guidelines-for-study-abroad

Study Engineering – Pre-requisites and advantages

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:40:38 +0100

A fair majority of students want to study engineering abroad! Well, if not them at least parents want their sons and daughters to study engineering.

There are extensive boundaries in the profession including research, services, development, design etc and there is always a constant demand for good engineers in nearly every country and more so in the IT and Electronics fields. Many do not realize there is also a need for Chartered and Incorporated Engineers. What is interesting and worth noting that unemployment ranks the lowest in this field than amongst other professions.

Engineers are needed in medical treatment, communications, leisure activities, transportation etc. Graduates with engineering degrees are needed nearly in every sector and it also adds a multitude of different job options to new graduates. Specializations can be in Software, Information, Civil, Chemical, Manufacturing, Automation to Power generation. You can choose areas in Design, production, marketing to sales to focus on. Many CEO’s have degrees in engineering’s and outnumber accountants!

Currently engineering professionals have new materials, processes and technologies making it a very exciting field to be part of. The changing world employment patterns make this a very international career. Students from Asia tend to be more visible in this field than their western counterparts and no prizes for guessing why!

While students are in high school, I recommend taking subjects from Physics, Math’s, Art, etc. in addition to English one foreign language always helps.

In the first years of the degree all students would normally study the same subjects and only specialize in the final years. Do keep in mind specialization in one field does not mean you cannot work in another profession.

Engineering degrees are available worldwide as undergraduate and postgraduate courses depending on the student’s preferences, aims and circumstances. After getting then degree you need to become a member of a professional engineering institution or to qualify for Chartered Engineering status you will need some years of training in a responsible position. In the UK the industry contributes about 40% of the gross domestic product and is therefore very important for the national economy.

Household electricians to space travel it leads to a a variety of prospects in the employment market and I cannot recommend this career enough to my young students and for once all parents nod approvingly to my choice.

Classroom skills that can be transformed into Job culture

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 07:40:23 +0100

In a competitive job market, maximizing the potential of your education could give you that extra edge over others. Students need to consider which skills they learned in the classroom and how that can help them with a better job prospect in their lives later. The cultural values and practices outside the classroom also affect what happens in the classroom. Students should pay close attention to how their school or college experiences play a part in their lives by finding their own strengths and then capitalizing on those strengths. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), a sister organization of Butler's group in the US, recently unveiled a list of the most desirable skills bosses seek in potential employees.

Communication Skills: The ability to express thoughts simply and clearly ranks at the top of the list. Most careers require interpersonal interaction, and this skill goes a long way when it comes to being creative or solving a problem, This can directly translate from Classroom to Career, for example- classroom presentations and group projects can help you develop valuable communication skills that could come in handy when selling products, running meetings, coordinating events, and developing new ideas.

Analytical Skills: Are you detail oriented? A knack for solving problems and the ability to think logically rank high among preferred skills for applicants. Analytical skills are especially prized in professions where employees are expected to multi-task under pressure. This can also directly translate from Classroom to Career, for example- classes that promote analytical skills can help in finding solutions, analyzing data, and problem solving on-the-job. A few Education programs that can build Analytical skills are:

Technology Support
Computer Science
Database Technology
Network Administration
Programming and Software
Accounting and Finance

Teamwork Skills: Do you work well with others? Being able to work effectively in a group is important at almost every level of employment, from upper-level management on down. This also translates from Classroom to Career. Think group projects are a waste? Think again. The skills you gain can help in managing organizations, supervising others, and delegating responsibility. A few education programs that can build teamwork skills are:

Business Management
Human Resource Management
Marketing and Communication
Psychology and counseling
Graphic Design and Multi Media
Public Affairs
Administrative support

Technical Skills: Are you computer savvy? Jobs in the technical and science fields generally require workers who are able to keep pace with new technologies and gadgets. Being able to work with (and explain) complex systems or equipment is an invaluable tool for applicants in the eyes of employers. This also has a direct relation from Classroom to Career. Developing technical skills in the classroom can help launch a career in technology or media. Talk to working professionals or read industry web sites to make sure you're working with current tools. That way, you'll be able to hit the ground running from day one. Some Education programs that build Technical skills are:

IT and Information Systems
Programming and Software
Network Administration
Graphic Design and Multimedia

Strong Work Ethic: Have you made special efforts to reach your goals? Applicants who have shown they can meet deadlines, remain committed to tasks, and handle pressure with grace are among the most highly sought after. This can directly translate from Classroom to Career. For example-taking online classes or attending night school really requires dedication and time management skills, all things that will prove useful when you have a tight deadline to meet or need to motivate others. Some Education programs that build strong ethnic work culture are:

Health Care Administration
General Nursing and Medical
Business Management
Business Administration
Administrative Support
Education and Teaching

Standarized Tests - GMAT

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 05:56:12 +0100

The Graduate Management Admission Test is used for assessing ability to succeed academically in graduate business studies by testing skills in mathematics and the English language. The GMAT is a standardized test used globally as a yardstick for admission into graduate business programs (e.g. MBA, Master of Accountancy etc) and is administered as a computer-based test.

