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6 FREE GRE Practice Resources

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6 FREE GRE Practice Resources

Any time is a good time to start thinking about getting a Master’s degree. Some experts even view a graduate degree as “the new Undergraduate degree.” If you want to get a graduate degree, you’ll need to take the GRE. If you’re taking the GRE, we’ve got 6 FREE GRE practice resources to check out. Integrate them into your studying, get used to the test format, and practice hard before the test.

1. Best Free GRE Practice Resource: Powerprep Online

The official test material is so good that you’ll want to save it for the end. The makers of the GRE, ETS, give test takers 2 free (yes free!) online tests to practice with that will provide a score indicative of the actual GRE. Be sure to take the test under real conditions so that you get the best of your practice. Here’s what to do:

  • Do the test in one sitting
  • Be strict with the timing for each section
  • Use a calculator and plain white scratch paper for the math sections
  • Don’t use your phone to look up words you don’t know on the verbal sections
  • Write the essays!

2. All the GRE Issue Topics

Concerned about the GRE essays? Take the time to get familiar with ALL the possible issue topics for the GRE. Yes, this is all of them. Your essay questions will definitely come from these lists. Here’s how we recommend using them:

  • Read through all of them
  • Choose 10 to 20 different essay questions with different types of formats
  • Outline most of the essays (we explain how to do this below)
  • Write 1 essay a week through the course of your study

Strong essay outlining is essential to writing a well-organized and thoughtful essay. Moreover, knowing how to get started will decrease your anxiety at the beginning of the GRE. Going into the essays stress-free is essential because these are the first sections of the test and often affect how you do and feel about the rest of the test.

When outlining, just jot down your opinion. Two or three words is fine. Then list 3 reasons or examples or whatever in support of your opinion. That’s it! But trust us…this small step will make a huge difference in the logical organization and cohesion of your essays.

Check out all the issue essay topics here

And yes, you should type the essays on the computer because the test is computer-based.

BONUS! Essay templates and samples

Check out the exact issue essay templates and samples that we give to our students. Better than most (if not all) of what you find on the internet!

3. Official GRE Practice Test 2019

This is the last of the material from the makers of the GRE. Tucked away in the paper-based version of the GRE is a full-length practice test that you can print and work on. It’s perfect for when you have time to just do one section or need to fit in a bit of practice.

Download it and follow the NEW GRE section timing for maximum results.

4. The Princeton Review Practice GRE Test

Get more online practice with the Princeton Review test. It’s super solid as far as quality goes and great for when you need more computer-based practice. Don’t split this test up. Use the paper tests for that. Use this test to build your stamina as you face a seemingly endless rotation of quantitative and verbal sections.

5. Manhattan Prep Free GRE Practice Test

Manhattan’s free GRE test is so solid that we actually recommend buying access to the 6 pack as well. More tests will be necessary after you have learned all the concepts and practiced them on paper. Do all of these tests under test conditions and you’ll be good-to-go come test time.

6. Kaplan GRE Practice Test

Another smart and FREE GRE practice test option.

Bonus! Magoosh Free GRE Practice Test

We don’t love all of Magoosh’s content, but this practice test is solid.

Took a Free GRE Practice Test? Now Let’s Break It Down Together!

Practice tests are a great start, but real progress comes from expert review. Our GRE tutor doesn’t just tell you what you got wrong. She shows you why and how to fix it.

  • In-depth review of your practice test results
  • Personalized strategies to boost your score
  • 1:1 coaching for Verbal, Quant, and AWA
  • Perfect for turning practice into real improvement

Don’t study in the dark. WhatsApp us to book a consultation and find out how you can turn your practice into GRE success!

2021-2022 SAT Test Dates in Dubai

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2021-2022 SAT Test Dates in Dubai

Last year’s global pandemic turned the SAT schedule upside down. During the last test cycle, the SAT was offered 7 times to make up for cancellations early in the year. That won’t happen this year! The SAT is being offered FEWER times than last year. Here are the 2021-2022 SAT test dates in Dubai you need to know, so you can get your schedule together.

2021-2022 SAT Test Dates in Dubai

For this test cycle only, the SAT will be offered 5 times.

SAT Date: August 28, 2021
Registration Deadline: July 30, 2021

SAT Date: October 2, 2021
Registration Deadline: September 3, 2021

SAT Date: December 4, 2021
Registration Deadline: November 4, 2021

SAT Date: March 12, 2022
Registration Deadline: February 11, 2022

SAT Date: May 7, 2022
Registration Deadline: April 8, 2022

2021-2022 SAT Test Date Coronavirus Updates

Test centers do close periodically. Be sure to search to see if your test center is closed in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

Click here to see if your test center has closed

In general, test centers (schools) in the UAE are following the government’s requirements for coronavirus. When you go to take the SAT in Dubai, this means you may have:

  • Temperature checks before you enter the school
  • Limited capacity for SAT test takers
  • Social distancing while taking the test
  • To wear a mask the entire time you are taking the SAT

SAT Guidelines for Outside the US

For SAT test-taking purposes only, any student taking the SAT in Dubai is a considered an international student living outside the US (it doesn’t matter which passport you have). Here are a few things you need to know about the 2021-2022 SAT test dates in Dubai:

  • The SAT is NOT offered all the time. It’s only offered a few times a year for students in Dubai.
  • ​International registration must be completed by 12 midnight Eastern Standard Time (about 8 hours behind Dubai). Registration usually closes about 1 month before the next SAT.
  • There is no November or June SAT for students in Dubai.
  • There’s no late registration for students in Dubai. You have to register online by the deadline. The deadline is about 1 month before the SAT you want to take.
  • There are no SAT Subject Tests anymore.
  • The SAT costs about AED 375 to take.

