Financing an MBA Abroad: A How-To Guide

Researching financial-aid info for foreign B-schools poses unique challenges. Here are some tips to speed your path to the moneySo you're thinking of going abroad to get your MBA. You'd like to broaden your horizons and experience a truly multicultural graduate program. These are all noble pursuits. But remember, financing a graduate degree from an institution outside your native country can pose certain challenges. Realistically, these challenges are nothing next to the rigors of business school, so you should just think of this particular endeavor as a prelude. You'll have to do a whole lot of research, calculate going conversion rates, and be as proactive as possible. In short, it's nothing a business-savvy applicant can't handle with a good calculator and Internet access. PORT OF CALL. Indeed, many international institutions use their Web sites as the first "port of call" for prospective students. This is undoubtedly true for the admissions process, but it's important to keep in mind for financial aid opportunities as well. Procedures, availability, and types of funding for foreign students at most B-schools vary tremendously. Foreign students usually are not eligible to receive most government loans and can have a hard time with private lenders unless they have a resident guarantor or co-signer. Canadian B-schools, though cheap by comparison to those in the U.S. and Europe, have limited loan programs and funds to disperse to non-Canadians. Thus it's necessary to look beyond the norm when securing funding at a school away from home. In most cases, the financial-aid process begins after you've been accepted. But you should start your research (and when possible, fill out forms) as soon as you decide to apply. Some of the larger, well-established programs have more funding available, or at least more programs in place, to help students finance their MBAs. GLOBAL LOAN PROGRAM. One truly international institution, INSEAD, was founded in 1959 in Fountainebleau, France, and just last year opened a campus in Singapore. Its roughly 700 students represent more than 60 countries and are free to study in either France or Singapore under the institute's "one school, two campuses" philosophy. Once accepted, students are invited to apply for financing through the INSEAD/ABN Amro Global Loan Program, designed to give candidates from all over the globe access to an INSEAD business degree. The loan scheme -- available to every applicant, regardless of nationality -- is offered in association with ABN Amro Bank and covers all tuition fees (27,900 Euros for the 2000 program, or about $29,850). It does not require a security or guarantee from the student, and it offers a low, fixed interest rate. There are, however, a few things to consider. INSEAD's loan doesn't cover living or personal expenses, yet applicants are required to provide a certified copy of an INSEAD acceptance letter, a separate loan application, two letters of recommendation, a copy of a resume, as well as a passport. Loan applicants then have to interview personally at one of ABN Amro's branches. Students still have to have a solid financial history (start paying down that consumer debt now!), as the final disbursement of loans rests solely with ABN Amro. Keep in mind that funding is not always a done deal at any B-school with inviting, all-inclusive loan programs. The buck stops at the bank. SMALL PRICE TO PAY. London Business School has inked a similar loan agreement with HSBC Bank, one of the largest banking and financial organizations in the world. This loan, is open to all students of all nationalities, provides funding to cover the cost of tuition (18,000 British pounds for the 2001 academic year, or about $27,000) as well as the cost of living, a considerable benefit in fashionable, pricey London. There are very few restrictions to this program. However, it does require that students maintain their principal bank account with HSBC Bank for the duration of the loan. (A small price to pay, considering that some lenders stipulate that borrowers must repay a loan in full if they don't take a job back home immediately following graduation.) It's likely that HSBC hopes to retain the business of MBAs who will potentially be "high net worth" individuals and quality customers when they return to their native countries -- where, chances are, there will be a local HSBC branch. FOREIGN-FRIENDLY FINANCING. Lest you assume that all business schools have such foreign-friendly financing arrangements, consider Oxford's Said School of Business. The school lacks a financial aid office. To be fair, the program is smaller (96, compared to INSEAD'S nearly 700 and LBS's 536 full-time students) and only in its fifth year of operation, but the school openly adopts a laissez-faire attitude toward financial assistance. As Louise Hutchinson, Said's marketing manager, explains, "A lot is up to [the student], to be honest, to try to identify appropriate scholarships in their home country." If you're not one of those candidates researching grants on the home front, there's a good chance you're a part of the 67% majority who is able to foot the £18,500 ($27,750) bill for the 2001 program without assistance. That said, Said's Web site offers a wealth of information about funding and is a great jumping-off point for researching scholarships. During any search, beware of specific requirements like "commitment to working in Poland" or "essay-fluent in Arabic" that might disqualify you as an applicant. It could save a lot of aggravation later. WORLDLY CONSTITUENCY. A school with a decidedly unique approach to funding is the International Institute for Management Development, or IMD, in Lausanne, Switzerland. With tuition for the one-year program coming to 45,000 Swiss francs (about $30,000) in 2001, and the total budget estimated at twice that, IMD is no bargain. The price tag could explain why the average age of an IMD student is 31 and the school, in Switzerland's beautiful Lake Geneva region, attracts an affluent, worldly constituency (75% have worked outside of their own countries prior to matriculation). Still, of the 85 students enrolled, 25% to 30% require some kind of financial assistance. The school -- a tightly knit community where even the director of the MBA program knows everyone's name -- has a kitty of about $1.5 million that is allocated for scholarships and loans. These funds are administered by an alumni board made up of one delegate from every graduating class. This classmate/financier system has worked exceptionally well for IMD: they've yet to have a single student default on a loan. REWARDING SCHOLARSHIP. At the end of the year, there are prizes for excellence and class contribution. Sometimes they even "turn loans into scholarships." A lot of schools will bestow scholarships based on achievement during the previous year. It's worth inquiring about such awards during your search. A good place to begin your research is the International Education Financial Aid Web site. IEFA has a searchable database of scholarships for study in the U.S. and abroad and is an invaluable resource for international grant-seekers. As far as loans go, the International Education Finance Corp. has developed a number of loans for students through their International Student Loan Program. The program provides financing for the total cost of education, flexible repayment options, and up to a 25-year repayment period. All MBA candidates are eligible, but students from outside the U.S. must have a U.S. citizen or permanent resident as a cosigner. The site also offers a variety of information -- books, informational organizations, links to relevant Web sites -- on their resources page. Lucia Quartararo

