies Abroad Goes Off Limits, December 18, 2006, Page B8) A quote from the article in two parts: China and India are particularly hot, especially among business schools, which increasingly encourage students specializing in international business to go abroad. Matt Chapman, 36, studied outsourcing at Philips Electronics NV's Innovation Campus in Bangalore as part of an M.B.A. program at Texas A&M University's Mays Business School in 2001. He describes the contacts he made with Indian vendors there as integral to the outsourcing work he did at a regional civil-engineering firm when he returned to Texas. Looking to return to the private sector after managing a congressional campaign, he says his first-hand knowledge of the outsourcing supply chain has been his greatest selling point. "I just keep fishing with it," he says. how much recruiters value study abroad experience? what is the criteria for dual degrees.. Do you all a different criteria and what’s the duration of it
I know there are a lot of questions that I haven't had a chance to respond to yet ... let me start working on those ... MsVeteran - that's great - it sounds like it was a very significant experience for you. How is the placements after graduating from a B school abroad I think something would be seriously wrong with me if it weren't! The workload while studying abroad is "light" compared to what you will be used to your first year in Texas A&M's MBA program. We had a group project and a final, but both were easy. The three of us from Texas A&M led our class and had a lot of free time to travel. the duration of a dual degree(MBA/MS) is the same as compared to a full time MBA. While doing a dual degree do we miss something as in a full time MBA Studying abroad further widens and diversifies your resume, so it will help a little when job hunting. Travis, did you travel outside of Germany at all in your free time? Went to The Netherland and the Czech Republic. Raman - Study abroad is open to everyone ... it is not limited only to those pursuing the Certificate in Interational Business We encourage all of our students to pursue the study abroad programs. Also toured around Belgium a little on an evening. Talking about dual degrees is it that we have to gain credits for both the programs or the dual program has its own curriculum Can you let me know if Indian students can get visas for study abroad Cool...we booked a trip to Paris and had a great time. Some people there bought real cheap airfares and flew to Poland, Spain, etc Aashish - yes - you need to complete the requirements for both programs when pursuing a dual degree program I believe anyone can get a visa to study abroad. I student from China went with me.
Yes, that is correct, Travis - any student can get a visa to study abroad. how much recruiters value study abroad experience? Wendy the duration for both dual degree as well as specialization is the same.. Then what’s the difference in the MBA specialization and MBA in dual degree If any of you want to see my course schedule while in Germany last year, send me an e-mail at habhab-t@bizlab.tamu.edu. HI Wendy...I am perspective applicant for MBA at Mays for academic session 2007-08.I am from India and will largely depend on loans and scholarships to fund my education. Please elaborate on the financial help that I can expect from the college do we get a chance to work oversea? how long is that period?6 months or 1 year? Would the abroad programs guarantee teaching standards similar to A&M level? Upendra - We do provide scholarships to international students - and we consider all admitted students for scholarship support. Any scholarship award grants the recipient resident tuition status. KrazyMike - It is possible for students to work overseas. The length of time depends on the program/situation. The teaching standards are similar to most MBA programs. However, I thought the faculty are much better at A&M than in my study abroad program. After a year of the MBA program at A&M, the study abroad program was relatively easy for us. Wendy what is the significance of getting the resident tuition status? Can I also expect some help regarding education loans, withstanding the fact that I have nobody to play as cosigner in U.S. The relatively easy program is what you will want, because you will be ready for a little break and want some time to travel around. Wendy I am sorry to bother you with this but any update on my application Upendra - the savings between resident and non-resident tuition is about $16,000 over the total MBA program.
