Thursday, January 18, 2007

As most of you know, this blog consists of funny things that Melba and I do. I promise you that while the first part of this post is cocky, the end is pretty funny - so stay with me on this. I just have to be cocky with some information so you can more fully appreciate the humor at the end. (That's assuming you are capable of appreciating humor, which some people are not, but I won't go into that here.)

Here's the deal:
  • I scored a 690 on the GMAT (that is the 91st percentile of the people who take the test). BYU's average score for incoming MBA students is 650 (85th percentile).
  • I graduated from BYU in 2000 with a 3.4 GPA (about the average for MBA students at BYU).
  • I got an Associates degree in Accounting from Ricks College -- that transcript was part of my application.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I just got accepted to the BYU MBA Program, subject to certain provisions. Below is the email they sent me. Does it seem odd to you? (FYI - the scholarship they offer is full-tuition.)

Dear Sammie:

I am writing to let you know that the BYU MBA Admissions Committee has recommended you for admission to the MBA program for Fall 2007. Congratulations! In addition, I am happy to inform you of our decision to grant you a scholarship in the amount of $4,350 for Fall 2007 and
$4,350 for Winter 2008.

Your admission is provisional, based on the following:
* You are required to take a basic preparation course in Accounting and Statistics, and must pass the proficiency exams associated with them by July 1, 2007. The courses and exams are offered online through Harvard Business School; please see http://marriottschool.byu.edu/mba/prospective/HBSonline.cfm for registration instructions. You must contact the MBA office when you've completed the courses.
* You are required to complete your bachelor's degree prior to entering the MBA program.
* Because your undergraduate GPA is below 3.0 you are required to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 while you are in the MBA program.
* You are required to retake the GMAT and submit your new unofficial score report to the MBA office by August 13, 2007. Although you are not required to achieve a specific score on the GMAT, it is the hope of the admissions committee that removing the pressure of
admission from the situation will help you to improve your score.
* You are required to attend the Marriott School International Student Orientation, to be held on BYU campus in mid-August 2007. Attendance at and participation in the entire orientation is mandatory. Details will be sent to you as they become available.

And then it just basically goes on about how to accept the invitation, etc.

Then I got another email which says they sent the wrong provisions, and I only need to take the online courses before I get accepted. Should I now be more or less impressed with this school? Comments are welcome. (And please, if you have something to say, especially if it scathingly cruel, at least be brave enough to post it on this blog in the comments section for all to read and comment on...)