NEWS FROM THE BLOG

12

10.10

8:12

How to Get a Killer Letter of Recommendation

Getting a killer letter of recommendation can be a valuable addition to your college or grad school applications. While you cannot dictate exactly what will go into your letter of recommendation, there are many ways to ensure that you will get the best letter of recommendation possible.

Selecting the right person to write a letter of recommendation is an important decision that deserves some thought. Try to select people that have been important to you during your education. People who know you well will have more to say than a teacher or professor who knew you only through one class. Select your guidance counselor only if you had a close relationship during your high school years. A teacher who was a mentor throughout high school or a professor who served as your adviser throughout college will be in a good position to write a good letter of recommendation.

In addition to choosing someone who knows you well, you may consider subject areas. For example, if you are applying to medical school, your undergraduate biology professor would be a better choice than your French professor. For undergraduate applications, most students will want to consider variety. Choose teachers who know you in different contexts and will be able to speak to your different skills and strengths. You want your letters of recommendations to make a cohesive picture of you as a student and as an individual.

It is always a good idea to give the people you select plenty of time to write the letter of recommendation. Make time to go see them in person to ask if they would be willing to write the letter in the first place. Discussing it in person will give you a chance to let them know more about your goals and why it would mean a lot to you to receive their letter of recommendation. Planning ahead will ensure that they have time to write the letter you deserve. Follow up with a reminder visit, phone call, or email if you or your guidance counselor have not received the letter within a week or two of the deadline.

Finally, don’t be shy about telling the person writing your letter of recommendation more about what you want to convey in your application. You can frame this more as a discussion about your future goals, but it is also a way to help them know how to best frame your letter. Your teachers and professors want to write the best letter possible, so giving them more information is always appreciated. You can also let them know that they can always ask if they have questions as they write your letter. Let them know that you appreciate their work and be sure to thank them and keep them updated on your application process. These are often the people who you want to remain engaged in your education and to keep as mentors in the future.

Please click here to learn more about college or grad school applications.

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07

10.10

8:03

What to Look for When Deciding Where to Apply to College

Part of the reason that the college search can seem so daunting to high school students is that there are many factors to consider. Isolating things that really matter can be challenging, but with a little research, you’ll be able to make good choices about your college applications.

One basic decision you will need to make is how far from home you would like to be during college. Some students prefer to stay close by, while others will want to be within a few hours drive from their families. Other students think nothing of applying to schools across the country or around the world. This is a personal decision, but one that will greatly impact your college decisions.

The type of location is another important factor. Some students will want a college located in the heart of a city, while others won’t mind being in a rural setting. Along the same lines, consider if you want to be part of a large campus or a university with graduate students on campus too. Some students prefer a large college environment while others want a smaller school where there is often more interaction between students and professors.

Rankings are often an important tool for high school students. Look at the average SAT scores and percentage of applicants that are accepted. A high school guidance counselor can also help you to pinpoint schools that are a good fit for you academically. When you look at rankings, you may also want to look at the retention rate or how many students continue on at the college after the first year.

When you visit a college campus, talk to as many students and professors as possible. Students will be great for honest advice and a look at the type of people you would be living and learning with on campus. Ask them about their classes, their favorite part of campus, and why they chose the school. Ask professors to describe the average student on campus and to tell you what you can expect from their department.

Another factor has to be finances. Many public schools will offer lower tuition to in-state students and many are very affordable. Most private colleges are more expensive, but many offer excellent financial aid packages. If cost is a factor, get all of the information you can about financial aid packages and what the average student ends up actually paying.

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05

10.10

12:34

Time Management Tips for Students

Time management is the key to success for students. Being able to budget time, prioritize, and plan ahead are skills that will help you to stay on top of academic work while making time for other responsibilities and activities. With part-time jobs, test preparation, academics, extracurricular activities, and a social life, it’s no wonder many students feel overwhelmed. Developing strong time management skills will help to bring everything under control.

Keeping a daily to-do list can be a great starting point for students who want to get a better handle on their time. Once you have written down everything that needs to be done, go back and prioritize each item on a scale of one to five. Ones are things that must be done right now, fives are things that have no urgency, and everything else falls somewhere in between. Make a goal to cross off all of the ones, twos, and threes by the end of the day, or whatever makes sense for your schedule and list.