Want even more information? Visit the College Board’s  International SAT Registration page for info on policies and other tests you might need to take. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I register for the SAT in May even if it’s only November?
Yes, you can! As long as there is a register link on the College Board website under the date, you can register to take the SAT on that date.

Where can I take the SAT in Dubai?
Too many places to mention. Many schools in Dubai offer the SAT, so you can search on the College Board website for the one closest to you with available seats.​

How many times can I take the SAT?
As many as you want. You have “Score Choice,” which means can send 1 or all your SAT scores to your chosen universities. They will only see the scores you send them, so they won’t know how many times you took the SAT. More than twice is kind of a waste of money though…

Do I need to take the SAT to apply to Canadian universities?
It depends on the university and the curriculum in which you are studying. In general, if you are studying in an American curriculum school, you need to take the SAT. For example, McGill University requires an SAT score of 1150 minimum. Plan accordingly!

How much does it cost to take the SAT in Dubai?
It costs AED 393 to take the SAT in Dubai. The standard SAT fee is US $60 plus the international testing fee, which is $47. You must pay the full AED 393 online by credit or debit card when you register for the SAT.

Need help preparing for the Digital SAT?

Whatsapp us to chat with an American SAT instructor with more than 15 years of experience teaching SAT to students just like you. Our students see a minimum of 150-point score improvement! Want to know more first? Check out our online and in-person options.

Happy Students are Our Business

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No SAT Essay or Subject Tests Ever Again!

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No SAT Essay or Subject Tests Ever Again!

The College Board has officially dropped the SAT essay and SAT Subject Tests from its lineup. That’s right…there’s no SAT essay ever again! There also will be no more SAT Subject Tests.

Coronavirus hit the SAT pretty hard. For most of 2020, SAT sessions were canceled around the world. When they were allowed, it was hard to get seats. As a result, many colleges and universities made the SAT and SAT Subject Tests optional for admissions. Some states, like California, have vowed to phase the SAT out of the admissions process altogether. We’ll get to whether this is good or bad in a moment. For now, here’s what the College Board had to say about each cancellation.

No SAT Essay

From the College Board:

no sat essay explanation
Image: The College Board

What This Means

The essay will only be administered when necessary after June 21, 2021. Reading and Writing are tested in other parts of the exam, so the College Board feels that not much is being lost.

What We Think

The essay wasn’t a popular section of the SAT. In the last four years, we’ve only had a handful of students decide to complete it. Moreover, many universities were not requiring the essay. So what was the point…we guess College Board figured it wasn’t worth it. After all, you do have your admissions essays to write…

What This Means for YOU

  • Don’t rush out to prep for and sign up for the essay.
  • Cancel your essay if you already registered to do it.
  • Focus more on getting good grades in your English classes.
  • Be sure to write stellar application essays.

No SAT Subject Tests

Canceling the SAT Subject Tests was a big shocker! Here’s what the College Board had to say:

no sat subject tests explanation
Image: The College Board

What This Means

Not familiar with the SAT Subject Tests? Read this first. US students do not have a choice to take these anymore. The College Board is canceling registrations and giving out refunds! Students in Dubai can still take the May and June Subject Tests, but this is pointless because they will no longer be required by universities in the next application cycle.

What We Think

We actually think that canceling the SAT Subject Tests was not a great move by the College Board. First, the Subject Tests were an opportunity for students with middling GPAs to prove that they, in fact, understood the information. Maybe you go to a very challenging school and were only able to earn a 3.3, but you really know your stuff. Scoring a 700+ on the SAT Math Subject Test, for example, could demonstrate that competence. A student with a better GPA might not be as proficient if they attend an easier school.

Second, the SAT has long been a device for finding students with great raw talent, but challenging daily situations. SAT Subject Tests help reaffirm the potential and boost that student’s profile. Imagine you have a difficult home life. Getting to school, having something to eat, and being able to just make it through the day are challenges. Unfortunately, many low-income and minority students face these difficulties. Will they have great GPAs with hungry bellies? Probably not. We saw the SAT Subject Tests as a way to demonstrate their potential, not penalize them for their home lives.

The Rant Continues…

Next, The College Board thinks that APs test the same thing, so why bother with Subject Tests? Unfortunately, everyone’s high school doesn’t offer AP classes. Or they may not offer the right ones related to a student’s major. What is the aspiring engineer going to do without being able to prove that she is good a physics?

Lastly, many international universities were using the Subject Tests as a proxy for their tests for students graduating from US curriculum high schools. For example, a student who attends Dubai American Academy, but wants to go to City University London, would be required to take SAT Subject Tests or earn certain scores on AP exams. Believe us, it is easier to score well on a Subject Test than an AP exam. Furthermore, these exams are used by universities all over the world because they are in countries with exam based systems. However, the American system is NOT exam based. So how is a university supposed to compare the different students?

What This Means for You

  • Don’t rush out to prep for and sign up for the subject tests.
  • Plan your high school courses very carefully because you will need AP classes if they are offered.
  • Know the requirements of colleges in the country to which you are applying.

No SAT Essay or Subject Tests: What This Means for Students in Dubai

no sat essay dubai
Image: Unsplash

1. Your GPA is even more important.

With SAT Subject Tests, you might have been able to offset a so-so GPA (3.3 and below). No more! Now you will have to bring it because there will be fewer tests to demonstrate your skills.

Up until a few years ago, some countries (we’re looking at you Canada) accepted students based on GPA ONLY. Since it looks like we are going back to those times, it’s time to hit the books.

