gre course indonesia

Aug. 2012 MBA prep plan: study for GMAT or work on statement of purpose?

The answer depends somewhat on your applications deadlines. A few likely scenarios are provided below.

Scenario 1: I don’t have my GMAT and I do have Oct. 2012 deadlines

If you’re applying for fall 2013 intake at top b-schools with traditional first-round deadlines (early Oct.), then you need a GMAT score now (ASAP).  That’s because schools like Desautels, INSEAD, Ivey, Queen, Stanford,Wharton wish to receive your application approx. 12 months ahead of time.  

So register at mba.com (official site) today for a GMAT test date in mid-late Sept. Because testing slots at University of Indonesia are going to fill up fast (leaving only Surabaya and Singapore which may be less convenient).

Of course, as per the awesome infographic from Accepted.com below, your statements/essays and letters of recommendation should be progressing in tandem with your GMAT prep.  If your applications have stalled, then you can ask Strata-G Test Prep & CV for help.  Just send us an email.  It’s very likely we can propose a strategy for freeing up your time and getting your applications process back on track.

Scenario 2: I already have my GMAT score

If you already have your GMAT score, then you should invest all your available time and energy into your CV, essays, letters, etc.

Scenario 3: I don’t have my GMAT score but my deadlines are mostly Nov. 2012 (and later)

Let’s say you’re focused on schools where the first-round deadline is more relaxed (usually November); or simply different.

The November group would include Erasmus in Holland; UST and CUHK in Hong Kong; and Boston College, Dartmouth, George Washington, Georgetown, UC Davis (and many more) in USA. Meanwhile, top programs like IESE (Spain), Kaist (South Korea), National University of Singapore (NUS), and INSEAD in Singapore all require a careful look since they do things a little differently.

In sum, if you don’t have  to take the test in September then stick to your GMAT study calendar for another couple months and see if you can improve your score by mid-October (retake late October if applicable).

Strategy recap:

  • Your GMAT score is like a key — even more important that your CV, etc — because you can slip it into your pocket and take it with you into next year’s application season  (2014 intake) if you don’t get the result you want this year. So study as much as you can!
  • Most people agree that applying earlier is better, so you should always shoot for Round 1. However, if you’re going to miss it, then miss it carefully: you should never send an application that isn’t complete, credible, persuasive, and as as strong as possible overall.
  • To keep all your application deadlines from bunching up together, you can choose a couple schools with non-traditional deadlines (Nov. 2012 or later).  Also, the following advice from Harvard MBA may apply to most other schools in the U.S. and Canada: “International candidates needing visas will find that applying in Round 3 makes the timing of their visa application stressful.”
  • Waiting until the last minute to send an application isn’t so good; but it isn’t so bad either, as long as you’ve done a careful job of determining when the last moment is;AND you’ve got DHL or Fed-Ex standing by to pick up your little package and fly it away to “Dear Admish Committee.”
  • Taking the GMAT before you’re ready is a good way to get ready;  but this doesn’t apply to sending b-school applications. Thus, never submit anything that isn’t ready, because there’s no reliable “redo” option.
  • Applying to several competitive foreign MBA programs is comparable to a full-time job (in terms of time and #setres  = ) . Thus, if you’re working full time, you will need to be extremely creative as regards time management. If you feel you’re running out of time, consider sending us an email. We can sometimes confirm a basic deadline question for no charge.

Hopefully you’ll turn out to be wrong, meaning there’s still time left before the deadline. Otherwise  (if you really are out of time), we can help you speed up the applications process.

Admissions calendar

As regards, the  gorgeous rainbow-pastel instant classic from Linda Abrams above, if you don’t have time to devise a plan like this one, then consider having someone else do it for you. Because nothing will be more helpful to you in accomplishing your admissions goal than a planning calendar. (The Accepted.com blog is also awesome.)

then you already have your GMAT score or else you need one ASAP.

Case Study: Be flexible, send lot of applications, you’ll make it

“I thought I was pretty smart,” an accomplished Indonesian attorney told me last week.

My client holds an Indonesian master’s degree in law (MH) and has assists decision-makers at the highest levels within Indonesia’s legislative and judicial spheres. He contacted me when he learned that he was to become an Australian Leadership Awards recipient. Both of us regarded this as an excellent conclusion to his quest for educational 0pportunities overseas.

Pak Bambang (not his real name) has a firm handshake and infectious levels of positive energy. I asked to meet him for lunch because I was curious about what it took to win.

He summed up the process of identifying and going after suitable opportunities by noting that it was more involved and competitive than he had expected. “The [applications] process makes you realize that maybe you aren’t as smart as you think.”

I hadn’t met in person with this client for over a year year. Over excellent Javanese food — sedikit manis juga tapi pas — we chatted about the winding road that leads from Indonesia to top educational opportunities around the world.

