College Connect

ISB Essay Tips

2010-08-24T02:07:00.000-07:00

In just a couple of weeks from now, the ISB admissions office is going to be flooded with hundreds of applications. Most will be read and then tossed into a large pile of rejected applicants while only a select few will be considered good enough for an interview call.

The one thing every successful ISB applicant has done right is produce strong, effective and interesting responses to the three essay questions. Drawing from College Connect’s success in placing several students at India’s leading business school last year, below is detailed discussion on each essay topic.

1) If we were to admit one more student to the class of 2012, make a compelling argument as to why that student should be you? (300 words)

To begin, forget the wordy phrasing and think about the simple prompt: “Why you?” In other words, this question is nothing but an insightful sales pitch that puts the onus on applicants to state explicitly why they think they are good enough to be admitted. You need to think about what sets you apart – Is it your career progression to date? Is it your unique skills-set? Is it your passion for a certain industry, idea or activity? Is it your distinctive vision for the future? These broad questions are a good place to start. However, what really sets the stellar applicants apart is their ability to delve further; to go beyond generic statements everybody can make. For instance, do not waste precious space talking about how hardworking you are or how intelligent you are. These “fluff” essays add little to your overall candidacy and if admission officers don’t get a good sense of the sort of person you are, you’re not going to get in. It’s as simple as that.

Ideally, you want to either highlight a specific factor (or accomplishment), or substantiate a broader claim with specific examples and anecdotes that draw readers into your personal or professional history. Remember, at the end of the day, what they are looking for is unique individuals with convincing stories. So, it is vital you do some soul-searching and come up with a personalized response to this question.

2) What are your short term and long term goals? How will the ISB help you achieve the same?

A run-of-the-mill career goals question? Perhaps, but your answer should be anything but that. Given you have just two compulsory essay questions to answer, you need to use this prompt to shed light on your professional aspirations. The trick here is to connect the past with the future. The biggest mistake applicants tend to make is to either disregard their previous work experience or fail to specifically address their ambitions for the future. Strike a good balance. Touch on your professional responsibilities and accomplishments, highlight the skills you have acquired and give the reader an insight into how that has shaped your vision for the future. Most importantly, however, address the question: What are your short and long term goals? Be as specific as you can. (That being said, it is usually not a good idea to name specific companies you want to work for). If you are continuing with your current career path, draw out your expectations for the future. Talk about the roles you want to play and the responsibilities you would like to assume. If you are looking to switch careers, highlight what attracts you to your new choices and how your past work experience will help you.

Do not at any cost forget to answer the second part of the question. You are expected to have done significant research on ISB! Again, you need to be specific. Are they any courses that particularly excite you? Any faculty members you admire? Any clubs, opportunities or international immersion programs you want be apart of? If you have met any ISB faculty members or alumni, there is not harm is slipping that in as long as it doesn’t detract from the flow of the essay. Ideally, you want to tie in the ‘Why ISB?’ part of the essay with your professional goals for the future.

This essay is undoubtedly challenging given that you need to get across so much information in a measly 300 words. So remember to be concise. Each sentence must add value!

3) Please provide additional information, that will significantly affect the consideration of your application to the ISB.

Usually additional information questions are best left untouched if there is nothing significant to add. However, given you have just two other essays for ISB, it is highly advisable you try and tackle this question. One word of caution: Do not think of this essay as an invitation to list achievements. The biggest mistake most Indian applicants make is to turn this question into a laundry list of accomplishments. Remember, your resume is there for that!

This is your chance to either strengthen your candidature or address any weaknesses in your application. Without being repetitive, you could consider using this essay to highlight positive traits such as leadership, creativity, team-work or commitment. You could also pick on non-professional themes such as extracurricular activities or hobbies. Some of most effective essays written are about passions such as travelling and reading. If you have significant gaps in your work experience or think your GMAT score is not a true reflection of your academic potential, this is also your chance to address these issues. You will be surprised to know how many successful ISB applicants have spun apparent “weaknesses” into “strengths” that show the candidate in a very positive light.