2. You need to plan your ENTIRE high school courses properly and in advance. Take AP courses!

At the beginning of 10th grade, at the latest, you need to sit down with your guidance counselor and plan your courses. The levels and courses should match your career aspirations or at least what you think you want your college major to be. If you are in an American curriculum school in Dubai, you NEED to take relevant AP courses. Here’s some general advice:

  • Engineering = AP Calculus (AP Stats won’t be sufficient) and at least 1 AP science (2 is better, physics and 1 other)
  • Medicine = AP Biology and AP Stats (would be nice)
  • Non-engineering science = AP Stats (ok) and 1 AP science (should be related)
  • Law = AP English Language, AP World History, and 1 other AP (Stats would be good)

You will not be even eligible to apply to some universities if you haven’t fulfilled their general course requirements, which include APs. Think about things ahead of time and plan accordingly.

3. Your admissions essays are even more important.

It’s looking like the only pieces of writing a university will see from you are your college application essays. They NEED to be good! Prove you are literate with our help.

4. Read the university admissions page carefully!

Universities in the UK have very specific requirements for how many APs, which ones, and what scores you need for admission. Think about the universities you want to apply to and look at admissions pages often. Requirements tend to change every August, so you should be checking at least every few months.

Need help preparing for the Digital SAT?

Whatsapp us to chat with an American SAT instructor with more than 15 years of experience teaching SAT to students just like you. Our students see a minimum of 150-point score improvement! Want to know more first? Check out our online and in-person options.

Happy Students are Our Business

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101 Great Books from College Board

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101 Great Books from College Board

Looking for books to add to your reading list? Check out these 101 Great Books from the College Board to help boost your reading comprehension and verbal score/

Long ago, 101 great books from the College Board were mentioned and put on a list. We don’t know where that list is now on the College Board’s website, but the list–and the books–are great. The list was originally titled “101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers.” However, these books are great reads for age.

Why read 101 Great Books?

Before its current iteration, parts of the SAT were like a vocabulary test. It was assumed that if you read lots of books, you would have a good vocabulary. At the very least, you would be a strong reader with good reading comprehension. Although the SAT has changed, being a good reader is still important because good readers:

  • Understand the reading passages in section 1
  • Score higher in section 1
  • Tend to be natural editors, which means they see the grammar and editing mistakes in writing section 2
  • Score higher in section 2
  • Understand the word problems in section 3 (even if they can’t do the math)
  • Understand the words problems in section 4 (including those super long setups for simple graph questions)

Why 101? It’s just one of those popular numbers, like 101 dalmatians.

101 Great Books from College Board

The list is organized by author’s last name. Check below for the 5 books according to different categories.

  1. Beowulf
  2. Achebe, Chinua – Things Fall Apart
  3. Agee, James – A Death in the Family
  4. Austen, Jane – Pride and Prejudice
  5. Baldwin, James – Go Tell It on the Mountain
  6. Beckett, Samuel – Waiting for Godot
  7. Bellow, Saul – The Adventures of Augie March
  8. Brontë, Charlotte – Jane Eyre
  9. Brontë, Emily – Wuthering Heights
  10. Camus, Albert – The Stranger
  11. Cather, Willa – Death Comes for the Archbishop
  12. Chaucer, Geoffrey – The Canterbury Tales
  13. Chekhov, Anton – The Cherry Orchard
  14. Chopin, Kate – The Awakening
  15. Conrad, Joseph – Heart of Darkness
  16. Cooper, James Fenimore – The Last of the Mohicans
  17. Crane, Stephen – The Red Badge of Courage
  18. Dante – Inferno
  19. de Cervantes, Miguel – Don Quixote
  20. Defoe, Daniel – Robinson Crusoe
  21. Dickens, Charles – A Tale of Two Cities
  22. Dostoyevsky, Fyodor – Crime and Punishment
  23. Douglass, Frederick – Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
  24. Dreiser, Theodore – An American Tragedy
  25. Dumas, Alexandre – The Three Musketeers
  26. Eliot, George – The Mill on the Floss
  27. Ellison, Ralph – Invisible Man
  28. Emerson, Ralph Waldo – Selected Essays
  29. Faulkner, William – As I Lay Dying
  30. Faulkner, William – The Sound and the Fury
  31. Fielding, Henry – Tom Jones
  32. Fitzgerald, F. Scott – The Great Gatsby
  33. Flaubert, Gustave – Madame Bovary
  34. Ford, Ford Madox – The Good Soldier
  35. Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von – Faust
  36. Golding, William – Lord of the Flies
  37. Hardy, Thomas – Tess of the d’Urbervilles
  38. Hawthorne, Nathaniel – The Scarlet Letter
  39. Heller, Joseph – Catch 22
  40. Hemingway, Ernest – A Farewell to Arms
  41. Homer – The Iliad
  42. Homer – The Odyssey
  43. Hugo, Victor – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
  44. Hurston, Zora Neale – Their Eyes Were Watching God
  45. Huxley, Aldous – Brave New World
  46. Ibsen, Henrik – A Doll’s House
  47. James, Henry – The Portrait of a Lady
  48. James, Henry – The Turn of the Screw
  49. Joyce, James – A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
  50. Kafka, Franz – The Metamorphosis
  51. Kingston, Maxine Hong – The Woman Warrior
  52. Lee, Harper – To Kill a Mockingbird
  53. Lewis, Sinclair – Babbitt
  54. London, Jack – The Call of the Wild
  55. Mann, Thomas – The Magic Mountain
  56. Marquez, Gabriel García – One Hundred Years of Solitude
  57. Melville, Herman – Bartleby the Scrivener
  58. Melville, Herman – Moby Dick
  59. Miller, Arthur – The Crucible
  60. Morrison, Toni – Beloved
  61. O’Connor, Flannery – A Good Man is Hard to Find
  62. O’Neill, Eugene – Long Day’s Journey into Night
  63. Orwell, George – Animal Farm
  64. Pasternak, Boris – Doctor Zhivago
  65. Plath, Sylvia – The Bell Jar
  66. Poe, Edgar Allan – Selected Tales
  67. Proust, Marcel – Swann’s Way
  68. Pynchon, Thomas – The Crying of Lot 49
  69. Remarque, Erich Maria – All Quiet on the Western Front
  70. Rostand, Edmond – Cyrano de Bergerac
  71. Roth, Henry – Call It Sleep
  72. Salinger, J.D. – The Catcher in the Rye
  73. Shakespeare, William – Hamlet
  74. Macbeth
  75. Shakespeare, William – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
  76. Romeo and Juliet
  77. Shaw, George Bernard – Pygmalion
  78. Shelley, Mary – Frankenstein
  79. Silko, Leslie Marmon – Ceremony
  80. Solzhenitsyn, Alexander – One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
  81. Sophocles – Antigone
  82. Sophocles – Oedipus Rex
  83. Steinbeck, John – The Grapes of Wrath
  84. Stevenson, Robert Louis – Treasure Island
  85. Stowe, Harriet Beecher – Uncle Tom’s Cabin
  86. Swift, Jonathan – Gulliver’s Travels
  87. Thackeray, William – Vanity Fair
  88. Thoreau, Henry David – Walden
  89. Tolstoy, Leo – War and Peace
  90. Turgenev, Ivan – Fathers and Sons
  91. Twain, Mark – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
  92. Voltaire – Candide
  93. Vonnegut, Kurt Jr. – Slaughterhouse-Five
  94. Walker, Alice – The Color Purple
  95. Wharton, Edith – The House of Mirth
  96. Welty, Eudora – Collected Stories
  97. Whitman, Walt – Leaves of Grass
  98. Wilde, Oscar – The Picture of Dorian Gray
  99. Williams, Tennessee – The Glass Menagerie
  100. Woolf, Virginia – To the Lighthouse
  101. Wright, Richard – Native Son