What does it take to get a “dream” opportunity?

All it really takes is a dream and a lot of patience — I think that’s a fair recap. For a few years Bambang has had two full-time jobs — doing legal research and policy work and applying to PhD programs. Now, upon seeing the excellent results of his twenty-first application, he is preparing to move his family to Australia and go back to school.

Completing application requirements is time consuming. Generally, Indonesian academics have a wide range of choice in terms of what country, which university, what degree, which program?  Reviewing and negotiating the offers you receive in response to your applications also takes takes time.

The Australian Leadership Awards is a prestigious and highly competitive program whose aim is to  promote Indonesian development and Australian-Indonesian bilateral relations. As an award recipient, Bambang will advance Indonesian legal scholarship (in the field of constitutional law) with academic backing from top Australian legal scholars and financial support from the Australian government.

And his family is happy with the results, too. They’ll be close enough to visit Indonesia often.

I asked Bambang about effort expended and results realized.

“There were some very exciting opportunities for me in the US. But where was the funding? New Zealand has lovely things for me. But I would have to wait another year for those. Canada, England, Holland? Yes. Many opportunities. I applied for everything.

“Of course there are a lot of tests and deadlines. You can’t give up. That’s what I learned.

So, it seems shopping for a PhD is like shopping for a laptop: you’ll want to make sure you have some good options to chose from, keep an eye on costs, give yourself a time frame, and don’t run out of energy.

Shopping for a PhD — considerations & decisions

If you were a constitutional law specialist wishing to pursue higher education overseas at the s3/ PhD level, you would probably consider the following:

Indonesian law is rooted in Dutch law. And that’s why many Indonesians go to Holland for legal study. Scholarship there is conducted in English (which is the preferred second language for the candidate in this case study). The US and Australia have both played key roles in pioneering the practice of judicial review (the work of a constitutional court judge). But the Netherlands legal system doesn’t recognize judicial review (however, Indonesia does). At the same time, neither the US nor Australia have a court which is dedicated entirely to constitutional matters (ie, a constitutional court). Germany  — now — does have a constitutional court (and so does Indonesia). And Germany is a key partner in Indonesian law reform. But research at German universities is usually conducted in German. (But Bambang doesn’t intend to do research in German.)

And it is in this context that we hear the solid advice, “Don’t get frustrated. Just keep applying.”

So where is the strategy?

1) In your mind, define your expectations as broadly as possible. (EG, I want to study constitutional law overseas at the s3 level.)

2) In your applications, however, define your objectives narrowly so your application will fit the needs and expectations of the universities and programs you apply to. (EG, example, I would like to study at this university with Professor Brightstar because he is the best in the world in this field.)

3) Trends develop very quickly in the educational market, just like any other. Candidates, however, have relatively limited access to information about these changes.  So even if you aren’t getting the results you want, it makes sense to keep trying, because changes may have occurred.

4) Expect improvements. Do you remember the first time you bought a durian or watermelon? Today you’re probably a little better at this. Shopping for a PhD will get easier over time. So you may as well start now. After you send 3 or 4 applications, you’ll know a lot more about what to expect — a lot of writing, a little stress as the deadline approaches, some of the same questions asked again and again (your answers should improve). You will soon be in a position to make a good purchase.

5) Go ahead and track the costs. Ideally you will find they are less than the benefits. For Bambang the magic number was 21 applications. (If I’m not mistaken, that’s exactly the same number of applications I sent when I applied for my Juris Doctor degree (S2) .  Yes, DHL can be pretty expensive — especially if you wait until the last minute. But just think what an Australian Leadership Award could do you for your career. It may be worth another 30 or 40 dollars.

US and Australia both pioneered

GRE akan berubah format Agustus 2011 (so take the old one now!)

Here’s the good news about the revised general test. Why is it good news? Because this means there’s still seven months to take the old test. Please note that seven months is enough to study for the  test and do a good job. I would suggest that you start now.

Why is the old format GRE better than the new one? Because no one is sure what’s on the new test. It’s brand new! But here at Strata-G we know exactly what’s on the old GRE.  And there aren’t going to be any changes until August. That means that, if you take the test before August, you have the benefit of years and years of research by GRE experts like Mark Stewart.

But if you wait until the new GRE, then it’s too late to use any of the vast body of research and study materials that have been created over the years. You’re literally on your own.

If you do have to take the new GRE, then — if you can — wait until there’s a good stream of feedback about what’s on it.

Improving your MBA statement of purpose — 12 steps at a time

GMAT Jakarta

LinkedIn

The following tips for your MBA personal statement are based mostly on the experience of Strata-G’s professional editors, not formal research. They are merely a starting point, since the topic of good writing doesn’t really ever finish.

