Top 10 Tools for New College Students

Take a look at the Top Ten Tools by GradeGuru.com that can support you as a freshman in college (hint: many of them are useful also as a high school student and later on for grad school or in your career):

1. “Skype- traditionally a software application that allows users to make free voice calls to one another, professors and students are beginning to use its BETA group video-chat service to engage in classroom discussions and host virtual office hours
2. Google Docs- Google applications such as Google Documents, Calendar and GMail have become a standard suite of tools for college students to collaborate – really hits the spot for group work
3. Twitter – no longer just a social network, students and academics alike are starting to leverage this network to crowd-source questions, gather research and increase classroom engagement levels
4. GradeGuru Citation Manager- a bookmarklet & FireFox Add-On that helps students collect and manage citations in APA, MLA and Harvard style straight from their browser – a real time saver for essays, papers and assignments
5. Chegg- #1 textbook rental site
6. Studyrails – online study tool that helps with time management by allowing students to schedule their study time and block out access to sites that might distract them
7. Study Tracker – the iPad app by GradeGuru that helps student track their performance – students can record their study time and grades per class to monitor their effort and outcomes
8. Mindmeister- online mind mapping and collaboration tool that helps with group projects and presentations
9. Quizlet-  students can browse and use millions of flashcards created by other students and teachers, or create their own
10. DYD -a web-based 3-D dorm room design tool that allows college students to customize their dorm room interiors and purchase their favorite room selections online”

Good luck in your new journey!

Tools provided by GradeGuru.com

No estas listo para la Universidad?

Opciones para Recien Graduados del Liceo

Nuestro programa radial con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM acerca de opciones para recien graduados de bachillerato, que desean tomarse un ano antes de entrar en la universidad…

Our radio show this week about options for the Gap year, what to do if you do not want to start college right away…

Only en Espanol!

El Gap year o ano transitorio antes de entrar a la universidad

Give Yourself a Great GAP Year

What do Princeton, Harvard, Tufts and MIT have in common? They all encourage you to take a gap year BEFORE entering college. While this isn’t mandatory, it’s a great idea to consider. The GAP year will give you a much-needed downtime from the stresses of high school plus an opportunity to grow as a person, see new sights, discover new cultures, and learn a language and much more. Whether you volunteer, take a job or travel around the world, the GAP year can help you discover what the real world is all about.

First Things First

According to the Center of Interim Programs, a Gap year consultancy, there are some steps you must take before taking on a Gap year.

1. Secure a place in college first. Then defer enrollment for a year. This is less hectic than spending the gap year doing applications.

2. Have a plan. Set goals and create structure to prevent depressing downtime at home.

3. Research programs. If an organization can’t recommend at least two alumni to discuss their experiences, don’t sign up.

4. Respect your social needs. The year represents a break with the crowd, so it’s important to plan strategies for making new friends and staying in touch with old ones.

5. Plan ahead for health insurance. Some policies won’t cover adult-age dependents if they cease to be full-time students. Check your policy several months in advance, then explore temporary insurance if necessary.

Next Steps:

From becoming a ski instructor to working in fashion, the Internet is filled with gap year ideas. Take Jabob Fienstein who according to USA Today, “has spent the past year doing an internship with a software start-up in New Zealand, taking cooking classes and studying filmmaking in New York City before he enrolls at Harvard University in September.”

Consider the story of Owen Henry who after getting rejected by every college he applied to, he “participated in a program for American gap-year students last fall at Oxford University, where he says he spent less than $10,000, and…decided on a career as an Arabic translator. Since March, he has been handling two tons of sail as a deckhand on the Lady Maryland, a 104-foot-long tall ship and floating classroom in Baltimore. He gets room, board and $6.54 an hour. He has saved $1,600 of this for college, and he plans to enroll this fall at Oberlin College, to which he applied and was accepted during the gap year.”

So while most experts would recommend applying to colleges during your senior year, getting accepted and then requesting a one-year deferral, the Gap year might get schools that rejected you in the past to accept you in the future.

What Are Your Options:

Travel: Many organizations offer programs with an emphasis on traveling or living

abroad. Or, you may wish to plan your own adventure.

Internships: Spend some time working in a career field that interests you. If you enjoy it, you’ll have even more incentive to succeed in your chosen college major. If it’s not the field for you, you’ll still have plenty of time to explore other career opportunities.

Volunteer work: You can find volunteer programs both in the U.S. and all over the world. You could build houses, work with children, work on environmental projects, or a host of other activities.

Academics: Students who are not pleased with their high school records might consider a postgraduate (PG) year. The goal for a PG year is to strengthen your academic record in the hope of gaining entry to a better college.

Work: Whether you find a job at home or away, a year of work can give you extra funds to pay for college, plus valuable, real-life experience.

Source: National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Sensible Volunteering

They say that before you can help someone else, you have to help yourself. If you’re planning on becoming a volunteer during your Gap year, do it in an area that’s related to your future career choice (if you already know). For example, someone who wants to major in Fashion Design or Fashion Merchandising might benefit at studying at the Florence Institute of Design International or teaching fashion technology to impoverished children in South Africa.

A nursing major or someone who plans on attending medical school might benefit from the medical and nursing work experience placements by Gap Medics. After an intensive preparation, participants gain on-the job training as well as making a real contribution to communities in Namibia, Nepal and Tanzania.

What makes sense is to think of how your gap year experience might benefit you in the future. With that said, some gap year participants do choose to spend their time becoming ski/snowboard instructors (takes about 11 weeks to earn a level 1 certification) or engage in other activities that might not look that great on a resume but might help them make extra money, find themselves, improve social skills, and have a great time.

Learning a Language

Did you know you can earn college credits BEFORE going to college? The gap year might be the perfect opportunity to learn a foreign language while living in a foreign land. For example, at the BLCU Chinese Immersion Program more than 10,000 students learn Mandarin every year. The advantages of knowing a second or third language are many, being bilingual or trilingual looks great on a resume, can help you get jobs at global corporations or even work in foreign countries after graduation.

Final Considerations

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 30% of freshmen in U.S. four-year colleges and universities drop out before the sophomore year. Part of that is because they get themselves burned out, they weren’t ready for college or didn’t have the maturity level that college demands. Because of this, the gap year can be seen not as an expense but as an investment in the future success of the college student.

Useful Links

Gap Year

http://www.gapyear.com/

11 Amazing Ways To Spend your Gap Year
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/mindthegap/

Study Abroad Links
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/study/teen/high_school_gap_year_academic_programs_abroad.shtml

Study Programs International (learn a language)

http://www.spiabroad.com/

Extreme Arctic 2011

http://www.bses.org.uk/expedition/Extreme+Arctic+2011/index.htm

Show Radial – Como Escoger Universidades

Nuestro segmento semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM acerca de Como Escoger Universidades.

Our weekly radio show with Eli Bravo in Actualidad 1020 AM on the topic of how to choose a college to attend.

Sorry folks, only En Espanol!

Decision Dificil – Como escoger universidades

A Tough Decision – Which College to Attend?

If you’ve been watching TV perhaps you have heard of Dakota Root, she’s the homeschooled girl who was accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Yale Columbia, Penn, Brown, Duke, Chicago, Cal-Berkeley, USC and several other elite schools in America. So how did she choose which college to attend? According to Fox News, she picked Harvard because it’s the school everyone in the entire world knows about. For the record, Harvard is so elitist that only 1% of the best high school seniors dare apply (30,000 applicants) and out of that number about 1,700 will get to attend (less than 6%).

Dakota’s story is exceptional, the average student candidate does not get accepted to 10+ of the most selective colleges in the country. But with more than 4,000 higher education institutions in the US, there are plenty of great options that will cater to your individual needs. And then, the question is – which one provides the best fit for me?

There are many things to consider when evaluating college options. Here are things to think about and thoroughly consider when making your original and final selection.

1- Small vs. Large

Want a school where you know everybody or do you long to have the diversity and social environment offered by a school with 40,000 students? There are great colleges in both spectrums of the balance, so your job is to examine the benefits and drawbacks of all. For example, a large school is more likely to have more student organizations, more student activities, more majors and more classes. A smaller school offers a more intimate environment, more personal attention, and more direct access to your professors, among other benefits. Think then in which type of school you would be able to perform your best in every aspect of college – academic, social, personal, and professional (looking towards the future).

According to Forbes Magazine, “Small liberal arts schools shine in our rankings, probably due to both the quality of their faculty and the personal attention they can provide. Williams and Swarthmore both rank in the top five, while Pomona, Smith, Middlebury and Amherst all come in the top 20, ahead of such schools as Stanford (23rd) and Brown (27th).”
Source: http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/13/college-university-rankings-oped-college08-cx_rv_mn_0813intro.html

2- Public vs. Private

The main difference between public and private universities is price. Just compare the cost of attending a top public university like UC-Berkeley ($8,353 in-state, $31,022 out-of-state) versus top private universities like Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, Boston College and Cornell where you can expect to pay more than $50,000 a year without need-based aid. With need-based aid chances are you’ll still have to pay more than $20,000 a year, and that’s not counting room and board which can cost you another $10,000+.

Think about what will happen if you graduate with a huge college loan debt, consider the salary prospects of your chosen career and how you will feel when you’re making $900+ a month in loan payments for a job that pays $50,000 a year. Remember, you don’t need an expensive private school to succeed in life, Suze Orman got a BA in Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at a low price tag, look at her now!

So if you can’t afford a respected and extremely expensive private school, consider that “according to the 2009 Academic Ranking of World Universities, the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign ranked 25th out of the more than 1000 international institutions recognized. It is home to some of the highest-ranked Engineering, Computer Science, Library and Information Science, and Accounting programs in the United States.” And here’s the best part, it only costs about $9,000 a year for residents and $23,000 for non-residents.

Sometimes the best decision is the least expensive. Not having the financial burden when it is a burden for you and your family can be positive in many ways. Having the extra money and no debt will take you far, especially when considering affording graduate school. Attending a good public school can cost less and make no difference in terms of the quality of your education.

3- Campus Activities

I heard from a graduate from a renowned urban university in Florida how he described it as a weekend cemetery. He explained that there was nothing going on for students in the weekend, who literally left campus almost as a migration only to return on Sunday evening. With no university facilities open during the weekend, the school became a ghost town, certainly not fun for him, as he had nothing to look for outside of the school in the city. He felt so bored and isolated that his full college experience was not the best. However, this environment made sense to the many students wanting a life outside of the college environment, wanting to keep close ties with their family and friends in the area.

Other schools offer great life on campus 24/7. They bring film festivals, concert series, offer many options of coffee shops which remain full of students any day of the week almost at any time. In these schools, we can find libraries servicing students until 4 am, closing for one hour and then reopening at 5 am. So if you’re a bookworm, a jock, a philosopher, or just a person who’s drawn to a certain social environment make sure to find a campus that fits with your lifestyle. Check out their individual websites and see if the school has fraternities, student clubs, fitness facilities, sports, and so on. For example, Penn State University recently dethroned the University of Florida as the top party school according to the Princeton Review. You can also check studentreviews.com which lists Tulane University as the #1 school for social life, and if you’d rather be volunteering, US News & World Report recommends Duke, University of Maryland, Stanford, and other colleges where you can learn and make the world a better place at the same time.

4- Campus Politics

They say you should never talk about sex, politics or religion if you want to avoid making people uncomfortable. In college however, you’re likely to meet people who will discuss all three so if you’re a progressive who voted for Obama or a conservative who voted for McCain, you should think very carefully about what kind of people you want to study with.

While some schools encourage vigorous debate, others censor students that hold unpopular views and there are cases of teachers who are openly hostile to conservatives, members of the military, Zionists, etc. Some universities even have “speech codes,” or other draconian laws that stifle the First Amendment of the US Constitution. For example, according to FIRE, an organization that fights for individual rights in education, Binghamton University suspended a student for making posters criticizing the Department of Social Work.

That doesn’t mean conservatives or libertarians have to study at places where they’re not welcome, consider options like Hillsdale College which currently ranks 89th in the 2010 U.S. News & World Report listing of best American Liberal Arts colleges and 76th in the 2009 Forbes report of America’s Best Colleges. It ranks second in the Princeton Review’s The Best 371 Colleges 2009 listing of colleges where students are “most conservative” and among the fifty “best value” private colleges.

Of course, if you’re a progressive or liberal, you might feel comfortable at Duke, NYU, Columbia, Oberlin, Ohio State University, Princeton, Tufts, Berkeley and lots of other great schools, some more politically correct than others.

5-      Religious vs. Secular

Nietzsche said that God was dead, yet almost every school in the nation has at least one religious student group. Catholic and Protestant schools have their own chapels, even orthodox Jews can attend top-rated schools like Baruch College, Yeshiva University, and Brandeis, where the food follows Jewish dietary restrictions. The question for you is how much or how little religion you want in your life, there are top-rated Christian schools like Wheaton College, ranked 59 in U.S. News & World Report (2008) and 11th in total number of graduates who go on to earn doctorates. Other options include Baylor University with over 146 undergraduate degrees, Pepperdine University, Calvin College and others.

One thing to consider about religious schools is their standards of conduct, many of them don’t tolerate smoking, drinking (even if you’re over 21), drug use, premarital-sex, homosexuality, and in the case of Bob Jones University, interracial dating used to be against their laws. At Liberty University for example, students are not allowed to have TV’s in their rooms and the televisions in public areas are tuned to family-friendly programming.

The rules of conduct are less strict at top-rated Catholic universities such as Georgetown, Loyola, Boston College, Creighton, and others.

If you are religious and choose to attend a secular college find out if they have college ministries, a college-age Sunday school class or youth group, worship services, and churches near campus.

6-      College Rankings

Not our most favored way to choose a college, but certainly one of the most popular. Google “college rankings” and you’ll find that schools are rated by organizations like US News & World Report on a wide variety of categories such as “Highest (and Lowest) Acceptance Rate,” “Top-Public Schools,” “Best Nursing Programs,” “Most Students in a Fraternity,” “Most International Students,” etc.  However, BEWARE! College Rankings should be only a guide and never the reason why to choose a school – it would be the wrong decision to make your college decision based solely on the ranking of a specific school vs. others. Remember, rankings change every year, and they are measures that cannot directly point your fit with the programs. They try to assess college proficiency in many areas and far too often fail at being accurate by not taking under consideration the “soft” aspects of the college education.

As quoted by College Confidential, here is another comment on “Rank vs. Individual Fit: College admissions counselors universally agree that a school must “fit” the student in terms of academic environment, social environment, athletic and other extracurricular opportunities, urban or rural location, etc. A good fit will result in a great college experience and, most importantly, maximum personal growth and achievement. Rankings can be a negative influence when students or parents look more at how highly a school is ranked instead of how well it will serve the needs of that particular student.” http://collegeconfidential.com

Example, say you’re a passionate outdoorsman who enjoys kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, etc. If that’s the case, the rankings of Outside Magazine are going to suit you perfectly. Perhaps you’ll love Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. At Warren, “The Bent Creek Experimental Forest offers miles of singletrack, road riders convene every Tuesday at Liberty Bikes for a morning ride, and runners can join the Asheville Track Club. Prefer solitude? Hop onto the Mountains to Sea Trail…Hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders don’t even have to leave the 1,200-acre campus, as more than 25 miles of trails cut through the grounds.”

Of course, you’ll also want to know how Warren and other schools rank nationally, in your major, cost, and other categories relevant to you. For example, if you are a vegetarian you should check the PETA’s college rankings, did you know Yale, Oberlin, NYU and University of Florida are among the top-ten options for vegetarian students? Rankings however, are also a tool for selling magazines. Each organization that has developed a ranking has a different way to calculate results, and they are not infallible. This is mainly the reason why many often do not agree with results. However unfair and miscalculated results are, having lists of colleges that distinguish themselves for one reason or another can make it easier to find options for a student. If nothing else for this, rankings become a valuable resource when seeking college information.  With this said, use rankings as a tool to learn more about the school’s areas of strength, but make sure not to believe all you read…

How not to choose a college

Believe it or not, sometimes people pick the wrong college for the wrong reasons. Some may say “my boyfriend/girlfriend/best friend” is going there, others are impressed by the football team (which makes no sense unless you’re going to be on the football team), some pick a prestigious school even if they don’t have the major they want, others want to go where their parents went, or they want to live in a specific city where a college is located, and so forth.

Choosing a college based on factors that have nothing to do with your education and fit with the program/environment of the college could become a disaster. Remember, these four or more years could affect the rest of your life, and unlike Suze Orman, most of us don’t get to turn a B.A. is Social Work into a lucrative career as a Television Financial Adviser. So when it comes to your college choice, research, research, research and focus on fit by considering your needs and how the college meets them.

Links

College Match
http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/adv_typeofschool.jsp

Outside Magazine Top-40

http://outside.away.com/outside/features/200309/200309_college_towns_1.html

Top Vegetarian Colleges
http://www.peta2.com/college/c-vegschools-winners.asp

Top Party Schools
http://campuslife.suite101.com/article.cfm/top_american_party_schools_for_20092010

Best Social Life

http://www.studentsreview.com/top_social_schools.php3

Best Colleges for Volunteering/Service Learning

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/service-learning-programs

Top Catholic Universities
http://collegeapps.about.com/od/collegerankings/tp/top-catholic-colleges.htm

Top Christian Colleges
http://christianteens.about.com/od/schoolstuff/tp/tencolleges.htm

Foundation for Individual Rights in Academia

http://www.thefire.org/cases/topcases/

How Not to Choose a College
http://www.ecampustours.com/collegeplanning/choosingacollege/toptenreasonsnottochooseacollege.htm

2011 CommonApp Preview

College Applicants seeking admissions for August 2011 can find a preview version of the 2010-11 Common Application in the News section of the Common App website. Click this link to go directly into the 2010-2011 Common Application.

Tackling the Dangerous College Transition Process

By Claudine Vainrub

Unlike high school, college is the embodiment of freedom. Your parents aren’t there to make sure you wake up in the morning, do your homework and stay out of trouble. You’re free to study as much or as little as you want, and with only about 15 hours of class each week, you might think you have plenty of time to spare. However, did you know that to become a great college student the rule of thumb is first and foremost is to study for four hours outside of the classroom for each lecture hour you attend? When you do have spare time, participating in extra-curricular activities can provide leadership opportunities and even open doors in the future as you network with peers and faculty. A detrimental alternative is simply to use this time to get into trouble. Did you know some students get so involved with the bar-scene that they flunk out their first year? Yes, this happens even to bright straight-A students who fail to remember what got them into college in the first place.

Here are some things you should consider as you make your transition from high school to college:

Choosing/Changing Your Roommate/Dorm: Unless you choose to live off campus, chances are you’ll be living in a dorm room with one roommate or more (single rooms may be available but are more expensive). Usually, colleges send a questionnaire on what you seek in a roommate, they will want to know if you’re neat, messy, etc., so they can find you somebody that is most likely to get along with you. Some colleges have specialized dorms for international students, honor students, freshmen, single-sex and even co-ed dorms. Talk to students and others on campus to find out what each dorms is really like, some might have a reputation for being quiet, some are perfect for football players, journalism majors, and others have a reputation for being loud party dorms. In case you have problems with your roommate or dorm, talk to your resident assistant (RA) and ask to transfer to another dorm. Seek help from the college’s housing department, that’s one of their duties, to support you in case of need.

Good Study Habits: The typical student may think that “this is my time to have fun because life after college is boring.” That is a myth; a good college education can provide you with great fun in the future if you make sure to spend those four years wisely.  So consider the following study habits that will help you succeed.

A. Take notes and/or record the class: Doing this will make you active during class time which will improve your data retention. When you record your classes you are able to you listen to your professors while you’re walking, working out at the gym, riding the bus and in other instances.

B. Avoid Facebook/Texting/Social Networking in class: Multitasking by listening to a lecture while texting your friends and having fun with a blog will get you distracted and force you to study more when you’re not in class. Remember, your parents aren’t spending more than $20,000 a year for you to waste your time in class. Facebook has become very controversial for college students prompting some to unite into groups against the habit-forming site. These students claimed that their use/addiction to use Facebook was taking time away from their studies, and their grades were suffering because of this. Don’t let this happen to you – remember, the key to success is balance. However, if you can’t control it, it is wiser to drop it than to allow your college work to suffer because of your participation in this or any social network.

C. Do your homework on time: If you were studying French, would it be easier to learn 10 words a day or 100 words for tomorrow’s exam? The answer is obvious, if you complete your homework assignments and study every day, you will not have to stay up all night preparing for an exam and you will be more likely to get a better grade.

D. Seek Help: Almost all professors have office times to meet with their students so they can help you with any questions. You can also seek tutors from the university, find out about different study groups, and work with your academic adviser to drop a class if the course is too difficult. In college, you will find that professors want to help you, most of them want you to succeed. If you are having a tough time with one course, be prepared to go the extra mile, do extra work, ask questions to the faculty and personally sit with them until the task is successfully completed. This will support you in getting closer to the grade you desire.

Extracurricular Activities: Engaging in fun/educational activities outside the classroom will help you keep your spirits up, network with future leaders and even spice-up your resume. Just like Journalism majors often write for the college newspaper, it’s not uncommon to see Business majors participating in clubs related to entrepreneurship, finance/venture capital management, and marketing, while other majors join political or even bizarre clubs. Fraternities for example are a great place to develop leadership skills and become part of a very special organization where the loyalty between members outlasts college – it’s no secret that frat brothers and sorority sisters often hire their own.

Homesickness: It’s not uncommon for students to miss their families, but thanks to technology we are all one step away. Call them from your free long-distance cell phone account (that’s what it is for), e-mail them, and even visit them in your computer screen. To avoid getting homesick, you should try contacting your parents at the very least once or twice per week. Let them know how you’re doing, ask them for advice, this will not only show them how grateful you are for everything they have done for you, but it will keep your spirits up in the most difficult times.

Date Rape: Colleges recruit students from all walks of life and unfortunately, we can find students amongst our peers that do not have good judgment or are up to no good. Incidents of date rape do happen, some rapists try to put a “roofie” in your drink to make you fall asleep which is why you should protect your drink at all time (if you’re old enough to be drinking).  Others may try to get you drunk so you’ll be more likely to agree to sex or not have the power to resist an advance. If you find yourself in a place where you feel unsafe, seek help from campus security. Do not risk walking back to your dorm alone if late in the night, do not open your door to strangers. Never abuse alcohol – remember that you have to take care of yourself and if you are not in your senses, it is easy to fall into traps where others could take advantage of you. If you become a victim of rape, call the police immediately and don’t take a shower because that removes crucial evidence.

Illegal Drug Use: Movies like Animal House show a world where using illegal drugs has no consequences, this is not so. Schools are becoming stricter about drugs, some will even expel you not just for your own drug use but the drug use of your roommate if you know about it and don’t report it. In some cases just having drug paraphernalia can get you expelled, so aside from the usual dangers of drugs, getting expelled from college can have disastrous consequences for your future. Also, corporate recruiters nowadays are very thorough in testing you for drugs. Many test through hair, which can carry a history of two years in some cases. Any trace of illegal drug use can become a factor when hiring you for employment following your college years. Don’t let a bad decision mark your future, there are certainly some things worthwhile not trying in life – drugs is one of them.

Spring Break: Because 18 is the legal drinking age in Mexico and drugs are common and easy to find, a lot of young college students that vacation there during spring break. But it’s not all fun and games, in Mexico people can and do get arrested and when that happens they face a legal system where you are guilty before proven innocent.

Psychological Issues: From eating disorders to depression, the college experience can bring out more topics than an entire year of The Tyra Show. The good news is that almost every college has a counseling center with trained psychologists at no cost to you, they can help you get your life back on track and avoid letting a small problem becoming a big one that ruin your academics and your life.

Don’t try to do it all: “Jack of all trades, master of none” applies to students who learn about everything but specialize in nothing. What good is a Communications degree if you can barely work a camera, barely write a screenplay, barely direct a movie/TV show and barely write an article? Smart students do their best to find their passion and master it. This will not only help you find a great job right after college, but it might save you having to enroll in a technical institute to learn what you didn’t learn in college.

Don’t Cheat: From hiring a student to write your essays to cheating during exams, some students play tricks with their college education in order to get better grades. If you get caught doing this, you could be put on probation or expelled. If you don’t get caught, you might end up doubting your abilities because you’ll know you’re a cheater and if you have a conscience, it will affect you. Colleges are very strict with plagiarism too, and professors are instructed to check all work for originality. The honor code in most colleges is extremely rigid – colleges will trust you as a principle, but if they ever find out that you cheated, you will not be forgiven. It is not worth the risk to test the system and try to cheat. Stay true to your work, make your best honest effort and this will get you far.

In conclusion, use your college years wisely, avoid drugs and alcohol, remember that the courses you take and activities you participate in can affect you in many years to come. Value your academics, because a high GPA can help you land the best internships and someday the highest paying jobs.  Strive for your best, with vision and heart, and you’ll really enjoy the best years of your life!

Radio Show – Summer Jobs

Our weekly segment with Eli Bravo on Actualidad 1020 AM regarding summer jobs and how they can support your college admissions process. Sorry folks, only EN ESPANOL…

Nuestro segmento radial con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM Circuito Union Radio, esta semana comentando acerca de pasantias laborales para futuros aplicantes universitarios, como afecta haber realizado una pasantia en las admisiones universitarias…

Trabajos de Verano y Admisiones Universitarias – Como afecta a los aplicantes

Taking Advantage of your Summer

Internships and other ways to make a use of your summer vacation

By Claudine Vainrub

Gone are the days when summer vacation time was solely used for going to the beach, being lazy and relaxing around the house. With the competition evident in the college admissions race, it pays off to think about doing something more useful with your time of leisure.

Preparing for the college admissions race requires a lot of time and effort. However, it does not mean that high school students should deprive themselves from taking time off to relax from their daily routines. Recharging batteries for the next year of their high school education is as important as working towards their mid-term goals. However, there are many advantages to doing something useful also during the summer, and taking advantage of this time to learn new things in different environments can prove rewarding in many ways.

Taking on a summer job occupation can support your college goals by:

1-      Proving that you are a hard worker, willing to go the extra mile to show others that you are committed to your goals

2-      Providing the opportunity to experience a field of work you have interest in. This can also help you really know with more certainty if the industry which you are trying out and also the profession you are reviewing meet your expectations in terms of interests, career wants and needs. Most of the times, third party opinions are not as valid as making your own opinion regarding an occupation by having “been there, done that”

3-      Gain a leadership opportunity by undertaking a special assignment in your work environment, and completing it before the summer’s end. This will not only have the potential of becoming a great life lesson in completing tasks, time management and results delivery, but also, you will be making a difference for the affected group of people, and maybe even leaving a legacy

4-      Keeping your mind going throughout the summer, as opposed to getting lazy and becoming passive in your life. Living at a slower pace is sometimes needed, however, when doing so for long periods of time, it can be counterproductive, and you can easily form bad habits that stick. Maintaining a balanced level of activity during the summer is useful and beneficial your any high school student

5-      Providing opportunities for creative thinking as you go outside your bubble to learn about something completely different from what you devote yourself on a daily basis

6-       Experiencing new things that can lead to analysis on your career, goals and future

From the college admissions process perspective, taking on an internship, thinking creatively about what to do during the summer, and taking new action can become very rewarding for you as an applicant. The admissions committees of colleges and universities throughout the U.S. look for individuals that can contribute to the classes by bringing their own insight, initiative and creativity.

Every day more, classes become participative, leaving the lecture format almost entirely in a class of the old and discontinued ways to teach. With the more modern teaching methodologies such as case study, team projects and even cold-calling to enhance class participation, student input becomes invaluable to enrich instruction and the classroom experience as a whole. This is why colleges seek leaders, students with diverse experiences that will bring their own perspectives and thought processes to the discussions to take them to the next level.

To become a contributor of this class experience, we must seek new experiences that encourage creative and analytical thinking. The summer is the perfect time to seek these adventures, which will make a difference to us as individuals, and to the ones surrounding us, as we inspire them to think differently and profoundly about new topics in mind. Work and obligation can be fun too, especially when choosing a career you love. If you missed, the experience was also good as you might have saved yourself from studying for four years about an area you would not directly use in your professional future.

Here are some ideas of interesting summer internships:

1-      If you are a tennis/baseball/other sports player: Opening a tennis/baseball/sports league for underprivileged kids

2-      If you are an actor/singer/musician: Producing an amateur musical play or drama

3-      If you are good in sciences and interested in pre-med: Shadowing a doctor for a month

4-      Any student at all: Developing a small non-profit organization to support a specific cause (does not need to become large or raise large amounts of money)

5-      If you are interested in international relations, languages and other related fields: Forming an organization to cater under-served populations tutoring them in Spanish

6-      If you are interested in finance: Joining a bank, developing and executing a program to open small loans for lower income individuals and their small businesses.

With a little creativity and passion for a specific occupation, your summer can end up being so much more than expected, opening your eyes to new horizons and changing your life forever. Get ready to jump out of the couch and work to make your dreams a reality.

Florida College Fair

College Fair for Private Colleges and Universities of Florida

Date: May 11, 2010

Time: 6:00-8:00pm

Place:

Lynn University

Louis and Anne Green Center for the Expressive Arts

3601 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton

Information sessions on Financial Aid and other resources for College and Graduate School Candidates of private colleges and universities of Florida.

Participating Institutions:

Barry University, Beacon College, Eckerd College, Embry-Riddle, Flagler College, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida Southern College, Jacksonville University, Johnson and Wales University, Lynn University, Northwood University, Nova Southeastern University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Ringling College, Rollins College, Saint Leo University, St, Thomas University, Stetson University, University of Miami, University of Tampa, Warner University

Amazing Resources for Job Seekers

Here is an article by Katheryn Rivas I am sure you will find very useful to enhance your job search…

http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/02/100-inspiring-informative-blog-posts-for-young-job-seekers/

Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn, Stanford

Seeking Admission to Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, Duke University or Georgetown University? Read on…

Learn all about these amazing schools, and what they have to offer here if Florida or in many other places throughout the U.S. The Presentation is called “Exploring College Options”, here is the complete information…

Exploring College Options is a special recruitment program sponsored by the undergraduate admissions offices of five of the country’s leading universities: Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University. During the spring or fall of each year, the Exploring College Options group will visit all 50 states, Puerto Rico, USVI and the District of Columbia. At each event, representatives from the five universities will conduct brief slide presentations about their institution and answer your questions about the sometimes-mystifying world of college admissions. You will learn what distinguishes one fine university from another, what competitive colleges look for in the selection process, and what you can do to enhance your college application.

The programs start promptly at 7:30pm, so we suggest arriving 15 to 20 minutes beforehand to complete the sign-in process and find a seat. Programs typically last one and a half hours. Please feel free to bring your parent or guardian to the program, and if you have a friend who you think might be interested, please direct him/her to this website for registration information.

————–

Information Sessions In Florida

Miami, FL

Wednesday, May 12, 7:30PM

Miami Marriott Dadeland

9090 S. Dadeland Boulevard

Miami, FL 33156

305-670-1035

————

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Thursday, May 13, 7:30PM

Renaissance Ft. Lauderdale

1230 South Pine Island Road

Plantation, FL 33324

954-472-2252

For more sessions click HERE

Miami, FL

Wednesday, May 12, 7:30PM

Miami Marriott Dadeland

9090 S. Dadeland Boulevard

Miami, FL 33156

305-670-1035

Ft Lauderdale, FL

Thursday, May 13, 7:30PM

Renaissance Ft. Lauderdale

1230 South Pine Island Road

Plantation, FL 33324

954-472-2252

The 4-Year Plan

Implications of Not Having One for College Admissions

Planning is of the essence in high school years, especially if interested in opening doors forward. The flexibility allowed by the high school curriculum throughout the U.S. can have a downside – if we do not plan ahead what courses we will need to take in the four years of high school, we might be closing opportunities without even knowing it. The creation of a 4-Year Plan is what solves this dilemma, ensuring we know what we as students stand against, in the race for college admissions.

One of the great privileges of the U.S. education system is its flexibility towards students, leaving room for teenagers to learn about their likes and dislikes, and allowing them to begin focusing on areas of interest at an early age – precisely in the 7th grade. Middle school students already can choose and pick areas in which they have excelled, and gain selection to more rigorous courses.

When arriving to the high school years, graduation prerequisites are not even remotely close to what an average to high-performing student would want to take. They are much less so, and leave room for students to seek further development taking more than the required courses. With electives being one part of the curriculum, these courses also need to be planned ahead, to ensure that course workload will be manageable for students and also, help students to go places and thrive.

A 4-Year Plan is the instrument that will help you assess educational opportunities in high school, and also ensure you will meet requirements to enter top institutions throughout the U.S. If we look closely to institutions of the highest reputation, including Princeton University, Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania, for example, we see among their prerequisites for admissions that they ask high school students to have completed Calculus, for example, by their senior year. Have we thought about what it takes in order to complete Calculus in the senior year of high school? There is a sequence that a student has to go through in order to achieve this goal. First, the student must have completed Algebra 1, then Algebra 2, then Geometry, then Pre-Calculus, to finally be eligible to enroll in the Calculus class. Making the plan of when each course will be taken by the student is what is called the 4-Year Plan.

In the Plan, we want to understand available courses in our high school, and also, student academic aptitude. A mistake would be to just take under consideration the goals in terms of college admissions. Each student is their own world, unique, with competencies different to other students in similar positions. Thus, it is important to make sure to understand what are his/her strengths and weaknesses prior to designing the combination of courses the student will register for. To understand their competencies, it is important is to ask their teachers in previous courses of the same subject area regarding their assessment of the student’s proficiency in the course. Their opinion can be highly valuable as they should understand the rigor required in future courses well enough to help the student make the right decision, and not strain themselves.

Colleges throughout seek students that want to work hard and have the capability to do so. One way of proving to a college that you are the type of student that will push yourself while keeping a reality check, is by enrolling in Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses. These courses not only teach at a higher level of difficulty, APs can earn you college credit, thus saving you money towards your college education. Often times, APs can be found even at a freshman level in high school. Having the opportunity to take an AP class in your first year of high school can offer a great advantage, as you are already accumulating extra points towards your weighted GPA, and working towards demonstrating that you are at an advantageous academic level. We find many students trying to fit as many AP courses as possible in their junior year, when they realize that what they took was not enough to really have a great impact on the GPA. This could result in poor grades in many courses, having a bad effect in the GPA, as opposed to the original intentions of raising the GPA and proving academic competitiveness.

The 4-Year Plan does not have to be set in stone, it can change throughout the years. However, it is advantageous to know in what direction you are heading, in order to make sure you don’t miss out on available opportunities. Making a smart plan and following it as closely as possible will help you open doors with colleges throughout. In college admissions, it pays to plan ahead.

Florida College Fair

To our students who love Florida schools, here is a great opportunity…

CollegeWeekLive is proud to announce CollegeWeekLive FLORIDA DAY, the first online college fair devoted entirely to schools in Florida! CollegeWeekLive FLORIDA DAY takes place May 6^th from 12 PM to 10 PM Eastern: Register now for free.

At CollegeWeekLive FLORIDA DAY, students can chat live with admissions reps from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Florida State University, Lynn University, Miami Dade College, Nova Southeastern University, Rollins College, Saint Leo University, Saint Thomas University, Stetson University, University of Florida, University of Miami, University of South Florida, University of Tampa and more!

Students can also participate in online presentations covering Florida related topics.

Mark your calendar on May 6^th to attend this free online event at www.CollegeWeekLive.com.

Over $1.6MM in MBA Scholarships

If you are planning to start an MBA in 2011, here is a great opportunity to receive a full ride! Until May 15, QS World Tour is offering MBA scholarships for U.S. and International Students. Check out the information and apply soon to become eligible for these awards:

QS, organizers of the World MBA Tour, understand the importance of financial support during hard economic times.
If you have attended any of the QS fairs or plan to visit them this year, and would like to be considered for one or more of the scholarships from our US$1.6 million fund, register on www.topmba.com/scholarships. Please answer all the questions in as much detail as possible and submit your essays. Each candidate can apply for a number of scholarships: one or two provided by the school he/she has been accepted to, the QS Leadership and the QS Community scholarships.

You have indicated you would like to study in North America – here are the scholarships you might be interested in:

• Chicago BSB Scholarship, worth US$40,000 per year
• Duke University- the Fuqua School of Business Scholarship, worth US$ 23,000
• USC Marshall School of Business Scholarship, worth US$24,000

If you are also considering other destinations, here are all the QS scholarships you can apply for:
• QS Leadership Scholarships, two awards  US$10,000 each
• QS Community Scholarships, five awards US$2,000 each
• IE Business School Scholarships for women, two awards €22,500 each
• Ashridge Business School Scholarship worth £18,000
• Cass Business School in London, six scholarships, total worth of £69,000
• Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School Scholarships, total worth of €425,000
• ESMT Diversity Scholarships, two awards  €25,000 each
• EMLYON Business School Entrepreneurial Scholarship worth €15,000
• Melbourne Business School International Scholarship, worth US$ 20,000
• Sydney Business School International Scholarship, total worth of US$12,000

To submit your essays visit www.topmba.com/scholarships.  Login using your email and password, then answer the survey questions and upload the application essay. Submit your application no later than 15th May.

If you encounter any technical problems, please contact Nourra Bojanowska, QS Scholarships Coordinator mba.scholarships@qs.com

Top international business schools look forward to reviewing your essays and awarding scholarships to the best international candidates.

Choosing a Grad School Program

Often times, we find students asking themselves – should I go for an MBA or for a Master in Management, or another related field? There are several considerations when making this decision. We will expose some of them to help you make the decision that will provide the most advantage in your particular case.

Whether you undergo a mainstream graduate school program or one catering a more specific field of study, continuing your higher education is always the right decision. In college, we spend a couple of years completing core courses not directly related to our field of study. Grad school provides the opportunity to gain a deeper perspective of an area we want to become experts in. With the way grad school programs are structured nowadays, they also allow students to gain real life experience in their field of work. This happens often times through consulting engagements schools offer through corporate alliances. Whether you are completing an MBA or a Master’s in Public Policy, both programs could offer chances to practice consulting while being monitored by faculty. This is the Mecca of education – to learn while doing and being supervised by experts who will in turn provide feedback on how you did.  With these learning methodologies, grad school has dramatically changed for the better in the last two decades. You cannot go wrong when pursuing a grad school program from an accredited university.

So how do we determine what program meets our needs best? We analyze the following and conclude on each one of these aspects, as they directly pertain us:

1-      Fit with competencies: Knowing what our strengths and weaknesses are is essential to understanding if we can maximize success with the program. If we lack mathematics skills and the program is mathematics-intensive from the get-go, what are really our chances to succeed in that program? (Definition of success = ability to accomplish goals and be happy, at the same time). We want to enter a program where our interests, strengths and opportunity to grow all meet allowing us to combine the three to ensure that we will have the greatest potential to thrive. Study the curriculum each program offers, analyze the difference of curriculum between programs, and assess your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the studied curricula. Take this under consideration when making your decision, however, do be careful about underestimating yourself – pushing yourself some is always a way to achieve tougher goals, and greater accomplishments. Don’t be too hard on yourself when assessing weaknesses, grad school will help you overcome many, but you need to be ready to really give your very best. If you do so, you will have pushed yourself to become the best you could be.

2-      Impact on career: The worst mistake that grad school students can make is to not take under consideration what impact a grad school program can have in their careers. If you study something you love, but have no use for, you will have spent money and time in an inefficient way. Is it wrong? No, but could there have been a better way to spend your valuable money and time? Without a doubt – Yes. Evaluating and understanding in depth what career opportunities, what opened doors, and career paths can come out of your grad school work is essential not only to selecting the programs but also to keeping high levels of motivation while completing your studies. Programs have different focuses – research, practical work, concentration on a specific field of study within the masters. Find out what is your targeted program focus and see if it matches the career you are seeking. Many grad school programs have statistics on professions available in their marketing literature. Research this to make sure that the careers alumni follow have some similarities with your own career aspirations. Learn about the percentage of graduates that are able to secure jobs upon completing their programs. These aspects will help you visualize the true and tangible value of the education program you are considering to pursue.

3-      Brand recognition: Sometimes attending schools and programs that are highly recognized can pose advantages to students. A Wow-factor™ is created with the resume, as recruiters see the brand-name program listed as part of the educational trajectory of a professional. This is a perk of choosing a program that is widely recognized and popular. Having that name recognition, no matter if it is the school’s or the degree’s, certainly can impact in a positive or negative way throughout the life of a professional. Take this under consideration when seeking grad school programs.

4-      Alumni network: When thinking of careers and your professional future, attending a program with a strong alumni base can open many doors. Research about the school, its alumni association and how well organized it is. Many grad school programs offer private job boards that will help graduates connect and seek special career opportunities not available to the masses.

5-      The extras: Graduate programs that are fully developed or have long traditions often times have larger budgets and offer great perks for students. Some perks include alliances with major corporations to do consulting engagements throughout the world. Other perks include offering / promoting vacation trip packages at discounted rates, where students mingle with prominent alumni. Special learning engagements, lectures by world leaders and event special scholarship programs are extras universities offer that can take the study experience to another level. Consider these when assessing grad school programs.

The decision of grad school is a good one, no matter what. With a bit of research, insight and a lot of dedication throughout the application process, your grad school can become a life changing experience. Making the best of this decision process is a realistic goal worth fighting for.

Costo Universitario – Show Radial

Our Weekly segment on Actualidad 1020 AM with Eli Bravo, this week on the Cost of Education. Sorry folks, only in Spanish…

Nuestro show radial semanal con Eli Bravo acerca del Costo de la Educacion Universitaria.

Costo de la educacion superior

Graduate Admissions Event

The Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants – AIGAC is hosting the worldwide event

Graduate Admissions Virtual Summit:
“Discover how you can position your application for Success”

Learn from Expert Graduate Admissions Counselors on how to get ahead of the game in Grad School Admissions.

Our own EduPlan Principal, Claudine Vainrub, will be hosting the webinar directed to Spanish Speakers

Latino Americanos y MBA’s- Como Diferenciarse? (Latin Americans and MBA’s- How to Differentiate Yourself?)

Click on the links to visit the event page and register for the conference.

Don’t miss out on this special event!

El Poder de los Headhunters

Nuestro programa radial semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM. Esta semana hablamos acerca de reclutadores profesionales en la busqueda de trabajo.

Sorry folks, only En Espanol!

Headhunters y la busqueda de trabajo

The Power of Headhunters

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

When seeking jobs, having the support of a headhunter or recruiting firm can be an asset. Although most jobs nowadays are sourced through networking, recruiters are the second most important source for companies to find valuable employees.

What can a recruiter do for you and for your job search? When we think of the effects of networking, and how they affect job search, a recruiter presents similarities with a different edge. Establishing relationships with people and connecting one-on-one has been demonstrated as an important step to find opportunities. In that same manner, a headhunter will focus on learning all regarding your profile, and when identifying a fit with the position, will become a promoter of your candidacy within a firm. There is a lot to say about someone marketing your services. It is a great advantage to have someone on your side, talking well about your skills, career progress and how you can become an asset for a firm.

Well-established recruiters manage relationships on a daily basis. When becoming respected professionals, their endorsement is a great tool to count with. Thus, it is important for candidates to understand that the image projected to a recruiter is as important as the one projected for an employer.

Another important aspect to take under consideration is differentiation. A recruiter deals with hundreds or even thousands of candidates. How will you differentiate yourself so as to stay in the top of the recruiter’s mind? Calling the recruiter every day is certainly not the strategy… Making sure your resume has impact and presenting yourself in a professional manner, can get you a long way.  Although daily calls will most surely have a negative effect, calling monthly and sending an updated resume every two months (or even an alternate version of your old one) will be refreshing and might help you gain positive visibility.

What should you not expect from a recruiter? A recruiter might provide pointers on how to enhance your professional marketing; however, they are not career coaches or expert resume writers. If you need career advice, help with resume writing or job search techniques; seek professionals in these specialized fields to receive expert support. Recruiters are hired by companies, not by candidates, thus, they fill positions needed with candidates – and not the opposite – they don’t look for jobs for a specific candidate. When they do this last practice, it is called reversal recruiting and in 99% of the opportunities, it is a scam. Beware of recruiters that charge you to help you find a job.

With that said, recruiters have specific positions with specific candidate needs. Finding a recruiter that has a position that fits your exact profile is sometimes hard, but worth the search. Seek recruiters that specialize in your career or industry – in this way, you will increase the probability of them sourcing a position that matches you.

Find recruiting firm directories and search for firms in your geographic area and also devoted to your industry, network with them and build long-lasting relationships. Some job seekers do this very well; they keep the connection with the recruiter who in turn, will follow their career and every few years, present opportunities to the benefit of their firm and their professional growth.

When used as an alternative job search techniques, Headhunters can become great assets for job seekers. Establish a plan and use this source to achieve endorsement and take the next step in your job search with success.

Congratulations to our Wonderful Students!

To this year’s EduPlan superachievers – Yes! This means you!

We are so proud of your successes! You worked hard to achieve your best, and we are thrilled that colleges and universities all across the U.S. recognized your talent! Full rides and partial scholarships recognize to an even higher extent that you led this process while giving the best of yourself!

We know you will be successful in the next stage of your life, as you were throughout the college and grad school admissions process. It is now time to breath and think, where do I fit in best? Which school can support me best in achieving most professional goals? We know that your choice will be the right one, and are here to help you make this tough decision successfully. We are in awe of your accomplishment! Here are a few of the schools recognizing the talent of EduPlan students, not only with admissions but also by granting full and partial scholarships…

• Amherst College
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Michigan
• Penn State University
• Georgetown University
• University of Miami
• University of Florida
• Emory University
• Eckerd College
• Florida International University
• Hofstra University
• Suffolk University
• Ivey
• New College of Florida
• University of Central Florida
• Fordham University
• Wagner College
• Lynn University
• Yeshiva University

And so many more…

Congratulations undergraduate classes of 2014 and graduate classes of 2012!

Maximizar ROTI al Buscar Trabajo

A continuacion nuestro programa radial semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM, acerca de como tener el maximo retorno del tiempo invertido en la busqueda de trabajo.

Sorry folks, only in Spanish…

Networking y ROTI

Job Search ROTI

Maximizing ROTI – Return on Time Investment when Looking for a Job

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

As we prepare for the economy to get back in shape, jobs are becoming every day more available for professionals seeking for new opportunities. The question is: What strategies can we use ensure landing a job soon? How do we achieve the best return on our job search time investment? In the following series, we will discuss the impact of several strategies, bringing today one of the most relevant when looking for ROTI in job search.

Networking:

It is by far, the preferred strategy nowadays to get effective on finding a job. Over 60% of all jobs are sourced nowadays through networking, as reported throughout. Networking, however, has taken a new meaning with social media at hand. LinkedIn, MySpace and Facebook are the most widely known in the US, especially for job search and personal socialization. However, we can be surprised with the many alternatives that are available worldwide, networks of over 60MM users, some like Orkut, popular in Brazil and increasing in India, as Wikipedia reports, with over 180MM users. Other specialized networks include PartnerUp, a social networking site for entrepreneurs and small business owners. These are important tools for job seekers, who will gain an advantage when trying to connect with professionals that have things in common, and can appreciate their assets. Check out some of the hundreds of social networking sites available here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites

Just sitting in front of the PC screen eight hours per day will almost surely not do the trick. Getting “out there” is another way of networking, sometimes even more effective. Face time is valuable, and being able to get in front of a decision maker or at least a reference, can make a big difference in landing the opportunity. A good idea of how to get in front of people you believe can make a difference in your job search is given by the book “Never Eat Lunch Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi. Inviting people that can make a difference in your life to have lunch with you can help you in growing personal relationships. These one-on-one rapports can have an impact when someone is in the position to talk well about you, and truly “sell” you to a fellow employer. It might end up being somewhat expensive, and even fattening! But it is certainly effective when creating a connection and a recall of your personal brand in other people’s mind.

Volunteering is another effective way of networking. It is also an opportunity for a professional to prove that he/she has management skills and many other skill sets that are worthy and unique, and needed in the workforce. This strategy will also keep your mind busy with work, and away from the worries of not finding a job. It will provide food for thought and even bring ideas on enterprises and ventures that could be profitably launched. Managers and/or coworkers could end up becoming employers or even partners.

The important aspect to concentrate in is that getting busy meeting people and connecting in different ways will enrich our lives, whether we are looking for a job, looking for career advancement or even retired. Making personal connections, for whatever reason, is positive. It can and will bring many productive opportunities throughout our lives.

The New Financial Aid Formula

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and Principal of EduPlan

With the passing of the healthcare bill, the topic of education has taken a second place in the minds of the Americans. However, there are interesting news regarding financial aid as this bill was merged with the health reform legislation. Although a more conservative version of the original plan expected to pass in September, the Government is again supporting an initiative to increase Financial Aid support for college-bound students, as well as allocate new funds for other educational areas, including historically black colleges, Hispanic and tribal colleges.

As Inside Higher Ed explains, here are the differences between what was proposed in September and the new bill:

In total, it is expected that subsidies and eliminating the middleman will generate around $61 billion in savings over 10 years. Pell grants would be assigned $36 billion, raising the annual Pell grant amount to $5,975 (and a maximum of $6,400) from $5,550, and it would be linked to the consumer price index.

This is somewhat discouraging, since the original Pell grant target was $6,900, closer to the real needs of students eligible for this grant. Community colleges would get $2 billion, down from $10 billion in the original bill. $2.6 billion is allocated to historically black colleges, Hispanic and tribal colleges , which need it to ensure their survival throughout this recession. The new bill also includes a $1.5 billion initiative that would cap a borrower’s monthly loan payments at 10 percent of income, down from 15 percent.

Until now, student loans have been mostly handled through private banks and other financial institutions. As part of this process, while the Federal Government sponsors these loans, private banks offering and managing loan programs benefit from earning a percentage. This percentage is one that will soon cease to exist for the Pell grant program, as a new bill is passed in Government. The plan is for the Fed to bypass banks and private lenders to provide these loans directly to students – no middleman involved. As Inside Higher Ed explains, “The legislation (H.R. 4872) would shift all lending from the bank-based Federal Family Education Loan Program to the Direct Loan Program and use $61 billion in savings over 10 years to shore up the Pell Grant Program and for a handful of other education priorities.”

How does the new bill directly affect us?

In simple terms, the over 8 million students depending on the Pell grant program to subsidize their education will continue to be able to do so receiving most likely maximum amounts, as opposed to lesser or no grant funds, as money becomes more available for education. Cutting the middlemen in this program will support the government in being able to allocate more funds by saving money in their program that will directly end in the hands of low and middle-income students. This investment will provide relief to students that otherwise would have to abandon their college work for lack of aid. In this way, the government is taking one step ahead in their goal of graduating more college students and helping raise the level of education in the U.S. population.

Education Reform – We are Ready!

News on education reveal this administration’s interest in enhancing educational standards for high school students in the U.S. President Obama states that major changes will happen in the education field in the next few years, reform will begin soon with the passing of a proposal for new academic standards for education at elementary and high school level.

One of the new initiatives is called Common Core State Standards Initiative. The program would standardize graduation requirements throughout the U.S., comparing apples to apples, when assessing students’ readiness for college. To many Latin Americans, this initiative seems easy to understand, since this is how education is conducted in Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina and other South American countries. However, in the U.S., each state had different academic standards, which, in the opinion of many, has led to a lower standard to complete high school.

What is the purpose of this proposal? To ensure students are more prepared in Mathematics and English. Years ago, the U.S. graduated professionals in these fields that became leaders in the industry, innovators, researchers. Not as much anymore. With mathematics requirements getting lowered to graduate more students from high school, the effect has been negative in the majority of the population, who are less prepared for college and to excel in the sciences. The new base proposed for public schools will help ensure that students all over are asked to work harder and focus in learning, as opposed to just passing.

What are the implications of these initiatives? A better education standard, a less punitive system which rewards for excellence and does not punish for not achieving expectations. Lowering the bar for students and teachers will become an item of the past. Making students become ready for college and for a career, as opposed to just focusing on passing a grade is the new ideal. All these initiatives can turn around our education system, helping this nation become once again, a leader in technology and advancement throughout.

An Image is Worth A Thousand Words – Video Applications

Remember how Elle Woods from Legally Blond supposedly got into Harvard? She made a cool video of why she was perfect for law school. Well, it looks like life is imitating Hollywood because prestigious institutions like Tufts and Yale are accepting video submissions that are usually uploaded on youtube for the delight or despair of others depending on the quality of said video. Although Harvard’s dean of admissions, William R. Fitzsimmons, fears that “students from families with substantial financial resources are in a better position to provide such materials,” the reality is that the availability of technology in the form of cellphone cameras to inexpensive video recorders, gives virtually anyone the tools they need to make a video.

Whether you’re performing a rap song, using stop-motion photography, flying the school’s mascot by remote control, or just speaking on camera, you can make a successful video essay if you follow these simple rules.

1. Focus on the story:

Almost everyone agrees that Avatar has amazing graphics, yet have you seen the movie critics complaining about the inane dialogue and the insipid story? Compare Avatar to The Blair Witch Project and Halloween, both movies were made for $50,000 and both generated over $100 million dollars. Why? Because they had great ideas that didn’t demand huge production budgets. So before you begin wasting huge amounts of money shooting a video submission that might not even get you accepted to the college of your choice, think about what you’re trying to communicate and then find a technique to get the job done.

2. Simple works:

Amelia’s “Math Dances” video illustrates that you don’t need fancy sound-recording equipment, lights, and the best camera to succeed. Her video which has been seen by over 90,000 people on youtube features Amelia dancing line graphs, y-axis, and other math concepts. But unlike those big budget movies that seem to go on and on, she gets to the point in one minute. Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNPXUWsMdIo&feature=related

3. Show, don’t tell:

Eric’s video submission shows what happens when you spend 30 seconds in front of a drum telling people what you want to do in a real monotone voice. By the time you’re family playing the drum, your audience is bored. Remember, you’re not Howard Stern so there’s no need to describe what your audience is seeing.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX04xBa36u0&feature=related

4. Say it with pictures:

When Sunset Blvd’s Norma Desmond says “We didn’t need dialogue. We had faces!” She’s referring to the long gone era of silent films which forced actors to get creative with movement, facial expressions and so forth. Well, your video essay can say a lot with frozen or moving pictures and music without you having to utter a single word. Take a look at this video essay for Chapman/Dodge, the student shows his whole life without any words whatsoever. Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySbS81bQL3g

5. Say it with subtitles:

Americans don’t usually like reading subtitles, but if you write compelling lines with or without related images, you can get your point across in an original way as more than 23,000 people saw in the video “In my shoes.” Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWmU0hze4jE

6. Use a celebrity:

Student Christian Holmes took real life footage of Bravo’s Inside The Actor Studio and mixed it with video of himself answering the questions of the host. Can you imagine being interviewed by Larry King? Obama? Sarah Palin? With this technique you can “hire” your favorite celebrity for absolutely nothing.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57yJCm-KKIk

7. YouTube Idol: Ru Paul may want you to “lip-synch for your life,” well; plenty of students are lip-synching their favorite iPod tunes for a college education. So whether you sing, lip-synch, play an instrument, dedicate a song to a tree or use inanimate objects as instruments… You’ll find that music is the universal language of the video essay.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FESrDkzga58

8. Behind the Student: Like VH1’s “Behind the Music,” sometimes it’s other people that can best speak for you. So consider making a documentary about your life with the most relevant people speaking o your behalf. Keep it interesting and it just might be your ticket to college and youtube fame.

9. Show your culture:

How many people do you know that live in Aramco Residential Camp in Saudi Arabia? Samantha grew up there and made a simple video of her talking in front of the camera with the amazing Saudi Arabian desert behind her.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-6uwkfdJjM

10- Be Yourself!

In the end, do not loose focus on the real goal – finding a college program with the right “fit” for you. So after all, thrive at portraying yourself accurately, marketing your true essence, remembering that it is you that will have to spend the next four years of your life in the school you decide to attend. Follow the rules and create the video yourself – do not have someone produce it for you.

In the end, schools aren’t looking for James Cameron quality or even youtube hits, but they’ll be impressed if you make an effort and deliver your very best.

Further Reading:

Film Might Be the New Essay In College Admissions

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/youcollege-video-essays-arrived/story?id=9924120&page=2

Best and Worst Video Essays

http://www.urlesque.com/2008/08/13/college-video-essays-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

A fresh pitch on ‘U’ tube

http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2010/02/21/a_fresh_pitch_on_u_tube/?page=2

From Bizarre to Outstanding – College Trends 2010

From virtual classrooms to vegetarian jambalaya, college today is full of surprises:

Men Finish Last:

According to The New York Times’ freakonomics blog, by age 25 you’ll find 141 female college grads for every 100 men with a degree. This is due to either men taking longer to graduate high school which could reflect their parents enrolling them in school later than their daughters. Men are also taking more than 4 years to finish college and/or are more likely to take one or more gap years as they see the world before going to college.

Recession Slashes Scholarships:

Can’t balance your budget? Neither can Michigan, the state is getting rid of programs like The Michigan Competitive Scholarship and the Michigan Promise Scholarship. According to Top-Colleges.com, many states, charities and colleges are cutting back on their scholarship budgets. Thus, many students are going to have to come up with their own money for college even if they qualify for a Pell grant because competition for scholarships will be tougher. However, not everything is doom and gloom, the federal government is simplifying the application process for financial aid, the new American Opportunity tax credit reduces tax burden by as much as $2,500 for any tuition paid in 2009 and 2010, the maximum size of Pell grants is increasing by $200 and the federal Stafford college loan has decreased from 5.6% to 4.5%.

Go Country and Save a Country Mile:

Top-colleges.com reports that while many schools are raising their tuition costs, those that are in rural locations or that have a comparatively lower ranking are reducing their costs and offering scholarships to out-of-state students. As such, attending an out-of-state school may be cheaper than it once was.  Another advantage of rural colleges is that they are “usually near wilderness areas, have educational opportunities related to science and nature-not to mention fun outdoor activities. For example, Wester State College’s proximity to the Rocky Mountains make it a great school…if you’re studying geology or are an avid hiker” according to collegeboard.com

No More “Freshman 15”

The common weight gain first-year students experience in their first year in college may become a thing of the past with low-carb beers, delicious salad bars, convenient veggie burgers and a multicultural menu of choices. According to Sodexo, a leading provider of integrated food and facilities services, the Top-10 College Food Trends for 2001 are: Apricot-glazed Turkey, Meatloaf with Frizzle-Fried Onions, Vietnamese Pho (Rice Noodle Soup), Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Adobo (Mexican Stew with Chilies), Stuffed Pork Chops, Vegetarian Jambalaya, Lemon Herbed Baked Tilapia, Rotisserie Chicken and Home Style Pot Roast. Hungry for an education?

The $50,000 iPod

What do you get when you study at Duke University and spend an estimated $50,750 a year for the privilege? A free Apple iPod! That’s right; the freshman class won’t be left behind technologically speaking. The device will include orientation facts, an academic calendar and faculty course content with room for additional downloads.  Another digital breakthrough is the introduction of Amazon Kindle in several colleges, according to USA Today, after testing the Kindle DX at “Princeton University, Case Western Reserve University and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, [the only clear consensus] is this…the inability to easily highlight text was the biggest lowlight of the experience.”

Cost of Duke can be found at: http://www.admissions.duke.edu/faq/indexf222.html?iQuestionID=526%20&iCategoryID=0

On-Campus Off-Class

According to look-look.com, “Traditional universities are beginning to increase their online course offerings for on-campus students, providing them with greater scheduling flexibility, increased independence and arguably more responsibility. The virtual classroom seems to be taking over much more than the virtual office ever did in the early ’90s. Say goodbye to passing notes and sticking gum under the seat.”

Majors Gone Wild

Traditional majors like business and engineering aren’t for everyone, according to the book “They Teach That In College!?”  There are 96 unusual majors in fast-growing fields with good salary prospects. Consider Sustainable Business which deals with environmentally-conscious profitability; Computer and Digital Forensics which involves detective work through digital evidence found in computers, cell phones and PDA’s. Comic book fans know that the field has grown 12% since 2006, but do they know Comic Book Art is an actual major? And if you’re scientifically inclined, consider a major in Nanoscience/Nanotechnology where you will study objects one-billionth of a meter in size including cosmetics, stain-resistant clothing, batteries and even solar cells.  Even future business majors that want to start their own companies someday might be better off with a major in Entrepreneurship, which involves a working knowledge of fields like accounting, economics and advertising but with an emphasis in rewarding individuals looking to be their own boss.  And why not? More than 75% of U.S. millionaires today are self-employed.

