Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Special Emergency Fund for Thai Students in U.S. Colleges

Ace! NewsFlash

Team Ace welcomes the opportunity to nominate Thai students for these funds before December 19th deadline.

*** Ace! is a member of the EducationUSA global educational advising network affiliated with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. We provide free EducationUSA counseling services to students in the northern provinces of Thailand; our faculty of U.S.-trained Test Prep Experts can help you with cost-effective result-driven training programs for SAT-1, SAT-2, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, GED, AP, IB, TOEIC, IELTS etc http://acethai.weebly.com ***

Friday, November 25, 2011

EducationUSA Ambassadors for Thailand: Apply Now!

Ace! NewsFlash 


































 *** Ace! is a member of the EducationUSA global educational advising network affiliated with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. We provide free EducationUSA counseling services to students in the northern provinces of Thailand; our faculty of U.S.-trained Test Prep Experts can help you with cost-effective result-driven training programs for SAT-1, SAT-2, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, GED, AP, IB, TOEIC, IELTS etc http://acethai.weebly.com ***

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Tips for International Admissions to U.S. MBAs

Ace! NewsFlash


With global interest in U.S. business schools up, make sure you have your bases covered.


While a report released Sept. 13 shows falling interest in attending graduate business school, more international students are pursuing M.B.A.s in the United States this year than last.

For the 2011-2012 school year, about two thirds of U.S. graduate business programs reported receiving fewer full-time M.B.A. applicants to their two year programs, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council's 2011 Application Trends Survey. But about 45 percent of those applicants were international students, up from 39 percent last year.

[Read more about findings in the GMAC 2011 report.]

In April, a separate study by the Council of Graduate Schools found that 4 percent more international applicants applied to business school in 2011 than in 2010.

[See which business schools received the most applications for 2010-2011.]

Applying to business school, a detailed process that incorporates proven testing skills and a solid track record, is tough enough for most American students. The complicated process can seem even more exacerbated for international applicants who are trying to complete the task from overseas.

[Use the U.S. News Higher Education Glossary to understand higher ed terms.]

The application process will vary by school, so it's always best to check with the admissions office of the school you're interested in before you apply. Still, there are a few universal notes international students who hope to study business in the United States should keep in mind:

1. Prioritize your testing weaknesses. For Jeff Liu, the GMAT and TOEFL exams posed challenges he had never faced in China, where he was educated.

"We think in a different system," Liu explains. "I practiced a lot to try to get used to the American way to take a test."

Make sure to allocate enough study time to master the GMAT. (This study timeline might help.) Put yourself in time sensitive situations, and take each practice test as seriously as you would the real exam.

If you're really struggling, consider a new alternative: the GRE, the U.S. screening exam used for most other graduate degree programs.

More than half of all business schools now accept GRE scores as an alternative, according to a recent study. It's a shorter exam that more heavily tests vocabulary than logic—though this could pose a different challenge to non-native English speakers.

[Read more about the differences between the GRE and the GMAT.]

Like the GMAT, the GRE may require a lot of practice.

"Prepare way in advance, and do it every day consistently," recommends a Yale international graduate student, who, after much practice, scored a 790 out of 800 on her verbal GREs. "You can't just say, 'I'm going to take the GRE tomorrow.'"


Keep in mind that, depending on English proficiency, applicants may also be required to take the TOEFL examination.

2. Seek out peer resources. Though the increasing number of graduate students may seem daunting, international M.B.A. applicants can take comfort in the fact that most likely there have been foreign students who have already forged paths at the prospective school and who may be able to offer support. Connecting with them, however, can be challenging.

"One key issue that many students face is finding a credible person, preferably someone who's international and has been through the same process that can share his or her experiences. It's difficult to find, because you go on forums; you try to stalk people on Facebook; and it's a tough process."


At EducationUSA advising centers such as Ace! The Academy for EducationUSA in Chiang Mai, advisors can guide students through broad, initial questions ("How do I reach my dream school?") and offer more detailed tips as the application process progresses. They also provide counseling for common pitfalls for international applicants, such as a tendency to be too humble in personal essays, as Asian students are typically trained, rather than writing proudly and effectively about individual achievements to U.S. admissions counselors.


