TOEFL Test TOOL KIT

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) that conducts the TOEFL has developed a toolkit that helps test-takers to understand the test better and enhance their scores. The resources are user-friendly, easy to access from computer or mobile devices, and the interesting part is that they are all free.

The TOEFL iBT Quick Prep (www.ets.org/toefl/quickprep) offers test questions that have appeared on past TOEFL tests to aid students with study preparation.

The format of the Writing and Speaking sections don’t have to be a mystery. A new five-part video series provides an in-depth look at the writing and speaking sections to familiarise students with the test and it can be accessed at the “Inside the TOEFL Test” Video Series (www.ets.org/toefl/video_library/).

The TOEFL Test Prep Planner (www.ets.org/toefl/planner) provides an eight-week calendar so that students are prepared in order to do their best on the test day. Similarly, the TOEFL Go Anywhere Website (www.TOEFLGoAnywhere.org) is an interactive website that is constantly updated with new resources. Through the site’s multimedia platforms, students can benefit from various study resources, such as the Study Group video series (available at www.toeflgoanywhere.org/meet-study-group-tips-test-takers-you) which provide specific strategies for the reading, writing, speaking and listening sections. For those interested in watching videos the TOEFL TV Channel is hosted on YouTube (www.youtube.com/TOEFLtv). One can watch a new video each day that shares best practices and study tips from English-language teachers, students who have taken the test. This is useful for those who commute long distances. Students can join the conversation with more than 1.3 lakh test-takers from India and learn the latest information pertaining to the test and educational events taking place throughout India. They can reach these services onwww.facebook.com/toeflgoanywhereindia.

Students who wish to know more about foreign universities can check the TOEFL Journey Program (www.toeflgoanywhere.org/user/toefl-journey) that provides access to a wide spectrum of resources ranging from helpful hints for living in a foreign country, to a comprehensive listing of student visa requirements and available scholarship opportunities, as well as timely and helpful email and text messages customised for the journey.
For those suffering with not finding the right reading material based on their skills, a Lexile score can help students to select materials of interest that will provide an appropriate level of challenge to promote reading development. It can be accessed athttp://lexile.com/toefl. Curious to learn more about what to expect on testing day? View a six-minute video
on www.toeflgoanywhere.org/content/what-expect-test-day to become familiar with the registration, check-in and testing process.
The ETS also has TOEFL Customer Centres specifically for Indian students. The TOEFL Customer Call Centre assists test-takers answering pre and post-TOEFL questions and is accessible by toll-free phone directly from India. The service can be reached on 000-800-100-3780 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Application Game Plan

Global Degree? What Is It, Where to Go and How to Enter?

1. What is it?
2. Reasons “why” to do?
3. Where to study?
4. The best schools
5. How to enter? Which are the requirements to be admitted?
6. Funds and Sponsorship

Identify the Benefits of a Global Degree

   Application Process Overview –Steps Involved

l  Research on universities

l  Preparing for GMAT /GRE and  TOEFL/IELTS

l  Short-listing of universities

l  Application documentation

l  Applying

l  Final selection of universities after admits

l  Visa

FOLLOW A TIMELINE …

Choosing Universities Abroad

1. Where to study?
2. Parameters for selection
3. The best schools
4.  How to enter? Which are the requirements to be admitted?

Devise an Action plan to succeed in your pursuit for a GLOBAL degree…

Making the right university choice !!

Let's face it. 

By the time you're applying to business schools, there are only a limited number of things you can do in order to make yourself more marketable. The key is understanding where 80% of your effort should be focused …

These are some of the factors universities look for in a candidate. There are all kinds of reasons why the university admits you … not just your scores but other aspects of a person’s qualification, like academics, your application essays, good experience.

In the Admissions – the whole is greater that sum of the parts ---

1.       Do not base you judgment on hearsay

2.       Analyze your needs and what does the program offer.

3.       Does the deliverables of the program fit your future professional needs?

            Ask yourself the reason for doing the Masters- career change, enhancement, go up the financial ladder..

          Parameters for selection, the more scientific  approach:

               1.Career Goals

               2.Program Flexibility & Curriculum( Electives or Specializations)

                3.Faculty Expertise & Quality

                4.Career Placement

                5.Reputation of the Program & Ranking

                6.Location

                7.Length of the Program

                 8.Cost of the Program & Financial  impact

                 9.Student Body &Culture

Careers In your major !!