Crazy Courses

From “The Science of Harry Potter” to “The Joy of Garbage” you can study elective courses in almost anything. There are just so many different electives nowadays to enroll in, getting a degree is anything but boring. Some elective treks are for example, according to Fox News, include “Occidental College’s course titled Blackness, which elaborates on a “new blackness,” “critical blackness,” “post-blackness,” and an “unforgivable blackness,” which all combine to create a “feminist New Black Man.” If you want something more mainstream, the article “The 15^th Strangest Courses in America” includes wild offerings like Georgetown University’s “Philosophy and Star Trek,” “The Science of Superheroes” at the University of California at Irvine, Columbia’s “Zombies in Popular Media,” “Arguing with Judge Judy” at the University of California at Berkeley and “The Art of Walking” at Centre College.

Source:

The 15 Strangest Courses in America

http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2009/02/25/the-15-strangest-college-courses-in-america/

Writing your Bio – Tips to Succeed

Have you noticed that everyone seems to have a bio nowadays? Google the name of your favorite celebrity, visit their website and you’ll probably find a bio with his or her accomplishments, career beginnings, areas of expertise and much more. Well, you don’t have to be famous to sell yourself like a celebrity. The beauty of a bio is that it helps you tell your story in a way that sells you well.

1. It’s like dating – First Impressions Count: Imagine if your blind date shows up with a dirty shirt and smelly breath, you’d have to be pretty desperate to give that person a second date, wouldn’t you? Since a bio is a summary of who you are, show yourself at your best not only by watching your spelling and grammar but with a great pickup line- strong opening sentence that grabs the reader. Start with your name and your profession; if you’re a “Finance Manager” don’t leave that crucial information in the last sentence. Remember, not everyone will read your entire bio even if they want to hire you.

2. Short and sweet vs. long and boring: From one or two paragraphs to eight paragraphs at the most, short bios are easier to read and more attractive to employers than two page monsters. This isn’t the story of Henry VIII and his many wives and your employer isn’t interested in that “A” you got in AP Calculus during your high school years. What they do care about is your most important accomplishments, where you went to college, what promotions you achieved, what makes you the best candidate for the job, etc.

3. Keep it relevant: A bio should mention the reason you want the job or what inspired you to choose that profession, it’s also important to mention your many talents and be completely honest since readers can smell weaknesses. Think of real estate advertising, would you rather buy a house with oversized windows or one with floor to ceiling windows? The truth always sells better than a lie so don’t “oversize” your talents.

4. Write in the third person: I did this and I did that, and I myself think that I am the best gets pretty annoying pretty quickly. The beauty of writing in the third person is that the writing not only sounds more credible but if you’re shy about selling yourself this technique will help you look at yourself from another perspective and describe your abilities without feeling that you’re boasting.

5. Contact isn’t just a movie: Just like you wouldn’t network without a business card, you don’t want a bio that doesn’t list your e-mail and phone number in your last sentence. Remember, resumes get lost, e-mails get deleted but if they find a printed copy of your bio they can find you.

6. Feed your ego with feedback: Everyone needs a reality check from time to time, and who better than a friend or trusted advisor to look at your bio and see if you sold yourself accurately, if you left important things out and if you explained well who you are and what you do. If they read it and are confused by what you wrote, rewrite it until they get it.

7. Keep it current: Who wants to date someone with a picture of what they looked like 10 years ago? As your career advances so must your bio move forward with necessary updates to reflect your new reality. A bio that says you are currently working for Cubicle Incorporated when in reality you are freelancing or took time off to become a mom is completely embarrassing.

References:

How do I write a great bio

http://www.essortment.com/all/howwritebio_rfin.htm

How to write a professional bio

http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2009/07/07/how-to-write-a-professional-bio/

8 tips to write a great bio

http://blog.brand-yourself.com/2008/09/03/8-tips-to-write-a-masterful-bio/

By The EduPlan Team

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The Cost of College – A good Investment?

By the EduPlan Team

Medical Doctors are often associated with being wealthy, yet did you know that the average student debt for a medical student is more than $120,000? But say you don’t want the seven years of medical school, did you know a Certified Nurse Anesthetist in Miami can make anywhere from $130k to $168k according to salary.com? Imagine a 6-figure job that will cost you $26,340 at a 4-year public university.

Income is affected by many factors, including bigotry, sexism and a glass ceiling that sometimes could affect the potential earnings of women. Yet Katharine Hansen, PHD and Creative Director of QuintCareers.com discovered that a woman with a bachelor’s degree (BA) will earn 91% more than a woman with a high-school diploma (GED). When it comes to males, the 1999 U.S. Census discovered that men 25+ earn on average $61,000 with a BA vs. $32,000 with a GED.

According to Anthony Balderrama, a writer for CareerBuilder.com, the top-20 highest-paying careers all require college degrees. For example, top corporate controllers earn on average $115k, physicists and systems managers $90k, pharmacists $89k and marketing managers $87k.

For talent-based careers like dancing, photography, acting and others the salaries vary wildly and depend more on individual talent than where the degree was obtained. For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, art directors earned an average yearly income of $88,510 in 2008. Sometimes there’s even a correlation between the cultural glamour of a career and its annual income. Take choreographers, everyone loves “A Chorus Line” yet did you know the average choreographer made $41,870 in 2008? David Mamet won’t be writing a play celebrating aerospace engineers yet their abilities in designing satellites and unmanned flying objects earned them $93,980 last year, which is almost $10,000 more than the average play writer makes.

If making more money doesn’t motivate you, consider the following benefits of going to college: 1. Increase your knowledge and skills. 2. Learn to express yourself verbally and in writing. 3. Manage abstract concepts and theories. 4. Improve your knowledge of the world. The variety of courses required in college will prepare you to deal with unexpected situations, present your work, brainstorm in teams, develop projects and acquire the skills most careers demand. The best part of learning these real-world skills is that if you make mistakes there won’t be real-world consequences – your teachers won’t “fire” you if your proposal wasn’t perfect. In other words, in college you can make the mistakes you can’t afford to make in the real world.

Even if you aspire a talent-based profession like Photography, there’s no better place to practice your craft than at a college filled with resources and experienced professors ready to improve your work and help you develop an artistic portfolio that helps you get a job after graduation. Another advantage of college is helping people find their passion in life – don’t know whether to be an accountant, financial advisor or chemist? Use your required elective courses to find what truly motivates you.

Another great benefit of college is the networking opportunities which include the lifetime bonds created at sororities and fraternities. Forget the tomfoolery of “Animal House,” fraternities give you immediate access to former brothers and sisters that are now some of America’s movers and shakers. Want to get a job at Google? Why go through human resources when maybe a frat brother who graduated in 1986 already works there? Just like LinkedIn, instead of contacting a faceless corporation that throws your resume in the pile you can speak to a human being that might be impressed with you and get the ball rolling in your favor.

Finally, college doesn’t have to be a traditional 4-year expensive Ivy League school. Aside from relatively inexpensive yet equally famous public universities, you can start your higher education with a 2-year associate degree, a certificate program or even technical training. In conclusion, the world of higher education is constantly changing with new careers, new ways to pay for college, new programs, and almost endless possibilities that can overwhelm anyone. Don’t go on this journey alone, speak to the college advisors of EduPlan and learn how to find the higher education that will transform your life for the better.

Informational Links

Top-Paying Careers

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1771-Salaries-and-Promotions-20-Highest-Paying-Jobs/?ArticleID=1771&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=2235de02ecef4403a45decd5f3f4586c-318881559-VO-4

Jobs that Don’t Require Degrees

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2130-Job-Info-and-Trends-20-Jobs-That-Dont-Require-Degrees-but-Pay-Big-Salaries/?sc_extcmp=JS_2130_advice&SiteId=cbmsn42130&catid=cj

10 Most-Popular Majors and What They Pay

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/10/27/cb.what.major.pays/index.html

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Paying for College – Can we afford it?

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

With tuition rates on the rise, families question the value of a college education, while they dig deep in their pockets to make ends meet to provide opportunities to their offspring. As recently reported by the 2009 Trends in Higher Education report published by College Board, fees at public four-year colleges and universities across the U.S. have increased by an average 4.9%, faster than the rate experienced in the previous two decades. In inflation-adjusted dollars, this increase represents 20% for public four-year colleges and universities and 15% for private not-for-profit four-year schools between the years of 2004-2005 to 2009-2010. This tuition rate growth surpasses the general inflation rate, causing parents of college-age students to be concerned regarding the decrease of affordability for their families when considering paying tuition for their kids.

Tuition rates in Florida have been increasing at a much higher rate than that experienced in the rest of the country, at an average of 15%, and it is expected for them to continue on the rise for a few more years. The reason for this tuition rate increase has to do with the fact that Florida public universities and colleges offer tuition rates well below the national average. State officials express that these hikes will not cease until Florida tuition gets much closer to that national average. While Florida residents take advantage of annual tuition fees of $3,000, the rest of the country is closer to $7,000.

Tuition hikes seem overwhelming when looked at from this perspective. However, what students actually pay to attend college can be quite different to the full ticket price requested by colleges. With grants and federal aid, private scholarships, work-study programs and other financial aid, the average amount paid by students attending a private not-for-profit college is $11,900 coming from an average tuition of $26,273, as reported by College Board. This example shows that the first tuition rates provided by colleges when admitting a student can be far from the ones the student will end up paying to attend that college, after receiving their financial aid packages. As much as the tuition costs have increased, so has the amount of financial aid provided by all resources that take part of the process – federal government, state government, educational institutions, corporate and private sponsoring parties, who provide assistance in the form of scholarships, grants, work-study programs, federal and private loans.

Another interesting statistics is, as College Board reports, 53% of students attending four-year institutions pay less than $9,000 per year in tuition fees. When we hear that tuition rates are over $35,000 per year, we scratch our heads thinking “how can we afford this?” With all available resources, published tuition rates certainly do not have to be the rate we pay to attend college.

The key is to plan ahead and not wait for the senior year in high school to think – how will I help my child get financially through college? With 529 plans and the Florida Prepaid Plan, among others, we have ways to start actively saving for college. Another way to make tuition fees less costly is to find alternatives such as enrolling in a two-year institution to achieve the Associate’s degree and continue later on within a private or public four-year institution. With forward thinking and action, we can secure tuition rates at a lower cost and make education affordable to our family, taking the right steps towards helping our daughters and sons achieve the college education of their dreams.

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Seeking Jobs for Too Long

With unemployment of over 10% and the decrease in new job offers, candidates are finding it harder and harder to secure new posts quickly. More often than ever, we are seeing professionals seek new work for 6, 7, 8 months and even over a year. What are the disadvantages of a long job search process and how to combat them?

Job search processes can take longer than expected for several reasons. One is when seeking senior executive positions. In a stable economy, an executive position can take from 6 months to a year to source. This means that in a difficult job market, we would have to add six months to this equation.

Often times, candidates realize much later in their job search process that they have been working with a resume which was not professionally developed, thus, does not express their uniqueness and differentiation. Sending an ineffective resume out can burn bridges and close doors much too early in a job search process. Realizing that you need to enhance your resume and taking the steps to do so will help you achieve better response when presenting yourself to hiring parties.

Other factors that contribute to a lengthy job search process are not being as proactive as needed in connecting with people and getting the word out about our status. Often times, job seekers feel they will find a position soon and resolve their unemployment status quickly. We can think that not communicating our status will save us from “loosing face” in front of colleagues. This move can have the opposite effect. Allowing all surrounding us know that we are actively seeking a job could provide an opportunity for colleagues that have admired us to consider us for available positions. It will help us connect sooner than later with decision-makers and professionals that can open doors.

Job seekers can sometimes be slow in sending resumes out. We take this new time gain as an opportunity to do things we did not have the chance of getting done before. Instead of taking our job search as a full-time job, we work on finding jobs sporadically, not devoting the time and resources really needed to succeed in the process.

A job search process for a mid-level candidate working with a professional resume that truly makes them stand out, sending out customized cover letters, and applying to 10+ daily opportunities, an average job search process can take anywhere from 1 to 3 months. In a market with high unemployment, add six months to that process. Then, add another 6 months if we are talking about a senior position within a corporation.

When the job search process has taken longer than usual, interviewers might question why the candidate has not been hired yet. They might ask: “Am I missing something that other employers noticed, as to why not to hire this candidate?” This is a disadvantage as job seekers will confront a set of questions that can be avoided if the job search process is short or conducted while still holding a position.

Another disadvantage of a long job search process is that, as time passes, we can become demoralized from negative employer responses. We can start showing a “looser” attitude, caused by the lack of positive response from recruiters. We must continue to keep our hopes up, not loose faith, and know that soon, a door will open for us.

We can become more and more anxious to continue with our careers and compromise our job interests, salary needs and work environment preference, when looking for a job for too long. When not sticking to what we considered would work for us in terms of job offer, we might end up accepting a position that we could forfeit in the short term, thus taking us back to the job market.

They have to answer to recruiters questions not posed to candidates working or very recently unemployed. These questions might be asked out loud, providing an opportunity for a candidate to answer, or not inquired at all, offering a chance for the employer to speculate. This speculation certainly puts the job seeker at a disadvantage to other candidates. Recruiters might ask a long-time job seeker what they have been doing in the past year, why they have been unsuccessful at finding a job. However, they might not ask and create suppositions on what others have seen wrong in the candidate’s profile, why others did not choose this candidate. Instead of approaching a candidate with a positive attitude regarding what they can bring to the organization, they adopt a more scrutinizing attitude to ensure that there is no reason why not to extend an offer.

Another disadvantage for people seeking jobs for more than a year is a possible hike in the level of desperation and anxiety when trying to find an open door. As time passes, the clock ticks for the job seeker. He/she becomes increasingly anxious to find an opportunity, while at the same time, his/her self-esteem decreases from the negative feedback from “dings” (rejection letters). This can prevent professionals from portraying themselves positively, as they would in a regular situation, when they have job security. Job seekers need to be aware of this and maintain their cool and high energy, demonstrating who they really in good times.

A final disadvantage is lack of practice in their field of work. Being out of your profession for an entire year can mean, for some careers more than others, loss of skill, speed, and just being out-of-the-loop in your field of work. In medicine, example, not keeping in tune with a year of advancements can seriously harm a career. Same goes for IT and systems engineers, and even writers. If you don’t use it, you can loose it! The way to counteract this deficiency is by continuing to follow the news in your field of work, contemplating internships, part-time and subcontracting opportunities. Have something to say when recruiters ask “what have you been doing to stay current in your field of work?”

Candidate desirability is negatively affected as time passes and a position is not secured. When recruiting, often times companies ask for “passive candidates” or candidates that are currently working and not seeking jobs. These are the most desirable candidates and one of the reasons why recruiting companies (headhunters) exist, to seek passive candidates. Down the line, a candidate that has been looking for a job for three months is less desirable than a passive candidate and yet more desirable than a candidate seeking a job for one year. Why? Companies can consider that as time passes, the job seeker gets more and more disconnected with his/her industry, duties, and loose valuable career growth time. Recruiters might also sense that if the seeker is ineffective in finding a job and marketing themselves, they might not be effective in other tasks. Questions arise as to why this candidate has not been recruited yet and if the company is missing out on some important data that could skew the hiring decision south. There could also be a sense of the candidate not being proactive enough in their careers, resulting in a projected image of lack of motivation and even a “loosing” attitude. Job seekers who are looking for work for more than a year will benefit from showcasing character strength and dynamism when interviewing.

However, there are also some advantages to a long job search process, believe it or not… Some of them are becoming an expert interviewee and maybe even interviewer, finally achieving an outstanding resume, learning how to write cover letters, becoming a more efficient job seeker, learning a lot about companies from researching them for the job search process. You might end up making a career change and becoming a Human Resources professional without asking for it, after gaining months of expertise in recruiting.

Here are some tips to enhance your job search process, when you have been looking for a while…

1-            Do not loose faith, keep your hopes up and your chin up high. Show strength and perseverance, optimism and work ethics. A “winner” attitude will take you to high places.

2-            Look for jobs more intensively through relationship-building than through any other source. Find ways to connect to professionals and develop your network.

3-            Seek part-time and project-based opportunities. Keep working in your field even if it is a few hours every day and not full time. Part-time and temporary work can lead to a full-time job if you perform very well and impress decision-makers and co-workers. Sometimes, it even leads to a new career path as an entrepreneur.

4-            Have your resume critiqued by a professional. If this is something you have been avoiding, or you have been 100% sure that your resume is well constructed but have not found a job for a while, you might be missing something regarding your resume. Research on the internet for Certified Professionals in the industry and find someone to talk with about your current version.

5-            If you are getting interviews but then missing out on opportunities, consult with a professional career and interview coach. Understanding how to tackle hard questions to answer is an art that can be mastered.

6-            Start selling and not informing, showcase your skills and how you bring added value to the company. Do your research on the employer and go the extra mile to prove to them with facts how you can be an asset to their team.

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

A New Year Radio Show

Our radio show with Eli Bravo on Actualidad 1020 AM, on developing a new resume in the new year.

Nuestro show radial con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM acerca de desarrollo de resumes en el nuevo ano.

Nuevo Ano, Nuevo Resume

A New Year, A New Resume

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

With the beginning of a new year, we make resolutions, think of our goals towards the future and hope for great things to come. One of the tools to make all things happen is a resume. It is a professional way to present ourselves and help others understand our added value to a company, an organization or any entity. It allows us to portray our assets and provide an account of our achievements. A good time to update this resume is in the new year.

Why should we update our resume? If it seems gruesome at this moment to work on remembering all our achievements for the year, imagine six months later, or a year later. Unless you have an outstanding memory, I don’t encourage you to have to remember details a year from now, when you will be recounting what you did in the last two-three years. Finding time to do this will also ensure that the work you will need to complete is just an update, or a facelift of what you used to have. When not keeping an updated resume, you risk having to redo the entire document, at a much higher time and effort cost.

Thinking on your resume also can provide perspective on what you need to accomplish this year to achieve your goals. Understanding yourself professionally seems easier when the information is written, thus, we get a better picture of where we stand currently and where we are going. Sometimes, we see how our career transgression has been not as stable as we would like it to be, and we develop new goals from this thought process.

Having something to look forward to is also important when considering to update our resume. We are ready on the go, as opposed to having to ask someone to wait until we produce the resume. During the year, you might find opportunities and will be readily available to apply if you have updated your resume.

Be prepared for positive change, be proactive and take charge of your situation, to achieve the goals this year. All this can start with an updated resume.

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Temping is Tempting

Why Temporary Work May Be Good for You

With unemployment at more than 10%, the job market for traditional careers has become very challenging. According to briefing.com, goods producing payrolls declined in 129,000 posts, the construction and manufacturing sectors lost 123,000 jobs combined, and the service sector lost 61,000 jobs as of November, 2009.

However, all is not lost; the professional and business service sector gained 18,000 jobs while the education and health industries increased their workforce by 45,000 thanks to temporary workers.

Advantages of Temporary Work:

1. Getting hired is easy: Candidates meeting technical requirements are often guaranteed a job without a complicated selection process.
2. Flexible hours: Making someone work 12 hour days is an expensive proposition at an hourly salary. By tempting the employee might be free to choose to choose his own hours, not work on a weekend, take a holiday, go on vacation, when to take off weekends, holidays, vacations, or actually work more for additional pay.
3. More Money: Pay rates are often higher than the typical wages at a similar permanent position.
4. Temp to Perm: Sometimes a temp job turns into a position that needs to be filled permanently which is why they should be taken as seriously as a perm job.
5. Networking: Who meets anyone staying at home? By going to work the temp has a chance to meet potential recruiters or get excellent recommendations.
6. Career Tasting: By gaining knowledge on a wide array of jobs the candidate might develop new talents or even find a new career.
7. Gain new skills: According to the American Staffing Association, 90% of staffing companies train their temp workers and 70% of temps say they have gained new skills.

Disadvantages of Temporary Work:

1. Making mistakes can cost you: While permanent workers enjoy the traditional 3-months probation when starting a new job, temp workers can get fired for minor infractions.
2. No benefits: Temp agencies don’t generally offer a benefit package like health insurance and when they do it can cost you 30 to 40% of the base income of a permanent worker.
3. Turnover: Many jobs are likely to end as soon as the project is completed.
4. Liability Insurance: Independent contractors might be required to carry this insurance or they might be held liable in a negligence lawsuit when an error results in damage.
5. No Reference: Sometimes employers don’t consider temporary work resume-worthy.

Tempt to Perm:

40% of Manpower’s two million workers find permanent employment through their temporary placements every yea. Just like internships can become full-time careers, this is one “internship” where the candidate makes more money, works less time and enjoys more flexibility… Not to mention the joy and pride of earning a paycheck once again. 

Useful Websites:

The American Staffing Association

http://www.americanstaffing.net

Net-Temps

http://www.net-temps.com/

Office Team

http://www.officeteam.com/

Manpower

http://www.manpower.com/

Free GMAT Tests and Tools

Check out this great link to find many free GMAT test sites, tips and other tools to ace this tough exam!

http://www.guidetoonlinemba.com/getting-started/everything-gmat

Careers for 2010

What you did not consider before could turn out to be your next career move…

Everyone knows that registered nurses and computer engineers make a lot of money, but did you know a postsecondary teacher can earn $51,800? Or that general and operations managers earn an average of $77,420?

No matter who you are or what you want, there’s a job for you! For example, if you’re all about the money consider becoming a computer hardware engineer ($91,860), a post secondary health specialties professor or business teacher ($98,000 median salary), or get a Ph.D. in physics and make an average salary of $96,850. If spending more than 4 years in college isn’t your cup of tea, consider becoming a marketing manager ($95,320 median salary) or a petroleum engineer ($94,330).

If you want be green and make green, you’re in luck. President Obama promises to create 5 million green jobs in everything from sales, government, nonprofits and more. There are exciting fields like energy generation, transportation, agriculture, waste management, wastewater treatment, research and advocacy that are good for the planet and help you make money. For example, construction managers and industrial engineers make more than $70,000 a year. Environmental scientists and specialists make $58,380 in a field projected to grow 25.1%. Construction and building inspectors as well as plumbers, electricians, pipefitters and steamfitters make more than $44,000. Geoscientists make a $75,800 in a field projected to grow 21.9%.

If you hate dressing up and commuting to work, why not work from home? You can be a consultant in a wide variety of areas such as engineering, finance, HR, IT or science, do customer service, creative services, field sales, professional services like accounting, tax or legal; research, telemarketing, translation, writing and editing, web design and development.

If you fear being bored in cubicle city, you’re not alone. 25% of all Americans come to work just to get a paycheck while only 50% of workers say they’re satisfied with their current jobs according to The Conference Board Survey on job satisfaction. So why not do something fun like Emergency Medical Technician, Flight Attendant, Buyer, Event Planner, Futurist ($98,603 a year for consultants), Nonprofit Fundraiser, or even a casino worker (casinos are open 24/7 so there’s plenty of work to be done).

Want even more fun? A Food Stylist can make anywhere from $150 a day to $850 if the person has the creative ability to make food look attractive and delicious. Makeup artists can make $400 to $600 a day, an experienced sommelier (wine expert) makes $80k to $160k, park naturalists develop programs that inform the public of wonderful places like Yellowstone and they make $45,000 to $56,000 a year.  Want to sail the seven seas without joining the Navy? Become a yacht captain ($45,000 to $135,000 depending on the size of the ship). If flying is more your style, consider that pilots can make up to $100,000 a year.  If you have a chemistry background but don’t like traditional chemistry jobs, consider becoming a flavorist and the food industry will pay you $55,000+.  Are people always accusing you of being a clown? They won’t be laughing when they hear you’re making $40 to $150 an hour.

Worried about the future? Consider emerging fields like home stager, health informatics technician (18% job growth), emergency management in the anti-terrorism field, career counselor, and patient advocate (24% potential job growth for medical and public health social workers).

If you’re worried about our current recession or any future recessions, there are recession-proof jobs to consider. Society will always need police officers ($49,288, 11% growth through 2016), insurance sales agents (13% growth), pharmacy technicians (32% growth), and if you like helping people in their moments of grief, become a Funeral Director (12% growth, $87,383 average salary).

If you have the Peter Pan syndrome and don’t want to grow up, you don’t have to go to Never Never Land to make money. Jobs like Toy Tester pay an average of $63,999. If you love going to concerts consider becoming a security guard, ticket taker or food vendor. Like children but don’t want to become a teacher? Camp counselors and directors work with young people in pristine natural environments. If you love the nightline and hate waking up in the morning, becoming a Bartender can be lucrative and fun. If you were the high school quarterback or simply love sports, why not become a coach and get $49,024 a year teaching the art of touchdowns?

Are you a social butterfly? Spread your wings becoming a public relations specialist ($41,549), school counselor, mediator, school administration ($74,092), employee training director ($84,145), demonstrator, recruiter/headhunter ($48,657), or an employee interviewer ($48,657). Some emerging fields like Life Coach don’t even require a college education and can pay as much as $64,523.

Last but not least, check out CareerBuilder’s Top-10 Position for 2010: Tax accountant, compliance director, credit manager or supervisor, senior financial analyst, network administrator, information systems security manager, systems engineer, medical records clerk, customer service representative, executive assistant.

There are many more careers this article does not cover, that is why is important to hire an experienced career and educational consultant that can provide ideas of the right fit with your skills and interests. This is not an expense but an investment that can save you time, make you money and provide happiness in the long run.

References:

America’s 50 Top Jobs

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-624-Job-Search-Americas-Top-50-Jobs/

Jobs that pay $90,000+

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1077-Job-Search-10-Jobs-That-Pay-90000/

10 Careers to Avoid Boredom

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1383-Job-Search-10-Careers-to-Avoid-Boredom/

10 Stressful Jobs that Are Worth it

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1315-Job-Search-10-Stressful-Jobs-That-Are-Worth-It/

How to Deal with a Boring Job

http://www.ehow.com/how_5075358_deal-boring-job.html

Fun Jobs that Pay More than you Think

http://careerbuilder.typepad.com/job_blog_jobs/2006/03/fun_jobs_that_p.html

7 Emerging Jobs

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1302-Who-is-Hiring-7-Emerging-Jobs/

12 Work-at-Home Jobs

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1365-Job-Search-12-Jobs-Suited-for-Home-based-Work/

10 Recession-Proof Jobs

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1184-Who-is-Hiring-10-Recession-Proof-Jobs/

Jobs for People who don’t want to Grow Up

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1381-Job-Search-Dont-Want-to-Grow-Up/

Top 10 Jobs in Green Technologies

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1402-Job-Search-Top-10-Jobs-in-Green-Technologies/

10 Jobs for Boisterous Persons (outgoing and social people)

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1121-Job-Search-10-Jobs-for-Boisterous-People/

Top 10 Positions for 2010

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1422-Job-Search-The-Top-10-Positions-in-2010/

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Inside The Admissions Office

On December 2nd, Unigo and The Wall Street Journal are hosting a live webcast, called Inside the Admissions Office, with the Heads of Admissions from Princeton, U. Penn, Williams, Wesleyan, U. Vermont, Marquette, Grinnell and Bryn Mawr College.  It will be free and streamed from wsj.unigo.com, as part of Unigo’s new partnership with The Wall Street Journal, and students can send in questions for us to ask, in advance, at wsjoncampus@unigo.com.

WSJ On Campus Presents Free Webcast: INSIDE THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE

Admissions Officers from Eight Top Colleges Discuss and Demystify the College Admissions Process

FREE AND INTERACTIVE EVENT AIRS LIVE DECEMBER 2

NEW YORK (Nov. TK, 2009) —WSJ On Campus, the new college resource from The Wall Street Journal and Unigo.com, will present a free, interactive webcast – Inside the Admissions Office.  The webcast airs live on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. EST via http://wsj.unigo.com and partner sites.

Inside the Admissions Office features heads of admissions from eight selective colleges and universities in an interactive discussion about the state of college admissions today  Participating heads of admissions represent Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, Williams College, Wesleyan University, Bryn Mawr College, Grinnell College, Marquette University and the University of Vermont; event will be broadcast live from Wesleyan University.  The panelists will also answer questions sent in by high school students and parents around the country.

These panelists are well-positioned to provide insider advice and address the concerns of the three million families who are currently grappling with the task of filling out college applications and competing for entrance into some of the nation’s most selective institutions.  Families devote considerable time, effort and money to the college admissions process, and WSJ On campus will provide this free opportunity to learn directly from the professionals who are making admissions decisions.

Inside The Admissions Office will be moderated by Jordan Goldman, the founder and CEO of Unigo.com, and will cover topics including:

• An inside look at the process of reviewing a college application;
• Ranking the importance of grades, test scores, essays, interviews and recommendations;
• How would one’s weaknesses best be addressed in an application?
• What can disqualify an otherwise strong applicant?
• Making one’s application stand out among the thousands received;
• Does financial need have an impact on admissions?
• What role should parents play?
• Who exactly are admissions officers? What are their goals?
• Has an admissions decision ever caused them to lose sleep?

The webcast will be available on-demand following the event via http://wsj.unigo.com.  High school students and families may submit questions to be asked on the panel, in advance, by sending an email to WSJoncampus@unigo.com.  Students whose questions are selected will also win a laptop computer.

Webcast Details:

Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Time: 7 p.m. EST; recorded replay available following the event

Webcast URL: WSJ.unigo.com

Cost: Brought to you free by WSJ On Campus

How to Pay for College ?

Next to buying a house, a college education is one of the steepest expenses you will ever face. How much will it cost? Visit http://www.savingforcollege.com/college-savings-calculator/ and you’ll see that if a child is 4 years old today, saving for his or her college education will cost $247,000 assuming college tuition costs increase by 6% each year.

Prepaid College Plans

If you’re 100% sure your child will want to study in the state where the family resides, a prepaid college plans makes perfect sense. For example, The Florida Investment Plan for example starts at $107.35 per month (depending on the child’s age or grade level) and you have the possibility of adding plans that will cover now or later essentials like local fees, tuition differential fee and dormitory housing. The best part of these plans is that they lock in tuition prices at eligible public and private colleges and universities.

529 Saving Plans

While pre-paid tuition plans allow parents to buy credits at participating colleges for future tuition, 529 Saving Plans generally allow the saver to invest in stock and bond mutual funds, money market accounts, age-based portfolios that change automatically towards more conservative saving options as the student gets closer to college age.

Advantages:

• These plans cover all higher education expenses such as computers which would not necessarily be covered by a Prepaid Tuition Plan.
• Flexibility to study outside your state.
• Enrollment open all year.

Disadvantages:

• No lock on college costs.
• Subject to market risk.
• Contribution limits are set at $200,000 in most cases.
• Limited enrollment period.

Some parents choose to use both plans, if there’s money left over after the student has finished his graduate education the money can be used towards a graduate degree. No matter what plan you choose, remember there are fees related to the plans, and different investment practices. The U.S. Treasury reports that families with 529s lost $25 billion from 2007 to 2008 as the stock market went south. That is why diversifying your college financing options is crucial.

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts

These plans work like IRA’s, you make an annual or monthly contribution to an account and watch your investment grow without the burden of federal taxes. The best part of these plans is the flexibility they offer, not only you can use them to pay for college but tax-free withdrawals are allowed for private elementary and secondary school. The only caveat is that annual contributions are limited to $2,000, so to make these plans work is better to start when the child is young. For example, if you started to save by the time the child is 4 and stop when she reaches 18, you could raise $28,000 (not counting interest).

ZERO COUPON BONDS

Unlike traditional saving bonds, these financial instruments can earn interest beyond their face value. A $10,000 zero coupon bond could be worth $40,000 when it comes due. The only problem is these bonds take 10 or 15 years to mature, or even longer and you will have to pay taxes on the interest earned.

ROTH AND TRADITIONAL IRA’S

While people tend to associate these instruments with retirement and not with paying college expenses, the government allows withdrawals to pay for college without tax penalties (for Roth IRA’s). However, these should be used as a last resort since these   moneys cannot be touched by creditors even if you declare bankruptcy.

Radio Show – Grad School Student Statistics

Our weekly radio segment on the newest Grad School Student Statistics. How have they changed and what does this mean for U.S. and International Graduate School Applicants. Sorry folks, only En Espanol…

Estadisticas de estudiantes de masters

Nuestro segmento semanal radial con Eli Bravo acerca de las ultimas estadisticas de estudiantes entrando en programas de Maestria, que oportunidades existen para los candidatos en el 2010 y como enfrentar la situacion financiera.

Great SAT Video

Check out this SAT rap song, and like it says – “Relax” for a minute!

SAT VIDEO

Types of Interview Questions

What are the Types of Interview Questions and how to prepare to tackle them?

The word “interview” comes from the French “entre” (between) and “voir” (to see). The role of the interview is to get a glimpse of a candidate beyond his or her physical appearance and resume. That’s why the interviewer asks all kinds of questions… Fictitious questions that test your ability to think on your feet, inquiries that verify your credentials and even math questions that test your mental dexterity are just some of the few surprises an interviewer could throw your way.

The best way to ace an interview is to prepare yourself mentally for the questions they might throw your way. Most common situations where interviews take place are for employment and/or graduate school admissions. Knowing the type of questions an interviewer will ask allows us to prepare ourselves better for the unexpected, ensuring a great personal image, and thus, a good interview outcome.

Here are some common question types:

A. Resume Verification Questions: A concern employers carry is how truthful a resume is, if it overstates the candidate’s accomplishments or if it carries any misconceptions. Verification questions will ask specific things like what was your GPA, where you went to college, what was your major, etc. You might be asked to walk the interviewer through your resume, thereby explaining what you did at each job. The purpose of this is to measure your abilities objectively and try to keep subjective areas such as personality and physical appearance from skewing the interviewer’s judgment.

B. Experience Questions: Employers want to know not just where you used to work but what actual duties you performed, what did you learn, what where your responsibilities, etc. These questions assess the types of duties you have performed and if your prior responsibilities match the job/education program requirements.

C. Case Questions: Interviewers are interested in seeing how you would react in different situations and thus they will present you with cases or scenarios. Example: You and a co-worker are assigned to work on a project, your partner keeps postponing the meetings required to accomplish this task. What do you do? They can also ask you problem-solving questions such as “How many fish restaurants are in Miami?” or “How do you handle collections from a client you can’t afford to offend?”

D. Fictitious Questions: Companies know that some candidates over-prepare for interviews and memorize their answers. That is why they will try to throw you off balance with questions about unrealistic situations, such as “If you where a musical instrument, which one would you be?” or “Which mountain best describes your personality?”

E. Quantitative/Scientific Questions: Jobs that require particular abilities in math and other sciences will feature questions like “What is the square root of 400?,” “How many dimes are in $10?,” or “What is the chemical composition of hydrochloric acid?” among others.  The purpose of such questions is to test your brain power without the aid of paper, calculators or time to think things through.

F. Behavioral questions: These questions assess your stance in a specific situation. These are questions that you could prepare for by thinking of experiences you have had and then answering with a PAR (Problem/Situation – Action – Result) methodology. They assess how you would respond in different situations. Examples of such questions are “Provide a specific example of how you avoided a crisis”, “Explain how you increased revenues for a product”, “Tell me about a situation when you confronted an ethical dilemma and what was the outcome”.

G. Judgment questions: Employers and universities seek to understand personality types. They assess this by asking opinion questions which illustrate how you react in different scenarios. Some of these questions include “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”, “What would you do if…?”, “What would you do if you would have a co-worker who did not act rightfully towards others?”

While some questions are common in any type of interview, i.e. “tell me about yourself?” employment interview questions are designed to isolate the best talent, weed out potential problems and minimize the risk in time and money that the hiring of a new employee represents.  Be ready to know about the company in full. Some employers like to use behavioral questions more than any others as they find that these help the company assess more accurately if an employee will perform up to expectations. To prepare for these, think of several scenarios that could be inquired and decide upon a response for each scenario. For example, plan ahead what you will response when asking you for a teamwork situation, or a failure, or an ethical dilemma. This is data that when thought ahead, can be structured into a well developed answer that provides outstanding feedback to the interviewer.

Unlike employment interview questions, institutions of higher learning do not risk financial loss when they admit a student. However, admitting the wrong student to the wrong major or university can have poor results reflected in lack of student satisfaction, which directly hurts any academic institution. That is why colleges use questions that will help them determine if A. The student understands the program and what is expected of him/her. B. The student has the right personality/outlook for the program sough after. D. The student’s resume reflects a commitment to his field of study or community service.  Some types of questions also included in admissions interviews are:

H. Program Questions: Colleges want to get the right person for the right major, they want to ensure that the candidate knows what the program is like and what is expected from him or her. Questions such as “What impresses you about our program,” “why do you want to be x-profession?,” “why should we give you a chance?,” will test the candidates commitment to their education goals. Expect other popular questions like “how will this experience help you achieve your professional and personal goals?” and “what objectives do you plan to achieve and how do they fit with our program?”, “what are your short term goals?”, and “where do you see yourself in 10 years?”

I. Personality Questions: Some professions are sedentary while others demand working in teams, some jobs are full of constant change and require new learning and adaptability while others rely on repetition, routine and inflexibility. That is why colleges will try to find out if you have the right outlook for the profession. Questions may include: “Have you ever lead a team and if so what results did you accomplish?”, “how do you deal with rejection?,”  or “how many hours to you practice a particular skill everyday?”

J. Theory vs. Practice Questions: These inquiries are designed to test your ability to identify problems and opportunities, demonstrate leadership in creating solutions, show your enthusiasm about applying new knowledge/skills at work (Evening/Weekend MBA), and other questions that help the program see if you have book-smarts and street-smarts. Prepare yourself for questions like:  How did you sell your idea to your supervisors? How did you execute a strategy your team developed? Describe an incident where you took the lead?

K. Contribution Questions: Universities want to know “what is in for me?” Will you be an active participant in the classroom and broader university community? What unique aspects and experience do you bring to the class? How do you handle conflict? What type of learning environment do you thrive in? What was your favorite class in college? What activities will you pursue outside of academics? These and other questions will help the school know not only what you’re getting out of their curriculum but what they’re getting out of you as well.

In effectively interviewing, there are few secrets. Practice does make perfect, or at least, almost perfect… The more times you interview for a job or for admissions, the better you will become at expressing yourself accurately and effectively to the decision maker. This is the one part of the job search process where it pays to be prepared. Learn about the company, the school and whomever you are interviewing with. Be ready to put your best foot forward with a positive attitude, knowing that you will make the connection and earn the opportunity.

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

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2009 Grad Students Statistics Out

As reported by Inside Higher Ed, new grad school statistics show interesting information for this year’s graduate school candidates. Inside Higher Ed explains that for the first time in four years, the percentage of International Graduate Students entering graduate programs has not increased but flatted out. Every year for four years, this statistic grew, which meant that more international grad school students were initiating their studies. However, in the academic year of 2009, this was not the case, having on average a 0% change in the amount of internationals entering U.S. advance degree programs.

What does this mean for international students? At this point, we need to be aware of what will be next year’s statistics to understand if this is a trend or just a product of the worldwide recessionary times we endure. International students might be able to use this as an advantage, positioning themselves strongly to secure admission to top grad school programs.

One reason why this international student percentage could not have grown this year, as expressed by Inside Higher Ed and The Economic Times of India, is the decrease in financial aid support by U.S. higher education institutions. As schools become more conservative in recessionary times, and their fund availability decreases, one of the first budget cuts is financial aid for international students. This, in turn, cuts opportunities for students that could have earned merit scholarships at a previous time, but without them, cannot fund their own education.

How do we interpret this? In order for an international student to secure admission to a program, these days it is wiser to seek financial backing through sources other than the school providing the ticket in. As higher education institutions struggle to survive these times, international students benefit from becoming as independent as possible from financial backing provided by universities. Although not many resources are available to international students, banks such as Citibank provide options to international students seeking loans. Other banking institutions offer different loan programs but with a caveat – a U.S. loan co-signor. Another alternative for outstanding students is applying to earn a Fulbright scholarship. This program allows you to study in the U.S. and achieve either a loan with preferential rates or a scholarship (depending on academic performance). However, it has the condition for the student to agree to return to their country of origin. This scholarship provides a great opportunity for a deserving student.

On the same token, the new statistics show other interesting data that accurately reflects what is happening today. There was an average 6% growth in 2009 for U.S. students entering grad school programs. However, when surveying only institutions with growing U.S. student enrollment, the percentage shown was even higher, at 11%. This probably also reflects what is happening in the economy. The growth most surely means that more professionals seek to expand their horizons by undertaking a new advanced degree to differentiate themselves in the workforce. The strategy of pursuing higher education can prove useful when looking for jobs, as new graduates provide great added value to society, with updated industry information, and also having followed rigorous programs that provides them with new ways to conduct problem solving. The effect of education can also be felt in the level of energy a new graduate bring to a company when re-entering the workforce. A new perspective and new thought process can bring great added value to a corporation seeking higher grounds.

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

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Trends in College Admissions

What implications do they have on us?

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

The National Association of College Admission Counseling – NACAC recently published their “2009 State of College Admissions Report”. Although reporting that college admission trends are relatively steady, there are many implications to newfound increased application numbers as well as the impact our economy has had in the industry. Some of the statistics reported include the following:

1-      The average acceptance rate at four-year colleges has declined from 71.3% in 2001 to 66.8%. This means that overall it is getting more competitive to gain admission to four-year colleges. We have suspected this for a while, upon seeing how worthy students sometimes struggle to get accepted at colleges and universities all over the U.S. Reports have come to us that universities which were originally not too competitive admissions-wise, have become more so. We are talking about Florida International University and the University of Central Florida, for example, schools that in the last few years have become more selective in their admissions.

How do we prepare to enhance our chances to gain admissions? #1 and foremost – become a great student while enduring a demanding high school curriculum. Grades are very important in the admissions process. We find that sometimes, schools are not willing to look at a candidate if the grades are not where they expect them to be.

However, just being a good student is not enough – we need to become good in tough courses. The U.S. high school curriculum allows for many elective courses and some students believe this is a license to take easy courses and get by. This bargain does not pay, as taking easy courses will disable these students from becoming outstanding candidates – colleges know what students are thinking, this decision will not go unpunished. Aside from this, the student relinquishes their chance to learn a topic that will provide an important academic base to succeed at college.

2-      60% of high school counselors report an increase in the number of student planning to enroll in public as opposed to private colleges. This also means more competition for students aiming public schools. This posses yet another problem – if public school admissions become more competitive, we need to prepare to be able to fund private schooling. This measure serves the student that might not be able to directly enter a public university or college, but wants to achieve an education.

There are many alternatives to public education, however, not many as affordable. We must be conscious in that a student might not be admitted to a top public school, but yet admitted to a top private school. Do we want to support them in taking advantage of this opportunity? Most surely. However, if the funding is not there, it will be merely impossible between subsidizing high education costs and not having taken this thought process under consideration. Families will benefit from early planning especially in this situation, allowing students to have open doors to various alternatives, as opposed to just one.

Another good alternative, sometimes even great, in the case of an unprepared student who is not accepted into the public school of their choice is Community College. Miami Dade College, for example, provides an outstanding educational opportunity to many not able to subsidize high education costs. Being able to complete an Associate’s Degree at MDC makes transferring to a top school easier. In this way, the student will end up receiving their Bachelor’s from a top public university, at a lower expense for the family.

The new data provides opportunity for thought and analysis of what we expect will happen in the future. We can draw many conclusions, but the one most valuable is: early preparation and planning is invaluable in the college admissions process. With this in mind and at task, the student and family will get closer to all educational goals.

What implications do they have on us?

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

The National Association of College Admission Counseling recently published their “2009 State of College Admissions Report”. Although reporting that college admission trends are relatively steady, there are many implications to newfound increased application numbers as well as the impact our economy has had in the industry. Some of the statistics reported include the following:

1- The average acceptance rate at four-year colleges has declined from 71.3% in 2001 to 66.8%. This means that overall it is getting more competitive to gain admission to four-year colleges. We have suspected this for a while, upon seeing how worthy students sometimes struggle to get accepted at colleges and universities all over the U.S. Reports have come to us that universities which were originally not too competitive admissions-wise, have become more so. We are talking about Florida International University and the University of Central Florida, for example, schools that in the last few years have become more selective in their admissions. How do we prepare to enhance our chances to gain admissions? #1 and foremost – become a great student while enduring a demanding high school curriculum. Grades are very important in the admissions process. We find that sometimes, schools are not willing to look at a candidate if the grades are not where they expect them to be. However, just being a good student is not enough – we need to become good in tough courses. The U.S. high school curriculum allows for many elective courses and some students believe this is a license to take easy courses and get by. This bargain does not pay, as taking easy courses will disable these students from becoming outstanding candidates – colleges know what students are thinking, this decision will not go unpunished. Aside from this, the student relinquishes their chance to learn a topic that will provide an important academic base to succeed at college.

2- 60% of high school counselors report an increase in the number of student planning to enroll in public as opposed to private colleges. This also means more competition for students aiming public schools. This posses yet another problem – if public school admissions become more competitive, we need to prepare to be able to fund private schooling. This measure serves the student that might not be able to directly enter a public university or college, but wants to achieve an education. There are many alternatives to public education, however, not many as affordable. We must be conscious in that a student might not be admitted to a top public school, but yet admitted to a top private school. Do we want to support them in taking advantage of this opportunity? Most surely. However, if the funding is not there, it will be merely impossible between subsidizing high education costs and not having taken this thought process under consideration. Families will benefit from early planning especially in this situation, allowing students to have open doors to various alternatives, as opposed to just one. Another good alternative, sometimes even great, in the case of an unprepared student who is not accepted into the public school of their choice is Community College. Miami Dade College, for example, provides an outstanding educational opportunity to many not able to subsidize high education costs. Being able to complete an Associate’s Degree at MDC makes transferring to a top school easier. In this way, the student will end up receiving their Bachelor’s from a top public university, at a lower expense for the family.

The new data provides opportunity for thought and analysis of what we expect will happen in the future. We can draw many conclusions, but the one most valuable is: early preparation and planning is invaluable in the college admissions process. With this in mind and at task, the student and family will get closer to all educational goals.

Music Business Summer Programs

Here are some ideas of excellent summer programs for high school students interested in combining music and/or business. This career is becoming more popular as students seek to get into the music business, not necessarily being musicians, but just interested in this industry…

-          Wagner College in NY on Staten Island.

-          “What Makes a Star” program at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Education; this is a music business summer institute for high school students. Here is the link for this program, http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/music/business/programs/summer/sta . NYU’s Steinhardt School has some good summer music programs for high school students, as offers residency. Other NYU high school programs are also available, but without dorm space, so it might be worth inquiring whether there are opportunities to combine the music program with other business-related classes.

-          Berklee College of Music (music business, entertainment law, and music of course). http://www.berklee.edu/summer/5week.html

-          Interlochen camps in Michigan; Northwestern

-          www.EnrichmentAlley.com for summer enrichment programs.

-          Drexel’s program (exploring the music industry)

-          The EPGY Summer Institutes at Stanford University will offer a new music course in Summer 2010, which will be taught by a team of musicians including the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Stanford artists in residence. The course will run from June 20 through July 9. The course will be a multi-disciplinary mix of music theory, history, criticism, and performance. We also have a very popular Business course that is offered in both sessions of our program, so either June 20-July 9 or July 12-August 7. While our 2010 website is not yet up, check out our current site, which has a lot of information about our program generally: http://epgy.stanford.edu/summer The 2010 website will go up by the end of November.

-          http://www.belmont.edu/mb/

-          Belmont University in Nashville, but if not, it’s a great place for music business. Belmont College in Nashville has a great Business/Music program.

Issues on Higher Education Costs

Colleges and Parents Prepare for Change

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

With the cost of so many services going up these days, education does not stand behind. Many colleges look for ways to smartly confront the recession and survive. In the last two months, we have witnessed activity within schools nationwide that allow us to think that schools are preparing to combat deficits. Just last week, the University of Minnesota announced that if it would continue working with the current budget, by the year 2025, their deficit would be of US$1 billion (read about it here). Needless to say, they are planning cuts and drastically taking measures; change must happen.

One of the changes we have seen is the increase in tuition rates. This year in Florida, for example, state universities and community colleges were allowed to increase their tuition fees by up to 15%, which in turn, they did. Tuition usually goes up on average around 6% yearly, growing at a faster pace than inflation. Yet this year, we expect a hike from last year’s prices. Colleges have not many more options, as state funded educational institutions no longer receive the support they used to count on. Federal and state funding cuts are felt in education as much or more than in any other societal sectors.

Another strategy that has been implemented lately by some public universities is recruiting and admitting a larger percentage of out-of-state students, which pay out-of-state tuition. This strategy was publicly announced a couple of weeks ago by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst – read about it here. The school explained that, in order to prevent the university from sinking due to the financial crisis, it is implementing a campaign to aggressively recruit out-of-state students, who pay twice the tuition that Massachusetts residents do. Other public schools might find themselves utilizing similar strategies to survive the next decade. We might see this happen with popular and reputed public research universities such as the University of Michigan, the University of Maryland and the University of North Carolina, among others, where out-of-state students only represent up to 35% of student body. These schools have a lot of room for growth in that specific statistic, being very competitive and reputable schools, which can offer a great education to in and out-of-state students.

Whilst schools take measures to secure a more stable financial future, parents must also prepare for an education to get more costly. Financial planning never comes soon enough. One opportunity available to Florida residents is the Florida Prepaid Plan. Starting this week, parents will be able to enroll in this program, which allows for them to lock in the 2010-2011 tuition rates at public higher education institutions in Florida. The investment can be made for a newborn or a 17 year-old student. As the cost of education rises faster than inflation, this is one way to ensure that you can afford college education at an in-state college. If the student later on decides to attend a university outside of Florida, the money is returned to the family or can be transferred to a school of their choice. However, it is one way to save towards a college education.

Just today, the National Association for College Admissions Counseling – NACAC released its Report of College Admissions Trends. In it, NACAC shows that while the number of college applicants and applications has increased since 2001. This has resulted in a decline in overall acceptance rates at U.S. Colleges and universities of 5%. All this information means that the trend is towards more competitiveness in college admissions in the next years. Parents must not only prepare to support their children at in-state colleges, they must also ensure that they can provide funding for other alternatives, if the competition gets too rough with selective in-state schools.

In the college admissions process, sooner is better; the more prepared and informed, the better the outcome for the family and ultimately, for the student.

EduPlan

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The Value of an Elevator Pitch

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

What we call today “Elevator Pitch” is what once was a simple introduction. The term refers specifically to what you would say to someone about you and your added value if you were in an elevator with them for a minute, before getting to your floor. In today’s competitive job market, having an outstanding elevator pitch can make all the difference in the world. It can attract parties that otherwise might not be compelled to connect with you. Elevator Pitches can help you create personal brand recall, supporting you to position yourself favorably in the mind of a decision maker.

Let’s start by defining the term: an Elevator Pitch is a brief – 30-second statement that defines who you are, what is your profession or business, and the benefit of your services. In other words, it is a positioning statement that informs others of your stance and added value.

The essence of an Elevator Pitch, however, also involves the context in which we deliver it. When communicating our pitch, we need to understand who is our target audience and if they are ready to receive it. We might be distracted trying to get a business card out, or focusing on ourselves, when the other party might be providing a message. We also must develop several elevator pitches, one for each type of audience, and one that will prove compelling specifically for each receiver.

It seems not so hard to do, however, keep in mind that Elevator Pitches are not necessarily directed to a friend of your grandmother, they are to be delivered to people that could open doors for you in your job search or to enhance your business development process.

Here are some guidelines on how to prepare a compelling elevator pitch:

1-      Learn what differentiates you from the crowd. This is the first step in creating a good elevator pitch. Understand your uniqueness, traits, passions and values. For this, personal branding is a great tool which will support you in developing a vision, mission and unique promise of value, which should be essential parts of your pitch.

2-      Use the added value you bring any company through your services in the beginning of the pitch. Instead of saying: “I have been developing marketing strategies for 20 years”, say “I have generated seven figures in revenues through marketing strategies developed in the last 20 years”. Bring focus to the achievement, which is what differentiates you from other job seekers and business people.

3-      Make it exciting for you to say. Once determining your passions and values, add them to your pitch to ensure that when you communicate it, it increases your blood rate and visibly rises your energy level. Show your enthusiasm when giving your elevator pitch, an easier task to master if it truly is compelling to you.

4-      Be specific about your achievements and goals. Create different pitches for different industries and occupations, if you have several. Keep it as simple as possible, while communicating enough information to create the need of more.

5-      Practice saying it out loud – practice often. This is one case where practice can make perfect.

6-      Make sure to have business cards to accompany the elevator pitch. If you have delivered the pitch and do not have supporting materials to make the next move, you will no longer look as professional as you did when delivering the pitch (or could loose the opportunity to connect).

EduPlan, LLC

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Virtual High School Option

For students interested in completing high school courses not be offered at their high school, virtual high schools provide a great educational alternative. Here is some information on a new program, which you could be interested in, if you are looking for this option:

The new school Youth Connections Charter School (YCCS) Virtual High School powered by K12 is chartered through Chicago Public Schools and located on Chicago’s west side at the Malcolm X College campus.

YCCS Virtual High School is designed for students 17 to 21 who have one to two semesters needed to graduate. Students complete rigorous coursework within a classroom setting utilizing K12’s online curriculum facilitated by highly qualified teachers. See K12 course catalogue here: http://www.k12.com/int/prog_overview/curriculum/high_school/

(YCCS) Virtual High School students have a diverse range of interests, skills, and abilities, but all have a desire to attain a high school diploma and beyond from vocational to 4 year university and beyond.

Address:

YCCS Virtual High School powered by K12

Malcolm X College, room 2417

1900 W. Van Buren

Chicago, IL 60612

Principal Early King

Phone 773.553.2341

Preventing Crime on Campus

Annie Le had everything going for her; a coveted education at Yale University, a fulfilling job, a beautiful life ahead of her. Her horrible death three days before her wedding, in the bathroom of a library at her Alma Mater, reminds us that although college crimes of this nature are rare, they do occur.

Universities take many steps to ensure our safety, some have security cameras, others feature patrols by security guards and a few offer metal detectors outside popular buildings. But ultimately, your safety depends upon your own actions.

As expressed by Kerrie Troseth, there are several common crime activities present in college campuses. Troseth explains: “The most severe crime is murder/manslaughter. This number is usually relatively low or at zero for most campuses. Families may be concerned about this category; however, compared to most small cities and towns of similar populations, the number is usually at a lower rate. Campuses are now required to have crisis plans, including mass texting and emailing, to warn students of any potential high risk situations occurring on campus.”

Sexual offenses are also a common crime, and they are categorized in forcible and nonforcible. These types of offenses can have to do with alcohol and drugs usage, as students engage in these illegal activities and can more easily become victims.

As explains Troseth, “other campus criminal activities include robbery, theft, assaults, and arson. Incidences within these categories tend to have higher occurrences than the previously mentioned offenses. The higher offenses are usually burglary and theft. College students who leave personal items unattended, like backpacks full of electronic devices and other high priced items, are more likely to experience theft. Additionally, unlocked dorm rooms can also be a haven for burglary.”

So how do you expose yourself the least to crime on campus? How to choose a college that is safe?

1-      Find college crime statistics when choosing schools. When seeking colleges for admissions, take the time to investigate their crime statistics by visiting http://ope.ed.gov/security/ which reports criminal offenses for more than 4,000 institutions of higher learning in the United States.   You can also check out the 25 best and worst colleges when it comes to safety by visiting http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-09-18/how-safe-is-your-college/#gallery=713;page=1;item

2-      Learn what measures the college is taking to ensure student safety. Check out school websites and ask school officers what initiatives they have placed in action to enhance student safety on campus.

3-      Once you enroll in a college, understand what resources you have in your new school to feel and be more safe. Often times, schools offer patrols that walk single females and males back to their dorms at late hours. Campuses also count with emergency lines you can call if unsure on how to handle a situation. Sometimes the police does not respond to a call when you are uncertain to be in a danger situation. These emergency lines are answered by students and staff that will guide you in the right direction on what to do to feel safer.

4-      Use precaution always by following these guidelines, provided by http://www.ehow.com/how_5425402_safe-college-campus.html

• Always be aware of your surroundings. If something seems suspicious or you feel uneasy, notify campus safety right away. Trust your instincts!
• Keep your dorm/apartment room door locked at all times (even when you are in the room), and don’t loan keys to friends.
  • Keep the phone numbers for campus safety/campus security in your cell phone so that you always have them on hand in case of an emergency.
  • Don’t walk anywhere around campus alone at night. Walk with a friend, or call campus security for an escort.
  • Check underneath your car and in the backseat of your car before approaching your car in a parking lot.
  • Carry pepper spray and/or a handheld alarm that will set off when squeezed.
  • When you go out, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return. Then you will have someone to check in with you and who will notice if you are missing and can act quickly.
  • Be careful about posting personal information on social networking sites (such as Facebook). We are often giving people too much information about where they can find us, essentially giving them a road map.
  • Do not accept drinks from strangers, and be careful about drinking too much when out.

And finally, sometimes crime is prevented by not allowing situations to escalate. Here are some smart ways of dealing with potential threats, as provided by The Boca Raton Police Department:

1-      ” Look for ways to settle arguments and disagreements without violence.

2-      Use good manners to help ease tensions that can lead to violence.

3-      Report crimes and suspicious activities to police; agree to testify when necessary. If you want to live in a safe community, stand up for what you believe in.

4-      Don’t support illegal activities, like buying stolen property or using illegal drugs. It encourages more crime that hurts you and your neighbors.”

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA

Principal of EduPlan

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Free SAT, GRE, GMAT Practice Tests

A new testing database is available to students now. It provides a myriad of information, and best of all, free practice tests. The database counts with three free practice tests for the following:

- ACT

- SAT

- GMAT

- GRE

- TOEFL

and many others, including AP tests, FCATs and more. With the need to “Test early and often”, as colleges and grad school programs encourage, this is one tool that supports your budget, allowing you to do so at a lesser cost.

Check out the TERC at http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/miamidade?&db=TERC

For the username and password, please contact EduPlan at info@eduplan.us.

Why Higher Education?

Many students are attracted by the prospect of being able to generate an income and take up a job immediately after high school. While a high school diploma was sufficient to land a decent job and keep it thirty years back, the situation has definitely changed in the current scenario. You can still find a decent job after high school, but without a higher degree, you are very likely to get stuck in your career path.

One important reason why you should consider a higher degree is more opportunity, according to collegeview.com author Jeff McGuire. “The U.S. has been transformed from a manufacturing-based economy to an economy based on knowledge, and the importance of a college education today can be compared to that of a high school education forty years ago”, he explains.

Author Kathleen Porter in her ericdigests.org article quotes the findings of the Census Bureau, that “over an adult’s working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate’s degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor’s degree holders earn about $2.1 million”. Thus a college education is important for higher-paying jobs as well as growth in your career.

Moreover, higher levels of education promote intellectual growth in the student. At the level of post-secondary education, the student gets exposure to many new ideas and stimulating thoughts. He/she also gets to meet achievers and leaders in their chosen field. All this serves to make the student an independent thinker, which is crucial to reach high levels of success in any field.

When you go back to college after a few years of work, you get to learn new concepts in your field and view theoretical learning in the light of hands-on experience. “Over the years, some practices get modified and evolved; higher education provides an opportunity to keep abreast with updates and trends in the field”, according to www.rememberanything.com.

Higher education not only improves the quality of life as the horizons of your awareness and exposure expand, but also has significant benefits to the community and society at large, according to a study by collegeboard.com. “Higher rates of volunteering, voting and donating blood correspond to higher levels of education as do lower unemployment and poverty rates. Similarly, socially valuable behaviors, such as tolerance for the opinions of others, seem to increase with education”, found the study.

When more and more people of a nation attain higher levels of education, it also impacts the economy and cumulative growth in a favorable way. It leads to better growth in the fields of science, technology, business and entrepreneurship as well as culture and social well-being.

Here is a link to some recent findings on the earning potential at different levels of education.

http://www.mdrc.org/area_fact_33.html

The following link throws light on how higher education is viewed in contemporary USA.

http://www.highereducation.org/reports/affordability_pa/affordability_pa4.shtml

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and Principal of EduPlan

Sources:

http://www.collegeview.com/importance_of_college_education.html

http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-3/value.htm

http://www.collegeboard.com/press/releases/185478.html

http://www.rememberanything.com/importance-of-higher-education/

Changes in Financial Aid

Financial aid has recently become a hotter topic in the mind of many more Americans, as we survive a recession. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We count with enhanced Government support, especially led by President Obama, who strongly advocates towards positive change in the field. Supporting Americans to achieve higher education has been one of the core initiatives and focus points of this administration. True to its values, U.S. leadership has introduced reform that makes the Financial Aid process a promising one towards the future.

