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Take the IELTS to Easily Meet Your English Language Requirement

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Take the IELTS to Easily Meet Your English Language Requirement

If you intend to attend university or immigrate to an English speaking country, you probably need to take an exam that proves you speak English as a second language. Although many people opt for the TOEFL, the IELTS may be a better fit for you.

1. IELTS is a more straightforward exam for many people.

While the IELTS includes the same broad sections (reading, listening, writing, and speaking) as the TOEFL, these skills are tested in more everyday use ways, even on the Academic Module. For example, the listening section requires you to listen to phone conversations and fill-in information, in addition to listening to short academic lectures (these are shorter than on the TOEFL). The speaking portion is an interview with an actual person, which is a better reflection of English usage in real life, rather than quick recorded sound bites on the computer like on the TOEFL.

2. Questions are straightforward…but there’s a catch.

In general, the IELTS doesn’t include tricky questions like the TOEFL. If you understand the conversation or newspaper article, you can easily answer the questions. The catch? On the listening, you must write down what you hear almost exactly, which takes a lot of focus. If the question asks for the phone number, you must write the numbers exactly as you hear them or you get the question wrong. Misspell a name or answer? It’s wrong.

3. It’s a pencil and paper exam that you answer as you go.

The IELTS doesn’t involve any rigorous note-taking for most sections because you can answer the questions as you go. It isn’t on the computer, which means it will take longer to get your test scores, BUT you can answer the questions as you complete the test rather than waiting until the end of the section, as on the TOEFL.

4. It’s easier to get a seat for the IELTS.

The test is basically offered every Saturday and there are hundreds of seats available for each test. It’s much harder to get a seat for the TOEFL because there is only one official test provider in Dubai.

If you’ve decided to take the IELTS, you can register for the IELTS online at the British Council or University of Wollongong websites or in person at their offices.

3 Ways to Be Quant Ready for Your MBA

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3 Ways to Be Quant Ready for Your MBA

One of our students recently asked us how he could get ready for the math he would face in business school considering he struggled with the GMAT quantitative section. In fact, many MBA programs recommend new students review math concepts, such as probability and statistics, prior to business school orientation. Here are 3 ways for you to get quant ready for your MBA:

1. Take a course on Coursera.

We are huge fans of this online learning platform that allows you to take great courses from top universities. You’ll get the full experience—video lectures from professors, PowerPoint slide notes, homework assignments with fixed due dates, final exams, and chat time with your classmates through a forum—for FREE. Yes, FREE. To get b-school quant ready, check out these courses:

2. Audit a course at the University of Wollongong Dubai or the American University of Dubai.

Many universities allow non-students to enroll in courses, but not receive college credit, as long as they apply and pay fees. The University of Wollongong Dubai offers courses for professionals, such as Accounting for Managers, that can help you start preparing for b-school.

AUD offers:

  • Introduction to Business Statistics
  • Quantitative Methods for Decision-Making
  • Principles of Financial Accounting

You may be taking these classes with 18-year-old freshmen, but you’re guaranteed to get back into study mode. Visit the websites of the University of Wollongong Dubai and the American University of Dubai for more information.

3. Study on your own to get quant ready.

If classes on Coursera or at AUD seems too involved, try self-study by working through some books or websites on your own. Browse through Book World by Kinokuniya’s (in Dubai Mall) textbooks (located near the GMAT and English Language Teaching books) or order off of Amazon.com. Here are two of our recommendations:

Your Summer SAT Study Schedule

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Your Summer SAT Study Schedule

With the May exam coming up and many students opting not to take the June exam, our students have been asking us what they can do over the summer to prepare for the October SAT. Our first recommendation is to REGISTER FOR THE OCTOBER EXAM NOW! Spaces fill up fast and you don’t what to drive to another emirate on test day. After you register, here’s your summer SAT study schedule to follow.

1. Build your vocabulary by planning our online SAT vocab game.

It’s difficult but full of all the Official Guide words so you should learn effortlessly if you play enough. You can find it here:

jewels of wisdom sat game

2. Read 2 books from the 101 Great Books list.

Reading these books will help prepare you for the style of the reading passages. Print the full list for later.

Here are our latest easy read recommendations:
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

You should be able to find these at Book World by Kinokuniya in Dubai Mall.

3. Complete 1 full-length practice test a week.

Initially, you don’t have to time yourself or complete them in one sitting, but by August, you should be simulating SAT conditions. Start with the tests in the Kaplan or Princeton Review books then finish with the Official Guide to the SAT. You should find these in Kinokuniya.

4. Take the TOEFL.

If you’re taking the SAT, you probably need to take the TOEFL (if you’re not an American citizen). Summertime is a great opportunity to get this test out of the way. TOEFL test dates are really hard to get in Dubai at the last moment so plan ahead. You can register for the TOEFL on the official TOEFL website.

In order to prepare, simply complete the online practice test that comes free with register and…VOILA…you’re ready!

5. Email us at eden@apply-me.com to make sure you have a spot for August.

August and September are the busiest time of year for us and students who contact us in September usually get left out. After you spend your summer preparing on your own, you definitely want to work with our awesome tutors to boost your score.

