UM School of Education to Hold an Open House

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The University of Michigan’s School of Education is holding an open house for potential undergraduate and graduate students. During the event, faculty, admissions officers and even current education students will be there to answer questions and to welcome the guests.

Features of the open house

The open house aims to relay information about the School of Education to potential students. Admissions officers and even the current faculty and students will be talking about teacher education, certification, joint degree, higher degree programs, and the school’s partnership with Teach for America. Through the open house, the School of Education hopes to encourage more students to take up a career in education.

Details of the open house

The UM School of Education Open House will be held on October 21, 2010 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The event will be held at the School of Education building. This two-hour event will be packed with activities, with the first 15 minutes especially allocated to the Meet and Greet. There will be talks and even a writing workshop for the prospective education students. The organizers will be serving refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.

For those who are interested in the open house, it is best to register at http://sitemaker.umich.edu/education.osadata/open_house_2010_registration first.

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Preparing for the MCAT

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The MCAT is crucial to landing that important medical school interview. A good one can eclipse the fact that the applicant does not have as much medical background as other applicants with lower MCAT scores. On the other hand, a bad one can weigh down an otherwise good set of credentials. The MCAT is not really the most accurate indicator of how a person will do in medical school but applicants still need to do well in this standardized test. Standardized tests, no matter what the field, become one of the best bases of admissions committee on how good an applicant is because these tests help gauge a student’s ability to analyze things.

Doing well on the MCAT

So, students who are planning to take the MCAT should not feel bad about shelling out $1,000 to $2,000 for a test prep course. The amount can turn out to be a great investment. Working under a prep course may help applicants to cover the large amount of material needed to be learned for the MCAT. Practice tests will also help applicants get a feel of the real MCAT.

Actual techniques

Those who are preparing for the MCAT should have a study plan or a schedule of topics to cover over a period of time. They must go through practice tests to develop proper test taking skills.

All About University of Texas Austin McCombs

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McCombs is a business school located at the University of Texas at Austin. The school of business administration was established in 1922, decades after the University of Texas at Austin was founded. The school was named after the businessman Red McCombs after he donated $50 million to UT Austin in May 11, 2000.

Degrees offered

McCombs School of Business is ranked on top of the list of excellent schools for business in the US. Its programs are ranked high on many business school reviews. The school’s program include undergrad, graduate, and doctoral programs. Each program offers various courses.

Alumni

McCombs has produced many notable alumni, not just in the field of business but also in other areas. Among the famous graduates of the school is Gary C. Kelly, the CEO of Southwest Airlines, Thomas O. Hicks, the owner of the Texas Ranger, and Donald Evans, the former US Secretary of Commerce. ConocoPhillips CEO James Mulva ’68 & ’69 is also an alumnus of this business school. The co-founder of Clear Channel Communications and co-owner of San Antonio Spurs, and the name sake of the school, Red McCombs is also an alumnus.

Rankings and reviews

The programs at McCombs are among the top business programs in the country. The undergrad program for accounting and the graduate program for accounting are both on the top ranks according to the US News. Its Marketing and Management programs are also on the list of the best business programs in the whole of the United States. The University of Texas at Austin, in general is one of the high ranking academic institutions in the country.

Admission tips

Because McCombs is one of the most competitive business schools in the US, applicants should have an excellent school record in order to be considered for admissions. Aside from that, applicants should also ace the entrance exam and interview with flying colors. Because the business doesn’t accept summer or spring applications, applicants should only apply during fall.

For applicants who are postgraduates, the school prefers those who have a minimum of 2 years work experience (full time).

Admission facts

Admissions to this business school is highly competitive. As a matter of fact, only 1,375 applicants were admitted out of a total of 6,391 applicants in 2009.

Contact info

To learn more about the school, you can visit the official website at www.mccombs.utexas.edu. For the b-school admissions, you can contact the representative by calling (512) 471-5921. For sending mails, the mailing address is 1 University Station, B6000, Austin, TX.

Photo Credits: Daniel

University of Illinois Career Fair Held to Promote Graduate Schools and Programs

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The University of Illinois had helped made the annual Graduate and Professional School Fair possible. The Career Fair was sponsored by the University of Illinois Career Center, which took place in Illini rooms A, B, and C. The career fair, held last October 6, 2010, featured not only graduate and professional programs from the University of Illinois but also those from other universities and colleges all over the country. Members of the Career Fair Outreach Team said that the fair was really designed to promote various schools that offer higher education. The fair is also offering upperclassmen a glimpse of the programs in the graduate and professional levels. Even sophomores managed to mingle during the fair to have an advanced look of what could be ahead academically.

The format of the event

Using the three Illini rooms, booths were set up to provide information about a wide variety of disciplines, from architecture, medicine, and psychology to education and journalism. There are many other graduate programs on exhibit to provide visiting students with a wide range of choices. They do not have to feel limited when it comes to their higher education choices. There were 125 booths all in all.

Relationship with visiting schools

There are some repeat visiting schools, such as the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism. The school is also offering a new program, the Integrated Marketing Communications, which is a more business-oriented version of journalism,. The school’s representative, William Kartsimas, said that though the school is not able to visit all career fairs all over the nation, it takes time to visit the University of Illinois’ career fair.