Actuaries: The Best Kept Secret in Business

Actuaries: The Best Kept Secret in Business

by Charles L. Gilbert, FSA, FCIA, CFA

One of the more common reactions heard after an actuary introduces themselves is “What’s an actuary?” Actuaries have been practicing their profession and existing largely undetected by the general public for more than a century. So when someone meets a live actuary for the first time, the question is not entirely unexpected. Historically, the actuarial profession has not done a good job of marketing itself, even in areas where actuaries have substantial expertise. That’s a shame because actuaries have much to contribute to any field that deals with risk. This is particularly true of the world of finance.

Actuaries are professionals who have been rigorously tested and trained in the pricing, valuation, analysis and management of risk. Actuarial exams have been described as the most difficult professional exams in the world. No other profession demands as rigorous a qualification process. Pass percentages are kept low to ensure that the highest standards for entry into the profession are maintained. In North America, actuaries will spend up to 10 years or more after university studying risk-related topics founded on probability and statistics, financial economics and life contingencies to gain the coveted “Fellowship” designation. But as if the exams were not enough, prospective entrants into the profession must pass a Fellowship Admission Course and fulfill Professional Development qualifications. Once successfully completed, fully qualified actuaries or “Fellows” must fulfill ongoing Continuing Professional Development and Education requirements. The majority of actuaries have traditionally specialized in insurance or pensions and many people who think of actuaries tend to associate actuaries with the insurance or pension industries. While that is certainly true, many actuaries focus their skills on finance, investments and risk practice. In fact, fully qualified actuaries who have successfully completed all of the exams in the Investment, Finance or Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) tracks have covered most of the material required to become a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and Professional Risk Manager (PRM) and have been tested at a far more rigorous and higher cognitive skill level. In fact, many actuaries decide to write these exams to obtain these other designations since they have already mastered most of the syllabi.