Until now, student loans have been mostly handled through private banks and other financial institutions. As part of this process, while the Federal Government sponsors these loans, private banks offering and managing loan programs benefit from earning a percentage. This percentage is one that will soon cease to exist, as a new bill is passed in Government. The plan is for the Fed to bypass banks and private lenders to provide these loans directly to students – no middleman involved.

No doubt, there is a lot of resistance from the private sector, as a cash cow is being sent to the slaughter house. However, keep in mind that the new system, although destroying the private student lending industry, will positively affect the lives of most Americans (even private lending managers). With student loans being directly provided by the government, we are saving 3-4% of loan costs, which translates into government savings of $86.8 billion over the next 10 years, as reported by David Lightman from The Miami Herald. Quoted by Lightman, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, D-Calif., explains that the legislation should support students with “no cost to taxpayers.”

Although it might seem so, this is not the first time an initiative like this one has been launched. A few years back, Clinton’s administration also supported a federal student loan program that bypassed banking institutions. However, it is now that this initiative has been fully undertaken, and gaining speed as we speak.

Student loans have become a reason for many to encounter financial distress, to say the least. They represent one of the primary reasons why individuals cannot pay their debts, consumed with interest payments that are unmanageable. However, current instruments do not provide feasible alternatives for individuals in distress. As explained by Dwyer and Associates, when earning $80,000 a year and having $200,000 in student loans debt you would think it should be easy to discharge this debt in bankruptcy. However, “student loans are not an easy type of debt to discharge. Actually, student loan debt is one of the hardest debts to discharge, and for 99% of people, it is impossible to discharge this debt altogether.” For this reason alone, reform is urgently needed, as education becomes every day more inaccessible to most Americans, subsidies are not enough, and more people wise up to this situation. Do we want to encourage a society where education is unaffordable?

How does the new bill directly affect us?

In simple terms, we should see a more controlled loan environment, with lower interest rates that allow for students to pay off their debt without going bankrupt in such large numbers. Savings will positively affect Federal Education budget, allowing for increased expenditures in programs that will directly benefit students, and not banks. It is a challenging undertaking for the government to directly manage all loan process, and this could present a problem.

With the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process, it has taken many years for the government to provide a more comprehensive tool, one that parents and students can handle easily. Still, it is not 100% straightforward, and many consider it gruesome to handle. With the new loan system, I foresee impact to be felt in navigating the process while the specific loan offices get organized and make the process as user-friendly as possible. There is a learning curve to be overcome, but once it is, we shall encounter clearer skies.

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and Principal of EduPlan

Search Schools with EduPlan!

Courtesy of industry leader Hobsons, we are now offering a college, grad school and international school search tool on our website. This system will help you search for universities and programs from undergraduate to graduate all over the world. We hope you find it very valuable in distinguishing educational options.

The tool can be found on our website at http://eduplan.us/education/college-search/

La Fuerza Laboral Envejece

Por Claudine Vainrub

En un estudio publicado por el centro de investigaciones Pew, se demuestra que actualmente la fuerza laboral no se está retirando de sus trabajos rápidamente. Se estima que el 93% del crecimiento de la fuerza laboral en los próximos diez años estará en el sector de edades de las de 55 anos. La baja rotación de personal  y baja generación de nuevos empleos ha prohibido la entrada de empleados más jóvenes. Adultos jóvenes se están quedando sin entrar en la fuerza laboral por más meses.

Desde el principio de la recesión en Diciembre del 2007, la tasa de desempleo en las edades entre 25 y 34 años se ha más que duplicado de 4.8% a 10.5%, así reporta la oficina de estadísticas laborales de USA. Los empleados de mayor edad son considerados como de mayor experiencia, y capaces de realizar labores diversas. Al sufrir despidos, los gerentes de compañía buscan empleados con los que pueden contar para diferentes tareas, considerando que los jóvenes, por la falta de experiencia, no califican para lo mismo.

También existe la ley del “ultimo empleado es el primero en despedir”. Cuando acumulan anos con la empresa, los gerentes tienen capacidad de titulación o beneficios especiales por los cuales las compañías tienen menos interés en despedirlos. Asimismo, los empleados de mayor edad tienen menor probabilidad de rotación de trabajo. Y además, los empleados mayores están protegidos por el acta de discriminación por edad, para el que califican empleados de 40 años de edad o más.

Esto tiene una repercusión en los jóvenes al buscar cualquier trabajo con el objeto de satisfacer la necesidad de producir un sustento para sus hogares. En vez de buscar empleos para los cuales están altamente capacitados, solicitan empleos con los cuales no están logrando crecimiento profesional, sino pagar las cuentas. En este tipo de trabajos, su aporte intelectual no es igual de bueno, punto que va en detrimento de la compañía en la que se emplean y en la capacidad de producir mayor desarrollo.

Los empleados jóvenes, muchas veces recién salidos de la universidad, traen a las compañías ideas innovadoras producto de sus estudios. Las universidades se vuelven calderos de ideas que la juventud trae para lograr mayor desarrollo. Este efecto, que ayuda a las economías a crecer, se está perdiendo, perdiendo también así la capacidad de innovación.

Cuatro de diez adultos de más de 62 años de edad reportan la necesidad de retrasar su retiro por los efectos de la recesión en su presupuesto familiar. Mientras la medicina logra prolongar la vida de los adultos, y la necesidad se avecina en un mayor porcentaje de individuos de más de 62 años de edad, estos ocupan los puestos que anteriormente se asignarían a empleados más jóvenes, haciendo que la fuerza laboral tenga una edad promedio mayor. Mantener el empleo significa para los empleados de mayor edad mantener y acumular beneficios como seguros de salud, y aumentar la pensión que recibirán al retirarse, entre otros.

Para los empleados más jóvenes, obtener un nuevo empleo tiene el objeto de mantener a sus familias, lograr ser independiente y buscar el progreso profesional.

La fuerza laboral también aumenta de edad promedio al volverse aun mas importante para empleadores que sus empleados logren culminar estudios universitarios. Con la cantidad de opciones académicas existentes actualmente, incluyendo educación en línea y grados técnicos, las compañías cada día exigen más que los nuevos empleados se reciban en una universidad. Esta es una de las razones por las cuales la fuerza laboral aumenta de edad en la actualidad. U.S. El Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos reporta que en el 97, 13.8 Millones de estudiantes estaban registrados en algún tipo de educación superior, y se espera que aumentara a 17.5 millones para el 2010.

Asimismo, los empleados de mayor edad, estando informados de los efectos de la recesión, entienden la dificultad que se les presentaría de quedarse sin empleo. Por ello, hacen todo lo posible por mantener su posición actual.

La rotación de personal y de trabajos dentro de una empresa tiene un efecto positivo muy grande, al ser bien planificado. Permite el enriquecimiento del trabajo para el nuevo empleado o el empleado rotado, el desarrollo del empleado en áreas diversas, el aumento de la motivación causado por nuevos retos y el desarrollo de carrera. Las empresas deben buscar este proceso en los empleados, para alcanzar el desarrollo como entes económicos productores para la sociedad.

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Radio Show – Twitter for Job Search

Our weekly radio segment on Twitter and how to use this tool for job search. Sorry folks, only En Espanol…

Nuestro segmento semanal radial con Eli Bravo acerca de como utilizar a Twitter como herramienta en la busqueda de trabajo.

Twitter como herramienta de busqueda de trabajo

Using Twitter for Job Search

As social media becomes more and more popular, companies are catching up to technology and finding ways to maximize their ROI through these new alternative tools. One of the social networking tools, Twitter, catches our attention, as companies begin to use it to recruit.

Twitter, in few words, provides a microblogging service that is transmitted in the way of instant messaging. The technology offers Real Time information, which other media do not. Messages are short and usually newsworthy to the subscribers, as they enter or sign up for channels of their interest.

How does this technology support job seekers? Everyday more, companies see the added value of using Twitter to establish relationships with customers, vendors and now job seekers, and post short information that is relevant to each audience. So if you are a job seeker, interested for example, in positions within MTV, you can sign up to receive updates on new jobs by MTV at MTVNetworksJobs in Twitter. By “following” this account, you will get new job postings as soon as they become available.

If you cannot notice, the added value of this service for job search is enormous. Before Twitter, we had to search online, get into each website and wait until new jobs were posted. We waited until CareerBuilder or other job boards posted a job (which was not free, thus not necessarily available in these portals). We had to surf company sites one by one to know which new jobs had been posted. Now, Twitter sends us new postings to our cell phone, allowing us to get the job postings as soon as they become available, with no hassle.

There are a few Twitter accounts that act like job search engines, following all Tweets regarding new job posts.  Some include   TwitterJobSearch.com, which matches keywords entered by yourself regarding jobs you are interested in. JobShouts is also a free resource, which provides a similar service to that of Craig’s List, with free job postings for companies, but then automatically tweets these postings once they become available.

You can follow any company you are especially interested in on Twitter, and get new job leads. To do so, go online and create a Twitter account, then go to find people and type the name of the company and jobs in the same line. This will accrue several results out of which you will be able to sort out which ones to follow. Some companies have the twitter link already included on their website, making it easy for you to sign up to receive their corporate updates. Just make sure that if you will be following the company, that jobs are being posted in that account, and not only news.

Another interesting service on Twitter is called JobAngels, which basically allows job seekers to tweet their desired job needs so that “angels” can provide advice, leads and help seekers ultimately find jobs.

According to a study by Russell Herder and Ethos Business Law, 81% senior US marketing, management and HR executives believe social media can enhance relationships with customers/clients, thus, the use of social media is increasing and becoming more important for companies.  Also, 69% feel such networking can be valuable in recruitment and 25% check the background of a prospective employee through social media.

It is not only important to participate, but also to ensure that your profile screams professionalism, highlights your strongest values and attributes, to enhance your chances of being hired. Although Twitter does not allow for a lengthy profile, LinkedIn does. Work on your profile focusing on where you want your career to be, and not so much on what your career looks like now. As Dan Schawbel explains, “I tend to examine a lot of online profiles to see whose doing things right and who is less “forward thinking.”  Most people seem to be caught up in the moment, without really think about where they are heading in their careers.  When this occurs, they tend to stay exactly where they are, without much progression.”

With this in mind, position yourself while targeting the future and not focusing on the present. Be specific on what you want, be thoughtful when tweeting and stay on brand, and remember that Twitter is yet another tool to connect with people, one that can lead to proactive and effective networking that can take you to your next career move.

By Claudine Vainrub

Principal of EduPlan

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Issues for International Students

News for International Students Seeking College Admissions and How to Make the Best of them…

As we enter the fall, many students prepare to begin the application process to enter colleges and universities in USA. If you’re a international student, this is a good time to consider applying to enter a college or university, in pursuit of an undergraduate degree. As reported by Inside Higher Ed, this is especially true as less students from countries like India and South Korea are applying, which means much less competition for you. The blog reports that the only exception is doctoral institutions which saw a 4% increase in international applications. For example, Virginia Tech saw an 8% increase in applications from South Korea.

However, getting accepted to college and receiving scholarships/financial aid is all about preparation and strategy. Whilst application numbers may crumble, this might not have a good effect in our specific case if other important pieces of information are not taken under consideration. Here are some things to consider as an international student seeking admission to a university in USA, to support your case:

1. Take Challenging Courses in High School or through any study program you undertake before becoming an applicant. Taking calculus, a rigorous curriculum, honors courses at any stage of your live can give you the extra edge you need. Colleges and graduate programs love candidates that are prepared for the challenges of higher education by experiencing tough courses before engaging in a new path. This preparation will not only come handy when schools consider you as a candidate, but you will learn concepts that will be invaluable for your career, while pushing yourself and demanding the best of yourself. Don’t set yourself short.

2. Size Matters: Did you know that some of the most competitive colleges haven’t increased their number of students in years? If the college isn’t building more dorms, hiring more teachers and increasing their course offering, your chances of getting accepted to that school decreases. Think of alternative schools that offer higher percentage of applicants admitted, that are in continuing growth and welcome students, while providing an outstanding education. There are many options out there, and very few that most applicants are familiar with. Research pays off.

3. SAT or ACT – GMAT or GRE? Take both and submit the best score: Why gamble with one test when you can increase your odds with two? Since the SAT and the ACT are equally accepted for college admissions, you have nothing to lose by taking both. A similar situation is beginning to happen with the GMAT and the GRE, as more institutions are allowing the GRE to take the place of the GMAT.

4. Request special accommodation for testing: If having extra time allows you to check your test more thoroughly and increase your chances of getting a better score, why not do it? Special accommodations are no longer disclosed to colleges, which means you application wont’ be discriminated against other applications on that basis.

5. Asking for money: While schools have money in the form of scholarships and financial aid for international students it’s not easy to get. Unlike students which are U.S. residents, you are expected to have better grades and test scores in order to get free money towards a degree. One strategy to increase your chances of receiving money for college is to apply to institutions that don’t have a lot of international students, they will be more desperate to increase their diversity and thus more likely to reward you for it.

6. Geography Matters: New York, New York is not the same as Ithaca, NY. One school may leave you steps from Time Square while another school might represent a 4-hour drive to Manhattan.  You should also explore other characteristics such as the weather, the location of the school (big city, small town, country), whether you’ll need a car to get around, etc. America’s 50 states offer almost endless possibilities, don’t be afraid to do your research.

7. Brand Name does not Equal Fit: International students have a tendency to apply to famous colleges they’ve heard about before. Almost everyone in the world knows Harvard, Columbia and Yale, but there are more than 4,000 accredited higher education institutions in the U.S., many of them offering outstanding academic opportunities. Many are also welcoming of international students and their diversity, others go to the extent of offering financial aid to support having this diversity on campus. Seek new names for you, like Eckerd College, Vanderbilt University, Reed College, places of great prestige and the very highest academic standard, where you could also thrive as a student.  Find some of the schools available online at collegeboard.com.

8. Degree does not equal green card: If your dream is to become an American citizen someday, you’ll have to consider not only what you study but where. Some universities lack credentials and some majors don’t translate to jobs. You also have to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might have to return to your home country, with that in mind is wise to study something that helps you get a job in your home country as well as America.

9. Sell with your Essay: Although international students might not have to write essays for college or grad school admissions, in USA, essay writing is an important part of the puzzle. Just like an advertisement in the newspaper, your college essay should sell you to the application committees. Rather than focusing on things any American could write, develop essays based on what makes you unique and what background you come from. If you lack command with English, have someone edit your essay to avoid the embarrassment of a spelling mistake or grammatical error. Remember that American application committees are impressed with international students that write well or better than native-born Americans.

We hope these tips you will help you increase your chances of making a great impression and getting accepted to the college of your choice. With perseverance, hard work, research and a great attitude, we can achieve the dream of gaining acceptance and scholarship money as an international student in USA. Good luck!

By Claudine Vainrub

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Radio Show – Online Degrees

Our weekly radio show with Eli Bravo, this time on the topic of Online Degrees – what to take under consideration when seeking an online education. Sorry folks, only in Spanish…

Nuestro segmento radial semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM, acerca de educacion online – que debemos tomar en consideracion cuando buscamos programas de estudio online.

Estudios Universitarios en Linea

Choosing a Free College

How to choose a College that will not Bankrupt me

At this time of the year, seniors and even graduate admissions candidates are thinking about their college and graduate school options. Being that the economy has hit many of us hard this year, the choices might not seem as abundant as when our family income is higher. So how do we evaluate the best college and grad school options for a tight budget? Here are some things you can do to enhance your chances of choosing programs that will allow you an outstanding education, while not making you go bankrupt in the process:

1-      Research schools that meet 100% need. Find which programs they offer and figure out what chances you have to gain admission to one of these schools. What does it mean that they meet need 100%? It means that when you fill out your Financial Aid Application – FAFSA, if you are admitted to one of these schools, they will be able to support your need 100%. Your tuition will be whatever FAFSA says you can afford to pay, not more than that. The rest of the tuition would be covered by the institution you enroll in. Not all schools are able to sponsor 100% of your need. Make sure to research which ones do. At the end of this article is a list of some of the schools that currently meet 100% need.

2-      Consider Tuition-Free Colleges. Did you know some institutions offer free tuition for their students? They are few, but offer the option of a debt-free education. These schools are funded through their endowment and large donations, and might ask you to work in exchange for a free education. For most, if not all, you will need to prove financial need.

3-      Apply Early Action, but NOT Early Decision. Early Decision students might not be considered for as much financial aid, as they are committing to a school early on in the process. Early Decision could commit you to accept the school if they accept you, although there is a grey area which allows you to get out of the commitment if financial aid does not meet your need. However, it is a risky move to apply early decision, for this reason, and one you might want to pass on. However, early action does not commit students to accept admission, and financial aid funds might be more available. So a smart thing to do is find out which schools in your preliminary list of college choices offer early action, and send applications to those. In that way, you will quickly learn if you have been admitted, what your financial aid package is, and you will have time to negotiate it to meet your expectations and need, if possible.

4-      Familiarize yourself with the history of the school regarding financial aid administration, college scholarships available, and how they usually handle student financial aid support. Speak with the financial aid office to understand what opportunities they have available for you, how you can best take advantage of them.

5-      Start all processes early on. Leaving your research and learning process for the last minute might mean that you could miss out on opportunities. Money is more available in January than in May. Study the FAFSA to ensure that information is accurate once you complete the form. If it is not, you could be risking an auditing or a request for additional information, which will delay the process and also your funding opportunities. It literally pays off to be the early bird in the college admissions / financial aid process.

In conclusion, if we are smart about researching options, going to college does not have to be a back-breaking process. We can secure an education that will support us in achieving our career goals, while living to tell the story of our success. Securing funding for college and grad school is feasible in the U.S., and certainly, an important part of the process; one which can determine how effective we were as candidates, but in essence, the first test of our process management skills professionalism.

Schools that meet 100% need, as reported by U.S. News

College Name    State

Adrian College   (MI)

Amherst College              (MA)

Barnard College                (NY)

Bates College     (ME)

Beloit College    (WI)

Boston College

Bowdoin College              (ME)

Brown University             (RI)

Bryn Mawr College          (PA)

California Institute of Technology

Carleton College               (MN)

Carroll College   (WI)

Chapman University       (CA)

Claremont McKenna College      (CA)

Colby College     (ME)

Colgate University           (NY)

College of the Holy Cross              (MA)

Columbia University       (NY)

Connecticut College

Cornell University            (NY)

Dartmouth College          (NH)

Davidson College             (NC)

Duke University                (NC)

Emory University             (GA)

Franklin & Marshall

Georgetown University                (DC)

Gettysburg College         (PA)

Grinnell College                (IA)

Hamilton College              (NY)

Harvard University          (MA)

Harvey Mudd College    (CA)

Haverford College           (PA)

Lafayette College             (PA)

Macalester College         (MN)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Middlebury College        (VT)

Mount Holyoke College                (MA)

Northwestern University             (IL)

Oberlin College                 (OH)

Occidental College           (CA)

Pitzer College    (CA)

Pomona College               (CA)

Princeton University       (NJ)

Reed College     (OR)

Rice University (TX)

Salem College    (NC)

Scripps College (CA)

Smith College    (MA)

St. Olaf College                 (MN)

Stanford University         (CA)

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Swarthmore College       (PA)

Tufts University                (MA)

University of Chicago

University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill

University of Pennsylvania

University of Richmond                 (VA)

University of Virginia

Vassar College   (NY)

Wellesley College            (MA)

Wesleyan University      (CT)

Williams College               (MA)

Yale University (CT)

Tuition Free Schools, as reported by the WSJ and BusinessWeek:

Berea College
Bereau College has a mandatory work-study program
Cooper Union Architecture
College of the Ozarks
Alice Lloyd College
City University of New York’s Teacher Academy
Curtis Institute of Music
Deep Springs College
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

UC Irvine School of Law
Webb Institute is a Naval engineering college

Military Academies: U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy offer free tuition for students going into military careers.

MBA Application Dates 2009-2010

When are applications due for MBA programs in USA?

In this chart you can find the Application deadlines for several MBA Programs across the U.S. As more MBA dates become available, we hope to bring you this information.

USA MBA Program Application Deadlines for 2009-2010

Full-Time MBA Program	Round 1 Deadline	Round 2 Deadline	Round 3 Deadline
Carnegie Mellon University – Tepper	10/26/2009	1/4/2010	3/8/2010
Columbia University	10/7/2009	1/6/2010	3/3/2010
Dartmouth College – Tuck	10/14/2009	11/11/2009	1/6/2010
Duke University – Fuqua	10/6/2009	11/12/2009	1/7/2010
Georgetown University – McDonough			3/3/2010
Harvard University	10/1/2009	1/19/2010	3/1/2010
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Sloan	10/27/2009	1/12/2010
New York University (NYU) – Stern	11/15/2009
Northwestern University – Kellogg	10/15/2009	1/14/2010	3/4/2010
Stanford University	10/7/2009	1/6/2010	4/7/2010
University of California Berkeley – Haas	10/20/2009	12/10/2009	2/2/2010
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) – Anderson	10/14/2009	1/6/2010	3/17/2010
University of Chicago – Booth	10/14/2009	1/6/2010	3/10/2010
University of Michigan – Ross	10/10/2009	1/2/2010	3/1/2010
University of North Carolina – Kenan-Flagler	10/23/2009	12/4/2009	1/8/2010
University of Pennsylvania – Wharton	10/1/2009	1/5/2010	3/9/2010
University of Texas – McCombs	11/2/2009	1/15/2010	4/1/2010
University of Virginia – Darden	10/28/2009	1/7/2010	3/31/2010
Yale University	10/8/2009	1/7/2010	3/10/2010

The spaces without information will be filled as data becomes available.

Full-Time MBA Program	Round 1 Deadline	Round 2 Deadline	Round 3 Deadline
Carnegie Mellon University – Tepper	10/26/2009	1/4/2010	3/8/2010
Columbia University	10/7/2009	1/6/2010	3/3/2010
Dartmouth College – Tuck	10/14/2009	11/11/2009	1/6/2010
Duke University – Fuqua	10/6/2009	11/12/2009	1/7/2010
Georgetown University – McDonough			3/3/2010
Harvard University	10/1/2009	1/19/2010	3/1/2010
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Sloan	10/27/2009	1/12/2010
New York University (NYU) – Stern	11/15/2009
Northwestern University – Kellogg	10/15/2009	1/14/2010	3/4/2010
Stanford University	10/7/2009	1/6/2010	4/7/2010
University of California Berkeley – Haas	10/20/2009	12/10/2009	2/2/2010
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) – Anderson	10/14/2009	1/6/2010	3/17/2010
University of Chicago – Booth	10/14/2009	1/6/2010	3/10/2010
University of Michigan – Ross	10/10/2009	1/2/2010	3/1/2010
University of North Carolina – Kenan-Flagler	10/23/2009	12/4/2009	1/8/2010
University of Pennsylvania – Wharton	10/1/2009	1/5/2010	3/9/2010
University of Texas – McCombs	11/2/2009	1/15/2010	4/1/2010
University of Virginia – Darden	10/28/2009	1/7/2010	3/31/2010
Yale University	10/8/2009	1/7/2010	3/10/2010

Easy Scholarship to Apply For

SchoolSoup.com has posted a scholarship you do not want to miss. It frees some tuition money for online education. Now, beware of the institutions you might want to use it for, since degree mills are in abundance. Degree mills represent, in other words online universities that are not accredited by the U.S. Department of Education, and provide a false promise of a legitimate degree program.

Other thing to consider when applying for this scholarship – you might start getting spam from organizations linked to this application. It could be worth your while if you are really going for online education, but otherwise, you might not want to pass out on this opportunity.

The only requirement to opt for this specific scholarship are to be over 18 years of age. Worthwhile to check it out, in my opinion… Here is the information, as I received it from SchoolSoup:

Having trouble qualifying for a scholarship?  If so the Students Direct Freedom Scholarship is for you.

To be eligible for the scholarship you must be 18 years of age or older  – that’s it.  It’s easy to apply and it’s FREE.  Click Here to view the application.

Apply today – the application deadline is August 15!

Radio Show – New Career Path

Our weekly show with Eli Bravo, this time on choosing another career. If you are seeking for a job, maybe you should consider a career change. The program talks about how to go about it and achieve this goal successfully. Sorry, only en Espanol…

Nuestro segmento radial semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM, esta vez en el tema de cambio de profesion. Si busca trabajo, quizas es el momento para cambiar de area, de industria o de ramo profesional. Nuestro programa trata el tema de como hacerlo de forma exitosa.

Claudine Vainrub de EduPlan y Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM acerca de Cambio de Profesion

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Beware when Pursuing an Online Degree

What to look for and Is Online Education what you Want?

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and Principal of EduPlan

Many adult learners who want to go back to school today consider online college programs. I know I did a few months back, as it was for me the only alternative to achieve a certification I longed for. I registered at UCLA Extension and for a year, learned in an online environment, and achieved my degree with High Distinction. Sounds easy? It was nothing of that sort. My online program entailed long hours reading in front of my computer, lots of assignments, more class participation than if I would have been attending a class on-campus. The full certification took a year to complete, including an internship at a school in my city. A few years ago, this type of education was not even an option. Now, it is sometimes the only option we have to pursue our studies.

Unlike ten years back when online courses were few, we now have thousands of online colleges to choose from. The proliferation of the Internet and the new technologies of Web 2.0 that enable high speeds and interactivity have propelled this trend. Moreover geographical considerations are not a constraint in choosing an online college, so you can virtually choose a college that suits your needs from any part of the world. “Over twenty percent of all U.S. higher education students were taking at least one online course in the fall of 2007”, states Staying the Course, an illuminating survey undertaken by I. Elaine Allen and Jeff Seaman for the Sloan Consortium.

A major advantage of studying online is the flexibility it offers. This is the number one reason people choose to study online, according to a poll by Claria Corporation, a behavioral marketing firm, quoted in onlinedegreezone.com. However not all online colleges meet the required norms. Here are some guidelines on how to proceed when evaluating online programs:

-          Conduct a thorough research, shortlist a few-at least four or five- colleges that meet your needs and request information from all of them. Do not hesitate to ask questions, when something is not clear to you.

-          Make sure that the online college you join has accreditation from a proper source. This ensures that the institution meets the educational quality standards. Many online degree mills claim they are accredited, but the agency that accredits them does not have legitimacy. They grant accreditation to anyone who can pay them for it. Therefore consider only those colleges accredited by accreditation agencies approved by the US Department of Education. To research accredited degree programs and legitimate accreditation agencies, visit the website of the US Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml

-          A college/university serious about online courses will develop considerable time and resources to develop courses that suit an e-learning mode and also engage in continuous research to better their teaching methods. Inquire what initiatives of this kind are pursued by the college/university that interests you.

-          Before you start researching online colleges, it would help to make up your mind about what kind of major you intend to pursue. Some online schools offer two-year, associate level courses. If you are merely looking to upgrade your skills or learn something new, this should be good enough for you. Other online schools offer four-year degrees (BA or BS). This is desirable if a degree can help you move ahead in your career. Also look into what options are available between choosing between private and public institutions and for-profit and non-profit colleges.

-          Find out if the online school and program will grant you college credit if you seek to transfer to a non-virtual accredited college or university. For instance, if you join an online associate program now, find out what are the chances that you will have to continue your education and pursue a bachelor’s degree later with another college/ university in a virtual or a classroom environment. Inquire within a few accredited higher education institutions by providing the name and basic data of the online school you are considering to enter.

-          Check out the size of the classes, and the student-teacher ratio. Colleges with fewer students per teacher are likely to say so. This is important for you to get personalized attention and mentoring from your teachers/professors.

-          The track record of the teachers is also important. If several of the faculties’ qualifications come from the same college he/she works with, it does not bode well for the credentials of the college and the faculty, warns college-scholarships.com.

-          Financial aid options need to be considered before you finalize on a course. Similar to a classroom programs, colleges might offer loans, scholarships and installment options for fee payment.

-          Find out how easy or hard it will be to contact faculty and support staff at the college where you enroll to achieve your online degree. Inquire on whether the entire course can be completed online or if it will require for you to travel to the college location to complete any part of the coursework. This is an important point that might prevent you from earning the degree you have worked so hard at.

So, if you are ready to embark on the adventure of online education, get prepared to work very hard, read a lot, and put as many hours or more than you would in an On- Campus environment. By being informed on online schools, what they offer and which are reputable and accredited, we can take advantage of an amazing education technology that will surely keep growing in the near future. Was it worth it to me, to spend every day of the week for a year hours in front of the computer, responding to classmates in an online environment, reading endlessly and completing numerous assignments? You bet!

Find out the most recent information on Online University options on the U.S. News site…

Sources: http://www.college-scholarships.com/ten_rules_for_choosing_online_colleges_and_universities.htm

http://www.onlinedegreezone.com/choosing_online_programs.php

http://www.elearners.com/guide-to-online-education/online-education-providers.asp

http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/pdf/staying_the_course.pdf

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A New Career Path

Finding the Perfect Match Between Demand, Skill and Interest

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA

If you are unemployed, a student, or at a time in your life when you are in doubt of your current career path, the time could be right to make a bold move in a new direction. Finding a new career path can be advantageous to you, if you pursue this change with a methodology. With the job market undergoing a recession, many professions have suffered while others continue recruiting. Often times, I hear CEO’s and corporate decision makers expressing frustration in not finding employees for their openings. The smart thing to do if you are thinking of making that career change is to look closely at the market and draw conclusions.

How do we look at the market and determine which careers are in need of employees? My best friend for these types of searches is Google. We conduct a query on careers in most demand and get 65 million responses!  Some of my favorite lists and information for 2009 are at U.S. News 30 Best Careers for 2009, the Top In-Demand Careers by Yahoo, and  25 Top Jobs by Fast Company. These articles can provide an idea of what options we have. We should look into several of these lists and compare results, ensuring that if we are attracted to a specific career, that it is truly one in demand, as listed in several sources, and not just one.

Although for some this can be obvious, we need to mention that choosing a career cannot be solely a decision we make based on a list. Taking a look at lists of jobs in demand helps us make moves that will stand a better chance of success, in terms of finding a job once we make the transition. However, skills and interest assessments are as important. It would be a great failure to get into a field for which we have little skill or interest just because it is one in demand. We need to find that combination of job demand, passion for the specific field, and skill, which will enable us not only to become good at our new profession, but also devoted to it, as it is interesting to us. Our career becomes our life, as we are drawn to learn more, have it constantly in our mind not out of force but out of real curiosity and fascination.

If these concepts seem a bit unreal, dreamy, and out of tune with reality, it is because you have not yet found the one specific profession that does this for you. There is one or sometimes more than one discipline that will interest us so much that we will want to be in tune with it at any time. It is the one thing that will keep us working until the wee hours of the night, or even wake us up in the middle of the night with an idea that will get us out of bed and into the writing board. Seems ideal, but often times, it is not too clear which is this one right career choice that will entice us to grow exponentially.

How can we find this special interest of ours? One way is to use Personal Branding. This methodology allows us to understand skills, values and passions, our SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), attributes, best roles, and especially, what is our career goal. We define a vision, mission and unique promise of value, and in the process, we are able to distinguish the career path we are seeking. We can also use career assessments, such as the Career Liftoff Inventory and the Self-Directed Search (SDS), by John Holland, among others, to assess interests. The Work Behavior Inventory Assessment and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Assessment can provide feedback on personality types and traits that will allow you to work better in one certain environment over another.

Think Strategically… Although it is a tough job market, with strategy and in-depth analysis on your interests and strongest skills, the right time for a career change can be today.

Here is U.S. News full list of Best Careers 2009 :

• Audiologist
• Biomedical equipment technician
• Clergy
• Curriculum/training specialist
• Engineer
• Firefighter
• Fundraiser
• Genetic counselor
• Ghostwriter
• Government manager
• Hairstylist/Cosmetologist
• Health policy specialist
• Higher education administrator
• Landscape architect
• Librarian
• Locksmith/Security system technician
• Management consultant
• Mediator
• Occupational therapist
• Optometrist
• Pharmacist
• Physical therapist
• Physician assistant
• Politician/Elected official
• Registered nurse
• School psychologist
• Systems analyst
• Urban planner
• Usability/User experience specialist
• Veterinarian

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Radio Show – Consultores de Admisiones Universitarias

Our radio show with Eli Bravo on Actualidad 1020 AM this week touching on the topic of Independent College Advisers, our work, and how to evaluate a consultant’s potential to conduct the coaching effectively.

Nuestro show radial semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM, esta semana tocando el tema de

Consultores Independientes de Admisiones – Programa Radial de Eli Bravo con Claudine Vainrub

Radio Show – MBA Admissions

Our weekly radio show with Eli Bravo, this time on MBA Admissions, the process and is it worth the effort and investment to pursue an MBA. Sorry folks, only En Espanol…

Nuestro segmento semanal con Eli Bravo, esta vez acerca del tema de admisiones a MBA’s (Postgrados de Administracion). Vale la pena el esfuerzo y la inversion economica que un MBA implica?

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub acerca de Admisiones a MBA

Radio Show – Buscar Trabajo

What to do if you have been looking for a job for too long? Here are some strategies as presented in our program with Eli Bravo on Actualidad 1020 AM. Only en Espanol…

Si su busqueda de trabajo se ha prolongado por mas de seis meses, escuche nuestro programa acerca de como abordar la busqueda de trabajo y que hacer para lograr mayor exito pronto. Segmento con Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub en Actualidad 1020 AM.

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub acerca de Busqueda de Trabajo Prolongada

How to Hire an Educational Consultant

A very recently published article on The New York Times has provoked an explosion in diverse opinions. The article “Before College, Costly Advice Just on Getting In” talks about independent college counselors and the job we do. However, the author, Jacques Steinberg, seems to have done his job partially, depicting the larger pool of educational consultants in the same manner as he would a smaller breed of unethical counselors, who most of us, have nothing in common with.

But instead of focusing on this incomplete piece, I would rather share with you some valuable insight. What are we to expect when seeking help from an educational consultant? How do we choose a consultant who will do the job right? What is a job well done in educational consulting?

Here are some true observations and information you should have handy when choosing someone to work with you or your family (son / daughter) in college admissions:

1- Seek a professional with at least some experience in the admissions field. Someone who has worked as interviewer or within an admissions office, can provide an insider´s perspective on how admissions work. Also, this professional will probably have passion for the field, having demonstrated work experience in it, working with students and in academia.

2- Find someone who is familiar in working with students. A professional who has been in teaching, education, who has gained exposure in working with teenagers will be able to connect with the student better than someone used to work with executives.

3- Certifications exist! College advisers and Independent Counselors can get certified. At present, there are three certificate programs available, one provided by UCLA and called The College Counseling Certificate Program. This extensive online program not only demands hard work (usually takes over a year to complete), but it consists in seven classes, the last one being a practical course to be conducted in the college counseling office of a high school. It is a very rigorous certificate to complete. Same goes for the College Counseling certificate program offered by UC Berkeley, and the CEP – Certified Educational Planner, for which you can only apply after earning years of expertise in the field. Independent consultants can and should get certified. Ensure the person you are seeking advice from is!

4- One step above a certification is having earned a master in education or in counseling. Several graduate school programs allow for more expertise in the field. Even an MBA can work when considering the expertise of a college adviser, however, not on its own. An MBA plus experience in the field and a certification can provide a great combination of skills, allowing the professional to have a background in marketing, easily applicable to candidates, plus keen interest in education.

5- Membership to leading industry associations. There are several associations that group educational consultants, colleges and professionals related to college and graduate school admissions. Some of them are IECA, NACAC, SACAC, HECA and AIGAC. If you do not have at least three years of experience in the field, you cannot be admitted as a member. This means that professionals involved with these associations have to abide by certain rules and regulations that are hard to follow and comply with. These associations not only provide opportunities for continuing education, they also set standard laws for the industry which have to do with ethical and unethical behavior, what is expected and what is not allowed. A professional involved with these associations is one that you will be able to have more confidence that he/she will do the job ethically and responsibly.

6- Continuing education through educational consulting associations. Professionals that keep up to date with the latest market trends, technologies and industry information are the ones that will allow you to continue progressing when seeking your goals. Continuing education is as important in this field of educational consulting as in any other.

7- Crazy fees are not directly related to results. Some consultants decide to offer advice for tens of thousands of dollars, while others offer reasonable fees well below ten thousand. The ones that are able to provide more reasonable fees most of the times consider that the student should lead this process, working in their college admissions while continuing to be a high school student, teenager, sportsman, or anything else he/she desires to be. If college admissions will be the sole thing in the student´s life for months or years, the college adviser is not doing his job right. College counseling is a part of life, one we must dedicate energy to, but not devote completely ourselves to. Find someone who thinks this way and you will have one happy and triumphant teenager who feels good about him/herself and the next step they will be taking in their lives.

What do we look for in a great college admissions process? We focus on finding the right fit for the student academically, socially and in every single aspect of their lives. We seek an institution that will inspire the student to seek their maximum potential and provide growth opportunities like the student never imagined. This is the goal of college admissions and a truly great adviser, who is worth every penny of their wages.

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and UCLA Certified College Counselor

Principal of EduPlan

2009 – 2010 ACT Dates

Here are the ACT Dates for 2009-2010. Register soon to take this exam and be eligible to attend college!

ACT Dates 2009 – 2010

ACT

TEST DATE	REGISTRATION DEADLINE
September 12, 2009*	August 7, 2009
October 24, 2009	September 18, 2009
December 12, 2009	November 6, 2009
February 6, 2010**	January 5, 2010
April 10, 2010	March 5, 2010
June 12, 2010	May 7, 2010

* The September 2009 test date is offered only within the 50 United States and D.C.

** No test centers are scheduled in New York for the February test date.

2009 – 2010 SAT Dates

Here are the SAT Dates for 2009-2010. Register soon!

SAT Dates 2009 – 2010

SAT and Subject Tests

Test Dates	Test	Regular Registration Deadline (postmark/submit by)	U.S. Late Registration Periods (late fee applies)
October 10, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	September 9, 2009	September 23, 2009
November 7, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	October 1, 2009	October 15, 2009
December 5, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	October 30, 2009	November 12, 2009
January 23, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	December 15, 2009	December 30, 2009
March 13, 2010	SAT only	February 4, 2010	February 18, 2010
May 1, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	March 25, 2010	April 8, 2010
June 5, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	April 29, 2010	May 13, 2010

 

SAT Dates 2009-2010

Register soon to take the SAT in 2009 – 2010 and become eligible to attend college at the end of this academic year.

Here is the information on the SAT Dates for 2009-2010…

2009 – 2010 SAT Dates

SAT and Subject Tests

Test Dates	Test	Regular Registration Deadline (postmark/submit by)	U.S. Late Registration Periods (late fee applies)
October 10, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	September 9, 2009	September 23, 2009
November 7, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	October 1, 2009	October 15, 2009
December 5, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	October 30, 2009	November 12, 2009
January 23, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	December 15, 2009	December 30, 2009
March 13, 2010	SAT only	February 4, 2010	February 18, 2010
May 1, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	March 25, 2010	April 8, 2010
June 5, 2010	SAT & Subject Tests	April 29, 2010	May 13, 2010

ACT Dates 2009-2010

Here are the ACT Dates for 2009-2010. Register soon to take this exam and be eligible to attend college at the end of this academic year.

ACT Dates 2009 – 2010

ACT

TEST DATE	REGISTRATION DEADLINE
September 12, 2009*	August 7, 2009
October 24, 2009	September 18, 2009
December 12, 2009	November 6, 2009
February 6, 2010**	January 5, 2010
April 10, 2010	March 5, 2010
June 12, 2010	May 7, 2010

* The September 2009 test date is offered only within the 50 United States and D.C.

** No test centers are scheduled in New York for the February test date.

How to Hire an Educational Consultant

A very recently published article on The New York Times has provoked an explosion in diverse opinions. The article “Before College, Costly Advice Just on Getting In” talks about independent college counselors and the job we do. However, the author, Jacques Steinberg, seems to have done his job partially, depicting the larger pool of educational consultants in the same manner as he would a smaller breed of unethical counselors, who most of us, have nothing in common with.

But instead of focusing on this incomplete piece, I would rather share with you some valuable insight. What are we to expect when seeking help from an educational consultant? How do we choose a consultant who will do the job right? What is a job well done in educational consulting?

Here are some true observations and information you should have handy when choosing someone to work with you or your family (son / daughter) in college admissions:

1-      Seek a professional with at least some experience in the admissions field. Someone who has worked as interviewer or within an admissions office, can provide an insider´s perspective on how admissions work. Also, this professional will probably have passion for the field, having demonstrated work experience in it, working with students and in academia.

2-      Find someone who is familiar in working with students. A professional who has been in teaching, education, who has gained exposure in working with teenagers will be able to connect with the student better than someone used to work with executives.

3-      Certifications exist! College advisers and Independent Counselors can get certified. At present, there are three certificate programs available, one provided by UCLA and called The College Counseling Certificate Program. This extensive online program not only demands hard work (usually takes over a year to complete), but it consists in seven classes, the last one being a practical course to be conducted in the college counseling office of a high school. It is a very rigorous certificate to complete. Same goes for the College Counseling certificate program offered by UC Berkeley, and the CEP – Certified Educational Planner, for which you can only apply after earning years of expertise in the field. Independent consultants can and should get certified. Ensure the person you are seeking advice from is!

4-      One step above a certification is having earned a master in education or in counseling. Several graduate school programs allow for more expertise in the field. Even an MBA can work when considering the expertise of a college adviser, however, not on its own. An MBA plus experience in the field and a certification can provide a great combination of skills, allowing the professional to have a background in marketing, easily applicable to candidates, plus keen interest in education.

5-      Membership to leading industry associations. There are several associations that group educational consultants, colleges and professionals related to college and graduate school admissions. Some of them are IECA, NACAC, SACAC, HECA and AIGAC. If you do not have at least three years of experience in the field, you cannot be admitted as a member. This means that professionals involved with these associations have to abide by certain rules and regulations that are hard to follow and comply with. These associations not only provide opportunities for continuing education, they also set standard laws for the industry which have to do with ethical and unethical behavior, what is expected and what is not allowed. A professional involved with these associations is one that you will be able to have more confidence that he/she will do the job ethically and responsibly.

6-      Continuing education through educational consulting associations. Professionals that keep up to date with the latest market trends, technologies and industry information are the ones that will allow you to continue progressing when seeking your goals. Continuing education is as important in this field of educational consulting as in any other.

7-      Crazy fees are not directly related to results. Some consultants decide to offer advice for tens of thousands of dollars, while others offer reasonable fees well below ten thousand. The ones that are able to provide more reasonable fees most of the times consider that the student should lead this process, working in their college admissions while continuing to be a high school student, teenager, sportsman, or anything else he/she desires to be. If college admissions will be the sole thing in the student´s life for months or years, the college adviser is not doing his job right. College counseling is a part of life, one we must dedicate energy to, but not devote completely ourselves to. Find someone who thinks this way and you will have one happy and triumphant teenager who feels good about him/herself and the next step they will be taking in their lives.

What do we look for in a great college admissions process? We focus on finding the right fit for the student academically, socially and in every single aspect of their lives. We seek an institution that will inspire the student to seek their maximum potential and provide growth opportunities like the student never imagined. This is the goal of college admissions and a truly great adviser, who is worth every penny of their wages.

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and UCLA Certified College Counselor

Principal of EduPlan

EduPlan at Casa de Jesus

Casa de Jesus Congregation and EduPlan join forces to offer parents and students the opportunity to learn how to navigate the complicated world of college admissions. The series of seminars will begin on Friday July 17 at 8:00 pm and will continue on Saturday, July 18 at 10:00 am, at the headquarters of Casa de Jesus.

What to do about a low GPA, how to attain scholarship money for college, the importance of volunteering, do´s and don´ts in the admissions essay, how to find the right college, when to take the SATs – these are some of the relevant discussion topics of these series, focused on supporting multicultural students in successfully achieving their college dreams.

Casa de Jesus is proud to bring this special seminar to the community. Reverend Valdir Franca explains: “Our church is actively involved in the community in the areas of student motivation, community building and immigrant services. We want to help as many people as possible in their lives and we are happy to offer young people this important seminar.”

EduPlan is a consulting firm that offers over 15 years of experience in the fields of Career Development, and Educational Planning. Their team comprises of certified career coaches, business consultants, college and graduate school advisers, personal branding strategists, and writers with advanced degrees and expert field experience in the U.S. and worldwide. 50% of EduPlan´s clients earn unsolicited merit scholarships each year.

The seminar will be conducted by Claudine Vainrub, the principal of EduPlan. Vainrub has been featured by CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Miami Herald´s CareerBuilder site, and Ely Bravo´s weekly careers and education expert on Actualidad 1020 AM.

Claudine holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, a BA in Communications and Journalism from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, speaks four languages and holds the top industry certifications including: UCLA Certified College Counselor, Professional Résumé Writer, Personal Branding Strategist, Personnel Consultant, and Online ID Strategist.

Stimulus Jobs and Money

By Claudine Vainrub Principal of EduPlan

How to find a Job offered through the Stimulus Plan

Just yesterday, we conducted a job phone bank in CBS Channel 4 and the unemployment statistic became alive to us attendants through the amount of phone calls received in a matter of 2 ½ hours. Over 400 calls and the phones ringing non-stop shows, once again, that South Floridians are greatly affected by layoffs and unemployment. We hear that Obama’s Stimulus Plan will combat unemployment, but how? Here is some new information…

Full effect of stimulus plan, as President Obama states, will be felt in the next few months. The goal is 600,000 new and SAVED jobs in the next 100 days. The focus is not only on creating new jobs but also, supporting companies to ensure that massive firings are stopped. The President reports 150,000 new jobs created in the last three months and he plans to quadruple these results in the next three months. How will he do this, especially when we discuss South Florida? Through infrastructure projects that will be launched this summer, Obama expects to put a percentage of the unemployed back in the work force.

The unemployment rate is the highest in 25 years and still expected to continue growing. The stimulus plan’s effect is almost a dent, as some argue, yet, it has a spiral effect where, if one company gains resources, it pulls others with it, allowing a multiplying factor.

So where do we find the stimulus jobs? There are several resources out there available for job seekers and employees who know will be laid off in the near future. One is the job search engine employflorida.com. This site will provide listings of stimulus jobs, especially for the construction industry but not specific to it. EmployFlorida.com allows job seekers to search several job boards at the same time, as when you type a query, it looks for all jobs available and listed in CareerBuilder, Monster and other sites. At this moment, stimulus jobs were available only for youth – 19-24 year olds looking, and as WorkForce One reports, these jobs are already sourced. However, employflorida.com is the one website you will want to visit to find anything new on Stimulus jobs.

14 million Americans are currently receiving unemployment benefits provided by the Economic Federal Stimulus fund. These funds have helped many undergo the job seeking process without going bankrupt.

Other available resources we count in are free resume writing, career coaching, and job search assistance can be found through WorkForce One, a non-profit agency that will provide resources to enhance your job search results.

Certified Professional Resume Writers and Career Coaches are also available to support you, although for a fee, could be a better alternative if you require individualized attention and are not achieving results.

Another resource currently available to job seekers is the Career Strategies for Success Mass Workshop and Forum. This is a full-day event to be held at The Signature Grand in Davie, Florida, on June 23rd, 2009. Job seekers will find more information on Stimulus Plan resources, and get exposure to Human Resource professionals, recruiters, compensation benefits specialists to help them achieve better results in their job search and understand benefits available to them.

WorkForce One explains we shouldn’t expect a quick fix, since it takes time for the process to close its circle. The government launches the initiative, projects receive bids, which in their turn, get evaluated and one contractor is chosen. At that point, the chosen company is enabled to begin the hiring process. The entire process does not take two days, but Obama’s interest in supporting employment, generating and saving jobs gives hopes to the millions unemployed that there will be some relief soon.

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

MBA Application Components

By Claudine Vainrub Principal of EduPlan

What is involved in the MBA Application Process and How to Tackle this Challenge

Application to MBA programs is a process that requires a lot of planning and strategizing. According to Dr. Randall S Hansen, career coach and founder of Quintessential Careers, the ratio of students accepted to the number of applicants at a premier MBA school stands at 1 to 50. It goes without saying that a lot depends on how you prepare your application and present it.

However the application process and package to most MBA schools follow a somewhat standard pattern. Below are the key components common to most if not all of the competitive MBA Programs.

Academic Records: You must send in transcripts of your undergraduate scores/grades along with your application. Make sure to have this information well in advance of deadline. International students must submit transcripts that have undergone an official translation, so make sure to prepare those in advance to the deadlines.

Your undergraduate transcripts are an important part of the application process. However, they are just that – one part of the application process. If your college GPA is not great, that does not mean that you will not be admitted to a top MBA program (although you do stand a worse chance). If your undergrad GPA is great, that does not mean that you will get in either. Your post-graduation work and volunteer experience, GMAT scores, essays, and the other components of the application package are yet to skew a decision for or against you.

GMAT Scores: The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is essential for MBA admission, so prepare thoroughly and take the test well in advance. Few schools are now also taking GRE scores instead of GMAT, allowing students to substitute one for the other. The GRE is the standard test used for admissions to most other graduate school programs except for Law, Medicine and Dentistry, among others. Some students might find it easier to tackle, while others could find it tougher. Since most schools still only accept the GMAT, unless you already took the GRE and performed very well there, you should still consider preparing and taking the GMAT.

A note of caution during the MBA admissions process: If your GMAT grade falls below the minimum reported GMAT scores for the class, it is very likely that your candidacy to the school targeted will be in jeopardy. Prepare to take the GMAT as many times as you need to pull your score up, or your chances of entering the program of your choice will be close to none. This is probably one of the toughest steps in the admissions process for many students. Brace yourself with patience and hard work and keep fighting until you get a top grade. The GMAT is one of the most important components of the MBA application process. We might agree or disagree in its validity to measure performance and success potential of a student within an MBA program. But at present, it is one of the most important and non-negotiable ways schools measure if you will be able to thrive in their MBA program, or not. Be prepared to take many practice tests, engage in tutoring and concentrate in this aspect of your application to become admitted to the school of your choice.

Application Forms: Each school has its own application, most of them available online. Make sure that your application is neatly presented. Type the application and use the online versions nowadays offered by most schools, if possible. Sending the physical application by snail mail is no longer the most accepted format. Schools count with user-friendly online systems nowadays, that allow you to submit online quickly while checking that all aspects of your application have been fully completed.

Essays: This is one of the most important aspects of your MBA application, where you get the chance to explain why you make an exceptional candidate. Schools get to know you, understand why you will be an asset to their classes and how you could become a contributing member. This is especially important since top MBA programs have a very important class participation component. Lectures, case studies and special projects become more interesting and enriching for students as peers bring their own perspectives and experiences to the discussions. Brainstorming with groups of students that have diverse and unique experiences enables a cauldron effect, mixing acquired knowledge of leaders and effective team members allows for an explosive combination that many times has resulted in MBA graduates launching successful startups that it no time, have achieved millions in venture capital securing and profitability upon MBA graduation.

Take your essays to heart and express your uniqueness here especially. “Make no mistake that these essays are taken lightly. Write and rewrite several drafts — and get outside opinions and feedback – before you complete your personal essay,” Dr. Hansen cautions. GMATCAT.com also advises that you must spend time to introspect and identify what motivates you to go back to school for MBA, what special skills and attributes you bring in to the school and how you wish to proceed after the course. MBA Admission Essays also explains, “this self-reflection may seem like a waste of time, but you will gain from it mature thinking and generate a wealth of examples and situations.” The essays are one of the most important marketing tools we will have during the MBA admissions process. Most candidates will have similar stories, so it is vital that you strategize and come up with a unique positioning. The essays typically revolve around questions like these:

• Why do you want to do an MBA?
• Describe a few significant events that shaped your life/career.
• Who is your role model/mentor and how has this person played a significant role in your life?
• What are your plans after MBA?
• Describe a situation that tested your leadership skills.

Schools like University of Chicago and NYU’s Stern Graduate School of Business often times challenge applicants with innovative questions that you will not see in all applications. These have included creating a powerpoint presentation on who you are, creating a special project on you as a candidate in a free format of your choice that does not exceed certain measures, and others. Be prepared to get creative – it pays off to devote time, thought and effort to ensuring this part of your application is nothing less than superb. It is the one aspect that you can control. Although hiring an essay writer would be not only immoral but illegal, you can seek help from a professional to discuss content of your essays, review sentence construction, grammar and orthography. Your writing skills are important for an MBA program, and schools want to see how good you express yourself. However, no one is expecting an MBA candidate to be a professional fiction novel writer. Business writing skills are what schools seek and also, shall be enhancing during the years of the MBA program.

Letters of Recommendation: Most MBA Programs ask for recommendation letters from two or three people who know you. Typically these have to be from your educational or business background. Again, choose professionals who are likely to recommend you strongly. Another point to remember is to identify people who will help to bring out different sides of your stance as leader and team player. Business schools are especially looking for clues on how you have differentiated yourself from the pack, how you have brought added value to the environments you have been immersed in, and how you will be able to contribute to the MBA program. Do not hesitate to have each one of your letters speak about a different aspect of your professional persona.

Professional Resume: Another aspect of the application you can control to ensure it is the best it can be. If you do not know this yet, a resume is not an informative document, it is a MARKETING document. This is the face recruiters first see most of the times when you are a job seeker. It is what causes the first impression in a job search process, and you can stun decision-makers with it, or simply get tossed. A similar situation applies for the MBA admission process. If well developed, a professional resume can support you in becoming a top candidate. Portray your accomplishments, focus on how you made a difference within your team while at work, in volunteer experiences, during your college years. Express how you have been involved with companies and associations as a leader, decision-maker, innovator, what legacy you have left in for others to follow, even in a small scale. Create a professional format, one that helps readers get a 50,000 feet view of your differentiators with key phrases. Develop a resume headline instead of a boring objective. Make sure it does not exceed two pages, and if you can, limit it to one page.

A final word of caution: During your MBA admission process, it doesn’t pay to be too modest. There are so many smart and accomplished professionals out there competing, and if you don’t make yourself noticeable, chances are no one will notice you. Therefore, emphasize your achievements and unique skills. Control your personal brand through the application process to ensure it is a strong and true reflection of yourself, and what you want it to be. This is how you will be one step closer to conquering the MBA Admissions Race!

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA ’97 Ross School of Business and Principal of EduPlan

Sources:

http://www.quintcareers.com/MBA_applications.html

http://www.manedit.com/mba/MBA.html

http://www.mba.wfu.edu/default.aspx?id=966

http://www.gmatcat.com/MBA_Admissions_Essays.html

http://www.gmatcat.com/Letter_of_Recommendation.html

http://www.gmatcat.com/MBA_Admissions_Resume.html

Radio Show on Admissions

Our weekly show with Eli Bravo in Actualidad 1020 AM on college and graduate admissions secrets. Learn what admissions officers from top schools have to say about what they seek in candidates. Sorry folks, only in Spanish…

Nuestro show radial semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM, esta vez acerca de admisiones universitarias y a postgrados. Aprenda que dicen los jefes de los departamentos de admision de las mejores universidades en USA acerca de lo que buscan en candidatos exitosos.

Secretos de Admisiones – Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub

Radio Show – Secretos de Admision

Los mas recientes comentarios de los directores de admision de las universidades top en USA, incluyendo la Universidad de Virginia, Michigan, Dartmouth College, NYU, Columbia, y otras, en nuestro programa radial semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM.

Our radio show discussing this week Secrets of Admissions, as provided by Deans of Admissions from top schools including those of the business schools at the University of Michigan, Virginia, Dartmouth College, NYU Stern, Columbia University, UC Berkeley and others.

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub acerca de Secretos de Admision

Good Cover Letters Do Make a Difference

Good Cover Letters Do Make a Difference

How to create an effective cover letter and why you should devote time to this task

By Claudine Vainrub

In the process of finding a job, most of our focus lies in developing a compelling resume. However, another marketing document, essential to the job search process, is the cover letter. It is the one area of the application where we demonstrate writing skills, are able to include personal opinions and make a good case as to why consider us.

Should we or should we not include a cover letter when we send a resume? It is certainly very important not only to include a cover letter, but a customized cover letter, specifically written for the job targeted. Sending a template letter not directly drafted for the company and job that we are responding to can have a negative effect. A canned letter might dissuade the recruiter from considering a good resume. So be prepared to work hard on the cover letter, and make a strong case on why this position is the right one for you and why you should be considered. If you are genuine about your strengths, insightful and informed about the company, demonstrate it through the cover letter. This can make a difference when competing for a position with other candidates with similar profiles.

In the case of B.B., an executive seeking a position in marketing management, she expressed how the company that she now works for confessed that it was her cover letter that made them make the call. Her writing skills, along with arguments on why she was the right person for the job, caught the eye of the decision makers within her new employer. She was considered beyond other candidates and ended up accepting the opportunity. Good cover letters do make a difference.

Now about the format… We start with a header which should be copied and pasted from the one used on the resume. If margins differ, the cover letter header, although very similar to the one on the resume, can be slightly modified to fit the cover letter format. The important thing to keep in mind is that we want to have a unique identity in all our professional documents. As with the resume, make sure to check that your contact information is correct, and also appropriate for job search. Screen your email and change your address if it sound other than professional – sassygirl237@hotmail.com will not be appropriate for job search purposes (or for your personal brand).

Right below the header comes the date when the letter is written. This is followed by the address of the company you are sending the letter to. Sometimes, we are answering anonymous ads. In those cases, we can address the letter to the attention of the Human Resources Department, in reference to the position targeted. We can include their fax and/or phone information, or any information about the company included in the ad. Most of the times, when we do have the full company information, we start with the name of the person we are addressing the letter to, their position in a second line, followed by the name of the company and their full address. If appropriate, we can add a line right below the full address to point out the position or reason why of the letter. In this way, the reader can easily distinguish the purpose of this writing, funneling it through the right channels more quickly.

To begin our writing, we address the letter to Dear Mr. or Ms. and the last name of the addressee. If we do not have their name, we can also address it to Dear Hiring Professional or Dear Employment Manager, however, it is worth our while to research and find someone within the organization that we can directly address a letter to. Not only it will become more personal, but it will be taken under more consideration by the letter recipient, who could eventually become a cheerleader for your candidacy within the company. You will have also demonstrated that you are able to make things happen, that you possess great research skills and have the ability to find information when it is not readily available to you.

The cover letter content should be short and sweet, not more than four short paragraphs that state a strong case. The first paragraph of the cover letter should include information regarding where you saw the posting and what specific opportunity you are seeking. It should give a reason why of the letter and address in a line or two at the most that you are the right candidate for the position, and why.

The second and third paragraphs of the cover letter should talk more in detail about skills, professional experience and aspects of your education that directly relate to the position. To be effective while writing this content, make sure to read and re-read the position’s advertisement. The more you understand the job requirements, the better you will be at making a compelling case for yourself on why you have a perfect fit with the job. For example, if you are seeking a financial management position and the posting requires five years of experience in trading, if it is true, you should include in the cover letter a line stating that you earned over five years of trading experience as trading manager for Goldman Sachs, conducting transactions valued at over $200MM per month. This will put in perspective the fact that you have an excellent fit with the position.

Two words of Caution: do not make the letter too long and do not copy information directly from the resume. You can go up to four paragraphs, but you can also limit yourself to three. Both lengths are acceptable. The most important thing to remember is that the information always and in every part of the letter needs to be compelling to the reader and directly related to the position targeted. Give the information on the resume a twist, include sentences that give an overall picture of you as a professional, while always considering the requirements of the job you are applying to. A cover letter is the one document where it is acceptable to include soft skills – A.K.A. – excellent communication skills, ability to work in teams, creativity, people person, a great motivator,… Make sure you have both soft skills and data on previous positions and accomplishments.

In the second and third paragraphs, it is possible to include bullet points with relevant information. These bullet points should be completely different from those utilized for the resume. However, information can be presented in this format, to make the letter more enticing to the eye. Bullet points can include what you specifically bring to the position or career highlights as they relate to the position. These can take the place of the second/third paragraphs.

The fourth and last paragraph or closing should be used to state what you would like to achieve through the cover letter. Whether it is an interview, further discussion, a time to meet to review how you can mutually benefit from each other, this is where you want to express this interest. You can be proactive and say you will make the contact by the following week, unless you hear from them before then.