Strategically breaking down school assignments, like a large paper, is a skill that can translate to other things as well. Break down your study time into manageable blocks of time well in advance and you won’t be scrambling the night before a big test. For high school students, breaking down your college search process into steps and you’ll be much less stressed senior year. Forming good habits early on will help carry you through college and beyond.

Preparation is critical to good time management and keeping track of your schedule is where it all begins. Find a method that works for you, whether it’s your online calendar or your day planner. Get in the habit of writing down assignments and checking them off. Break assignments down as you receive them and don’t be afraid to ask a parent, teacher, or mentor for help and advice if you feel overwhelmed. These people are often more than happy to offer their tips and support.

Setting aside a specific time of day for studying is another method that will help build good time management skills. For some students, studying immediately after school allows them to enjoy the rest of the evening and feel relaxed. For others, a few hours after dinner is the practical time to devote to work. Whichever time block makes sense, consistency will help you build a schedule that works for you.

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30

09.10

8:00

Your High School Junior Year SAT Test Prep Plan

Junior year can be a challenging year for high school students. Many students will be taking challenging courses, making plans to visit colleges and make decisions about the future, and keeping a strong GPA for their college applications. Junior year is also the time to focus on SAT prep.

Juniors should begin preparing for the SAT as soon as possible so that the process doesn’t have to be rushed. For most students, SAT test prep will involve an online course or traditional class, plenty of practice tests, and time spent studying material for the test.

High school students can choose to take the SAT as many times as they want. For this reason, students may want to take the SAT for the first time in the fall of junior year so that they have plenty of time to take the test again in the winter or spring. It can be smart to use the summer before junior year for SAT test prep and focusing on what you will need to study while preparing for the SAT.

While you can continue to take the SAT during senior year, most students will prefer to complete the test during junior year. This will allow seniors in high school to turn their attention to college applications and making decisions about where they will be going to college. Students will also want to have their final scores before they begin sending out their college applications.

Once you receive your first SAT scores, you will need to decide whether you will want to take the test again to improve your scores. Colleges will accept the highest reading score, highest verbal score, and highest math score and combine them to find your final total SAT score. Due to this scoring system, there is no disadvantage to taking the SAT multiple times to improve your score.

Additional SAT prep after taking the test once can help you to focus on trouble areas that revealed themselves during the test and to increase study time on the subjects that need the most improvement. Developing a realistic plan to prepare for the SAT will help you to approach junior year with confidence. Carrying out your plan will help you to enter senior year with your best possible SAT scores.

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28

09.10

9:09

Paying for College: What You Need to Know

Paying for college can be challenging, but there are many options available to help. It is important to start thinking about it early and develop a plan for how you will pay for a college education. If a parent or other relative will be helping to fund your college education, it is important to have a conversation with them about how much they are prepared to contribute. For students who will be paying their own way, there are several options to make this more manageable.

For many high school students, a part-time job can be a great way to save money for college. Weekends, after-school hours, and school breaks all provide a great opportunity to gain some work experience and make money to put away for college. The summer months provide the perfect time to work more hours and save. Be sure to plan a realistic work schedule during the school year that will allow you to earn money while also keeping up with your academic schedule.

Scholarships and grants are a great way to pay for college. By beginning the process early, you will have time to apply to the many scholarships available both nationally and locally. Websites such as Fastweb are a great resource to find scholarships that match your profile. It is also important to seek out local resources in your community. Many high school guidance offices will be able to help guide you through the application process and recommend good sources of financial assistance.

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will let you know if you qualify to federal grants or loans to help pay for college. Once you are accepted to a college, you will also be able to weigh the financial aid options available from that institution. Most schools offer both merit-based and need-based financial aid for incoming students. The Federal Work Study program is another resource available to students. Through this program, students earn a set amount of funding by working a part-time job, typically in a department on campus, while going to school.

There are many resources available to help students pay for their education. By exploring options, planning ahead, and getting applications in on time, students can devise a good strategy to pay for college.

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24

09.10

2:39

Top 10 Tips for Time Management in Business School

Time management is essential for success in business school. By applying these tips, you can establish organizational and time management techniques that will work for you.

1. Keep calendars that make sense for you. By now, you should have a good sense of your work habits, potential trouble areas, and how you best manage information. For more visual people, this may mean having a large wall calendar where you can keep track of classes, assignments, work, and blocks of study time.