The above discussion should give prospective ISB applicants some insight into the essay questions. At College Connect, we believe every applicant has a convincing story to tell and we work closely with all our applicants to ensure they produce successful essays. It is not surprising therefore that we have one of the highest success rates in placing students at ISB.

To discuss your own essays and take the first step towards ISB, give us a call at 9999177517.

For a limited time, we are offering special comprehensive ISB support including brainstorming, editing and rewriting for Rs. 10,000 only.

A Breakdown of the Common App Essay Topics

2010-08-02T00:53:00.000-07:00

Most undergraduate students applying to the US will at some point need to tackle the essays in the Common Application. Given how broad the topics are, and the fact that you just have to pick one of the six topics, your options are endless. One way to think about these essays is to first ask yourself -- “What do I want admission committees to know about myself?” If you have a compelling answer, it will undoubtedly fit into one of the six prompts.

Before getting started with your essay, its a good idea to spend a few minutes reflecting on Common App’s instructions -- “Please write an essay (250 words minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below, and attach it to your application before submission. Please indicate your topic by checking the appropriate box. This personal essay helps us become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself.” As the bold portion of the instructions indicate, your essay needs to personal and should not read like a laundry list of achievements. To understand this further, please read our previous blog article on building an effective story. Below is a discussion of individual common app essay topics.

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
One of the broadest essay prompts you will ever see, this topic provides an empty canvas for you to write about almost anything. That does not mean you ignore some basic rules. First, notice the most important phrase - “evaluate a significant.” This means you need to evaluate and not simply describe, you need to focus on one particular experience/achievement/risk or dilemma not several, and it must be personally significant to you. Don’t simply describe something; make sure to delve deeper into the issue. Don’t spend half the essay describing your winning goal or 100% marks in Math! Rather, talk about why that achievement or experience was important to you. Use this essay prompt to come across as an intelligent, insightful and mature individual.

Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
The biggest mistake most applicants make while tackling this question is that they forget this is a personal essay. These pieces often tend to turn into academic works that shed little insight into the applicant’s mind. First things first, only choose this essay prompt if you are really passionate about a certain issue. Second, ask yourself if you have done something about the issue? If you have, this could be a great essay topic for you. Just remember, if this turns out into a rant about global warming or the Godhra Riots, and doesn’t get personal at all, you could be in trouble.

Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
Again, like the previous question, remember this essay prompt is slightly misleading. You are expected to talk about another person, and yet, at the end of the day, the essay has to focus on you. Try and stick away from cliched answers about dad’s business acumen or mom’s compassion. Admission committees receive thousands of “rags-to-riches” stories about grandfathers and uncles, so unless you have something really unique to say, don’t tackle this question.

Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
If done well, this essay can turn into a very interesting, compelling and often quirky piece that admission committees will enjoy reading. The key is to focus on the character’s influence on you. If you can show your intellectual prowess while at the same time subtly highlight your own character and passions, you have a winning essay. One word of caution: know the character well -- if this means re-reading books or studying paintings all over again, do it! Admission officers are quick to pick up on essays that show a very superficial understanding of the material.

A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
As an international student, this is often a great essay topic to sink your teeth into. Remember though, diversity in this case is not defined narrowly; you are encouraged to think beyond race, color and religion. Ask yourself, “What do I bring to the table that is unique?” As long as the essay does not seem too forced or sappy, you’ll do just fine with this essay. If you are itching to talk about your experiences travelling, going on exchange programs, working with organizations or assisting members of disadvantaged communities, this could be a great place to do so.

Topic of your choice.
We, at College Connect, usually do not encourage applicants to resort to this prompt. Since the previous five questions offer you so much flexibility, invariably, whatever you want to say will answer one of the above five questions. Picking “Topic of your choice” does not give you free reign to simply write about anything (or worse, just cut and paste an essay previously written for college or another application). Only if you have something really pressing to say, and there is no way it can be moulded into answering the other prompts, do we recommend picking “topic of your choice.”

