JTA Information Session - Part 1
The JTA talks will be a 3-part series that tackle several parts of the Junior Term Abroad program. The first talk is simply an information session, the details of which are listed here. The powerpoint itself, according to Dean Ang, will be posted by around Thursday. But being the eager beaver that I am, I've taken down all the vital information, including the Q&A portion and Dean Ang's side notes, for the benefit of all those who want to know all this information.
The first JTA Information Talk was about the basics of JTA; the second, to be held in late January, will reveal the schools officially available for JTA, the number of slots available per school.
The third talk will feature the students of the prior years who have gone to JTA and who are willing to share their experiences regarding their respective schools and destinations.
After the 3 talks, JTA applications will be due, and each accepted applicant will be ranked according to QPI and leadership skills.
Here's my basic summary of the session:
JTA is JGSOM's response to the idea of globalization, and wishes to train students to become more culturally knowledgeable about the world.
Here are some reasons, according to the powerpoint, that students choose not to go.
1. Many students fear delayed graduations. The solution to this is a revised school plan that goes like this -
The 2012 summer classes, such as Histo165 and Economics, will still be taken by students going to JTA. However, aside from this, there's the bloody and fear-inducing JTA sem:
JTA Sem begins! Subjects to be taken at 1st sem of 3rd Year will be taken from April 23-July 21, 2012 instead. This includes majors, and will be 12-14 units, depending on the program. There will be 4 hours per week per 3-unit classes and 6 hours per week for 5-unit classes.
Afterwards, you're off to JTA from August/September 2012 until December 2012/January 2013!
Then, upon returning from JTA, the next semester, JTA 2nd Sem, will be from January 19 to April 13, 2013. This will be about 12 or 15 units depending on program and will be 4 hours per week for 3-unit courses.
2. Students fear the expenses that come with JTA. Dean Ang, however, says that people can go and spend as low as 2000 USD to an average of 6000 USD for four/five months. However, for some destinations, cost can reach up to 25,000 USD as tuition is not waived. There are also JTA scholarship opportunities for at least 10% of all participants [but only in Asia].
3. Pressures of family and love life, both problems of some students, cannot be solved by JGSOM.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Remember that you’re a student, not a tourist! Each student has to take 15 academic credits while overseas. Fear not for the uselessness of these classes, however, because courses will be credited as major and free electives, and if you choose the right classes, you can even get your minors with the help of JTA!
Students can take non-management electives overseas, like classes about culture, language, etc. Thus, you can get a minor in Japanese studies by going to Japan for JTA, as long as you consult the department involved and ask which classes to get.
In order to ensure that students won't slack off, if you fail in one of any of the subjects you take abroad, none of your courses will be validated. From the powerpoint itself: NO course will be validated if you fail ANY of the courses overseas. This means, hypothetically, if you are taking five classes including French, Marketing, Finance, Accounting and Cultural Studies abroad and you fail even just one of them, none of your courses count anymore. Thus, the opportunity to scratch off an elective from mandatory classes to take in fourth year is wasted.
Also, your QPI overseas counts in retention average in your program. Thus, if you are a student of ME and you get a C+ in a class abroad, you'll also get in trouble in the Philippines.
Under NO circumstances will students be allowed to extend JTA beyond one full semester.
There are two kinds of programs students can join, depending on what the school in question offers.
There is the Special International Program. You will not have classes with their regular students, but with international students. This usually happens when you are in a country where medium of instruction is not English. Classes are taught in English (example, some schools in Japan and France). However, there is a limited choice of courses.
There's also the Regular Student Exchange. In these schools you are classmates with the people of the place, and you can take any class offered. This is true for places like the Hong Kong Baptist University, HK.
TUITION
There are slots that are fee-paying, so you have to pay tuition; examples are Boston College, USA [25,000 USD a semester], the highest ranked university among US partnered schools, and Mod’Art International, Paris [fashion merchandising management].
There also the tuition-discounted slots, like in University of Delaware, USA.
There are scholarships, wherein SOM will give student money to join JTA [airfare, board, lodging] and pocket money is included. This is only for Asian destinations, and is reserved for those truly in need of financial aid. OAA scholars can take part, but people who are not currently scholars of ADMU can apply as well. JGSOM is even willing to pay for tuition-paying slots, like NUS of Singapore, if student is truly worthy. Destinations include Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and China.
Last but not least, there are the tuition-waived slots, where tuition is paid by the partner university and students need only pay for cost of living and other personal expenses.
TO QUALIFY
To get in, one has to be a student of good standing in JGSOM. Those with involvement in any major discipline cases like plagiarism, dishonesty, disrespect to teacher, sexual misconduct, etc. are disqualified.
To qualify, first you need the endorsement of your program director. You must be academically above average (Cumulative QPI of 2.80 and above; from first year, first semester until second year, first semester).
If you are below 2.80 but you have outstanding personal qualities, you can still apply may be turned down. More likely than not, you will be put on the wait list. If in 2nd year 2nd semester your grades will increase to a cumulative average of 2.80, you will most likely be able to go to JTA.
Additionally, if during JTA semester you do not meet requirements or maintain a QPI of 2.80 or above, you will be taken out of the program and won't be able to go abroad.