The letter should be signed sincerely, your name and enclosure, to indicate that the resume is also included in the package.

Although they require hard work, attention to detail, and often times take long to create, results from sending a compelling cover letter can be very favorable. Cover letters can make a difference when getting your foot on the door, or not securing that interview that you know you deserve. With cover letters, the reward is worthwhile the effort.

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

Secrets of Admissions

Secrets of Admissions: Do’s & Don’ts from College and Grad School Admissions Decision Makers

Two weeks ago, EduPlan had the honor of being invited to the prestigious AIGAG conference in New York, where we met with several admission officers from prestigious institutions like the University of California at Berkeley, Dartmouth College, Columbia University, NYU, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, INSEAD in France, and others.

At this event, we learned what admissions officers want and don’t want in submitted applications directly from the mouth of decision-makers. Here we share these invaluable secrets with you!

1. Leaders wanted: Whether you’re a natural-born leader or a developing one, schools are looking to train leaders that are willing to look beyond the status quo, find solutions, and express confidence without attitude.

2. Theory’s out, experience is in: Experiential learning or “learning by doing” is the hottest trend in higher education. Universities believe the best way to teach students how to find solutions to real world business problems is through observation, analysis and implementation directly in the field of work. Your interest and prior experience with this learning methodology is interesting for college and grad school admissions.

3. Corporate responsibly: Today´s company is judged not just by the products or services offered but by its behavior within society. That is why today´s prestigious schools look for students focused more on responsible business practices, environmentally awareness and social consciousness.

4. Exploit your unique advantage: If you have past experiences in fields like engineering, technology or even medicine, business schools offer you the opportunity to combine majors to help you get the best of two worlds. This is an asset when applying to advanced degree programs, as seen by admissions officers.

5. Avoid the third round: Often times, you have the choice of submitting a grad school application in the first round, second round or third round. Schools warn that the third round is extremely competitive. If your application is as good as it gets, if you´re happy with your GMAT or GRE score, if your essay is perfect, admissions officers advise to make your submission prior to the first round deadline. If you can improve your resume, GMAT, or anything that will help you become a better candidate, wait to send your application until the second round.

6. Show me the money: A large percentage of students seek and get scholarship money in top schools, as well as financial aid. If you are in need of financial aid and scholarships, although we might have considered otherwise in the past, you will no longer feel a disadvantage – too many students are asking for this to be an exception to the rule or play against you.

7. Think globally, act globally: In teaching how to recognize opportunities, find partnerships, and promote corporate social responsibility. Universities are becoming very global and offer nowadays a large number of international exchange programs, consulting opportunities, study-abroad, special engagements in many countries and continents. We have become McLuhan’s Global Town. Think globally and you will be more attractive for admissions and in tune with trends.

8. Know where you´re going and how you´ll get there: Colleges are not as interested in students that want to find themselves as in students that know where they are headed. They want applicants to already have an idea of what they want to do after school, how to get there with the understanding of how the college program will help them achieve those goals.

9. Be prepared, be very prepared: Universities also want to know what has prepared the student for what they want to do, and if the student understands in depth what they’re talking about. For example, it would make no sense for someone that rarely uses computers to major in systems engineering, or for someone that rarely draws to study architecture.

10. Get a clue: If you want to make a career transition it´s a major no-no to have no clue about how hard it is to make that transition. For example, a communications major that wants to pursue an MBA should understand the realities of business administration and what it would take for them to successfully make this career change.

11. Avoid the kiss of death: A BIG mistake you can make is to stop working to study and prepare for the GMAT or the GRE. Most students take the GMAT/GRE while they’re working, so why shouldn’t or couldn’t you? This is frowned upon by admissions officers, as directly expressed at the AIGAC conference.

12. Go forward: Admissions officers look for forward movement in the student life, they want to see progress and how the candidate was able to build something little by little.

13. Close the gaps: If you have any gaps in your life, such as periods of unemployment, or breaks from school, don’t leave anything for the admissions officers imagination. They have a great imagination and will suspect the worse, unless you provide reason why. You are better off addressing everything that could be questionable in your application.

14. Disclose the bad before it gets real bad: Always disclose negative things. In a special case of a doctor applying to business school, where the situation exposed did not make sense, the admissions officer researched and found out that he lost his medical license for malpractice. As he tried to camouflage the situation, and did not truthfully disclose the circumstances, the school was left without a choice and rejected him.

15. If it sounds too good to be true, they will investigate: When the essays you submit for admissions are too good to be true, admissions officers will often look at your TOEFL, GMAT or GRE essay to see if it has similarities with the materials provided in the application. If they find an improvement that isn’t logical, they will suspect that your essays were written by someone other than yourself. This will automatically disqualify you for admissions. Aside from the ethical and moral implications of having your essays written by a third party, this is yet another important argument for you to author your own materials.

16. Believe in yourself: Schools look for leader that are confident and can hold their own in conversation. Communication skills are essential, being shy or awkward rarely works in the real world, much less in school. Take a course, go to Toastmasters if you need to improve in this area.

17. Relax during the interview: Yes, you want to get accepted by the college of your dreams, but rattling papers during the interview, being nervous and seeming anything less than authentic will not help you connect and make a good impression. This is the one shot you will have to make a standing and propel your admission. Maximize this opportunity

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

EduPlan Speaks at Casa De Jesus

Casa de Jesus Congregation and EduPlan join forces to offer parents and students the opportunity to learn how to navigate the complicated world of college admissions. The series of seminars will begin on Friday July 17 at 8:00 pm and will continue on Saturday, July 18 at 10:00 am, at the headquarters of Casa de Jesus.

What to do about a low GPA, how to attain scholarship money for college, the importance of volunteering, do´s and don´ts in the admissions essay, how to find the right college, when to take the SATs – these are some of the relevant discussion topics of these series, focused on supporting multicultural students in successfully achieving their college dreams.

Casa de Jesus is proud to bring this special seminar to the community. Reverend Valdir Franca explains: “Our church is actively involved in the community in the areas of student motivation, community building and immigrant services. We want to help as many people as possible in their lives and we are happy to offer young people this important seminar.”

EduPlan is a consulting firm that offers over 15 years of experience in the fields of Career Development, and Educational Planning. Their team comprises of certified career coaches, business consultants, college and graduate school advisers, personal branding strategists, and writers with advanced degrees and expert field experience in the U.S. and worldwide. 50% of EduPlan´s clients earn unsolicited merit scholarships each year.

The seminar will be conducted by Claudine Vainrub, the principal of EduPlan. Vainrub has been featured by CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Miami Herald´s CareerBuilder site, and Ely Bravo´s weekly careers and education expert on Actualidad 1020 AM.

Claudine holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, a BA in Communications and Journalism from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, speaks four languages and holds the top industry certifications including: UCLA Certified College Counselor, Professional Résumé Writer, Personal Branding Strategist, Personnel Consultant, and Online ID Strategist.

Looking for Jobs TOO Long

What to do if you have been looking for a job for too long? Here are some strategies as presented in our program with Eli Bravo on Actualidad 1020 AM. Only en Espanol…

Si su busqueda de trabajo se ha prolongado por mas de un ano, escuche nuestro programa acerca de como abordar la busqueda de trabajo y que hacer para lograr mayor exito pronto. Segmento con Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub en Actualidad 1020 AM.

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub acerca de Busqueda de Trabajo Larga

Secrets of Admissions

Secrets of Admissions: Do’s & Don’ts from College and Grad School Admissions Decision Makers

Two weeks ago, EduPlan had the honor of being invited to the prestigious AIGAG conference in New York, where we met with several admission officers from prestigious institutions like the University of California at Berkeley, Dartmouth College, Columbia University, NYU, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, INSEAD in France, and others.

At this event, we learned what admissions officers want and don’t want in submitted applications directly from the mouth of decision-makers. Here we share these invaluable secrets with you!

1. Leaders wanted: Whether you’re a natural-born leader or a developing one, schools are looking to train leaders that are willing to look beyond the status quo, find solutions, and express confidence without attitude.

2. Theory’s out, experience is in: Experiential learning or “learning by doing” is the hottest trend in higher education. Universities believe the best way to teach students how to find solutions to real world business problems is through observation, analysis and implementation directly in the field of work. Your interest and prior experience with this learning methodology is interesting for college and grad school admissions.

3. Corporate responsibly: Today´s company is judged not just by the products or services offered but by its behavior within society. That is why today´s prestigious schools look for students focused more on responsible business practices, environmentally awareness and social consciousness.

4. Exploit your unique advantage: If you have past experiences in fields like engineering, technology or even medicine, business schools offer you the opportunity to combine majors to help you get the best of two worlds. This is an asset when applying to advanced degree programs, as seen by admissions officers.

5. Avoid the third round: Often times, you have the choice of submitting a grad school application in the first round, second round or third round. Schools warn that the third round is extremely competitive. If your application is as good as it gets, if you´re happy with your GMAT or GRE score, if your essay is perfect, admissions officers advise to make your submission prior to the first round deadline. If you can improve your resume, GMAT, or anything that will help you become a better candidate, wait to send your application until the second round.

6. Show me the money: A large percentage of students seek and get scholarship money in top schools, as well as financial aid. If you are in need of financial aid and scholarships, although we might have considered otherwise in the past, you will no longer feel a disadvantage – too many students are asking for this to be an exception to the rule or play against you.

7. Think globally, act globally: In teaching how to recognize opportunities, find partnerships, and promote corporate social responsibility. Universities are becoming very global and offer nowadays a large number of international exchange programs, consulting opportunities, study-abroad, special engagements in many countries and continents. We have become McLuhan’s Global Town. Think globally and you will be more attractive for admissions and in tune with trends.

8. Know where you´re going and how you´ll get there: Colleges are not as interested in students that want to find themselves as in students that know where they are headed. They want applicants to already have an idea of what they want to do after school, how to get there with the understanding of how the college program will help them achieve those goals.

9. Be prepared, be very prepared: Universities also want to know what has prepared the student for what they want to do, and if the student understands in depth what they’re talking about. For example, it would make no sense for someone that rarely uses computers to major in systems engineering, or for someone that rarely draws to study architecture.

10. Get a clue: If you want to make a career transition it´s a major no-no to have no clue about how hard it is to make that transition. For example, a communications major that wants to pursue an MBA should understand the realities of business administration and what it would take for them to successfully make this career change.

11. Avoid the kiss of death: A BIG mistake you can make is to stop working to study and prepare for the GMAT or the GRE. Most students take the GMAT/GRE while they’re working, so why shouldn’t or couldn’t you? This is frowned upon by admissions officers, as directly expressed at the AIGAC conference.

12. Go forward: Admissions officers look for forward movement in the student life, they want to see progress and how the candidate was able to build something little by little.

13. Close the gaps: If you have any gaps in your life, such as periods of unemployment, or breaks from school, don’t leave anything for the admissions officers imagination. They have a great imagination and will suspect the worse, unless you provide reason why. You are better off addressing everything that could be questionable in your application.

14. Disclose the bad before it gets real bad: Always disclose negative things. In a special case of a doctor applying to business school, where the situation exposed did not make sense, the admissions officer researched and found out that he lost his medical license for malpractice. As he tried to camouflage the situation, and did not truthfully disclose the circumstances, the school was left without a choice and rejected him.

15. If it sounds too good to be true, they will investigate: When the essays you submit for admissions are too good to be true, admissions officers will often look at your TOEFL, GMAT or GRE essay to see if it has similarities with the materials provided in the application. If they find an improvement that isn’t logical, they will suspect that your essays were written by someone other than yourself. This will automatically disqualify you for admissions. Aside from the ethical and moral implications of having your essays written by a third party, this is yet another important argument for you to author your own materials.

16. Believe in yourself: Schools look for leader that are confident and can hold their own in conversation. Communication skills are essential, being shy or awkward rarely works in the real world, much less in school. Take a course, go to Toastmasters if you need to improve in this area.

17. Relax during the interview: Yes, you want to get accepted by the college of your dreams, but rattling papers during the interview, being nervous and seeming anything less than authentic will not help you connect and make a good impression. This is the one shot you will have to make a standing and propel your admission. Maximize this opportunity

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

Radio Show – MBA Admissions

Our weekly radio show with Eli Bravo, this time on MBA Admissions, the process and is it worth the effort and investment to pursue an MBA. Sorry folks, only En Espanol…

Nuestro segmento semanal con Eli Bravo, esta vez acerca del tema de admisiones a MBA’s (Postgrados de Administracion). Vale la pena el esfuerzo y la inversion economica que un MBA implica?

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub acerca de MBAs

Seeking Jobs for Too Long

With the rise of unemployment numbers and the decrease in new job offers, candidates are finding it harder and harder to secure new posts quickly. More often than ever, we are seeing professionals seek new work for 6, 7, 8 months and even over a year. What are the disadvantages of a long job search process and how to combat them?

Job search processes can take longer than expected for several reasons. One is when seeking senior executive positions. In a stable economy, an executive position can take from 6 months to a year to source. This means that in a difficult job market, we would have to add six months to this equation.

Often times, candidates realize much later in their job search process that they have been working with a resume which was not professionally developed, thus, does not express their uniqueness and differentiation. Sending an ineffective resume out can burn bridges and close doors much too early in a job search process. Realizing that you need to enhance your resume and taking the steps to do so will help you achieve better response when presenting yourself to hiring parties.

Other factors that contribute to a lengthy job search process are not being as proactive as needed in connecting with people and getting the word out about our status. Often times, job seekers feel they will find a position soon and resolve their unemployment status quickly. We can think that not communicating our status will save us from “loosing face” in front of colleagues. This move can have the opposite effect. Allowing all surrounding us know that we are actively seeking a job could provide an opportunity for colleagues that have admired us to consider us for available positions. It will help us connect sooner than later with decision-makers and professionals that can open doors.

Job seekers can sometimes be slow in sending resumes out. We take this new time gain as an opportunity to do things we did not have the chance of getting done before. Instead of taking our job search as a full-time job, we work on finding jobs sporadically, not devoting the time and resources really needed to succeed in the process.

A job search process for a mid-level candidate working with a professional resume that truly makes them stand out, sending out customized cover letters, and applying to 10+ daily opportunities, an average job search process can take anywhere from 1 to 3 months. In a market with high unemployment, add six months to that process. Then, add another 6 months if we are talking about a senior position within a corporation.

When the job search process has taken longer than usual, interviewers might question why the candidate has not been hired yet. They might ask: “Am I missing something that other employers noticed, as to why not to hire this candidate?” This is a disadvantage as job seekers will confront a set of questions that can be avoided if the job search process is short or conducted while still holding a position.

Another disadvantage of a long job search process is that, as time passes, we can become demoralized from negative employer responses. We can start showing a “looser” attitude, caused by the lack of positive response from recruiters. We must continue to keep our hopes up, not loose faith, and know that soon, a door will open for us.

We can become more and more anxious to continue with our careers and compromise our job interests, salary needs and work environment preference, when looking for a job for too long. When not sticking to what we considered would work for us in terms of job offer, we might end up accepting a position that we could forfeit in the short term, thus taking us back to the job market.

They have to answer to recruiters questions not posed to candidates working or very recently unemployed. These questions might be asked out loud, providing an opportunity for a candidate to answer, or not inquired at all, offering a chance for the employer to speculate. This speculation certainly puts the job seeker at a disadvantage to other candidates. Recruiters might ask a long-time job seeker what they have been doing in the past year, why they have been unsuccessful at finding a job. However, they might not ask and create suppositions on what others have seen wrong in the candidate’s profile, why others did not choose this candidate. Instead of approaching a candidate with a positive attitude regarding what they can bring to the organization, they adopt a more scrutinizing attitude to ensure that there is no reason why not to extend an offer.

Another disadvantage for people seeking jobs for more than a year is a possible hike in the level of desperation and anxiety when trying to find an open door. As time passes, the clock ticks for the job seeker. He/she becomes increasingly anxious to find an opportunity, while at the same time, his/her self-esteem decreases from the negative feedback from “dings” (rejection letters). This can prevent professionals from portraying themselves positively, as they would in a regular situation, when they have job security. Job seekers need to be aware of this and maintain their cool and high energy, demonstrating who they really in good times.

A final disadvantage is lack of practice in their field of work. Being out of your profession for an entire year can mean, for some careers more than others, loss of skill, speed, and just being out-of-the-loop in your field of work. In medicine, example, not keeping in tune with a year of advancements can seriously harm a career. Same goes for IT and systems engineers, and even writers. If you don’t use it, you can loose it! The way to counteract this deficiency is by continuing to follow the news in your field of work, contemplating internships, part-time and subcontracting opportunities. Have something to say when recruiters ask “what have you been doing to stay current in your field of work?”

Candidate desirability is negatively affected as time passes and a position is not secured. When recruiting, often times companies ask for “passive candidates” or candidates that are currently working and not seeking jobs. These are the most desirable candidates and one of the reasons why recruiting companies (headhunters) exist, to seek passive candidates. Down the line, a candidate that has been looking for a job for three months is less desirable than a passive candidate and yet more desirable than a candidate seeking a job for one year. Why? Companies can consider that as time passes, the job seeker gets more and more disconnected with his/her industry, duties, and loose valuable career growth time. Recruiters might also sense that if the seeker is ineffective in finding a job and marketing themselves, they might not be effective in other tasks. Questions arise as to why this candidate has not been recruited yet and if the company is missing out on some important data that could skew the hiring decision south. There could also be a sense of the candidate not being proactive enough in their careers, resulting in a projected image of lack of motivation and even a “loosing” attitude. Job seekers who are looking for work for more than a year will benefit from showcasing character strength and dynamism when interviewing.

However, there are also some advantages to a long job search process, believe it or not… Some of them are becoming an expert interviewee and maybe even interviewer, finally achieving an outstanding resume, learning how to write cover letters, becoming a more efficient job seeker, learning a lot about companies from researching them for the job search process. You might end up making a career change and becoming a Human Resources professional without asking for it, after gaining months of expertise in recruiting.

Here are some tips to enhance your job search process, when you have been looking for a while…

1- Do not loose faith, keep your hopes up and your chin up high. Show strength and perseverance, optimism and work ethics. A “winner” attitude will take you to high places.

2- Look for jobs more intensively through relationship-building than through any other source. Find ways to connect to professionals and develop your network.

3- Seek part-time and project-based opportunities. Keep working in your field even if it is a few hours every day and not full time. Part-time and temporary work can lead to a full-time job if you perform very well and impress decision-makers and co-workers. Sometimes, it even leads to a new career path as an entrepreneur.

4- Have your resume critiqued by a professional. If this is something you have been avoiding, or you have been 100% sure that your resume is well constructed but have not found a job for a while, you might be missing something regarding your resume. Research on the internet for Certified Professionals in the industry and find someone to talk with about your current version.

5- If you are getting interviews but then missing out on opportunities, consult with a professional career and interview coach. Understanding how to tackle hard questions to answer is an art that can be mastered.

6- Start selling and not informing, showcase your skills and how you bring added value to the company. Do your research on the employer and go the extra mile to prove to them with facts how you can be an asset to their team.

Vote for EduPlan!

Startup Nation just launched the Homebased Business Competition and we have entered in the category of recession-proof businesses. Please support us by submitting your vote at http://www.startupnation.com/homebased100/contestant/6697/index.php

Thank you in advance!!!

MBA Application Components

What is involved in the MBA Application Process and How to Tackle this Challenge

Application to MBA programs is a process that requires a lot of planning and strategizing. According to Dr. Randall S Hansen, career coach and founder of Quintessential Careers, the ratio of students accepted to the number of applicants at a premier MBA school stands at 1 to 50. It goes without saying that a lot depends on how you prepare your application and present it.

However the application process and package to most MBA schools follow a somewhat standard pattern. Below are the key components common to most if not all of the competitive MBA Programs.

Academic Records: You must send in transcripts of your undergraduate scores/grades along with your application. Make sure to have this information well in advance of deadline. International students must submit transcripts that have undergone an official translation, so make sure to prepare those in advance to the deadlines.

Your undergraduate transcripts are an important part of the application process. However, they are just that – one part of the application process. If your college GPA is not great, that does not mean that you will not be admitted to a top MBA program (although you do stand a worse chance). If your undergrad GPA is great, that does not mean that you will get in either. Your post-graduation work and volunteer experience, GMAT scores, essays, and the other components of the application package are yet to skew a decision for or against you.

GMAT Scores: The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is essential for MBA admission, so prepare thoroughly and take the test well in advance. Few schools are now also taking GRE scores instead of GMAT, allowing students to substitute one for the other. The GRE is the standard test used for admissions to most other graduate school programs except for Law, Medicine and Dentistry, among others. Some students might find it easier to tackle, while others could find it tougher. Since most schools still only accept the GMAT, unless you already took the GRE and performed very well there, you should still consider preparing and taking the GMAT.

A note of caution during the MBA admissions process: If your GMAT grade falls below the minimum reported GMAT scores for the class, it is very likely that your candidacy to the school targeted will be in jeopardy. Prepare to take the GMAT as many times as you need to pull your score up, or your chances of entering the program of your choice will be close to none. This is probably one of the toughest steps in the admissions process for many students. Brace yourself with patience and hard work and keep fighting until you get a top grade. The GMAT is one of the most important components of the MBA application process. We might agree or disagree in its validity to measure performance and success potential of a student within an MBA program. But at present, it is one of the most important and non-negotiable ways schools measure if you will be able to thrive in their MBA program, or not. Be prepared to take many practice tests, engage in tutoring and concentrate in this aspect of your application to become admitted to the school of your choice.

Application Forms: Each school has its own application, most of them available online. Make sure that your application is neatly presented. Type the application and use the online versions nowadays offered by most schools, if possible. Sending the physical application by snail mail is no longer the most accepted format. Schools count with user-friendly online systems nowadays, that allow you to submit online quickly while checking that all aspects of your application have been fully completed.

Essays: This is one of the most important aspects of your MBA application, where you get the chance to explain why you make an exceptional candidate. Schools get to know you, understand why you will be an asset to their classes and how you could become a contributing member. This is especially important since top MBA programs have a very important class participation component. Lectures, case studies and special projects become more interesting and enriching for students as peers bring their own perspectives and experiences to the discussions. Brainstorming with groups of students that have diverse and unique experiences enables a cauldron effect, mixing acquired knowledge of leaders and effective team members allows for an explosive combination that many times has resulted in MBA graduates launching successful startups that it no time, have achieved millions in venture capital securing and profitability upon MBA graduation.

Take your essays to heart and express your uniqueness here especially. “Make no mistake that these essays are taken lightly. Write and rewrite several drafts — and get outside opinions and feedback – before you complete your personal essay,” Dr. Hansen cautions. GMATCAT.com also advises that you must spend time to introspect and identify what motivates you to go back to school for MBA, what special skills and attributes you bring in to the school and how you wish to proceed after the course. MBA Admission Essays also explains, “this self-reflection may seem like a waste of time, but you will gain from it mature thinking and generate a wealth of examples and situations.” The essays are one of the most important marketing tools we will have during the MBA admissions process. Most candidates will have similar stories, so it is vital that you strategize and come up with a unique positioning. The essays typically revolve around questions like these:

• Why do you want to do an MBA?
• Describe a few significant events that shaped your life/career.
• Who is your role model/mentor and how has this person played a significant role in your life?
• What are your plans after MBA?
• Describe a situation that tested your leadership skills.

Schools like University of Chicago and NYU’s Stern Graduate School of Business often times challenge applicants with innovative questions that you will not see in all applications. These have included creating a powerpoint presentation on who you are, creating a special project on you as a candidate in a free format of your choice that does not exceed certain measures, and others. Be prepared to get creative – it pays off to devote time, thought and effort to ensuring this part of your application is nothing less than superb. It is the one aspect that you can control. Although hiring an essay writer would be not only immoral but illegal, you can seek help from a professional to discuss content of your essays, review sentence construction, grammar and orthography. Your writing skills are important for an MBA program, and schools want to see how good you express yourself. However, no one is expecting an MBA candidate to be a professional fiction novel writer. Business writing skills are what schools seek and also, shall be enhancing during the years of the MBA program.   

Letters of Recommendation: Most MBA Programs ask for recommendation letters from two or three people who know you. Typically these have to be from your educational or business background. Again, choose professionals who are likely to recommend you strongly. Another point to remember is to identify people who will help to bring out different sides of your stance as leader and team player. Business schools are especially looking for clues on how you have differentiated yourself from the pack, how you have brought added value to the environments you have been immersed in, and how you will be able to contribute to the MBA program. Do not hesitate to have each one of your letters speak about a different aspect of your professional persona.

Professional Resume: Another aspect of the application you can control to ensure it is the best it can be. If you do not know this yet, a resume is not an informative document, it is a MARKETING document. This is the face recruiters first see most of the times when you are a job seeker. It is what causes the first impression in a job search process, and you can stun decision-makers with it, or simply get tossed. A similar situation applies for the MBA admission process. If well developed, a professional resume can support you in becoming a top candidate. Portray your accomplishments, focus on how you made a difference within your team while at work, in volunteer experiences, during your college years. Express how you have been involved with companies and associations as a leader, decision-maker, innovator, what legacy you have left in for others to follow, even in a small scale. Create a professional format, one that helps readers get a 50,000 feet view of your differentiators with key phrases. Develop a resume headline instead of a boring objective. Make sure it does not exceed two pages, and if you can, limit it to one page.  

A final word of caution: During your MBA admission process, it doesn’t pay to be too modest. There are so many smart and accomplished professionals out there competing, and if you don’t make yourself noticeable, chances are no one will notice you. Therefore, emphasize your achievements and unique skills. Control your personal brand through the application process to ensure it is a strong and true reflection of yourself, and what you want it to be. This is how you will be one step closer to conquering the MBA Admissions Race!

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA ’97 Ross School of Business and Principal of EduPlan

Sources:

http://www.quintcareers.com/MBA_applications.html

http://www.manedit.com/mba/MBA.html

http://www.mba.wfu.edu/default.aspx?id=966

http://www.gmatcat.com/MBA_Admissions_Essays.html

http://www.gmatcat.com/Letter_of_Recommendation.html

http://www.gmatcat.com/MBA_Admissions_Resume.html

Radio Show on Stimulus Jobs

Como conseguir los trabajos del Plan de Estimulo

How to find President Obama’s stimulus plan jobs – this is the topic of this week’s radio show with Eli Bravo in Actualidad 1020 AM and Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan. Sorry folks, only in Spanish…

Como conseguir los trabajos del Plan de Estimulo del Presidente Obama – ese es el tema de la semana en nuestro segmento semanal del Programa Radial de Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM con Claudine Vainrub, Principal de EduPlan.

Disfruten!

CareerBuilder Quotes EduPlan

In the article “Help, My Job Search is Taking Years”, Rachel Zupek from CareerBuilder provides opinions from job seekers and career coaching experts, including EduPlan Principal, Claudine Vainrub, on how to enhance job search results.

Read this valuable information to find tips on how to get ahead in your job search, if you have been looking for a while without results.

CareerBuilder is the leading publication with news on career advancement, job search, resume writing and other topics concerning professionals seeking for career development and growth.

Stimulus Money and Jobs

How to find a Job offered through the Stimulus Plan

Just yesterday, we conducted a job phone bank in CBS Channel 4 and the unemployment statistic became alive to us attendants through the amount of phone calls received in a matter of 2 ½ hours. Over 400 calls and the phones ringing non-stop shows, once again, that South Floridians are greatly affected by layoffs and unemployment. We hear that Obama’s Stimulus Plan will combat unemployment, but how? Here is some new information…

Full effect of stimulus plan, as President Obama states, will be felt in the next few months. The goal is 600,000 new and SAVED jobs in the next 100 days. The focus is not only on creating new jobs but also, supporting companies to ensure that massive firings are stopped. The President reports 150,000 new jobs created in the last three months and he plans to quadruple these results in the next three months. How will he do this, especially when we discuss South Florida? Through infrastructure projects that will be launched this summer, Obama expects to put a percentage of the unemployed back in the work force.

The unemployment rate is the highest in 25 years and still expected to continue growing. The stimulus plan’s effect is almost a dent, as some argue, yet, it has a spiral effect where, if one company gains resources, it pulls others with it, allowing a multiplying factor.

So where do we find the stimulus jobs? There are several resources out there available for job seekers and employees who know will be laid off in the near future. One is the job search engine employflorida.com. This site will provide listings of stimulus jobs, especially for the construction industry but not specific to it. EmployFlorida.com allows job seekers to search several job boards at the same time, as when you type a query, it looks for all jobs available and listed in CareerBuilder, Monster and other sites. At this moment, stimulus jobs were available only for youth – 19-24 year olds looking, and as WorkForce One reports, these jobs are already sourced. However, employflorida.com is the one website you will want to visit to find anything new on Stimulus jobs.

14 million Americans are currently receiving unemployment benefits provided by the Economic Federal Stimulus fund. These funds have helped many undergo the job seeking process without going bankrupt.

Other available resources we count in are free resume writing, career coaching, and job search assistance can be found through WorkForce One, a non-profit agency that will provide resources to enhance your job search results.

Certified Professional Resume Writers and Career Coaches are also available to support you, although for a fee, could be a better alternative if you require individualized attention and are not achieving results.

Another resource currently available to job seekers is the Career Strategies for Success Mass Workshop and Forum. This is a full-day event to be held at The Signature Grand in Davie, Florida, on June 23rd, 2009. Job seekers will find more information on Stimulus Plan resources, and get exposure to Human Resource professionals, recruiters, compensation benefits specialists to help them achieve better results in their job search and understand benefits available to them.

WorkForce One explains we shouldn’t expect a quick fix, since it takes time for the process to close its circle. The government launches the initiative, projects receive bids, which in their turn, get evaluated and one contractor is chosen. At that point, the chosen company is enabled to begin the hiring process. The entire process does not take two days, but Obama’s interest in supporting employment, generating and saving jobs gives hopes to the millions unemployed that there will be some relief soon.

Claudine Vainrub

How to Get Scholarship Money

College studies are so expensive in the USA, most students cannot afford to pay for it from their own pocket. On the other hand, there are many ways to find the money to support your studies and there is no reason why you should miss college for mere lack of funds. The most common forms are loans, grants and scholarships. Loans could be a burden, so let us keep this as the last resort and examine the other two options of grants and scholarships.

In her column in MSN money, author Liz Pulliam Weston states that about 40% of student aid in USA comes from grants. Grants can be categorized into Federal, State and Institutional grants. Grants are most often offered on a first-come, first-serve basis and the usual criterion is need. It is therefore important to research into grants you can avail and apply early enough. If you wish to explore this option, you are advised fill out the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Scholarships may be in the range of a few dollars or an amount that covers the entire tuition fee. Federal and state governments, employers, companies, individuals, religious groups and communities, institutions and colleges and universities themselves offer scholarships based on different criteria.

There are different scholarships based on academic performance and artistic or athletic achievement. Some institutions or companies may offer scholarships as a way to encourage the better students of certain communities or religious sectors. Another reason is to retain employees or to recruit new ones. Colleges and universities grant scholarships to encourage a diverse student community or to attract good students.

You can maximize your chances to win a scholarship by starting early and following a focused, diligent method. Get as much information as possible. It may not be possible to apply to every scholarship scheme, so narrow down your choices to those that you are most likely to win. The body awarding the scholarship will make a decision based on your application, so it is important to tailor your application to their criteria. Spend time to write good application essays and get recommendation letters. Also make sure to include all relevant details including your academic records and relevant documents as proof of achievements in other areas.

The FastWeb scholarship search may be a good place to search for scholarships that suit you, as it returns the closest matches based on the background information you provide.

Besides these, the blog of collegescholarships.org has several smart tips to enable students graduate debt-free, like choosing a college based on costs, finding part-time work and minimizing costs.

You may also want to check out, Upromise, a scheme that helps you and family to save money for college while shopping for your everyday requirements.

Finally, a word of caution from smartmoney.com financial expert Anna-Maria Andriotis would not be out of place here. She urges students and parents to read the fine print as they explore various financing options. Quite often the college or scheme that offers the most money may not be the best choice for you. Look into how much of the financial aid is really free, what are the costs the package covers, and whether some private loans are included in the loan package. These factors can make a difference to the tune of thousands of dollars to what it finally costs.

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

Hispanic Resumes Radio Show

Our weekly radio show with Eli Bravo in Actualidad 102 AM on the hot topic of creating a resume showcasing your Hispanic Identity. Is it favorable or not, how to do it correctly. Sorry folks, only in Spanish.

Nuestro segmento radial semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM, tocando el tema ardiente de elaborar hojas de vida con un perfil Hispano, para profesionales Hispanos. Nos favorece tener un resume con nuestra identidad Hispana o nos perjudica? Como hacerlo correctamente.

Eli y Claudine Acerca de Resumes Hispanos

Resumes for Hispanics

How to create a resume if you are Hispanic
By Claudine Vainrub, MBA

If you are Hispanic and looking for a job, you might be at an advantage and not know it. Just yesterday, my colleague and friend Murray Mann, an expert in diversity recruiting, shared some interesting statistics with me:

• Despite 57 million jobs lost in past 16 months, there have been more than 4.3 million new hires/month in 2009
• A SHRM Survey conducted in March this year shows 18% of respondents (HR corporate departments) decreased Recruitment initiatives specifically related to increasing diversity of company’s workforce, while general Recruitment expenses were decreased by 56% – this represents almost a 40% difference between diversity recruiting vs. general recruiting.
• A conference report by the Career Development Office for April 2009 shows companies are seeking diverse talent to gain a competitive advantage in today’s turbulent economy, during the recovery and in the future
• Just this May, the Conference Board: The Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Conference expressed that “The war for diverse talent has increased during the current economic downturn amongst companies with strong commitments to diversity.”

What do all these statistics mean? Simple and clear – Expressing your diversity pays off in the recruiting process. What we thought in the past could harm us can now support us in finding jobs. Diversity-specific resume writing and marketing strategies can improve our job search success.

Here are some ways of portraying your diversity in a resume:

1. Portray bilingual skills on the top of your resume as part of your header, showcase your ability to communicate in both Spanish and English throughout your resume
2. Use keywords that allow you to show your diversity involvement as part of your regular professional duties and also in your community and volunteering work
3. Highlight achievements within your specific niche
4. Include memberships to clubs that identify you as member of a minority
5. Show knowledge of the niche through your education, work experience, special classes you have engaged in and any other way in which you have been exposed to learning more about Latinos
6. Express your culture, understanding of traditions, ways of thinking, diverse perspectives and immersion you have had within your target audience
7. Develop a SWOT analysis of the Hispanic consumer
8. Portray your diversity within your job seeker profile by displaying your Hispanic identity in your social media profile description through LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube
9. Have samples ready of work you have completed in Spanish, and even YouTube videos of you conducting Spanish communications.

Your resume is the first image you provide of yourself to most employers, who have not met you in person. It is your chance to maximize the opportunity to be perceived positively. Showing that you are Latino and that through your diversity you bring great added value to a company can favor you immensely.

Companies that value Hispanics understand the importance of directly targeting efforts to the largest minority in the U.S. These companies will value your Latino roots. These are the type of companies you want to work for.

Online Image and Admissions

College and Grad School Applicants – Maintain a Favorable Online Presence

How Can Cyber-trash Affect You in the College and Grad School Admissions Process

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

The savvy college and grad school applicant nowadays is an avid user of the Internet. But do you know that the internet can make or break your chances for advancement? Have your asked yourself: Is my web presence favorable? Can it hurt me? If you doubt it for a minute, you might be dealing with a case of Cyber-trash… There might be pictures published online or comments you have made not anonymously, which can hurt you when seeking college and graduate admissions. Sometimes, it can be very hard to erase online content, so the smart thing to do is not to publish online anything that could ever hurt you. Sounds hard, but we are referring mostly to pictures that are not favorable to you, or that could embarrass you in front of an admissions committee or employer.

Just a couple of weeks ago, eSchool News published an article regarding the National Association for College Admissions Counseling – NACAC’s recent survey on using Facebook as part of the admissions process. Approximately 25% of colleges and universities admitted to researching prospective students within social networks including Facebook, MySpace and others, before extending admissions and scholarship offers. After all, they explain that no one wants to provide a scholarship to a student to later find out that they have pictures on the internet of them drinking and trashing institutions. Just this year, there was a case of an applicant who raised red flags regarding behavior. His decision was revoked after the university found online pictures of the student portraying guns. If this student’s intentions were benevolent, and there were truly no grounds for concern, his online image portrayed otherwise. His pictures spoke a thousand words to the admissions committees, who judged him with these materials as a pivotal part of his application.

This is happening every day more, as we do not realize that the message portrayed on the internet can have great impact in our lives. In another survey conducted by NACAC in 2007, over a quarter of the participating universities expressed that admissions decisions could be revoked from finding inappropriate web content on the student.

NACAC College Decision Revocation Reasons

Colleges and employers want to find respectful content online, and this is an opportunity for a student and job seeker to grasp. Since we know that colleges and employers are looking online for information on us, why not provide great content, information that takes us to the next level. A web resume and favorable web presence can give us that edge that we need to turn a waitlist decision in our favor.

A personal website can also provide opportunities to not only post your resume but also include a Bio, work samples and other tools that demonstrate that you are the right candidate for the Career you seek. Creating a blog on discussion topics that genuinely interest us can also allow universities and employers to see our analytical capabilities, even if their opinions differ with ours.

Getting online presence nowadays, especially the online presence you want becomes crucial. If you haven´t googled yourself yet, others probably have. Do you know what information they are finding on you? As stated in The Wall Street Journal, another survey conducted by Kaplan had 38% of colleges researching students express that what they saw “negatively affected” their views of the applicant. “Only a quarter of the schools checking the sites said their views were improved”, explains the WSJ.

In a time when we all search online, it is wise to ensure what others find about you is what you want them to find. A web resume, contributions to professional blogs, articles on special topics related to your career – GOOD! A picture of you drunk in the last Spring break party, questionable comments, personal innuendo – NOT FAVORABLE…

To take control of your college and graduate school admissions process, and achieve your goals, building your online identity is a key factor you do not want to ignore.

Online ID – Radio Show

Our weekly segment with Eli Bravo and Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan. We discuss Online Identity and how it can hurt your chances of getting into college, grad school or finding a job.

Nuestro segmento semanal con Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub, Principal de EduPlan. Hablamos acerca de Identidad en la Internet y como puede perjudicarnos al buscar admisiones universitarias y empleo.

EduPlan and Eli Bravo on Online Identity

Job Seeking – Radio Show

Our weekly program with Eli Bravo and Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan, discussing this time how to find employment if you are a recent college graduate.

Nuestro programa semanal con Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub en Actualidad 1020 AM. Esta semana, conversando acerca de como conseguir trabajo si eres un recien graduado universitario.

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub de EduPlan en Actualidad 1020 AM

EduPlan Krop Scholarship

EduPlan College Admissions Counseling Scholarship for Krop Juniors

Because higher education should not be a privilege, but a right for all students!

Attaining a college degree is not only one of the most important goals in anyone’s life, but also, the beginning of a path towards self-fulfillment. As educational consultants, at EduPlan, we understand the role higher education plays in supporting anyone achieve their goals, opening a spectrum of career possibilities. As former admissions officers at The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, we also gained in-depth understanding of strategies to succeed in the competitive college admission process.

The EduPlan College Admissions Counseling Scholarship for MKHS juniors (rising seniors) caters this specific need. Our program provides an opportunity for MKHS excelling students to receive personalized support throughout the process of succeeding in applying and financing an education at highly selective colleges and universities.

To find out how to apply, please read the instructions bellow carefully.

Program Goal:

The goal of this merit scholarship program is to provide tuition assistance to truly deserving students. Juniors are eligible when having demonstrated academic, sports, and/or artistic achievement. Students must also show their interest in receiving college admissions assistance to achieve their maximum potential in the admissions process.

Scholarship Amount:

Three (3) full 100% merit scholarship for private college admissions consulting, valued at US$2,900 each are being offered for this term. Scholarships will be granted to students showing outstanding academic, sports and/or artistic achievement.

Eligible Programs:

We have learned that the best way to set students up to succeed in college admissions is by starting as early as possible in the process. Therefore, the consulting program is set to begin during the summer transition. Students do not need to be on location in South Florida to conduct sessions, as we provide an interactive system to work on every aspect of the application via the internet. However, they will be required to begin their application work over the summer. The EduPlan scholarship program is not intended for students who are already receiving private college admissions coaching.

Candidates should carefully evaluate their desire to achieve a College Education prior to applying – See following consulting specifications on Agreement. They should be certain that they will take full advantage of the educational and career consulting opportunities afforded by them through the scholarship and that they are able to follow through with the requirements of the scholarship.

Agreement:

Students must commit to the following to be eligible for the EduPlan Scholarship Program:

* Be prepared to start the program upon acceptance;

* Complete the training with EduPlan in a timely manner;

* Complete all assignments prior to each deadline to facilitate consulting process;

* Ask questions as needed to ensure that I fully understand the concepts;

* Apply themselves thoroughly and get all they can out of the consulting;

* Provide a volunteer service of their choice to EduPlan upon graduation (examples: being available to discuss the advantage of receiving college admissions support with future scholarship candidates by phone or email, providing a testimonial for use in scholarship promotional materials, volunteering, mentoring, and/or promoting EduPlan scholarship programs and events to students that could benefit from such services);

Inability to comply with agreement commitment will cancel scholarship rights and privileges.

Application Process:

There are several parts to this application. Please fill out the entire application online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Ka_2fo6Ftdu6v0Kj1ouSwHtA_3d_3d

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please refer to the timeline below for the steps in processing your application.

Scholarship Timeline:

1. Submit scholarship.

2. Receive acknoledgement of receipt of scholarship application. 1 – 3 days.

3. Review of submission. 1 – 2 weeks after scholarship submission.

4. Schedule interview. 1 – 2 weeks after scholarship submission.

5. Fifteen-minute phone interview.  2 – 3 weeks after initial acceptance.

6. Review of materials by scholarship sub-committee. 2 – 4 weeks after initial acceptance.

7. Notification of student of acceptance or refusal. 2 – 4 weeks after scholarship submission.

8. Signing of Consulting Contract with Advising Process Timeline. Immediately after #7.

9. Consulting process begins. Immediately after #8.

The entire process typically takes 3 to 4 weeks. Deadline for Fall 2008 scholarship is July 30^th, 2009. Scholarships will be provided on a rolling basis, awarding full scholarships first.

Submit your application, and begin the process!

EduPlan Consulting Process Specifics:

The following is a list of some of the services that will be provided as part of the consulting process for students earning the EduPlan College Admissions Counseling Scholarship for MKHS Juniors:

1.       Evaluate Career Options through two Careers and Personal Branding Assessments

2.       Assess College Choices through EduPlan’s School Priority Assessment and Develop List of College Options and Admissions School Portfolio catering Student and Family needs (financial, location, academic, prestige, scholarship opportunity-wise)

3.       Consult on achieving merit scholarships and gaining opportunities to earn free money to attend college. Develop methodologies to receive full education funding to attend top schools in and out of state. Strategize on ways to finance your education without incurring in loans.

4.       Development of a list of activities and community service work to support candidate in demonstrating leadership skills.

5.       Exhaustive revision of applications filled by the student. Confirmation of veracity of content and identification of format comprehension, editing of reported data for accuracy.

6.       Training in essay writing. Brainstorming on successful answers to essay questions, essay structure and content editing, maximizing message communication through this media.

7.       Dates and strategies to take the needed standardized tests (SATs or ACTs). Strict follow-up of calendars and deadlines for application submission for each pre-selected program.

8.       Support in visits to Universities and Colleges. Guidance on how to contact the admissions office and schedule appointments, relevant questions to ask and networking with admissions officers.

9.       Interview coaching. 30-minute mock interview training sessions with 15-min review session following interview, over the phone or in person, as student is able.

10.   Creation of Resume with professional format, dedicated to College Admissions.

11.   Consulting on letter of recommendation structure, to maximize outcome of admission process. Support in letter outline development, to provide to teachers / counselors, as  per their request.

12.   Consulting on Website or Blog creation and development, analysis on best format. Consulting on developing favorable online identity that will be highly effective, in accordance to career goals.

13.   Personal brand development, analyzing Vision, Purpose, Goals, SWOT, Values and Passions. Generation of Professional Unique Promise of Value, which strengthens all documents involved in the admission process.

14.    Development of elevator pitch and strategies to uncover personal brand when conducting admissions interviews. Ideas of additional tools for personal marketing.

Free College Money

Are you looking for scholarship money for college and grad school education? Then learning about school endowments can make a difference for you! University and College Endowments allow schools to provide merit and need-based scholarships for admitted students. Here is some information on College Endowments, what they are and the amounts available…

University Endowments

Endowments are money and financial assets donated to a university of college. At the time of donation, it is usually stipulated that these assets be invested and the principal kept intact. The idea is that the asset generates long-term income for further investment and activities of the university or college. Endowment donors usually set certain terms and conditions on how the income from the asset is allocated.

There are also guidelines that tell how much of the income from the endowment funds can be spent each year. This is usually 5% of the total asset value for most universities. This can sound like a small amount, but consider that some of the wealthiest universities like Harvard have endowment assets worth billions. Thus these universities have a large amount at their disposal every year to be spent in student grants, scholarships and endowed professorships.
Apart from certain restrictions the donor may place, the bigger universities and colleges still have large amounts of money, which they can spend as per their discretion to provide more grants and scholarships, hire experts or add to their facilities. These additional funds can aid in cost savings which the university/college can then pass onto the students.

Endowment scholarships may be need-based or merit-based. They assist to meet tuition fees and sometimes other expenses like boarding too. Need-based scholarships, or grants as they are otherwise known, are offered to only those students whose families cannot afford higher education for their ward. Universities and colleges try to attract meritorious students by offering them the best possible scholarship amounts within their reach.

Fellowships are a sub-category of endowment scholarships, usually offered to graduate students. Apart from tuition costs, fellowships have an additional amount meant as stipend. As finances are a major decisive factor in higher studies, universities that offer larger amounts as fellowships see some of the brighter minds and working professionals join them.

However the size of the endowment fund is not always an accurate means of looking at the resources of a university/college. The annual income from endowments has to be seen in proportion to the number of students at the university or college. For instance, Harvard has topped the list of universities with large endowments for years. As of June 2006, the market value of Harvard’s endowments stood at $28,915,706. For the same year, Harvard’s endowment per student was $ 1,456,940, whereas four other top US universities had a larger per student endowment amount (Princeton University-$ 1,900,000, Bryn Athyn College-$ 1,770,994, Yale University-$ 1,751,927, Rice University-$ 1,557,600). On the other hand, the larger universities can take advantage of economies of scale and turn over the benefits from their larger investments to students.

In addition to private endowment funds, institutions also receive government aid and research funding. These amounts can make a significant difference in the amount of money churned every year by a university or college.
Here is an indicative list of the 100 schools with the largest endowment funds. Figures are given in multiples of $1,000 for the years of 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

No	University/College	Year 2005	Year 2006	Year 2007	Year 2008
1	Harvard University (MA)	25,473,721	28,915,706	36,556,284	34,634,906
2	Yale University (CT)	15,224,900	18,030,600	22,869,700	22,530,200
3	Stanford University (CA)	12,205,000	14,084,676	17,200,000	17,164,836
4	Princeton University (NJ)	11,206,500	13,044,900	16,349,329	15,787,200
5	University of Texas System	11,610,997	13,234,848	16,111,184	15,613,672
6	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	6,712,436	8,368,066	10,068,800	9,980,410
7	University of Michigan	4,931,338	5,652,262	7,571,904	7,089,830
8	Northwestern University (IL)	4,215,275	5,140,668	7,243,948	6,503,292
9	Columbia University (NY)	5,190,564	5,937,814	7,146,806	7,149,803
10	Texas A&M University System3	4,963,879	5,642,978	6,659,352	6,590,300
11	University of Pennsylvania	4,369,782	5,313,268	6,233,281	6,635,187
12	University of California	5,221,916	5,733,621	6,217,340	6,439,436
13	Emory University (GA)	4,376,272	4,870,019	5,472,528	5,561,743
14	University of Chicago (IL)	4,137,494	4,867,003	6,632,311	6,204,189
15	Washington University (MO)	4,268,415	4,684,737	5,350,470	5,567,843
16	Duke University (NC)	3,826,153	4,497,718	6,123,743	5,910,280
17	University of Notre Dame (IN)	3,650,224	4,436,624	6,233,281	6,635,187
18	Cornell University (NY)	3,777,092	4,321,199	5,385,482	5,247,097
19	Rice University (TX)	3,611,127	3,986,664	4,610,164	4,669,544
20	University of Virginia	3,219,098	3,618,172	4,572,613	4,370,209
21	Dartmouth College (NH)	2,714,300	3,092,100	3,660,159	3,760,234
22	University of Southern California	2,746,051	3,065,935	3,589,225	3,715,272
23	Vanderbilt University (TN)	2,628,437	2,946,392	3,524,338	3,519,753
24	Johns Hopkins University (MD)	2,176,909	2,350,749	2,524,575	2,800,377
25	University of Minnesota3	1,968,930	2,224,308	2,750,770	2,804,466
26	Brown University (RI)	1,843,904	2,166,633	2,746,832	2,633,924
27	Ohio State University3	1,726,007	1,996,839	2,075,853	2,338,103
28	University of Pittsburgh (PA)	1,529,884	1,802,859	2,333,602	2,254,379
29	University of Washington	1,489,924	1,794,370	2,262,149	2,184,374
30	New York University	1,548,000	1,774,700	2,475,200	2,161,800
31	Rockefeller University (NY)	1,556,945	1,771,954	2,020,647	2,144,271
32	Case Western Reserve University (OH)	1,516,481	1,598,566	1,766,478	1,841,234
33	California Institute of Technology	1,417,931	1,580,922	1,891,523	1,860,052
34	Purdue University (IN)	1,340,536	1,493,554	1,735,660	1,786,592
35	University of Rochester (NY)	1,369,969	1,491,275	1,730,772	1,726,318
36	Grinnell College (IA)	1,390,545	1,471,804	1,472,448	1,718,313
37	Williams College (MA)	1,348,374	1,462,131	1,808,280	1,892,055
38	Pomona College (CA)	1,298,629	1,457,213	1,794,453	1,760,902
39	Boston College (MA)	1,270,303	1,447,887	1,630,626	1,670,092
40	University of Wisconsin3	1,124,855	1,425,750	1,735,456	1,645,250
41	Wellesley College (MA)	1,275,529	1,412,410	1,611,319	1,656,565
42	University of Richmond (VA)	1,207,573	1,387,834	1,704,350	1,654,988
43	Amherst College (MA)	1,154,570	1,337,158	1,705,917	1,662,377
44	Pennsylvania State University	1,174,828	1,326,390	1,545,314	1,590,000
45	Indiana University3	1,107,498	1,276,160	1,546,469	1,556,853
46	Yeshiva University (NY)	1,148,687	1,273,327	1,344,701	1,409,576
47	University of Illinois3	1,147,517	1,252,290	1,459,967	1,515,387
48	Swarthmore College (PA)	1,164,069	1,245,281	1,412,609	1,441,232
49	University of Delaware	1,077,102	1,223,203	1,340,145	1,397,492
50	Tufts University (MA)	845,389	1,215,413	1,445,662	1,452,058
51	Smith College (MA)	1,035,542	1,156,350	1,365,792	1,360,966
52	University of Nebraska3	1,042,290	1,153,559	1,221,331	1,277,169
53	University of NC, Chapel Hill3	973,920	1,149,222	544,551	535,003
54	Southern Methodist University (TX)	1,013,703	1,122,477	1,367,744	1,327,816
55	University of Cincinnati (OH)	1,032,124	1,101,100	1,099,127	1,185,400
56	Baylor College of Medicine (TX)	1,008,261	1,059,393	1,091,814	1,278,011
57	Kansas University Endowment Association	954,943	1,049,367	1,217,919	1,238,695
58	Michigan State University	906,342	1,047,792	1,282,073	1,247,713
59	Georgia Institute of Technology3	937,410	1,047,724	1,343,503	1,281,162
60	Wake Forest University (NC)	906,803	1,042,558	1,253,673	1,248,695
61	Texas Christian University	941,798	1,016,353	1,260,145	1,187,057
62	University of Florida3	835,698	996,245	1,250,603	1,219,026
63	George Washington University (DC)	823,129	963,697	1,256,433	1,147,451
64	University of Oklahoma3	777,514	960,315	1,154,794	1,114,426
65	Berea College (KY)	861,679	948,738	1,023,255	1,102,272
66	Princeton Theological Seminary (NJ)	863,653	945,355	1,017,643	1,108,515
67	University of Missouri System	832,363	944,054	1,024,892	1,097,846
68	Carnegie Mellon University (PA)	837,459	939,581	1,067,728	1,115,740
69	Lehigh University (PA)	844,672	939,473	1,126,942	1,085,639
70	Boston University (MA)	776,900	916,017	1,144,996	1,101,386
71	Syracuse University (NY)	818,258	908,371	984,779	1,086,143
72	Baylor University (TX)	746,137	870,364	1,059,646	1,018,012
73	Tulane University (LA)	780,200	858,323	1,035,711	1,009,129
74	University of Alabama System	764,882	848,848	997,956	999,816
75	Georgetown University (DC)	741,063	834,497	1,059,075	1,059,343
76	University of Iowa3	786,100	832,869	935,453	982,428
77	Saint Louis University (MO)	750,736	824,851	879,908	959,486
78	University of Tulsa (OK)	769,551	816,980	836,790	915,320
79	Trinity University (TX)	733,261	814,672	1,034,659	991,112
80	University of Tennessee System	714,968	811,138	887,411	954,376
81	University of California, Los Angeles3	668,338	804,869	1,054,119	975,295
82	University of Kentucky	576,721	785,196	908,654	957,608
83	Middlebury College (VT)	721,839	782,115	885,389	936,354
84	University of Arkansas3	691,524	763,069	856,049	876,839
85	Vassar College (NY)	672,010	741,655	848,717	869,122
86	Oberlin College (OH)	637,404	694,565	760,735	816,135
87	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)	624,279	682,894	793,323	812,996
88	University of Louisville (KY)3	607,636	680,251	793,930	796,812
89	University of Maryland System3	595,000	674,600	854,456	810,374
90	Bowdoin College (ME)	578,206	673,346	831,469	827,714
91	The Julliard School (NY)	578,289	663,886	x	x
92	Lafayette College (PA)	587,418	648,292	682,673	734,421
93	University of Miami (FL)	523,706	620,435	736,239	741,382
94	Wesleyan University (CT)	564,879	619,761	652,208	710,800
95	Santa Clara University (CA)	509,149	598,657	676,072	697,881
96	Northeastern University (MA)	543,174	595,859	657,866	679,926
97	Louisiana State University System	504,841	593,203	633,616	656,710
98	University of Colorado3	512,371	590,306	870,081	774,147
99	Hamilton College (NY)	529,708	587,582	670,321	703,481
100	Washington and Lee University (VA)	531,992	586,968	718,907	692,797

Educacion Universitaria Gratuita

Nuestro segmento semanal con Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub, Principal de EduPlan quien elabora acerca del tema de obtencion de becas para estudios universitarios. Como conseguir oportunidades de financiar los estudios sin caer en prestamos.

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub acerca de Educacion Universitaria Gratuita

A Prueba de Recesiones

Nuestro programa semanal con Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 AM y Claudine Vainrub, Principal de EduPlan.

El tema esta semana es como crear un resume u hoja de vida para tiempos de recesion.

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub de EduPlan acerca de Resume para momentos de recesion

Estudiar una Maestria o no?

Entrevista con Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub de EduPlan acerca de Maestrias, vale la pena hacer el esfuerzo? Ventajas de los estudiantes con perfil internacional para obtener admision en Maestrias en USA.

(Only in Spanish)

Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub acerca de Maestrias

Recession-Proof Resumes

Tips and tricks to make your resume stand out when unemployment is high

By Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan

Hard times are upon the world economy and it isn’t news anymore even to school children. What hasn’t faded is the constant, nagging fear of losing one’s job, or finding a new one if you are already there. Layoffs are on a rise but new openings are not happening. This is indeed a time when only the fittest survive. Here are some tips and tricks to make your resume as recession-proof as possible:

1-      Show employers your cost-savings abilities

A way to portray your added value to a company is to show how you can save costs for the employer. Demonstrate how you helped to improve the bottom line for your previous employers. For instance if you were in charge of logistics, explain how you identified a more cost effective method of transporting material. If you were in sales, demonstrate how you produced significant profit margins.

2-      Show examples of resourcefulness, flexibility and adaptability to change

According to TheLadders.com, a leading online job market service provider, “past behavior is indicative of future performance”. Portray how you have embraced change successfully in the past and provide examples on how you would adapt to a new opportunity even when the job description is not 100% similar to what you were doing in the past. Demonstrate versatility with live examples of previous successes.

3-      Showcase profitability achievement during strenuous situations. Clearly state past opportunities to endure and succeed in times of crisis. Provide examples and numbers, demonstrate professional growth while portraying corporate growth. Give employers opportunities to learn about things you could do for them, to enhance their own bottom line.

4-      Avoid vague terms and talk in terms of specifics, facts and figures. If you had to attend to 50 customers in a week and 45 gave good feedback on your service, mention this. It makes a stronger impression than a vague phrase such as “lots of satisfied customers”.

5-      Testimonials are important. “If you don’t already keep copies of your performance reviews and letters of appreciation, client thank-you’s, or congratulatory emails you receive, start now. This provides excellent fodder for your resume,” advises Karen Hofferber, senior resume writer at resumepower.com.

If you were in a secure job and had not been looking for long, you may need to update your resume. In some cases, you will have to write a new one. Many of the skills and courses in your resume may be outdated now. Your resume must present a skill set that meets the current requirements. Weight in the importance of including experiences that you had too many years back; they might not be worthy of being included. Seek to develop an attractive uncluttered resume format that expresses your areas of expertise very clearly. When needing extra assistance, recruit family, friends, colleagues and professional resume writers as needed. Do not shy away from getting many different opinions, but form your own through study of the subject matter and in-depth expert knowledge.

Finally, it is not enough that you prepare a resume and send it out to prospective employers. In today’s internet enabled business environment, an online presence can do wonders for your career. Join professional networks like LinkedIn, iHispano, and many others devoted to the different industries. Connect with professionals that share things in common with you. When they ask for your resume, be sure to have your very best available.

Earn Free Money for College

Find ways to get funding for College without having to acquire more debt

What we don’t know can hurt us… This saying is especially true when we talk about saving money for college. Getting a college degree becomes everyday more expensive, as tuition rates grow an average of 4% per year. It is to our advantage to understand the ins and outs of not only gaining admission to college, but also, alternative ways to finance our education, without getting money out of our pockets. What is available to us? How can we take advantage of opportunities to get funding for college? Here is a list of things to do when looking to make college less expensive for our family, while pursuing a top education.

1-      Understand what is available to you

There are many ways to finance your education, without counting on Loans. Grants are need-based government scholarships. Merit Scholarships are awards that recognize special accomplishments and are funded by state governments, colleges, private corporations, or non-profit organizations. Work-Study opportunities are both offered by schools and by the government. All these are ways to support yourself or your child through their studies, when not wanting to acquire additional debt. These three instruments are available for us. Learn what grants your college offers, seek private scholarship opportunities, find a job on or off campus.

2-      Find money that you will not owe later on

Although sometimes the FAFSA application will not provide you with the opportunity to receive a grant, your college just might think differently. Inquire with your school what opportunities there are for you to receive need-based funding, to support your education.

When you receive money that you will not owe later, the award can be granted for two reasons:

a-      Need

b-      Merit

Tackle both ways to get free money – you will be more successful if you knock on all available doors and see which one opens first.

3-      Look for funding as if it was a full-paying part-time job

Finding scholarships, financial aid for college, and any funding for higher education is not an easy task. It is a job, and a very well paying one, when pursued with dedication. There are several cases, like that of Shayla Price, where students have given a lot of dedication to finding scholarships, and have been able to secure more than US$100,000 for college, meaning that their full tuition and college costs was 100% paid. They did not have to acquire any debt, graduating with a college degree while in the black. Did this take effort and hard work? Undoubtedly! These students devoted themselves to write essays everyday, and were disciplined and constant, just as if they were employed by a company and getting paid for their work. However, they proved that scholarships can amount and they can fully support you through your studies if you seek them out on a daily-basis and work hard at applying.