To discuss your Common App essay, call us at 09999177517 to set up a free appointment with our team. A College Connect counselor will conduct a complimentary brainstorming session that will equip you to tackle these essays. For more information, visit our website -- www.collegeconnect.in.

Common Mistakes Indian MBA Applicants Make

2010-07-23T01:01:00.001-07:00

One fact that all MBA applicants must realize is that every top global business school receives thousands of applications from India. While this does not mean that every single Indian applicant is directly competing with you, it does mean that you need to think hard about how you can differentiate yourself. There was a time -- about a decade ago -- when Indian applicants were considered “unique” because of the diverse developing world that they represented. Given that today there are over 100,000 Indians studying in the US alone, that time has clearly passed and superficial “differentiators” just don’t cut it anymore. With selectivity rates dropping as low as 10%, admission officers all around the world are getting more discerning.

Yet, many Indian applicants tend to stick with run-of-the-mill stories that shed little insight into their character, history, beliefs or ambitions. One thing to keep in mind is that no matter what you have done, someone has probably done it before. That’s not a problem. The problem arises if you fail to dig deeper -- you need to go beyond “what” you have done, and talk about “why” you have done it, and how it has shaped your development as a person and as a leader. Personalize your story; bring out positive attributes such as passion, commitment, team-work, global-awareness, ambition and leadership.

Based on our interactions with several MBA applicants, here are a few common errors Indian MBA applicants tend to make.

Error 1: Simply highlight engineering degree, high GMAT score, and work in the IT Sector
Ok, so you attended a great engineering college, did well academically,and then landed a pretty competitive job in a tech firm. You then cracked the GMAT. Obviously, you’ll get into a great MBA program now, right? Wrong. The problem is that many, if not most, Indian applicants have exactly the same profile! Rather than harping on your past achievements, admission officers would rather hear you address issues such as why you studied engineering, what were the skills you picked up, how those skills help you in your current job, and how have your current professional responsibilities have shaped your ambitions for the future. In essence, they want to get to know you beyond what a resume can tell them. As a Assciate Director at the Ross School of Busines at the University of Michigan says, “Show us through the application, resume, and especially the essays, what is unique about yourself and why you're a good fit for our school. Be professional, know yourself, and research the school to which you're applying."

Error 2: Simply highlight the size and nature of work of your family business
Since many Indian applicants also tend to come from family-business backgrounds, one common mistake we see with several applicants is that they spend far too much time explaining what their business does or how successful it is. What business schools really want to know is what role do you play at your family business. What are your responsibilities? Do you lead teams? Do you interact with clients? Do you oversee certain projects? If you want to highlight statistics like revenue or profit growth, do so by all means. Just remember, to also highlight your role in increasing revenues and profits. After all, potential for adept leadership and initiative often form the backbone of admission decisions at selective b-schools. As an admission rep from Coumbia puts it, “Columbia Business School selects applicants from varied business and other backgrounds who have the potential to become successful global leaders. Their common denominators are a record of achievement, demonstrated leadership and the ability to work as members of a team.”

Error 3: Simply highlight the extraordinary width of your extra-curricular involvement
A common misconception many applicants have is that the more activities or achievements one can put on down on an placation, the higher the chances of getting into a great b-school. Many flood their essays, recommendations and resume with several disparate activities - from playing a sport, debating, acting to also doing social service, the application often reads like a laundry list of activities. Not only is such an approach futile, but it can also hurt you dearly. As a simple rule of thumb, business schools want to see deep commitment to certain activities rather than superficial involvement in several. If you can pick on a couple of things to highlight and then focus in on them, you will be in a far better position.