Here’s our disclaimer: These books are all classics, but some of them are pretty hardcore. Be sure to read the plot summary of the book before you start reading. Otherwise, your delicate sensibilities may be offended.

5 Easiest Books to Read

The Grapes of Wrath
Lord of the Flies
A Farewell to Arms
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Catcher in the Rye

5 “Modern” Books by Women Authors

The Awakening
The Bell Jar
The Woman Warrior
To the Lighthouse
A Good Man is Hard to Find

5 Books by African-American Authors

Go Tell It on the Mountain
Invisible Man
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Beloved
The Color Purple

Where to Find 101 Great Books from College Board in Dubai

If you love the feel of a book in your hand, try these places in Dubai for the 101 great books from the College Board:

  • Your school library
  • The Old Library (it’s only AED 200 to be a member for the year and most of these books are there)

Own a Kindle or don’t mind e-books?

Check out pdfdrive.com to search for many of the books that are in the public domain. If you have a Kindle, be sure to download the MOBI format so that the book renders properly on your device.

 

London Business School Dubai Essays 2024-2025

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London Business School Dubai Essays 2024-2025

Writing the London Business School Dubai essays can be grueling. In addition to requiring near-perfect grammar, the essays necessitate a certain level of introspection…

Here are the London Business School Dubai essays for the current and upcoming intakes. Scroll to the bottom for our quick tips on how to use the essays to maximize your chances of acceptance.

London Business School Dubai Essays for the January 2025 Intake

Question 1 (600 words max)

Please provide a personal statement explaining how you will contribute to the experience of others on the programme, and how the Executive MBA programme will benefit you.

Question 2 (600 words max)

Describe what it would mean to you personally to be an alumnus of London Business School, what you believe membership of the community represents, and how you would give back to London Business School in the future.

London Business School Dubai Essays for the September 2024 Intake

Question 1 (600 words max)

Please provide a personal statement explaining how you will contribute to the experience of others on the programme, and how the Executive MBA programme will benefit you.

Question 2 (600 words max)

Describe what it would mean to you personally to be an alumnus of London Business School, what you believe membership of the community represents, and how you would give back to London Business School in the future.

London Business School Dubai Executive MBA Application Deadlines & Class Profiles

Student and Alumni Profiles: Click here

Class Profile: Click here

Deadlines: Click here

Quick Tips to Maximize Your Chances of Getting In

1. Take the essays seriously.

Hopefully, you have been to the LBS information events and the admissions officers know your name. However, other than a meeting and a few emails, LBS admissions will not know anything about you…until they read the essays. So, make the essays count.

2. Start early.

Create your online application account, download the essay template, and start brainstorming. The essays definitely cannot be left until the last moment. Start them early.

3. Get help if you need it.

Don’t want to hire an admissions editor like us? Ok, but make sure you have a couple of people that can review your essays. Moreover, they should be willing to actually rework sections that could be better. Most importantly, they should give you their unbiased opinions of the essays. There’s a lot at stake…

4. Stick to the word count.

A word on word counts: 600 words max means 600 words max. Don’t go 10% over because you heard that would be acceptable. You must convey your thoughts precisely and succinctly.

Similarly, get as close to 600 words as possible without padding your essay with endless storytelling. If you can’t get to 600 words, you haven’t explained enough.

Frequently Asked Questions about London Business School Dubai Essays

Will my essays be different?

The essays are the same for every applicant.

Need to see the latest LBS EMBA Dubai essays? The application includes a downloadable template. You submit your essays using this word document. However, you should write your essays elsewhere (Google docs, Microsoft word, etc.). Then, cut and paste them into the submission document.

Is London Business School Dubai difficult to get into?

If you are a strong fit AND you follow the right process, getting into LBS for your EMBA is straightforward. It’s not easy, but it is at least straightforward. We offer all of our students our insight into the process. We have more than a DECADE of experience getting students into the LBS EMBA program in Dubai, so we know what works and what doesn’t.

Be sure to initiate a conversation with the admissions officers BEFORE you apply. They can review your CV and tell you if you are a good fit for the program. If this step goes well, you are more likely to get in than if you just submit the application without prior contact.