2. Write everything down. While students today have many options for electronic calendars and organizers, there is value in keeping traditional to-do lists. Get in the habit of writing down a daily schedule and goals for the day that you can check off as they get done. The act of writing down priorities will help focus your mind on the present.

3. Remember what works. Think about your high school and undergraduate years, particularly if you have been out of school for a few years. Remembering the study habits that worked for you then can help you translate them into time management skills that will work now.

4. Learn to prioritize from the moment you are given an assignment. As you do this, it will become second nature to order your work. This mental exercise will help you throughout business school and in your career.

5. Break everything down. Courses in business school are often built around one or more large assignments that can seem overwhelming at first. Focus on breaking each assignment into manageable pieces and set your own deadlines to stay on track.

6. Tune into your natural clock. While much of the real world operates from nine to five, in business school, it’s important to know when you are at your best. Schedule blocks of study time and classes for the time of day when your brain is engaged. For some people this will mean studying in the morning, for others, night classes and studying at night will make more sense.

7. Fight procrastination. Procrastination is the enemy of any student. In business school, it is even more important to banish it from your study habits. Make “do it now” your mantra and whenever you are tempted for put off an assignment until later, remember that in the time you spend procrastinating, you could already be halfway done.

8. Have a work space. Set aside an area, a private office or just a corner of your room, to use only for schoolwork. You will get in the habit of focusing when you are at your desk and relaxing when you are not.

9. Make time for breaks. Taking time to relax and participate in activities you enjoy can help you to perform better academically too. Breaks will keep you from getting over-stressed.

10. Ask for advice. Don’t forget to use your professors as a resource. They can be a great source of time management and study tips. They will often be happy to offer their advice.

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21

09.10

1:29

What You Should be Asking Your High School Guidance Counselor?

The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to make time to speak with your high school guidance counselor. Guidance counselors can be a great hub of information and a wonderful resource throughout your high school career and college application process. The more information your guidance counselor has about you and your goals for the year and for the future, the better he or she can help you to succeed.

For underclassmen, guidance counselors can be very helpful in planning out your courses for upcoming years. Ask them what they recommend based on your past transcript and what you are interested in studying. Guidance counselors can often help you to find information about college requirements for high school courses and help you to put together the best schedule to meet your needs. They can also help you to build good study skills and be sure that you have the right tools to do well in your courses.

When it comes to SAT preparation, guidance counselors can be a great place to go for advice. They can help you to identify goals and organization skills to develop a preparation plan. A good plan for test prep will ensure that you can come away with the best SAT score possible. Guidance counselors have helped many students through the process and can be a great source of advice.

Guidance counselors are a great resource when you are applying for colleges. Not only can they help you to prepare the best application possible, but they can help you to work through the college search process and weigh the various options available. Based on your transcript and SAT score, counselors can also help you to be sure you are applying to a range of schools to provide you with good options.

If you can communicate openly with your guidance counselor about what you are looking for in a college experience, he or she can help determine if your current schools are a good match. Ask if there are students from your school who went on to your college, they can often help answer questions about the application process and the experience they have had in college so far.

Having an open and positive relationship with your guidance counselor is a great step to success in your academic career. He or she will be able to advocate for your needs, support your decisions, and help you to make good choices about college and career plans. Making an appointment and asking the right questions can make all the difference.

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16

09.10

10:14

GMAT Analytical Writing Section

The Analytical Writing Assessment is one of the three parts of the GMAT exam. It is designed to test critical thinking skills and to measure the test taker’s ability to communicate information effectively. GMAT test prep is important to get test takers prepared to handle each of the Analytical Writing Assessment sections. Online test prep is often a particularly good option as it allows individuals to make their own schedule and complete GMAT test prep whenever they have free time.
The Analytical Writing Assessment is divided into two 30-minute essays. The first is the Analysis of an Issue and the second an Analysis of an Argument. Each essay is deigned to gauge the test taker’s ability to write analytically and present cohesive ideas. While the essay topics generally cover topics related to business, they should not require any prior knowledge of the subject. Taking GMAT practice tests is a great way to become familiar with the type of essay prompt that will appear on the exam.

The Analysis of an Issue section requires test takers to analyze an issue and form a point of view. There is no correct answer to this section and it is important to consider perspectives. The essay should express an articulate, thought-out position on the given issue. Test takers should draw from their own experiences, reading, and prior knowledge base t back up their opinion.