Error 4: Simply highlight how an MBA will help you make a career-switch
One question every b-school application will cover is the simple "Why MBA?" question. Admission officers read your response very carefully since it gives them an indication of what your career trajectory is likely to be. Since many Indian applicants see an MBA abroad as a stepping stone to making a career switch or a direct route to changing geographies, their stories often tend to lack focus and cohesion. Remember to always tie in your current experience with your future goals. If you can develop a winning story that takes into account your undergraduate degree, your work-experience and interests, and ties that into your reasons for doing an MBA and your future goals, your application is bound to stand out. An IT guy simply saying he wants to do an MBA so that he can switch to a career in trading is bound to come across as unfocused. However, if that same IT guy highlights how the analytical skills he has picked up will help him make the transition -- and add to this, his deep interest in finance (as perhaps reflected in some classes he has taken or his involvement with the stock-market) -- he can build a convincing story that admission committees will look at favourably.

In order to differentiate yourself from the typical Indian applicant, it is important you reflect on your experiences, goals and beliefs. At College Connect, our business school coaches will not only understand your profile and bring out unique elements, but will also work to develop a cohesive, convincing story that will set you apart from the throng of other applicants. Visit http://www.collegeconnect.in/home.html or call us at (0)9999177517 to get started today.

So, What’s Your Story?

2010-06-17T01:18:00.001-07:00

OK, so you've taken your SAT and are ready to apply to leading US colleges later this year. What’s the plan of action now? The first thing that any smart applicant will realize is that it takes much more than a high SAT score or strong school academics to get you into a good college. It is rumored that Harvard rejects close to 1200 applicants each year who apply with a perfect SAT score of 2400. Given that admission rates at selective schools are as low as 7%, this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

So, the big question remains –- if it isn't academics alone that get you into college, what does? This is the million dollar question counselors, students, and parents have grappled with for quite some time now. The answer, like many of you would have already guessed, is your “story.” As vague as it sounds, your story is essentially anything that sets you apart from the thousands of other applicants who will be evaluated alongside you. While all admission committees undoubtedly look for academic potential in each student they admit, what they also constantly ask themselves is "what will this student add to our campus?"

Through your numerous essays, recommendations, activity sheets, and application forms, it is your story that will convince admission committees around the world to admit you into their college. In the next few paragraphs, we hope to shed some light on what we mean by “your story.”

It’s Personal

The first thing to keep in mind is that your story needs be about YOU. We have come across several highly intelligent applicants who waste the precious essay sections to write about global events or developments that have little connection to them. Don’t write about poverty or economic reforms, unless you've done, or plan to do something, about it! A brilliantly written analysis of the Godhra riots or the economic reforms of 1991 is not going to get you into college. It's as simple as that. However, if you’re involved in teaching underprivileged children and then write an essay on the appalling conditions in government classrooms, that’s something that may get you into college. The basic point is this – admission officers want to know more about you. They want you to think about personal questions: what motivates you; what excites you; what are your plans for the

future? And rather than picking obscure topics that you may think sound intellectual or scholarly, these are the precisely the sort of questions you should be thinking of.

It’s Meaningful

Picking up from the previous paragraph, your story must be something that is meaningful to you. What we mean by this is that it is imperative that you come across as a passionate, motivated, and insightful individual. The only way you will be able to do so is if you focus on experiences or activities that are actually important to you. For example, last year, we worked with an applicant who was admitted to Yale – her “story” primarily focused on her curiosity of the world around her as highlighted by her experience with several students from different countries during an international summer school program that she attended. Her story was not about an achievement or a single experience, but about a personality trait she was especially proud of. The bottom line is that as long as it matters to you, if you present it in the right way, it will seem impressive to admission committees as well.