Play Our Fun SAT Vocab Game!

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Play Our Fun SAT Vocab Game!

Our SAT Vocab Game Jewels of Wisdom is FINALLY available! If you’re going to bother studying vocab for the SAT, this is the ONLY way to do it. Have fun while learning all of the SAT vocabulary words contained in the College Board’s Official Guide to the SAT.

Play our SAT vocab game now for FREE >>

A Couple of Screenshots

sat vocab game

Easy directions and no sign up required so you can start playing immediately. Earn a high score by matching the correct word with its definition! You get bonuses for matching jewels and working faster.

jewels of wisdom

There are nearly 700 vocabulary words from the Official Guide to the SAT in the game so you shouldn’t get bored. The more you play, the more you learn!

How to Choose Which University Acceptance to Accept

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How to Choose Which University Acceptance to Accept

Now that it’s April, many university and business school applicants are receiving acceptances, hopefully from multiple programs. How do you choose which university acceptance to accept?

You’ve read our post on How NOT to pick a university. So, you should have been accepted to universities you’d love to go to, and that all seem great. The problem of “Which school will accept me?” has turned into “Which school will I accept?” While this is a nice problem to have, it is still a confusing situation. You don’t want to make a mistake, waste money, or spend the next several years unhappy.

Here’s our advice on choosing which university to accept:

1. Reflect on what drew you to the university in the first place.

Interested in learning from a particular professor? Excited by the co-op or study abroad programs? Drawn to particular student organizations? These opportunities can separate one program from another. If some aspect of the university is important to you, go for it!

2. Read the rankings.

Although we don’t 100% agree that you should select the highest-ranking school, how well a university is regarded can help you choose between multiple offers. If you’re a high school student that has been accepted to universities in the United States, check out the US News Best Colleges National University Rankings.

For Canada, see our of our post on 10 Top Canadian universities. MBA hopefuls should review the US News Best Business School Rankings for US programs and the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings for international programs.

3. Think about where you’d want to live for 2 to 4 years.

Hate cold weather? Forget about the University of Michigan or Boston University. Need a place for your family to get to quickly? Forget about the University of Wisconsin or the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Think about the characteristics of a place that might make you happy, including the ability to practice any hobbies you’re serious about and choose your university based on where you think is the most livable.

4. Ask around about university acceptance.

If your plan is to return to Dubai, the UAE, or your home country to start (or continue) your career, ask adults (teachers, coaches, bosses, etc.) which universities they have heard of. The reality is that many companies hire employees that have attended universities that people have heard of and are known to be in the West. Employers aren’t going to review the US News Rankings.  They assume that if they’ve heard of it, the university must be good.

5. Talk to students.

Email and social media make it really easy to get the opinions of people who know a university best: the students. Email the admissions officer from a university you’re considering for names. Or, find the head of a campus organization by browsing the university’s website. Be sure to be polite. Here’s a sample email you can cut and paste:

Hi,

I found your name on your university’s website. My name is (your name). I’ve been accepted to (university) for Fall 2014. I’ve also been accepted to several other universities and am having a hard time deciding which to attend. If you have time, please let me know why you like attending your university. I appreciate any advice you can give me.

Thanks for your help in advance,

(Your name)

Now, it should be easier to choose which university acceptance to accept. Be sure to consider things you like, rankings, livability, and what employers and students think about the university.

#1 College Visit Lesson

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#1 College Visit Lesson

Thinking of doing a college visit in the US, Canada, or the UK? You should do it if you can!

If you can’t, getting information from students who have is the next best thing. Several of our students wisely used their summer breaks to visit university campuses in the US or do a college visit in Canada. They brought back some wonderful stories and ideas for how to proceed through the admissions process. The most important college visit lesson came straight from admissions officers:

Submit your application online first, then prepare and send your other documents.

This information is mind-blowing because this is the exact OPPOSITE of how everyone applies to universities. Usually, you gather your transcripts, test scores, and recommendations and send them off (or at least compile them before you apply). Then you fill out the application and wait for feedback. This way makes sense, right? Wrong.

  • If you complete the application first, you won’t miss the deadline. We’ve all been up late on the evening of the deadline waiting to submit the app. Don’t wait! Do it as soon as you can. Often universities expect supplemental documents to arrive later. Many universities even have separate, later deadlines for documents.
  • Your application opens your file. Once they get the app, they will expect your supplemental documents and can match them to your file easily when received. You’ll avoid a lot of administrative hassles (like mismatched or lost documents).
  • Once universities receive your application, they know to “hold a place for you.” They won’t make a decision to accept, waitlist, or reject you until your file is complete or your application is withdrawn.

As soon as you identify the universities you want to apply to, get the application done…then start working on the supplemental documents. You’ll proceed much more calmly through the application process.

Note: For students applying to universities using the Common Application, you can still roughly follow this process. Fill out the Common App as soon as you identify one university to which you want to apply. The beauty of the Common App is that it’s easy to add universities with only a little work once you’ve completed the application for the first one.

