Dear customer,

Welcome to the March 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.

As you wait for admissions decisions from your favorite universities, think about the next step. Say you get accepted (and we are certainly hoping that you do). What will you do to internationalize your degree and make yourself more competitive in the job market? Read our feature article below to get a grasp of trends in worldwide universities.

As our world becomes ever more globalized, many universities are realizing the importance of internationalized education, global perspective and connectivity. A significant number of universities are currently putting a great amount of emphasis on improving and expanding their internationalized education opportunities for students. This includes opening branch campuses in different countries, increasing the number of study abroad programs, collaborating with other universities and including more globalized perspectives into their course curricula. So what does this mean for students? These universities give students the opportunity to gain a more global perspective as well as real life international experience and exposure.

Here is a sneak peak into some great universities for international experience.

Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked within the top 20 universities almost every year. Not only is Carnegie Mellon a well known and highly acclaimed US University, but it has also been avid in expanding its campus base. Furthermore, a global research university, it is constantly pushing for innovative global research solutions boosting their global connectivity. They now have campuses in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Silicon Valley, California; and Doha, Qatar in the Arabian Gulf. Most significantly, Carnegie Mellon was awarded the 2010 the Simon Award for Internationalized Education and Campus Internationalization. This award is given to institutes with overall excellence in internationalization with regard to their policies, practices, philosophies and teachings.

Arcadia University

Arcadia University prides itself on providing students with an extensive global perspective. Arcadia’s College of Global Studies, formerly known as The Center for Education Abroad, stands as one of the largest and most respected campus abroad study programs in the States. Furthermore, Arcadia was the winner of the ‘Simon Award in 2006. In terms of curriculum, Arcadia integrates developing global perspectives in all of their majors in an attempt to engage students with the world they live in. The Arcadia promise “affirms that students will have a distinctively global, integrative and personal learning experience that prepares them to contribute to and prosper in a diverse and dynamic world.”

To read the full article click here

The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is a test of academic ability that some compare to the SAT test. However, while the SAT is used for university entrance, the SSAT is used for admission to private schools. Like the SAT, the SSAT aims to make it easier for admissions officers to assess academic aptitude regardless of schools’ variations in grading and difficulty of academic program.

This multiple-choice test for students in years 5-11 includes verbal, quantitative (math) and reading comprehension sections. The verbal portion tests vocabulary, verbal reasoning, and ability to make logical connections between ideas. The math portion consists of arithmetic, elementary algebra and geometry problems. The reading portion addresses how well you comprehend what you read. The SSAT also includes a writing portion, in which you must write an essay about a given topic. Although your essay is not graded, a copy will be sent with your score report to each school or educational consultant.

Read full article.

Admit it. Singlish is COOL!

“La”, “Ma”, “Ah”, “Arama-!” Although foreigners from North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand might not understand what we’re saying when they first arrive at our shores, they quickly find themselves falling in love with this dialect that incorporates words from so many different cultures. Here, on our tropical paradise, we convey ideas and messages in the most efficient way possible. “Sure, I can certainly do that for you, sir!” becomes a succinct, “Caaan!” Come on - what’s not to love about Singlish?

As fun as it might be to communicate in our national tongue, however, there is one teensy-weensy problem: Singlish oftentimes deviates greatly from standard English, and is therefore not looked upon favorably by TOEFL and IELTS exam markers. Because we at ICON+ want all Singaporeans to score highly on these English tests, we have compiled the below tips.

Click here for some common “errors” that Singlish users make: