Hello guys, I have heard that there are some really good MBAs in Central America, is that true? Who can help me?

You are right! Check out INCAE in Costa Rica for a start!
Kata

INCAE sounds great, thank you Kata. I will try to find some comments of people who went there.
Besides I found IPADE in Mexico in the FT ranking. But is that all, those 2 schools the only ones ranked internationally??

In Mexico you can find several outstanding MBA programs. The following have a great international reputation: (listed in international rankings):
---Instituto Panamericano de Alta Direccion de Empres (IPADE) as you say.
---Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM EGADE) (you can see it is n° 1 in the user popularity ranking at http://www.find-mba.com/mexico)
---Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)

Hope that helps!

Thanks a lot Katalina! So basically in Central America it's Costa Rico or Mexico?

Hello Adriana,
I'm afraid that's how it is. There some other programs as you can see at http://www.find-mba.com/americas. But they don't have the same international standing as the ones in my posts above, at least I did not find anything about them in the relevant international rankings or other information. Could be risky to do such an unknown MBA!
Kata

Adriana, careful, ITAM in Mexico instruction language is Spanish! (maybe not a problem for you?)

Thanks for this info! In fact it is not a problem for me :), I do speak Spanish. But thanks anyways, Adriana

Adriana,

INCAE Business School has been ranked #1 Business School in Latin America for 4 consecutive years by America Economia magazine. INCAE also appears in the top ten international ranking from The Wall Street Journal (2005).

INCAE's widely-recognized international reputation comes from its ties to Harvard Business School and its top-notch faculty (PhDs from Harvard and other top business schools).

INCAE is accredited by SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) in the United States to grant the master's degree. It is also affiliated to business school associations, such as: AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), NASPAA (National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration), and BALAS (Business Administration and Latin American Studies). Additionally, it is a member of CLADEA (the Latin American Business School Council).

INCAE programs are accredited by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) in the United States. In Europe, by the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd).

INCAE also maintains numerous dynamic exchange programs with many of the world's most-prestigious business schools in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Hi gbertaina, INCAE is an excellent school, that's a very well established fact, reflected in the good positioning in the international rankings. I think INCAE's prestige is is known as well all around the world.
But I would like to ask you, please let me know your opinion about the other schools I enumerate above, IPADE, ITESM - EGADE, and ITAM!
Or are you affiliated or somehow linked with INCAE?

I don't know how ITAM and ITESM would compare in terms of quality, but I know their strengths are quite different. ITAM's main strength is economics and perhaps finance. I think it probably is a good place to go for someone interested in finance or jobs requiring good analytical skills such as consulting jobs. ITESM as far as I know is quite different: its main strength is management. There are also other differences: ITAM is a small school whereas ITESM is a very large institution which besides has been investing a lot in distance learning. That I think may be a negative point: when institutions grow a lot, especially into distance learning, it is difficult to maintain a good quality. Finally, my impression is that ITAM has a more academic culture whereas ITESM is more of a business. But maybe other people have different views.

Jaitego, would you say that ITESM has better connections with the industry, that job chances are better with an ITESM MBA?

Besides, how do you judge the international prestige of both schools? F.ex. I'd be curious to what extend an MBA from a school like ITESM or ITAM can "impress" potential employers from the US, or Canada, or Europe. I'm a bit afraid that the reputation is more local..

I'm not sure that ITESM has better connections with the industry than ITAM. ITAM is small and has a more economic/quantitative focus, but after all it is an elite school in Mexico and there are many rich and influential ITAM alumni.

As far as international prestige is concerned, I would also say that the reputation of both schools is rather local. I wouldn't recommend someone from the US/Canada or Europe to go there for an MBA and then expect employers back home to "be impressed". Chances are employers won't know that the schools are very well reputed in Mexico.

Thanks Jaitego, so it's how I thought...

In Mexico you can find several outstanding MBA programs. The following have a great international reputation: (listed in international rankings):
---Instituto Panamericano de Alta Direccion de Empres (IPADE) as you say.
---Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM EGADE) (you can see it is n° 1 in the user popularity ranking at http://www.find-mba.com/mexico)
---Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)

_ the best one is EGADE, ....for sure no one can't enter without a bachelor degree like in ipade.... please visit www.egade.itesm.mx

Hope that helps!

Hi there, I just saw this other mail from you.

One more question: What do you think of ITAM, compared to EGADE? Thanks in advance.

Hi there, I just saw this other mail from you.

One more question: What do you think of ITAM, compared to EGADE? Thanks in advance.

Ok, I understand.
So both are very good schools deserving their good positions in the rankings, just IPADE one does not keep the promise.
But from the focus ITAM seems to be more of interest for local, Mexican students. Is that something that you can tell from the composition of classes? Does EGADE have the most international appeal and therefore more international students than ITAM?

Dear Adriana,

It is a great choice...!! INCAE... here is the website link...http://www.incae.edu/EN/maestrias/

and if u need any help will be more than glad to give u a hand....

Best Regards from Nicaragua... :D

you can look up the schools listed in latin trade magazine: there are 45 programs listed there(although its not a real rating, it should give you a head start):

http://www.latintrade.com/

Andy.