Dear customer,

Welcome to the April 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.

We at ICON+ have provided you with a unique insight into the mind of one of our experienced GMAT coaches. In this comphrehensive and in-depth interview, we get to grips with some of the difficult aspects of the GMAT.

Indian School of Business Info Session
18:30 – 19:30, Thurs, May 19
ICON+ Raffles Campus

The SMU MBA Info session
13:00-14:00, Sat, Apr 30
ICON+ Raffles Campus

Please contact vivian@icon-plus.com to register for the above events.

Everybody is looking for tips to score higher on the GMAT - and who could be better to ask than somebody who has made teaching the ins and outs of the exam his career? I had the opportunity to sit down with one of ICON+’s senior GMAT teachers, Andrew Zajicek, to get some FAQ’s answered.

So what’s the biggest mistake students make on the GMAT?

Surprisingly, many students think they can get away without practice! You need to practice questions rather than just reading the overview of question types given in review books. Anybody can follow the explanations for different question types, but you also have to be able to apply them on your own, which is basically impossible without practice! This is because only with practice will you see and understand different twists on basic question types. The explanations are supposed to be simple. I’d say that if you can’t even follow the explanations, then you have a serious problem!

How much do you need to practice?

As much as you can while still enjoying life! Practice a little everyday until you’re tired of practicing. As with everything, balance is key.

The number of weeks you need to prepare depends on your target score. If you are aiming to increase your score significantly or get above a 700, you should give yourself two months – one month if you are disciplined.

If you haven’t used math for many years, you will probably need to devote more time to studying before taking the exam.

How much score improvement is reasonable to expect if I study between exams?

This all depends on your first score. If you’ve already scored a 650, maybe you can improve to a 700. If you started at around the average score (550), you can definitely improve by 100 points with practice. In contrast, if you already got a 700, it will be difficult to improve your score by leaps and bounds. Some people who scored very high on their first exam even score lower when they attempt it again. Beginner’s luck could be the factor there.

In summary, if you need a very high score, you should plan on taking the GMAT at least twice and studying hard between the tests.

T read the full article click here

Student Body:
• 400 per intake
• 89% international, 60+ nationalities represented
• Average age 28

• 28% women
• Average work experience 5.3 years, range 2-14 yrs

Program Information:
• Location: London, UK
• Full-time
• 15, 18, or 21 mo..
• Internships and international exchanges available
• Specializations (optional): entrepreneurial management, finance, marketing, strategy, international management, private equity, economics or change management

Admissions Requirements:
• Most have 3+ yrs work experience
• GMAT: No min., avg. 701, range 600-780
• TOEFL IBT, IELTS, CPT or PTE
• Bachelor’s degree
• Deadlines: 4 rounds with Oct-Apr deadlines

Cost:
• £53,900 tuition
• Scholarships and loans available

Highlights:
This dynamic, highly internationalized program attracts the best and the brightest from around the world. It takes full advantage of its location in London, one of the world’s business and finance capitals through internship opportunities and course offerings. As a student, you will learn through lectures, case studies, group work, and project work. In addition, the unique Global Leadership Development Program will help you grow into an impactful business leader. In order to graduate, you must gain competency in a language other than English.

Find out more at http://www.london.edu/index.html

On April 8, 2011, the UK Border Agency announced that they are now accepting the TOEFL exam in applications for all UK visas under the points-based system. Whether you want to work, study, or live in the UK, the TOEFL is now accepted as an effective measure of English language ability.

Although the TOEFL has traditionally been considered a North American based exam and the IELTS has been more popular in the UK and Commonwealth countries, institutions and governments are increasingly accepting both English as a second language tests.

Today, more than 7,500 institutions around the world accept TOEFL to show English proficiency for admissions purposes. Although the majority of these are in the US and Canada, more than 1,000 are located in Europe, and significant numbers are in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. You can find the universities, colleges, and agencies accepting this exam in the TOEFL Destinations Guide at http://www.ets.org/toefl/why

To learn more, please visit the ETS website at: http://www.ets.org/toefl/news/toefl_toeic_uk_visa_proficiency