4-      Look into schools that meet 100% need

Schools that have endowments of over US$1billion are under great pressure from the public and the education industry to support families of incomes of less than US$200K per year. Many of them are already adapting and catering to family needs by offering grants instead of loans. For families with incomes below US$60 thousand, some of these schools meet 100% of the tuition need – that would make these schools even more affordable than an in-state college. As explained by Liz Pulliam Weston, on the article “Graduate from Harvard debt-free“, some of the first institutions that have eliminated all loans from student aid packages include Amherst, Bowdoin, Claremont McKenna, Columbia, Dartmouth, Davidson, Harvard, Haverford, Pomona , Princeton, Stanford, Swarthmore, the University of Pennsylvania, Wellesley, Williams and Yale. When demonstrating need, these schools will sponsor 100% of the need of the student, to promote diversity and provide real education opportunities, no holds barred. Seek these institutions when looking for help in financing your education.

As these universities are amongst the most competitive in the nation to gain admission to, being a top student and college applicant is of the essence. Find out as much information about how to enhance your results in the college admissions process and you will not only support yourself in gaining admission, you will become as eligible as possible to gain scholarship money.

5-      Find schools that have committed to switching from loans to grants in their financial aid packages

If a school has not yet made the transition to support 100% student needs, they might anyway be offering more grants than loans, or a more suitable combination that will allow you to support yourself or your child to go through college without going bankrupt from all the acquired debt. Find these schools as they might provide more chances than others to earn free money in the form of grants, even if you will have to acquire some debt.

6-      Private vs. Public – Do your homework before you decide where to apply

Researching school attendance costs can signify great cost savings for you and your family. You might be surprised to learn that some great private schools offer lower tuition than other public schools. Berea College does not charge tuition, while Brigham Young University full time tuition starts at $3,600 for their Hawaii location.

7-      If you need to borrow, find government loans

As stated in the article “Student Loans: Another Bubble Pops?” in MSN (written by The Wall Street Journal), “Private loans don’t carry federal guarantees of repayment, so they generally come with higher interest rates. Think of them as the educational equivalent of a second mortgage. Borrowing rates typically range from 6% to 11%, compared with the 6% to 8% on federally guaranteed debt.” What this means is that you should shy away from loans that are not government or state funded – the first will be much more expensive than the second.

To be continued…

List of Universities in USA

Alabama

§  Air University

§  Alabama A&M University

§  Alabama State University

§  Athens State University

§  Auburn University

§  Auburn University at Montgomery

§  Birmingham-Southern College

§  Concordia College-Selma

§  Faulkner University

§  Huntingdon College

§  Jacksonville State University

§  Judson College

§  Miles College

§  Oakwood College

§  Samford University

§  Southeastern Bible College

§  Southern Christian University

§  Spring Hill College

§  Stillman College

§  Talladega College

§  Troy University (main campus)

o    Dothan campus

o    Montgomery campus

§  Tuskegee University

§  United States Sports Academy

§  University of Alabama System

o    Birmingham

o    Huntsville

o    Tuscaloosa (main campus)

§  University of Mobile

§  University of Montevallo

§  University of North Alabama

§  University of South Alabama

§  University of West Alabama

Alaska

§  Alaska Bible College

§  Alaska Pacific University

§  Sheldon Jackson College

§  University of Alaska System

o    Anchorage

o    Fairbanks

o    Southeast (Juneau)

Arizona

§  American Indian College of the Assemblies of God

§  Arizona State University

§  Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus

§  Arizona State University West

§  DeVry University-Phoenix

§  Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

§  Grand Canyon University

§  Northcentral University

§  Northern Arizona University

§  Prescott College

§  Southwestern College

§  Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management

§  University of Arizona

§  University of Phoenix

§  Western International University

Arkansas

§  Arkansas Baptist College

§  Arkansas State University, Jonesboro

§  Arkansas Tech University

§  Central Baptist College

§  Harding University

§  Henderson State University

§  Hendrix College

§  John Brown University

§  Lyon College

§  Ouachita Baptist University

§  Philander Smith College

§  Southern Arkansas University

§  University of Arkansas System

o    Fayetteville

o    Fort Smith

o    Little Rock

o    Medical Sciences

o    Monticello

o    Pine Bluff

§  University of Central Arkansas

§  University of the Ozarks

§  Williams Baptist College
California

§  Alliant International University

§  Antioch University-Los Angeles

§  Art Center College of Design

§  Azusa Pacific University

§  Bethany College

§  Bethesda Christian University

§  Biola University

§  California Baptist University

§  California College of the Arts

§  California Institute of the Arts

§  California Institute of Integral Studies

§  California Institute of Technology

§  California Lutheran University

§  California Pacific University

§  California State University System

o    Bakersfield

o    California Maritime Academy

o    California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

o    California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

o    Channel Islands

o    Chico

o    Dominguez Hills

o    East Bay

o    Fresno

o    Fullerton

o    Long Beach

o    Los Angeles

o    Monterey Bay

o    Northridge

o    Sacramento

o    San Bernardino

o    San Marcos

o    Stanislaus

o    Humboldt State University

o    San Diego State University

o    San Francisco State University

o    San Jos State University

o    Sonoma State University

§  Chapman University

§  Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science

§  Church Divinity School of the Pacific

§  Claremont Consortium of Colleges

o    Claremont Graduate University

o    Claremont McKenna College

o    Harvey Mudd College

o    Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences

o    Pitzer College

o    Pomona College

o    Scripps College

§  Cogswell Polytechnical College

§  Concordia University-Irvine

§  Defense Language Institute

§  DeVry University-Long Beach

§  DeVry University-Pomona

§  Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology

§  Dominican University of California

§  Fielding Graduate Institute

§  Franciscan School of Theology

§  Fresno Pacific University

§  Fuller Theological Seminary

§  Golden Gate University

§  Graduate Theological Union

§  Holy Names University

§  Hope International University

§  Humphreys College

§  Institute of Transpersonal Psychology

§  Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley

§  John F. Kennedy University

§  La Sierra University

§  Life Pacific College

§  Lincoln University

§  Loma Linda University

§  Loyola Marymount University

§  Marymount College

§  The Master’s College

§  The Master’s Seminary

§  Menlo College

§  Mills College

§  Monterey Institute of International Studies

§  Mount St. Mary’s College

§  National Hispanic University

§  National University

§  Naval Postgraduate School

§  New College of California

§  Notre Dame de Namur University

§  Occidental College

§  Otis College of Art & Design

§  Pacific Oaks College

§  Pacific Union College

§  Pacifica Graduate Institute

§  Pardee RAND Graduate School

§  Patten College

§  Pepperdine University

§  Platt College

§  Point Loma Nazarene University

§  Saint Mary’s College of California

§  Samuel Merritt College

§  San Diego Christian College

§  Santa Clara University

§  Saybrook Graduate School & Research Center

§  Simpson University

§  Soka University of America

§  Southern California Institute of Architecture

§  Southwestern University School of Law

§  Stanford University

§  Thomas Aquinas College

§  University of California System

o    Berkeley

o    Davis

o    Hastings College of the Law

o    Irvine

o    Los Angeles

o    Merced

o    Riverside

o    San Diego

o    San Francisco

o    Santa Barbara

o    Santa Cruz

§  University of Judaism

§  University of La Verne

§  University of Northern California

§  University of the Pacific

§  University of Redlands

§  University of San Diego

§  University of San Francisco

§  University of Southern California

§  Vanguard University of Southern California

§  Western State University College of Law

§  Western University of Health Sciences

§  Westminster Seminary California

§  Westmont College

§  Whittier College

§  William Howard Taft University

§  William Jessup University

§  Woodbury University

Colorado

§  Adams State College

§  Colorado Christian University

§  Colorado College

§  Colorado School of Mines

§  Colorado State University

§  Colorado State University-Pueblo

§  Colorado Technical University

§  Fort Lewis College

§  Jones International University

§  Mesa State College

§  Metropolitan State College of Denver

§  Naropa Institute

§  National Technological University

§  Nazarene Bible College

§  Regis University

§  Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design

§  United States Air Force Academy

§  University of Colorado System

o    Boulder

o    Colorado Springs

o    Denver

o    Health Sciences Center

§  University of Denver

§  University of Northern Colorado

§  Western State College

Connecticut

§  Albertus Magnus College

§  Central Connecticut State University

§  Charter Oak State College

§  Connecticut College

§  Eastern Connecticut State University

§  Fairfield University

§  Holy Apostles College & Seminary

§  Mitchell College

§  Post University

§  Quinnipiac College

§  Sacred Heart University

§  St. Joseph College

§  Southern Connecticut State University

§  Trinity College

§  United States Coast Guard Academy

§  University of Bridgeport

§  University of Connecticut

§  University of Hartford

§  University of New Haven

§  Wesleyan University

§  Western Connecticut State University

§  Yale University

Delaware

§  Delaware State University

§  Goldey-Beacom College

§  University of Delaware

§  Wesley College

§  Wilmington College

District of Columbia

§  American University

§  The Catholic University of America

§  Corcoran College of Art & Design

§  Gallaudet University

§  George Washington University

o    Mount Vernon campus

o    Virginia Campus

§  Georgetown University

§  Howard University

§  Institute of World Politics

§  Joint Military Intelligence College

§  National Defense University

§  Southeastern University

§  Strayer University

§  Trinity University

§  University of the District of Columbia

§  Washington Theological Union

§  Wesley Theological Seminary

Florida

§  The Baptist College of Florida

§  Barry University

§  Beacon College

§  Bethune-Cookman College

§  Carlos Albizu University-Miami

§  Chipola College

§  Clearwater Christian College

§  DeVry University-Orlando

§  Eckerd College

§  Edward Waters College

§  Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

§  Flagler College

§  Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University

§  Florida Atlantic University

§  Florida Christian College

§  Florida College

§  Florida Gulf Coast University

§  Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences

§  Florida Institute of Technology

§  Florida International University

§  Florida Memorial University

§  Florida Metropolitan University

§  Florida Southern College

§  Florida State University

o    Panama City campus

§  Hobe Sound Bible College

§  International College

§  Jacksonville University

§  Jones College

§  Keiser College

§  Lynn University

§  Miami International University of Art & Design

§  New College of Florida

§  Northwood University

§  Nova Southeastern University

§  Palm Beach Atlantic University

§  Ringling School of Art & Design

§  Rollins College

§  Saint John Vianney College Seminary

§  Saint Leo College

§  St. Petersburg College

§  St. Thomas University

§  South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary

§  Southeastern University

§  Stetson University

§  Trinity College of Florida

§  Troy State University-Florida Region

§  University of Central Florida

§  University of Florida

§  University of Miami

§  University of North Florida

§  University of South Florida

§  University of Tampa

§  University of West Florida

§  Warner Southern College

§  Webber International University

Georgia

§  Agnes Scott College

§  American InterContinental University

§  Art Institute of Atlanta

§  Atlanta Christian College

§  Augusta State University

§  Bauder College

§  Berry College

§  Brenau University

§  Brewton-Parker College

§  Clark Atlanta University

§  Covenant College

§  Dalton State College

§  University of Devry-Georgia

§  Emmanuel College

§  Emory University

§  Interdenominational Theological Center

§  LaGrange College

§  Life University

§  Mercer University

§  Morehouse College

§  Morehouse School of Medicine

§  Oglethorpe University

§  Paine College

§  Piedmont College

§  Reinhardt College

§  Savannah College of Art & Design

§  Shorter College

§  South University

§  Spelman College

§  Thomas University

§  Toccoa Falls College

§  Truett-McConnell College

§  University System of Georgia

o    Albany State University

o    Armstrong Atlantic State University

o    Augusta State University

o    Clayton College & State University

o    Columbus State University

o    Fort Valley State University

o    Georgia College & State University

o    Georgia Institute of Technology

o    Georgia Southern University

o    Georgia Southwestern State University

o    Georgia State University

o    Kennesaw State University

o    Macon State College

o    Medical College of Georgia

o    North Georgia College & State University

o    Savannah State University

o    Southern Polytechnic State University

o    State University of West Georgia

o    University of Georgia

o    Valdosta State University

§  Wesleyan College

Hawaii

§  Brigham Young University-Hawaii

§  Chaminade University

§  Hawaii Pacific University

§  University of Hawaii System

o    Hilo

o    Manoa

o    West Oahu

Idaho

§  Albertson College of Idaho

§  Boise State University

§  Brigham Young University-Idaho

§  Idaho State University

§  Lewis-Clark State College

§  Northwest Nazarene College

§  University of Idaho

Illinois

§  Adler School of Professional Psychology

§  American College of Education

§  Argosy University

§  Augustana College

§  Aurora University

§  Benedictine University

§  Blackburn College

§  Bradley University

§  The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

§  Chicago State University

§  College of DuPage

§  Columbia College

§  Concordia University-Chicago

§  DePaul University

§  DeVry University

§  DeVry University-Chicago

§  DeVry University-DuPage

§  Dominican University

§  East-West University

§  Eastern Illinois University

§  Elmhurst College

§  Erikson Institute

§  Eureka College

§  Governors State University

§  Greenville College

§  Illinois College

§  Illinois Institute of Technology

§  Illinois State University

§  Illinois Wesleyan University

§  Judson College

§  Kendall College

§  Knox College

§  Lake Forest College

§  Lake Forest Graduate School of Management

§  Lakeview College of Nursing

§  Lewis University

§  Lincoln Christian College & Seminary

§  Loyola University Chicago

§  Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

§  McKendree College

§  McMurray College

§  Midwestern University

§  Millikin University

§  Monmouth College

§  Moody Bible Institute

§  National University of Health Sciences

§  National-Louis University

§  North Central College

§  North Park University

§  Northeastern Illinois University

§  Northern Illinois University

§  Northwestern University

§  Olivet Nazarene University

§  Principia College

§  Quincy University

§  Robert Morris College

§  Rockford College

§  Roosevelt University

§  Rush University

§  Saint Anthony College of Nursing

§  St. Xavier University

§  School of the Art Institute of Chicago

§  Shimer College

§  Southern Illinois University System

o    Carbondale

o    Edwardsville

§  Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies

§  Trinity Christian College

§  Trinity International University

§  University of Chicago

§  University of Illinois System

o    Chicago

o    Springfield

o    Urbana-Champaign

§  University of St. Francis

§  Western Illinois University

§  Wheaton College

Indiana

§  Anderson University

§  Ball State University

§  Bethel College

§  Butler University

§  Calumet College of St. Joseph

§  Christian Theological Seminary

§  Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne

§  DePauw University

§  Earlham College

§  Franklin College

§  Goshen College

§  Grace College

§  Hanover College

§  Holy Cross College

§  Huntington University

§  Indiana Institute of Technology

§  Indiana State University

§  Indiana University System

o    Indiana University-Bloomington

o    Indiana University-East

o    Indiana University-Kokomo

o    Indiana University-Northwest

o    Indiana University-South Bend

o    Indiana University-Southeast

o    Indiana University/Purdue University at Columbus

o    Indiana University/Purdue University at Fort Wayne

o    Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis

§  Indiana Wesleyan University

§  Manchester College

§  Marian College

§  Martin University

§  Oakland City University

§  Purdue University System

o    Purdue University

o    Purdue University Calumet

o    Purdue University North Central

o    Indiana University/Purdue University at Columbus

o    Indiana University/Purdue University at Fort Wayne

o    Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis

o    School of Technology at Anderson/Muncie

o    School of Technology at Columbus/Greensburg

o    School of Technology at Indianapolis

o    School of Technology at Kokomo

o    School of Technology at New Albany

o    School of Technology at Richmond

o    College of Technology at South Bend/Elkhart

§  Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

§  Saint Joseph’s College

§  Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

§  Saint Mary’s College

§  Taylor University

§  Tri-State University

§  University of Evansville

§  University of Indianapolis

§  University of Notre Dame

§  University of Saint Francis

§  University of Southern Indiana

§  Valparaiso University

§  Wabash College

Iowa

§  Allen College

§  Ashford University

§  Briar Cliff College

§  Buena Vista University

§  Central College

§  Clarke College

§  Coe College

§  Cornell College

§  Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center

§  Divine Word College

§  Dordt College

§  Drake University

§  Emmaus Bible College

§  Faith Baptist Bible College & Theological Seminary

§  Graceland College

§  Grand View College

§  Grinnell College

§  Iowa State University

§  Iowa Wesleyan College

§  Kaplan University

§  Loras College

§  Luther College

§  Maharishi University of Management

§  Morningside College

§  Mount Mercy College

§  Northwestern College of Iowa

§  St. Ambrose University

§  Simpson College

§  University of Dubuque

§  University of Iowa

§  University of Northern Iowa

§  Upper Iowa University

§  Vennard College

§  Waldorf College

§  Wartburg College

§  William Penn University

Kansas

§  Baker University

§  Barclay College

§  Benedictine College

§  Bethany College

§  Bethel College

§  Central Christian College

§  Emporia State University

§  Fort Hays State University

§  Friends University

§  Haskell Indian Nations University

§  Hesston College

§  Kansas State University

§  Kansas Wesleyan University

§  Manhattan Christian College

§  McPherson College

§  Mid-America Nazarene College

§  Newman University

§  Ottawa University

§  Pittsburg State University

§  Southwestern College

§  Sterling College

§  Tabor College

§  University of Kansas

§  University of Kansas Medical Center

§  University of Saint Mary

§  Washburn University

§  Wichita State University

Kentucky

§  Alice Lloyd College

§  Asbury College

§  Asbury Theological Seminary

§  Bellarmine College

§  Berea College

§  Brescia University

§  Campbellsville University

§  Centre College

§  Clear Creek Baptist Bible College

§  Eastern Kentucky University

§  Georgetown College

§  Kentucky Christian University

§  Kentucky Mountain Bible College

§  Kentucky State University

§  Kentucky Wesleyan College

§  Lexington Theological Seminary

§  Lindsey Wilson College

§  Mid-Continent College

§  Midway College

§  Morehead State University

§  Murray State University

§  Northern Kentucky University

§  Pikeville College

§  St. Catharine College

§  Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

§  Spalding University

§  Sullivan University

§  Thomas More College

§  Transylvania University

§  Union College

§  University of Kentucky

§  University of Louisville

§  University of the Cumberlands

§  Western Kentucky University

Louisiana

§  Centenary College of Louisiana

§  Dillard University

§  Grambling State University

§  Louisiana College

§  Louisiana State University System

o    Alexandria

o    Baton Rouge

o    Health Sciences Center

o    Shreveport

o    University of New Orleans

§  Louisiana Tech University

§  Loyola University New Orleans

§  McNeese State University

§  Nicholls State University

§  New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

§  Northwestern State University of Louisiana

§  Our Lady of Holy Cross College

§  Our Lady of the Lake College

§  Southeastern Louisiana University

§  Southern University System

o    Baton Rouge

o    New Orleans

§  Tulane University

§  University of Louisiana System

o    Monroe

o    Lafayette

§  Xavier University of Louisiana

Maine

§  Bates College

§  Bowdoin College

§  Colby College

§  College of the Atlantic

§  Husson College

§  Maine College of Art

§  Maine Maritime Academy

§  St. Joseph’s College

§  Thomas College

§  Unity College

§  University of Maine System

o    Augusta

o    Farmington

o    Fort Kent

o    Machias

o    Orono

o    Presque Isle

o    School of Law

o    University of Southern Maine

§  University of New England

Maryland

§  Baltimore Hebrew University

§  Baltimore International College

§  Bowie State University

§  Capitol College

§  Chesapeake College

§  College of Notre Dame of Maryland

§  Columbia Union College

§  Coppin State University

§  Goucher College

§  Frostburg State University

§  Hood College

§  Johns Hopkins University

§  Loyola College

§  Maryland institute, College of Art

§  McDaniel College

§  Morgan State University

§  Mount Saint Mary’s University

§  National Labor College

§  St. John’s College-Annapolis

§  St. Mary’s College of Maryland

§  St. Mary’s Seminary & University

§  Salisbury University

§  Soujourner-Douglass College

§  Tai Sophia Institute

§  Towson University

§  The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

§  United States Naval Academy

§  University of Baltimore

§  University of Maryland System

o    Baltimore

o    Baltimore County

o    College Park

o    Eastern Shore

o    University College

§  Washington Bible College

§  Washington College

§  Villa Julie College

Massachusetts

§  American International College

§  Amherst College

§  Anna Maria College

§  Assumption College

§  Atlantic Union College

§  Babson College

§  Bay Path College

§  Becker College

§  Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology

§  Bentley College

§  Berklee College of Music

§  Boston College

§  Boston Conservatory

§  Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis

§  Boston University

§  Brandeis University

§  Bridgewater State College

§  Cambridge College

§  Clark University

§  College of the Holy Cross

§  Curry College

§  Eastern Nazarene College

§  Elms College

§  Emerson College

§  Emmanuel College

§  Endicott College

§  Fitchburg State College

§  Framingham State College

§  Gordon College

§  Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

§  Hampshire College

§  Harvard University

§  Hult International Business School

§  Lasell College

§  Lesley College

§  Massachusetts College of Art

§  Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

§  Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

§  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

§  Massachusetts Maritime Academy

§  Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology

§  Merrimack College

§  Mount Holyoke College

§  Mount Ida College

§  New England College of Optometry

§  New England Conservatory of Music

§  Newbury College

§  Nichols College

§  North Adams State College

§  Northeastern University

§  Pine Manor College

§  Regis College

§  Salem State College

§  Simmons College

§  Simon’s Rock College

§  Smith College

§  Springfield College

§  Stonehill College

§  Suffolk University

§  Tufts University

§  University of Massachusetts System

o    Amherst

o    Boston

o    Dartmouth

o    Lowell

o    Medical School at Worcester

§  Wellesley College

§  Wentworth Institute of Technology

§  Western New England College

§  Westfield State College

§  Weston Jesuit School of Theology

§  Wheaton College

§  Wheelock College

§  Williams College

§  Worcester Polytechnic Institute

§  Worcester State College

Michigan

§  Adrian College

§  Albion College

§  Alma College

§  Andrews University

§  Aquinas College

§  Baker College

§  Calvin College

§  Central Michigan University

§  Cleary College

§  College for Creative Studies

§  Concordia College-Ann Arbor

§  Cornerstone University

§  Cranbrook Academy of Art

§  Davenport University

§  Eastern Michigan University

§  Ferris State University

§  Finlandia University

§  Grace Bible College

§  Grand Valley State University

§  Hillsdale College

§  Hope College

§  Kalamazoo College

§  Kendall College of Art & Design

§  Kettering University

§  Kuyper College

§  Lake Superior State University

§  Lawrence Technological University

§  Madonna University

§  Marygrove College

§  Michigan State University

§  Michigan Technological University

§  Northern Michigan University

§  Northwood University

§  Oakland University

§  Olivet College

§  Rochester College

§  Saginaw Valley State University

§  Siena Heights University

§  Spring Arbor University

§  University of Detroit Mercy

§  University of Michigan System

o    Ann Arbor

o    Dearborn

o    Flint

§  Walsh College

§  Wayne State University

§  Western Michigan University

Minnesota

§  Alfred Adler Institute

§  Augsburg College

§  Bethany Lutheran College

§  Bethel University & Seminary

§  Capella University

§  Carleton College

§  College of Saint Benedict

§  College of St. Catherine

§  College of St. Scholastica

§  College of Visual Arts

§  Concordia College-Moorhead

§  Concordia College-St. Paul

§  Crossroads College

§  Crown College

§  Gustavus Adolphus College

§  Hamline University

§  Luther Seminary

§  Macalester College

§  Martin Luther College

§  Minneapolis College of Art & Design

§  Minnesota State College & University System

o    Bemidji State University

o    Metropolitan State University

o    Minnesota State University, Mankato

o    Minnesota State University, Moorhead

o    Southwest Minnesota State University

o    St. Cloud State University

o    Winona State University

§  North Central University

§  Northwestern College

§  Oak Hills Christian College

§  Pillsbury Baptist Bible College

§  Saint John’s University

§  Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

§  Saint Olaf College

§  University of Minnesota System

o    Crookston

o    Duluth

o    Morris

o    Twin Cities

§  University of Saint Thomas

§  Walden University

§  William Mitchell College of Law

Mississippi

§  Alcorn State University

§  Belhaven College

§  Blue Mountain College

§  Delta State University

§  Jackson State University

§  Magnolia Bible College

§  Millsaps College

§  Mississippi College

§  Mississippi State University

§  Mississippi University for Women

§  Mississippi Valley State University

§  Rust College

§  Tougaloo College

§  University of Mississippi

§  University of Mississippi Medical Center

§  University of Southern Mississippi

§  William Carey College

Missouri

§  Avila College

§  Baptist Bible College

§  Calvary Bible College & Theological Seminary

§  Central Bible College

§  Central Christian College of the Bible

§  Central Methodist University

§  Central Missouri State University

§  Cleveland Chiropractic College

§  College of the Ozarks

§  Columbia College

§  Concordia Seminary-St. Louis

§  Culver-Stockton College

§  DeVry University-Kansas City

§  Drury University

§  Evangel University

§  Fontbonne University

§  Forest Institute of Professional Psychology

§  Greenleaf University

§  Hannibal-Lagrange College

§  Harris-Stowe State University

§  Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine

§  Lincoln University

§  Lindenwood University

§  Logan College of Chiropractic

§  Maryville University of St. Louis

§  Missouri Baptist College

§  Missouri Southern State University

§  Missouri State University

§  Missouri Valley College

§  Missouri Western State University

§  Northwest Missouri State University

§  Ozark Christian College

§  Park University

§  Rockhurst University

§  St. Louis College of Pharmacy

§  Saint Louis University

§  Southeast Missouri State University

§  Southwest Baptist University

§  Stephens College

§  Truman State University

§  University of Missouri System

o    Columbia

o    Kansas City

o    Rolla

o    St. Louis

§  Washington University in St. Louis

§  Webster University

§  Westminster College

§  William Jewell College

§  William Woods University

Montana

§  Carroll College

§  Montana State University System

o    Billings

o    Bozeman

o    Northern

§  Rocky Mountain College

§  Salish Kootenai College

§  University of Great Falls

§  University of Montana System

o    Montana Tech

o    University of Montana-Missoula

o    University of Montana-Western

Nebraska

§  Bellevue University

§  Chadron State College

§  Clarkson College

§  College of Saint Mary

§  Concordia University-Nebraska

§  Creighton University

§  Dana College

§  Doane College

§  Grace University

§  Hastings College

§  Midland Lutheran College

§  Nebraska Christian College

§  Nebraska Methodist College

§  Nebraska Wesleyan University

§  Peru State College

§  Union College

§  University of Nebraska System

o    Kearney

o    Lincoln

o    Medical Center

o    Omaha

§  Wayne State College

§  York College

Nevada

§  Great Basin College

§  Sierra Nevada College

§  University of Nevada-Las Vegas

§  University of Nevada-Reno

New Hampshire

§  Antioch New England

§  Chester College of New England

§  Colby-Sawyer College

§  Daniel Webster College

§  Dartmouth College

§  Franklin Pierce College

§  Franklin Pierce Law Center

§  Granite State College

§  Keene State College

§  New England College

§  Plymouth State College

§  Rivier College

§  Saint Anselm College

§  Southern New Hampshire University

§  The Thomas More College of Liberal Arts

§  University of New Hampshire

§  University of New Hampshire at Manchester

New Jersey

§  Berkeley College

§  Bloomfield College

§  Caldwell College

§  Centenary College

§  The College of New Jersey

§  College of Saint Elizabeth

§  Drew University

§  Fairleigh Dickinson University

§  Felician College

§  Georgian Court College

§  Kean University

§  Monmouth University

§  Montclair State University

§  New Jersey City University

§  New Jersey Institute of Technology

§  Princeton University

§  Ramapo College

§  Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

§  Rider University

§  Rowan University

§  Rutgers University

o    Camden

o    New Brunswick/Piscataway

o    Newark

§  Saint Peter’s College

§  Seton Hall University

§  Stevens Institute of Technology

§  Thomas Edison State College

§  University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey

§  William Paterson University

New Mexico

§  College of Santa Fe

§  College of the Southwest

§  Eastern New Mexico University

§  Institute of American Indian Arts

§  New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology

§  New Mexico Highlands University

§  New Mexico State University

§  St. John’s College-Santa Fe

§  Southwestern College

§  University of New Mexico

§  Western New Mexico University

New York

§  Adelphi University

§  Albany College of Pharmacy

§  Albany Medical College

§  Alfred University

§  Bank Street College of Education

§  Bard College

§  Barnard College

§  Boricua College

§  Canisius College

§  Cazenovia College

§  City University of New York System

o    Baruch College

o    Brooklyn College

o    City College

o    College of Staten Island

o    Graduate School & University Center

o    Hunter College

o    John Jay College of Criminal Justice

o    Lehman College

o    Medger Evers College

o    New York City College of Technology

o    Queens College

o    York College

§  Clarkson University

§  Colgate University

§  College of Mount St. Vincent

§  College of New Rochelle

§  College of Saint Rose

§  Columbia University

§  Concordia College-Bronxville

§  The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art

§  Cornell University

§  Culinary Institute of America

§  Daemen College

§  Davis College

§  Dominican College

§  Dowling College

§  DYouville College

§  Elmira College

§  Excelsior College

§  Five Towns College

§  Fordham University

§  Hamilton College

§  Hartwick College

§  Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

§  Hilbert College

§  Hobart and William Smith Colleges

§  Hofstra University

§  Houghton College

§  Iona College

§  Ithaca College

§  The Jewish Theological Seminary of America

§  The Juilliard School

§  Keuka College

§  Le Moyne College

§  Laboratory Institute of Merchandising

§  Long Island University

o    Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

o    Brentwood Campus

o    Brooklyn Campus

o    C.W. Post Campus

o    Rockland Graduate Campus

o    Southampton Graduate Campus

o    Westchester Graduate Campus

§  Manhattan College

§  Manhattan School of Music

§  Manhattanville College

§  Marist College

§  Marymount College

§  Marymount Manhattan College

§  Medaille College

§  Mercy College

§  Metropolitan College of New York

§  Molloy College

§  Monroe College

§  Mount Saint Mary College

§  Nazareth College

§  New School University

§  New York College of Podiatric Medicine

§  New York Institute of Technology

§  New York Medical College

§  New York University

§  Niagara University

§  Nyack College

§  Pace University

§  Parsons School of Design

§  Paul Smith’s College

§  Polytechnic University of New York

§  Pratt Institute

§  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

§  Roberts Wesleyan College

§  Rochester Institute of Technology

§  The Rockefeller University

§  The Sage Colleges

§  St. Bonaventure University

§  Saint Francis College

§  St. John Fisher College

§  St. John’s University

§  St. Joseph’s College

§  St. Lawrence University

§  St. Thomas Aquinas College

§  Sarah Lawrence College

§  School of Visual Arts

§  Siena College

§  Skidmore College

§  State University of New York System

o    Albany

o    Binghamton

o    Buffalo

o    Stony Brook

o    College at Brockport

o    College at Buffalo (Buffalo State College)

o    College at Cortland

o    College at Fredonia

o    College at Geneseo

o    College at New Paltz

o    College at Old Westbury

o    College at Oneonta

o    College at Oswego

o    College at Plattsburgh

o    College at Potsdam

o    College at Purchase

o    College of Agriculture & Technology at Cobleskill

o    College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville (Morrisville State College)

o    College of Environmental Science & Forestry

o    College of Optometry

o    College of Technology at Alfred (Alfred State University)

o    College of Technology at Canton

o    College of Technology at Delhi

o    College of Technology at Farmingdale (Farmingdale State University)

o    Downstate Medical Center

o    Empire State College

o    Fashion Institute of Technology

o    Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome

o    Maritime College at Ft. Schuyler

o    Upstate Medical University

§  Syracuse University

§  Teachers College, Columbia University

§  Touro College

§  Unification Theological Seminary

§  Union College

§  Union Theological Seminary

§  United States Merchant Marine Academy

§  United States Military Academy

§  University of Rochester

§  Utica College of Syracuse University

§  Vassar College

§  Vaughn College of Aeronautics

§  Wagner College

§  Webb Institute

§  Wells College

§  Yeshiva University

North Carolina

§  Appalachian State University

§  Barton College

§  Belmont Abbey College

§  Bennett College

§  Brevard College

§  Campbell University

§  Catawba College

§  Chowan College

§  Davidson College

§  Duke University

§  East Carolina University

§  Elizabeth City State University

§  Elon University

§  Fayetteville State University

§  Gardner-Webb University

§  Greensboro College

§  Guilford College

§  High Point University

§  Johnson C. Smith University

§  Lees-McRae College

§  Lenoir-Rhyne College

§  Livingstone College

§  Louisburg College

§  Mars Hill College

§  Meredith College

§  Methodist College

§  Montreat College

§  Mount Olive College

§  North Carolina Central University

§  North Carolina A&T State University

§  North Carolina School of the Arts

§  North Carolina State University

§  North Carolina Wesleyan College

§  Peace College

§  Pfeiffer University

§  Piedmont Baptist College

§  Queens University of Charlotte

§  Roanoke Bible College

§  St. Andrews Presbyterian College

§  St. Augustine’s College

§  Salem College

§  Shaw University

§  University of North Carolina System

o    Asheville

o    Chapel Hill

o    Charlotte

o    Greensboro

o    Pembroke

o    Wilmington

§  Wake Forest University

§  Warren Wilson College

§  Western Carolina University

§  Wingate University

§  Winston-Salem State University

North Dakota

§  Dickinson State University

§  Jamestown College

§  Mayville State University

§  Minot State University

§  North Dakota State University

§  Trinity Bible College

§  University of Mary

§  University of North Dakota

§  Valley City State University

Ohio

§  Air Force Institute of Technology

§  Antioch College

§  Art Academy of Cincinnati

§  Ashland University

§  Baldwin-Wallace College

§  Bowling Green State University

§  Bluffton University

§  Capital University

§  Case Western Reserve University

§  Cedarville University

§  Central State University

§  Cincinnati Christian University

§  Cleveland Institute of Art

§  Cleveland Institute of Music

§  Cleveland State University

§  College of Mount St. Joseph

§  The College of Wooster

§  Columbus College of Art & Design

§  David N. Myers University

§  Defiance College

§  Denison University

§  Franciscan University of Steubenville

§  Franklin University

§  Heidelberg College

§  Hiram College

§  John Carroll University

§  Kent State University

§  Kenyon College

§  Lake Erie College

§  Laura & Alvin Siegal College of Judaic Studies

§  Lourdes College

§  Malone College

§  Marietta College

§  Miami University of Ohio

§  Mount Union College

§  Mount Vernon Nazarene University

§  Muskingum College

§  Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

§  Notre Dame College

§  Oberlin College

§  Ohio Christian University

§  Ohio Dominican University

§  Ohio Northern University

§  Ohio State University System

o    Columbus

o    Lima

o    Mansfield

o    Marion

§  Ohio University

§  Ohio Wesleyan University

§  Otterbein College

§  Shawnee State University

§  Tiffin University

§  Union Institute & University

§  University of Akron

§  University of Cincinnati

§  University of Dayton

§  The University of Findlay

§  University of Northwestern Ohio

§  University of Rio Grande

§  University of Toledo

§  University of Toledo Health Science Campus

§  Urbana University

§  Ursuline College

§  Walsh University

§  Wilberforce University

§  Wilmington College

§  Wittenberg University

§  Wright State University

§  Xavier University

§  Youngstown State University

Oklahoma

§  Bacone College

§  Cameron University

§  East Central University

§  Langston University

§  Mid-America Christian University

§  Northeastern State University

o    Broken Arrow campus

o    Muskogee campus

§  Northwestern Oklahoma State University

§  Oklahoma Baptist University

§  Oklahoma Christian University of Science & Arts

§  Oklahoma City University

§  Oklahoma Panhandle State University

§  Oklahoma State University System

o    Center for Health Sciences

o    Stillwater

o    Tulsa

§  Oklahoma Wesleyan University

§  Oral Roberts University

§  Phillips University (closed July 1998)

§  Rogers State University

§  St. Gregory’s University

§  Southeastern Oklahoma State University

§  Southern Nazarene University

§  Southwestern Oklahoma State University

§  University of Central Oklahoma

§  University of Oklahoma

§  University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

§  University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma

§  University of Tulsa

Oregon

§  Art Institute of Portland

§  Concordia University-Portland

§  Corban College

§  Eastern Oregon University

§  Eugene Bible College

§  George Fox University

§  Lewis & Clark College

§  Linfield College

§  Marylhurst University

§  Mount Angel Seminary

§  Multnomah Bible College & Seminary

§  National College of Naturopathic Medicine

§  Northwest Christian College

§  Oregon Graduate Institute of Science & Technology

§  Oregon Health Sciences University

§  Oregon Institute of Technology

§  Oregon State University

§  Pacific Northwest College of Art

§  Pacific University

§  Portland State University

§  Reed College

§  Southern Oregon University

§  University of Oregon

§  University of Portland

§  Warner Pacific College

§  Western Oregon University

§  Western States Chiropractic College

§  Willamette University

Pennsylvania

§  Albright College

§  Allegheny College

§  Alvernia College

§  American College

§  Arcadia University

§  Baptist Bible College

§  Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

§  Bryn Athyn College of the New Church

§  Bryn Mawr College

§  Bucknell University

§  Cabrini College

§  California University of Pennsylvania

§  Carlow College

§  Carnegie Mellon University

§  Cedar Crest College

§  Chatham College

§  Chestnut Hill College

§  Cheyney University

§  Clarion University of Pennsylvania

§  College Misericordia

§  Curtis Institute of Music

§  Delaware Valley College

§  DeSales University

§  Dickinson College

§  Drexel University

§  Duquesne University

§  East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

§  Eastern College

§  Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

§  Elizabethtown College

§  Franklin & Marshall College

§  Gannon University

§  Geneva College

§  Gettysburg College

§  Gratz College

§  Grove City College

§  Gwynedd Mercy College

§  Haverford College in Pennsylvania

§  Holy Family University

§  Immaculata College

§  Indiana University of Pennsylvania

§  Juniata College

§  Keystone College

§  Kings College

§  Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

§  La Roche College

§  Lafayette College

§  Lancaster Bible College

§  LaSalle University

§  Lebanon Valley College

§  Lehigh University

§  Lincoln University

§  Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

§  Lycoming College

§  Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

§  Marywood University

§  Mercyhurst College

§  Messiah College

§  Millersville University of Pennsylvania

§  Moore College of Art & Design

§  Moravian College

§  Mount Aloysius College

§  Muhlenberg College

§  Neumann College

§  Peirce College

§  Pennsylvania College of Optometry

§  Pennsylvania State University System

o    Abington

o    Altoona

o    Beaver

o    Berks

o    College of Medicine

o    Delaware County

o    Dickinson School of Law

o    DuBois

o    Erie, The Behrend College

o    Fayette, The Eberly Campus

o    Great Valley

o    Greater Allegheny

o    Harrisburg

o    Hazleton

o    Lehigh Valley

o    Mont Alto

o    New Kensington

o    Pennsylvania College of Technology

o    Schuylkill

o    Shenango

o    University Park (main campus)

o    Wilkes-Barre

o    Worthington Scranton

o    York

§  Philadelphia Biblical University

§  Philadelphia University

§  Point Park University

§  Robert Morris College

§  Rosemont College

§  Saint Francis University

§  Saint Joseph’s University

§  Saint Vincent College

§  Seton Hill College

§  Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

§  Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

§  Susquehanna University

§  Swarthmore College

§  Temple University

§  Thiel College

§  Thomas Jefferson University

§  United States Army War College

§  University of Pennsylvania

§  University of Pittsburgh

o    Bradford

o    Greensburg

o    Johnstown

§  University of Scranton

§  University of the Arts

§  University of the Sciences in Philadelphia

§  Ursinus College

§  Valley Forge Christian College

§  Villanova University

§  Washington & Jefferson College

§  Waynesburg College

§  West Chester University of Pennsylvania

§  Westminster College

§  Westminster Theological Seminary

§  Widener University

§  Wilkes University

§  Wilson College

§  York College of Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

§  Brown University

§  Bryant College

§  Johnson & Wales University

§  Naval War College

§  New England Institute of Technology

§  Providence College

§  Rhode Island College

§  Rhode Island School of Design

§  Roger Williams University

§  Salve Regina University

§  University of Rhode Island

South Carolina

§  Allen University

§  Anderson College

§  Benedict College

§  Bob Jones University

§  Charleston Southern University

§  The Citadel

§  Claflin University

§  Clemson University

§  Coastal Carolina University

§  Coker College

§  College of Charleston

§  Columbia College

§  Columbia International University

§  Converse College

§  Erskine College

§  Francis Marion University

§  Furman University

§  Johnson & Wales University-Charleston

§  Lander University

§  Limestone College

§  Medical University of South Carolina

§  Morris College

§  Newberry College

§  North Greenville University

§  Presbyterian College

§  Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic

§  South Carolina State University

§  Southern Wesleyan University

§  University of South Carolina System

o    Aiken

o    Beaufort

o    Columbia

o    Lancaster

o    Sumter

o    Union

o    Upstate

§  Voorhees College

§  Winthrop University

§  Wofford College

South Dakota

§  Augustana College

§  Black Hills State University

§  Dakota State University

§  Dakota Wesleyan University

§  Mount Marty College

§  National American University

§  Northern State University

§  Oglala Lakota College

§  Presentation College

§  Sinte Gleska University

§  South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

§  South Dakota State University

§  University of Sioux Falls

§  University of South Dakota

Tennessee

§  Aquinas College

§  Austin Peay State University

§  Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences

§  Belmont University

§  Bethel College

§  Bryan College

§  Carson-Newman College

§  Christian Brothers University

§  Church of God Theological Seminary

§  Crichton College

§  Cumberland University

§  East Tennessee State University

§  Fisk University

§  Freed-Hardeman University

§  Johnson Bible College

§  King College

§  Knoxville College

§  Lambuth University

§  Lane College

§  Lee University

§  LeMoyne-Owen College

§  Lincoln Memorial University

§  Lipscomb University

§  Martin Methodist College

§  Maryville College

§  Meharry Medical College

§  Memphis College of Art

§  Middle Tennessee State University

§  Milligan College

§  Rhodes College

§  South College

§  Southern Adventist University

§  Southern College

§  Southern College of Optometry

§  Tennessee State University

§  Tennessee Technological University

§  Tennessee Temple University

§  Tennessee Wesleyan College

§  Trevecca Nazarene University

§  Tusculum College

§  Union University

§  University of Memphis

§  University of Tennessee System

o    Chattanooga

o    Knoxville

o    Martin

o    Memphis

§  University of the South

§  Vanderbilt University

Texas

§  Abilene Christian University

§  Ambassador University (closed spring 1997)

§  Amberton University

§  Arlington Baptist College

§  Art Institute of Dallas

§  Art Institute of Houston

§  Austin College

§  Austin Graduate School of Theology

§  Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

§  Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary

§  Baylor College of Medicine

§  Baylor University

§  College of Saint Thomas More

§  Concordia University-Austin

§  Criswell College

§  Dallas Baptist University

§  Dallas Christian College

§  Dallas Theological Seminary

§  DeVry University-Dallas

§  East Texas Baptist University

§  Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest

§  Hardin-Simmons University

§  Houston Baptist University

§  Howard Payne University

§  Huston-Tillotson University

§  Jarvis Christian College

§  LeTourneau University

§  Lubbock Christian University

§  McMurry University

§  Midwestern State University

§  Northwood University

§  Oblate School of Theology

§  Our Lady of the Lake University

§  Parker College of Chiropractic

§  Paul Quinn College

§  Rice University

§  St. Edward’s University

§  St. Mary’s University of San Antonio

§  Schreiner University

§  Southern Methodist University

§  South Texas College of Law

§  Southwestern Adventist University

§  Southwestern Assemblies of God University

§  Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

§  Southwestern Christian College

§  Southwestern University

§  Stephen F. Austin State University

§  Texas A&M University System

o    Baylor College of Dentistry

o    College Station

o    Commerce

o    Corpus Christi

o    Galveston

o    Health Science Center

o    Kingsville

o    Prairie View A&M University

o    Tarleton State University

o    Texarkana

o    Texas A&M International University (Laredo)

o    West Texas A&M University

§  Texas Chiropractic College

§  Texas Christian University

§  Texas College

§  Texas Lutheran University

§  Texas Southern University

§  Texas State University System

o    Angelo State University

o    Lamar University

o    Sam Houston State University

o    Sul Ross State University

o    Texas State University-San Marcos

§  Texas Tech University

o    Health Sciences Center

§  Texas Wesleyan University

§  Texas Woman’s University

§  Trinity University

§  University of Dallas

§  University of Houston System

o    main campus

o    Clear Lake

o    Downtown

o    Victoria

§  University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

§  University of North Texas

o    Health Science Center at Ft. Worth

§  University of Saint Thomas

§  University of Texas System

o    Arlington

o    Austin

o    Brownsville

o    Dallas

o    El Paso

o    Pan American

o    Permian Basin

o    San Antonio

o    Tyler

o    Health Science Center at Houston

o    Health Science Center at San Antonio

o    Health Center at Tyler

o    M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

o    Medical Branch at Galveston

o    Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

§  University of the Incarnate Word

§  Wayland Baptist University

§  Wiley College

Utah

§  Brigham Young University

§  College of Eastern Utah

§  Dixie State College

§  Southern Utah University

§  University of Utah

§  Utah State University

§  Utah Valley State College

§  Weber State University

§  Western Governors University

§  Westminster College

Vermont

§  Bennington College

§  Burlington College

§  Castleton State University

§  Champlain College

§  College of St. Joseph

§  Goddard College

§  Green Mountain College

§  Johnson State College

§  Lyndon State College

§  Marlboro College

§  Middlebury College

§  Norwich University

§  Saint Michael’s College

§  School for International Training

§  Southern Vermont College

§  Sterling College

§  University of Vermont

§  Vermont Law School

§  Vermont Technical College

Virginia

§  Averett College

§  Bluefield College

§  Bridgewater College

§  Christendom College

§  Christopher Newport University

§  College of William and Mary

§  DeVry University-Crystal City

§  Eastern Mennonite University

§  Eastern Virginia Medical School

§  ECPI College of Technology

§  Emory & Henry College

§  Ferrum College

§  George Mason University

§  George Washington University-Virginia Campus

§  Hampden-Sydney College

§  Hampton University

§  Hollins University

§  Institute for the Psychological Sciences

§  Institute of Textile Technology

§  James Madison University

§  Jefferson College of Health Sciences

§  Liberty University

§  Longwood University

§  Lynchburg College

§  Marine Corps University

§  Mary Baldwin College

§  Marymount University

§  Norfolk State University

§  Old Dominion University

§  Radford University

§  Randolph-Macon College

§  Randolph-Macon Woman’s College

§  Regent University

§  Roanoke College

§  Saint Paul’s College

§  Shenandoah University

§  Sweet Briar College

§  United States Marine Corps University

§  University of Mary Washington

§  University of Richmond

§  University of Virginia

§  University of Virginia’s College at Wise

§  Virginia Commonwealth University

§  Virginia Intermont College

§  Virginia Military Institute

§  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

§  Virginia State University

§  Virginia Union University

§  Virginia Wesleyan College

§  Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary

§  Washington & Lee University

Washington

§  Antioch University-Seattle

§  Art Institute of Seattle

§  Bastyr University

§  Central Washington University

§  City University

§  Eastern Washington University

§  Evergreen State College

§  Gonzaga University

§  Heritage University

§  Northwest University

§  Pacific Lutheran University

§  St. Martin’s College

§  Seattle Pacific University

§  Seattle University

§  Trinity Lutheran College

§  University of Puget Sound

§  University of Washington

o    Bothell campus

o    Tacoma campus

§  Walla Walla College

§  Washington State University

o    Spokane campus

o    Tri-Cities campus

o    Vancouver campus

§  Western Washington University

§  Whitman College

§  Whitworth College

West Virginia

§  Alderson-Broaddus College

§  Bethany College

§  Bluefield State College

§  Concord University

§  Davis & Elkins College

§  Fairmont State College

§  Glenville State College

§  Marshall University

§  Mountain State University

§  Ohio Valley College

§  Salem International University

§  Shepherd University

§  University of Charleston

§  West Liberty State College

§  West Virginia State University

§  West Virginia University

§  West Virginia University Institute of Technology

§  West Virginia University at Parkersburg

§  West Virginia Wesleyan College

§  Wheeling Jesuit University

Wisconsin

§  Alverno College

§  Beloit College

§  Cardinal Stritch College

§  Carroll College

§  Carthage College

§  Concordia University-Wisconsin

§  Edgewood College

§  Herzing College

§  Lakeland College

§  Lawrence University

§  Maranatha Baptist Bible College

§  Marian College of Fond du Lac

§  Marquette University

§  Medical College of Wisconsin

§  Milwaukee School of Engineering

§  Mount Mary College

§  Northland College

§  Ripon College

§  St. Norbert College

§  Silver Lake College

§  University of Wisconsin System

o    Eau Claire

o    Green Bay

o    LaCrosse

o    Madison

o    Milwaukee

o    Oshkosh

o    Parkside

o    Platteville

o    River Falls

o    Stevens Point

o    Stout

o    Superior

o    Whitewater

§  Viterbo University

§  Wisconsin Lutheran College

§  Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology

Wyoming

§  University of Wyoming

Puerto Rico

§  American University of Puerto Rico

§  Antillean Adventist University

§  Caribbean University

§  Carlos Albizu University-San Juan

§  Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y el Caribe

§  Conservatorio de Msica de Puerto Rico

§  Escuela de Artes Plsticas de Puerto Rico

§  Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico

§  Ponce School of Medicine

§  Pontificia Universidad Catlica de Puerto Rico

§  Seminario Evanglico de Puerto Rico

§  Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mndez

o    Universidad del Este

o    Universidad Metropolitana

o    Universidad del Turabo

§  Universidad Central de Bayamn

§  Universidad Central del Caribe

§  Universidad del Sagrado Corazn

§  Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico

o    Aguadilla Campus

o    Arecibo Campus

o    Barranquitas Campus

o    Bayamn Campus

o    Fajardo Campus

o    Guayama Campus

o    Metropolitan Campus

o    Ponce Campus

o    San Germn Campus

o    School of Law

o    School of Optometry

§  University of Puerto Rico System

o    Aguadilla

o    Arecibo

o    Bayamn

o    Carolina

o    Cayey

o    Ciencias Mdicas

o    Humacao

o    Mayagez

o    Ponce

o    Ro Piedras

o    Utuado

Virgin Islands

§  University of the Virgin Islands

Guam

§  University of Guam

EduPlan on Eli Bravo's Radio Show

Our regular weekly segment, this week discussing the hot topic of virtual career fairs…

Sorry, En Espanol solamente!

Claudine Vainrub, Principal de EduPlan y Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 hablan de Ferias de Trabajo Virtuales

EduPlan on Eli Bravo's Radio Show

Our regular weekly segment, this week discussing the hot topic of virtual career fairs…

Sorry, En Espanol solamente!

Claudine Vainrub, Principal de EduPlan y Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 hablan de Ferias de Trabajo Virtuales

EduPlan on Eli Bravo’s Radio Show

Our regular weekly segment, this week discussing the hot topic of virtual career fairs…

Sorry, En Espanol solamente!

Claudine Vainrub, Principal de EduPlan y Eli Bravo en Actualidad 1020 hablan de Ferias de Trabajo Virtuales

U.S. News MBA Rankings

I confess I am not the biggest fan of the rankings. There is so much more to say about a business school program than the numbers it shows. Can you really express the way going through a top MBA program changes your life around by the “yield”? If a school goes up in the rankings, will this directly affect our MBA experience? How great will the impact of this rise in the rankings be in our career?

So why are we so hooked on the rankings? Why can’t we wait until they come out? Maybe it has to do with some good ‘ol USA competitive spirit. I guess we enjoy seeing our program cruising right on top of all the rest. And if it does not, we strive to make changes to make it happen the next time. However, is the evaluation fair? Can someone at U.S. News honestly say bias is not present?

Either way, for all of us out there who cannot be disconnected with this aspect of the MBA programs, here are the top 25 as per U.S. News’ latest report April 2009 – and the link to the U.S. News Article - http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/rankings

Rank 1	Harvard University
	Boston, MA
Rank 2	Stanford University
	Stanford, CA
Rank 3	Northwestern University (Kellogg)
	Evanston, IL
Rank 3	University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
	Philadelphia, PA
Rank 5	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
	Cambridge, MA
Rank 5	University of Chicago (Booth)
	Chicago, IL
Rank 7	University of California–Berkeley (Haas)
	Berkeley, CA
Rank 8	Dartmouth College (Tuck)
	Hanover, NH
Rank 9	Columbia University
	New York, NY
Rank 10	Yale University
	New Haven, CT
Rank 11	New York University (Stern)
	New York, NY
Rank 12	Duke University (Fuqua)
	Durham, NC
Rank 13	University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (Ross)
	Ann Arbor, MI
Rank 14	University of California–Los Angeles (Anderson)
	Los Angeles, CA
Rank 15	Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
	Pittsburgh, PA
Rank 15	University of Virginia (Darden)
	Charlottesville, VA
Rank 17	Cornell University (Johnson)
	Ithaca, NY
Rank 18	University of Texas–Austin (McCombs)
	Austin, TX
Rank 19	Georgetown University (McDonough)
	Washington, DC
Rank 20	University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)
	Chapel Hill, NC
Rank 20	University of Southern California (Marshall)
	Los Angeles, CA
Rank 22	Emory University (Goizueta)
	Atlanta, GA
Rank 22	Georgia Institute of Technology
	Atlanta, GA
Rank 22	Indiana University–Bloomington (Kelley)
	Bloomington, IN
Rank 22	Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
	St. Louis, MO

Writing a Winning MBA Essay

Strategies and thoughts to write a great essay for MBA Admissions

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and Principal of EduPlan

There are six essential parts in the MBA Admissions process – grades, GMAT scores, interview, recommendation letters, resume (work experience), and… the ESSAYS! This last one is the place where you can shine, your experience comes out and you can truly demonstrate who you are. Admissions committees want to know about you, what added value you bring to the  class, how you will work in teams and on your own. All this and more can be expressed through the MBA admissions essay.

Writing an MBA Essay requires you to bring forth all your astuteness, as you have to convince the admission officer as to why you so deserve selection and that you are not just any other student with a stand score. The very same thought is communicated in the article entitled ‘A Few Tips For Writing Strong MBA Essays’ in gmatcat.com, wherein the article state “Writing the essays really seems to be an exercise in marketing in the sense that the image that you communicate through your essays has to make you stand out from other candidates”

In short, your essay must reflect your personally and bring out how dynamic you are so that you really impress the person who reads it. So how do you really write out that outstanding essay? Let’s take a look.

- The first thing you need to do is look at your topic. What kind of topic is it? Is it a straightforward one or something complex? Once you done thing, you’ll know how much of research you have to put into it, what you need to bring out into the essay and how much time it would generally take. Deconstruct the question into smaller questions to ensure addressing every aspect the committee wants to learn more about.

- As you begin to collect your thoughts to put down the essay into paper, remember that you have to be original, but not bland. No one will feel like reading an essay that sounds like a boring lecture. You have to be creative and it’s how well you bring out a different approach that showcases your talents and your personality. According to the article ‘Top 10 Business School Essay Writing Tips’ in essayedge.com “You should certainly describe various aspects of your professional life–your leadership skills, your career trajectory, your triumph in the face of obstacles, and so on–but do so in language that is as accessible to your reader as it is to you”.

- Most often what students think best is to use complex words as it will make them seem knowledgeable and sophisticated. The reality is that only when you use such words in an appropriate context will they seem this way and not the other way round. Simple information written in a complex pattern isn’t intelligence, but showing off. Curb on this. “Admissions officers have to read hundreds of essays, and they must often skim”, ‘Top 10 Business School Essay Writing Tips’, essayedge.com.

- Actually this may sound a bit amazing, but admission officers will be looking mainly into the way your introduction intrigues them to push forward into the essay. You might have written an introduction when you started out, but think about changing this into something that’s interesting for the reader. Don’t give a boring summary of what’s ahead in the essay, instead write out in such a way that it motivates the reader to want to read what your essay as to say.

- As you write out your essay, maintain a logical flow of thought. This is important because it makes your essay understandable and also engaging. In the article ‘Essay Writing2′ on foreignmba.com, an admission officer states “If the first paragraph doesn’t fix my attention, like anyone I’m prone to skimming.”. So you have to keep this in mind while writing. Writing out a particular thought, experience or concept and then suddenly switching over to something else abruptly, and than taking a u-turn back to the first thought, may be different, but certainly not easy for the officer reading your essay. Essays with a proper flow of thought are easy-to-understand and bring out your personality in an impressive way, so follow on this point, while you write your paragraphs.

- Steer clear of conflicting opinions and also of bringing out yourself in a way more than you really ought to. In the article ‘Essay Writing2′ on foreignmba.com, an admission officer states “It is dangerous for a non-professional (especially a high school student) to attempt writing as though the essay will be presented at a professional conference.

- Finally the conclusion. The thing that students tend to do, when writing the conclusion is that they write out a summary of the essay, which is not what the reader wants as this is the part where you try to convince or impress them. Make your conclusion impressive by bring out the broader implications of the subject, use a quote that correctly points out to your argument’s strength, and link your conclusion to your it production to establish a balance in the thought process.

Remember to share your inner-self, be true to your values and passions and express yourself for who you are. Follow along these points and you can be sure of having a winning MBA Essay. Focus on bringing out your personality as one of the leader within yourself. According to Evan foster in essaysolutions.com “Top b-schools look for leaders and visionaries-people who are going to make a difference in the world.”  What difference will you make in the MBA program you enter and in the world?

Virtual Career Fairs & Job Search

Virtual Career Fairs – A valuable alternative when Job Searching?

With the Internet every day becoming more powerful to search for jobs, it is no wonder that companies seek to use it as the favorite media to connect with potential employees. There are many ways to make an acquaintance with a candidate through the internet, a new favorite one being virtual job fairs.

A couple of years back, I got an invitation to attend a B2B (business-to-business) virtual conference offered by MarketingProfs.com. I was astounded at the technology, a system powered by Webex that offered conferences all day long and an area where you could browse the sponsor stands, communicate with their representatives, except at the comfort of your own home. We had presentations to attend, where experts from the B2B world talked about marketing and other topics of interest for B2B corporations. It was a very interesting experience, one that emulated a live conference, but without paying air fair, dealing with exhausted exhibitors and long lines of attendees.

The MarketingProfs virtual conference allowed me to establish contact with firms that offered services I needed. I was able to network, get valuable information and follow up with contacts provided by this conference. Just for these reasons, it was worth it to me to attend. If you are a job seeker, a virtual job fair might help you achieve some interesting opportunities.

As more and more companies engage in virtual job fairs, acknowledging the reach the internet has, participating in these fairs can help you in finding a job. Companies like CareerBuilder, ChicagoJobs.com, Monster.com and others host virtual career fairs, managing the participation of sometimes 30 companies, and other times hundreds. Recruiters recognize the opportunity to use this media to cut recruiting costs, provide an effective way to meet candidates, cater to the younger segment of the population, and also maintain an image of being a cutting-edge company, among other things.

Using the internet is natural for the younger generations. It is to the advantage of the older generations then to become early adopters and be on top of job search market trends such as these virtual career fairs, to be taken under consideration when seeking opportunities.

Another great asset of virtual career fairs for both seekers and companies is the low cost it involves. However, since most of the communications will be written, job seekers need to be very mindful of the following:

1-      Make sure to have a superb resume developed before you join the virtual career fair. Unlike a live career fair, you will not have that one-on-one contact with the recruiter, where body language talks. Make sure that your presentation documents (resume, cover letter, all the information you are writing when communicating with the companies) make the first impression you need to create to open doors, not close them.

2-      Be on-time to the virtual presentations and events. When job seekers register late for events, this is recorded and could be perceived as unprofessional. No need to risk causing the wrong impression.

3-      Follow writing etiquette. Remember – it is a job interview, not some friendly chat. You are meeting employers who could be senior officers in the company you are targeting. You cannot “see” who you are talking to, so be especially respectful, and formal (which should be a norm in life, without any exception).

4-      Remember that this is one way to network, but it cannot be the only one. A virtual job fair can open doors, however, it will most probably not open “all” doors. We cannot expect to sit at home and join every single virtual career fair and find a job just like that. After the virtual career fair is over, follow up, find ways to connect in person with the employers you met and get a live interview.

If you are serious about your job search, this is an alternative job search tool you do not want to miss out on. Find your favorite search engine and look for virtual career or job fairs, you should find everyday more available to participate in. Sign up and start networking. Isn’t that what job search is all about?

A list of a few virtual career fairs available:

CareerBuilder Stimulus Hiring Virtual Career Fair – http://www.careerbuilder.com/stimuluscareerfair

NACE International Student Virtual Career Fair – http://asp.symplicity.com/nacelinkvcf/

Monster’s Virtual Career Fair for People with Disabilities – http://disabilitiescareerfair.monster.com/

JobNoggin’s Virtual Healthcare Career Fair – http://www.jobnoggin.com/careerfair/healthcare/

EduPlan in The Wall Street Journal

Alexandra Levit from The Wall Street Journal publishes opinions by Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan, regarding career assessments and how they can help you make a career transition successfully.

Check out the links to access free online assessments that will help you identify your skills, and provide ideas on how a career can change by exploring ramifications of your original course of study / work.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124010016486632137.html

Differentiating Yourself as a Job Seeker

How to maximize your opportunity to find employment in a tough job market
By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and Principal of EduPlan, LLC

We read the unemployment statistics and cringe at the thought of not finding opportunities. However, there are tools that can help us to stand out from our competition and gain notice in the minds of decision-makers. Here is a list of simple but effective things to do to get noticed in a positive and productive way:

1- Develop a professional resume
By researching the latest trends and knowing what market expectations are, not only we appear professional in front of recruiters, we also become cutting-edge careerists who are informed and have the ability to quickly learn and implement processes. A professional resume should be between 1 and 2 pages long, have a section regarding core competencies and a top section listing career highlights. It should not have very lengthy paragraphs anywhere – these are not of the liking of most corporate leaders, who will devote only a few seconds to glance at a resume before making a decision on whether to put it at the top or the bottom of the pile. Seek advice through resume guides developed by certified professional resume writers. Some include “Happy About My Resume” by Barbara Safani and “Resumes for the Rest of Us” by Arnold Boldt. Find and engage help from certified professional resume writers, associations and career centers who understand and can train you on how to write a compelling marketing document. Your resume should inform, but most importantly, it needs to “sell”. You provide a service that is valuable to corporations and this should be clear to a recruiter when gazing at the resume. Spend as long as you need developing a successful resume that becomes a door-opener.

2- Research the company
Conduct extensive research on the companies you apply to so that you understand who they really are and what they stand for. This will be useful throughout the application process, when developing a cover letter and interviewing. As you know the company in-depth, you will be able to ask relevant questions during the interview process and demonstrate your real interest in the corporation, by discussing their news, trends and insights with corporate decision-makers. Although we are in an unfavorable job market for job seekers, and desperation can arise when looking for jobs, the job search process does go both ways. As a job seeker, you need to review if the company you are applying to stands on high ethical and moral values, understands and appreciates diversity, seeks growth, treats its employees fairly, provides a product that truly satisfies a need and does not mock the customer, among other considerations. Knowing this will help you ensure that signing in with the company will be a decision you will not regret one day.

3- Develop a customized cover letter for each job posting
This does take hard work but is 100% necessary, if you want to get noticed. A canned cover letter could diminish your chances of achieving the interview, and worse than that, it might end up hurting you. To stand out from the crowd, an original but always professional cover letter can do the trick and get you an interview invite. It can demonstrate that you have gone further than just reading the ad, and learned what the company values, what the goals of the department you are applying to are, and how you can make a difference within that department. Each letter can take you an hour to complete, between research and the writing. But you will find that this is well-spent time that can bring great value to you as an applicant when seen from the eyes of a corporate manager who supports its organization. If you are able to effectively convey what you envision for the company and how you can make a difference, they could feel compelled to call you at least to ask you regarding ideas you have for the company and ways to implement them. If the company does not give you the job, they could consider you for a subcontracted project, and that represents an open door in itself.

4- Take time to customize your resume to the position you are applying for
When finding positions you have a lot in common with, do not limit yourself to customizing a cover letter. Go further and customize your resume to show that you have done several of the listed requirements for the position. This will help you get noticed for that job specifically, becoming a great candidate when showing that you have experience in several of the job characteristics.

5- Brand yourself
Through personal skills assessments available online at http://online.onetcenter.org and 360 assessments such as the EduPlan 361, we are able to determine our strengths and how we can bring added value to any environment. It is the set or combination of attributes that each one of us has that allows us to make a difference within a specific company in a way no other professional will. Knowing what our unique combination of traits is proves extremely beneficial to create a compelling presentation of who we are and why we should be hired. When utilizing personal branding, we empower ourselves to effectively broadcast our differentiators and how they support corporate growth process for any cutting-edge company. We find self-assurance and learn how to project it, developing a favorable image that speaks for itself. Knowing ourselves well and expressing our unique combination of strengths will support us in standing out from the crowd.

6- Maintain a “winner” attitude
The job search process can be daunting. Finding the courage to face rejection and continue pushing through the process is of the essence, when seeking job search success. We must know that this is a process that will end in a job – sooner or later, we will find the right opportunity and a company will recognize us as the right person to be hired. However, usually, we will need to knock a lot of doors before one fully opens up for us. With a great attitude, high spirits and self-assurance, we will convince others of our skill, our leading and team collaboration capacity and interest in career growth.

Taking the job process as a full-time job + is a must these days. Forget the statistics, we must focus on our capacities and trust our perseveration, impetus and hard-work philosophy. The hiring decision cannot be controlled by the job seeker. However, being creative about the process and utilizing all available resources and time to proactively seek opportunities, while keeping a positive mind, are things we surely can grasp and that can make a big difference in the job search process. It is within us to take the steps to become successful job seekers and soon-to-be employees and corporate leaders.

Radio interview on Early College Planning

Our weekly radio magazine with Eli Bravo in Actualidad 1020 AM and Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan.

Interview on Early College Planning, how early should we start, what are the advantages of starting during the middle school years.

Entrevista acerca de planificacion universitaria temprana, cuanto es lo antes que debemos empezar a planificar para ir a la universidad, cuales son los beneficios de planificar temprano.

Entrevista con Eli Bravo acerca de Planificacion Temprana para ir a la Universidad

CNN Interviews EduPlan

Here is our most recent CNN interview on job search tools and how to best present yourself when meeting employers. The interview was conducted with Gabriela Frias – sorry, only available in Spanish.

Nuestra mas reciente entrevista con CNN en Espanol, tratando los temas de elaboracion de resumes u hojas de vida, cartas de presentacion, y como presentarse efectivamente frente a companias empleadoras.

CNN Interviews EduPlan – 3/24/09

Here is our most recent CNN interview on job search tools and how to best present yourself when meeting employers. The interview was conducted with Gabriela Frias – sorry, only available in Spanish.

Nuestra mas reciente entrevista con CNN en Espanol, tratando los temas de elaboracion de resumes u hojas de vida, cartas de presentacion, y como presentarse efectivamente frente a companias empleadoras.

Early College Planning

How early can we start planning for college?

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA and Principal of EduPlan

Many of us consider that starting to think about a college education is something to be looked at when students are in their senior years of high school. However, this is a myth, and it is most certainly not correct. It’s actually better to start plans and preparations for college much earlier. Actually the right time to being thinking about college is around the sixth or the seventh grade. Why?

This is the time when a student’s skills and abilities start getting shaped up. They are given opportunities to enhance their talents and skills, as this is the time for joining extracurricular activities. This is also the time when students start to discover likes and dislikes for disciplines and areas of study. It is an important time in the life of a student regarding self-discovery and assessment.

When starting to plan about how to get best prepared for college,we become more focused, sharp and develop life skills sooner. Some of us are even able to establish short, mid-term and long-term goals that will help us keep our center and not fall into bad habits. With a goal in our mind, we are more likely to keep on track and not divert to the many dangers high school peer pressure brings. All this helps when the time comes for us not only to begin vigorous preparations for college but also to succeed throughout the process.

Planning early for college needs considerable thought. Here is a look at how you need to prepare yourself throughout your high school years, so that you come out with the best grades and enroll into a college of your choice.

Preparations in the Sixth Grade

Freshman year in middle school is the time to get organized about studies and prepare yourself mentally for what’s ahead for you. Your study time must be well organized, as such habits set in clearly now and become high useful in later years. You also need to:

* Enroll in extracurricular activities that will be helpful for later, and especially when you apply for college. The sixth and the seventh grade is the time to think and get started in this.

* Enroll in school programs that help to enhance academic skills. Some subjects are easy, while some take time to understand. A strong foundation is very important to get good grades throughout high school. So, check out academic programs that enhance your skills and abilities equally in all subjects of study.

* Take a career assessment to learn more about your skills, likes and dislikes. There are many free online assessments, simple enough for students in the sixth and seventh grade, that will also support this goal. One of these can be found in the skills area of O*Net – http://online.onetcenter.org

* Start reviewing career choices with the student, understanding what is available, what careers are in demand and how the interests of the students can apply to the many professional fields and choices. For example, a student that enjoys writing can end up being a fiction novel writer, a journalist or also a screenwriter, or a myriad of professions that fit that interest. We need to research what the options are so as to broaden the perspective of that student.

Preparations in Eighth Grade

In the eighth grade it’s time to think about taking challenging academic courses. At this point it is important to consult with the school counselors so that you can take the right decision. A 4-year plan will make all the difference in the world between achieving admission in a top school or not. If you are aiming to demanding universities and colleges, planning ahead the curriculum of the four years of high school is not only important, it is imperative. Often times, we see students not satisfying minimum curriculum requirements to enter colleges, thus not being able to even apply. Eight grade is the moment to start reviewing all requirements for the type of schools we are aiming for. When having this information, we can team up with our guidance counselor in our high school and ensure that we are doing everything possible to satisfy requirements and meet the needs of the college curriculum through our high school curriculum completion. For example, some students need to by mindful of taking Algebra I as early as in eight grade, to open as many opportunities as possible. When not doing so, they are unknowingly closing some doors.

Eight grade is also the time to start to consider taking AP courses and figuring out when in high school we will want to do so, to enhance college admissions results. AP courses also save us money that we pay at a lower fee for college credit, something to think about when tuition costs are rising.

Preparations in Junior High School

Junior high is the time to study and prepare for PSAT and sometimes even the SAT and ACT admissions exams. We will need to start thinking about extracurricular work, community work, specialization areas and leadership opportunities. It is of the essence to prepare ourselves to achieve top grades, and focus on working hard at school. Challenging ourselves with tough courses and getting the best possible GPA. Taking easy courses and getting all A’s might not favor us – what helps in entering top schools is to take tough courses and get A’s. But as we know, this is easier said than done. However, it is the moment to engage help if needed and take your education to the next level, gaining solid study skills and habits. Here what you also need to look into:

* If you are a member in a club, consider taking on leadership roles here. This will help to bring out your personality and help you to understand how to plan and be well-organized. Junior high school is the time to take on such roles and responsibilities.

* Junior high is the time to concentrate more in academics and personality development. Doing voluntary work is a good thing at this time, as this gets you across to different social situations and people.
When beginning the college admissions process early, we take care of one essential part of the whole process – the stress factor. We feel stress for the unknown, as we drive through the unchartered territory of what it is like to apply for college. When starting early, we give time to ourselves to research and learn about all details of the process, and the stress factor should shrink. We also start preparing ourselves financially for going to college, thinking ahead of ways to save ourselves from ending up with too many loans and too little scholarship money. In our sophomore and junior years, we can already begin applying for merit scholarships. Starting early is not only important for our mind, it is also beneficial for our pocket!

Why should we start early learning about the college admissions process? The real question is can we afford not to…

Radio Interview on Job Search Methods with Eli Bravo

Our weekly radio show with Eli Bravo, to discuss the different job search methodologies and how to tackle them. What works, what does not, and how to maximize return on investment when seeking the right career opportunity.

Nuestra entrevista semanal con Eli Bravo para conversar acerca de las diferentes metodologias de busqueda de trabajo, que funciona mejor, y como maximizar el retorno a la inversion de tiempo cuando buscamos la oportunidad de carrera optima.

Interview with Eli Bravo on Job Search Methodologies

Radio Interview on Scholarships and Financial Aid with Eli Bravo

Our weekly radio magazine with Eli Bravo in Actualidad 1020 AM and Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan.

Interview on Financial Aid options, scholarships and ways to achieve college and graduate school funding.

Entrevista acerca de opciones de ayuda financiera, becas y formas de obtener fondos para la educacion universitaria y de postgrados.

Interview on Financial Aid and Scholarship Options

EduPlan posts: MBA's that accept the GRE for admissions

Did you know that some MBA Programs accept the GRE instead of the GMAT as part of the admissions process? Yes! For some of us that have trouble achieving a good GMAT score, now the GRE is also an option. Here is a list of the Universities across the U.S. and all over the world that accept the GRE also for admissions, as cited by ETS:

United States
* Adams State College
* Adelphi University
* Alaska Pacific University
* Alvernia University
* American Jewish University
* Antioch University New England
* Arcadia University
* Augsburg College
* Azusa Pacific University
* Baker College Center for Graduate Studies
* Baldwin Wallace College
* Bay Path College
* Bellhaven College
* Bob Jones University
* Brenau University
* California Baptist University
* California State University – Chico
* California State University – Stanislaus
* Campbellsville University
* Capitol College
* Capital University
* Christian Brothers University
* City University of Seattle
* Clark University
* Clarkson University
* Clemson University
* Cleveland State University
* College of St. Scholastica
* Colorado State University – Ft Collins
* Concordia University – Portland
* Cumberland University
* Davenport University – Grand Rapids
* DeVry University, Oakbrook Terrace
* Dominican University of California
* Drury University
* Everglades University
* Fairmont State University
* Ferris State University
* Fitchburg State College
* Florida Atlantic University
* Florida Institute of Technology
* Florida International University
* Florida Southern College
* Frostburg State University
* Geneva College
* Georgia Southern University
* Georgia Southwestern State University
* Goldey Beacom College
* Harvard Business School 2+2 Program
* Hofstra University
* Humboldt State University
* Indiana University of Pennsylvania
* International Technological University
* Jacksonville University
* John Brown University
* Johns Hopkins University
* Johnson & Wales University
* Kansas Wesleyan University
* Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
* Malone College
* Massachusetts Institute of Technology
* Mercyhurst College
* Mesa State College
* Morehead State University
* Murray State University
* National University – California
* Naval Postgraduate School
* Northern Kentucky University
* North Park University
* Northwest Christian College
* Northwood University
* Nova Southeastern University
* Oklahoma Christian University
* Oklahoma City University
* Oral Roberts University
* Oregon State University – Corvallis
* Our Lady of the Lake University – San Antonio
* Pacific Lutheran University
* Pacific States University
* Park University
* Pfeiffer University
* Piedmont College – Demorest
* Point Park University
* Regent University – DC
* Rice University (EMBA Program)
* Rochester Institute of Technology
* Rollins College
* Rowan University – Glassboro
* Rutgers University (EMBA Program)- New Brunswick
* Saint Peters College
* Salve Regina University
* Shenandoah University
* Southern Utah University
* Southern Wesleyan University
* Southwestern Adventist University
* St Ambrose University
* St Edwards University
* St Thomas University
* Stanford University
* Stevens Institute of Technology
* Strayer Education, Inc.
* Sul Ross State University
* Sullivan University
* SUNY at Stony Brook
* Tarleton State University – Stephenville
* Texas A&M International University
* Texas A&M University – Commerce
* Troy University – Troy
* Troy University – Atlantic Region
* Troy University – Dothan
* Troy University – Montgomery
* Troy University – Phenix City
* University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
* University of Alabama at Birmingham
* University of Arkansas – Fayetteville
* University of California, Los Angeles (EMBA Program)
* University of Central Florida
* University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
* University of Dallas
* University of Florida
* University of Houston – Victoria
* University of Memphis
* University of New Hampshire
* University of New Haven (EMBA Program)
* University of New Mexico
* University of North Alabama
* University of Northern Virginia
* University of North Texas
* University of Oregon (EMBA Program)
* University of Redlands – Burbank
* University of Redlands – Orange County
* University of Redlands – Rancho Cucamonga
* University of Redlands – Redlands
* University of Redlands – Riverside
* University of Redlands – San Diego
* University of Redlands – Temecula
* University of Redlands – Torrance
* University of Rhode Island
* University of South Carolina – Columbia
* University of Texas at Brownsville
* University of Utah
* University of the Incarnate Word
* University of Vermont
* University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
* University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
* University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh
* Upper Iowa University
* Utah State University
* Wayland Baptist University
* Webster University
* Wesleyan College – Georgia
* Westwood College – Los Angeles
* West Texas A&M University
* Widener University
* Willamette University
* Wingate University
* York College of Penn
Belgium
* United International Business Schools – Antwerp International Business School
* United International Business Schools – Brussels Business School
Canada
* Queen’s School of Business
* Univ of New Brunswick, Saint John
China
* China Europe International Business School
Costa Rica
* INCAE Business School
Germany
* Troy State University European Region
India
* Aegis School of Business
* Lovely Professional University & MBA
Italy
* Alma Graduate School
* European School of Economics
* University of Trento
Japan
* Sophia University
Norway
* Norwegian School of Economic and Business Administration
Pakistan
* National University of Computer & Engineering Science
Puerto Rico
* Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Spain
* Barcelona School of Economics
* Instituto De Empresa
* Madrid Business School – International University of Southern Europe
* United International Business Schools – Barcelona Business School
* United International Business Schools – Valencia International Business School

Thailand
* Asian Institute of Technology
* Yonok College
Turkey
* Izmir University of Economics
* Sabanci University

For more information on taking the GRE instead of the GMAT, contact EduPlan at info@eduplan.us

EduPlan posts: MBA's that accept the GRE for admissions

Did you know that some MBA Programs accept the GRE instead of the GMAT as part of the admissions process? Yes! For some of us that have trouble achieving a good GMAT score, now the GRE is also an option. Here is a list of the Universities across the U.S. and all over the world that accept the GRE also for admissions, as cited by ETS:

United States
* Adams State College
* Adelphi University
* Alaska Pacific University
* Alvernia University
* American Jewish University
* Antioch University New England
* Arcadia University
* Augsburg College
* Azusa Pacific University
* Baker College Center for Graduate Studies
* Baldwin Wallace College
* Bay Path College
* Bellhaven College
* Bob Jones University
* Brenau University
* California Baptist University
* California State University – Chico
* California State University – Stanislaus
* Campbellsville University
* Capitol College
* Capital University
* Christian Brothers University
* City University of Seattle
* Clark University
* Clarkson University
* Clemson University
* Cleveland State University
* College of St. Scholastica
* Colorado State University – Ft Collins
* Concordia University – Portland
* Cumberland University
* Davenport University – Grand Rapids
* DeVry University, Oakbrook Terrace
* Dominican University of California
* Drury University
* Everglades University
* Fairmont State University
* Ferris State University
* Fitchburg State College
* Florida Atlantic University
* Florida Institute of Technology
* Florida International University
* Florida Southern College
* Frostburg State University
* Geneva College
* Georgia Southern University
* Georgia Southwestern State University
* Goldey Beacom College
* Harvard Business School 2+2 Program
* Hofstra University
* Humboldt State University
* Indiana University of Pennsylvania
* International Technological University
* Jacksonville University
* John Brown University
* Johns Hopkins University
* Johnson & Wales University
* Kansas Wesleyan University
* Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
* Malone College
* Massachusetts Institute of Technology
* Mercyhurst College
* Mesa State College
* Morehead State University
* Murray State University
* National University – California
* Naval Postgraduate School
* Northern Kentucky University
* North Park University
* Northwest Christian College
* Northwood University
* Nova Southeastern University
* Oklahoma Christian University
* Oklahoma City University
* Oral Roberts University
* Oregon State University – Corvallis
* Our Lady of the Lake University – San Antonio
* Pacific Lutheran University
* Pacific States University
* Park University
* Pfeiffer University
* Piedmont College – Demorest
* Point Park University
* Regent University – DC
* Rice University (EMBA Program)
* Rochester Institute of Technology
* Rollins College
* Rowan University – Glassboro
* Rutgers University (EMBA Program)- New Brunswick
* Saint Peters College
* Salve Regina University
* Shenandoah University
* Southern Utah University
* Southern Wesleyan University
* Southwestern Adventist University
* St Ambrose University
* St Edwards University
* St Thomas University
* Stanford University
* Stevens Institute of Technology
* Strayer Education, Inc.
* Sul Ross State University
* Sullivan University
* SUNY at Stony Brook
* Tarleton State University – Stephenville
* Texas A&M International University
* Texas A&M University – Commerce
* Troy University – Troy
* Troy University – Atlantic Region
* Troy University – Dothan
* Troy University – Montgomery
* Troy University – Phenix City
* University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
* University of Alabama at Birmingham
* University of Arkansas – Fayetteville
* University of California, Los Angeles (EMBA Program)
* University of Central Florida
* University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
* University of Dallas
* University of Florida
* University of Houston – Victoria
* University of Memphis
* University of New Hampshire
* University of New Haven (EMBA Program)
* University of New Mexico
* University of North Alabama
* University of Northern Virginia
* University of North Texas
* University of Oregon (EMBA Program)
* University of Redlands – Burbank
* University of Redlands – Orange County
* University of Redlands – Rancho Cucamonga
* University of Redlands – Redlands
* University of Redlands – Riverside
* University of Redlands – San Diego
* University of Redlands – Temecula
* University of Redlands – Torrance
* University of Rhode Island
* University of South Carolina – Columbia
* University of Texas at Brownsville
* University of Utah
* University of the Incarnate Word
* University of Vermont
* University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
* University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
* University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh
* Upper Iowa University
* Utah State University
* Wayland Baptist University
* Webster University
* Wesleyan College – Georgia
* Westwood College – Los Angeles
* West Texas A&M University
* Widener University
* Willamette University
* Wingate University
* York College of Penn
Belgium
* United International Business Schools – Antwerp International Business School
* United International Business Schools – Brussels Business School
Canada
* Queen’s School of Business
* Univ of New Brunswick, Saint John
China
* China Europe International Business School
Costa Rica
* INCAE Business School
Germany
* Troy State University European Region
India
* Aegis School of Business
* Lovely Professional University & MBA
Italy
* Alma Graduate School
* European School of Economics
* University of Trento
Japan
* Sophia University
Norway
* Norwegian School of Economic and Business Administration
Pakistan
* National University of Computer & Engineering Science
Puerto Rico
* Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Spain
* Barcelona School of Economics
* Instituto De Empresa
* Madrid Business School – International University of Southern Europe
* United International Business Schools – Barcelona Business School
* United International Business Schools – Valencia International Business School

Thailand
* Asian Institute of Technology
* Yonok College
Turkey
* Izmir University of Economics
* Sabanci University

For more information on taking the GRE instead of the GMAT, contact EduPlan at info@eduplan.us

EduPlan posts: MBA’s that accept the GRE for admissions

Did you know that some MBA Programs accept the GRE instead of the GMAT as part of the admissions process? Yes! For some of us that have trouble achieving a good GMAT score, now the GRE is also an option. Here is a list of the Universities across the U.S. and all over the world that accept the GRE also for admissions, as cited by ETS:

United States
* Adams State College
* Adelphi University
* Alaska Pacific University
* Alvernia University
* American Jewish University
* Antioch University New England
* Arcadia University
* Augsburg College
* Azusa Pacific University
* Baker College Center for Graduate Studies
* Baldwin Wallace College
* Bay Path College
* Bellhaven College
* Bob Jones University
* Brenau University
* California Baptist University
* California State University – Chico
* California State University – Stanislaus
* Campbellsville University
* Capitol College
* Capital University
* Christian Brothers University
* City University of Seattle
* Clark University
* Clarkson University
* Clemson University
* Cleveland State University
* College of St. Scholastica
* Colorado State University – Ft Collins
* Concordia University – Portland
* Cumberland University
* Davenport University – Grand Rapids
* DeVry University, Oakbrook Terrace
* Dominican University of California
* Drury University
* Everglades University
* Fairmont State University
* Ferris State University
* Fitchburg State College
* Florida Atlantic University
* Florida Institute of Technology
* Florida International University
* Florida Southern College
* Frostburg State University
* Geneva College
* Georgia Southern University
* Georgia Southwestern State University
* Goldey Beacom College
* Harvard Business School 2+2 Program
* Hofstra University
* Humboldt State University
* Indiana University of Pennsylvania
* International Technological University
* Jacksonville University
* John Brown University
* Johns Hopkins University
* Johnson & Wales University
* Kansas Wesleyan University
* Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
* Malone College
* Massachusetts Institute of Technology
* Mercyhurst College
* Mesa State College
* Morehead State University
* Murray State University
* National University – California
* Naval Postgraduate School
* Northern Kentucky University
* North Park University
* Northwest Christian College
* Northwood University
* Nova Southeastern University
* Oklahoma Christian University
* Oklahoma City University
* Oral Roberts University
* Oregon State University – Corvallis
* Our Lady of the Lake University – San Antonio
* Pacific Lutheran University
* Pacific States University
* Park University
* Pfeiffer University
* Piedmont College – Demorest
* Point Park University
* Regent University – DC
* Rice University (EMBA Program)
* Rochester Institute of Technology
* Rollins College
* Rowan University – Glassboro
* Rutgers University (EMBA Program)- New Brunswick
* Saint Peters College
* Salve Regina University
* Shenandoah University
* Southern Utah University
* Southern Wesleyan University
* Southwestern Adventist University
* St Ambrose University
* St Edwards University
* St Thomas University
* Stanford University
* Stevens Institute of Technology
* Strayer Education, Inc.
* Sul Ross State University
* Sullivan University
* SUNY at Stony Brook
* Tarleton State University – Stephenville
* Texas A&M International University
* Texas A&M University – Commerce
* Troy University – Troy
* Troy University – Atlantic Region
* Troy University – Dothan
* Troy University – Montgomery
* Troy University – Phenix City
* University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
* University of Alabama at Birmingham
* University of Arkansas – Fayetteville
* University of California, Los Angeles (EMBA Program)
* University of Central Florida
* University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
* University of Dallas
* University of Florida
* University of Houston – Victoria
* University of Memphis
* University of New Hampshire
* University of New Haven (EMBA Program)
* University of New Mexico
* University of North Alabama
* University of Northern Virginia
* University of North Texas
* University of Oregon (EMBA Program)
* University of Redlands – Burbank
* University of Redlands – Orange County
* University of Redlands – Rancho Cucamonga
* University of Redlands – Redlands
* University of Redlands – Riverside
* University of Redlands – San Diego
* University of Redlands – Temecula
* University of Redlands – Torrance
* University of Rhode Island
* University of South Carolina – Columbia
* University of Texas at Brownsville
* University of Utah
* University of the Incarnate Word
* University of Vermont
* University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
* University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
* University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh
* Upper Iowa University
* Utah State University
* Wayland Baptist University
* Webster University
* Wesleyan College – Georgia
* Westwood College – Los Angeles
* West Texas A&M University
* Widener University
* Willamette University
* Wingate University
* York College of Penn
Belgium
* United International Business Schools – Antwerp International Business School
* United International Business Schools – Brussels Business School
Canada
* Queen’s School of Business
* Univ of New Brunswick, Saint John
China
* China Europe International Business School
Costa Rica
* INCAE Business School
Germany
* Troy State University European Region
India
* Aegis School of Business
* Lovely Professional University & MBA
Italy
* Alma Graduate School
* European School of Economics
* University of Trento
Japan
* Sophia University
Norway
* Norwegian School of Economic and Business Administration
Pakistan
* National University of Computer & Engineering Science
Puerto Rico
* Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Spain
* Barcelona School of Economics
* Instituto De Empresa
* Madrid Business School – International University of Southern Europe
* United International Business Schools – Barcelona Business School
* United International Business Schools – Valencia International Business School

Thailand
* Asian Institute of Technology
* Yonok College
Turkey
* Izmir University of Economics
* Sabanci University

For more information on taking the GRE instead of the GMAT, contact EduPlan at info@eduplan.us

Metodos para la busqueda de trabajo efectiva en tiempos de recesion

Métodos para la búsqueda de trabajo efectiva en tiempos de recesión
Por Claudine Vainrub, MBA

Si estamos entonados con la economía actual, entendemos que es el momento de buscar trabajo de diferentes formas, para lograr resultados. Atacar el mercado por varios ángulos dará mayores resultados actualmente, frente a la gran competencia por empleo y la falta del mismo. A continuación delineamos algunas opciones de herramientas para buscar empleo:

La prensa sigue siendo un medio por el cual logramos obtener información acerca de trabajos en oferta. Aun cuando los cuerpos dedicados a los avisos clasificados son hoy por hoy más delgados, las compañías siguen publicando avisos por via de los principales periódicos citadinos y de distribución nacional. Semanarios comunitarios, como por ejemplo “El Venezolaño” o “Colombia al día” u otros diarios de las variadas comunidades latinoamericanas en USA también publican avisos clasificados en los cuales se ofrecen posiciones variadas de empleo. Aun cuando este es un medio que se ha vuelto menos popular en los últimos años, sigue siendo efectivo.

Los portales de trabajo en la internet ofrecen numerosas posiciones por cubrir e información acerca de compañías que buscan empleados. Tenemos una gama de servicios a los que nos podemos suscribir para recibir información diaria de empleos, incluyendo Monster.com, Craig’s List, CareerBuilder, Jobing, LatPro, y un sinnúmero de otros sitios en la web donde los empleadores publicitan posiciones abiertas. Asimismo, existen este tipo de portales dedicados a nichos industriales y vocacionales como farmaceutas, asistentes farmaceutas, ingenieros – engineers.net, profesores de colegio greatteacher.net, entre muchos dedicados. Es recomendable que busquemos trabajo por la internet en ambos portales, tanto los dedicados como los no dedicados, escogiendo al menos dos tipos de carreras.

Las ferias de trabajo permiten ponerse cara-a-cara con empleadores, entregar un resume en persona y abrir oportunidades. Aun cuando los trabajos ofrecidos no sean exactamente lo que estamos preparados para hacer, podemos establecer contactos con profesionales involucrados en la toma de decisiones para empresas que nos pueden abrir puertas hacia el futuro. Para ser efectivo en una feria de trabajo, debemos investigar quienes son las empresas participantes de la misma, cuáles son sus características y crear una estrategia de movimiento en la feria para que el tiempo rinda efectivamente y se logre tocar la mayor cantidad de puertas posible. Debemos solicitar una tarjeta de presentación del expositor y entregar un resume profesional en papel de resume de 30 o 32 lb. (ambos funcionan). Es importante visualizar nuestras cualificaciones personales para lograr transferirlas a otros trabajos que puedan resultar buenas oportunidades, pero en los que no hemos tenido experiencia previa. De esta forma, demostraremos al representante de la compañía que si podemos estar preparados para asumir las responsabilidades de la posición ofrecida, aun cuando no tenemos experiencia previa directa en la misma.

Buscar reclutadores profesionales y agencias de empleo ubicados en su ciudad o a nivel nacional puede ser efectivo, especialmente si dichas agencias se especializan en el ramo industrial de nuestra dedicación. Si estamos involucrados con Tecnologías Informativas, los reclutadores de esta área pueden ser sumamente útiles para conseguir oportunidades de entrevista. Ellos pueden poseer un listado de oportunidades específicamente dirigidas a nuestro target. Puede ser un peligro solicitar servicios de agencias de reclutamiento que operan al revés, solicitando los gastos de contratación sean pagados por el candidato. Antes de entrar en una relación con una agencia de reclutamiento, es de suma importancia chequear su reputación y conducta ética, además de su membrecía en asociaciones lideres que agrupan a reclutadores, tales como NAPS – National Association of Personnel Services y el SHRM – Society of Human Resources Management.

Establecer relaciones con allegados y hacer a todos alrededor de uno saber que buscamos trabajo, puede ser de las formas más efectivas de conseguir una posición. Esta metodología debe acompañarnos a través de nuestras carreras, permitiendo desarrollo profesional. Hoy en día, las relaciones interpersonales no solo se establecen frente a frente, sino también por internet a través de portales sociales de negocios. Estos portales proveen una oportunidad de establecer relaciones profesionales con individuos que tienen cosas en común con nosotros. LinkedIn, iHispano, Twitter, brindan el chance de conectarse con profesionales que toman decisiones y pueden estar pasivamente buscando empleados, quizás no para un futuro inmediato, pero cercano.

Otra forma efectiva de establecer relaciones de negocios es a través de pertenecer a asociaciones que se dedican a actividades en el gremio al que pertenecemos. Al hacernos miembros y activar en estas asociaciones, trabajamos junto con individuos que tienen carreras en común con nosotros y que pueden estar empleados en ese momento. De estas relaciones, podemos no solo desarrollar nuevos contactos, sino también aprender formas alternas de llevar nuestra labor efectivamente dentro de nuestra empresa empleadora.

Pero cómo enfrentar efectivamente nuestra candidatura a compañías?

Para esto, debemos ir mas allá en todo el proceso de búsqueda de trabajo, logrando captar positivamente la atención de las empresas. Para lograr este objetivo, el primer paso es la creación de un resume profesional. Este resume debe tener las características de un documento de mercadeo, más que informativo. Debe destacar nuestros logros, y los aspectos de nuestro profesionalismo e historial profesional que nos distinguen de otros candidatos que se han ubicado en las mismas posiciones que hemos ocupado nosotros en el pasado. Es de suma importancia no mentir ni exagerar en el resume. CEO’s de grandes compañías han sido despedidos de sus puestos por conseguir años después mentiras en sus resumes u hojas de vida. Siempre con la verdad por delante, debemos publicitar los logros que hemos tenido con nuestros empleadores, ilustrándolos con números y verbos activos que permitan rápidamente entender por que somos excelentes candidatos.

Si nos es difícil elaborar un resume profesional con los requisitos actuales del mercado, existen numerosas agencias sin fines de lucro que nos pueden ayudar. Por otro lado, existen escritores profesionales de resumes certificados que son expertos en realizar esta labor exitosamente. Estos profesionales se agrupan en las asociaciones de escritores de resumes, como la National Resume Writers’ Association – NRWA y la Professional Association of Resume Writers – PARW. Los resume writers certificados poseen la información más actualizada acerca de cómo escribir resumes profesionales, cuales formatos son efectivos y como mejorar visibilidad profesional.

Presentarnos como generalistas puede ser de ventaja en este momento. Al expresar nuestra posibilidad a empresas de hacer distintas cosas a la vez y gerenciar varias asignaturas al momento, nos volvemos más atractivos para compañías que buscan un empleador que cubre varias funciones juntas. Asimismo, demostramos nuestra capacidad de crecer con la posición y con la compañía.

En el momento de establecer relaciones y presentar la candidatura, la empresa será abierta a escuchar que valor agregado traemos a la mesa. En vez de tener una actitud que expresa “que puede la empresa ofrecerme?” la actitud debe ser “esto es lo que puedo ofrecer yo al ser empleado”. Demostrar cuales pueden ser los resultados que brindaremos a la compañía hace nuestra candidatura más atractiva para las corporaciones.

Estos detalles deben compartirse en el formato de una carta de presentación y durante el proceso de entrevista. Es de suma importancia saber detalles y el historial de la compañía antes de enviar una carta de presentación, la cual será mucho más solida en caso de brindar esta información. Algunos candidatos van más allá y buscan formas de traer alguna propuesta de ataque para un área específica, demostrando su capacidad analítica. Se puede incluir algunos puntos de la propuesta en la carta de presentación también. Sin embargo, esta propuesta completa no debe ser enviada junto con la carta de presentación, sino entregada en persona en el momento de la entrevista. Tampoco debe ser exageradamente extensa, con 3-4 páginas máximo de análisis, será suficiente para demostrar el verdadero interés del candidato.

En el caso de no conseguir el puesto al presentar un proyecto especial como el mencionado, al menos tendremos la posibilidad de optar por una posición de consultor externo dirigiendo la propuesta entregada, si es del interés de la compañía. Buscar trabajo como subcontratado o a tiempo parcial puede ayudarnos a subsidiar nuestros gastos mensuales mientras conseguimos una oportunidad a tiempo completo.

Prepararnos para el proceso de entrevistas es crucial. Para ello, es efectivo solicitar ayuda a una segunda persona con el objeto de practicar preguntas de entrevista y recibir feedback acerca de cómo hemos contestado. Se consigue ayuda profesional en esta área, de ser necesaria, a través de numerosos asesores vocacionales también dedicados al proceso de entrevistas. Estos se ubican igualmente en las asociaciones de escritores de resumes profesionales. Debemos estar informados acerca de las necesidades de la posición para la cual nos estamos entrevistando y las características de la empresa. Asimismo, debemos traer preguntas dirigidas al entrevistador, demostrando nuestro interés en la compañía y la posición.

Para presentar una candidatura efectivamente, es favorable demostrar como continuamos con nuestro proceso de crecimiento académico y de habilidades. Nuestra educación debe seguir y es momento de establecer cuáles son nuestras aéreas críticas que requieren de trabajo y mejoramiento. Si nuestro nivel de ingles es pobre, es momento de buscar ayuda y superar este punto. Si nuestros conocimientos de computación no están a la altura, también debemos buscar apoyo en ponernos al día con las nuevas tecnologías. Si tenemos faltas de recursos para continuar nuestro proceso educativo, es importante utilizar los recursos ofrecidos en la internet y a través de organizaciones sin fines de lucro para recibir la instrucción necesaria. Si no hemos completado un grado universitario, la administración actual en USA nos permite programas de ayuda financiera con los cuales podemos apoyarnos para costear los gastos universitarios. Algunos programas que ofrecen estos servicios y/o nos podrían informar respecto a financiar nuestra educación superior son TRIO, Gear Up y Upward Bound.

Considerar una nueva profesión técnica e iniciar sus estudios puede abrir oportunidades de carrera a mediano plazo. Muchas de estas profesiones son ofrecidas como programas de estudio en las noches, lo cual permite mantener un horario de trabajo de día en una carrera alternativa hasta recibir el grado.

Las empresas buscan empleados con actitud positiva, energía y capacidad de emprendimiento. Aun cuando este proceso puede resultar desmoralizante, la constante debe ser nuestro dinamismo y optimismo. Para ello, cualquier trabajo momentáneo nos permite mantener el ánimo y las ganas de seguir luchando, con la meta al frente. Con expectativas realistas y actitud de perseverancia, podremos lograr nuestros fines en reclutamiento. Esto demostrara confianza en nuestras habilidades a los empleadores, volviéndonos más atractivos profesionalmente en el proceso. Y pronto, cuando esta meta sea superada, podremos ver hacia atrás y sentir orgullo de haber llevado este proceso de forma optima, venciendo un fuerte reto con la mente en alto, e impulsando nuestra carrera hacia nuevos horizontes.

CNN en Espanol Interviews EduPlan

Here is a recent CNN interview we would like to share with you regarding what to do to enhance your Job Search results!

March 6, 2009

More Testimonials

Please read some more success stories directly from the pen of EduPlan customers…

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Applying to a Master´s Degree can be very confusing and overwhelming. With Eduplan´s support throughout this process I felt completely oriented and empowered.

Claudine was always there to answer my multiple questions, boost my application requirements, coach me for interviews and give me the best advice for my academic, professional and even personal life!

I received a merit-based scholarship at NYU´s Wagner School of Public Service, without requesting it. Getting this announcement was one of the most exciting moments in my life, and I really thank Claudine for being a great part of this major achievement.

Claudine is a person whom I really admire and appreciate. My relationship with her didn’t end with my application process, we are constantly in touch and I love counting with her mentorship and friendship along the way.

I have recommended Claudine to my close friends that are starting an application process, and I certainly recommend anyone to take advantage of the extraordinary service she provides. D.A., Graduate Student Class of 2010

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Claudine is a great counselor and a better person. She genuinely cares about the people she works with and makes the extra effort to make sure thing are done right.

With her help, I got into 4 top ten MBA programs (out of 5). She helped in every step of the process, from the assessment process to the applications and training for interviews. She has great knowledge of the programs and knows how to evaluate the best fit for each candidate and where to apply to have the best chances to get in. Most importantly, after the process was done with success, I can say that I consider Claudine a friend. A.K., Graduate Student Class of 2011

Radio Interview on Job Search

Radio Interview to discuss Job Search, Personal Branding, how to differentiate yourself from the competition when looking for jobs!

Sorry – only in Spanish!

Entrevista radial con Eli Bravo y Claudine Vainrub, Principal de EduPlan, para conversar acerca de la busqueda de trabajo, como diferenciarse de la competencia, Branding Personal y como ser efectivo en conseguir empleo.

Interview with Eli Bravo on Job Search and Personal Branding- 3/11/09

Financial Aid Options and News

Financial Aid Options for College and Graduate School – What is available? Does it apply to me?

For most students applying for college and graduate school admissions, the battle is not yet over when their admission to their choice university is accepted. Achieving post-baccalaureate studies is expensive, so finding the resources becomes essential to achieve this goal. There are several options when considering financial aid and scholarships. Some are in the form of loans, some are grants and some merit scholarships, among others. Grants are financial aid awarded on the basis of need. Loans are another option, sometimes given by the U.S. government and its institutions, other times, by private lenders. However, they are known for placing a burden on the student, who incurs a debt upon completion of studies.

Students who have achieved excellence in academics, sports or some other fields can also apply for merit scholarships. Merit scholarships are awarded on the basis of several criteria. Some organizations look into factors like academic performance, achievement in athletics / sports or artistic abilities. Some others are awarded on the basis of special interests. The core idea is to reward talent.

There are scholarship programs for diverse students that aim to promote diversity within the university campus. Thus, if you are a diverse student and your credentials are on an even platform with mainstream students, you have a better chance of receiving a merit scholarship than students lacking international experiences, backgrounds and ethnicity.

Universities treat merit scholarship opportunities in different ways. Many times, we find that universities with large endowments will be able to provide more aid to students than others. As an example, Rice University states that it considers every admitted freshman for merit scholarships. Among several programs it offers, the University has two categories called Trustee Diversity Scholarships, and the Barbara and Jordan Scholarships, which have the purpose of encouraging diversity. Another two categories serve international students. Several other universities have similar programs, so the university you are joining could also be open to partially or fully funding your education.

When should you start your scholarship search? The answer is much before starting your graduate school admissions process. Scholarships can be granted many times a year in advance to the beginning of your studies. This is why starting early will provide a great advantage – you will not have to worry as much about finances as you would if you had already completed the admissions process without having earned any “free money”.

Institutions and companies are other sources to look for merit scholarships. The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS), established in 1999 with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a well known example. GMS supports meritorious African American, Hispanic American and other diverse student categories. College and Graduate scholarships of GMS are available in the fields of mathematics, science, engineering, education and library science.

How do I find which scholarships are available to me? There are several scholarship search websites that are completely free to the student and will help you identify scholarships to which you can apply. Two of these sites are www.fastweb.com and www.schoolsoup.com

To learn more about how to apply to financial aid, fill out a FASFA and a CSS Profiler, the first one required by the government to provide assistance to students, you can go to www.finaid.org

Now, what is yet to come from the new Obama administration?

With the initiatives put on the table by Barack Obama, we have a lot to look forward to regarding higher education affordability and financing. Obama has stated that his government will support tax credits for college education. He plans to institute soon a universal and fully refundable credit of $4,000 for a college education. Obama has also expressed he will cover two-thirds of the cost of tuition at public colleges. Finally, he has promised to make community college tuition free for most students. This will make college affordable to many more of us, looking to receive higher education.

The financial aid application process, as Obama states, will become much easier. At this point, many students and families struggle in filling out correctly the FASFA forms. This shall no longer be, as this form is planned to be substituted by a simple check box on the tax forms, to allow students not to fill out double applications.

President Obama is committed to make education a priority, and has asked the U.S. population to commit to receiving at least one year of college education. This is a hard task to achieve, as dropout rates for high schools in 17 out of the 50th largest cities in the U.S. were over 50% in 2008. Obama plans to address this dropout crisis by passing his legislation to provide funding to school districts to invest in intervention strategies in middle school. These strategies will involve personal academic plans, teaching teams, parent involvement, mentoring, intensive reading and math instruction, and extended learning time. Programs will allow for better instruction in middle school and high school throughout the country. Incentives and more education opportunities for teachers, an increase in the amount of students taking AP courses through local community colleges, support of transitional bilingual education, will support students and the system itself to produce a better outcome than presently from the high school education years.

However, the opportunity is in our hands to believe that college education is important for us, and worth the time expense, financial burden and overall sacrifice. With all the planned incentives, these burdens will become smaller than ever before possible.

Although achieving one year of college education for the entire student population in the U.S. could be a far-fetched dream at this point, vocational schooling, skill training or career education is another alternative that could be considered. Statistics show that professionals that earn an associates degree or a bachelor’s degree do earn more over their lifetime than those who do not. An education is an investment that should sooner than later pay off financially and also, in terms of our society’s productivity.

The support will be there for those interested in pursuing their studies. Initiatives and programs to help students achieve a college education are already available and will be receiving more funding from the government. Some of these programs are the TRIO, Upward Bound and Gear Up. These initiatives work with students to provide help regarding academic advice, personal counseling, and career workshops; information on postsecondary education opportunities and student financial assistance; help in completing applications for college admissions, testing, and financial aid; coordination with nearby postsecondary institutions; media activities designed to involve and acquaint the community with higher education opportunities; tutoring; and mentoring.

As financing your college education is as important as achieving it, a new program will be launched also by the government to teach students financial planning. With a large part of the student populations currently buried in debt, this is one area that Obama’s administration plans to address, in order to start bringing a solution, and helping students effectively manage their loans. Bankruptcy amongst recent college grads has escalated, but will be addressed, providing financial education to new college students.

Some institutions already offering this help can be found at the U.S. Department of Education website at www.ed.gov . The resources are here, available to us. There is no excuse now not to pursue an education. Whether you are a high school student, a college graduate or an adult, incentives, scholarships and aid apply to each one of us. The question is, what are we waiting for to take action today?

CNN interviews EduPlan

Just last week, our Principal, Claudine Vainrub, was invited live to CNN en Español to talk about job search. Here is the interview – sorry, only in Spanish!

College Admissions One-on-One

When seeking college admissions help from a professional independent college admissions counselor, here are some things that you might want to ask they help you with. A top independent college consultant will provide all these services, and more.

• Assist students during the college planning, college application and final decision phases of the College and Graduate School Admissions Process
• Offer unbiased college and graduate program counseling advice
• Help student navigate and evaluate admissions information from institutions in the U.S. and worldwide
• Personalize the process to accommodate individual student needs
• Develop a list of schools that match the student’s ambitions, goals and capacities
• Provide career planning support, helping the student find their differentiators as a candidate
• Assist college applicant with course selection during high school
• Assist graduate applicant with information on additional education requirements to succeed in admissions process
• Offer flexible appointment times, including evenings and weekends
• Determine opportunities for non-need based scholarships and financial aid for U.S. and International applicants
• Provide expert knowledge of college admission procedures – test scores, admissions criteria, application evaluation
• Ease student and family stress related to application and admissions process
• Assess student strengths and potential career paths through the newest career development methodology – Personal Branding
• Provide exhaustive list of possible criteria for selecting potential college and graduate school programs
• Develop student core competency assessment, resume and other application support documents
• Research college and graduate school education options and establish a list of appropriate programs
• Plan strategy for college visits
• Conduct Interview Coaching
• Advise student about test preparation, choices and schedules
• Consult with student regarding recommendation letter strategies
• Plan extracurricular leadership experiences that will enhance the student’s life, and contribute to the admissions process, simultaneously
• Confer on application essay topics
• Provide evaluative feedback related to drafts of application essays
• Schedule application completion time line
• Provide project management system to administer admissions process successfully

Study in USA

How to achieve college and graduate admissions as an International Student

Applying for a college or university in the United States is a big opportunity for many students from abroad. It’s actually quite exciting because you would be studying in a place so different from your own, which can be a very enriching experience. If you are an aspiring foreign student, you will need to look into many facets of your student application so that you get through the application process successfully.

As a foreign student, you will find the college application process of colleges and universities in the United States to be somewhat different and at times more intricate than what you were used to in your country. So, to get things right, you need to closely follow all given instructions and ensure to submit your records, the way it is mentioned in your college application. If you are not clear on this point, your application will not be considered and this a great opportunity missed. In case English is not spoken in your country or your education has not been done in the English language, you must be aware of the special requirements in your case.

With so many requirements to understand, let’s break down the whole thing into steps, each of which will address a particular aspect of the foreign student college application process.

Understand the kind of demands from the College or University to which you are applying

In the United States, universities are classified into ‘High Selective’, ‘Selective’, ‘Moderately Selective’, and ‘Open Admission’.

As you can see from this classification, the admission process is a bit tough for those universities that are classified as High Selective’ and ‘Selective’, but fine for universities classified as ‘Moderately Selective’ and ‘Open Admission’.

When you are applying for a college in the United States, your preparations must be based on this classification, so that you can successfully gain admission. If your academic progress suit more of the Moderately Selective’ and ‘Open Admission’ type of college, accordingly apply to gain admission. Applying in demanding colleges may prevent you from joining a course of your choice.

How your record will be judged

Your qualifications for admissions will be judged by the university to which you apply, unlike other countries, where usually the Ministry of education carries out such decisions. Mostly, the University or College Staff will evaluate your records. However, your student records can also be evaluated by an agency specializes in such evaluations. If this is the case, the university to which you apply, will inform you of the same and you would have to send your records to this agency.

Getting Things Ready

Now that we have gone over the general scenario on college and universities in the United States, let’s get down the specifics involved in the application process:

• Make a list of colleges and universities that offer the course you want. Get their application form and write out separately the requirements for admission. Each college has a different requirements, so do not assume what applies for one will do for the other.
  
• The institution where you studied must send a copy of your academic records for evaluation to the colleges or universities to which you are applying. Do not send the records yourself as this is not considered proper procedure.
  
• American universities require students from other countries to undertake standardized tests such as GRE, GMAT and SAT as part of the admission process. Ensure to take these tests and send in the results with your application.
  
• If English is not your native language and if it your education was not in English in your country or region, you will be required to take an English proficiency test like Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
  

Financial Part

Presenting your financial documents the right way is very important. In case you require A -1 or M-1 visa (student) or else if you require a J-1 visa (exchange visitor) visa , you need to show that you can financially support yourself, during your period of study in the United States.

Usually, when you apply to any college or university, you will be informed to provide necessary documentation on your financial status and also told what these documents should be with due verification.

Most foreign students will find the finance part of the education to be expensive. It definitely is. Students living in the United States have to pay an average $7,000 to over $40,000 a year towards their college education. So, be prepared for this. Aid is also not easy to come by. One alternative is considering enrolling into multi-ethnic student community college, wherein you have better chances of getting scholarships.

Referred Links:

http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/foreign-students-guide-to-us-college-admissions/

http://www.america.gov/st/diversity-english/2008/April/20080530124432xjsnommis0.9839899.html

http://www.gradschools.com/Article/applying-foreign-student/112.html

http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/studying.html

http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?ID=571

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Applying to colleges and universities in USA as an International Student

By Claudine Vainrub

 

Applying for a college or university in the United States is a big opportunity for many students from abroad. It’s actually quite exciting because you would be studying in a place so different from your own, which can be a very enriching experience. If you are an aspiring foreign student, you will need to look into many facets of your student application so that you get through the application process successfully.

As a foreign student, you will find the college application process of colleges and universities in the United States to be somewhat different and at times more intricate than what you were used to in your country. So, to get things right, you need to closely follow all given instructions and ensure to submit your records, the way it is mentioned in your college application. If you are not clear on this point, your application will not be considered and this a great opportunity missed. In case English is not spoken in your country or your education has not been done in the English language, you must be aware of the special requirements in your case.

With so many requirements to understand, let’s break down the whole thing into steps, each of which will address a particular aspect of the foreign student college application process.

Understand the kind of demands from the College or University to which you are applying

In the United States, universities are classified into ‘High Selective’, ‘Selective’, ‘Moderately Selective’, and ‘Open Admission’.

As you can see from this classification, the admission process is a bit tough for those universities that are classified as High Selective’ and ‘Selective’, but fine for universities classified as ‘Moderately Selective’ and ‘Open Admission’.

When you are applying for a college in the United States, your preparations must be based on this classification, so that you can successfully gain admission. If your academic progress suit more of the Moderately Selective’ and ‘Open Admission’ type of college, accordingly apply to gain admission. Applying in demanding colleges may prevent you from joining a course of your choice.

How your record will be judged

Your qualifications for admissions will be judged by the university to which you apply, unlike other countries, where usually the Ministry of education carries out such decisions. Mostly, the University or College Staff will evaluate your records. However, your student records can also be evaluated by an agency specializes in such evaluations. If this is the case, the university to which you apply, will inform you of the same and you would have to send your records to this agency.

Getting Things Ready

Now that we have gone over the general scenario on college and universities in the United States, let’s get down the specifics involved in the application process:

• Make a list of colleges and universities that offer the course you want. Get their application form and write out separately the requirements for admission. Each college has a different requirements, so do not assume what applies for one will do for the other.
  
• The institution where you studied must send a copy of your academic records for evaluation to the colleges or universities to which you are applying. Do not send the records yourself as this is not considered proper procedure.
  
• American universities require students from other countries to undertake standardized tests such as GRE, GMAT and SAT as part of the admission process. Ensure to take these tests and send in the results with your application.
  
• If English is not your native language and if it your education was not in English in your country or region, you will be required to take an English proficiency test like Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
  

Financial Part

Presenting your financial documents the right way is very important. In case you require A -1 or M-1 visa (student) or else if you require a J-1 visa (exchange visitor) visa , you need to show that you can financially support yourself, during your period of study in the United States.

Usually, when you apply to any college or university, you will be informed to provide necessary documentation on your financial status and also told what these documents should be with due verification.

Most foreign students will find the finance part of the education to be expensive. It definitely is. Students living in the United States have to pay an average $7,000 to over $40,000 a year towards their college education. So, be prepared for this. Aid is also not easy to come by. One alternative is considering enrolling into multi-ethnic student community college, wherein you have better chances of getting scholarships.

 

Referred Links:

 

http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/foreign-students-guide-to-us-college-admissions/

 

http://www.america.gov/st/diversity-english/2008/April/20080530124432xjsnommis0.9839899.html

 

http://www.gradschools.com/Article/applying-foreign-student/112.html

http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/studying.html

http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?ID=571

The graduate school choice

How to make up your mind on the best graduate schools and programs for you

Choosing a good graduate school program for your career wants and needs will help you take the next step up the corporate ladder, and enhance your professional development. When you select a school and program that’s right for you, not only do you excel academically, but also your personality shapes well and you spend graduate school days in a highly productive way.

With so many graduate schools out there, you may find selecting the right graduate offering to be a daunting task, particularly so when you want to specialize in a diverse field of work. Let’s look at some interesting points to consider when selecting a graduate school:

• Choosing an accredited school – Choose a school that offers accredited programs. Sometimes, you might not notice this aspect, when applying. If you take up a program without accreditation, you face difficulties in using your educational qualifications, when applying for a job. Your degree might not be considered as it is from a school which is not accredited. Furthermore, non-accredited schools do not openly say they are not accredited. So be cautious and check on this factor before applying.
  

• Cost of education – Look into the cost of education and compare the cost between various accredited graduate schools. You need to compare costs such as tuition fees housing costs, cost of books and supplies and other extra costs to find out the total figure. Once you have done this, next check out the financial assistance programs that are offered to you. Choose one which you think is right for your situation and if required negotiate with the school. This can help you get more financial assistance.
  

• Check the Degrees offered – This is one of the most important points. Why? Sometimes, you will be looking for a particular program, but some graduate schools will only offer one specific degree program, which the institution might want to promote to you as equally good as what you are seeking. At times, this can be a good option, while at other times, it would be better to stick with the program you are truly looking to complete and opt for a school which offers just that without making any compromise. If you are seeking a career enhancement based on completing a particular program, don’t use an alternative one instead, just because it is available.
  

• Admission Standards – Many graduate schools will specify their admission levels. They will mention if their admission process is more or less demanding, what is the profile of the previous entering classes. If you are going to be completing a professional degree in which you will be spending considerable money and time, and which you want to use to further your career, it is better to choose a graduate school in which the admission criteria matches your own needs and capabilities. In this way, you ensure thriving in the program and gaining an understanding of your professional area, while working at your pace.
  

• Check out State regulation for Graduate School applicants – If your chosen graduate degree is available in another state, it is best to check out admission requirements and the costs you would incur as a non in-state resident student. Some students even relocate to the new state and set up their home there before they apply to a graduate program in that State, so that they can save by owing in-state fees.
  

• Help in enhancing your career – Look into how the program will help you advance you career prospects. Check out the kind of career placements assistance program that they offer so that you know about the level of help that you would be getting when searching for a job. In case the course of study that you are undertaken is specifically oriented for a particular job, getting assistance is very important.
  

• Culture – Check out the school culture. Are the faculty and student body forming a community similar to what you expect to be immersed in? Is the environment competitive? If you belong to a particular ethnic group, can you find people on campus who are like you? Is the environment of the college multicultural? These are important questions to find answers for, as you are going to be spending a good amount of time in your school and would gain from being able to adjust to the environment, style and interests of the people involved with you in your program.
  

Now the above-mentioned points are the key factors. Beyond this there are other factors that are important and which you should also consider. Here is a look at what they are:

• Location – You may have to relocate when you want to pursue a program which is offered by a graduate school in another state. So this is a point to think about.
  

• Size – If you choose a big graduate school program, you could have more resources at your disposal. Small size schools could provide a more close-knit community, more attention and a close environment.
  

• Surrounding Community – Look into the surrounding community settings, as this could influence your student life on campus. It should be a place that you would find comfortable.
  

If you are selective about the graduate school you enroll into, ensuring it meets your professional and personal wants and needs, you could thrive more easily and grow the most from the experience. You could also have a memorable life experience, something that will reflect positively in you later years in life and also in your career. It is very important to consider all the above-mentioned factors so that you give yourself the best start in your education path. Choose the right graduate school program and see how much your life changes by making this decision carefully.

How to choose the right graduate school and program

By Claudine Vainrub

 

Choosing a good graduate school program for your career wants and needs will help you take the next step up the corporate ladder, and enhance your professional development. When you select a school and program that’s right for you, not only do you excel academically, but also your personality shapes well and you spend graduate school days in a highly productive way.

 

With so many graduate schools out there, you may find selecting the right graduate offering to be a daunting task, particularly so when you want to specialize in a diverse field of work. Let’s look at some interesting points to consider when selecting a graduate school:

 

• Choosing an accredited school – Choose a school that offers accredited programs. Sometimes, you might not notice this aspect, when applying. If you take up a program without accreditation, you face difficulties in using your educational qualifications, when applying for a job. Your degree might not be considered as it is from a school which is not accredited. Furthermore, non-accredited schools do not openly say they are not accredited. So be cautious and check on this factor before applying.
  

 

• Cost of education – Look into the cost of education and compare the cost between various accredited graduate schools. You need to compare costs such as tuition fees housing costs, cost of books and supplies and other extra costs to find out the total figure. Once you have done this, next check out the financial assistance programs that are offered to you. Choose one which you think is right for your situation and if required negotiate with the school. This can help you get more financial assistance.
  

 

• Check the Degrees offered – This is one of the most important points. Why? Sometimes, you will be looking for a particular program, but some graduate schools will only offer one specific degree program, which the institution might want to promote to you as equally good as what you are seeking. At times, this can be a good option, while at other times, it would be better to stick with the program you are truly looking to complete and opt for a school which offers just that without making any compromise. If you are seeking a career enhancement based on completing a particular program, don’t use an alternative one instead, just because it is available.
  

 

• Admission Standards – Many graduate schools will specify their admission levels. They will mention if their admission process is more or less demanding, what is the profile of the previous entering classes. If you are going to be completing a professional degree in which you will be spending considerable money and time, and which you want to use to further your career, it is better to choose a graduate school in which the admission criteria matches your own needs and capabilities. In this way, you ensure thriving in the program and gaining an understanding of your professional area, while working at your pace.
  

 

• Check out State regulation for Graduate School applicants – If your chosen graduate degree is available in another state, it is best to check out admission requirements and the costs you would incur as a non in-state resident student. Some students even relocate to the new state and set up their home there before they apply to a graduate program in that State, so that they can save by owing in-state fees.
  

 

• Help in enhancing your career – Look into how the program will help you advance you career prospects. Check out the kind of career placements assistance program that they offer so that you know about the level of help that you would be getting when searching for a job. In case the course of study that you are undertaken is specifically oriented for a particular job, getting assistance is very important.
  

 

• Culture – Check out the school culture. Are the faculty and student body forming a community similar to what you expect to be immersed in? Is the environment competitive? If you belong to a particular ethnic group, can you find people on campus who are like you? Is the environment of the college multicultural? These are important questions to find answers for, as you are going to be spending a good amount of time in your school and would gain from being able to adjust to the environment, style and interests of the people involved with you in your program.
  