Thanks Wendy. I have posted my application and I have sent a hard copy of the letter as well. Please make a note of the same Updendra - I can't provide specific information regarding your question about loans. We don't provide institutional loans from the business school. when do you have to submit your applications for study abroad programs? Manav - We are currently reviewing applications right now. I'm afraid I can't provide an individual status in a chat session format. Is there any limitation on how long we can take the study abroad program and the number of credits that can be obtained from the abroad university? I would like to know if three recommendations are necessary or can I submit only two? Apply for study abroad early Jan of your first year. Samir - we have students initiate applications for study abroad programs in early January. In fact, our first year students have just submitted their applications to us. Raman - There is no specific limit that I am aware of .. but typically our students will do it either in the summer after their first year - like Travis did ... or in the fall or in the spring of the second year ... Wendy, how would the interview process be conducted for applicants from Mumbai, India? After applying for study abroad in Jan, there are several financial aid/scholarships that you can apply for in Feb and Mar. Wendy, the second deadline for Mays MBA is 15th Jan. Is this the deadline for only online submission of forms or also for receiving of supporting documents. Wendy, can the recommenders submit their recommendations after the15th Jan deadline? Will the application still be considered in the first round in case I submit it before the deadline? If you are pursuing it in the fall of your second year, you would be limited to studying at the Copenhagen Business School. The reason for this is that they
have a consulting course that is similar to our consulting course and it would allow for easy transfer. Our consulting course is offered only in the fall semester. Anuraj - if invited for an interview, we would conduct the interview by phone. yeah, Wendy like Anuraj asked, do we need a interview? Anuj here..is TOEFL mandatory for all international students. I have worked in US for a period of 5 months and I my medium of instruction at undergraduate was "English" Hi Wendy. I logged in a little late. Could you tell me the maximum amount of scholarship an international student can expect? Wendy for students applying to 15th Jan deadline what the decision deadline will be? Raman - the summer programs are fixed. 4 hours in Germany or 6 credit hours in Copenhagen or France. If you spend an entire semester there (fall of your second year), you will have more flexibility. Upendra - for international students, we recommend that you submit your application and supporting documents as early as possible. how much recruiters value study abroad experience? Sunit - recommenders can submit their recommendation after January 15. However, the application is not reviewed until we have received the letters of recommendation. Krazymike - interviews are required for admission, and we arrange them by invitation only. Anuj - We will consider TOEFL waivers on a case-by-case basis. If you'd like to contact me about this, you can email me at wflynn@mays.tamu.edu Wendy, would the application review process of my application begin only after the official score report is received by the admissions committee? can I submit one of the recommendation online but after 15th Jan, while I submit the form before 15th While study abroad will increase your value for recruiters, they will likely look at your work experience, education and internships first.
Wendy, so we will get the invitation after we send application Anuraj - we can begin the review process with unofficial scores because we know that the official scores will arrive later. Hi this is kuntal. My gmat score is 610 and i have 2 years of work experince How much of consideration is given to TOEFL scores while selecting applicants? does international student need TOEFL? What if I submit the application online before and send the supporting documents in a fortnight. Will it still be considered as a round two application. Also I am appearing for TOEFL in 3rd week of Jan and am afraid that the scores will take some time to arrive. Will this affect my chances of getting scholarships? In how many days after the submission of complete application shall we aspect to hear from Mays? does GMAT work the same do u think I have a chance to get in, or should I retake my gmat again Krazymike - that is correct. We review the files and then decide which candidates to invite for the interview. ankit - we require the TOEFL to be at least at 250 for computer or 100 for iBT If I received my undergrad from an American University do I still need to submit TOEFL? We will consider TOEFL waivers on a case-by-case basis. Thank you Wendy. Could you also tell me when a candidate would be informed if he receives any scholarship? Would it be along with the admission letter? Asshish - we are currently experiencing a very high volume of applications, so it may be 4- 6 weeks until a candidate hears from us. On a less serious note, if any of you play basketball or golf we normally get together for some games about every week.
Upendra - we will give your application full consideration. It will likely not have a negative impact on your scholarship chances. I have a U.S. co-signer. Are there any loans available to me because of the same? do companies carry out on campus recruitment in MAYS? Anyone have any questions not related to admissions?? Post them and I will try to help. Krazymike - GMAT does not work the same as TOEFL. While we have minimum requirements for the TOEFL, we do not have min. requirements for the GMAT. Am I able to transfer into the MAYS program as a graduate student? Bahamas - if you received your undergraduate degree from an American University - you do not need to submit the TOEFL. There are companies upstairs in the business building every week recruiting students. Hi Travis. I have never been to Texas. How would you describe living in Texas to an international student? Anuraj - Candidates will receive the admissions letter first and the scholarship information 3-4 weeks afterwards. are the companies from all over the US will previous work experience be observed for consideration of recruitment Anikit - I don't have specific information on loans, etc., accessible to me right now. If you'd like to email that question to me, I can get you connected with the right information. My email address is wflynn@tamu.edu How well do career changers do with placement? I have lived all around the world (I am in the Army), and I love Texas. The weather is warm to hot most of the year. College Station is a great town with a lot of things to do. We are also relatively close to the big cities of Houston and Dallas. sorry, Wendy do you know what kind of loan does Anuraj is talking about, can we international student apply for a loan in US
Hooah Army! Bahamas - we don't accept transfers from other MBA programs, but we would be willing to consider transfer students from other academic programs. The companies are from all over the U.S., but the majority of them have offices in Texas (Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio). Hi Wendy. My GMAT score is 680 and TOEFL score is 103. I have 2 years of work experience in I.T. What are my chances of being admitted? Krazymike - I'll have to look that information on international student loans up - shoot me an email and I can get you that information. MsVeteran - from my experience career changes do just as well with placement as the rest of the MBA program Thanks, that's good to hear. MsVeteran - career changers can do well with placement ... it all depends on the circumstances and the skill set transfer from the previous career to the future career. Our folks at Graduate Business Career Services are very helpful in assisting students position their skills from one career to the next. Does previous work experience count in campus recruitment