The test comprises of three parts and measures verbal, mathematical and analytical writing skills:

Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)

This section consists of two essays where the candidate must analyze an argument and an issue respectively. The assessment is conducted on a scale of 0-6 and the total time to write each essay is 30 minutes. The Analysis of an Issue measures the candidate’s ability to explore the complexities of an issue, to take a stand and explain one’s point of view using various perspectives. The Analysis of an Argument section tests the ability to formulate a constructive critique of a specific conclusion based on a specific line of thinking. The student will need to analyse the reasoning behind the argument before writing a critique of that argument.

Quantitative Section

This section comprises of multiple choice questions that are based on problem solving and data sufficiency. There are a total of 37 questions that must be answered in 75 minutes and fetches a total score of 60 points.

Problem Solving: The problem-solving questions assess the following skills:

Basic mathematical skills,

Understanding of elementary mathematical concepts

Ability to reason quantitatively and solve quantitative problems.

Data Sufficiency: These questions assess the following skills:

Recognize which information is relevant

Determine at what point there is sufficient information to solve a problem

Verbal Section

This section measures a candidate’s verbal ability in the areas of sentence correction, critical reasoning and reading comprehension. The assessment is based on the candidate’s ability to:

read and comprehend written material,

reason and evaluate arguments, and

correct written material to conform to standard written English.

The student is required to answer 41 multiple choice questions which must be answered within 75 minutes. The total score ranges from 0-60 points.

The GMAT costs $250 and a candidate can register either online or by calling one of the test centres.

Total GMAT scores range from 200 to 800. Two-thirds of test takers score between 400 and 600. The scores are valid for 5 years.

Standarized Tests - SAT

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 05:48:54 +0100

The SAT Reasoning Test, formerly known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a commonly used admission test for entry into colleges and universities in the United. It was first called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, then the Scholastic Assessment Test, but now it is simply referred to as the SAT (ES-AY-Tee).

About the SAT:

The test consists of three sections:

Critical Reading: The Critical Reading section is designed on the framework of a verbal test. It comprises of three sections – two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section. The first part of the test is made up of sentence completion questions followed by reading passages. The sentence completion questions aim at testing the candidate’s lexical knowledge (vocabulary) and also knowledge of sentence structure and organization. In the tasks involving reading passages, the students read excerpts on various topics and answer questions based on the text.

Mathematics: This section is also known as the Quantitative or Calculation Section. This part of the test also comprises of three sections: two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section and the questions are based on arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics and probability.

The first 25-minute section consists of 20 multiple choice questions.

The second 25-minute section consists of 8 multiple-choice questions and 10 grid-in questions.

The last 20-minute section is all multiple choice and contains 16 questions.

All multiple-choice questions have five answer choices, one of which is correct. In the 10 grid-in questions, the candidate is required to bubble in a number in a four-column grid. There is no negative marking for incorrect grid-in answers.

Writing: This section of the SAT includes questions based on multiple-choice and a brief essay. The multiple choice questions are based on error identification, sentence improvement and paragraph improvement. Error identification and sentence improvement questions are aimed at gauging a candidate’s knowledge of grammar and sentence structure. The paragraph improvement questions are designed to test the student’s ability to arrange a given piece of text in a logical and cohesive manner.

In the second section, the student is required to write a brief essay based on a prompt given to them. The prompts are usually general and broad so as to allow all students, regardless of their social and educational background, to be able to provide their thoughts and ideas on the topic.

The SAT Reasoning Test costs $49 ($78 International) and is available seven times a year in the United States- in October, November, December, January, March (or April, alternating), May, and June.

Scoring:

SAT scores are reported on a scale from 200-800, with additional sub scores reported for the essay (ranging from 2-12) and for multiple-choice writing questions (on a 20-80 scale). Most schools look at the combination of high school grades and SAT scores as a good indicator of a student’s academic success in college.

Standarized Tests - TOEFL

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 05:25:05 +0100

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test is a widely recognized test of the English language around the world. It is used in more than 8000 colleges, universities and other institutions in over 130 countries as it is the most commonly accepted test to assess a student’s ability read, speak and write in English.

Depending on the centre, the TOEFL may be administered in the following ways:

TOEFL paper-based test (PBT)

Internet-based Test (iBT)

The cost of the test can range from $ 160 to $250 (576 to 900dhs) and can vary depending on the region.

About the test:

The test consists of four sections: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing:

Reading: This section comprises of 3-4 passages followed by questions based on the passages. Questions may also include completing tables or providing summaries.

Speaking: This section consists of two independent tasks and four integrated tasks. The former consist of opinion-based tasks where students have to express their ideas/opinions on familiar topics. Of the integrated tasks, the first two consist of tasks where students read a passage followed by listening to an academic lecture or a conversation. The test-taker then answers questions by referring to information in both the text and the talk. In the last two integrated tasks, students listen to a piece of academic lecture or conversation and answer questions based on what they have heard.

Listening: This section involves test-takers listening to six different passages which include student conversations and academic lectures. Students listen to the passages and answer questions based on them. Test-takers are allowed to take notes and may refer to them while answering the questions. The questions are aimed at measuring comprehension, relationships between ideas, organization of information, speaker purpose and speaker attitude.