3. Cover all your bases. A business school application isn't the only paperwork required to come to the United States At the University of Dayton School of Business Administration, counselors are now helping direct international applicants through the visa application process as well. Securing a visa is a crucial part of the process that ensures international students can arrive on campus, says the school's executive director of enrollment strategies, Molly Wilson.

"The visa can be one barrier for [an accepted student]," Wilson says. "They like us; we like them, but there's another outside entity that actually plays a role in whether or not they can actually come."

This type of practical guidance is increasingly common, she adds, as more schools seek to attract international applicants. That's now a concerted effort at the University of Dayton, where international student enrollment in the M.B.A. program has increased 72 percent since 2005.

"We all grow up in our own little bubble," Wilson says. "[International students] provide us with a much broader sense of understanding about people, about cultures, and about attitudes. It really makes the entire university campus more well-rounded and globally minded."


Adapted from usnews 22Sep 2011

*** Ace! is a member of the EducationUSA global educational advising network affiliated with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. We provide free EducationUSA counseling services to students in the northern provinces of Thailand; our faculty of U.S.-trained Test Prep Experts can help you with cost-effective result-driven training programs for SAT-1, SAT-2, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, GED, AP, IB, TOEIC, IELTS etc http://acethai.weebly.com ***

Thursday, November 17, 2011

U.S. College Admissions: Applying with a Learning Disability

Ace! NewsFlash

Ms. Kravets, the former president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, is the co-author of “The K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities Or Attention Deficit Disorder.” She is also chief education officer of the Chicago Scholars Foundation. Ms. Kravets answers questions on college options for those with autism and pervasive developmental disorders.

Q.

I have been diligently searching for an appropriate college for my son, who has been diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder but is a high-functioning, advanced placement honors scholar. We have looked at schools within two hours of our home in Long Island, and the only support services that I feel give comprehensive coverage are at Adelphi University. He is against attending a school so close and would really like to spread his wings a bit further from home. Landmark College and Lesley University are too supportive for his level and the other colleges you mention in the article are too far from home. I have scoured your book but still can’t find a program comparable to Adelphi’s within a three to four hour radius. Any suggestions you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
 — Teresa Simone

A.

My response is given without having seen your son’s transcript, psycho educational evaluation or teacher comments, but I can think of several colleges within a four-hour radius of New York that may be ones your son could explore. Remember that the college should fit academically and match socially. In the K&W Guide there are many colleges all over the country that might be appropriate.

In New York, several colleges come to mind such as Marist College,Manhattanville College, and Iona College. In Connecticut, your son might check out the University of Connecticut and Mitchell College. If Washington, D.C., is not too far, then he might consider American University, which has an outstanding freshman year program. And in Massachusetts, perhaps he can look at Northeastern University, Curry College, or American International College.

These suggestions are made on the assumption that your son is academically prepared for college and that his success might be dependent on a structured program able to provide him with counseling, tutoring, coping strategies and organizational help. You also have the option of hiring an independent coach, graduate student or local high school teacher who might provide additional support on campus. Figure out what is most important for his success and know that this is just the beginning of his journey.

Q.

My son has high-functioning autism. He is very bright when he is interested and shuts down when he is not. He understands intrinsically how things work. I know that if I could just find the right niche for him, he would have a lot to offer the world. He’s having difficulty right now with the ninth grade, not because he doesn’t know his subjects but because he isn’t dealing well with the system. Are their places for the extremely bright and eccentric to go to school? — June Milby

A.

Your question is powerful. The good news is that your son is currently a high school freshman and there is time to help him develop the coping skills to be successful. As you search to find a program for “extremely bright and eccentric students,” it is important to be open to non-traditional options.

Your son might thrive at a school that offers an academic program but also provides structure, life skills development, socialization strategies, help with problem solving and decision-making, and guidance on adjustment to life away from family. There are a number of college programs that serve students like your son.