How to get into London Business School Dubai?

We’ll give you the Cliff Notes version:

  1. Send your current CV to the admissions office for review.
  2. Attend all (or at least two) LBS EMBA events in Dubai.
  3. Create your one page resume’ integrating the comments from the admissions office.
  4. Start preparing for the Executive Assessment.
  5. Start the application.
  6. Request your strongest recommendations.
  7. Write amazing essays.
  8. Submit your application.
  9. Complete your GMAC Soft Skills Assessment, Kira interview, and admissions interview.
  10. Receive your conditional acceptance.
  11. Ace the EA.
  12. Receive your final acceptance and pay your deposit.

Done!

Just starting the Executive MBA application process?

Whatsapp us and we’ll tell you the BEST way to go about it. We can help you tell one narrative with all the application parts, including your resume' and interview. We have extensive experience preparing EMBA hopefuls! We'll help you prepare for the Executive Assessment. Already taken the test? We edit essays as well. Put your best self forward in the Executive MBA application with our help.

Happy Students Are Our Business!

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When should I get an SAT tutor in Dubai?

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When should I get an SAT tutor in Dubai?

Wondering when you should get an SAT tutor in Dubai? While any time is always the right time, some times are better than others. Many high school students have to take the SAT. In addition, you may have to take more than one type of test for university admissions. Therefore, it’s better to get the SAT out of the way as soon as possible.

Here are our recommendations for when you should get an SAT tutor in Dubai based on different student situations.

1. In general, you should get an SAT tutor in Dubai 8-10 weeks before the next SAT.

If you plan to take the next SAT, be sure to go back 10 weeks from that date…

and find a tutor quickly.

Although you can complete a course in less time, your score won’t necessarily see a big increase. Our students that get the biggest score boosts have prepared for at least 8 weeks. Besides, 8 weeks of prep means that you can take 2 classes a week. So, SAT study time won’t interfere with your schoolwork. Who doesn’t want good grades and a good SAT score?

2. If you are in 11th grade, get an SAT tutor in October or November.

11th grade is our recommended time to prepare for the SAT. Preparing in the 11th grade has so many advantages. First, you have completed Algebra 2, so a lot of the math with be review and strengthening. You won’t be learning as much new material. Second, you have plenty of time to take the SAT again, so there’s no pressure the first time. Lastly, you will get the SAT out of the way before you start applying to universities. Not only will you have a better idea of the types of universities you can apply to, but you’ll also have a better idea if you will get in.

If you start in October or November of your 11th-grade year, you can take the March SAT the following year. Your prep only requires one lesson a week, so there is no conflict with your schoolwork at all.

3. If you are in 12th grade, get a tutor in July or the beginning of August.

Didn’t prepare for the SAT in 11th grade? No problem. As long as you start at the end of the summer, you will be ready to take the first SAT of the academic year in September or October.

But…

You have to start at the end of the summer BEFORE school. Otherwise, you won’t have enough time to take the SAT once (hopefully, twice) and any other tests you need to take…

And apply to universities.

Moreover, you need to start your SAT prep before your schoolwork gets intense. Colleges will be looking closely at the grades from 12th grade, so they need to be good.

If you are in the 11th grade, do yourself a favor and just start preparing now.

4. If you are in the 10th grade, don’t worry about it!

Sometimes we have excited students or ambitious guidance counselors recommending that students just get the SAT out of the way in 10th grade.

Not a great idea!

In the 10th grade, you are still learning the content that will be on the SAT. If you start your SAT prep at the same time, you won’t know enough of the math for just a review. You will not have had a whole year to understand and master it.

Besides, there is the PSAT in 10th grade that you should be focused on. It will give you a taste of the SAT, but without the pressure.

Even more importantly, your 10th-grade grades are looked at by universities with great interest. You can’t afford to get a low GPA first term because you were preoccupied with studying for a test a year before you should. Your 10th grade GPA also sets up whether you will be able to take AP classes. It’s a really important year grade-wise!

If you are in the 10th grade, do yourself a favor and wait until the 11th grade to get an SAT tutor in Dubai.

Need help preparing for the Digital SAT?

Whatsapp us to chat with an American SAT instructor with more than 15 years of experience teaching SAT to students just like you. Our students see a minimum of 150-point score improvement! Want to know more first? Check out our online and in-person options.

Happy Students are Our Business

General Student Testimonials

LBS EMBA Dubai Application: 5 Things to Know

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LBS EMBA Dubai Application: 5 Things to Know

The LBS EMBA Dubai application can be a bit of a project. Not only do you have to write three spectacular essays, but you also have to gather all the odds and ends that are part of the application. In general, your LBS EMBA Dubai application will include:

  • The application (personal details, work history, etc.)
  • Professional resume’ (1 page only)
  • Academic transcripts (university and graduate if applicable)
  • Executive Assessment scores or proposed test date
  • 2 recommendations (1 from an immediate supervisor or line manager)
  • 3 admissions essays

With so many pieces to assemble, you may be wondering where to get started. Don’t worry! We’ve outlined 5 things you need to know about the LBS EMBA Dubai application.

1. You can save the application as you go.

Don’t wait until the deadline is looming to start the LBS EMBA Dubai application! As soon as you are sure that you want to apply to LBS Dubai, create an account on the program website and fill in the basic information. You can save the application and come back to it later. Therefore, it does NOT have to be completed in one sitting. You can add to it as you gather additional materials.

If you cannot answer a question, but need to save the page…

Add placeholder text like “SAVE.” Adding text will allow you to save that page of the application. However, it will also be clear to you that you need to come back and fill in that section later.

Creating the application immediately and saving it will also allow you to preview the entire application.

2. Recommendation letters aren’t necessary.

Our students typically come to us to study for the Executive Assessment with recommendation letters already in process. DON’T DO THIS!

