Dear customer,

Welcome to the February 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.

Many MBA applicants begin to hear back from their program of choice about this time of the year. The ICON+ staff members would like to wish you the best of luck!

1. Take advantage of the 10% discount on all packaged Admissions Services purchased by March 31, 2010.

2. Free GMAT Trial Class
    2:00-4:00pm
    Sat. Mar 6, 2010

To register, please email arlene@icon-plus.com.

3. SMU Info Session @ ICON+ Raffles Campus
    1:00-2:00pm
    Sat, Feb 20, 2010

To register, please email rhodri@icon-plus.com.

You submitted your MBA applications two hours ago:

click.

You have been productive ever since. Laundry is in the dryer, bills are paid. You are heading towards the refrigerator for your third beer, when it hits you:

You applied to business school today. Wow. Fantastic. It’s all done!

…But wait, when are you going to hear back from the Admissions office? Will they email you? Do they have your correct address? Did you spell it correctly on the application? Go back and check. Yes, you’re fine. Hey, what if they defer you? What if you are on the waiting list? What if you get rejected? Can you kiss and make up with flowers? Will your life be over?

In other words: Now what?

First of all, relax.

Post-application anxiety is common. Unfortunately, there is no cure…other than twiddling your thumbs and watching re-runs of Seinfeld. As you wait, though, you might want to consider what could happen after you apply, and what you should do in each situation. The following sections explain the four potential possibilities you may confront after submitting your MBA applications. Read them. They will help you make decisions, take actions, and prepare yourself for the future. 
 
Read the full article.

*Find out why achieving ballpark GMAT Score is sufficient
*Discover how Top MBA Schools allocate vacancies
*Learn why your profile and MBA Essay might be the most important factor
*Find out what not to include in your essay

For anyone applying to an MBA programme in a top business school, your GMAT score counts as one of the most important determinants on whether or not you gain entry into the programme, regardless of your extensive work experience or undergraduate GPA.

However, the GMAT is only the first step to your programme of choice.

Read about who you are competing against and how to craft a killer essay here.

Q: You are originally from Malaysia, but are currently working in Singapore for Nu-Con Systems. Can you tell me about your path here?

A: I moved for three reasons, first of which is personal. I had a friend from back in Malaysia, and I wanted to join her here in Singapore. She has been working here, and I thought we could take care of each other in a not-too-distant foreign soil.

Another reason was political. Back in 2008, I wanted to avoid the political tumor growing in Malaysia. Our former deputy prime minister, Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, who was accused years ago of involvement in sodomy and imprisoned, had been released. A series of riots engaged by his supporters and the government’s supporters led to political instability in Malaysia and caused Malaysian Ringgit to perform weakly against other major currencies, including the Singapore dollar. I wanted to escape this political situation and look for greener pastures. I chose Singapore because it offered me a better salary.

Q: You have a strong background as an engineer. What makes you want to obtain an MBA now?

A: Because I want to step into the business field. In the past, the field of engineering was considered to have better prospects. Now business and engineering are on par with each other, if the former does not provide better prospects. Another reason is that I prefer the dynamics of business in which, more often than not, you are required to come up with creative strategies in order to gain the upper hand. You simply don’t find this in engineering.

To read more, click here.

Flip a coin and waddaya get?

When it comes to English placement exams, IELTS and TOEFL are the big league hitters. Unfortunately, deciding which one to take is not so easy:

Heads or tails, anyone? TOEFL or IELTS?

Frankly, you cannot leave your college future up to chance; even if it gives you cheap thrills. The following breakdown will help you make a clear cut choice.

So, do put away the coin purse.

Click here to read the breakdown according to the following topics:

• Background and Relevance
• Format and Structure
• Digital or Physical