4 Myths busted  
Myth : To enroll in a Graduate (Post-Bachelors) program in USA , one must have completed 16 years of education
Reality : Many MS programs do accept 15 years of education, E.g. - St. Thomas & Fenis State University . There are decidedly many more MBA Programs that will accept a 3-year Bachelors' degree ( Wake Forest , Cornell University , University of Rochester , Duke/Fuqua, Thunderbird etc.)
Myth : Standardized tests measure aptitude. So test scores cannot be improved by preparing for them
Reality : Our students increase their GMAT scores by an average of 92.5 points. The average is 187.5 for GRE and 140 for SAT I
Myth : Education in USA is very expensive.
Reality : Not necessarily. Sure, if you decide to pursue an MBA at Cornell University in New York , you'll have to shell out a bundle. But moving away from port cities, and towards State Universities or smaller cities will considerably lower you costs. This doesn't necessarily translate into a compromise with quality. Texas A & M University , SUNY-Buffalo, Brigham Young University , for examples , are top ranked universities, and a pretty economical choice too.
Myth : No financial aid is available to MBA students
Reality : Though financial aid for MBA students is much more difficult to bag (compared to MS and PhD programs), the fact remains that scholarships are, in fact, available B-schools like Kelly at Indiana University, Katz at Pittsburgh, Cox at Southern Methodist U., and Dupree at Georgia Tech offer aid to international stu­dents. Other top schools like Wharton, Harvard etc. have tie-ups with financial institutions to provide loans to admitted class irrespective of nationality

4 Cardinal Sins
Sin : Short listing universities in one geographic region
  Doing so would make the American Consular suspicious - they'd feel that you have a relative or friend in that region. So, they may judge you as a positive potential immigrant, and deny you the visa.
Sin : Asking, "How do you rate my chances?"
  Asking the admissions officers this question will not gain you anything - the admissions officers will not provide a clear-cut answer to this question. They cannot comment on your chances, as they do not have your complete application. Your chances would depend not only on your credentials, and your SOP/Essays, but also 011 the total application packages of other applicants in the entire applicant pool (you will be compared to other applicants, remember) If you are too insistent on this question, it might just create a negative first impression in the mind of the admission officer. If you plan to go for an MS program, you can sometimes put this question to a few professors. But our experience says, that one must not completely rely on the answer.
Sin : Not applying to universities that have an average score higher than your test score
  Please understand that averages are just that - averages. There are people who have higher scores, there are those with lower scores. It is very unlikely that you'll find a student with the average test scores, the average OPA, the average age, and average work experience. Weakness in one area can often be compensated for by strengths in other areas.
Sin : Getting sponsored by you "Amrika wale uncle"
  A definite NO. Getting your US-based friend or relative to sponsor you will betray your intention of settling there, and is likely to get your visa application rejected.

4 Question to ask

Yourself
  • What is my core competence?
  • What's the work that I can enjoy doing for the rest of my life?
  • What unique experience, perspective, and qualities will I bring to the class, after acquiring new skills?
  • How much time and money can I afford to invest in my education?

Admissions Officers

  • What criteria do you weigh most heavily?
  • Can I send the financial statement after receiving an admission offer?
  • Can the standardized tests (esp. TOEFL) be waived on some grounds?
  • Is evaluation of educational credentials by agencies like WES or ECE required?
Financial Aid Officers
  • Is aid available to international students?
  • Are assistantships awarded after I arrive on the campus, or before?
  • What are the criteria for awards (are the awards need based or merit based)?
  • Is a separate application / essay required for financial aid?

Career Services Officers

  • What is the Placement Success rate for international students?
  • What are the Industries / Companies that absorb international students?
  • What job functions are international students recruited for most frequently?
  • What is the skill set that most recruiters look for?

 
4 Test Taking Techniques

  • For a 30-minute AWA question, spend only about 18 minutes actually typing the response.

  • In Reading Comprehension questions about tone, attitude or style, eliminate too strong / extreme choices, as EST's RC passages will not evoke strong emotions. So choices like "scornful & denunciatory" or "overly enthusiastic" are out.

  • Sentence completion questions; remember that the right answer always creates a meaningful phrase. This can help eliminate several options.

    The plot of the movie was extremely complicated and included many minor characters - to the central events.
    A . Momentous B . tangential C . contemporary D . essential E . addition.

    The answer is B . 'Momentous to' and 'contemporary to' are not correct phrases, 'addition to' is also an incorrect phrase if not preceded by 'in'. We're left with B & D, since the idea of "minor" characters is being continued, we choose B.

  • In a Problem Solving question, if you are not sure as to how to approach the problem, try plugging in the options -- starting with C & moving in both directions one by one .

 
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