Recommendation letters are not required for the LBS EMBA Dubai application. Here’s how the recommendation submittal process works:

  1. You log into your application.
  2. You complete a form providing the names and email addresses of your recommenders.
  3. The platform sends your recommenders an email with an application ID and validation key to access their secure recommendation.
  4. Your recommender completes a form with specific questions and a rating scale.
  5. The recommendation is saved and submitted automatically without you ever seeing it.

Since you are cut out of the recommendation process, we suggest you send talking points to your recommenders via email. Talking points give them a place to start, making writing the recommendation easier. In addition, you are more likely to get the type of recommendation you want.

3. There is a downloadable template for essays.

Need to see the latest LBS EMBA Dubai essays? The application includes a downloadable template. You submit your essays using this word document. However, you should write your essays elsewhere (Google docs, Microsoft word, etc.). Then, cut and paste them into the submission document.

4. Transcripts and test scores are submitted by PDF.

You will submit nearly all the LBS EMBA Dubai application attachments by PDF. Transcripts are no different. Be sure to include transcript translations in the PDF file.

Submit your Executive Assessment unofficial score by PDFing the signed and stamped paper from the test center.

5. There are 3 mini-essays inside the application.

And you thought you were done writing! There are 3 mini-essays lurking inside the LBS EMBA Dubai application. Each has a maximum word count of 300-400 words.

Do not feel compelled to write more than it takes to answer the questions. For example, one question is: “Who do you know from LBS?” You will have a hard time writing 300 words about that. Do not be tempted to start writing about yourself again. Just answer the question.

However, another question–“What do you do in your free time?”–does warrant a thoughtful response. Pick 3 hobbies or commitments and elaborate on each in 100 words each. For instance, if you spend a lot of time with your family, write it down!

Watch this video from LBS Dubai to get an understanding of the program and how you need to present yourself in the application.

Frequently Asked Questions about the LBS EMBA Dubai Application

What is the acceptance rate for LBS EMBA Dubai?

We have no idea! The best advice we can give you is initiate a conversation with the admissions officers BEFORE you apply. They can review your CV and tell you if you are a good fit for the program. If this step goes well, you are more likely to get in than if you just submit the application without prior contact.

How hard is it to get into LBS EMBA?

If you are a strong fit AND you follow the right process, getting into LBS for your EMBA is straightforward. It’s not easy, but it is at least straightforward. We offer all of our students our insight into the process. We have more than a DECADE of experience getting students into the LBS EMBA program in Dubai, so we know what works and what doesn’t.

How to get into London Business School Executive MBA?

We’ll give you the Cliff Notes version:

  1. Send your current CV to the admissions office for review.
  2. Attend all (or at least two) LBS EMBA events in Dubai.
  3. Create your one page resume’ integrating the comments from the admissions office.
  4. Start preparing for the Executive Assessment.
  5. Start the application.
  6. Request your strongest recommendations.
  7. Write amazing essays.
  8. Submit your application.
  9. Complete your GMAC Soft Skills Assessment, Kira interview, and admissions interview.
  10. Receive your conditional acceptance.
  11. Ace the EA.
  12. Receive your final acceptance and pay your deposit.

Done!

Just starting the Executive MBA application process?

Whatsapp us and we’ll tell you the BEST way to go about it. We can help you tell one narrative with all the application parts, including your resume' and interview. We have extensive experience preparing EMBA hopefuls! We'll help you prepare for the Executive Assessment. Already taken the test? We edit essays as well. Put your best self forward in the Executive MBA application with our help.

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2020-2021 SAT Subject Test Dates in Dubai

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2020-2021 SAT Subject Test Dates in Dubai

The College Board will no longer offer SAT Subject Tests in Dubai after June 2021.

What are the SAT Subject Tests? They are subject-specific 1-hour exams designed to test your knowledge of a subject. Although they are called SAT tests, they don’t really have that much in common with the SAT from a test perspective. These tests actually measure what you have learned in school in the subject. Should you take the 2021 SAT Subject Tests?

If a university you are applying to requires subject tests (usually they ask for 2), be sure to plan ahead. The SAT Subject Tests are offered at the same time as the SAT and you can’t take them both on the same day.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2020-2021 SAT Subject Test dates in Dubai to get your calendar together.

2020-2021 SAT Subject Test Dates and Deadlines

Subject tests are offered 5 times a year outside of the US and specific tests may be given on specific dates. Click here to register on the College Board’s site.

SAT Date: August 29, 2020
Registration Deadline: July 21, 2020

Tests Available

  • Literature
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Mathematics Level 1
  • Mathematics Level 2
  • Biology E/M
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • French
  • Spanish

SAT Date: October 3, 2020
Registration Deadline: September 4, 2020

Tests Available

  • Literature
  • U.S. History
  • Mathematics Level 1
  • Mathematics Level 2
  • Biology E/M
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • French
  • Spanish

SAT Date: November 7, 2020
Registration Deadline: October 7, 2020

Test Available

  • Literature
  • U.S. History
  • Mathematics Level 1
  • Mathematics Level 2
  • Biology E/M
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • French with listening
  • German with listening
  • Chinese with listening
  • Spanish with listening
  • Japanese with listening
  • Korean with listening

SAT Date: December 5, 2020
Registration Deadline: November 5, 2020

Tests Available

  • Literature
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Mathematics Level 1
  • Mathematics Level 2
  • Biology E/M
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • French
  • Spanish
  • Latin

SAT Date: May 8, 2021
Registration Deadline: April 8, 2021

Tests Available

  • Literature
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Mathematics Level 1
  • Mathematics Level 2
  • Biology E/M
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • French with listening
  • German with listening
  • Chinese with listening
  • Spanish with listening
  • Japanese with listening
  • Korean with listening

SAT Date: June 5, 2021
Registration Deadline: May 6, 2021

Tests Available

  • Literature
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Mathematics Level 1
  • Mathematics Level 2
  • Biology E/M
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Modern Hebrew
  • Italian
  • Latin

Tips for Your 2020-2021 SAT Subject Test Schedule

  1. You can take up to 3 SAT Subject Tests at the same session. Take the 2 you need on the same day and get it over with.
  2. Take the regular SAT in October and then again in December if you are not happy with your score or did not take the SAT in 11th grade.
  3. If you plan to take a Subject Test for a subject you took before, take it in the 11th grade. For example, if you had chemistry in the 10th grade and you plan to take the SAT Subject Test Chemistry, get it out of the way in the 11th grade. Don’t wait until the 12th grade to take it.