Also, please keep in mind that some schools provide detailed descriptions of the function of the personal statement(s) within their recruiting/admissions process. Some also provide great online writing resources for personal statements. They will happily trash yours because you failed to read the instructions. On the other hand some schools leave it all up to to you.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.

1.       Realize what the PS is – it’s an ad – and approach it creatively

2.       Quit your job — ah, so much more time to focus on the personal statement (PS)

3.       Read a few real (not “sample”) statements that pertain to your target field/ program (check the Internet donk).  Identity the standard PS themes/mechanisms such (a) opening anecdote (story) b) strategies for succinctly summarizing an entire academic or professional career in a few words c) how to conclude.

4.       Don’t read too many statements. It won’t help and it can hurt. Put the best examples aside and have another glance at them when you’re two or three rough drafts down the road.

5.       Start with roughly 200% word-length and then cut the PS in half. This way you keep the best parts.

6.       Spend plenty of time looking at the website, including alumni publications, of your target programs. Frankly, this is the beginning of the acculturation process. It will take some time to truly fit in. It’s beyond dreaminess. Imagine yourself being there and eventually you will be.

7.       Meanwhile, what does the admissions committee at your target school dream of? The same thing – they hope that you’ll fit in, excel, and support their programs after you graduate. They want to know that you’re a team player.

8.       Aim for the right balance between professional jargon/buzzwords and normal language. In general, the tone of a personal statement is not formal.

9.       Shoot for an effective balance between who you are and who you want to be.

10.   Don’t ignore the cultural context of the reader. The same level of politeness that may be 100% OK in an Asian context (halus gan) may sound obsequious (tapi kelewat) in the context of university admissions overseas.

11.   Be aware that many Western students will emphasize “overcoming hardship” in their personal statements. Tapi . . . at the same time, there aren’t a lot of good reasons to spotlight “privilege” either. Do you agree?

12.   Emphasize Indonesia (or something else that’s unique or interesting).

 

Applying to graduate school from Indonesia — what’s my next step?

GRE and Masters Degree IndonesiaCongratulations on putting all your masters degree admissions tasks on one piece of paper. You can see the calendaring work has been checked off the 9-step list below. That means you only have 8 more steps to go.

Good luck and don’t hesitate to add your own tips in the comments section.

 

 

 

 

 

Order Action Why
1 Your calendaring exercise comes first. Gather together information about test dates and applications deadlines and requirements. Decide which programs you’ll apply to and when you need to E-mail and/or post the application documents. Timing is one of the most challenging aspects of graduate applications. Calendaring is the first step in coming up to speed.
2 Control the test (eg GMAT, GRE, etc) situation. Which tests will you take and when? Plan to spend all your time preparing for your test, except the time you need for applications. You will be more confident and focused after you have a test strategy.
3 Control the letters of recommendation (LOR) situation. Make a list of who (eg, professors, supervisor) you want as a recommender and come up with a strategy that will turn them into your strong supporters. Include at least two back ups. The letters are a “question mark.” You need extra time in case things don’t go smoothly.
4 Write a first draft personal statement (PS) as soon as possible. Be creative. Start with a story. You statement is like an advertisement: it provides information in order to sell a product; and you are the product. You need to differentiate yourself from “competing brands.”  A boring PS won’t sell. The 1st draft requires full concentration. Your strategy: get it out of the way. Turn to other activities. Start the 2nd draft with a fresh mind.
5 Stop writing your personal statement and turn to your CV. Your graduate applications CV is a complete but concise record of all the important, impressive things you have done. These considerations apply to each potential CV entry: 

  • Omit it if many or most other applicants also have the same activity, award, etc; UNLESS it was carried out in an unusual way, unusual place, unusual language etc
  • Use creative labels to combine activities of shorter duration into more substantial CV entries
  • Don’t confuse local and global. If the admission committee is in the USA, then SD in means South Dakota not sekolah dasar. A few acronyms – like ASEAN, UN, MBA, HTML – are OK. Everything else should be translated.
 Your CV and PS work in tandem. Without a strategically designed CV, your PS is just poetry.
6 Despite the name PS2, the second draft of your PS isn’t fun. But it’s better than PS1. Use the PS to emphasize your CV entries which are substantial and relevant but also interesting to discuss. Stuff that’s important but boring can remain in the CV alone but with added emphasis. Your CV and PS might look similar at first. But eventually they need to work independently of each other.
7 Give your CV and essays to some people who have some idea how it will be used and ask them for feedback. This is a critically important opportunity to hone both your writing and your “self sales” technique. Effective assistance from others can and should feed back into your application strategies themselves.
8 Forget about the PS now and study for the test. You can consciously shift gears – from synthesis into analysis. (Test prep will seem fun compared to Steps 4-7 : -)
9 Even if English is (more or less) your first language, you should have your CV and personal statement edited by a professional. First of all, great writing requires good editing. Second, the admissions committees frankly admit that this is standard practice. This is another way of saying that they expect it. So this is a strategy for staying competitive.