Writing: This section effectively measures writing skills in an academic setting. It includes one integrated task and one independent task. In the former, the test-taker starts by reading a passage on an academic topic followed by listening to a speaker discuss the topic. The student will then have to summarise the points in the listening passage and explain how they relate to the key points in the reading passage.

The independent task involves the test-taker writing an essay that tests their ability to effectively express their ideas and opinions on an issue/topic.

Scores:

The most commonly administered TOEFL iBT test has a score range of 0-30 for each section totalling to 120. The official score record will also include a performance feedback based on the type of tasks that students within that score range have the ability to do. The TOEFL test can be taken as many times as one desires and scores are valid for 2 years after the test.

Why take the TOEFL test?

Apart from being the most widely-accepted English language test in the world, it is also the most comprehensive test as it includes all aspects of using the English language in an academic setting. It is also easily accessible- the iBT version is offered 30-40 times a year at more than 4500 testing centres.

Standarized Tests - IELTS

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 05:27:11 +0100

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System that is used for assessing proficiency in the English language. IELTS is jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL).

About the test:

The IELTS test consists of two versions, namely Academic and General Training.

Academic, as the name suggests, is used as an assessment for entry into universities or other educational institutions and for professionals such as doctors , nurses who want to study and practice in an English-speaking country.

The General training version is generally used for the purposes of non-academic training or immigration.

The test consists of 4 parts- Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The Reading and Writing modules differ depending on whether it is the Academic or General training version.

Listening:

This section includes a brief introduction providing candidates with information about the situation and the speakers. The candidates will have to then answer questions based on the listening piece.

Reading:

Academic: In this version, there are 3 sections with each section comprising of a text followed by questions (a total of 40 questions overall) General Training: This version also has 3 sections but as the texts are shorter there may be more than 3, usually up to 5, texts to read.

Writing:

Academic: In this version, the first task involves describing a diagram, graph, process or chart. In the second task, candidates write in response to an argument.

General Training: In the first task, the candidate is required to write a letter or explain a situation and in the second task they write an essay.

Speaking:

This module comprises of three sections:

This section involves an interview where candidates are asked questions related to their hobbies, interests, reasons for taking IELTS exam. They include other general topics as well such as recreation, sport or family.

In this section, candidates are given a topic on which they have to speak for 1 min. They have a minute to think and prepare before they speak.

In the last section the examiner and the candidate carry out a discussion, generally on questions relating to the topic given in the previous section.

SCORING:

Candidates are assessed on a scale of 1-9 (using a nine-band scale) with 1 for Non-user (no knowledge) and 9 for Expert user (full command) of the English language.

The IELTS test has been rapidly gaining popularity and is now available in more than 500 locations across 121 countries. The test has a global acceptance and is recognized as a valid and reliable assessment of English language skills required for education, professional training and immigration.

What Top Universities want from an applicant?

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 05:22:14 +0100

Applying for university studies is not something one can decide to pursue overnight rather; it is an in-depth process that requires preparation and thought, especially when students set their sights on the top universities. When applying to such universities, it is critical to remember the top requires the top.

When organizing your thoughts about university selection, it is very clear what one is looking for in a university, but what is it that a university is looking for in an applicant? Are they looking for the brain? The jock? The budding thespian? The community minded volunteer? The answer is that the university is not looking for one type of student- rather each campus is searching for students who have demonstrated the ways in which they would contribute intellectually and socially to the life and diversity of the university through extracurricular activities and life experiences. Simply stated, the university wants to admit students who will not only benefit from becoming a member of the university community but also students that will contribute to the university.

The first step to determining if one is eligible to apply for admissions is to take a quick look at the application requirements. When looking at the application requirements, it is important to ask yourself if you have completed or can complete the admission exams, such as the SAT General Examination, two SAT II Subject Examinations, and, if English is not your native language, either the TOEFL or IELTS exams. Of course, the rigor or your academic curriculum is an important factor and universities in the US will indicate on their admissions websites the recommended college preparation courses as well as number of years a student should be enrolled in such courses. If you do not meet all the requirements that the university has taken the time to list for your application for admissions will be denied.

In selecting students, a university does not make its admission decisions solely on the basis of a student’s academic record and each admissions committee will take a holistic, individualized review of the many facets of every application received. This includes activities and accomplishments, educational goals, academic preparation, special talents, and a student’s personal background as seen through the personal statement.

A personal statement presents the chance for the applicant to make a lasting impression on the members of the admission committees. Typically, a personal statement will require the applicant to detail an event that impacted their life, while others will simply ask why a student is applying to the university and why they are pursuing the particular major. In this portion of the application, there is no right or wrong answers; students should write from the heart. Having thoroughly researched a university, its mission statement, and major department will no doubt aid you through the 500-2000 word statement. Additionally, experiences outside the confines of a classroom will make the statement easier to write.

Admissions is more art than science: the admissions process is designed to consider all aspects of an applicant’s record and experience and is not intended to admit applicants solely on the basis of grade point averages, test scores, or any other single criterion.