Why/How to Specialize for  a Global Master’s Degree ??

This was the theme of the recently conducted webinar on 25th August at 10 pm by Biren and Me 

Are you someone who recognizes the potential of a field and pursues it or are you someone who focuses only on a secure job and a full pay packet? What is the sunrise sector today may not be tomorrow, if you have chosen straight & narrow path? Where do you go then.

Do you have it in you? What will be the area of opportunity ten years later?

It is great to have opportunities around us and make the most of them when they arrive; you need to find out whether you are going to be at the helm of change or at the tail-end of it.

Advantages of Choosing a Specialization:

·         Gain deeper insight in one particular sub-discipline

·         Gives an edge for a job opening

  

How to Specialize:

Study the emerging trends, and map your interests. The course that you choose to apply for will depend on your qualification, electives taken, related projects, seminars, papers presented, industrial training, internship and / or related work experience.

Someone had rightly said “Make hay while the sun shines”, since opportunities knock your door only once in the lifetime, make the most of them.

Beyond GRE /GMAT scores

 Curious to know more...
              ..  and you always thought that GRE scores were your passport to maketh your dreams of getting into a top global masters program.

This was the theme of the Webinar I hosted along with Biren; on skype  on Friday , 17th August at 10pm.

We are not to be blamed , our entire DNA has been designed in such a fashion since the age of 3 , where our minds have been trained to ready ourselves for competitive aptitude tests similar  to GRE /GMAT which have fetched us admissions to schools and also fetched us top MNC jobs .

What  the Graduate schools look at are not aptitude test GRE /GMAT scores alone , but a sum total of your entire self  while seeking deserving candidates for admissions .
It is a subjective selection process where:

 "the sum of parts  > WHOLE YOU "

So, let it is worth working on your overall profile rather than fretting  over low aptitude test scores ... after all its just  a four hour test , which does not decide your entire future.

More on this block ... coming up next   ..Key Admission Criteria 

Success story

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.  ~Confucius

Those are the very words with which I had started my statement of purpose - the one that got me where I am today. After my Masters at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), I was sure that I wanted to take my research experience to the next level, but didn't quite know the right channels to explore. My struggle with a very myopic view of the admissions process led me to failures despite having an appealing profile.

It was not until I was introduced to Ms. Biruda that I was able to understand the big picture, and consequently, the right way to approach the application process. With her able guidance, I secured multiple admits from prestigious universities in the US (Ivy league, no less) and have been pursuing my PhD at Texas A&M University since Fall 2008. Here, not only have I been pursuing research in an area that I am passionate about, but I have also established and worked for organizations that benefit hundreds of new students that come from India every year to TAMU to chase their dreams and aspirations. I am sure that my experience with the needs of these students and also relating to those of my own when I was in their shoes not too long ago gives me the ability to reach out to a lot more potential graduate students who are/will be going through the rigours of the admission process.

It is with this attitude of service that I decided to join forces with Ms. Biruda and established GradConsulting with a view to helping aspirants focus their efforts towards securing admissions in well reputed universities around the world and making the transition to these universities. 

Transforming others aspirations ...

            In order  to do well  in a highly competitive world ,  one has to have a set of skills  and belief  in "ONESELF". This is the conviction I have lived by.

Due to the ever encouraging nature of my father ,I  pursued my MS in CS from TAMU in 1999. I worked in the IT industry for a couple of years before taking a family break in 2000. 

After a returning to India, I realized that Bangalore had a lot of opportunity in the field of Education Management , that’s when I decided to utilize the experience and  exposure that I have had to the American Education System and Culture during my stay in the country from 1997 until 2001; by ably guiding students in their pursuit of Global Education.

Thus, during this journey  of working in the field of Education Counseling and coaching for the past 10+ years, as an Admission Consultant,  I have assisted  about 1000+ students  in presenting  professionally refurbished profiles, appropriately  edited and evaluated to suit the requirements of several top notch Global universities and have a 100 % track record of having guided them to secure admission in the same.

iGradGlobal will serve as a platform for interaction and information for all those aspiring for a reputed Global Degree.

This blog has been jointly initiated by my former student Mr Biren and Ms Biruda both Alumni of TAMU , USA