DESTINATIONS [Unconfirmed, according to Dean Ang]
Destinations in Europe
Austria
-MCMI Management Center of Innsbruck
Cyprus
-University of Nicocea
France
-Audencia School of Management, Nantes
-Euromed school of management, Marseille
-ESC Dijon Burgundy Business School, Dijon
-ESC Pau
-ESC Rennes
-Lille Catholic University, Lille
-Lyon University, Lyon
-Sciences Po, Paris
-Telecom Ecole de Management, Evry, Paris
Germany
-Ingolstadt School of Management
-Munich Business School
-Regensburg University
Norway
-Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo
Portugal
-Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon
Spain
-St. Louis University
-Unversidad Carlos III Madrid
-Universidad de Alcala de Henares Madrid
-IQS, Barcelona
China
-Hong Kong Baptist University
-Lingnan college, Sun Yat Sen University, Guangchou
-Beijing Center
-University of Macau
Taiwan
-Fu-Jen Catholic University
-National Sun Yat Sen University
-Providence University
Korea
-Global Ehwa’s Women University
-Pai Chai University
-Sogang University [#4 in Korea]
-Solbrdige International School of Business
-Seoul National University [#1 in Korea]
Japan
-Josai University
-Kysuhu University
-Kwansei Gakuin University
-Oberlin University
-Rikkyo University
-Ritsumeiken Asia Pacific University
-Sophia University
-Akita International University
Singapore
-National University of Singapore [all fee-paying slots]
-Singapore Management University
Thailand
-Mahidol University
-Chulalongkorm University
Australia
-Australia Catholic University
-La Trobe University
-University of Newcastle
- University Technology of Sydney
New Zealand
-Auckland University of Technology
-UNITEC Auckland
-University of Otago
USA
-Boston College
-Santa Clara University
-University of Dayton
-University of Delaware
-University of San Francisco
-University of the Incarnate Word
Canada
-University of Victoria
PROCESS
*The process really hasn't begun yet, and will probably begin next year after the talks.
One has to submit letter of intent, including a resume of his or her extracurricular activities since high school to college, with an emphasis on leadership skills. A transcript of records will also be attached.
Scholarship applicants should submit an additional letter [describe financial circumstances].
Then, after a deliberation with criteria that is a secret computation by Dean Ang, all applicants will be ranked according to academics and org work.
At the day of choosing, a big screen will be set up in the room, with all the choices and slots available flashed for everyone to see. The first ranked 1-25 will come in to choose first. Person #1 will tell Dean Ang what school he/she prefers. After choosing, the screen will reflect the change. The next person will then step forward to choose. Dean Ang describes that it's almost like a lottery, especially when there's only one slot left in a highly desired school. Thus, choosing schools is based on the ranks.
Letters of intent will not always be approved, and have to meet the criteria. Some will be wait-listed and some rejected, based on resume, transcript, recommendation of program director, minor disciplinary cases. Difference between honors and non-honors courses will be considered; those in honors courses will probably be ranked higher.
FINAL WORDS
Nobody has ever said: SIR, IT WAS A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME. This is the kind of experience that is unforgettable, and one must seize the opportunity, even if first choice is no longer available.
Shared talks on experiences, which will be held in JTA Talk 3, will feature 1 session for Europe, 1 for Asia and 1 for US, Australia, Japan and Germany.
If selected… one must pay a PHP 10,000 non-refundable confirmation and processing fee, and enroll JTA semester. One must attend all pre-departure seminars, submit signed waiver of liability and "commitment to return" form (people have tried to quit Ateneo after loving JTA too much before) and a letter of consent from parents. Also, a 100 dollar cancellation fee will be paid if cancellation is made after school applications have been spent.
-End of Talk-
Q&A
Q: How many people apply? How many get accepted?
A: Last year, over 200 were accepted. 30 people were rejected among those who applied. 154 people actually went on to JTA.
Q: Is there an interview for regular applicants?
A: There is no interview for regular applicants, only scholarship applicants.
Q: If for example, C+ in management elective abroad, will the MH/ME student be under probation?
A: Yes.
Q:Is there consideration for students recently forced to transfer out of MH?
A: Ex-honors will be considered too.
Q: Why is Lille the first to go aside from SMU/NUS?
A: Lille is one of the very first partner schools; word-of-mouth has made it popular.
Q: Can you pay for a school that offers tuition-waived slots if there are no slots of those kind left?
A: Some schools that have tuiton-waived slots also have unlimited number of fee-paying slots, but not all schools accept fee-paying students.
Q: Will ADMU help with visas?
A: Visas are self-applied. This is not difficult; you'll need to apply for student visas.
Q: Until how far from 2.8 is given consideration?
A: if there’s a lot of leadership experiences, much further away from 2.8 is okay. It depends on many circumstances.
Q: How much do leadership experiences affect ranks?
A: Lower leadership experiences will give you lower ranks, but you will not be disqualified if you have none; you’re not allowed only if your grades don’t make the cut.
Q: Can you change your mind about where you want to go after you’ve chosen officially?
A: No.
Q: Will 4th year will still be full load after we take the major and free electives?
A: There will probably be a lighter senior year, but it will still be full load.
Q: What if you’re 2.8 and super leadership ka?
A: You can exceed someone who’s 3.0 in ranking if your leadership is amazing.
Q: How much do minor offenses like loss of ID lower rank scores?
A: There may be an estimate downgrade of 10 slots, dependent on the others who apply. There will be no arguing about ranks. JGSOM has its own secret formula.
Q:Will Ateneo also be helping with board and lodging?
A: No, the partner schools will assist in getting housing.
Q: Does language proficiency in the country's language affect ranking?
A: No.
I hope you were informed well by this! :)