The majority of actuaries find themselves working for financial institutions, mainly insurance companies and pension funds but a growing number are working for commercial and investment banks. That is no coincidence. Financial institutions (along with many corporations) are in the business of assuming risk provided they are fairly compensated for taking those risks. Actuaries typically understand the risks and the rewards better than any other professional. They are uniquely qualified to help companies make more effective risk decisions. Bred with strong quantitative backgrounds – most actuaries are mathematicians turned risk professionals – actuaries find themselves in their element when faced with complex financial risk problems. These are some of the reasons actuaries are being sought by rating agencies and regulators looking to beef up their risk assessment capabilities. Actuaries are also being tapped for Chief Risk Officer (CRO) positions. In Canada, the CRO of every major life insurance company is an actuary.

Actuaries have made valuable contributions to financial economic theory and risk practice. Sophisticated techniques and approaches have been developed that greatly improve how risks are quantified and enhance financial decision making. Actuaries such as Frederick Macaulay, Frank Redington and Robert Reitano introduced the financial world to duration, immunization theory and partial duration; Harry Panjer published definitive references on financial economics and loss models; James Tilley, David Wilkie and Mary Hardy – among many others – have made great advances in the stochastic modeling of risk. Several actuaries along with the Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society have been pioneers in the emerging field of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). Actuaries have been at the forefront of risk practice, solving sophisticated valuation problems involving dynamic hedging of complex embedded options where no close form or analytic solution exists.

Risk practice encompasses more than risk mitigation or risk management. Risk practice also involves selecting and taking risk. The key is making sure the organization is fairly compensated for taking those risks and is comfortable with the amount of risk exposure assumed.

By determining which risks provide an attractive risk/return profile and identifying which risks should be avoided or hedged, actuaries can help companies exploit risk opportunities. One area in particular where actuaries have been at the forefront is in helping companies implement Asset Liability Management (ALM) to gain competitive advantage. While many financial institutions have been effective at implementing ALM at a tactical level, the focus has tended to be on risk mitigation. The Society of Actuaries Task Force on ALM Principles provides the following definition of modern ALM:

“ALM is the on-going process of formulating, implementing, monitoring and revising strategies related to assets and liabilities to achieve the financial objectives for a given set of risk tolerances and constraints.”

When using ALM as a strategic decision-making tool, the goal of ALM is not necessarily to eliminate or even minimize risk. ALM is viewed as a framework to achieve the financial objectives of the organization subject to its risk tolerances and constraints. Within this framework innovative strategies are formulated for optimizing financial results. One such strategy is to exploit the term structure of interest rates by rebalancing the asset portfolio backing liabilities in such a way that reduces the interest rate risk exposure of the company and increases portfolio yield, future investment income, and achieves the company’s financial objectives. The key to formulating and executing effective strategies is to have an in-depth understanding of both the assets and liabilities and how they interrelate. Trying to specify objectives for each side of the balance sheet separately will not necessarily ensure that the overall financial objectives are achieved.

To see this more clearly, let’s say you wanted to maximize risk adjusted return on capital. Under the traditional approach the assets and liabilities might be managed separately. The liability manager would be asked to state what the investment objectives for the liabilities were and come up with a suitable benchmark for the liabilities. The asset manager would then try to beat the liability benchmark while staying within some specified risk limit. Typically, in order to give the asset manager the maximum flexibility, the risk limits are kept relatively simple and might be stated in terms of a Macaulay or Modified Duration target. However, beating the benchmark within the specified duration target and/or maximizing portfolio yield may not necessarily ensure that risk adjusted return on capital will be maximized. That will depend on the actual interest rate risk exposure, the impact on reserves, capital and accounting treatment. This is where a risk professional who understands both sides of the balance sheet can help. By formulating Asset Liability Management strategies to achieve the financial objectives subject to risk tolerances and constraints, this can be set up as an optimization problem. A strategy can then be executed that will select the best risk/reward profile for the company. Actuaries are uniquely positioned to formulate such strategies and determine the impact on reserves, accounting results and capital requirements, then decide whether the organization is being fairly compensated for the risks assumed and whether the strategy achieves the organization’s overall financial objectives. Under the traditional approach, the asset manager would typically execute the trades and find out the impact on the overall financial objectives after the fact.