 

Now the above-mentioned points are the key factors. Beyond this there are other factors that are important and which you should also consider. Here is a look at what they are:

 

• Location – You may have to relocate when you want to pursue a program which is offered by a graduate school in another state. So this is a point to think about.
  

 

• Size – If you choose a big graduate school program, you could have more resources at your disposal. Small size schools could provide a more close-knit community, more attention and a close environment.
  

 

• Surrounding Community – Look into the surrounding community settings, as this could influence your student life on campus. It should be a place that you would find comfortable.
  

 

If you are selective about the graduate school you enroll into, ensuring it meets your professional and personal wants and needs, you could thrive more easily and grow the most from the experience. You could also have a memorable life experience, something that will reflect positively in you later years in life and also in your career. It is very important to consider all the above-mentioned factors so that you give yourself the best start in your education path. Choose the right graduate school program and see how much your life changes by making this decision carefully.

GMAT Strategies for Success

GMAT is the short form of Graduate Management Admission Test and it is a test that every student who wishes to enter business school at a graduate level, has to undertake. This test includes tests in Verbal, Analytical and Math. The higher your scores are in each of these tests, the better your chances will be of gaining admission into the graduate business programs that you apply to.

 

What GMAT tests, basically tests you is in the abilities that you have developed over the years and also on your ability to think critically. Passing these tests requires continuous studying and sharpening of skills in each of these individual tests. You will be given 30 minutes for analytical, 75 for the verbal and 75 minutes for the quantitative.

 

The general score range for GMAT is 200 to 800. A score of 600 is considered to be good, but if you wish to get into top schools your score must be 700 and above. Here is a look at some tips (for preparation as well as the actually paper), that can help you through with this challenging aptitude test:

 

• Most people, who have to take the GMAT, actually have not taken a test in a long time. The first step to preparing for GMAT is finding where you stand in your existing skills in Verbal and Math. You can do this by taking a free practice test offered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), on their website. This way you can find out your base score and then can build up from there to the score you need to reach.
  

 

• Make a list of the business programs that you wish to apply to. You need to score as much as is expected to get into a particular college. There are business schools which will expect you to get a higher score. So, if gaining admission to a demanding program is your choice, be prepared to work to get the necessary score.
  

 

• Find out about all effective sources of learning. This could be Guides, CD’s, Audio Tapes, Online Classes, and Regular Classes. Choose a combination of resources like for example, CD’s and regular classes and make a schedule to learn through them.
  

 

• If you are strong in a particular area of the test, but need to improve on another, allot time accordingly for learning. Learn everyday. This will make you more mentally prepared to take the test. If you learn one day and then leave off for two days and then start on the fourth day, you are not doing any effective learning.
  

 

• Use guides to bring yourself up to a good skill level and then enroll into a course. You will find yourself better adjusting to the course and you can follow the instructions as you have mentally gone through some of the things they cover through the guide. This gives you more self-confidence in handling the GMAT test.
  

 

• As the saying goes, timing is everything. Know how much of time is allotted for each section in the test, through your practice tests and complete the section inside the time frame allotted. Practice to do this, so that you don’t spend more time than necessary, on a particular section.
  

 

• Ensure to practice reading all lines in the question before you begin attempting. Most often the problem is that people don’t read all the lines, especially when they find a question similar to what they have already attempted in their practice sessions. They rush through a question, losing valuable marks because they want to get through the paper quick enough. Fast completion is not the aim here, the aim is maximizing your score. So, read question thoroughly before answering.
  

 

• The questions at the beginning of the paper are really important so, answer them correctly. Practice to get these questions right and you can be sure that your scores will enhance.
  

 

• Do not leave any questions unanswered in the actual paper. You won’t score a negative for wrong answer, but you will be penalized when you leave as question unanswered.
  

 

• Now comes the tough part – handling the questions, you don’t know answers for, in the test. The best way to tackle this is through a process of elimination. Eliminate those answers which do not fit the question and you are left with two or even one right choice.
  

 

Most often the problem with those taking the GMAT test is that they get nervous before the test or don’t sleep the night before. Avoid any stress before you take the test. Remember this is a test that is going to judge you on various skill levels, so you need to attend it with a clear and focused mind, so that you can clear through it easily.

 

And one last piece of advice – take as many practice tests as you can (the week before the exam, be prepared to take 3 or more). This strategy will provide you with the self-confidence and familiarity you will need to achieve your top score and overcome nervousness.

 

Good luck!

 

Aplicaciones Universitarias Exitosas

Cómo encarar el proceso de admisión universitaria en USA

Por Claudine Vainrub

Este es el momento del año para ocuparse… ¡Es el tiempo de presentar las aplicaciones a las universidades! A los estudiantes de los últimos cursos del colegio secundario les cuesta mucho decidir cuál institución será la más adecuada, cuál presenta la combinación perfecta entre nivel académico, vida social, ayuda financiera, y posibilidades de crecimiento en la carrera a futuro. Los asesores universitarios ofrecen talleres para la redacción de ensayos, seminarios acerca de la solicitud gratuita de ayuda federal para estudiantes, y orientación vocacional, entre otros. Sin embargo, el foco en la mente del estudiante es en qué forma sobrepasar las dificultades para realizar la más correcta selección de sus opciones educativas. Lo que más preocupa a los estudiantes es presentar una correcta aplicación universitaria.

Todos los años, miles de aplicaciones son enviadas a los diversos comités de admisión de las universidades en los Estados Unidos, buscando que las mismas sean juzgadas correctamente basándose en diferentes factores. ¿Cuáles son estos factores? ¿Cuáles son las características más importantes? ¿Cuáles no tienen tanta importancia?

Si bien muchas solicitudes son aprobadas, algunas de ellas son rechazadas, y aquellos estudiantes se quedan con la duda de por qué ocurrió eso. ¿Qué hizo que su solicitud fuera menos efectiva que el resto? La respuesta a esto es que actualmente, los encargados de admisiones no buscan solamente estilo e intereses personales en las solicitudes.

Una solicitud de ingreso a la Universidad debe reflejar inteligencia, personalidad y por sobre todo, pasión por aprender. Como estudiante, deberás dejar ver tu ser interior y no exagerar tus cualidades para causar una impresión y lograr la aceptación. Algunos trucos como inscribirse en clases extracurriculares o participar de programas especiales de aprendizaje son recursos que conocen bien. Por lo tanto, no resultará efectivo que te muestres como diplomático para obtener la admisión.

Las universidades orientan su búsqueda al “interés demostrado” o atracción verdadera hacia las universidades en las cuáles solicitan ingreso. Esto debe ser presentado de manera verídica y genuina. La verdadera razón por la que ocurre, es que las universidades ya no buscan estudiantes que sumen en cantidad, sino que esperan sean los estudiantes quienes busquen las instituciones con una idea de aprendizaje en mente y poder colmar sus expectativas enfocándose en sus necesidades. En resumidas cuentas, lo que ellos desean son estudiantes que puedan hacer valorar su institución y metodologías de aprendizaje.

En primer lugar, comienza demostrando cuán valioso puedes ser para la universidad, argumentando cuál puede ser tu devolución para la misma, y cómo crecerás en esa institución para convertirte en un miembro ejemplar de su grupo de ex alumnos. Podrás describirlo en tu ensayo dentro del paquete de admisión.

En este ensayo, deberás resaltar tus cualidades de forma casual, sin sonar como cliché. A los comités de admisión les gustan los estudiantes que se proyectan a sí mismos de manera abierta con un nivel de madurez intelectual. Asegúrate de presentarte como un estudiante serio con buenas calificaciones académicas, o logros en deportes, o menciona cualquier otra actividad de liderazgo en la que hayas sobresalido. A su vez, si en algún semestre en particular no te ha ido muy bien, menciónalo. Por duro que parezca, ser honesto en esta instancia cuenta, aún más que esperar a que el comité de admisión no lo note.

Durante la entrevista, intenta proyectarte como una persona tranquila, confidente y capaz de asumir sus responsabilidades con eficacia. Esto puede sonar difícil, pero es muy sencillo si te organizas de manera correcta.

Luego de conocer esta información, la mejor recomendación profesional que puedo hacer es que ¡seas tú mismo! Represéntate a ti mismo de la manera más cercana a la realidad posible, dejando que tu personalidad, tus preferencias y aspiraciones se reflejen en tu solicitud. Los encargados de admisiones podrán evaluarla luego y decidir si eres un buen candidato para esa institución o no. Si no lo eres, de todos modos no querrás ir allí, ya que generalmente te sentirás abatido – esto ocurre desafortunadamente. Pone tus mayores esfuerzos en ofrecer la mejor descripción de tú mismo, creado con excelencia y dedicación. La decisión será positiva si eres correcto para ese lugar – los responsables de admisión son expertos en evaluar candidatos, y ellos lo sabrán.

Elige la institución no solamente por su nombre reconocido, sino porque la misma sea capaz de proveerte el tipo de ambiente en cual puedas prosperar, y además, porque ésta agregará un inmenso valor a tu vida. ¡Esto es lo que significa lograr el éxito en el proceso de admisión universitaria en los Estados Unidos de América!

What is the TOEFL?

About the TOEFL and its added value

English communication skills are an important factor in achieving academic success in many higher education programs offered in the U.S. A college and graduate school student in the United States will require ability to understand, read, write and speak English. For this reason, colleges and universities in the U.S. measure English proficiency in non-native English speakers, to admit them to academic programs. The TOEFL is the instrument most institutions use for this purpose.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is an extensively accepted English language test, which helps foreign students become eligible for admissions in U.S.A. As mentioned by the admission office of the Yale University “Yale focuses on the student’s competency in understanding quick, idiomatic English to communicate in a better way in both spoken and written English”. The TOEFL is suggested to those students whose first language is not English. It serves the purpose to evaluate students’ ability of spoken and written English. This test is also required for students with at least two years of secondary education in a non-English environment.

According to Monica N. Floyd, Preceptor in the Institute for English Language Programs, Harvard University, “The students from non-English speaking countries have to show their skills not only in reading, writing, speaking and listening but also their expertise in computers”. Students with a high TOEFL score have better opportunities for gaining acceptance to universities where English is the language of study.

Similarly, as stated by the admission office of the Northwestern University, non-U.S. citizens have to follow the same application process like U.S. students but they have to show a TOEFL score to demonstrate their English language proficiency.

Some schools require particular English proficiency tests, aside from the TOEFL. As stated in guidelines of the official website of Columbia University, “nonnative speakers of English have to pass a test of American Language Program (ALP) at Columbia to show their English skills.” It further states that if the students outside the U.S. are being admitted on the basis of TOEFL they need to validate their scores of TOEFL by taking the ALP test at the school.

Through TOEFL test preparation, you can develop English skills to communicate effectively in your social group, once you enter college. Preparing for the TOEFL will polish your listening skills for lectures and communicating effectively with classmates and/or teachers, reading skills to understand and grasp text books, and writing skills to complete academic assignments. Learning English skills will also help you perform computer-related tasks more efficiently, as you are able to conduct online searches much quicker, while understanding all content much better.

References:

http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/images/TOEFL_Instructions_Apr_2008.pdf

http://www.yale.edu/admit/international/toefl/index.html

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008- 09/iel/courses/23129.jsp;jsessionid=JNCBEBPDOGMP?iel=january

https://emt.askadmissions.net/northwestern/aeresults.aspx?did=2&cid=1872&quser=what+is+TOEFL

http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.c988ba0e5dd572bada20bc47c3921509/?vgnextoid=2c01c6c96e6a6110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=9701197a484f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD

http://www.ce.columbia.edu/prospective/prospective.cfm?Content=International&SubContent=EnglishReq

What is the TOEFL and what is its added value?

English communication skills are an important factor in achieving academic success in many higher education programs offered in the U.S. A college and graduate school student in the United States will require ability to understand, read, write and speak English. For this reason, colleges and universities in the U.S. measure English proficiency in non-native English speakers, to admit them to academic programs. The TOEFL is the instrument most institutions use for this purpose.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is an extensively accepted English language test, which helps foreign students become eligible for admissions in U.S.A. As mentioned by the admission office of the Yale University “Yale focuses on the student’s competency in understanding quick, idiomatic English to communicate in a better way in both spoken and written English”. The TOEFL is suggested to those students whose first language is not English. It serves the purpose to evaluate students’ ability of spoken and written English. This test is also required for students with at least two years of secondary education in a non-English environment.

According to Monica N. Floyd, Preceptor in the Institute for English Language Programs, Harvard University, “The students from non-English speaking countries have to show their skills not only in reading, writing, speaking and listening but also their expertise in computers”. Students with a high TOEFL score have better opportunities for gaining acceptance to universities where English is the language of study.

Similarly, as stated by the admission office of the Northwestern University, non-U.S. citizens have to follow the same application process like U.S. students but they have to show a TOEFL score to demonstrate their English language proficiency.

Some schools require particular English proficiency tests, aside from the TOEFL. As stated in guidelines of the official website of Columbia University, “nonnative speakers of English have to pass a test of American Language Program (ALP) at Columbia to show their English skills.” It further states that if the students outside the U.S. are being admitted on the basis of TOEFL they need to validate their scores of TOEFL by taking the ALP test at the school.

Through TOEFL test preparation, you can develop English skills to communicate effectively in your social group, once you enter college. Preparing for the TOEFL will polish your listening skills for lectures and communicating effectively with classmates and/or teachers, reading skills to understand and grasp text books, and writing skills to complete academic assignments. Learning English skills will also help you perform computer-related tasks more efficiently, as you are able to conduct online searches much quicker, while understanding all content much better.

 

References:    

http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/images/TOEFL_Instructions_Apr_2008.pdf

http://www.yale.edu/admit/international/toefl/index.html

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2008- 09/iel/courses/23129.jsp;jsessionid=JNCBEBPDOGMP?iel=january

https://emt.askadmissions.net/northwestern/aeresults.aspx?did=2&cid=1872&quser=what+is+TOEFL

http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.c988ba0e5dd572bada20bc47c3921509/?vgnextoid=2c01c6c96e6a6110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=9701197a484f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD

http://www.ce.columbia.edu/prospective/prospective.cfm?Content=International&SubContent=EnglishReq

 

SAT Test dates 2009

Here is the information so far for SAT test dates in 2009 as published in

College Board…

U.S. Registration Deadlines
2009 Test Dates	Test	Regular Registration Deadline (postmark/submit by)
March 14, 2009	SAT only	February 10, 2009
May 2, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	March 31, 2009
June 6, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	May 5, 2009

Important Information About U.S. Registration

• U.S. deadlines apply to students testing in the United States, U.S. territories, and Puerto Rico.
  
• U.S. registration materials that are mailed must be postmarked by the U.S. deadlines.
  
• On March 14, only the SAT is offered.
  

Registering Late

If you are testing in the United States, U.S. territories, or Puerto Rico, and you miss the registration deadline, you still have time to submit a registration, but you must pay a late fee. Note that late registrations made by mail have a different deadline from those made by phone or online.

U.S. Late Registration Periods (late fee applies)
2009 Test Dates	By Mail		By Phone/Online
	Late Registration Begins	Postmark Deadline	Late Registration Begins	Submission Deadline
March 14, 2009	February 11, 2009	February 24, 2009	February 11, 2009	February 24, 2009
May 2, 2009	April 1, 2009	April 9, 2009	April 1, 2009	April 14, 2009
June 6, 2009	May 6, 2009	May 15, 2009	May 6, 2009	May 19, 2009

International Students SAT Registration Deadlines
2009 Test Dates	Test	Early Registration (must be received by)	Regular Registration (must be received by)
May 2, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	March 11, 2009	March 31, 2009
June 6, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	April 15, 2009	May 5, 2009

Important Information About International Registration

• International deadlines apply to anyone testing outside of the United States, U.S. territories, and Puerto Rico.
  
• Completed international registration materials must be received by the international deadlines.
  
• There is no late registration for international testing. Online and telephone registrations must be completed by the international deadline dates listed above.
  
• Students registering through International Representatives must submit their paper registration with full payment by the early registration deadline.
  
• On March 14, the SAT is not offered outside of the United States, U.S. territories, and Puerto Rico.
  

As posted on College Board – dates for 2009 published up until February 11, 2009

Third round MBA applications – Should or shouldn't I take a chance?

Conventional wisdom has it that it is rather a waste of time and resources to apply in the third round. Most of the seats are already filled up and competition for the remaining is going to be tough. As the number of vacant seats is low, we immediately and naturally think that programs will be more careful about who they choose for those seats. We could infer that some schools might just decide to drop all applications in the third round, and if they are unfriendly to second time applicants, you may be losing the chance of a lifetime.

While there is quite some truth in these arguments, the real scenario isn’t all that negative. Applying in the third round has some advantages too. Let us now take a look at both the sides and try to figure out a strategy.

As an applicant in the third round, you must be aware that most of the seats are already taken and the selection committee will look very closely into your reasons for applying so late. They will have questions about the level of your commitment to their school and whether it is just a back up application. If you don’t have a valid reason for being late and a strong case to put forward for applying to the particular school, it is wiser to hold back till next season. This is more so if it is one of your preferred schools and they don’t favor reapplications.

On the other hand, there are business schools that are friendlier to reapplicants. It is always more safe to apply at these places. Even if your application is rejected, you get valuable feedback most of the time on how you can prepare a better application. This and talking to other MBA students will enable you to present a stronger candidacy in the next season.

Another key factor that plays an important role in third round selections is diversity. Universities and colleges look to bring in more diversity to their campus through the third round. If you are member of an under-represented community/group, you generally have a better chance of selection, other factors being equal.

In a nutshell, there is no reason why you should altogether reject a chance to try in the third round of MBA admissions. However, you must employ some sharp thinking and assess where you stand. If you have just started considering a school/course, you might not be able to present a convincing case. If on the other hand your GMAT scores are good and you are clear why you wish to join a particular school, you stand a better chance than otherwise, when considering third round applications. However put off applications to your preferred schools to start of next season, if their policies don’t favor reapplications. That is, if you’d rather wait than join a less preferred school now.

Third round MBA applications – Should or shouldn't I take a chance?

Conventional wisdom has it that it is rather a waste of time and resources to apply in the third round. Most of the seats are already filled up and competition for the remaining is going to be tough. As the number of vacant seats is low, we immediately and naturally think that programs will be more careful about who they choose for those seats. We could infer that some schools might just decide to drop all applications in the third round, and if they are unfriendly to second time applicants, you may be losing the chance of a lifetime.

While there is quite some truth in these arguments, the real scenario isn’t all that negative. Applying in the third round has some advantages too. Let us now take a look at both the sides and try to figure out a strategy.

As an applicant in the third round, you must be aware that most of the seats are already taken and the selection committee will look very closely into your reasons for applying so late. They will have questions about the level of your commitment to their school and whether it is just a back up application. If you don’t have a valid reason for being late and a strong case to put forward for applying to the particular school, it is wiser to hold back till next season. This is more so if it is one of your preferred schools and they don’t favor reapplications.

On the other hand, there are business schools that are friendlier to reapplicants. It is always more safe to apply at these places. Even if your application is rejected, you get valuable feedback most of the time on how you can prepare a better application. This and talking to other MBA students will enable you to present a stronger candidacy in the next season.

Another key factor that plays an important role in third round selections is diversity. Universities and colleges look to bring in more diversity to their campus through the third round. If you are member of an under-represented community/group, you generally have a better chance of selection, other factors being equal.

In a nutshell, there is no reason why you should altogether reject a chance to try in the third round of MBA admissions. However, you must employ some sharp thinking and assess where you stand. If you have just started considering a school/course, you might not be able to present a convincing case. If on the other hand your GMAT scores are good and you are clear why you wish to join a particular school, you stand a better chance than otherwise, when considering third round applications. However put off applications to your preferred schools to start of next season, if their policies don’t favor reapplications. That is, if you’d rather wait than join a less preferred school now.

Third round MBA applications – Should or shouldn’t I take a chance?

Conventional wisdom has it that it is rather a waste of time and resources to apply in the third round. Most of the seats are already filled up and competition for the remaining is going to be tough. As the number of vacant seats is low, we immediately and naturally think that programs will be more careful about who they choose for those seats. We could infer that some schools might just decide to drop all applications in the third round, and if they are unfriendly to second time applicants, you may be losing the chance of a lifetime.

While there is quite some truth in these arguments, the real scenario isn’t all that negative. Applying in the third round has some advantages too. Let us now take a look at both the sides and try to figure out a strategy.

As an applicant in the third round, you must be aware that most of the seats are already taken and the selection committee will look very closely into your reasons for applying so late. They will have questions about the level of your commitment to their school and whether it is just a back up application. If you don’t have a valid reason for being late and a strong case to put forward for applying to the particular school, it is wiser to hold back till next season. This is more so if it is one of your preferred schools and they don’t favor reapplications.

On the other hand, there are business schools that are friendlier to reapplicants. It is always more safe to apply at these places. Even if your application is rejected, you get valuable feedback most of the time on how you can prepare a better application. This and talking to other MBA students will enable you to present a stronger candidacy in the next season.

Another key factor that plays an important role in third round selections is diversity. Universities and colleges look to bring in more diversity to their campus through the third round. If you are member of an under-represented community/group, you generally have a better chance of selection, other factors being equal.

In a nutshell, there is no reason why you should altogether reject a chance to try in the third round of MBA admissions. However, you must employ some sharp thinking and assess where you stand. If you have just started considering a school/course, you might not be able to present a convincing case. If on the other hand your GMAT scores are good and you are clear why you wish to join a particular school, you stand a better chance than otherwise, when considering third round applications. However put off applications to your preferred schools to start of next season, if their policies don’t favor reapplications. That is, if you’d rather wait than join a less preferred school now.

What is the GMAT? Where can I take it?

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), is required for students who want to take up courses in business and management. Business schools specifically ask for this test to be undertaken to determine their qualifications for their enrollment into advanced studies in such courses.

The GMAT exam is a standardized assessment, delivered in English, that helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management.

To take up a Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), follow the instructions:

1. Select a Test Center – Select a test center that is convenient and easily accessible. The test takers can view the list of test centers online by accessing www.gmac.com or from the GMAT ® Information Bulletin for Testing.

2. Register for the test – You can register for the GMAT exam through one of the following modes:

a. Online – To schedule the GMAT test online, sign up as a registered user of the mba.com website. Enter your name and date of birth as mentioned in your identification slip. You can make the payments using credit card or debit card.

b. Phone – You can also register for the GMAT through Telephone. Please check the http://www.eduers.com/gmat/GMAT_Exam_Schedule.htm for telephone registration across various countries.

c. Mail or Fax – To register for the GMAT by mail or fax, complete the GMAT Appointment Scheduling Form. You must be aware of the country code list to complete and fax the form.

If you wish to mail your form, please send your completed form to:

Pearson VUE
Attention: GMAT Program
PO Box 581907
Minneapolis, MN 55458-1907
USA

It may take up to eight (8) weeks for the scheduling forms to reach the U.S. from certain countries.

TOEFL dates 2009

Here are some international TOEFL dates, as published by ETS.

Country/Location State/Province City Testing Format Test Dates

Argentina Buenos Aires Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Argentina Cordoba Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Argentina Mar Del Plata Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Argentina Mendoza Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Argentina Posadas Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Argentina Rosario Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Aruba Oranjestad (Code: S407) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009

Australia Brisbane Internet-based Test Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Australia Hawthorn Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Australia Lismore Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Australia Melbourne Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Australia Perth Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Australia Sydney Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Australia Ultimo Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009

Austria Graz Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Austria Innsbruck Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Austria Salzburg Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Austria Vienna Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Austria Villach-St. Magdalen Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009

Bolivia Cochabamba Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Bolivia LA Paz Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Bolivia Santa Cruz Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Bolivia Sucre (Code: Q341) Paper-based Test Sat., May 09, 2009

Brazil Aldeota Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Brazil Americana Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Araras Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Balneario Camboriu Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Barra Mansa Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Bauru Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Belem Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Brazil Belo Horizonte Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Belo Horizonte (Code: Q418) Paper-based Test Fri., Mar 06, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009
Brazil Botucatu Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Brasilia Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Campinas Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Campo Grande Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Brazil Cuiaba Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Brazil Curitiba Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Divinopolis Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Duque DE Caxias Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Brazil Fortaleza Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Brazil Foz Do Iguacu Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Brazil Goiania Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Brazil Itajuba Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Brazil Juiz DE Fora Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Londrina Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Macae Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Brazil Manaus Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Brazil Marilia Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Brazil Mogi Das Cruzes Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Brazil Natal Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Brazil Porto Alegre Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Presidente Prudente Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Brazil Recife Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Ribeirao Preto Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Rio DE Janeiro Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Salvador Internet-based Test Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Santos Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Brazil Sao Carlos Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Brazil Sao Jose Do Rio Preto Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Brazil Sao Jose Dos Campos Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Sao Luis Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Sao Paulo Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Sao Paulo (Code: Q497) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Mar 06, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009
Brazil Sao Paulo, Cep Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Brazil Sorocaba Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Brazil S?o Paulo Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Brazil Tres Coracoes Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Brazil Uberlandia Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Brazil Vila Velha Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available

Canada ALBERTA Calgary Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada ALBERTA Edmonton Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Canada ALBERTA Fort Mcmurray Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Abbotsford Internet-based Test Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Burnaby Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Coquitlam Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Kamloops Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Kelowna Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Kimberley Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Langley Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Maple Ridge Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA North Vancouver Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Port Moody Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Surrey Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada BRITISH COLUMBIA Victoria Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Canada MANITOBA Winnipeg Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada NEW BRUNSWICK Sackville Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Canada NEW BRUNSWICK Saint John Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Canada NEWFOUNDLAND St. Johns Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Canada NOVA SCOTIA Halifax Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Etobicoke Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Canada ONTARIO Guelph Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Hamilton Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Kingston Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Canada ONTARIO London Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Mississauga Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Oakville Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Ottawa Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Canada ONTARIO Scarborough Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Canada ONTARIO Stratford Internet-based Test Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Thornhill Internet-based Test Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Thunder Bay Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Canada ONTARIO Toronto Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Welland Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Canada ONTARIO Windsor Internet-based Test Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Charlottetown Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Canada QUEBEC Montreal Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Canada QUEBEC Saint-Laurent Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Canada QUEBEC Ste-Anne-De-Bellevue Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Canada SASKATCHEWAN Regina Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Canada SASKATCHEWAN Saskatoon Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Canada SASKATCHEWAN Yorkton Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Wed., Dec 10, 2008

Chile Antofagasta Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Chile Concepcion Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Chile LA Serena Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Chile Santiago Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Dec 19, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Chile Vina Del Mar Internet-based Test Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Colombia Barranquilla Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Colombia Bogota Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Colombia Bogota (Code: Q815) Paper-based Test Sat., May 09, 2009
Colombia Bucaramanga Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Colombia Cali Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Colombia Cartagena Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Colombia Chia Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Colombia Cucuta Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Colombia Ibague Tolima Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Colombia Manizales, Caldas Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Colombia Medellin Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Colombia Monteria Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Colombia Pereira Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Colombia Popayan Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Colombia Villavicencio Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Costa Rica Cartago Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Costa Rica San Jose Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Dominican Republic Santiago Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Dominican Republic Santiago (Code: R219) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Dominican Republic Santo Domingo (Code: R200) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009

Ecuador Guayaquil Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Ecuador Loja Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Ecuador Quito Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Ecuador Salinas Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009

Egypt Alexandria Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Egypt Cairo Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Egypt El-Warraq Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Egypt Elmansourah Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Egypt Sohag Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Egypt Tanta Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

El Salvador LA Libertad Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
El Salvador San Salvador Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

France Angers Internet-based Test Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Bayonne Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Bourges Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Caen Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Cannes Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Courbevoie Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Grenoble Cedex 9 Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
France LA Garde Cedex Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
France Le Bourget Du Lac Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Le Mans Cedex 9 Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Lyon Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Marseille Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
France Metz Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Montpellier Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
France Nanterre Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Nice Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
France Paris Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Paris (Code: N087) Paper-based Test Sat., May 09, 2009
France Pau Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Reims Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Rennes Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
France Strasbourg Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
France Toulouse Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Germany Augsburg Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Berlin Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Bonn Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Germany Buende Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Darmstadt Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Dusseldorf Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Erfurt Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Germany Frankfurt (eschborn) Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Frankfurt Am Main Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Frankfurt Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Germany Fulda Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Germany Goettingen Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Germany Gottingen Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Gueby Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Germany Hamburg Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Hannover Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Germany Heidelberg Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Koblenz Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Koln Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Mainz Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Germany Mannheim Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Germany Munchen Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Germany Munich Internet-based Test Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Oestrich-Winkel Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Osnabruck Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Paderborn Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Germany Sankt Augustin Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Germany Stuttgart Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Germany Tuebingen Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009

Guadeloupe Baie-Mahault Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Guadeloupe Pointe-A-Pitre (Code: Q641) Paper-based Test Fri., Mar 06, 2009

Guatemala Guatemala City Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Guatemala Guatemala Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Haiti Cap-Haitien Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Haiti Port-Au-Prince Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008

Honduras LA Ceiba Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Honduras San Pedro Sula Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Honduras Tegucigalpa Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009

Hong Kong Hong Kong Internet-based Test Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Hong Kong Kowloon Internet-based Test Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Hong Kong Kwai Chung Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Hong Kong Sai Kung Internet-based Test Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Hong Kong San Po Kong Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Hong Kong Tsuen Wan Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008

Hungary Budapest Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Hungary Miskolc Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available

India Ahmadabad Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Ahmedabad Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Allahabad Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Anand Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Bangalore Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Belgaum Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Bhimavaram Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
India Bhopal Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
India Calcutta Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Calicut Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
India Chandigarh Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Chennai Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Cochin Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Coimbatore Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
India Dehradun Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
India Ernakulam Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
India Gandhinagar Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
India Greater Noida Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
India Guntur Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Gurgaon Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Hyderabad Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Indore Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Jaipur Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
India Kolkata Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Kolkatta Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Kottayam Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
India Kurnool Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
India Kurukshetra Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
India Lucknow Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Ludhiana Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Madurai Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Mangalore Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Mani Nagar, Ahmedabad Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Medak Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
India Mumbai Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Nagpur Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Nashik Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India New Delhi Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Noida Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Panjim Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Patna Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
India Pondicherry Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
India Pune Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Ranchi Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
India Secunderabad Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Srinagar Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
India Surat Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Thane Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Thrissur Internet-based Test Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
India Tirunelveli Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
India Tirupathi Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Trichy Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Trivandrum Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Udaipur Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
India Vadodara Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Vijayawada Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Visakhapatnam Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
India Warangal Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009

Israel Haifa Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Israel Jerusalem (Code: E904) Paper-based Test Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sun., May 10, 2009
Israel Petach Tikva Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Israel Ramallah District Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Israel Ramallah Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Israel Ramat Gan Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Israel Tel Aviv Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Italy Ancona Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Italy Avellino Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Bari Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Italy Biella Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Bologna Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Brescia Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Cagliari Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Castellanza Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Catania Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Italy Chieti Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Italy Civitavecchia Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Italy Como Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Curno (bergamo) Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Florence Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Lamezia Terme Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Lecce Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Italy Livorno Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Lodi Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Mantova Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Mesagne Brindisi Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Mestre Venice Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Milan Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Milano Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Napoli Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Italy Padova Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Palermo Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Parma Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Pavia Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Perugia Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Italy Pescara Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Pordenone Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Italy Reggio Calabria Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Rimini Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Roma Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Rome Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Sesto San Giovanni Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Sorrento Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Italy Trento Internet-based Test Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Turin Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Italy Villafranca Verona Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Jamaica Kingston Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008

Japan Aichi Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Japan Akita Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Japan Chiba Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Japan Fukuoka Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Japan Fukushima Internet-based Test Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Japan Hokkaido Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Japan Hyogo Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Japan Iwate Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Japan Kagoshima Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Japan Kanagawa Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Japan Kochi Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Japan Kyoto Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Japan Miyagi Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Japan Nagasaki Internet-based Test Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Japan Okayama Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Japan Okinawa Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Japan Osaka Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 06, 2008
Sun., Dec 07, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sun., Dec 21, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Japan Shiga Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Japan Shizuoka Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Japan Tokyo Internet-based Test Sun., Nov 30, 2008
Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Japan Yamaguchi Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available

Mexico Aguascalientes Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Celaya Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Mexico Ciudad Obregon Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Mexico Coacalco DE Berriozabal Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Mexico Colima Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Cuidad Victoria Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Mexico Culiacan Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Mexico Delicias Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Mexico Durango Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Mexico Ensenada Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Mexico Guadalajara Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Mexico Guanajuato Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Mexico H. Matamoros Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Mexico Hermosillo Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Mazatlan Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Merida (Code: S292) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009
Mexico Mexicali Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Mexico City Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Mexico Mexico City (Code: S221) Paper-based Test Sat., May 09, 2009
Mexico Mexico Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Mexico Mexico (Code: S225) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Mar 06, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009
Mexico Monterrey Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Mexico Morelia, Michoacan Internet-based Test Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Oaxaca Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Mexico Pachuca Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Puebla Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Mexico Queretaro Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Mexico San Luis Potosi Internet-based Test Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Mexico San Nicolas DE Los Garza Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Mexico Tampico Internet-based Test Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Mexico Torreon Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Tuxtla Gutierrez Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Mexico Tzompantepec Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Mexico Veracruz Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Mexico Xochitepec Morelos Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Mexico Zapopan Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Panama David Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Panama Panama Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Paraguay Asuncion Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Peru Arequipa Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Peru Arequipa (Code: S803) Paper-based Test Sat., May 09, 2009
Peru Cusco Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Peru Lima Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Peru Lince Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Peru Trujillo Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009

Puerto Rico Carolina Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Puerto Rico Guaynabo Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Puerto Rico Mayaguez Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available

Russian Federation Irkutsk Internet-based Test Sat., Dec 13, 2008
Russian Federation Kazan Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Russian Federation Khabarovsk Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Russian Federation Moscow Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sun., Feb 22, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Russian Federation Naberezhnyye Chelny Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Russian Federation Novosibirsk Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sun., Jan 18, 2009
Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Russian Federation Omsk Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Russian Federation Saint-Petersburg Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Russian Federation Samara Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Russian Federation Saratov Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Russian Federation Smolensk Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Russian Federation St. Petersburg Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Russian Federation Syktyvkar (Code: P565) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Mar 06, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009
Russian Federation Ufa Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 24, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 28, 2009
Russian Federation Vladivostok (Code: P567) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009
Russian Federation Voronezh Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available

Spain Asturias Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Spain Barcelona Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Spain Burjassot Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Spain Cordoba Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Spain Gijon Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Spain Granada Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Spain Las Palmas (Code: P656) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009
Spain Madrid Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Spain Oviedo Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Spain Pamplona Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Spain Pozuelo DE Alarcon Internet-based Test Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Spain Salamanca Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Spain Santiago DE Compostela Internet-based Test No Dates Currently Available
Spain Sevilla Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Spain Valencia Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Spain Villaviciosa DE Od?n (madrid) Internet-based Test Wed., Dec 10, 2008
Spain Zaragosa Internet-based Test Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009

Venezuela Caracas Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Sat., Dec 20, 2008
Sat., Jan 10, 2009
Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Sat., Feb 14, 2009
Sat., Feb 21, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Venezuela Caracas (Code: T305) Paper-based Test Sat., Jan 17, 2009
Fri., Mar 06, 2009
Sat., May 09, 2009
Venezuela Maracaibo Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008
Fri., Dec 12, 2008
Fri., Jan 23, 2009
Fri., Feb 27, 2009
Venezuela Merida Internet-based Test Fri., Dec 05, 2008

What is the GMAT, where and how to take it?

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), is required for students who want to be eligible to many available graduate business management programs. Many, although not all business schools specifically ask for this test to be undertaken, to determine their qualifications for their enrollment into advanced business administration and management studies.

The GMAT exam is a standardized assessment, delivered in English. For many business schools, it is an important part of the admissions process, allowing committees to assess the qualifications of applicants and their preparedness towards the high demands of graduate business programs – MBA’s, M.S. in Finance and others.

To take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), follow these instructions:

1. Select a Test Center – Select a test center that is convenient and easily accessible. Test takers can view the list of test centers online by accessing www.gmac.com or from the GMAT ® Information Bulletin for Testing.
2. Register for the test – You can register for the GMAT exam through one of the following modes:

a. Online – To schedule the GMAT test online, sign up as a registered user of the mba.com website. Enter your name and date of birth as mentioned in your identification slip. You can make the payments using credit card or debit card.
b. Phone – You can also register for the GMAT through Telephone. Please check the http://www.eduers.com/gmat/GMAT_Exam_Schedule.htm for telephone registration across various countries.
c. Mail or Fax – To register for the GMAT by mail or fax, complete the GMAT Appointment Scheduling Form. You must be aware of the country code list to complete and fax the form.
If you wish to mail your form, please send your completed form to:
Pearson VUE
Attention: GMAT Program
PO Box 581907
Minneapolis, MN 55458-1907
USA

It may take up to eight (8) weeks for the scheduling forms to reach the U.S. from certain countries.

Many dates are available every week throughout the world, to take the GMAT. Depending on your location, they will vary. Check out the information on dates availability by choosing the center first and then reviewing the dates.

This is one assessment you do not want to take without prepping first for at least a couple of weeks. Understanding the ins and outs of this test can help you maximize your chances of achieving a top grade.

Waitlisted in MBA admissions

What to do to enhance your chances of getting into an MBA program when you are waitlisted

You are ready for the MBA deadline, anxiously awaiting the response. The day arrives and it’s a… Maybe?!?

Do not get too flustered, if you are waitlisted for an MBA program, this actually means that you are qualified for admission. The admissions committee could be saying that your application has been assessed and your background and experience have been found suitable for the program. But a decision has not been made on your application. However you like it, this IS an opportunity; a door is still open.

The admission office of the Ross School of Business states: “If you have some information regarding updated grades or test scores, leadership, any teamwork or community involvement, you can send it to the admission office of the school. Additionally, you must submit the copy of your most recent grades to the Office of Admissions”.

Another way of presenting relevant information for admissions is through an updated and revamped résumé. Put your best face out there, once again. Provide information on achievements you have had in the last few months, after submitting your application. Make a creative cover letter that conveys your interest in the program.

This is a time to take a moment and do introspection – assess your strengths and weaknesses as a candidate and think of creative ways to communicate to the admissions department how you plan to overcome those weaknesses. Focus also on how your strengths can enhance the class experience for all and how you can become an asset to the school.

A way to highlight your strengths would be through a letter or a special project that denotes your innovation skills. Schools are eager to hear about your true interest – after all, questioning your intention to attend the institution might be one of the decision-stoppers for the MBA program. Make sure to let them know that their program is your top choice (if it is). You can send a brief note to your interviewer, an admissions counselor or the director of admissions to let them know that you truly plan to attend. You can also try contacting them once over the phone. However, do not become a pest! Make sure you do not make too many calls, as this can play to your disadvantage.

Don’t quit! You need only to be patient and persevere. If you can, visit the school and conduct a campus tour. You can also announce your visit to the admissions officers and ask if there could be an opportunity to meet any of them personally. Be ready to make a great impression.

If you have friends attending the MBA program specifically, ask them to send an email on your behalf, communicating to the admissions committee your true interest in attending. Seek a letter of recommendation from a member of the alumni of the program, ask them to send it to the director of admissions. Find as many voices that speak well of you and have some liaison with the school.

Keeping open communication channels with the school can work on your behalf. A bold move is to ask the school directly what you need to do to improve your chances of gaining admission. Be prepared to fully follow their advice. If your test scores need to be improved, for example, be prepared to take the GMAT once again, and earn a higher grade. Demonstrate with facts and not fiction that you are willing to go the extra mile to earn your spot.

Always remember: follow the rules and instructions of the school, as you did during the application process. Make sure you read what they allow or not regarding waitlisted students before you take any step to support your candidacy. Read thoroughly any material the school sends you when you are contacted with the waitlist decision, as some schools welcome extra correspondence but others simply have other expectations regarding waitlisted students.

And finally, support your candidacy by briefly contacting the admissions office every few weeks, to ensure they know of your continued interest in their program.

So, what are you waiting for? The opportunity is yours to act upon – seize the moment! And good luck!

Waitlisted for an MBA? What to do to enhance your chances of getting in

You are ready for the MBA deadline, anxiously awaiting the response. The day arrives and it’s a… Maybe?!?

Do not get too flustered, if you are waitlisted for an MBA program, this actually means that you are qualified for admission. The admissions committee could be saying that your application has been assessed and your background and experience have been found suitable for the program. But a decision has not been made on your application. However you like it, this IS an opportunity; a door is still open.

The admission office of the Ross School of Business states: “If you have some information regarding updated grades or test scores, leadership, any teamwork or community involvement, you can send it to the admission office of the school. Additionally, you must submit the copy of your most recent grades to the Office of Admissions”.

Another way of presenting relevant information for admissions is through an updated and revamped résumé. Put your best face out there, once again. Provide information on achievements you have had in the last few months, after submitting your application. Make a creative cover letter that conveys your interest in the program.

This is a time to take a moment and do introspection – assess your strengths and weaknesses as a candidate and think of creative ways to communicate to the admissions department how you plan to overcome those weaknesses. Focus also on how your strengths can enhance the class experience for all and how you can become an asset to the school.

A way to highlight your strengths would be through a letter or a special project that denotes your innovation skills. Schools are eager to hear about your true interest – after all, questioning your intention to attend the institution might be one of the decision-stoppers for the MBA program. Make sure to let them know that their program is your top choice (if it is). You can send a brief note to your interviewer, an admissions counselor or the director of admissions to let them know that you truly plan to attend. You can also try contacting them once over the phone. However, do not become a pest! Make sure you do not make too many calls, as this can play to your disadvantage.

Don’t quit! You need only to be patient and persevere. If you can, visit the school and conduct a campus tour. You can also announce your visit to the admissions officers and ask if there could be an opportunity to meet any of them personally. Be ready to make a great impression.

If you have friends attending the MBA program specifically, ask them to send an email on your behalf, communicating to the admissions committee your true interest in attending. Seek a letter of recommendation from a member of the alumni of the program, ask them to send it to the director of admissions. Find as many voices that speak well of you and have some liaison with the school.

Keeping open communication channels with the school can work on your behalf. A bold move is to ask the school directly what you need to do to improve your chances of gaining admission. Be prepared to fully follow their advice. If your test scores need to be improved, for example, be prepared to take the GMAT once again, and earn a higher grade. Demonstrate with facts and not fiction that you are willing to go the extra mile to earn your spot.

Always remember: follow the rules and instructions of the school, as you did during the application process. Make sure you read what they allow or not regarding waitlisted students before you take any step to support your candidacy. Read thoroughly any material the school sends you when you are contacted with the waitlist decision, as some schools welcome extra correspondence but others simply have other expectations regarding waitlisted students.

And finally, support your candidacy by briefly contacting the admissions office every few weeks, to ensure they know of your continued interest in their program.

So, what are you waiting for? The opportunity is yours to act upon – seize the moment! And good luck!

Educational Consulting

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¿Primera o segunda ronda? Cuándo enviar la aplicación a un MBA

Por Claudine Vainrub, MBA

Buscar admisión para un programa de Master en Administración de Empresas (MBA) requiere de mucho análisis. Deberás congeniar varios elementos a la hora de seguir el proceso de solicitud. Una de las decisiones más difíciles es decidir cuándo presentarse. Muchos de los programas de MBA ofrecen tres fechas para aplicar, mientras que otros pueden tener dos o cinco. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los candidatos deciden presentarse en el primer o en el segundo llamado.

A continuación, esbozamos acerca de entregar la aplicación en la primera ronda.

En la primera convocatoria, es muy común que se presenten las solicitudes de los mejores estudiantes. Muchos de los que deciden aplicar en esta fecha son candidatos con altas calificaciones, excelente experiencia laboral y un buen nivel de organización en sus actividades.

Si te consideras un candidato fuerte, esta es la mejor oportunidad para presentarte. En el artículo “Timing Your Applications” (“Coordinando tus solicitudes”) del sitio web Accepted.com, Linda Abraham aconseja: “Presenta tu solicitud en la fecha más próxima, siempre y cuando esto no comprometa la calidad de la misma.”

Obviamente, esto no implica que si no eres un candidato estelar, te presentes en el primer llamado. Si tus resultados en el examen de aptitud académica para entrar a un MBA (más conocido como GMAT, Graduate Management Admission Test ) superan los 700 puntos, el primer round también puede ser favorable para ti. En la primera fecha, el número de postulantes es considerablemente menor. A muchas personas les ofrecen puestos, y rechazan los mismos en busca de mejores oportunidades. Dichas bancas pueden ser aprovechadas por ti. A pesar de que las universidades tienen un número de asientos disponibles, la realidad es que pueden haber más que los que ofrecen y puedes llegar a conseguir asiento en la primera ronda, aún cuando tus competidores sean estudiantes de alto calibre. Para ello requerirás una presentación prolija que incluya un compendio del detalle de tus competencias, calificaciones y ensayos bien redactados.

Algunas instituciones ofrecen observaciones a los estudiantes que no ingresan en la primera ronda. Éstas pueden ser utilizadas para aplicar nuevamente de manera efectiva. En el artículo “First Round Frenzy” (“El frenesí del primer llamado”) del sitio Business Week, Abraham explica: “Un postulante que se presenta por segunda vez y presta atención a las observaciones de su primera postulación, seguramente será admitido en la primera instancia el año siguiente”. Esta puede ser otra de tus opciones disponibles.

En referencia a la segunda ronda…

Es común ver que muchos postulantes se presentan en el Segundo llamado, y por lo tanto, son más los candidatos con los que se debe competir. Algunos programas de MBA reciben más de dos mil solicitudes durante esta etapa. Los estudiantes con mejores condiciones por lo general se presentan en la primera fase, por lo cual, los que se presentan luego son generalmente a quienes les va bien, pero presentan mayores debilidades –aunque esto varía año a año en las diferentes instituciones. En mayor o menor medida, estos serán los competidores que enfrentarás en esta ronda.

Si tu puntaje en el GMAT es menor a 600 y sientes que podrás hacerlo mejor si tomas el examen nuevamente, optar por el segundo llamado puede ser una alternativa conveniente para ti.

En resumidas cuentas, elegir en qué instancia te presentarás como candidato se relaciona directamente con cuál es la ronda en la cual tu solicitud se verá más favorecida, teniendo en cuenta que el único factor que no debe alterarse es la calidad de tu aplicación. Además, si hacerlo en la primera ronda significa que la presentación ofrecerá menos que lo mejor de ti, será mejor que pospongas tu presentación ya que tus chances de ser aceptados serán menores.

Cualquiera sea la instancia que elijas, pon tu mayor esfuerzo en describirte profesionalmente y personalmente y cómo aportarás un valor agregado al programa de tu elección. Sin importar cuál sea la ronda, toma este momento para hacerte cargo y acechar tus aspiraciones más ambiciosas en la admisión a programas de MBA.

Links de Referencia:

http://www.mbaprograms.org/mbaadmission/7criteria3.asp

http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/dec2005/bs2005127_7505_bs001.htm

http://www.accepted.com/newsletter/2004/1004news.aspx#essay

http://accepted.mbablogs.businessweek.com/archive/2005/12/08/1byqs44pwf3vy

Aplicaciones exitosas a Universidades en USA:

Cómo encarar el proceso de admisión universitaria en USA

Por Claudine Vainrub

Este es el momento del año para ocuparse… ¡Es el tiempo de presentar las aplicaciones a las universidades! A los estudiantes de los últimos cursos del colegio secundario les cuesta mucho decidir cuál institución será la más adecuada, cuál presenta la combinación perfecta entre nivel académico, vida social, ayuda financiera, y posibilidades de crecimiento en la carrera a futuro. Los asesores universitarios ofrecen talleres para la redacción de ensayos, seminarios acerca de la solicitud gratuita de ayuda federal para estudiantes, y orientación vocacional, entre otros. Sin embargo, el foco en la mente del estudiante es en qué forma sobrepasar las dificultades para realizar la más correcta selección de sus opciones educativas. Lo que más preocupa a los estudiantes es presentar una correcta aplicación universitaria.

Todos los años, miles de aplicaciones son enviadas a los diversos comités de admisión de las universidades en los Estados Unidos, buscando que las mismas sean juzgadas correctamente basándose en diferentes factores. ¿Cuáles son estos factores? ¿Cuáles son las características más importantes? ¿Cuáles no tienen tanta importancia?

Si bien muchas solicitudes son aprobadas, algunas de ellas son rechazadas, y aquellos estudiantes se quedan con la duda de por qué ocurrió eso. ¿Qué hizo que su solicitud fuera menos efectiva que el resto? La respuesta a esto es que actualmente, los encargados de admisiones no buscan solamente estilo e intereses personales en las solicitudes.

Una solicitud de ingreso a la Universidad debe reflejar inteligencia, personalidad y por sobre todo, pasión por aprender. Como estudiante, deberás dejar ver tu ser interior y no exagerar tus cualidades para causar una impresión y lograr la aceptación. Algunos trucos como inscribirse en clases extracurriculares o participar de programas especiales de aprendizaje son recursos que conocen bien. Por lo tanto, no resultará efectivo que te muestres como diplomático para obtener la admisión.

Las universidades orientan su búsqueda al “interés demostrado” o atracción verdadera hacia las universidades en las cuáles solicitan ingreso. Esto debe ser presentado de manera verídica y genuina. La verdadera razón por la que ocurre, es que las universidades ya no buscan estudiantes que sumen en cantidad, sino que esperan sean los estudiantes quienes busquen las instituciones con una idea de aprendizaje en mente y poder colmar sus expectativas enfocándose en sus necesidades. En resumidas cuentas, lo que ellos desean son estudiantes que puedan hacer valorar su institución y metodologías de aprendizaje.

En primer lugar, comienza demostrando cuán valioso puedes ser para la universidad, argumentando cuál puede ser tu devolución para la misma, y cómo crecerás en esa institución para convertirte en un miembro ejemplar de su grupo de ex alumnos. Podrás describirlo en tu ensayo dentro del paquete de admisión.

En este ensayo, deberás resaltar tus cualidades de forma casual, sin sonar como cliché. A los comités de admisión les gustan los estudiantes que se proyectan a sí mismos de manera abierta con un nivel de madurez intelectual. Asegúrate de presentarte como un estudiante serio con buenas calificaciones académicas, o logros en deportes, o menciona cualquier otra actividad de liderazgo en la que hayas sobresalido. A su vez, si en algún semestre en particular no te ha ido muy bien, menciónalo. Por duro que parezca, ser honesto en esta instancia cuenta, aún más que esperar a que el comité de admisión no lo note.

Durante la entrevista, intenta proyectarte como una persona tranquila, confidente y capaz de asumir sus responsabilidades con eficacia. Esto puede sonar difícil, pero es muy sencillo si te organizas de manera correcta.

Luego de conocer esta información, la mejor recomendación profesional que puedo hacer es que ¡seas tú mismo! Represéntate a ti mismo de la manera más cercana a la realidad posible, dejando que tu personalidad, tus preferencias y aspiraciones se reflejen en tu solicitud. Los encargados de admisiones podrán evaluarla luego y decidir si eres un buen candidato para esa institución o no. Si no lo eres, de todos modos no querrás ir allí, ya que generalmente te sentirás abatido – esto ocurre desafortunadamente. Pone tus mayores esfuerzos en ofrecer la mejor descripción de tú mismo, creado con excelencia y dedicación. La decisión será positiva si eres correcto para ese lugar – los responsables de admisión son expertos en evaluar candidatos, y ellos lo sabrán.

Elige la institución no solamente por su nombre reconocido, sino porque la misma sea capaz de proveerte el tipo de ambiente en cual puedas prosperar, y además, porque ésta agregará un inmenso valor a tu vida. ¡Esto es lo que significa lograr el éxito en el proceso de admisión universitaria en los Estados Unidos de América!

Job Search Options

Which Job Search Methodology is Right for me?

A look at the many means of finding a job today

Today’s job market offers a wide array of job search opportunities. Long gone are the days when jobs were sourced mostly by newspaper ads or recruiters. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of July 2008, there were 3.4 million job openings available across the United States. With so many opportunities available, you need to use the right methods to find one that suits your career aspirations.

When the time comes for you to conduct job search, think about the many possible ways of securing a position. It is not enough to choose just one means of job search, your chances of finding a suitable opportunity will increase when utilizing various job search methodologies.

Here is an overview of some of the most useful job search methods available:

Online Job Boards - This is by far the most popular means of finding a job today. Recently, Beyond.com carried out a poll involving more than 6,000 business professionals across thousands of sites. Their findings revealed that 47% of these professionals posted their resume to three or more job boards. This statistic reveals the popularity, and in a way, the effectiveness of finding a job through this method.

If you want to post your resume on a job board, you will need to create an account and post a text or ASCII version of your resume. Sorting out industries, experience level, salary requirements, job location and many other categories is possible. Post your resume in sites such as Monster, Dice, CareerBuilder, Jobing, Nettemps, Computerjobs, Telecomcareers and you will find jobs suiting your qualifications coming right into your mailbox. It’s a quick way to find numerous job opportunities that you will be able to sort out later on.

Employment agencies / Recruiting Firms / Headhunters – Finding employment or recruiting agencies in your locality, and even ones that service the entire U.S. is easy through the internet and also through textbooks available at your local bookstore. These agencies will do all the peripheral work for you. They will provide advice on how to enhance your candidacy. They will give you tips on handling salary negotiations, and completing the formal contract once an offer is extended. However, you need to check out the reputation of any agency before taking up services with them. This way you will be sure of getting professional services. Beware also of reverse recruiting firms that offer to find jobs for candidates – usually their fees are steep and candidates are responsible for them (as opposed to employers) – these firms could be making promises that are hard to deliver – borderline impossible (and you might be getting into a large financial commitment.)

Job Fairs – This is a very interesting means of job searching because you will come face-to-face with your prospective employers. You might also find surprising the kind of job opportunities available through fairs.

Before you attend a job fair, make a list of employers recruiting at the fair. From this list identify those you wish to apply to. When going to the fair, look your most professional and be prepared for a short discussion / interview. Provide a professional resume printed out in 32lb. resume stock and ask for the employer’s business card. After you complete a round with all the employers in your list, talk with those not in your list. This might open unexpected job opportunities you might have not envisioned to find, and it could help you with your networking.

Newspaper Ads – The local newspaper classifieds is still a place where candidates search for jobs. You can find a good number of local opportunities here. When companies are in desperate need to source a position, they usually invest in a newspaper ad to get more visibility. However, the internet is becoming a more popular arena for finding the right job opportunities, thus, newspapers’ careers sections are getting thinner very fast. Do not be too quick in discarding this job methodology, though. About 10% of all jobs are still sourced through newspaper ads.

Networking - This is the one method that no matter what, you need to make a must in your career. As a student just out of high school or out of college, you may find it easier to get a job through people you know, like your friends, your college professor or your school teacher. Just give each such person you know, your resume so that they are aware of your specialization and your skills. Follow leads given by any one promptly. When the time comes for contacting an employer, from any of your known sources, be sure to specify your source as this will work out for you in your favor.

As a seasoned professional, this can be a great weapon for career growth, new business ventures, and achieving favorable negotiations in almost any aspect of your work. Networking can help you not only when looking to develop professionally, but also when looking to excel in your job. This is the one constant you will need and use when well developed throughout your career.

With social networks online becoming increasingly visited by professionals, start registering and making new contacts to expand job search opportunities. Find associations with causes that you believe in, and become a proactive member. Take on leadership roles within non-profit organizations related to your industry or trade.

With all these different methodologies to conduct job search and career development, you will have your hands full of “to-do´s.” Not a moment to spare! Your next career opportunity awaits!

Referred Links:

http://www.rollins.edu/careerservices/jobsearchtechniques/jobsearchmethodsandresources.htm

http://www.employmentmetrix.com/blog/recruitment_trends_/

http://www.bls.gov/jlt/

Which Job Search Methodology is Right for Me?

A look at the many means of finding a job today

Today’s job market offers a wide array of job search opportunities. Long gone are the days when jobs were sourced mostly by newspaper ads or recruiters. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of July 2008, there were 3.4 million job openings available across the United States. With so many opportunities available, you need to use the right methods to find one that suits your career aspirations.

When the time comes for you to conduct job search, think about the many possible ways of securing a position. It is not enough to choose just one means of job search, your chances of finding a suitable opportunity will increase when utilizing various job search methodologies.

Here is an overview of some of the most useful job search methods available:

Online Job Boards - This is by far the most popular means of finding a job today. Recently, Beyond.com carried out a poll involving more than 6,000 business professionals across thousands of sites. Their findings revealed that 47% of these professionals posted their resume to three or more job boards. This statistic reveals the popularity, and in a way, the effectiveness of finding a job through this method.

If you want to post your resume on a job board, you will need to create an account and post a text or ASCII version of your resume. Sorting out industries, experience level, salary requirements, job location and many other categories is possible. Post your resume in sites such as Monster, Dice, CareerBuilder, Jobing, Nettemps, Computerjobs, Telecomcareers and you will find jobs suiting your qualifications coming right into your mailbox. It’s a quick way to find numerous job opportunities that you will be able to sort out later on.

Employment agencies / Recruiting Firms / Headhunters – Finding employment or recruiting agencies in your locality, and even ones that service the entire U.S. is easy through the internet and also through textbooks available at your local bookstore. These agencies will do all the peripheral work for you. They will provide advice on how to enhance your candidacy. They will give you tips on handling salary negotiations, and completing the formal contract once an offer is extended. However, you need to check out the reputation of any agency before taking up services with them. This way you will be sure of getting professional services. Beware also of reverse recruiting firms that offer to find jobs for candidates – usually their fees are steep and candidates are responsible for them (as opposed to employers) – these firms could be making promises that are hard to deliver – borderline impossible (and you might be getting into a large financial commitment.)

Job Fairs – This is a very interesting means of job searching because you will come face-to-face with your prospective employers. You might also find surprising the kind of job opportunities available through fairs.

Before you attend a job fair, make a list of employers recruiting at the fair. From this list identify those you wish to apply to. When going to the fair, look your most professional and be prepared for a short discussion / interview. Provide a professional resume printed out in 32lb. resume stock and ask for the employer’s business card. After you complete a round with all the employers in your list, talk with those not in your list. This might open unexpected job opportunities you might have not envisioned to find, and it could help you with your networking.

Newspaper Ads – The local newspaper classifieds is still a place where candidates search for jobs. You can find a good number of local opportunities here. When companies are in desperate need to source a position, they usually invest in a newspaper ad to get more visibility. However, the internet is becoming a more popular arena for finding the right job opportunities, thus, newspapers’ careers sections are getting thinner very fast. Do not be too quick in discarding this job methodology, though. About 10% of all jobs are still sourced through newspaper ads.

Networking - This is the one method that no matter what, you need to make a must in your career. As a student just out of high school or out of college, you may find it easier to get a job through people you know, like your friends, your college professor or your school teacher. Just give each such person you know, your resume so that they are aware of your specialization and your skills. Follow leads given by any one promptly. When the time comes for contacting an employer, from any of your known sources, be sure to specify your source as this will work out for you in your favor.

As a seasoned professional, this can be a great weapon for career growth, new business ventures, and achieving favorable negotiations in almost any aspect of your work. Networking can help you not only when looking to develop professionally, but also when looking to excel in your job. This is the one constant you will need and use when well developed throughout your career.

With social networks online becoming increasingly visited by professionals, start registering and making new contacts to expand job search opportunities. Find associations with causes that you believe in, and become a proactive member. Take on leadership roles within non-profit organizations related to your industry or trade.

With all these different methodologies to conduct job search and career development, you will have your hands full of “to-do´s.” Not a moment to spare! Your next career opportunity awaits!

Referred Links:

http://www.rollins.edu/careerservices/jobsearchtechniques/jobsearchmethodsandresources.htm

http://www.employmentmetrix.com/blog/recruitment_trends_/

http://www.bls.gov/jlt/

Social Networks and Job Search – A Delicate Combination

A look at how social networking can help or hurt your job search

By Claudine Vainrub, MBA

Can social networks help you find job opportunities? The answer is a definite “Yes!” However, depending on your approach, social networks can also harm your job search process. There are many things to consider when meeting professionals online, garnering opportunities and presenting yourself as a candidate.

Getting access to optimum job opportunities when you are a job seeker largely depends on the places you search for them. It is vital then, to choose the right sources for finding jobs, or else it becomes increasingly difficult to come across career opportunities that suit your specific skill sets. One of the foremost tools used today for finding jobs is social networking. According to experts, about 80% of jobs are found today is through social networking sites.

Social networking sites can help you to find that dream job by bringing you closer to employers, recruiters and other job sources. This can mean encountering some of the best opportunities to meet the right people at the right place and the right time. Many times, when you search for a job posting in a job board, you can also have a hard time differentiating yourself from other candidates. You might also find it hard to identify postings that suit your specific skill sets. This is because most job requirements in job boards are not too specific, general in natural. This issue is solved through social networking sites.

Social networking sites are the places to find hidden job offers that don’t surface in your regular job boards. This is why social networking sites are more popular as they help employers to get across to candidates they would normally not have come across through other means of recruitment.