It’s Not a Resume

While it is perfectly all right to talk about achievements and awards, it is important to remember you are not being asked for a resume. Cluttering essays or recommendations with a laundry list of achievements is going to back fire. Similarly, harping on the details of one particular accomplishment rather that delving further into the story behind it is bound to backfire. You’re not going to get into college solely based on, say, a sporting achievement –- unless you've done something truly spectacular like win a medal at the Olympics (in that case, you probably don’t need to read this!). For us lesser mortals, it is vital that too much space not be consumed by just listing achievements. The best way to understand this point is to consider how different applicants handle similar essay topics. Lots of students we work with want to write about their involvement with Model United Nations (MUN). While writing about MUN is perfectly fine, an approach some applicants take is to concentrate solely on showing just

how good of a public speaker or strategist they are. The better approach is to subtly highlight your achievements while stressing bigger “takeaways”. For instance, if you were to talk about what motivates you to participate in MUN conferences, positive attributes like leadership, academic curiosity, global awareness, commitment, and passion could be highlighted.

We All Have a Story to Tell

By now, most of you are already thinking about your own story. Many of you might also be racking your brains trying to come up with a story that you think will work. One thing to remember is that we all have a story to tell. Do not get anxious and start comparing your achievements with people around you. Rather, begin introspecting and think about the things that matter to you. With less than six months to go before applications get mailed out, now is the perfect time to figure out what you want to get across in your applications. Several essays need to be written and the more time you spend building your story now, the better these essays will turn out.

As a policy, College Connect spends the first few weeks mutually working with applicants on building strong, cohesive, and convincing stories. To talk about your own story, contact College Connect today to set up your free appointment.

So, Which College Are You Applying To?

2010-05-14T02:40:00.000-07:00

With many of you now getting serious about applying to colleges later this year, there is no better time to start thinking about college selection. With over 3,500 universities and colleges in the United States alone, your options are endless. So how do you decide which colleges to apply to?

It is imperative for applicants to realize just how important the process of college selection is. At College Connect, we’ve seen both sides of the coin – students have shown up a few weeks before applications are due with no idea where they are applying and applicants have worked with us over the summer to thoughtfully draw up a list of target colleges. Without a doubt, it’s the second approach that works best. Applicants who have put time into deciding where they are applying have a better chance of getting into those colleges; they are also less likely to end up at a college that they don’t like. It’s as simple as that.

For those of you who have attended our college selection workshops at The Doon School, Sanskriti School, and Modern School Barakhmaba, can probably recall the do’s and don’ts of college selection that we discussed. Here is brief guide to actually formulating your college list:

Step 1: Understand your financial constraints

As unfortunate as it is, if you’re applying for financial aid, your options are limited. It is important to understand that different universities have different policies – some take your financial need into account while making admission decisions (“need aware”), some only give merit-based scholarships, and a select few make admission decisions without taking into account your financial situation (“need-blind”). Tuition costs also tend to differ across universities, with state schools typically costing less. The comprehensive fee at SUNY Buffalo, for instance, is $25,006, while the fee at University of Southern Californis is $55,578 (more than double the state-school!).

Since many colleges simply do not give financial aid to international students, start your college selection process by eliminating all colleges that do not award aid. Most university websites should provide details on their financial aid program for international students. That being said, it is important to not take everything at face value – despite claims of giving aid, some schools tend to be aid-heavy for international students, while some tend to be very stingy. The only way to get an accurate picture is to do your research. Whether this means consulting friends, family, alumni, websites, or professional counseling services, the bottom line is that research is required if you are seeking financial aid.

Step 2: Keep your profile in mind

While SAT scores, transcripts and achievements are not the only criteria for admission, one cannot deny their importance. With a SAT score of 1800, it is going to be difficult to get into MIT. Similarly, if your high school academic record is below average, you’re going to struggle to convince admission committees at extremely selective universities of your academic brilliance and potential. Therefore, it is essential for applicants to understand their own profile. Since most universities provide detailed class profiles for their incoming class, applicants should try matching their own scores and grades with the listed averages.

One word of caution, though. Do not let average SAT scores or class ranking be the sole factors in deciding where to apply. Remember how “averages” and “medians” are calculated? Roughly, 50% of the applicants have scores below the average; if your SAT results or class ranks do not meet the average, that’s fine – just keep in mind that you’re going to need something beyond your academic record to make admission committees stand up and take notice.