One example would be the New York Institute of Technology Vocational Independence Program (V.I.P.), where students can pursue a degree program while receiving coursework in independent living and social and academic skills. If he can handle the academics, you might want to explore Marlboro College in Vermont where students engage in one-on-one tutorials with professors and work with faculty advisers to design their own individual curriculum. This self-directed approach to a liberal arts education may work for your son.

Keep a running list of the criteria that would be ideal in a college setting for your son. The priorities will most likely change over the next few years, but if you start working now to become an educated consumer, you will be in a much better place when your son is a senior in high school.

Q.

Are there some colleges and universities that come to mind as having good disability services offices, both for students with learning disabilities and well as other disabilities?
— Vincent Hausmann

A.

You ask a great question. The short answer is that most of the disability offices on college campuses are for all students with any type of disability. Disabilities could be physical or learning related, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, sight impairment or hearing impairment.

It is not as common to have just service providers for students with learning disabilities. It is important for students to know what accommodations they need and how extensive the support needs to be in order for them to be successful. Students with physical disabilities need to know about transportation on campus and housing options; those with sight impairment need to be assured they can secure their books on tape or in other formats; and those who are hearing impaired should confirm the availability of the support they will need in their classes based on how they communicate and learn most effectively.

Check out the Web sites for college disability services to get an idea of their mission, eligibility requirements, resources, services and accommodations, documentation required, available academic support, and their policies.


nyt 11.11.11

*** Ace! is a member of the EducationUSA global educational advising network affiliated with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. We provide free EducationUSA counseling services to students in the northern provinces of Thailand; our faculty of U.S.-trained Test Prep Experts can help you with cost-effective result-driven training programs for SAT-1, SAT-2, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, GED, AP, IB, TOEIC, IELTS etc http://acethai.weebly.com ***

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Guide to Electronic College Apps

Ace! NewsFlash

Jeff Morehead / AP

Project Leadership board member and volunteer Jacquie Dodyk, left, helps Tanner Williams and other seniors fill out college application forms Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011, during College Go Week at Marion High School in Marion, Ind.

By Lisa Bleich, Techlicious.com

When I applied to college in the mid-1980s, I filled out my application on a typewriter, put in in an envelope and mailed it to my prospective colleges. My guidance counselor gathered my letters of recommendations, transcripts, and SAT scores, put them into a manila envelope and mailed them to the schools. Then I waited and assumed that the post office would deliver my applications in good faith.

For current high schools seniors, those same pieces still need to get to the colleges, but with the transition to electronic applications, score choice, digital portfolios and eDocs, the process has become in some ways easier, but in many other ways more confusing.

Here are some resources to help make the process go more smoothly.

Submitting your college applications

  • Common Application: With 456 members, the Common Application is the dominant electronic site for submitting applications to colleges. The benefit is that students can fill out one application and submit it to all participating schools. Several state schools also participate, including the University of Michigan, UMASS Amherst, UNC Chapel Hill, and University of Delaware.
  • Universal College Application: The Universal College Application has 59 schools that participate, so it has not gained as much traction as The Common Application. The theory behind it is the same though, one application going to several schools.
  • State and school-specific electronic applications: Many large state schools along with Georgetown and MIT have their own applications that can be found on their website. Several universities such as Rutgers and the University of Wisconsin, also allow students to input their transcript, eliminating the need to send a transcript from their high school. Don’t forget to do this step because your application is incomplete without it. On the Rutgers site it is called SRAR or Self Reported Academic Record and it is a separate piece of the application.
  • Submitting your transcripts: This piece of the application is going through the biggest transition electronically. Many high schools are using eDocs through Naviance to send the transcripts electronically to the schools, but many high school guidance departments still require that students fill out a paper form with all the information so they can send the transcripts by mail.

It is important to understand the process at your high school and allow at least three weeks before the deadline to make the request.

Sending test scores:

Students must request that test scores be sent to all of their colleges by the appropriate deadline. Your application will not be read until the colleges receive the scores. Here's where to request your scores:

Request SAT scores

Request ACT scores

Tips to avoid common pitfalls:

Consistency the name of the game. When you sign up for the ACTs or SATs using your full legal name and e-mail, use that same name and e-mail for all subsequent application materials.