Clearing admissions process doubts

Some students say that the career fair helped them know more details about the admissions process in the graduate level. This gave them insights about graduate school admissions. They could even start early with the preparations, such as gathering requirements.

Photo Credits: Raymond Cunningham

Writing Personal Statements for Law School

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Law school applicants must recognize the fact that the component of their law school applications that they can best control is the personal statement. This is because undergraduate transcripts can no longer be tweaked, letters of recommendation can only be requested from people who know them during their academic and professional journey, and work and leadership experiences may only be changed if they want to delay their law school application. That said, this leaves the law school personal statement to be the only thing under the applicant’s full control. The applicant should then focus much of his or her energy on writing an effective personal statement.

Writing with a purpose and for the readers

The law school applicant can use his or her motivations for pursuing such a degree to write his personal statement. Aside from the purpose, the applicant must focus on the readers as well. He or she must be able to gauge the impact of the personal statement on the admissions committee.

Anticipating the essay’s effect on interview questions

It is important to be honest and sincere when writing the law school personal statement. The applicant must also be able to anticipate the questions that the essay may generate. He or she must remember that the law school admission process usually culminates with an interview, and the interviewer will be referring to the essay when asking questions.

Promoting one’s self

A personal statement should be able to represent the law school applicant who is not there when the admissions committee members are reading the essay. The essay should then accurately represent who the applicant really is. The admissions committee must be convinced that the applicant is a perfect fit to the law school.

Excellent writing skills

Of course, everything would be for nothing if the applicant cannot express him or herself articulately. The personal statement must use correct English grammar, have a strong introduction, present a powerful conclusion, and create an overall persuasive argument. The law school applicant must already show that he or she has the powers of persuasion.

Photo Credits: tnarik

Los Angeles Valley College’s Lion’s Den Housing Applications

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Los Angeles Valley College is relying on pure technology when it comes to its applications. The Lion’s Den, which is found on the Cafeteria Building, is now housing several computers that can be used by applicants to apply for admissions and for current students, to add and drop classes. The computers are available for the convenience of the applicants and the college students.

Schedule of the Lion’s Den

Admission applicants, however, have to know the schedule of operations of the Lion’s Den, if that is where they want to apply. They should note that the Lion’s Den is open from 9 am to 4 pm during Mondays to Thursdays and from 9 am to 2 pm only on Fridays.

Using the Lion’s Den computers

For applicants who do not have access to www.lavc.edu outside of campus, it is best to come early to use a computer in the Lion’s Den. Since no paper applications are accepted, so applicants must find a way to apply for admissions online. In which case, the Lion’s Den computers have been set up for the convenience of applicants with no computers of their own or Internet access. Even adding and dropping of subjects are done purely online. Students who are adding subjects, however, have to present an add permit granted by the instructor. ADA accommodations are also available to applicants and students with disabilities.

The use of computers to apply for admission at an academic institution can speed things up provided that the system has been checked for and relieved from bugs. The Los Angeles Valley College has prepared computers for the application process. This facility will specially cater tot hose who may not have an Internet access outside of campus. The school has prepared facilities that applicants and students with disabilities may be able to use to make the process more accessible.

Photo Credits: Collin Knopp-Schwyn

Free Textbooks for a Year Scholarship

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Usually, when thinking of scholarship grants, some may think of financial aid in the form of cash, which can be physically handed to the student or directly paid to the school on his or her behalf. Sometimes, however, scholarships can be given in kind. For MyBookBuyer.com, it is offering a scholarship in the form of free textbooks a year through an essay contest. The grand prize and consolation prizes are still in cash, and winners can use this to buy college textbooks. The grand prize has been set at a particular cost based on the estimate of one year’s worth of textbook in college.

How do you join?

Those are enrolled in college and are over 18 and a legal resident of the United States may join the essay contest. Participants have to write an essay on the topic: “Which is more important, education or healthcare?” The essay must be between 500 and 1,000 words and must be submitted through MyBookBuyer.com’s online form. Participants have to submit the form by October 31, 2010. The announcement of winners will be on December 15.

What are the other requirements?

Other requirements that one needs to submit are documents that serve as proof of age, residency, and student status. Participants must also sign a publicity release because if they win the grand prize, the essay will be published on MyBookBuyer.com. Another requirement is a high resolution headshot.

What are the prizes like?

As mentioned earlier, the grand prize of equivalent to the approximate cost of one year’s worth of textbooks. The grand prize is $1,250, while the runner ups will be receiving $250 each.

The MyBookBuyer.com contest will be benefit a lot of students looking for additional financial aid opportunities. Some of these opportunities require application forms and documents, while others may require a winning essay such as this one.

Photo Credits: textbookace

Tips on What to Expect from the Law School Admission Test

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Law school is tough. It has to be to create lawyers that can make logical arguments and arrive at the truth. TheLaw School Admission Test (LSAT) is then used to gauge the analytical and logical reasoning of would-be law school students. However, when certain apprehensions are added to the mix, the applicant can get very flustered and may fail the exam because of nervousness, which can be very unfortunate. Though failing after a good fight is better, passing the exam is still best.