Step 3: Keep your preferences in mind

Ok, so you’ve now eliminated colleges based on your financial expectations and academic profile, but there are still tons of colleges to choose from. The next step is to consider your own preferences. We all have our own personal criteria – some of us want to study at a large university, some want to be in bustling urban metropolises, some prefer small colleges, some want “party schools,” some prefer a certain geographic location etc. Since you’re going to be spending four crucial years at college, it is important to take your own preferences into account. Put aside reputations and rankings for a minute and ask yourself “Will I be happy at X university or college?” If the answer is no, don’t bother applying.

For further reading, explore your options by reading these articles on the Collegeboard site: http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/csearch/explore-colleges/index.html

Step 4: Divide colleges into “reach”, “match” and “safety”

The next step for any intelligent applicant is to divide potential colleges into three clear lists. One set comprises the “reach schools” (selective colleges where you understand it may be difficult to get admitted into), the next are the “match schools” (colleges where you fit the profile and stand a good chance of being admitted into), and finally, “safety schools” (colleges that you can bank on getting an acceptance letter from). Ideally, your list should contain colleges from all three lists. If you find that you have too many “reach schools,” it’s probably best to drop some of them and add a few less selective colleges to your list. Similarly, do not load up on “safety schools” – you may be limiting your potential and it might be worth your time to explore some more selective colleges.

Step 5: Resist the lure of chopping and changing

Once you have decided where you are going to apply to, try sticking by your list. Understandably, there will be changes – it’s perfectly all right to add or drop a college as you get closer to the application date. However, what you don’t want to do is dramatically alter your list. Successful applications take time to complete and ideally, one should spend a significant amount of time preparing application packages. Also, it is important to resist the lure of applying to too many colleges. Remember, it’s not about the number of acceptance letters you receive – it’s about the quality of the ONE college that you end up at!

While every applicant will have his or her own way of deciding which college to apply to, the above framework is meant to simply provide some structure to the often haphazard process of college selection. We, at College Connect, spend a tremendous amount of time helping each applicant find the “right fit” college – an institution that is not only globally renowned, but is also conducive to the students personal and professional growth. Having placed applicants across hundreds of leading universities and colleges (View our 2010 placements: http://www.collegeconnect.in/results.html), we understand the importance of selecting the right college. Do get in touch with us if you would like us to work with you on forming your college list.

Strategies for Cracking the SAT

2010-04-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Unlike many of the exams you’ve taken in school so far, it is important to realize that the SAT is a completely new ball game. There is no syllabus, no prescribed text book and no class teacher to help you. Fortunately or unfortunately, however you look at it, your SAT score is very important and may be crucial in deciding which college you end up at a year from now. While we’re sure many of you already are familiar with the scoring patterns and various sections of the test, here are a few tips to keep in mind while preparing for the SAT:

#1 – Give it Time

The first thing to remember is that being intelligent does not guarantee you a good SAT score. We have come across several academically gifted students who have been unable to master the test. Similarly, several students who under-perform in classrooms have got great scores on the test. The reason? More than just a test of intelligence, the SAT is a test of your test-taking skills. What this means for you as a test-taker is that it is essential to devote plenty of time to preparation. If you are looking to take the SAT in the next couple of months, and are keen on attending a top college next year, the SAT must be your top priority for now.

#2 – Learn Question Types

One common mistake test-takers tend to make is neglecting to understand the various question types that repeatedly appear on every test. Rather than spending all your time learning wordlists and formulae, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with different clusters of questions that you will face on test day. In addition to helping you save critical time, knowing what to expect will only make you a more confident test taker, letting you spend time on questions that necessitate more attention.