The Analysis of an Argument section tests the ability to read and critique an argument that is given in the prompt. Test takers should not bring their own views into this essay, but simply analyze the opinion that is given in the argument. The essay should consider what assumptions have been made in the argument and cite any information that could weaken the argument.

It is important to manage time effectively throughout the exam to be sure that you have time to complete each essay to the best of your ability. Preparing for the Analytical Writing Assessment can be challenging, but with the right GMAT test prep plan, you can enter the exam feeling ready to handle any essay prompt with ease.

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14

09.10

9:13

Should I take the SAT II?

The SAT II is made up of subject tests that students choose to take individually. Deciding whether or not to take any SAT II tests will depend largely on your academic strengths and the colleges to which you are applying. Some colleges will have requirements about SAT II exams while others will not require them at all.
Even if you are not required to take the SAT II, strong scores will only add to your college applications. Online test prep, including plenty of practice tests to get familiar with the subject tests, will help students prepare for each SAT II exam.

The Literature subject test is designed to measure how well students can read and interpret passages of literature. The test is made up of about 60 multiple choice questions in six to eight sections. The content is approximately half poetry and half prose and approximately half British authors and half American authors. Students taking the Literature subject test should know terminology used to interpret literature.

Two history tests are given: SAT II World History and SAT II US History. The US History test is made up of approximately 90 multiple choice questions covering political, social, economic, and cultural history, as well as foreign policy.

French, Spanish, German, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese are all available as a foreign language test and as a language with listening test. Italian, Modern Hebrew, and Latin are available only as exams without a listening section. The language exams are made up of approximately 85 questions that cover reading comprehension, vocabulary, and structure. The listening exam is made up of 35 percent listening section where test takers will listen to passages and answer questions based on the information.

There are two levels of SAT II math tests available. Math I is for students who have taken at least two years of algebra and one year of geometry. Math II is for students who have also taken courses in pre-calculus and trigonometry. Each math test is made up of 50 questions.

There are three SAT II science exams. Students taking the SAT II Biology can opt on test day to take Biology Ecological or Biology Molecular based on which type of biology questions they would like to answer. 20 out of the 80 multiple choice questions on the exam will be specialized towards either ecological or molecular biology based on the selection. The SAT II Physics exam covers all basic areas of physics and has 75 questions. SAT II Chemistry is made up of 85 questions covering major topics in Chemistry. Students should be prepared to recall knowledge as well as apply knowledge and synthesize information.

Each exam takes one hour to complete and is scored on a 200-800 point scale. If you excel in one or more of the subject areas that can be tested on the SAT II, it can often be beneficial to demonstrate this knowledge by performing well on the SAT II subject tests.

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09

09.10

1:59

2010 Business School Rankings

Choosing a good business school is an important decision for your education and career. It is important to take time to learn about various programs and review all of the information and rankings available. US News & World Report and Business Week are two reliable sources that rank the top business schools each year.

In 2010, Harvard Business School at Harvard University and Stanford University’s tied for first on the US News and World Report list. Third place went to the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and fourth to Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. The University of Chicago’s Booth School and University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School tied for fifth place on the list of top business schools.

Business Week also provides rankings of the best business schools in the United States, as well as the top international programs and part-time options. Business week ranked University of Chicago’s Booth School first, Harvard Business School second and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School third. Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania came in fourth on Business Week’s list and the University of Michigan’s Ross School placed fifth.

The Queen’s School of Business in Kingston, Ontario ranked first in Business Week’s list of top international business schools. Business Week also ranked the best part-time MBA programs with Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts coming out on top. Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School placed first on this list in 2009. There are many excellent part-time programs that are designed to fit into each student’s unique situation and schedule. Through these programs, it is possible for students to continue to work or have a family while they are earning their MBA.

Admissions for the top business schools are extremely competitive. It is important to prepare an application that sets you apart from the pool of applicants. For business school applications it is important to highlight your unique experiences in work, education, and even travel. These are things that will shape how you perceive business and how your MBA will fit into your career plan.

Performing well on the GMAT is key for people who want to attend a top business school. The GMAT, in combination with the undergraduate transcript and work experience, will help to determine where you will be accepted. A solid GMAT test prep program will prepare you to excel on the GMAT. When preparing for the test, online test prep programs are a great option for people with full time jobs and hectic schedules. GMAT practice exams will help test takers to prepare for the unique format of the GMAT.

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