[the_mask]

Hello folks,

This one's an expert advice thread with a difference. The Certified Associate Business Manager (CABM) is a professional certification based on a pre-MBA curriculum. The CABM Credential is awarded to individuals who pass the one-part, four-hour exam. CABM Certificants who apply to the ISB are given a green channel to the admissions interview, subject to their meeting the basic ISB admissions norms. You can get more details here.

The Association of Professionals in Business Management (APBM), a non profit organisation offers this certification. Ms. Devi Vallabhaneni President & CEO of APBM along with her colleague Karen Murphy will be answering questions posted on this thread regarding the CABM certification.

How does it work?
1. Please make it a point to go through this thread to see if a question similar to the one you have in mind has already been answered.
2. You post your questions about the CABM certification at APBM by hitting the 'Post Reply' button which is on the top left.
3. Ms Vallabheni and Ms Murphy shall keep a watchful eye on this thread.
4. After going through all your queries on a regular basis, a reply shall be posted on this thread, covering all your queries.

You can post all your queries pertaining to the CABM certification here. These could be related to course content, format of the test, certification benefits and anything else that you're curious about!

The official id for the CABM representative is CABM Certification@APBM

So, post away and get all your doubts cleared

Cheers!
Harsh

[thisiszico2006]

Hi I am planning to do an MBA 2 years down the line , and I was looking at this CABM certification. It seems to be a good initiative but as of now i see only two b-schools who recognise this certifcation (ISB , Kellogs) .Hence will this be effective while applying to other schools(both abroad and desi through GMAT -viz IIMs )

One more thing , i saw that it is very difficult to pass .Fine till here , but the weird part is that , if someone completes the certification in say december , then again he/she will have to maintain the certification paying extra fees between january and december next yr . Is this not absurd ?? The maintainence cycle if at all necessary should start 1 yr post the certification completetion.

[CABM Certification@APBM]

Thank you for your post today. There are actually three top schools with whom we work: ISB, Kellogg, and University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Please visit our website for more details. We are in the process of adding more top schools around the world.

The overall passing rate is approximately 50%. Please note that the CABM is not graded on a curve, so everyone's chance of passing is within his/her control, based on how they study for it.

The annual recertification cycle is the calendar year (January to December). If the recertification cycle is of concern to you, we suggest that you take the CABM Exam earlier in the calendar year, such as the February testing window, instead of the December testing window. When you take the CABM Exam is your decision. We believe having one consistent recertification cycle is easier for everyone to remember and easier to administer from a policy perspective. However, we understand your concern, which is why you have the control to time when you would like to take and sit for the CABM Exam.

Please let us know how we can be of further assistance.

Regards,
The Staff at APBM

[thisiszico2006]

Hi

As far as I know , if I register for the online learning package , I have 1 year window within which I have to take the exam.

If this is the case then how do you propose me to take the exam early.

I need atleast 9 months of preparation since I am also a working professional. Is there any alternative?

[CABM Certification@APBM]

Originally Posted by thisiszico2006

Hi

As far as I know , if I register for the online learning package , I have 1 year window within which I have to take the exam.

If this is the case then how do you propose me to take the exam early.

I need atleast 9 months of preparation since I am also a working professional. Is there any alternative?

Thanks again for your post today.

Yes, anyone to who registers for the CABM will receive the CABM Online Learning System and will receive one year to study and take the exam. We suggest that you decide on a testing window once you begin studying. You do not have to indicate a testing window at the time you register.

Since you haven't yet seen the material or begun studying, it may not take you nine months as you now expect. It may take you much less time. On average, the range has been two to six months of preparation time for full-time working professionals. The vast majority finish within four months.

The business schools would like to see how you have been able to apply the learnings from the CABM to your job. As a result, our CABM candidates are finishing the CABM earlier than expected so that they will have more ways to impact their job and thus more subject matter from which to draw for their application essays.

When we indicated you take the exam early, we meant 'early' in the calendar year, not early as to when you feel comfortable. You should take the exam when you are ready. Hope this helps to answer your question. For a detailed discussion regarding your individual situation, we'll be happy to set up a call with you.

Regards,
The Staff at APBM

[CABM Certification@APBM]

One more thing to share with you regarding B-schools...if you are applying to other schools, we can send the CABM Transcript to any school you would like. In most cases, the CABM Transcript would be added to your application file. This way, the B-school can see that you have proficiency in the following areas:
General Management, Leadership, and Strategy
Operations Management
Marketing Management
Quality and Process Management
Human Resources Management
Accounting
Finance
Information Technology
Corporate Control, Law, Ethics, and Governance
International Business

We hope this provides additional insight into the CABM.

[@nee!]

some Queries

) Cost of CABM certification (as in India )

) Do you provide any Scholarships ?
If yes on what basis ?

[CABM Certification@APBM]

Originally Posted by @nee!

some Queries

) Cost of CABM certification (as in India )

) Do you provide any Scholarships ?
If yes on what basis ?

Hello @nee!, thank you for your post today. We appreciate you taking the time to post a question on the discussion thread today.

For a limited time and for Indian citizens who meet certain criteria, the cost of the CABM is $588 USD, which includes all of the learning materials and exam fees. In terms of your second question, our board periodically reviews the need and eligibility for any Scholarship policy.

We encourage you to schedule a free consultation with one of our staff members to discuss your individual situation, professional goals, and how the CABM may help you reach them.

Thank you again for your time today.

Regards,
The Staff at APBM

[CABM Certification@APBM]

Hello PG Community,

We are hosting a conference call with ISB Admissions for you to hear more about the CABM Credential as it relates to applying to the ISB. Here are the conference call details:

Date:
Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Time:
6pm IST

Duration:
60 minutes

Dial-in Information:
(712) 432-1100
participant code 526639#

Hosts:
Llewellyn D'Souza, ISB Admissions
Devi Vallabhaneni, APBM CEO

We welcome you to join us at that time.

Regards,
The Staff at APBM

[CABM Certification@APBM]

Hello PG Community,

We have been receiving a lot of questions from you regarding what's covered on the CABM Credential. To give you a preview, we will now share snippets every couple of days. So here is something from the General Management, Leadership, and Strategy module of the CABM Exam:
______________________________________________
Transformational Leadership Theory

Transformational leaders are characterized as visionaries who challenge people to achieve exceptionally high levels of morality, motivation, and performance.

The transformational leaders are masters of change, have charisma, rely on referent power and can envision a better future, effectively communicate that vision, and get others to willingly make it a reality.

A charismatic leader is one who has the ability to motivate subordinates to transcend their expected performance. A charismatic leader is also a visionary leader who speaks to the hearts of subordinates, getting them to be a part of his vision.

There is a distinction between a transactional leader and a transformational leader. Transactional leaders monitor people so they do the expected, according to plan (i.e., maintain status quo). In contrast, transformational leaders inspire people to do the unexpected, above and beyond the plan (fostering creative and productive growth).
__________________________________________________ __

We hope you find these snippets useful as consider the CABM Credential and prepare for your MBA.

Regards,
The Staff at APBM