The main benefit in using social networks for job search is that you can post information about yourself and do it in an interactive way, to bring out the best that you know to the people looking out for your services. It is an informal presentation of your skills and experience to a prospective employer. Both beginners in the job market and experienced professionals could find social networking sites to work out for them.

Using social networks for job search, is not as cumbersome a process for job searching as sending in your resume, facing an interview, doing a test and in short going through the whole recruitment circle. When networking online, you might find you gained a head start by letting the recruiter learn about you and get interested in your profile. This is a big part of the battle – winning that “personal brand recognition.” You have one foot in the door.

If you are a professional with a specialized skill set, using social networks is the best way to find a job that requires your talents. There are social networks specifically available for certain kinds of professionals in specific industries. For example if you are a professional photographer, you would want to join flickr.com. When using social network sites for job search, take care to put in references as this gets you noticed quickly.

The drawback to using social network sites can be that your personal and professional information is accessed by random individuals. However, there are privacy settings in each site that you can use to protect yourself. Once you register, the networking process takes a while even if you are actively putting yourself out there. This can be a problem for the job seeker in a hurry, you may find this process too slow and passive for your needs.

Since the meetings in social networking sites are informal in nature, make sure to stand out by being very professional and making the best impression from the get-go. Some job seekers fail to read on this point and when they become informal, they risk losing opportunities for productive networking. A professional and formal online identity and behavior is essential when participating in LinkedIn, and even Facebook. Be aware of this before joining a social network – if you are looking for a job, refrain from having an un-professional online brand.

For social networking to show you the best results, you should be informed on which sites to register with, which ones you will gain most benefit from. Some of the most popular social networks that can take you across to the right employers are Linked.com, MySpace.com, Facebook.com, Plaxo.com, Meetup.com and Orkut.com.

So, what are you waiting for? Put forward your most professional image, achieve the process with formality and energy, get empowered to communicate effectively. Complete the registration process, and start getting closer to your aspirations of achieving a successful career move.

Referred Links:

http://www.vicinityjobs.com/tips/using-social-networking-websites-such-as-facebook-and-myspace-as-a-job-search-strategy/

http://ezinearticles.com/?Benefits-of-Using-LinkedIn-for-Your-Job-Search-and-Career-Networking&id=1052139

http://ezinearticles.com/?Job-Search-Strategies—Using-Social-Networking-Sites&id=1411167

http://bhopu.com/2008/07/03/Hiring-Through–Social-Networking-Sites

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/networking/Will_Social_Networking_Get_You_a_Job__20060911-082016.html?subtopic=Networking+Tips

http://www.rileyguide.com/network.html

First Round or Second Round? Tips on timing your MBA applications

Applying to a top MBA program requires a lot of thinking. You have to put together many components in this arduous application process. One of the tough decisions to make is when to apply. Many MBA programs have three application periods. Some have five, some have only two. However, mostly the choice is between applying for the first round or the second round.

Let’s see what the scenario is like in the first round.

The first round sees some of the best student applications. Those who apply on the first round are candidates with good grades, great work experience and a high level of organization in their activities.

If you are a strong candidate, applying in this round is the best choice. In the article “Timing Your Applications” on Accepted.com’s site, Linda Abraham says “Submit in the earliest round possible provided you don’t compromise the quality of your application.”

This does not imply that you should not try if you are not the stellar candidate. If your GMAT scores are above 600, the first deadline applies also to you. In the first round, the numbers of applicants are fairly smaller. Some people, who are offered seats, reject them for better seats. Such seats can come your way. Though colleges put out a certain number of available seats, reality is that they have many more available. You can get into the extra seats in the first round itself, even if your competition consists of extremely high-caliber students. You will require a neat presentation of your core competencies, decent scores and well-written essays.

Some schools provide feedback to students who don’t get in on the first round. This feedback can be used for effective reapplication. In the article “First Round Frenzy” on Businessweek’s site, Abraham says, “a re-applicant who heeds a school’s feedback becomes an obvious round-one admit the following year”. This is yet another option available for you.

Now, going into the scenario in the second round.

What you see in the second round is a lot of applicants. There are more candidates to compete with. For some MBA programs, they are receiving over 2,000 applications together during this round. Students of the best caliber usually submit during the first round. The kind of applications seen here are of students who generally do well, but could present more weaknesses – although this does vary from school to school and from year to year. More often than not, these are the kind of students against whom you would be competing during this round.

If you have a GMAT score that’s lesser than 600 and you feel strongly that you will do well in taking this test again, opting for the second round in MBA application might work the best for you.

In short, it is choosing which round is best for you as a candidate that works out to favor your application. The one thing that cannot be compromised is the quality of the application. Thus, if applying earlier means sending out an application package that offers less than the best of you, you might as well postpone your submission since your chances to be accepted will be slimmer.

Whatever round you choose, put in your outmost effort in expressing who you are professionally, personally and how you will bring an added value to the programs of your choice. No matter what round you choose, it is your time to take charge and pursue your most ambitious MBA admissions aspirations.

By Claudine Vainrub with references from:

http://www.mbaprograms.org/mbaadmission/7criteria3.asp

http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/dec2005/bs2005127_7505_bs001.htm

http://www.accepted.com/newsletter/2004/1004news.aspx#essay

http://accepted.mbablogs.businessweek.com/archive/2005/12/08/1byqs44pwf3vy

What is a successful college application?

How to approach the college admission process

Tis’ the time of the year to get busy… It’s college application time! High school seniors struggle in deciding which schools are right for them, presenting the perfect mix of academics, social life, location, financial aid and future career growth opportunities. College Advisors provide essay writing workshops, FAFSA seminars, career guidance, and all they can think of to ease the pathway towards higher education choices. But what concerns students the most is submitting a successful application package.

Every year, thousands of applications are sent to colleges all over the U.S. Admissions committees looking into them judge each application based on several factors. What are they? Which are more important? Which less?

While many applications are approved, some do get rejected and the rejected students are left wondering why this happened. What made their application less effective that the others? The answer to this is that now-a-days admissions officers are looking for a lot more than just personal style and interests in college application.

A successful college application is one that showcases intelligence, personality and above all a passion for learning. As a student you should bring out your inner personality and not try take up things just to make an impression and get into college. Gimmicks such as enrolling into some special extracurricular classes or taking up some special learning programs are something that professors see through very well. So, it isn’t effective to be tactful just to get admission.

Instead, what colleges seek is ‘Demonstrated Interest’ or real appeal as to why students like the college to which they are applying. This should be presented in a genuine and true way. The reason for such expectations is that colleges are no longer seeking students to join them in numbers. Instead, they want students to seek them out with specific learning purposes in mind and they want them to bring out such expectations in a focused and thoughtful way. In short, they want quality students that value their institutions and learning methodologies.

Start by showing how valuable you can be to the college, what you can give back, and how you will grow from within their institution to become an exemplary member of their alumni. You can portray this through the college application essay.

In your college essay, you need to bring out yourself in a casual way and not sounding clichéd. Professors instantly take to students who project themselves openly, and with a level of mature thinking. Be sure to project yourself as a serious student with good marks in academics, or achievements in sports, or other leadership-related activities where you have excelled. Extra-curricular activities are not as important. Furthermore, if you have not done well in a particular semester or you did mess up things, mention it. Hard as it may be, being honest here does count, rather than hoping the professor will let it pass by.

During the interview project yourself as calm, confident and able to handle your responsibilities well. This may sound like a big line, but it is actually very simple to do, if you organize yourself well.

So, after knowing this information, here is probably the most important professional advice I can give: Be true to yourself! Represent yourself as close to reality as possible, let your personality, likes, aspirations, and vision come through your application. Admissions officers will then be able to evaluate your candidacy and really assess whether you are the right fit for their school or not. If you are not, you will not want to be there anyway, since you will most probably be miserable – this does happen, and it is unfortunate. Put your out most effort in providing the best portrayal of yourself, created with excellence and dedication. The decision will be positive if it is the right fit – college admissions are experts at evaluating candidates, and they will know.

Seek a school not because of its “brand name” but because it provides the type of environment where you will thrive, and because it will add tremendous value to your life. This is what achieving success in the application process really means!

What you should expect from a Professional MBA Admissions Counselor

We received today this statement from one of our MBA candidates this year (we keep the name confidential, as per NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice - SPGP regarding client confidentiality). If you are seeking a college counselor or graduate school admissions consultant, this can help you evaluate if a consultant will provide the support you need…

“It is my pleasure to recommend a marvelous professional, Claudine Vainrub, and to write this letter on her behalf. We worked together for almost 6 months in the preparation of my applications to an MBA. She helped me through every phase of my applications, from understanding the MBA program as a whole and the particulars of each school, to applying, interviewing, getting accepted and even getting a full scholarship.

At first she executed a series of test to pinpoint my unique value as a professional and as a human being in a process called “Personal Branding”. This process lasted close to a month, during which I completed various assessments while members of my family, friends and co-workers answered questionnaires about me, my personality and my ethics in general. I was amazed by the results of this Personal Branding process, it basically captured in one single line the uniqueness that describes me.

Parallel to this, we were scouting various MBA programs and we narrowed the selection down to 3 programs and a backup MBA program, just in case. The chosen MBAs where: MBA 1 (omitted for confidentiality), MBA 2 (same), MBA 3 (same) and MBA 4 (same) (My backup school, were I could attend while living in city with my family).

The application process was for me a real pleasure, while I saw many of my friends battling to get through it, I really enjoyed it. With the guidance of Claudine, her motivation and energy, I was able to write all the essays before the first round of my three main schools, while a previous employer and my thesis tutor wrote the recommendation letters. Together we delved into the intricacies of every essay topic and choose the best life experience to match what the school was expecting from a prospective MBA student.

A couple of weeks after I confidently submitted my applications I received calls from the three schools to schedule interviews. Immediately Claudine gave me the coaching I needed to not only get through an interview successfully, but also to thrill the interviewer and leave him with a feeling of “I wish I could go back to the MBA with you”. With her direction I felt absolutely comfortable in all the interviews, and that made a big difference.

Within a month after this I received the responses from the schools. Take into account that I’m a 23 year old Venezuelan and I only had at the time a little over a year of work experience, which is well below the regular requirements for an MBA.

MBA 3 put me in their Waiting List, I talked to Claudine about this and she already had a plan to start getting MBA 3’s attention and get an official acceptance. The plan included diverse actions, first to write a letter, then to go visit the campus and then to follow up with a second letter trying to attack any weaknesses that they may have perceived of me as a candidate.

MBA 2 accepted me. This was a joyous moment for me and Claudine. All the work had, thank G-d, paid off, and now I was accepted to one of the top ten business schools in the country. But I couldn’t decide yet, I had to wait for all the answers.

MBA 1 accepted me also. Not only they accepted me, but they offered to sponsor half of my tuition. We didn’t even ask for a scholarship, which means that the application really impressed them. Now I had a tough decision to make, should I do everything in my power to get into MBA 3? Should I negotiate a scholarship with MBA 2? Should I forget about the other schools and just go to MBA 1?

At this point in time you would think that Claudine’s work was over; she got me into two top business schools and even got me a scholarship in one of them. But, she counseled me and analyzed with me the pros and cons of all my options, not to make a decision for me, but to allow me to realize what my decision should be.

The first decision was not to even apply to the MBA 4, which was no match for the other programs I got in. After this, I talked to the schools without making a decision and to our surprise I immediately got a FedEx package from MBA 1. They decided to offer me the Dean’s Scholarship, a full scholarship to an MBA. This was very exciting news!

Any regular person would tell you to run to MBA 1 and accept the offer. But, Claudine gave me a better recommendation, she told me to avoid making a decision only based on the money I could save, I should further analyze the kind of life I could have in each of the cities, the life my wife would have and the better return on my two year investment.

This was great advice. I took a plane with my wife to city we checked out the city, the Jewish community, the student life and many over things. At the end of the trip, we were both sure that MBA 1 was the right option, not only because of the scholarship, but more importantly for the kind of life we could live while I studied at MBA 1.

I can never express my full gratitude to Claudine for all the help and support she gave me in this whole process. During the whole time she was fully involved and always injecting me with energy and enthusiasm to do the best I could. One of the biggest surprise while working with her is that instead of me calling her and asking for her help, she was always one step ahead of me, she would call me before I did and she was fully accessible anytime.

Bottom line, I was 1000% (yes, One Thousand percent) satisfied with her work and I’ve recommended her to all my friends, and that is why I took the liberty to write this letter of recommendation on her behalf, because I believe everybody is entitled to know that if you are seeking for this kind of high-level assistance, in an ethical way, to apply to any program, you can find that in Claudine Vainrub.

Sincerely,

MBA Student

Class of 2010″

School were not disclosed in publication to protect student identity – Schools included Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Management, Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, The University of Miami School of Business, and The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

2008 – 2009 SAT Dates

Here is the 2008-2009 Calendar to take the Standardized Tests – SAT´s:

2008-09 Test Dates	Test
		Regular Registration Deadline	Late (a fee applies)
October 4, 2008	SAT & Subject Tests	September 9, 2008	September 14, 2008
November 1, 2008	SAT & Subject Tests	September 26, 2008	October 11, 2008
December 6, 2008	SAT & Subject Tests	November 5, 2008	November 8, 2008
January 24, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	December 26, 2008	January 4, 2009
March 14, 2009	SAT only	February 10, 2009	February 7, 2009
May 2, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	March 31, 2009	April 10, 2009
June 6, 2009	SAT & Subject Tests	May 5, 2009	May 15, 2009

Scholarship for College Applicants and Students

As just published by the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, NACAC, a new college scholarship opportunity has opened.

Provided by The Journal of College Admission and NACAC, the organization will grant US$1,000 to the seven students selected for submitting student-written articles about the college-transition and admission process (the college search, application process, transitioning from high school to college, etc).

This contest is open to high school juniors and seniors, as well as college freshman and sophomore. The work of all finalists will be published in the Winter 2009 Special Edition of Journal of College Admission, entitled The Student Perspective: My Transition Experience.

For more information on how to be eligible for this special opportunity, please contact EduPlan at 1.888.661.8234.

New Job Postings – Contact EduPlan for more information on any of these jobs!

1404	Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant	Albuquerque, NM
1403	Therapists	Albuquerque, NM
	Manager Compensation and Benefits	Anchorage, AK
1456	corporate and corporate finance associates	Austin, TX
1470	Manager, Business Development Services	Baltimore, MD
1469	Sr. Program Manager	Boca Raton, FL
1455	Accounting Supervisor	Boston, MA
1431	associates, paralegals, legal secretaries	Boston, MA
1407	dave siegel’s boston legal positions (cont)	Boston, MA
1414	Principal Engineer	Camp Hill, PA
1447	Chicago associates	Chicago, IL
1448	Chicago: Project Assistant	Chicago, IL
1325	Managing Tax Partner	Dallas, TX
1326	Senior Tax Accountant	Dallas, TX
1467	Senior Tax Accountant	Dallas, TX
1405	Tax Accountant	Dallas, TX
1441	temp to perm Events Coordinator	Dallas, TX
1446	Corporate/Equipment Finance associate (2vp)	Washington, DC
1402	Quality Assurance Manager	Elmsford, NY
1362	Regulatory Compliance Manager	Englewood Cliffs, NJ
1472	Senior Engineer	Englewood Cliffs, NJ
1409	Dave Siegel Connecticut attorney openings	Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford, CT
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1391	manufacturing engineer	Holbrook, NY
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1468	Audit Manager	Houston, TX
1457	Corporate/Lending, Global Projects/Energy, Corporate M&A, Tax associates	Houston, TX
1427	Financial Reporting Analyst – Internal Management Reporting	Houston, TX
1350	International Tax Manager	Houston, TX
1252	Materials Balance Manager	Houston, TX
1249	Project Engineer	Houston, TX
1439	Sales & Marketing Rep Fuels & Raffinates	Houston, TX
1428	Senior Financial Reporting Analyst-Internal Management Reporting	Houston, TX
1351	Senior Tax Analyst	Houston, TX
1429	Senior Tax Analyst	Houston, TX
1352	Tax Analyst	Houston, TX
1424	Environmental Scientist II	Locust Valley, NY
1406	Litigation attorneys w/ trial experience	Long Beach, CA
1461	Labor & Employment, Mergers and Acquisitions associates	Los Angeles, CA
1432	paralegal, litigation associates, real estate associates	madison, NJ
1398	Equipment Development Engineer	Manchester, NH
1397	Manager, Manufacturing Product Engineering	Manchester, NH
1401	Business Development Coordinator – Website and Collaterals	Manhattan, NY
1395	facilities manager	Manhattan, NY
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1444	corporate associates (hHrLlP)	Miami, FL
1400	Sr. Engineer SCCM – MSP	Minneapolis, MN
1373	Dave siegel attorney postings for NJ	Morristown, Bridgewater, Roseland, Florham Park, Newark, NJ
1419	Senior Electrical Engineer/Project Manager	Mt Laurel, NJ
1418	Senior Mechanical Engineer/Project Manager	Mt Laurel, NJ
1434	litigation and insolvency associate, executive asst.	New York and Wilmington, NY
1445	bankruptcy associates (1vp)	New York, NY
1462	commercial, corporate, financial restructuring, m&a, and tax associates	New York, NY
1452	Conference Center Staff, Legal Secretary,	New York, NY
1443	corporate associates (hHrLlP)	New York, NY
1371	dave siegel NY attorney openings	New York, NY
1422	Engineer IV- Transportation/Transit	New York, NY
1368	Judy Morgan MAR. 2008- NEW YORK ATTORNEY OPENINGS	New York, NY
1450	PC/LAN Technician / NOC Engineer	New York, NY
1453	tax, real estate, employment, and a variety of coporate associates	New York, NY
1436	Tax/T&E Private wealth candidate	New York, NY
1451	Trusts and Estates Paralegal	New York, NY
1421	Sr. Application Developer	Newport News, VA
1449	Application Programmer/Analyst	New York, NY
1408	dave siegel NY legal positions (cont)	New York, NY
1473	Controller	North Dallas, TX
1390	Design Engineer	Northern Mississippi, MS
1387	Sr. Dishwasher Design Engineer	Northern Mississippi, MS
1388	Sr. Ventilation Product Design Engineer	Northern Mississippi, MS
1389	Supplier Quality Engineer	Northern Mississippi, MS
1442	Legal Secretary/Assistant	Oak Lawn area, TX
1440	Claims Examiner (Workers Compensation)	Peoria, IL
1412	Engineer III Structural	Phoenix, AZ
1413	Sr. Bridge Engineer	Phoenix, AZ
1423	Technical Designer III	Phoenix, AZ
1250	I & E Maintenance Engineer	Port Neches, TX
1251	Reliability Engineer	Port Neches, TX
1433	associates, assistant, finance analyst, accountant, tax mngr, IT support, Sr messaging ENG	Providence, RI
1438	Senior Level Reciprocating Compressor Engineer	Quincy, IL
1471	Business Development Manager	Ramsey, NJ
1463	Corporate/M&A associate	San Antonio, TX
1416	Civil Engineer V	San Francisco, CA
1420	Engineer II Transportation/Transit	San Francisco, CA
1464	Labor and Employment associate	San Francisco, CA
1411	Technical Designer II	San Fransisco, CA
1465	Intellectual Property Litigation associates	Silicon Valley, CA
1430	Paralegals:	Stamford, CT
1377	Item Processing Manager	Tallahassee, FL
1435	Network Administrator	Tallahassee, FL
1460	Corporate/ M&A/Securities associaes	United Kingdom
1425	Engineer I Transportation/Transit	Valley Forge, PA
1417	ITS Project Manager	Valley Forge, PA
1415	Sr. Bridge Engineer	Valley Forge, PA
1466	Corporate, Financial Restructuring, multiple diverse intellectual prop, and M&A associates	Washington, D.C., DC
1459	Accountant	Western Suffolk County, LI, NY
1458	Manager – Financial Reporting	Western Suffolk County, LI, NY
1410	Manager of SOX Compliance	Worcester, MA
1353	Oracle Applications Functional/Technical Lead	Worcester, MA
1396	Senior Production Planner	Worcester, MA
1399	Photolithography / Stepper Engineer	Worchester, NH

You make us Proud!

Congratulations to our College and Graduate School Admissions Customers this year! 

Not only have you achieved acceptance in top U.S. programs, but you have also earned Merit-based Scholarships at

Carnegie Mellon University, New York University, Columbia University and Hartford University by proving to be outstanding International Applicants.

 

Only a very small percentage of International Candidates receive these type of Scholarships each year.

We commend you on these awards and hope to continue

helping you achieve great career success!

 

Seek Employers that understand Diversity as an Asset

Coming from Venezuela, a country where only a very small percentage of workers are non-immigrants, and little diversity discrimination is felt, we perceive drastic differences between the views of diversity and minorities in the U.S. and other countries in the world.

Reality is that the business world is every day more global. Minorities are rapidly growing, especially Hispanics, and so is our buying power. Quoting the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, “The buying power of Hispanics — now the nation’s largest minority group — will exceed $860 billion in 2007 and is whizzing its way to more than $1.2 trillion five years from now.”

With this said, can a Fortune 500 corporation afford not to acknowledge the importance of including minorities as part of their staff? Would you want to work for a company, even if it is a Fortune 500, that does not embrace diversity?

Looking for a job can be a daunting task. It is easy to get depressed when knocking employers doors and getting “dings” (rejection letters). This is why, as I career coach, my advice is, don’t let it happen very often! Do as much as you can to ensure that when you find an opportunity, it will be a lasting one.

If you are a minority recruit, here are some criteria to evaluate if a company would be a good fit for you, from an article by The Star Tribune of Minneapolis entitled Look for clues to company’s attitudes about minorities. Ask your interviewers:

• ”Does the company have a director or vice president of diversity?

• Is there a minority internship program?

• How diverse is the board of directors? The majority of Fortune 500 companies have directors who are mostly white and male. There are some companies, however, that have women and minority directors who can and do shape the company’s business direction and culture.

• Is there a diversity statement on the company website? If the company has a diversity statement endorsed by the CEO, then chances are good that there is a strong commitment to diversity.”

Also consider what initiatives is the company taking towards marketing for diversity customers, do they conduct diversity advertising, do they contribute to diversity non-profit organizations.

Employment interviews always allow a chance for the recruit to ask questions. Take that chance and ask what initiatives the company is leading to get a piece of the $1.8 trillion minority buying power. And then evaluate, is this a winning corporation, one where I can have a long-term success career?

Immigration law reform á-lá-Bill-Gates

Are tough immigration laws impeding leading corporations from hiring the talent they require to maintain their leading positions? Highly-skilled immigrants have it as hard as ever these days, to legally adjust their status to work in the U.S. Could this have a negative effect in the U.S. economy? Undoubtedly YES! There is a registered shortage of skilled workers, and the aging/retiring boomer generation is only going to increase the lack thereof.

Fortune 500 CEOs are complaining, but also, they are not sitting down and waiting for someone to make a decision. They are taking charge of the situation by moving their research and development facilities to Canada and other countries where highly skilled workers can obtain work visas without the hardship immigrants go through in the U.S. Is this in the U.S.’s best interest?

The Society for Human Resources Management addresses this issue:

The failure of Congress to pass immigration reform has exacerbated an already grave situation related to the “gathering threat to U.S. pre-eminence in science and technology innovation,” Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corp., told the House Committee on Science and Technology on March 12, 2008. Gates proposed a four-point plan to help the country maintain its position as the world’s innovation leader:
* Revamp immigration rules for highly skilled workers so U.S. companies can attract and retain the world’s best scientific talent
* Strengthen education so U.S. students and workers have the skills needed to succeed in the technology- and information-driven economy
* Increase funding for basic scientific research
* Provide incentives for private-sector research and development

The U.S. economy depends on the ability of innovative companies to attract and retain the best talent regardless of nationality or citizenship, but the immigration system makes attracting and retaining high-skilled immigrants exceptionally challenging for U.S. firms, Gates said. For example, the current cap of 65,000 H-1B visas awarded annually is… so low that it virtually assures that highly skilled foreign graduates will work elsewhere after graduation,” Gates said.

While Congress considers increasing the H-1B visa cap, there are actions lawmakers can take that would help foreign-born engineering, math, and, science graduates of U.S. universities remain in the United States, Gates said. Those actions include:
* Revamping the H-1B visa system, because under the current system an H-1B petition generally can be filed only on behalf of an individual who has a degree, but most graduates receive their degrees in May or June, well after the H-1B application filing period has closed in their graduation year.
* Expansion of the “optional practical training” (OPT) program from 12 months to 29 months. The OPT program allows F-1 visa holders to obtain temporary employment as a means to gain practical work experience.
* Creation of a “streamlined path to permanent resident status for highly skilled workers,” so that foreign students can remain in the United States if they want to.

During 2007, the “counterproductive immigration policies” of the U.S. prevented Microsoft from obtaining H-1B visas for about 33 percent of the “highly qualified, foreign-born job candidates” the company wanted to hire,” said Gates. The U.S. H-1B policy is forcing companies to locate such high-skilled staff in third countries so they can do work that would normally be done in the United States. “No policy related to H-1B will impact the percentage of foreign labor that works in computer science; all it will affect is the portion of that is done in the United States,” said Gates.

Source: Career Management Alliance and SHRM, Global HR Focus Area, March 2008

Employment statistics in decline

Here are the latests statistics on the Job Market:

• An index intended to show the economy’s future direction fell 0.3% in February, the fifth consecutive monthly drop, according to preliminary estimates by the Conference Board.
• The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment insurance increased sharply last week, matching a two-and-a-half-year high.
• The Conference Board said Thursday that its composite index of leading indicators fell to 135.0 in February after a revised 0.4% drop in January, with declines of 0.1% decline in December, 0.5% November, and 0.5% in October.
• The four-week average of new jobless claims rose by 6,000 to 365,250, the highest level since October 2005.
• Employment markets have weakened sharply in recent months. Non-farm payrolls fell by 22,000 in January, the first time in over four years, and then fell at a faster pace (63,000) last month. Those declines convinced many Wall Street economists that the economy is now in recession.
• In response, the Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates aggressively, including a 0.75-percentage-point reduction in the fed funds rate target on Tuesday to 2.25%. Officials have lowered the fed funds rate by three percentage points since September 2007.
• The unemployment rate for workers with unemployment insurance rose 0.1 percentage point to 2.2% in the week of March 8.

Source: Career Management Alliance Newsletter and The Wall Street Journal, March 20, 2008

Law School Rankings… Official?

What would you think if you saw this?

(From Daniel Solove´s Concurring Opinions Blog)

I almost fell for it, but then again, is it too far from reality? Do you know how the ranking process really works? If you do not, you are one of many.

Here is the official info on the criteria used for the US News college rankings (applicable also to US News graduate school rankings):

“The U.S. News college rankings, published on usnews.com Aug. 18, 2007, are based on several key measures of quality, described below. U.S. News uses these measures to capture the various dimensions of academic quality at each college. These measures fall into seven broad categories: peer assessment; graduation and retention rate; faculty resources (for example, class size); student selectivity (for example, average admission test scores of incoming students); financial resources; alumni giving; and, only for national universities and liberal arts colleges, graduation rate performance. The indicators include both input measures, which reflect the quality of students, faculty, and other resources used in education, and outcome measures, which capture the results of the education an individual receives.”

Read more HERE!

College Tuition Rates Up, yet again!

New College and Graduate School Statistics on Admissions, Tuition and more…

Published by the United States Government Accountability Office, a report on Tuition Patterns gives us new data on college and graduate school admission.

Their summary of findings indicates that  more students are enrolling in college than ever before (approximately 19% more in public institutions, and 15% more in private since 1996-1997).  62% students are full time, as opposed to 58% in 1996-1997. Colleges are seeing a special increase in minority student applications.

Although tuition has increased all accross institutions, the lowest increases are seen in colleges and universities with the largest student populations.

83% of all students are enrolled in public institutions, 17% in private institutions.

“In the 2006-2007 school year, 58% of Hispanic student were enrolled in 2-year schools” reports GAO, in comparison to 43% White/Non-hispanics.

Tuition fees increased on average +/- by 20% from $2,091 to $2,510. The highest increase was experienced in 4-year private research/doctoral institutions, with a 38% increase from $19,185 to 26,515.

Please visit the National Association for College Admissions Counseling – NACAC and the Government Accountability Report for more detailed information.

If you´d like a copy of this report, contact EduPlan.

EduPlan Job Board – New Job Postings!

Contact EduPlan at 1-888-661-8234 to apply to any of these positions:

1. Applications Developer (educes – LDAP), Houston, TX                    
2. Associates, assistant, finance analyst, accountant, tax Manager, IT support, Sr messaging ENG, Providence, RI                   
3. Associates, paralegals, legal secretaries, and accounting/finance, Boston, MA                      
4. Attorney postings for NJ, Morristown, Bridgewater, Roseland, Florham Park, Newark, NJ, Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford, CT                     
5. Audit & Accounting Manager; Audit & Accounting Senior, NY                     
6. Audit professionals, Southport and will consider Hartford, CT                     
7. AUSTIN, TEXAS ATTORNEY OPENINGS, Austin, TX                            
8. Business Development Coordinator – Website and Collaterals, Manhattan, NY                     
9. Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, Albuquerque, NM                      
10. Civil Engineer V, San Francisco, CA                           
11. COLLIN COUNTY (Far North Dallas) attorneys,  Dallas, TX                               
12. CORPORATE ASSOCIATE, Boston, MA                    
13. DALLAS, TEXAS ATTORNEY OPENINGS, Dallas, TX                              
14. Design Engineer, Northern Mississippi, MS                          
15. Electrical engineer, Holbrook, NY                             
16. Embedded software engineer, Lancaster, PA                    
17. Engineer I Transportation/Transit, Valley Forge, PA                         
18. Engineer II Transportation/Transit, San Francisco, CA                     
19. Engineer III Structural, Phoenix, AZ                         
20. Engineer IV- Transportation/Transit, New York, NY                         
21. Environmental Scientist II, Locust Valley, NY                       
22. Equipment Development Engineer, Manchester, NH                     
23. Facilities manager, Manhattan, NY                          
24. Financial Reporting Analyst – Internal Management Reporting, Houston, TX                          
25. Flexo Process Engineer, Stockton OR, CA                             
26. HOUSTON, TEXAS ATTORNEY OPENINGS, Houston, TX                    
27. I & E Maintenance Engineer, Port Neches, TX                    
28. Inside Sales Broker Position, Dallas, Fayetteville, ARK; Vancouver, WA, TX                             
29. Internal Auditor I, Houston, TX                 
30. International Tax – Alternative Investments, New York, NY                          
31. International Tax – Levels needed (Sr Associate, Manager & Director), New York, NY                      
32. International Tax Manager, Houston, TX                              
33. Item Processing Manager, Tallahassee, FL                           
34. Item Processing Manager, Tallahassee, FL                           
35. ITS Project Manager, Valley Forge, PA                   
36. Junior to Mid-Level Public and Structured Finance Associates, New York, NY                         
37. Junior, Mid-Level and Senior Associates, Denver area, CO                           
38. Junior, Mid-Level and Senior Intellectual Property Litigation Associates and Patent Associates, SAN FRANCISCO, PALO ALTO AND SAN DIEGO, CA                      
39. Labor and Employment Attorneys, NASHVILLE, TN                          
40. Legal Contracts Administrator, Ft Lauderdale, FL                               
41. Litigation and insolvency associate, executive asst., New York and Wilmington, NY                           
42. Litigation attorneys w/ trial experience, Long Beach, CA                               
43. Manager of SOX Compliance, Worcester, MA                    
44. Manager, Manufacturing Product Engineering, Manchester, NH                                 
45. Manufacturing engineer, Holbrook, NY                  
46. Market Intelligence Analyst Job Code: * MR-MIA-DL, Dallas, TX                
47. Materials Balance Manager, Houston, TX                             
48. Network Administrator, Tallahassee, FL                
49. NEW YORK ATTORNEY OPENINGS, New York, NY                             
50. Oracle Applications Functional/Technical Lead, Worcester, MA                  
51. Paralegal, litigation associates, real estate associates, Madison, NJ                          
52. Paralegals, Stamford, CT                              
53. Photolithography / Stepper Engineer, Worchester, NH                 
54. Principal Engineer, Camp Hill, PA                              
55. Project Engineer, Houston, TX                  
56. Quality Assurance Manager, Elmsford, NY                           
57. Regulatory Compliance Manager, Englewood Cliffs, NJ                  
58. Reliability Engineer, Port Neches & Houston, TX                               
59. Sales & Use Tax – Senior Associates, New York, NY                          
60. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ATTORNEY OPENINGS, San Antonio, TX                  
61. Senior auditor; tax preparer; CPA, Manhattan, NY                           
62. Senior Electrical Engineer/Project Manager, Mt Laurel, NJ                           
63. Senior Engineer – System Center – MSP, Minneapolis, MN                          
64. Senior Erlang Developer, Needham, MA                               
65. Senior Financial Reporting Analyst-Internal Management Reporting, Houston, TX                            
66. Senior Java/SWT Developer, Needham, MA                       
67. Senior Mechanical Engineer/Project Manager, Mt Laurel, NJ                      
68. Senior Production Planner, Worcester, MA                         
69. Senior Production Planner, Worcester, MA                         
70. Senior Tax Analyst, Houston, TX    
71. Senior Tax Analyst, Houston, TX                               
72. Sr. Application Developer, Newport News, VA                  
73. Sr. Bridge Engineer, Phoenix, AZ                              
74. Sr. Bridge Engineer, Valley Forge, PA                     
75. Sr. Cooking Products Design Engineer, Northern Mississippi, MS                               
76. Sr. Dishwasher Design Engineer, Northern Mississippi, MS                          
77. Sr. Engineer SCCM – MSP, Minneapolis, MN                      
78. Sr. Internal Auditor, Houston, TX                             
79. Sr. Refrigeration Design Engineer, Northern Mississippi, MS                       
80. Sr. Ventilation Product Design Engineer, Northern Mississippi, MS                           
81. State & Local tax (Income & Franchise) – Sr Associates & Managers, New York, NY                            
82. State & Local tax (M&A) – Sr Associates & Managers, New York, NY                         
83. Supplier Quality Engineer, Northern Mississippi, MS                       
84. Tax Accountant, Dallas, TX                          
85. Tax Analyst, Houston, TX                             
86. Tax professionals, Southport and possibly Hartford, CT                 
87. Tax/T&E Private wealth, New York, NY                  
88. Technical Designer II, San Francisco, CA                
89. Technical Designer III, Phoenix, AZ                          
90. Therapists, Albuquerque, NM                   
91. UG Mechanical Design Engineer, MEDLEY, FL                     
92. Vendor Rep * MR-VR-JF, Jacksonville, FL                             
93. Vendor Representative * MR-VR-DL, Dallas, TX                
94. Word Processing Coordinator for large downtown law firm,  Dallas, TX                   

Can "Happy and Successful" go together?

Always on the lookout for interesting information, my father sent me this article, the closest to a “to-do” list to find success and feel joy at the end of the day (or journey). A very successful entrepreneur, my father is a testimony that if you follow this recipe, it works!

Here is the To-Do list (excerpts from Paul Johnson´s Forbes article):

1. Combine the pursuit of wealth with creativity. Go into business making something real, tangible; creating something where there was nothing.
2. Produce something useful, delightful, beautiful.
3. Generate satisfaction in others by creating jobs that justify themselves. Give others the chance to support themselves with honor and usefulness.
4. Seek a moral basis, not just the pursuit of a financial goal that satisfies material needs, but also nurture emotional and spiritual needs with your occupation.

Read the whole article…

Can “Happy and Successful” go together?

Always on the lookout for interesting information, my father sent me this article, the closest to a “to-do” list to find success and feel joy at the end of the day (or journey). A very successful entrepreneur, my father is a testimony that if you follow this recipe, it works!

Here is the To-Do list (excerpts from Paul Johnson´s Forbes article):

1. Combine the pursuit of wealth with creativity. Go into business making something real, tangible; creating something where there was nothing.
2. Produce something useful, delightful, beautiful.
3. Generate satisfaction in others by creating jobs that justify themselves. Give others the chance to support themselves with honor and usefulness.
4. Seek a moral basis, not just the pursuit of a financial goal that satisfies material needs, but also nurture emotional and spiritual needs with your occupation.

Read the whole article…

Personal Branding Magazine Free Sample

Here is a wonderful tool to learn more about a very hot and fascinating topic – Personal Branding. For those who have yet to discover it, in essence, this career growth and individual marketing methodology helps uncover your true differentiation from your peer competitors. I know this is a very simple way of illustrating a very elaborate process that can add so much to your career – think of Donald Trump and the images that you instantly picture in your head – money, success, power – you surely agree with me that he holds at least some of these attributes. That is a strong personal brand.

It is of no surprise that The Donald was featured in the first issue of the Personal Branding Magazine, published by Dan Schawbel. Now, Dan brings a free sample, so you can savour the concept applied to “business celebrities” such as  Google founders (Sergei Brin/Larry Page), and web celebs such as Gina Bianchini (Ning), Gina Trapini (Lifehacker), David Weekly (pbwiki), Om Malik (GigaOm) and Matt Mullenweg (WordPress) and Mark Frauenfelder (Boing Boing).

Enjoy… www.PersonalBrandingSample.com.

Jobs – check out these new listings

·         Environmental Scientist/GIS Analyst, Camp Hill, PA $35000 – $60000 Yr

·         Sr Geotechnical Engineer, Jacksonville, FL $41000 – $70000 Yr

·         Engineer VI/Architect VI, San Fransisco, CA $102000 – $172000 Yr

·         Technical Designer II, San Fransisco, CA $58000 – $95000 Yr

·         Engineer V, San Fransisco, CA $80000 – $138000 Yr

·         Civil Engineer V,  San Fransisco, CA $80000 – $138000 Yr

·         Wastewater Process Engineer,  Harrisburg, PA   $35000 – $60000 Yr

·         Principal Engineer, Camp Hill, PA $66000 – $111000 Yr

·         Senior Mechanical Engineer/Project Manager, Mount Laurel, NJ $80000 – $138000 Yr

·         Senior Electrical Engineer/Project Manager, Mount Laurel, NJ $80000 – $138000 Yr

·         Senior Bridge Engineer, Phoenix, AZ $66000 – $111000 Yr

·         ITS Project Manager, Valley Forge, PA $59000 – $91000 Yr

·         Petroleum Engineer, Dallas, TX $80000 – $150000 Yr

·         PeopleSoft Developer/Supply Chain Management, Osseo, MN $70000 – $80000 Yr

·         Project Engineer, Houston, TX $80000 – $110000 Yr

·         I & E Maintenance Engineer, Port Neches, TX $80000 – $110000 Yr

·         Reliability Engineer, Port Neches, TX $80000 – $110000 Yr

·         Materials Balance Manager, Houston, TX $90000 – $120000 Yr

·         Sales Analyst, East Texas, TX $70000 – $85000 Yr

·         IN HOUSE LITIGATION / EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY, LAKE SUCCESS, NY   

·         IN HOUSE TAX ATTORNEY, Basking Ridge, NJ      

·         BANKRTUPCY ATTORNEY, New York, NY               

·         TAX ATTORNEY, New York, NY   

·         Corporate/Finance Associates,  New York, NY   

·         Real Estate Finance/Capital Markets Associate,  New York, NY   

·         Senior Sales Engineer, Washington DC, DC $100000 – $120000 Yr

·         Corporate Sales Engineer, Fremont, CA $100000 – $125000 Yr

·         Senior SQA Test Engineer, Fremont, CA $80000 – $110000 Yr

·         Director of Global Strategic Sales, Fremont, CA  $220000 – $240000 Yr

·         ETL Developer,  San Francisco, but can be done remotely, CA $60 – $70 Hr

·         financial analyst, New Britain (Hartford area), CT $55000 – $75000 Yr

·         Sr. accountant,  Darien, CT $75000 – $85000 Yr

·         Trademark Paralegal/Legal Assistant, Dallas, TX  $60000 – $65000 Yr

·         Commercial Transactions Associate, Cincinatti, OH                           

·         Family Law Associate, Philadelphia, PA  

·         Intellectual Property Litigation Associate, Philadelphia, PA           

·         Intellectual Property Litigation Partner, Philadelphia, PA              

·         Intellectual Property Litigation Partner, Philadelphia, PA               

·         Intellectual Property Patent Associate, Philadelphia, PA               

·         Real Estate Partner, Philadelphia, PA     

·         Tax and Wealth Management – Tax Associate, Philadelphia, PA 

·         Tax and Wealth Management – Tax Partner, Philadelphia, PA     

·         Tax and Wealth Management – Tax Partner, Philadelphia, PA     

·         Tax and Wealth Management – Trusts and Estates Partner, Philadelphia, PA       

·         embedded software engineer, Lancaster, PA $60000 – $70000 Yr

·         SOX Sr. Financial Analyst, Lancaster, PA

·         Manager, External Reporting, Richardson, TX $93500 – $110000 Yr

·         Senior IP Customer Engineer, State Street Plaza, New York City, NY $110000 – $125000 Yr

·         Inside Sales Broker Position, Dallas, Fayetteville, ARK; Vancouver, WA, TX           

·         Customer Sales Support, Dallas, TX         

·         Insurance Sales Representative, New York, NY $80000 – $130000 Yr

·         Legal Sales Rep, NEW YORK, NY  $70000 – $120000 Yr

·         Regional Sales Manager Position, EDISON, NJ $50000 – $50000 Yr

·         Internal Auditor,  Dallas, TX $65000 – $80000 Yr

·         Senior Investment Accountant, Dallas, TX $55000 – $75000 Yr

·         Business Development Manager, North shore, South Shore, Central and West Massach, MA $85000 – $100000 Yr

·         Account Execuitve/ Business Development Managers/ Outside Sales, NJ             

·         Oracle DBA, Union, NJ $90000 – $110000 Yr

·         Business Analyst – Ecommerce, Union, NJ $85000 – $95000 Yr

·         Tax Accountant, Dallas, TX $55000 – $80000 Yr

·         Tax Accountant, Dallas, TX $55000 – $80000 Yr

·         Tax Accountant, Dallas, TX $55000 – $80000 Yr

Found a posting you would like to submit your résumé to? Call us at 1-888-661-8234 to inquire more, or send us your résumé at info@eduplan.us to be considered for the position.

Going for an MBA? Break a leg!

When we enter a competitive MBA program, we expect hard-core finance, marketing, corporate strategy, entrepreneurship courses, tests, case studies – lots of hours in front of the PC digesting data. I know I did, when I attended the Ross School of Business MBA Program.

I also knew something about the Business School Follies… Being an amateur musical play producer myself and a theater enthusiast, to say the least, I was excited to participate in the show, acting and singing in some skits, and making my colleagues have a good laugh! 

Little I knew business schools would promote drama classes, as part of their formal MBA work – and, to me, it makes all the sense in the world!

Business and drama make a great couple – and I dare to say, one cannot live without the other. We learn business management concepts, then we need to conduct corporate presentations, to communicate our findings. A drama class can provide the tools to communicate concepts effectively, while enticing an audience to achieve the presenter´s goal.

With the addition of a drama class in some business schools, their MBA experiences will be as enriching as ever. “Taking you out of your comfort zone” to make you a better communicator in any environment. This is one of the truly valuable lessons I took from my MBA studies.

Read more on this topic at Business Week.

Hot College Majors

Did you know that Songwriting is the fourth most popular college major searched on AOL? I guess it is safe to say that many Millenials are looking for careers with spark! Four of the top ten within the performing arts industry.

Check out the top ten searches for college majors in AOL search:

1. Major in government
2. Colleges with dance majors
3. Business forensics major
4. Songwriting major
5. Neuroscience major
6. English major
7. Broadcasting major in college
8. Biology major
9. Colleges with jazz music major
10. Colleges with commercial music major

Read more on this subject HERE!

New Job Search Statistics

As commented by the Career Management Alliance, here are some interesting recent statistics on job search trends:

College Grads find job search success at college career centers, according to a new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE’s 2007 Graduating Student Survey found that:

* 52% of students who reported securing full-time jobs had applied for a job through a campus career center-sponsored career fair.

* 41% had posted their resumes through their campus career center’s website.

The study also found that the most effective methods weren’t the most popular among students:

* 71% of the 12,000+ students applied for a job by sending their resumes directly to an employer’s website.

* 47% of students mailed a resume directly to the employer.

* 44% applied at a career center-sponsored job fair.

* 34% posted a resume through a career center website.

Source: www.careercornerstone.org/scccnews/issues/2007/scccnews1107.htm#scccnews3

Job Board – Check out these new job postings!

For the first time, EduPlan offers a list of job postings. These positions are available now. For additional information on these work opportunities, contact us at info@eduplan.us and send us your resume. We will be glad to assist you in your job search.

We will be sending more job postings in following newsletters, as positions become available.

Feel free to refer this information to others who you know are in the market for a new opportunity. Don’t forget to keep the reference number of the position you are interested in.

Good luck in finding a new opportunity!

• Counsel for Investment Bank – Broker/ Dealer -
  New York, NY (0015)
• Project Architect -Health Care – Houston, TX (0019)
• Corporate Attorney – Dallas, TX (0091)
• Senior Electrical Engineer – New York, NY (0056)
• Tax Account – Dallas, TX (0011)
• Senior Software Engineer – Atlanta, GA (0034)
• Sr. Regional Manager – Miami, FL (0077)
• Business Analyst I – Sales Order – Houston, TX
  (0045)
• Business Analyst II – Equipment Maintenance -
  Houston, TX (0032)
• Banking and Finance Attorney – Atlanta, GA (0065)
• Development Project Manager/ Senior Project
  Manager – Melville, NY (0095)
• Real State Paralegal Needed (ASAP) – New York,
  NY (0082)
• Labor & Employment Attorney – New York, NY
  (0022)
• Tax Attorney – Dallas, TX (0055)
• Sr. Basis Administrator – Long Island, NY (0087)
• Team Lead Software Developer – Melville, NY
  (0068)
• Commercial Sr. Architectural Planner – Houston,
  TX (0051)

Social networks – Powerful career growth tools

How Facebook, Linkedin and other networking tools increase your chances of career advancement

Recent research shows that at least half of all jobs are filled through personal contacts.

Social networking is one of the newest, most effective and less costly job search methodologies.

Ultimately, we hear about how Social networking has become a cultural phenomenon. The extraordinary proliferation of online social networks is changing the way we communicate. It could also help professionals find opportunities, providing a chance to develop their entire careers.

Datamonitor states “the current growth in social networking offers new opportunities to develop business supplying infrastructure platforms to run such sites, and it advises technology providers to look for ways to support social networking services in the areas of availability.”

Networking tools such as Facebook or Linkedin are not specific job search devices, but provide access to contacts that can support professional development.

Among other internet networking tools, Facebook introduced a feature to allow users to post free classified advertisements within the following categories: sales, housing, jobs and other.

Some employers look into those networking tools to evaluate new qualified employee prospects.

Information posted on those websites is potentially accessible to employers with faculty or alumni accounts.

All in all, we never know where or when we might meet someone who can provide job search assistance, thus, it can pay to invest time nurturing your presence in these social networking sites.

We agree on what Gerry Crispin -Principal at Career Xroad- said: “Networking is about what you give… if you do it well, you will be part of a network that will be tremendously helpful to you.”

Most Depressing Occupations

Are you in the market for a career change? Before you decide what you are passionate about, check out this list of occupations that have high depression rates.

HEADS-UP: The fact that they result to many in depression means that, in order for you to succeed in any of these occupations, you need to have in-depth understanding of what your Personal Brand is. In other words, if your true passions, strengths, interests and attributes (among other personal branding components) are aligned with the occupation, you are likely to succeed in its exercise. However, if this occupation has just a certain match percentage, you are highly likely to be affected by this statistic.

Take a look…

“Percentages of full-time workers age 18 to 64 reporting depression lasting two weeks or longer, by categories of occupation, as provided by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health using 2004 through 2006 data:

1. Personal Care and Service: 10.8

2. Food Preparation and Serving Related: 10.3

3. Community and Social Services: 9.6

4. Health Care Practitioners and Technical: 9.6

5. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media: 9.1

6. Education, Training and Library: 8.7

7. Office and Administrative Support: 8.1

8. Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance: 7.3

9. Financial: 6.7

10. Sales and Related: 6.7

11. Legal: 6.4

12. Transportation and Material Moving: 6.4

13. Mathematical and Computer Scientists: 6.2

14. Production: 5.9

15. Management: 5.8

16. Farming, Fishing and Forestry: 5.6

17. Protective Service: 5.5

18. Construction and Extraction: 4.8

19. Installation, Maintenance and Repair: 4.4

20. Life, Physical and Social Science: 4.4

21. Engineering, Architecture and Surveyors: 4.3

Sources:

AOL Jobs 

The Associated Press, using data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Let’s talk about Careers!

Welcome to my new blog, where I hope to provide information requested directly by yourself!  Please feel free to post any question on careers, including resume writing, job search issues, interview tips and anything at all that has to do with your quest for professional success.

Marketing vs. PR vs. Advertising vs. “Personal” Branding

A few days ago, I found this rather interesting caricature on adsoftheworld.com that draws very well the difference between the concepts of Marketing, PR, Advertising and Branding.

This illustration recreates vividly the added value Personal Branding has.

Since Personal Branding is ALL about individuals, portrayed here is a simple and generalized view one of the important results from a well conducted Personal Branding process..

Laurence, blogging in ProNet Advertising  added some clever variations to the original script…  Enjoy!

1. You’re a woman and you see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and say, “I’m fantastic in bed.”

That’s Direct Marketing.

1. You see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and get his telephone number. The next day you call and say, “Hi, I’m fantastic in bed.”

That’s Telemarketing.

1. You’re at a party and see a handsome guy. He fancies you, but you talk him into going home with your friend.

That’s a Sales Rep.

1. Your friend can’t satisfy him so he calls you.

That’s Tech Support.

1. You’re on your way to a party when you realize that there could be handsome men in all these houses you’re passing, so you climb onto the roof of one situated towards the centre and shout at the top of your lungs, “I’m fantastic in bed!”

That’s Junk Mail.

Lying on your Resume can get you Fired

How to safeguard your documents against background checks

Can you honestly say that all information on your resume is 100% accurate? If not, which data is questionable and how questionable is it? As a professional resume writer, this is part of our daily business.  Reminding our customers the importance of making sure all said and written is sustainable and as close to the truth as possible.

With background checks being more frequent, the availability of public records on the internet and the immediateness of information, nowadays it’s very easy to identify inaccurate data.  If you are misrepresenting yourself on your resume, it is wise to come clean, admit your mistake and revise the data before someone uses this against you.  And sooner or later, they will…

It is not the first time we hear on the news about key business leaders resigning or getting fired for misrepresenting themselves on their resumes.  However, this seems more prone to happening now than 10 years ago, when our lives were not as immerse with technology and the internet. 

As we brand ourselves and grow within our companies, we need to ensure that our resumes will be used to enhance and not to hurt our careers.  How do we achieve this?

Following are some steps to safeguard your documents from false statements:

1. Revise all dates for any work or education achieved, making sure they are correct.  If you do not recall a month, it is better only to list the year than to guess the month.  Complete month information when you have the accurate data

2. Information on education must be 100% accurate.  Ensure degree, name of the institution, years if attendance and date of graduation are correct.  This is very easy to verify, institutions will offer this information to recruiters as public records.  If you have incorrect information in this section of your resume, fix it in each and every document that represents you.  This will be less painful than the alternative of losing a job for not admitting your mistake.

3. Beware of creating false positions in your work history.  This is also public records, a piece of information that companies are able to disclose freely.  If your position was different from what a company states it was, you will not appear truthful on paper.  There are certain instances when your official position does not match your title.  When this happens, achieve an agreement with the company to change your title officially to represent you as you deserve before changing it on paper.

4. Do not overstate your knowledge of languages or computer software.  Be prepared to talk fluently and write in Mandarin if you are stating you have good Mandarin skills.  Same goes with computer languages, you can easily get tested – your real skills are easily visible.

5. Numbers, numbers, numbers… If you want to say that you achieved excellent sales results, better say that you achieved 100% sales goal (if it is true) than to use a qualitative term.  Make sure always to use the right percentages and dollar amounts.  If you are not sure of the exact number, approximate to the lesser amount and state that you surpassed this amount.  Be accountable for the numbers you choose to use.

Although in some stages of our career we might believe that a title, a special degree or one unique achievement will take us places, no one event in our lives makes that difference on its own.  Companies judge professionals in their capacity to achieve respect of others.  Having excellent work ethic and pursuing tasks with integrity are worth a million titles for any CEO recruiting. 

As we stand out as professional by being accountable and having the character to do what’s right, the sky is the limit!

Are you On the Web?

Are you on the Web?
Why Personal Websites are an Important Career Success Tool

If the answer is no, you are taking a risk… If we look back only 10-12 years ago, the Internet was just starting and we hardly used it. Nowadays, I know you would agree with me when I say that one day without the internet is almost inconceivable! General job-seekers today present themselves with formatted print resumes.

But if you want to be a professional and a job seeker that is ahead of times, such as the ones companies want to hire, a web resume will give you that EDGE!

Publishing a resume on the Web is advantageous in many ways. Here are other reasons to consider getting one…

Employers have access to your resume anytime, anywhere! If you’re talking on the phone with an employer in any location and they want to see a copy of your resume, you can give them your URL – web address and they will immediatly be able to take a look at your profile.

A personal website will provide you with opportunities to not only post your resume but also include a Bio, work samples and other tools that demonstrate that you are the right candidate for the Career you Seek!

A web resume will enable you to demonstrate your technical skills. EduPlan will coach you on how to complete the personal website design so that you can rightfully take credit for this work.

And lastly, if you are not actively looking for a job, recruiters and companies will be able to identify you on Web as a “passive candidate”. This means that you could get leads on new Career Growth opportunities easier than if you are not on the Web.

We at EduPlan truly believe this is a resource you will not want to discard!

This is why our fees for this service are low. We want to encourage you to utilize this resource and with it, maximize your potential to achieve your Career Goals!

By Claudine Vainrub

Ready, Get Set, MOVE

Moving to a new country or city can be a daunting experience. With big changes in culture, lifestyle, support system, personal economics, among other things, we undertake a venture that will surely shake our ground, making us very vulnerable.

There are some things we can do to make a smoother transition. Here is a list of six to maximize success in your move:

1-. Accept the new culture

The first and most crucial thought to grasp! The new place will have its own set of cultural rules on how things are done. Our chance to achieve our goals increases when we play the game, not when we try to reinvent the wheel. Learning the customs, ethics and attitudes from peers with experience in this new location will help us understand the potential and real opportunities available. In-depth analysis of the work environment is important to adapt and internalize this new culture, making it our own.

2-. It’s THE LAW!

Beware of following the law in every aspect of your new life. We need to ensure the learning of the new law system, as new countries have different sets of rules and different ways to penalize the non- compliant. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse for liability. To ensure our safety and the safety of our new lives, becoming knowledgeable on our home, business and professional liability is a top priority.

3-. Learning from others

It is often wise to seek employment when entering a foreign country. Although this task can be hard to achieve, by being an employee, we can learn about this new environment while getting the steady end- of-the-month paycheck. If interested in opening a new business, this is the safest way to test the waters.

4-. Find a new support system

Professional and personal relationships can provide the very needed encouragement and support, when adapting to a new environment. And the good news is that community-oriented organizations are available almost everywhere. Whether they are local business chambers, professional associations or faith- related groups, they provide opportunities to meet others with common interests. An important part of adapting to a new place is finding that social environment that will make it feel like home, once again.

5-. It’s never too late to study!

This does not mean pursuing an equivalency of a long gone diploma. Most of the times, a certification will take us far in learning about this new culture, the legal aspects of our previous trade, and establishing relationships. This can be a fruitful way of getting immersed in this new location’s lifestyle, while learning something useful that can lead us to higher unexpected places.

6-. Be in tune with your family members

Last and very important, to maximize your opportunity to succeed, your family needs to agree on a life-plan for the next 3-4 years. The more in- tune all the members of your family group are, the more everyone will paddle in the same direction. You will get further in a shorter amount of time. Make sure your family prepares for hard times – emotional, financial, social, professional. No matter how acquainted you are with the new location, it is wise to prepare for a cultural shock. Being a team makes us stronger and more solid when confronting these difficult circumstances.

Moving can be approached and completed with success. Inspired by new beginnings, with hard work and a solid foot on the ground, we can achieve this new step and build a better life your us and our families.

EduPlan at the NST

EduPlan was invited once again to conduct a seminar at the National School of Technology. This time, professionals were exposed to internet search tools and resume webcasting. The event counted with full attendance and proved successful as a hands-on interactive learning experience for its participants.

Beware of Popular Tax Scams

Get ready for tax season!

What appears cheap can end up being very expensive. Make sure your tax advisor is someone you trust professionally. Taxpayers could face heavy fines and even imprisonment for filling faulty tax returns.“Here is a list of the “dirty dozen” tax scams which the IRS urges you to avoid:

1) Offshore transactions
Use of an offshore account, trust, or other arrangement to hide income or claim false deductions is illegal.

2) Identity theft
Beware of any suspicious letter from a bank requesting you to verify personal information in relation to your taxes. It may be a trick to try to defraud you and steal your identity.

3) Phony tax payment checks
Con artists will try to sell false checks to use to make your tax payment. These checks have no financial value and are worthless.

4) Slavery Reparation Credit
There is no such credit due to African-American taxpayers as reparations for slavery. Beware of anyone offering to prepare your taxes who offers to file this credit for an additional fee. The IRS reports that this was the #1 scam of 2002. 5) No taxes withheld from wages
It is illegal to ask your employer not to withhold federal income tax from your wages. This scheme is based on an invalid interpretation of tax laws.6) Improper home-based business
You cannot deduct personal expenses and try to pass them off as business related expenses by setting up a “bogus” home-based business.

7) You’ve won a prize!
But you have to pay the taxes first — a caller will inform you that you’ve won a fabulous prize, but in order to claim it you must pay the income tax due on the prize’s value. Baloney! Any taxes due for winning a prize are payable to the IRS, not the company or person offering the prize.

8) The Secret That Lets You Not Pay Taxes, only $49.95
There is no secret way not to pay taxes. The U.S. courts have shown such arguments to be frivolous no matter what you’ve heard about taxes being “voluntary”.

9) Social Security tax scheme
In this scam someone will offer to get you a refund of your Social Security taxes or overpayment for a fee and a percentage of the refund. There is no such thing as overpayment of social security taxes or a refund due to taxpayers.

10) Bigger refund for a fee
Don’t believe anyone who offers to help you get a bigger refund, especially without knowledge of your tax situation.

11) Sharing or borrowing earned income tax credit (EITC)
It is illegal to split or share legitimate EITC in order to get the maximum credit allowed.

12) Home collection of taxes due
Beware of anyone claiming to be an “agent” of the IRS and visiting your home to collect your tax payment. A legitimate agent of the IRS will carry a picture ID and normally call before any such visit. Also the IRS does not go door to door to collect payments.”

Source: www.collegecentral.com

H1-B Visas

Now is the best time to start your H1-B Job Search!

"Every year – over 80% of H1B job hiring and recruitment takes place between January and April.

Get An Advantage – start preparing now to find H1B Jobs before they are released on the open market and your competition increases ten-fold. (…)

Due the Increasingly High Demand for H1B employees by US employers – The Rush is about to Start. Don’t get left behind – thousands of US Employers will be actively recruiting to make sure that they get their share of new H1B job seekers, as fast as possible !

Based on previous years, the new H1B’s will not last long. (…) As one Fortune 500 company recently told our H1B Research Group – “International H1B job seekers who do not start now, will miss this narrowing chance to work in the US. It is crucial to find an H1B job within the next few months, to even stand a chance of being counted towards this years quota”. This is common feelings and sentiment from many of the H1B sponsor companies within our partner network.

Many of the top US sponsor companies who were shut out in the cold, due to last years H1B Cap being reached very early, are doing everything in their power to ensure they get their fair share of new H1B visa employees – as fast as possible!

IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to Start Your H1B Job Search Now to Maximize Your Chances. Fact: the longer you wait, the less chance you have !

To Obtain Your H1B Visa …. Step 1) you MUST first find a job with a company who will ‘sponsor’ your H1B visa Step 2) your new employer (sponsor) then files your H1B application Step 3) your visa application is processed by the US Immigration Bureau Step 4) you can start work for your new employer (H1B sponsor company) in the USA."

Source: www.h1bbase.com

EduPlan offers a service that distributes your resume to a network of recruiters working with H1-B sponsoring corporations. For more information on this service, please contact EduPlan at info@eduplan.us.