MBA 2011 — masih ada waktu (tapi sedikit ; )

Fall 2011 admissions update:

Welcome back from holiday. Please notice that it’s not yet too late for fall 2011. If you don’t have time to read the entire post, at least download the deadline/ application information link (.pdf) so you have all the information for top MBA programs next fall. It’s a great resource. It will help you make your decisions faster this week.

For that matter, today is a good time to put all your test prep and applications tasks onto one calendar. Then print it. The whole process may take you 5 hours or more. But it’s worth it. I promise you can finish the calendaring process in one day.

Here’s what I would recommend:

Informasi GMAT MBA

  • Your TOEFL/ IELTS should be complete by now
  • So, go online now and create candidate profiles/accounts at all your target MBA programs
  • Now, draw up a short list of referees (to write your letters of recommendation) and send them an E-mail tomorrow
  • You should register for GMAT by Friday (this week)
  • Purchase your study materials this week
  • Once you’re familiar with what you have to study, put your test day and all study tasks and goals to complete before test day on the calendar
  • Schedule 2 days “holiday” from your study routine to make an 1) outline 2) rough draft of your personal statement
  • Add DHL / Fed-Ex dates to calendar (leave 5 days for hard copies to reach the admissions office from Indonesia)
  • Working backwards from your the DHL/ Fed-Ex dates, add your other applications tasks to the calendar so that everything can be finished in time (notice this may require you to revise your “budgeted” test prep hours)

Finally, E-mail calendar to strata.g.indonesia@gmail.com. Time permitting, we  can provide my general observations about the practicality, ambitiousness and risk factors entailed by your goals and calendaring.  (You’ll need to complete our intake survey so we know your academic profile and current employment demands.)

Kenapa dua test (contoh TOEFL + GMAT) ?

Connecting San Francisco with the East Bay

 

 

Semua tergantung strata dan program kita memilih. Jika kita berencana ke luar negeri untuk S2, mungkin kita akan menghadapi situasiny seperti ini berkaitan dng TOEFL/ IELTS:  itu harus tapi tidak cukup.

Berarti, kita harus ambil TOEFL atau IELTS agar sekolah target percaya ketrampilan kita dalam minimal satu bahasa internasional.  Tetapi sekolah luar negeri  yg kompetetif — yaitu tiap tahun aplikasi yg diterima jauh lebih banyak daripada lowonganya — akan minta lebih dari itu. Daftar persyaratan2 di top school mudah-mudahan agak panjang:

  • TOEFL / IELTS
  • GMAT/ GRE / LSAT
  • CV / Resume
  • Statement of Purpose /Motivational Letter
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Online application forms
  • Immigration forms

Barang kali Anda pernah dengar orang bicara seperti ini yrmhtemanya: “Wah, teman FB aku habis diterimah di program MBA di Stanford . Pasti IQ-nya tinggi.” Faktanya, kecerdasan manusia rumit diukur. (“IQ” hanya nama ujian tertulis jaman duluh kan?). Yang jelas, sih teman miliki skor GMAT cukup tinggi (di atas 700 juga).

GMAT sama GRE — Apa bedanya?

Saya mendengar GRE dan GMAT akan mengalami perubahan besar?

That’s correct — because they are competing for the same b-school market. The expected result is that the similarities between the tests will increase.

Expected GRE changes (by around Aug 2011):

Verbal:

  • No more analogies and antonyms
  • More emphasis on reading and reasoning

Quant:

  • More data interpretation and problem solving/case study
  • Onscreen calculator

All Sections:

  • Questions with multiple correct answers
  • More analysis, less synthesis

Expected GMAT changes:

  • Time frame : Expected by June 2012
  • New section:  “Integrated reasoning” uses charts, graphs, and spreadsheets to test problem solving skills
  • Other: Headphones to test “auditory learning style”
  • AWA: Only one question (issue or argument)

Pada dasarnya, apa bedanya  GRE & GMAT ?

•    Harga (GRE cuma USD 165)
•    Kalau GMAT, soal quantitative (matematika) lebih rumit
•    Kalau GRE soal kosakata lebih rumit

Tetapi persaingan GRE / GMAT hebat saat ini; menjadi susah dijawab.

Saya lebih baik ikut tes yang mana dan kapan saja?

If you’re good at math, take the GMAT before it changes. If you’re better at English, then take the GRE before it changes.

Aspek apa dari tes2 ini yang tetap sama?

Heavy emphasis on logical reasoning (how to put together and take apart an argument)