Reasoning tests

Reasoning tests, both analytical and logical, are LSAT mainstays. Admission tests prioritize logical test results as well since logical reasoning is a very important factor of a law student’s, and eventually a lawyer’s, life. The applicant must be able to show just how competent he or she is when dealing with arguments. The applicant must be able to present his or her arguments in a logical and organized way.

Analytical reasoning is also vital to an applicant’s admission into a law program. This test is basically like the logical reasoning in terms of gauging the ability of the applicant to use logic and problem-solving skills. Applicants do have to watch out for over-analysis, as some can easily get too carried away when taking the LSAT that they over-analyze everything.

Reading comprehension

Most entrance and standardized tests have reading comprehension. If an applicant is ready to pursue higher education, he or she must be able to show a certain degree of understanding and comprehension when reading a text in a given limited time. This is especially true for law students and lawyers who have to read pages and pages of text and make sense of them all in a short period of time. The applicant must not only keep things in memory but also comprehend the very point of each passage.

The LSAT can be an intimidating exam but if the applicant has what it takes to become a lawyer, he or she is expected to do well in it. If this is not the case, then the applicant may be better suited for another career. With proper preparation and steady nerves, the applicant will allow the test to be very accurate in gauging his or her capabilities.

Photo Credits: Bryan Gosline

Introduction to Washington University in St Louis Olin

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The Olin Business School is one of the seven schools at the Washington University St. Louis. The school was named after the entrepreneur John M. Olin. The school was actually founded in 1917, but it was called the Olin Business School only in 1988.

Degrees offered

The school offers various programs and courses. These include MBA, BSBA, MS in Finance, MS in Supply Chain Management, Executive MBA, Masters in Accounting, and PhD Degrees. The business programs in Olin Business School are considered among the best in the country. The doctoral program at Olin Business School focuses on quantitative methodology, economics, and mentorship with the faculty. This technique aims to prepare doctoral students for teaching and scholarship careers.

Alumni

The Olin School at Washington University St. Louis boasts many notable alumni. These include the president and CEO of Mel Bay William Bay, the CEO of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation David P. Connor, the adventurer and options trader Steve Fossett, and the president and CEO of HNI Corporation Stan A. Askren. Aside from the ones mentioned, Olin Business School produced more notable personalities not only in the business world, but also outside of it.

Rankings and reviews

Olin is ranked among the world’s top schools for business by the Financial Tines, the Economist, the US News and World Report, and the BusinessWeek. The full-time MBA program of Olin is ranked numer 19th in the 2011 edition of the US News. The part-time MBA program is ranked number 10 by the same body. The Undergraduate program of Olin School is ranked by the Businessweek as 13th and the full-time MBA program as 28th.

Admission tips

Aside from passing the entrance exam and initial admissions interview, one must also submit a notable personal statement to get better chances of admissions to this competitive business school. Having an excellent high school record is also a plus. This business school is highly competitive sothis is why passing the requirement is not enough. One must really exceed the requirements in order to succeed in the admissions process, as this business school is quite competitive.

Admission facts

2010 Enrolment data

Program Enrollment
Full-Time MBA 300
BSBA 705
PMBA 395
EMBA- St. Louis 142
EMBA – Shanghai 99
MS Finance 5
PhD 52

Contact info

Information about the Olin Business School can be found at www.olin.wustl.edu. The school’s office is located in Danforth Campus, Simon Hall, Suite 114. The admissions email address is mba@wustl.edu. You can also reached personnels by calling 314-935-7301.

GWSB Will Accept GRE for MBA Admissions

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The George Washington School of Business (GWSB) will start accepting the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as a standardized test basis during admissions. This will take effect on the applications season for school year 2011-2012.

Reasons behind the decision

So why is the GWSB accepting the GRE as a basis for admissions? This is because the GRE allowance should help the GSWB create more diversity in the classroom in terms of educational background. With this, it is also expected that the number of applicants will increase, which translates to the GSWB having more applicants to choose from. This increase in the number of applicants can also help provide just a little more flavor into the upcoming student body of the GWSB. Allowing students from various educational backgrounds, including the liberal arts, will also provide new and different perspectives about business, according to Doug Guthrie, GSWB dean and professor of management and international business.

Benefits to the applicants

Judith Stockmon, the executive director of the George Washington Graduate Admissions, says that the administration is really excited about offering the GRE acceptance to applicants who desire a graduate degree in business. Applicants now do not need to have a business background to become part of a business graduate degree. Therefore, it is not too late for applicants to start considering a career in business with the GRE helping them get into an MBA program. The GSWB is also happy to be part of a growing group of top-notch business schools that are offering the testing option.

On the GMAT

Those who are wishing to seek a higher education in business must be familiar with the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), a standard test used to gauge the preparedness of an applicant for an MBA degree. Applicants who have already taken the GMAT should be relieved to know that the GWSB will still be accepting GMAT results.

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