Can’t Do a College Visit?

Do a virtual one! Many universities now have virtual campus tours that you can do online. It’s not as good as the real thing, but it will give you an idea of the campus, the facilities, and the place where you’ll spend 4 wonderful years.

Need help applying to universities?

Whatsapp us or email eden@apply-me.com to find out how we can help you or your student. We offer comprehensive application packages that take the headache out of the entire process.

Common Application Essays 2013-2014

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Common Application Essays 2013-2014

Bored this summer and want to get a jump start on your applications for next year? Good news! The Common Application essays 2013-2014 have been released for the new application cycle. We’ve provided the prompts below so you can get writing!

Instructions

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don’t feel obligated to do so. (The application won’t accept a response shorter than 250 words.)

Common Application Essays 2013-2014 Prompts

  • Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
  • Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn
  • Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
  • Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
  • Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Need help with your Common Application Essays 2013-2014?

Have your essays reviewed by our American editors. Apply with your best essays after brainstorming sessions. essay editing, and revision discussions! Read more about our Essay Editing services and Whatsapp or email us at eden@apply-me.com for more info.

 

2013-2014 SAT Test Dates in Dubai

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2013-2014 SAT Test Dates in Dubai

Important information for international registration deadlines that applies to students about the 2013-2014 SAT Test Dates in Dubai:

  • International registration must be completed by 12 midnight Eastern Standard Time (about 8 hours behind Dubai).
  • There is no late registration for international testing.
  • The SAT is not offered in March outside of the U.S. and U.S. territories.

For more information, visit the College Board website.

Need help preparing for the SAT during the summer?

Email us at eden@apply-me.com or Whatsapp us. We offer private tutoring with American tutors that will boost your score!

 

SAT Summer Reading List 2013

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SAT Summer Reading List 2013

It’s heating up in Dubai and school is almost out so it’s time for our SAT summer reading list 2013. We’ve picked through the best of the College Board’s 101 Great Books list to help you prepare for the SAT.

This year, we decided to pick 5 books that have also been made into movies. Read the book first (you can buy them at Kinokuniya in Dubai Mall or order them on Amazon), then watch the movie to compare your vision and the director’s interpretation. If you’re like us, you’ll read the book again to enjoy the experience using the rich visuals from the movie.

These books are classics so MANY of them have been made into movies. If you find other books from the list that are movies available on Youtube, let us know by leaving a comment.

SAT Summer Reading List 2013

  • Lord of the Flies by William Golding
  • Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
  • Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
  • Beloved by Toni Morrison
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Need help preparing for the SAT during the summer?

Email us at eden@apply-me.com or Whatsapp us. We offer private tutoring with American tutors that will boost your score!

 

Tips for Applying to Canadian Universities

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Tips for Applying to Canadian Universities

Since many of the US university deadlines are in January, February is a great time to focus on your applications to universities in Canada. If you read our 10 Top Canadian Universities, you probably know which ones you want to apply to. Here are our top tips for applying to Canadian universities:

1. Do your applications in 2 parts.

Canadian university applications are usually two-parters. The first part is often general information that can be completed pretty quickly. The second part involves all your supplemental materials (transcripts, test scores, etc.). Fortunately, the two parts have different deadlines. Usually, the information form is due in January or February and MUST be submitted before you can submit part 2. Be sure to check both deadlines on your university website.

2. Get all your supplemental materials at the same time.

We often have students who go back to their guidance counselor several times because they have decided to apply to more universities. Take it from us…this annoys them! If you’re applying to 5 schools, ask for 7 transcripts so you have extras and don’t have to bug the already busy school administrators again.

3. If there is an essay, take it seriously.

Many Canadian universities do not require essays as part of the application. Often, your acceptance depends on your GPA and SAT scores only. However, if there is an essay required, expect admissions officers to read it. They will use consider it in your acceptance because they have decided it is a valuable part of the application.

4. Be sure to check program-specific guidelines.

Often, Canadian universities have specific program application guidelines. These guidelines are in addition to general requirements for freshmen and international students. For example, architecture programs usually require a portfolio or personal statement. History programs do not request these documents.

5. Check whether you need to take the TOEFL or IELTS.

Most students from Dubai applying to Canadian universities will NOT need to take the TOEFL or IELTS. This is because they have attended high schools where the primary language of instruction is English. So, check with each university because requirements do vary.

6. Don’t assume you need recommendations or letters of reference.

Canadian universities often don’t require them. If the universities do, they will ask for the teachers’ information and contact them directly. Teachers will submit a reference online using a special email. Or, you will have to submit a written reference on school letterhead in a signed and sealed envelope.

Check out the admissions guidelines for the University of British Columbia, Vancouver campus as an example of Canadian university admissions requirements: https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/admissions.ezc.

Need help applying to universities in Canada?

Email us at eden@apply-me.com or Whatsapp us. We offer Undergraduate Comprehensive Packages to help you from application to acceptance or application to arrival! Check out our student and parent testimonials if you need more convincing.

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