“The biggest problem is that various pieces can get lost and the easiest way to avoid mistakes is to have the same name and e-mail on everything. So if your legal name is Jonathan Brett Silver, but your nickname is JB, make sure to use Jonathan Brett on anything related to college.” Said J. Scott Myers from Susquehanna University.

Key identity markers are

  1. Legal name (does not include nicknames)
  2. Email

Electronic does not mean immediate!
Even though you are used to text messages and e-mails being delivered immediately, it doesn’t work like that when submitting applications. The applications go to a processing room and from there the application gets “input” into the college’s own proprietary system either by electronically populating the fields, scanning documents, or printing them for colleges that do not yet read electronically.

  1. Every school uses a different system to input data.
  2. “Some colleges receive testing information by mail and then enter scores into the student’s file. Others receive test scores electronically and automatically integrate them into their system.” Nancy Rehling, a Director from ACT.

Follow up is key!
Once you submit your application, most schools will send you a unique school ID and login information to check on your application status. “Do this immediately and keep track of what pieces are missing” advises Deryn Pomeroy from Syracuse University

  1. Assume it will take from 2-4 weeks for your application to be processed. The closer to the deadline you submit, the longer it will take.
  2. If you do not get the green light within in four weeks of submission, call to follow up on the missing pieces.

Somehow the manila envelope that we all complained about does not seem so bad (just kidding!) Electronic filing is here to stay and should become easier as high schools adopt procedures to streamline the application process.


*** Ace! is a member of the EducationUSA global educational advising network affiliated with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. We provide free EducationUSA counseling services to students in the northern provinces of Thailand; our faculty of U.S.-trained Test Prep Experts can help you with cost-effective result-driven training programs for SAT-1, SAT-2, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, GED, AP, IB, TOEIC, IELTS etc http://acethai.weebly.com ***

Monday, November 7, 2011

Nov 12, 13, 19: U.S. College App Clinic @ Ace!

Ace! NewsFlash

It's U.S. COLLEGE APP SEASON, so Team Ace continues its series of U.S. College App & Essay Clinics:

Clinic #2 Saturday Nov 12 from 13.30 to 16.00

Clinic #3 Sunday Nov 13 from 13.30 to 16.00 (last chance before ED & EA Nov 15 deadline!)

Clinic #4 Saturday Nov 19 from 13.30 to 16.00


Our EducationUSA advisers will be available during App Clinic Hours to answer questions, review essays, and provide strategic advice to students who are in process of making U.S. college applications.

This is not a workshop or seminar; students should bring their resume, app documents, and a laptop, to have discussions with our advisers on one-on-one or small group basis.


Please encourage your students to make an appointment for our EducationUSA Advisers and Writing Coaches at the App Clinic:

call 081.8212686 or email hub.ace@gmail.com


The App Clinic Series will end on Saturday Nov 19, after which EducationUSA advising will be limited to first-come-first-served appointments, with priority for students who have had prior contact with Team Ace
...Aim High, Meet the Deadlines!

*** Ace! is a member of the EducationUSA global educational advising network affiliated with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. We provide free EducationUSA counseling services to students in the northern provinces of Thailand; our faculty of U.S.-trained Test Prep Experts can help you with cost-effective result-driven training programs for SAT-1, SAT-2, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, GED, AP, IB, TOEIC, IELTS etc http://acethai.weebly.com ***

Thursday, November 3, 2011

GOOD NEWS for Early Applicants: Extended Deadlines!

Ace! NewsFlash


November 1 Deadline Extended

Due to the winter storm that has affected the northeastern United States,

several institutions have extended their Early Decision deadlines to

accommodate families without electricity or access to the Internet.

Please note the list may not be a comprehensive listing of all institutions

that have extended their early decision or early action deadlines.

If you do not see the school on this list, please contact them directly.

