Dilshod wrote:
Dear Paul,
I appreciate your attention very much, thank you.
But, could you please, answer to some more questions, regarding BYU:
As far as I know, Mormons and Muslims share a lot of social and spiritual commonalities. I’ve read their Honor Code, and its requirements are nearly the same as those of our society and religion. So, I guess it will be easier for me to adapt to that environment, than to any other liberal one. But, do you think, that the fact I’m Muslim place me at natural disadvantage? May they have any special scales for admission of non-Mormons? Do you have any idea, why the student body at BYU is so homogeneous?
Please, note that after receiving the degree, I’m going to return to Uzbekistan and work for the company that sponsored my education.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Best regards,
Dilshod
Dilshod,
I respect your desire to find a B-school that matches your values. I think you should write an essay in your application to Notre Dame about the similarities you see between Catholicism and Islam. I think they would welcome that.
I think BYU is a different story, however. Their admissions director says:
"We don't have any restrictions that say you must be a member of the [Mormon] church. But because we require that they live by the same standards that members of the church do while they're here, it's not desirable for some people." That sounds open-minded, right? Well, in reality at least 85% of BYU's entering students have spent the previous 2 years doing Mormon missionary work--that is, they are church members.
Moreover, BYU's admissions director states that the number of students who are not Mormons "tends to be about 5% of the class."
Only 5 percent! So a Muslim applicant at BYU isn't any worse off than a Catholic applicant: if you aren't a Mormon the odds are small.
I recommend looking harder for B schools that have conservative environments. I'm sure you can find a campus where you can feel comfortable.
Good luck,
close
13 May 2006, 00:38
