Alien students attack city. Report at 11.

Landing in a foreign city comes with a mixture of emotions and expectations that are virtually impossible to prepare for. This becomes especially apparent when language and culture are significant barriers… By WILLIAM LIGHTFOOT 

'Get your MBA in Europe's premier English language program…' the ads and recruiters are starting to blur…which school was it? In what country? Was it even in Europe? Or is it one of the 'stans? Just a few years ago…finding an English language MBA in a non English language country was a mixture of difficult, and easy…difficult because one had to be aware of the programs (which in pre web days was NOT easy)…and easy, because the choice was very limited. Not any more! If – as some indicate, there are over 10,000 MBA program globally, then surely over half of them are offered either completely or partially in English. 

To sort through the options…consider how exotic a place you want to study in. The degree, the topics, the texts, cases, and even many faculty will not be that much different than what you can find at home. The real value comes from living and experiencing daily life in a completely different environment. Why should a person from Indiana travel to New York City to get an MBA? Indiana has a number of great business schools, and if you simply want the degree…stay home! 

But if you want the experience…while also working towards the degree…than the first step is to deal with the question of how much difference – in terms of the cultural environment, you want your experience to be. Let's take our friend from Indiana…assume for a minute that they have grown up on a farm near say – Kokomo. Now Kokomo is a perfectly decent city (it was 25 years ago anyways…) but let's further assume our friend has only really ever traveled as far as Indianapolis a few times, and Chicago just once (Senior High School trip)….If they want to get their MBA in English, in an 'exotic' location…they have many, many choices – even a few in the US! 

Before Applying: Key Criteria to Consider

'Cultural Environment'

• How far from home do you want to be?
  
• Do you want a completely different cultural experience?
  
• What language is spoken between residents?
  
• What type of food is served?
  
• What is the average daily temperature?
  
• What is the relationship between the University, and the town?
  
• What % of University students are 'foreign'?
  
• Where do the foreign students reside? (In foreign student housing?)
  

 

'The Program'

• What accreditation do they have?
  
• How long have they offered the MBA?
  
• What is the profile of the Professors who teach in the English Language MBA? (Are they fluent in English?)
• What do their graduates do? (Career stats and placement information)
  
• Can you get a class profile, including average age, work experience, GMAT and TOEFL scores, etc.?
  
• What specific cultural events and service activities are planned? 
  

Once you have made the decision as to where you want to study – try to come up with a list of at least 5 or 6 schools that generally meet your profile. You will have to make some tradeoffs in terms of 'The Program' and the 'Cultural Environment' – but should now be able to find decent MBA programs in every general region of the world.

 

So what can one expect when they land – an alien in a foreign land…where everyone seems ready to smile, but where smiles also quickly turn to smirks, and sinister grins? Well – let's assume you are accepted at all 6 of the schools to which you apply. The next thing to do is to ask them even more specific questions related to your initial arrival on campus. Before you accept any offers of admissions, come up with a list of questions about your arrival at the airport nearest to the University. The answers you get (provided you get any) will go a long ways towards giving you a sense of how mush support and 'pastoral' care you can expect – as a foreign student – once you have landed. 

Before paying: Questions to ask. 

1. Does the University close between now and when you arrive?

2. What kind of transportation is available on a day to day basis?

3. Who is your academic advisor?

4. Will you be picked up at the airport?

a. Where is the meeting point at the airport?

b. If I am not met at the airport…how will I get into my residence hall/apartment?

5. Where will you be staying when you arrive?

6. What is your mailing address at the University?

7. Will there be a near by food store open when I arrive?

8. Are food stores, markets, or pharmacies open every day?

9. What is the cell phone number of my contact person? 

Finally – while the experience of pursuing your MBA or other degree in a foreign land – regardless of how exotic it is…will be one of the great experiences of your life – you also need to be prepared for the initial cycle that most students experience. 

From virtually the instant you arrive, your first couple of weeks will be a head spinning series of social and academic interactions that give you a great rush. You'll make many new friends, begin to develop a strong sense of collegiality, and will be euphoric about this – your new University! 

And then it will all come crashing down…your best friends from the first week will start to gang up on you…your professors will suddenly turn mean, and the water may even turn cold! Don't worry – you are simply in what is called – the Cycle of Normalization. 

This cycle starts before you arrive, and after you have committed (funds, and emotions), and builds to a crescendo soon after arrival. The initial euphoria of meeting new people and discovering new places lasts typically, until the first projects and exams occur – for it is then when stress levels increase, competition disrupts the collegial atmosphere, and initial grades are given. 

What can a person do? Have faith and outlets…faith because things will begin to normalize fairly quickly after the crash related to the initial round of grades. Outlets – such as a gym, a favorite place to read, walk, or bike – or local friends who have nothing to do with your studies – can be just the sanity check you need to help navigate your way through the rough waters of stress and competition. 

And while students everywhere go through some degree of 'normalization'…adding in the potential misunderstandings due to the nuances of culture and language…well, things can be magnified greatly! 

So is it worth it – you might ask – to be an alien in a foreign land? Absolutely! It will be one of the best adventures you will have ever taken in your life. And who knows – you may event end up with a degree! 

Dr. William S. Lightfoot is the Dean at the School of Business & Mass Communication at Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia. He previously led the Monaco MBA to AMBA Accreditation, and top 100 ranking by the Economist. He has lectured in many places around the world, and is currently working on getting a gig in Kazakhstan.