8.1.07

Are AUB students the best students in Lebanon?


Before starting my post I want to state that I got my Bachelor from NDU, my MS from AUB, and during my preparation for my long lost PhD I took 3 courses at AUST! Fa wajaba Al tawdi7!!

So Now back to the post. Why are AUBites the highest demanded students in Lebanon and the Gulf? Although I am very well aware that other students from other universities are still demanded, but let us face it not as much as AUB students are (why? What make them so special?). Whenever multi-nationals come to Lebanon to recruit, they usually go first to AUB and then after exhausting their quota they move to other academic institutions. AUB students are usually paid more then NDU, whom in their turn are paid more then AUST (again this argument does not apply to ALL students) which I think it is of great injustice.
So what makes AUB students different? Well certainly not the academic skills acquired at AUB, but rather the higher selection standards that AUB applies. Second I guess that AUB invest a lot in its marketing strategy, and let us not forget that AUB is 140 years old. All this being said it is with great pleasure that I tell you that a Masters at AUB is like going to the ecole des fans… where every single students has to pass…. You can not fail even if you wanted to! And at the end you get your diploma plus a lot of job offers within Lebanon (so not true, but at least you get enough offers to the gulf)!

Another point, have you noticed how AUB graduates have a sticker on their cars saying Proud to Be an AUB graduate? While I have rarely seen NDU, Balamand AUST or USEK students bragging or at least being proud of their institutions… perhaps LU and USJ students do brag a little bit!! Damn it… I lost my thread of thoughts! anyway… what do you think guys, would you invest a shit load of money to send your kids to AUB? Is it really the best or is just a big marketing trick?? And do you think other university students have some sort of inferiority complex?

11 Comments:

At Monday, January 08, 2007 12:04:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I disagree with what you're saying...

Now while, AUB's graduates maybe inflated with regards to status, I don't agree that they (ok we) are over rated... And actually one of the things I disagree with you on, is the "selectiveness.." Have you seen the quality of AUBites recently? Major drop from the more intellectual types of earlier geenration.. And AUB's whole selection process is pure bull; no interviews are conducted, no essays are required...
But I think one of the successes of AUB's teaching program is that it's a liberal arts program (as boasted by Waterburry several times) which means that they teach you how to think, and how to be able to teach yourself outside of AUB, rather than teach you ABC and then when you're out of college that's it... (I'm not sure mind you of how it works on a graduate level.. On an undergraduate level, that's how it felt, and that's how I was taught)

As for the Gulf, then it's a circle.. The fact that AUB was previously one of the few universities in Lebanon caused that there be a limitation in Lebanese (most demanded) alumni... But now, these alumni would prefer to select their future employees from within AUB because they trust AUB because of it's 140 years reputation, which is unfair for newer universities' alumni like AUST because they were not given the chance to prove themselves... So it's really up to AUST to assist the students find better positions in which they can prove themselves and raise AUST's name (and of course other universities) among the current titans such as AUB, LAU, USJ...

But i still think that AUB is a strong educational institution and its continuously updated courses are of high significance... AND it's accredited (which i know, to some is not much cause some unis like Harvard aren't even accredited) which shows some level of meeting international (probably American education) standards...

Cheers...

TK

 
At Monday, January 08, 2007 12:35:00 PM, Blogger KEA said...

FHS was also acredit by the Ceph, the first university outside the americas to get this accreditation ;)

 
At Monday, January 08, 2007 1:10:00 PM, Blogger nobilis tobilis said...

I think there are no good universities but good students

 
At Monday, January 08, 2007 11:56:00 PM, Blogger Fadi said...

Suddenly, I feel old. I've graduated from AUB in 1996. I'm proud to be an AUBite, and do not deny a slight bias towards AUB graduates. I've been recruited before I even graduated. Now, fortunately or unfortunately, I have the privilege to pick and choose employees I want to work with.

AUB graduates – as colleagues, coworkers, and subordinates - scale very high on my expectation list (I stress MY, for this is after all a personal opinion). I'm not saying they graduate as perfect beings, but I'm saying they've got what it takes to understand what you tell them, the drive to give, the creativity, the possibility to think outside the box, and – mercifully – they are less self-conscious of "how they appear". I believe that lack of self-consciousness is – surprisingly – an outcome of high self confidence in themselves, and their abilities.

I would reserve judgement on LAU (was BUC when I was a student myself). I would say in all fairness, that my view of the LAU graduates has not deteriorated any further. USJ graduates are extremely intelligent, but lack the verve. LU are the most accomplished - but the academic program in LU is so restrictive that it inhibits the flow of ideas. Beating that system and attaining a degree is a success.

Over a decade, the AUB degree has been my strongest magic word. My children - when they come - are free to choose their own career, but I'll make sure that they give AUB a lot of thought as their first, second, third, fourth, … tenth option.

Last April, I was in Mumbai-India at a conference. On the podium was this magnificent lady – Iranian, full of character, full of self confidence, taking part of a discussion. Something about her was different. She is a head of marketing at a mammoth organization.. I checked her profile in the Conference documents, and there it was – Graduated from AUB in 1975. She used that as the "opening statement" of her profile. I made a point of introducing myself – "you are a fellow alumna". That's all it took. Surprisingly, same sense of humor, same interests, and same passion. She was in her graduation gown when I was in a crib – yet the spirit is unchanged.

AUB – without demeaning its academic program – is a way of thinking, a way of life more than anything else.

 
At Tuesday, January 09, 2007 2:43:00 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

AUB is a name. it's even known here in the US wherever you go. as far as schools go, this will always be a big deal because it suggests trust in the consistency of the academic standards from one student to the next. and i also agree with fadi. aub is a way of life.

 
At Tuesday, January 09, 2007 3:07:00 AM, Blogger Hashem said...

agree with Mirvat...it's a big name....here, many professors know it, and by the name AUB even. It made my life much easier. I have to admit that i saw alot of graduates from other universities maybe as good as AUB or even better, but being an AUBite, makes things in general easier.
If I get to send my children to a university in Lebanon, I won't choose but AUB.

 
At Tuesday, January 09, 2007 9:13:00 AM, Blogger KEA said...

I agree with fadi and mirvat, the word AUB on my CV has given access to many jobs and to one PhD program in a blink of an eye! So now i know that i am not alone!

 
At Friday, January 12, 2007 10:35:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yep same here, the word USJ on my Cv has given me a huge chance here in paris while my friend, who has exactly the same Cv but with the word UL on her Cv couldn't even make it to the interview.
Am not overqualified nor she is underqualified but I got the USJ on my Cv... that's kind of unfair!

 
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