Dear customer,

Welcome to the January edition of ICON+’s University Access Newsletter. You are receiving this e-newsletter because you inquired about our test prep and/or admissions consulting services.

After spending all those hours perfecting your applications, we hope that you are looking forward to receive interview invitations and positive admissions decisions. Now is also the time that many scholarship applications are due. Best wishes on both admissions and scholarship applications from the ICON+ staff!

10% discount on all Packaged Admissions Services for registrations received by March 31, 2010!

They say talk is cheap --

But it isn’t.

For one thing, mobile phones are frightfully expensive to maintain…

Just ask your bill-paying parents.

Still, some conversations are worth their cost. A particular variety can even help you gain undergraduate admission: and so the optional interview now speaks up.

Colleges across the United States vary greatly in their admissions processes. Test scores, essays, transcripts, and activities -- each school has different requirements, standards, and expectations.

Nevertheless, most schools do give their candidates some opportunity to meet with officials. At times, applicants may also schedule a personal interview with a representative. 

Click here to read full article. 

It seems like everybody has a different opinion about how to do well on the SAT essay. Some people say you should write a strict five-paragraph essay, with an introduction, a conclusion, and three specific examples. Some people say you should read well-known books like The Great Gatsby or The Scarlet Letter and refer to them as often as you can. Some people say that the real key is to write as much as humanly possible. Some say you should do all of these at once!

We want students to know that there are no short cuts to success on the SAT essay. The high school and college teachers who will score your essay have seen it all before. These teachers are not going to give high scores to an essay just because it is long, or has five paragraphs, or uses literary examples. The scorers are experts at identifying truly good writing--essays that insightfully develop a point of view with appropriate reasons and examples and use language skillfully.

So what can you do to write a successful SAT essay? Read strategies the College Board would like you to consider.

School Type:
Private, Co-ed, Urban, University

Location:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (East Coast of USA)

Size and Student Body:
• 6,000 Undergraduate
• 5,400 Graduate
• 83% Out of State
• 12% International

Admissions:
• Fall Application Deadline normally January 1
• Applicants Admitted: 36%
• 75% in top 10% of graduating class
• SAT I Range for Middle 50% of First Year Students:
SAT Critical Reading 620-720
SAT Math 670-780
SAT Writing 620-720

Cost:
• In-State/Out-of-State Tuition & Fees US$40,920
• Room, board, and other expenses US$12,740
• Total US$53,660

Highlights:
A smaller university with well-known programs in multiple disciplines, CMU boasts a low student/factuly ratio and professors committed to teaching. Learning is undoubtably the focus at this world-class insitution, and students learn to balance their studies. Because there is a high percentage of international students, those from diverse locations should be able to find a strong community here. In terms of admissions, a strong track record in your intended area of study is key.

Go to CMU's website.

Source: http://www.collegeboard.com/

So you’re feeling high‐strung about your upcoming IELTS test and want some pointers to help you achieve good results? Well, calm those nerves and take a look at the following tips. They might not guarantee absolute success, but they will definitely take you a step closer to achieving your desired results.

1. Work through the test quickly

Test candidates commonly complain that they do not have sufficient time to complete the test, particularly in the reading and writing sections. So how do you overcome this problem? One suggestion is to carry out an online search for speed reading techniques. There are plenty of brilliant tips discussed online. Use these tips, then do some IELTS papers and time yourself. If it is still taking too long, you may need more practice carrying out your speed reading techniques. You may also need to improve on your vocabulary. As a general rule of thumb, read as much and as widely as possible in the days leading up to the test. Increasing your writing pace is not an easy task either. One way of speeding up your writing is to time yourself writing out bulks of paragraphs from a reading material. Try to avoid squeezing the pen. Just relax and use the pen smoothly.

For the listening test, listen to spoken English as much and as often as possible to get used to the language. Listen to an English radio channel or watch English films without reading the subtitles. You can also make a game out of it by hanging out with your friends. One particular group of friends have a small fine for anyone using a non‐English word and the money gathered during the outing is eventually donated to charity.

Click here to read more tips.