2020-2021 SAT Subject Test Guidelines for Outside the US

For SAT Subject test-taking purposes only, any student taking the SAT Subject Tests in Dubai is a considered an international student living outside the US (it doesn’t matter which passport you have).

Here are a few things you need to know about the 2020-2021 SAT Subject Test dates in Dubai:

  • There is no late registration for international testing.
  • SAT Subject Tests are generally given 5 times in any given school year, on the same days and in the same test centers as the SAT — but not all 20 tests are offered on every SAT date.
  • The Language with Listening tests are only offered in November.
  • You can take one, two, or three Subject Tests on any test date.
  • You can’t take the SAT and an SAT Subject Test on the same day.
  • Some SAT Subject Tests require you to bring special equipment — for example, CD players for Language with Listening tests.
  • When you register, you must tell us which SAT Subject Test(s) you plan to take. You can change your mind on test day, with limits.
  • You can’t switch to a Language with Listening Test that you’re not registered for, because they require special equipment.
  • Take only one Biology Subject Test per test date. After the first 60 questions, you have to choose either Biology Ecological or Biology Molecular; you can’t take both.
  • You can use calculators only on the Mathematics Level 1 and Level 2 Subject Tests.
  • The Language with Listening tests are always given in the first hour of testing. You can take only one Language with Listening test per test date.

Common Application Essays 2020-2021

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Common Application Essays 2020-2021

Coronavirus made the SAT optional for a lot of universities this year, but it didn’t do away with the Common Application essays 2020-2021.

Hopefully by now you have taken (or at least registered to take) the SAT. In addition, you’ve got your eye on a few universities to apply to in the United States. The easiest way to apply to a lot of universities at the same time is to use the Common Application. You can apply to more than 800 universities using one application.
​
Some universities have supplements that require you to write more essays. However, there are many good universities that don’t require extra work. So, you can do the application once and then keep applying. ​

You’re only required to complete ONE of the following essays. The maximum word count for these essays is 650 words each. You can be a little under but get as close as you can to 650 without going over. Don’t forget to edit and re-edit your essay because all of your universities will read it.

Our Comments on Common Application Essays 2020-2021 #1

Essay Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Only choose this question if there is something really unusual about you that has changed or made your life what it is. Examples of unusual things would include you:

  • and your family fled a country at war
  • are a person of multiple cultures (mixed race isn’t really enough, you need to have experienced extremes of your mixed cultures)
  • raised your younger siblings because you were born to a single mother
  • created an app that you were able to sell and made a bunch of money
  • are a world-renowned concert pianist or something similar

It’s not enough to be different, though. You need to have a compelling story to go with your differentness. Tell a clear, moving story that has a beginning, middle, and end. Discuss why this background, identity, etc. is so important that it needed to be mentioned in your application and hint at how it will allow you to contribute to your accepted university.

At the end of the essay, you should directly connect this quality about yourself to your academic goals and what you can offer. ​

Our Comments on 2020-2021 Essay Prompt #2

​Essay Prompt 2: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

You read this question and your first response was to think of a tiny failure that suggests you are so perfect that you rarely fail, right? Wrong. This type of response is classic and everyone knows what you’re doing. A great answer to this question shows real vulnerability.

When we sit down with students to outline an answer to this question, we ask about an EPIC FAIL and afterwards when their parents, siblings, friends, or teachers ripped them a new butt hole. We want THAT experience.

What happened? Specifically what did you do that caused you to fail (you’ve got to own it and take responsibility for your actions)? Your response? What did you think about? Did you learn something? Were you able to apologize, fix the failure, or was the moment gone?

Now matter how epic the fail, be sure to end on a happy, positive note (not something like going to university will redeem me). The best essays will reference the first part of the question and demonstrate (not just discuss) how the lessons from that failure made you successful later.

A common example (so don’t use this one) would be that you didn’t study at all for a class, then failed it, and didn’t pass the 10th grade. That experience was a wake up call that led you to start studying hard and reaching your academic potential. Eventually, you graduated in the top 5% of your high school class.

Our Comments on 2020-2021 Essay Prompt #3

Essay Prompt 3: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

This essay has the potential to be a great one if you have a strong idea that you were taught by your parents, adults that were in a position of trust (pastor, youth group leader, teacher, etc.), or friends that turned out to be wrong.

If you choose a story in which you questioned your friends or went against peer pressure, the belief or idea (basically the situation) needs to be bigger than a petty disagreement.

​A good story would be something like you spent a year bullying a kid with your friends and then you realized it was wrong and then protected him. A great story ends with you losing all your friends instead of the kid you bullied. I’d watch that movie…wouldn’t you?

Don’t forget this essay needs to be 650 words, so don’t just write the facts. Set the scene! Tell a great story and explain your thought process. Keep in mind that you should reveal what prompted you to act and the new beliefs or ideas that were formed because you challenged the original idea. A strong conclusion will answer whether you would make the same decision again and why.