# 3 – Choose Resources Wisely

Perhaps the questions we at College Connect get asked most are “which book should I study from” and “which coaching center should I attend.” While there is obviously no hard-and-fast answer to either of these questions, the key is to remember to adopt a smart approach to the test. What often tends to happen in group classes is that your performance will be dragged back to the worst performing student in the class. Rather than lowering your expectations in such a situation, try and keep yourself motivated and measure your performance only against yourself and not with weaker students in the class. As clichéd as it may sound, ultimately the classes you attend or the books you use will have little bearing on your final score – it will primarily be the time and effort you put into preparation that will reflect in your score.

#4 – Understand your Strengths and Weaknesses

Since the test is comprised of different sections, it is understandable that some of you will be better at math and some of you will be better at critical reading. On a macro level, rather than spending an equal amount of time preparing for all three sections, it is imperative that you discern which sections you struggle with more and spend time addressing your weaknesses. Even within sections, do not spend an equal amount of time on question-types. Breeze through what you know well and lay special emphasis on the types of questions that tend to stump you.

#5 – Stay Calm

With all this talk about the importance of the SATs, and incredibly high scores being thrown around in conversation, it is easy to get carried away and make the test a bigger deal than it actually is. While there is no doubting that the SAT is an important component, it is just one of many things admissions committees consider when making decisions. It is important to go into a test with this attitude. Unnecessarily worrying about your test score during the test and while preparing will only raise your anxiety levels and ultimately compromise the effectiveness of your test-taking ability.

# 6 – Practice Tests

Perhaps the most important piece of advice we can give you is to take several full-length practice tests. With every passing test you will not only become increasingly familiar with the different sections, your strengths, and weakness, but will also notice your score increasing. Given the multiple-choice test format of the SAT, merely knowing the subject matter will not ensure that you get a high score. Additionally, since it is not advised to take the SAT more than a couple of times, practice tests become even more important.

At the end of the day, every test-taker will have their own way of approaching the test. The tips mentioned above are only meant to serve as indicators of how some of our most successful applicants have approached the SAT in prior years. To discuss your own SAT strategy and formulate your own action plan, do set up a free appointment with College Connect by calling +91-9999177517.

From the Horses Mouth - 5 tips for an effective MBA application

2010-03-30T06:13:00.000-07:00

#1 Make sure you stand out

"Show us through the application, resume, and especially the essays, what is unique about yourself and why you're a good fit for our school. Be professional, know yourself, and research the school to which you're applying."

- Associate Director of Admissions at Ross School of Business

#2 Tell a consistent, complete story

"Applications that stand out are ones that complete a good story. Everything in the application should provide a consistent story about why an MBA, why now and why specifically an MBA from McCombs. The application should tell us what you want to get out of the program and conversely, what you feel you will bring to the program."

- Christina Mabley, the Director of MBA Admissions at McCombs School of Business

#3 Show them you’re a leader. Yet, you’re also a team-player.

“Columbia Business School selects applicants from varied business and other backgrounds who have the potential to become successful global leaders. Their common denominators are a record of achievement, demonstrated leadership and the ability to work as members of a team.”

- Admission rep from Columbia Business School

#4 As an international applicant, stress how you can add to the diversity of the community

“Crafting a diverse class with diverse backgrounds, citizenship, industry and function is an important part of the admissions selection process and the education we provide. We want a well rounded student class body to enrich the learning of everyone. It's just part of the job of crafting a class versus admitting a class.”

- Rosemaria Martinelli, the Associate Dean of Student Recruitment & Admissions at the Chicago Graduate School of Business

#5 Strong academic performances, good professional experience and stand-out personal qualities don’t hurt!

"At NYU Stern School of Business, our MBA admissions process is holistic and individualistic. Our Admissions Committee is focused on three key areas: 1) academic ability 2) professional potential and 3) personal characteristics, as well as "fit" with NYU Stern. Throughout the process we provide our applicants with continual communication and personalized attention. Ultimately, we want to ensure that each student who enrolls believes that Stern is the right fit for his or her personal and professional aspirations.

