Dear customer,

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

A quick MBA APPLICATION TIP:

If you are an international student or seeking scholarships/financial aid, apply early. For most schools, this means you should apply by the first or second round. The later it gets in the application season, the fewer spaces remain in MBA programs. Especially if you come from a background that is common in the application pool (such as banking, engineering, etc.), you should also apply early. "Wild cards" or applicants from unique backgrounds (non-profit, arts, etc.) are the ones who may still do well at the end of the application season.

GMAT Trial Class
11am-1pm, Saturday, September 25
ICON+ Raffles Campus

To register, please contact us at 6336 6558 or arlene@icon-plus.com.

Admission departments have a lot to do, and you know it.

There are millions of paper piles to sift through. Electronic resumes need to be downloaded. Glossy portfolios need to be examined. And, when the transcripts and scores come flooding in, the phones have to be taken off the hook.

After all, real people are being assessed here.

And everyone in the admissions panel is up till wee hours in the morning, searching endlessly for the MBA creme de la creme. That is, a handful of 20-40 year olds who are experienced and brimming with promise - each with a unique, personal brand.

The last part is key, so read it twice: “each with a unique, personal brand.”

You may have it all -- the managerial position, the stellar GMAT score, the Microsoft internship experience from college days. But so do a lot of young professionals-- and chances are, they are applying to the same spots as you.

So the important thing is to be memorable and completely different. The department is used to the same types of applicants: the young investment banker, the sales guy who worked overseas, the college grad who interned at his father’s business. You need them to set you apart.
 

Learn how to make yourself unique.

You may be great with words, but even Casanova had trouble on the GMAT Verbal section. But don’t fret! Just keep these helpful tidbits in mind, and you should be well on your way.

* Try not to guess. It can be tempting to select a random multiple choice option, but try not to give in. Yes, there’s a chance that you’re right -- but more often than not, you will be wrong. So if you are having trouble answering a question, try to eliminate at least one of the answers before you make a decision. Definitely keep an eye out for grammatical or comprehension errors. Yay for Deductive Reasoning!

* Locate the “second-best answer.” This sounds tricky and counterintuitive, but it’s not. The GMAT loves to tempt its takers with wrong answers. On the verbal section, there will be one clear-cut answer that is 100% correct, and also a somewhat possibly correct answer that is 50-90% correct. Of course, both are right, but you should always select the best answer. Chances are, there will be various choices that are plausible. Again, you will need to employ Deductive Reasoning to get the absolutely correct answer.
 

Read more tips here.

People get nervous when they talk. It’s normal.

Guys stammer on first-dates. Actors forget their lines on stage. Presidents fumble during speeches. And everyone bites their nails during meetings.

Naturally, the IELTS interview will be no different. Your palms will probably get sweaty when you walk into the testing room. You may forget to introduce yourself. When the examiner asks the first question, you will most likely use verbal crutches.

“Um... well....uh...actually, could you repeat that? Sorry.”

But don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world. You are not expected to speak smoothly and perfectly with crisp sentences and oxford-like diction. Because, well.. um. no one actually does.

Instead, the examiner just wants you to speak naturally. You know, like the way you talk to your parents or teachers. All they really want to see is your confidence in English. They want to know if you can express yourself, and put words to your ideas. Are you able to convey what you want? Can the examiner understand you? It’s really a piece of cake.

Of course, there are a few tips to bear in mind as your prepare for the IELTs interview. This advice will go a long way, and help you stay calm:
 

Read the tips here.