Planning The Time Line For Foregin Education

Flexible curricula, diverse classrooms fend student-campuses make the US one of the favorite academic destinations for Indian students. The US undergraduate admissions policy is based on a multifaceted assessment of student capabilities—academic record extracurricular activities, leadership potential, standardized tests, letters of recommendation and application essays. 


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However together an application portfolio for admission to one of the American universities at the UG level can be daunting. But these applications can be successfully tackled with careful planning, and interested students should design a strategy centered on the time they have at hand.
If you have another year to go until your class XII board examinations, now is the time to start researching colleges based on the undergraduate experience you seek. Mull over what it is you want to study, and how much financial assistance you need. Also consider factors such as a liberal arts and sciences programmes, campus size and location, student population and diversity, and student to faculty ratio. In the final analysis, all of these details will colour and define your experience of studying abroad. Compile a preliminary shortlist of about 15 colleges, which you can later pare down to seven or eight after receiving your tests scores.

TEST SCORES
Most universities will require you to submit scores from the SAT1 or ACT2 standardized test, and the TOEFL3, which measures English language proficiency. Depending on the test requirements of your shortlisted colleges, you may also need to write subject specific SAT II tests. These tests should ideally be taken between May and October, which will allow you ample margin to retake a test if you wish to improve your score.
From August to November you will have to request letters of recommendation, get transcripts attested, work on application essays, and obtain financial statements, to name a few. The earlier you start getting acquainted with the various aspects of your applications (including the logistical), the better equipped you will be to meet your mid-December to early-January deadlines. Ultimately, an early finish will translate into a well-deserved holiday before your examinations and admission offers roll in.
You may want to drive the early start to maximum advantage—attend college fairs, connect with admissions officers, and most importantly, get familiar with the application process. You can even start an application on www.commonapp.org just to get a feel of the application process. If your family can afford it, you could go college shopping in the summer, or even attend a summer program at a US university.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS
If you are in class XII right now, then too the basic admission requirements and procedures remain unchanged. But options as to your immediate course of action vary. Check the following websites for more information (www.collegeboard.com; www.act.org; www.ets.org/toefl).

SPRING ADMISSIONS
You can apply to a few universities that have rolling admissions policies. These are institutions which accept applications all year round, subject to availability of seats. Most US universities also have a spring intake of students, though this number is substantially smaller than their corresponding fall intake.
When admitted, students start their college career in the semester starting January or February, as opposed to their classmates who began the previous September. If you wish to apply for the spring session, deadlines will be around May and June.

GAP YEAR
Another option is the gap year, which gives you a chance to take a break from formal education, and explore other avenues through which you may gain both knowledge and perspective. During their gap year, students have been known to teach, take up social service, travel, learn a new language, complete a diploma programme, intern with an organization, or take the AP tests to enhance their knowledge of a subject. Students attending college after a gap year often return to their studies rejuvenated, with a better idea of what they wish to study and why, and this focus is reflected in higher achievement levels as well.
No matter where you find yourself on the timeline, remember US undergraduate admissions are rigorous because they are holistic. This means that the time between now and when you send in your applications does matter. If spent gainfully, it will certainly boost your profile and chances of admission.
Source - TOI

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The First Step On Your Road To MBA

The entrance exams for a management or business school tests the person's analytical and verbal skills; both are necessary to perform well in a management program and later, after completion of the course, to cope with real life business situations. The tests also require the candidate to write on topics varying from social, political issues to sports and other current affairs. 


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The GMAT and CAT scores are some of the primary criteria for seeking admission to a reputed business school. At most schools, GMAT scores are the single strongest predictor of admissions success. It is probably the only element of your application that admissions committees can use to objectively compare candidates. The GMAT is not the usual test you take in schools. You cannot stay up all night and get full marks. GMAT is a game. Like say chess, baseball, tennis, or any other sport and if you know the tips and tricks to play the sport, you have an edge over those who are comparatively ignorant.

Fortunately, a variety of text books and study material is available at leading bookstores to prepare effectively for both the GMAT and CAT exams. However, do not inundate yourself with too much study material that will leave you confused. The Kaplan 800 book helps students to maximise their GMAT score. A majority of other text books or course material presents similar concepts and question types and therefore do not differ drastically from each other.
The sentence correction bibles, besides the official guide, can help a great deal in scoring well in verbal tests. It
is wise to take up the tests on various courses on the Internet that help put structure into your preparation. They also clear your fundamentals in math or quant as it is known in GMAT language, if that is your low point. Also make sure you give ample time to the analysis of the tests.
The secret to maximising your GMAT or CAT score is in the preparation. Besides the 3Ds that is determination, dedication and diligence, the mantra for scoring well in the exams is Practice, Practice and Practice. Consistency and perseverance really matter. The best way to develop your time management skills is to practise taking the test. It is strongly recommended that you take at least a few mock GMAT exams, in the computer-adaptive format and try to simulate the actual testing environment. So no taking food breaks, engaging in telephone conversations and all that.
Besides, make sure you schedule your GMAT test well. Don't count on taking GMAT at the last minute. Scheduling the GMAT well into the admissions season is also bound to cause undue stress. With proper planning and insight, you can spare yourself these negative energies and instead focus on maximising your GMAT score better.
There are few other things which must be kept in mind like reading the questions carefully, avoid any random guessing and spend adequate time on the first five questions.
To elaborate, one must avoid misinterpretation of questions. You will encounter questions in the exam that include incorrect answer choices that were deliberately designed to exploit likely misinterpretations of what the question is really asking. Don't fall into this trap.
The first couple of questions in any GMAT section are used to determine the range of questions that the program 'thinks' can handle. Thus, your answers to the first five questions will make a HUGE difference in your final section score. Solve these with extra care - double check if you have to. They must not be incorrect. If you are unsure of the answer to one of these first questions, at the very least, take a very good educated guess by eliminating.
To conclude, studying for a test is never fun, but try and turn it into a challenge. Ultimately, these entrance tests are all about practice and essentially test how cool you keep yourself while taking the test. Try and reward yourself for staying on track. Inspire yourself. Be perseverant. In the end the hard work will pay off !

Some Facts

• The GMAT score is valid for five years. Hence it is wise to appear for this examination when you are in your last or second last year of Degree College.
• It is not only applicable for seeking admissions in the B schools abroad but also in a few schools in India including popular institutes like TISS.
• Students from Asian countries tend to score better in GMAT. 
• The GMAT centres are in almost all leading cities of India including New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad etc. In Maharashtra there are three centres, namely Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.

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