Institution Name

State

Extended Until

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

New York

11/18/2011

Assumption College

Massachusetts

11/7/2011

Assumption College

Massachusetts

11/7/2011

Babson College

MA

11/4/2011

Baltimore City Community College

Maryland

12/1/2011

Bellarmine University

KY

11/8/2011

Bentley University

MA

11/4/2011

Boston College

MA

11/4/2011

Boston College

Massachusetts

11/4/2011

Boston University

MA

11/4/2011

Buffalo State College (SUNY)

New York

11/8/2011

Butler University

IN

11/15/2011

California Institute of Technology

California

11/5/2011

Carnegie Mellon University

PA

11/7/2011

Case Western Reserve University

Ohio

11/7/2011

Chapman University

CA

11/20/2011

Clark University

Mass

11/15/2011

College of William & Mary

Virginia

11/7/2011

Columbia University

New York

11/4/2011

Cornell University

New York

11/3/2011

Dartmouth College

New Hampshire

11/7/2011

Duke University

North Carolina

11/3/2011

Emerson College

MA

11/7/2011

Emmanuel College

MA

11/4/2011

Fairfield University

Connecticut

11/8/2011

Flagler College

Florida

11/8/2011

Georgia Tech

Georgia

11/4/2011

Gordon College

Massachusetts

11/10/2011

Goucher College

Maryland

11/9/2011

Green Mountain College

Vermont

11/7/2011

Hampden-Sydney College

VA

11/15/2011

Hartwick College

NY

11/15/2011

High Point University

North Carolina

11/7/2011

Hofstra University

New York

11/21/2011

Ithaca College

NY

11/15/2011

James Madison University

Virginia

11/8/2011

Johns Hopkins University

Maryland

11/7/2011

Knox College

Illinois

11/10/2011

Lake Forest College

Illinois

12/1/2011

Lewis & Clark College

Oregon

11/8/2011

Loyola University Maryland

Maryland

11/15/2011

Marist College

NY

11/8/2011

McDaniel College

Maryland

11/7/2011

Miami University

OH

11/15/2011

MIT

Massachusetts

11/6/2011

Nazareth College

New York

11/15/2011

Northeastern University

Massachusetts

11/8/2011

Northwestern University

Illinois

11/7/2011

Pomona College

CA

11/8/2011

Prescott College

Arizona

12/1/2011

Providence College

Rhode Island

11/4/2011

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

New York

11/8/2011

Rhodes College

Tennessee

11/8/2011

Roanoke College

VA

11/7/2011

Roger Williams University (Early Action 1 deadline)

Rhode Island

11/7/2011

Roger Williams University (Early Action 2 deadline)

Rhode Island

11/21/2011

Saint Michael's College

Vermont

11/6/2011

Salve Regina University

RI

11/8/2011

Sarah Lawrence College

New York

11/7/2011

St. Lawrence University

NY

2/1/2012

stanford

Stonehill College

MA

11/8/2011

SUNY Fredonia

New York

11/8/2011

Texas Lutheran University

Texas

12/15/2011

The University of Vermont

Vermont

11/4/2011

Tufts University

MA

11/4/2011

United States Coast Guard Academy

Connecticut

11/7/2011

University of Chicago

Illinois

11/7/2011

University of Maryland, College Park

Maryland

11/8/2011

University of Massachusetts Amherst

MA

11/6/2011

University of Massachusetts Amherst

MA

11/6/2011

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Wisconsin

11/8/2011

Villanova University

Pennsylvania

11/4/2011

Washington & Jefferson College

PA

11/15/2011

Wellesley College

MA

11/7/2011

Westmont College

CA

11/15/2011

Willamette University

Oregon

11/15/2011

Yale University

CT

11/2/2011

Yale University

Connecticut

11/2/2011


*** Ace! is a member of the EducationUSA global educational advising network affiliated with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. We provide free EducationUSA counseling services to students in the northern provinces of Thailand; our faculty of U.S.-trained Test Prep Experts can help you with cost-effective result-driven training programs for SAT-1, SAT-2, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, GED, AP, IB, TOEIC, IELTS etc http://acethai.weebly.com ***