There are many practicing actuaries with investment experience who understand both the assets and liabilities. By working closely with an asset manager, an actuary can provide valuable insights into whether the strategies being contemplated achieve the financial objectives or whether they are optimal from a risk/reward perspective.

Regulators, rating agencies and analysts have discovered the value that actuaries can add to finance and risk management and engage these risk professionals on staff. Actuaries have trained regulators, rating agency and investment analysts on asset liability management and have worked together with them to establish approaches for determining appropriate levels of capital for various risk exposures, and developing more a meaningful valuation metric for investment analysts to measure insurance companies.

While actuaries are uniquely trained risk professionals with a lot to contribute to the world of finance, they may just be the best kept secret in business!

Charles L. Gilbert, FSA, FCIA, CFA, is president and founder of Nexus Generations, which provides advanced risk management solutions to the financial services industry. He is also a director of the Society of Actuaries Board of Governors and serves on numerous task forces and working groups related to risk management.

The College Application Deadlines You Need to Know

Don't miss important deadlines. Here's an ideal timeline to keep you on the right track.published by financialaid.com
There are two kinds of students. Those who begin planning for their college applications as juniors, reviewing last year's applications and contemplating essay topics to let them percolate over time. And those who start their applications at 3 a.m. the night before they are due. This is one time where even if you are a natural-born procrastinator, you need to pay attention to the important college deadlines.
The worst thing that you can do is wait until the last minute. You'll make careless errors, and you won't present your best strengths to the colleges. The best college applications are done over time, allowing you to think about your responses and formulate your answers. To develop the strongest applications, here is an ideal timeline for keeping track of when you should tackle each step:
Birth - Fall of senior year : Research and select colleges to apply to. You should begin learning about the colleges as soon as possible in high school. Visit colleges close to you even if you don't think you will apply to them, and visit colleges while you are on vacation with your family. By seeing different campuses, you will get a better idea of what you like and don't like about a school.
Spring of junior year : Take the standardized tests. Get your #2 pencil ready because you'll want to take the required standardized tests, the SAT I or ACT, at least once during the spring of your junior year. Some colleges also require the SAT II Subject Tests.
Early fall of senior year : Narrow your college choices and request applications. Continue researching schools by reading about them, contacting their admission offices to ask questions and visiting. Select five to eight colleges to apply to. Request applications either through the colleges' websites, by telephone or by letter.
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October - November : Take the standardized tests again. If you haven't already taken the SAT I or ACT, you'll need to do this in the fall. If you have taken the exams, you should try it again now that you know exactly what to expect. You also have the choice of which scores to submit to the schools so taking it twice will give you some flexibility.
Early November : Early admission deadlines. You'll need to decide if you want to apply early. You have two options: Early Action, which does not require that you attend the school if you are accepted, or Early Decision, which does require that you attend the school if accepted. If you want to apply early, the deadlines are typically in early November
Late December - early January : Regular admission deadlines. If you apply during the regular admission deadlines, you will have a couple of extra months to complete your applications. Use this time to actually work on and perfect your applications. Don't procrastinate.
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Three to six weeks before your deadlines : Recommendations. For the strongest recommendations, give your teachers and counselors as much time as possible. Just as you need to develop your applications over time, your recommenders need time to gather their thoughts about you.
December - April : Wait by the mailbox for acceptance letters. If you apply regular decision, you will start hearing back from the colleges in the spring, typically at the beginning of April. The decision may be acceptance, denial or wait list. If you are placed on the wait list, you still have a chance of being accepted if other students do not choose to attend the college.
January - March : As soon after January 1 of your senior year as possible, you'll need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The only way to get financial aid is to complete the form. You'll need to supply information about your parents' and your income and assets. By spending a few hours, you may receive thousands of dollars in aid.
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April : Hold your breath for financial aid offers. Financial aid offers may include grants, work-study and loans. Don't look at the total amount of financial aid you receive. Instead, look at how much your family will need to contribute and how much you will need to borrow to figure out how much the college will actually cost to attend. Also, if you receive financial aid packages from several colleges, you may be able to negotiate with the schools. For example, you can ask one college if it can match or increase to be closer to a more generous package that you've received from another college.
May : Make your decision. You've done all the research and asked all the questions, now it's time to decide where you will spend the next four years of your life. Make last visits to your top choice colleges, and discuss with your parents which schools won't bust your family's bank.
Congratulations! You've made it through the college admission process and can look forward to four years of football games, new friends and parties, and of course, a little dose of studying as well.