Our Comments on 2020-2021 Essay Prompt #4

Essay Prompt 4: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma — anything of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

There are two options for this question: one problem that you have solved or one that you would like to solve. Since you’re applying to university, you, hopefully, are already intellectually curious. We suggest you choose this essay if you can readily identify an intellectual challenge or research query related to your CHOSEN major that you would like to solve. (Don’t pick the other option…it’s way too complicated!)

For example, if you want to major in math, choose a theorem or real world application of a mathematical concept that you want to solve. At the very least, you should want to know about it. Be sure to give all the “juicy” details of who created this theorem, how it works, and the shortcomings. You should also explain why this theorem interests you and how you would go about exploring it or finding a solution.

If you’re an IB student that had to do an investigation for SL/HL Math, you’ve got the perfect beginnings of your Common App essay!

Our Comments Common Application Essays 2020-2021 #5

Essay Prompt 5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Boy does the Common App love storytelling! This essay is another one begging you for a great, reflective story. If you choose this essay, you should think about a FIRST in your life. Was there a moment that was a classic coming-of-age or right of passage? Examples include:

  • The first time you took a trip by yourself
  • Your first job
  • A walkabout or right of passage ceremony in your culture (the weirder the better–as long as it’s true)

No matter what you write about, tell a great story and, as always, explain why this was importance.

Our Comments on 2020-2021 Essay Prompt #6

Essay Prompt 6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Wow…this essay has the potential to be a powerful exploration of your intellectual curiosity or…

An egghead treatise on an uninteresting subject.

If you choose to write this essay, be sure to consider these suggestions for:

  • Science based essays: eliminate jargon, define all essential vocabulary, and write it for a normal person (like a 12 year old) to understand
  • Math essays: explain without calculations, break each concept down, describe the real world applications of the the mathematical idea
  • Political or international issues: stay away from extreme political opinions, back up all your ideas with statistics (facts and examples do well also), be specific

Don’t forget the other parts of this question! Explain why this topics intrigues you. Ideally, you will give real examples to back your reasons up. Make sure you have an intellectual mentor that you mention turning to for more information. The internet cannot be your mentor. =(

Our Comments on 2020-2021 Essay Prompt #7

Essay Prompt 7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

We don’t ever recommend that students pick this option. Dumping an essay you wrote somewhere else for some other purpose is likely to lead to you not to be accepted to any university. The Common App, by definition, will shorten the work required to apply to universities. There’s no point in being SUPER lazy and not writing an essay that they will all accept. It will be worth writing,,,

And give you the best chances of getting in.

We can help you write your Common App essays!

Whatsapp us to find out how we can help you with your Common Application essays 2020-2021. We’ll meet with you in person, help you with 3 drafts, and do final reviews–all for an affordable rate.

 

2020-2021 SAT Test Dates in Dubai

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2020-2021 SAT Test Dates in Dubai

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the SAT schedule upside down. Nearly all the SAT test dates were cancelled early in 2020. The College Board has been scrambling since then to ensure the SAT is even offered. But you shouldn’t be confused! Here are the 2020-2021 SAT test dates in Dubai you need to know, so you can get your schedule together.

2020-2021 SAT Test Dates in Dubai

For this test cycle only, the SAT will be offered 6 times.

SAT Date: August 29, 2020
Registration Deadline: July 31, 2020

SAT Date: September 26, 2020
Registration Deadline: August 26, 2020

SAT Date: October 3, 2020
Registration Deadline: September 4, 2020

SAT Date: December 5, 2020
Registration Deadline: November 5, 2020

SAT Date: March 13, 2021
Registration Deadline: February 12, 2021

SAT Date: May 8, 2021
Registration Deadline: April 8, 2021

2020-2021 SAT Test Date Coronavirus Updates

Test centers do close periodically. Be sure to search to see if your test center is closed in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

Click here to see if your test center has closed

In general, test centers (schools) in the UAE are following the government’s requirements for coronavirus. When you go to take the SAT in Dubai, this means you may have:

  • Temperature checks before you enter the school
  • Limited capacity for SAT test takers
  • Social distancing while taking the test
  • To wear a mask the entire time you are taking the SAT

SAT Guidelines for Outside the US

For SAT test taking purposes only, any student taking the SAT in Dubai is a considered an international student living outside the US (it doesn’t matter which passport you have).Here are a few things you need to know about the 2020-2021 SAT test dates in Dubai:

  • The SAT is NOT offered all the time. It’s only offered a few times a year for students in Dubai.
  • ​International registration must be completed by 12 midnight Eastern Standard Time (about 8 hours behind Dubai). Registration usually closes about 1 month before the next SAT.
  • There is no November or June SAT for students in Dubai.
  • There’s no late registration for students in Dubai. You have to register online by the deadline. The deadline is about 1 month before the SAT you want to take.
  • SAT Subject Tests are available internationally in August, October, November, December, May, and June.
  • The SAT Subject Tests are offered on the same day as the SAT. If you need to take both tests, you have to take the SAT one month and the SAT Subject Tests another month.
  • The SAT costs about AED 147 to take.

Want even more information? Visit the College Board’s  International SAT Registration page for info on policies and other tests you might need to take. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I register for the SAT in May even if it’s only November?
Yes you can! As long as there is a register link on the College Board website under the date, you can register to take the SAT on that date.

Where can I take the SAT in Dubai?
Too many places to mention. Many schools in Dubai offer the SAT, so you can search on the College Board website for the one closest to you with available seats.​

How many times can I take the SAT?
As many as you want. You have “Score Choice,” which means can send 1 or all your SAT scores to your chosen universities. They will only see the scores you send them, so they won’t know how many times you took the SAT. More than twice is kind of a waste of money though…

Do I need to take the SAT to apply to Canadian universities?
It depends on the university and the curriculum in which you are studying. In general, if you ware studying in an American curriculum school, you need to take the SAT. For example, McGill University requires an SAT score of 1150 minimum and 2 SAT Subject Test (like math and physics). Plan accordingly!

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