Many applicants think the Admissions Committee wants to hear what we write on our website, which is not what we are looking for. Ultimately, what makes candidates stand out is when they are self-aware, know what they want and speak from their heart in their application. Each person's story is unique and compelling, and each applicant should tell his or her story. When you read over 6,000 essays in an admissions season, the personalized stories are the ones that make you sit up in your chair."

- Isser Gallogly, the Executive Director of MBA Admissions at NYU Stern School of Business

University of Chicago - Undergrad Essay

2010-03-12T00:13:00.000-08:00

So a while ago, the Dean of Admissions at the University of Chicago sent out an essay of a student that was accepted into the University. The essay caused quite a stir - some felt it was a brilliant and effective piece, while others thought it was a poorly written desperate plea for admission. Either way, the bottom line is that the essay worked.

Chicago has long prided itself in requiring students to think outside the box and respond to off-beat essay prompts. The essay below worked because it did just that - not only did it show the admission committee that the student really wanted to attend the university, but it also reflected an insightful mind that had thought long and hard about how to approach the essay. A spoof on romantic love letters, the essay, in many ways, pushes the limits on what is acceptable and in fact, encouraged.

Perhaps, the reason we at College Connect see this essay as a very important benchmark is because it is a response to the simple "Why X College?" essay that most colleges now require. As applicants begin to look ahead to essays they will be writing later this year, it is important to keep in mind that a little bit of humor or satire can go a long way in setting you apart from the thousands of other applicants.

The essay, which was sent to us by one of our clients who applied to the University of Chicago, is below -

"Dear University of Chicago,

It fills me up with that gooey sap you feel late at night when I think about things that are really special to me about you. Sometimes I just hunger for more, but I keep that a secret. The mail you send is such a tease; I like to imagine additional words on the page. Words like "you're accepted" or "you're awesome!" or "don't worry, she still loves you!" but I know they're all lies. You never called after that one time, I visited you thrice, but you never come around anymore. Tell me, was I just one in a line of many? Was I just another supple "applicant" to you, looking for a place to live, looking for someone to teach me the ways of the world? The closeness between us was beautiful, it couldn't have been just me that felt it, I know you felt it too. The intimacy was akin to that of scholar and original text, your depth as a person is astounding! To be honest, I must confess I had already dreamt of a rosy future together, one filled with late nights and long discussions over the Gothic era and the ethical stage of Kierkegaard, we would watch the sunset together and spend every Christmas snuggled in blankets. Eventually we would get older, I would become a well-educated corporate lawyer and you would enrich yourself within the domain of human knowledge. Your cup overfloweth with academic genius, pour a little on me. You're legendary for it, they all told me it would never work out between us, but I had hope. I had so much hope; I replied to your adorable letters and put up with your puns. I knew going into it that you would be an expensive one to keep around, I accounted for all that; I understand someone of your caliber and taste.

And now you inquire as to my wishes? They're simple, accept me for who I am! Why can't you just love and not ask why? Not ask about my assets or my past? I'm living in the now, I'm waiting for you to catch up, but you're too caught up in my past, I offer us a future together, not a past to dwell upon. Whenever I'm around you, I just get that tingle deep inside me that tells me you're the one; you have that air of brilliance and ingenuity that I crave in a person, you're so mature and sophisticated, originality is really your strongest and most admirable trait. I wish we could be together, I still think in my heart of hearts we were meant to be, but you have to meet me halfway, dear. I'm on one knee here with tears welling up in my eyes, the fireworks are timed and ready to light up the night sky for you, just say 'I accept...you.'

Always,

Rohan"

P.S. Rohan was admitted to UChicago last week and will be joining us in the fall. I can't wait to meet him.

P.P.S. This was in response to the question: How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community and future? DO NOT see this as a blueprint, but one of many types of essays we get. Be yourself!

Best regards,
James N...Vice President
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid"

For further reading, check out the New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/education/01chicago.html

Hello All!

2010-03-11T06:38:00.000-08:00

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