How to Bullet-proof Your Essay

Produce quality essays that admissions officers will remember.published by financialaid.com
The essay is your best opportunity to impress the admission officers and let them know who you really are. Through the essay, you can show the colleges your passions, values or accomplishments that just aren't given justice in the fill-in-the-blanks of the application. While an uninspired essay won't necessarily doom your chances to getting accepted, an inspired one can propel you into the acceptance pile.
Here's how to produce a quality essay that the admission officers will remember:
Follow your passions . Choose the topic that is the most compelling to you. Don't write about what you think the colleges want you to write about. Be honest in your answers about what you really think. If you do this, the words will come more easily and your excitement will show through in your writing.
Begin your essay with fireworks . Don't begin with the obvious—your name, when you were born or what high school you go to. Instead, try dialogue, a description of a scene or a bold statement. Test some creative approaches to capturing the admission officers' attention right from the start.
Be specific . One mistake that many students make is that they are too general. Making a broad statement without supporting it with examples is not very effective. Instead, describe a specific moment, achievement or idea to make a more interesting essay.
Have a point . Before you start writing, think about what you are trying to convey in your essay. You should be able to summarize the point of your essay in a single sentence. If you can't, you may not have a point. It's important to have an underlying message that you're trying to relate through your essay.
Let the admission officers into your mind . Instead of just describing an event, let the admission officers experience the event with you. Share the thoughts that are running through your mind during the event. Explain what you are thinking and why you made the decisions that you did. This will give them real insight into who you are.
End with a bang . You want to sandwich your essay between a strong beginning and conclusion. The conclusion is the last taste that you will leave in the mouths of admission officers. Summarize your point and wrap your thoughts together with a conclusion that they'll remember.
Get help . While your essay of course must be your own work, you can improve your writing with input from other people. Ask for help and don't be afraid of a little constructive criticism. Use it to your advantage. Get feedback from at least one person about your writing.

How to Get Over Your Application Angst

Get those applications in on time.published by financialaid.com
With their seemingly endless series of blanks and spaces to "tell us about yourself" and boxes to "provide us with your social security number, date of birth and innermost thoughts" - not to mention the essays, there's a reason why many student procrastinate when it comes to filling out college applications. Ugh! Multiply this by the number of colleges that you will be applying to, and you have the ingredients necessary for a nervous breakdown!
Completing your college admissions applications doesn't have to be such a painful experience. In fact, if you break them down into their individual parts, you'll see that completing them is a lot easier than you thought. Here are some strategies to help you tackle your applications and prevent a few headaches along the way:
Take a deep breath - and get a sneak peek . Take some time to request (via mail or by downloading them via the Internet) and carefully review the college applications before setting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.
Here's what you're likely to find inside the typical college application:
Application forms. These are the forms that ask for all of your vital statistics--your coursework, grades, test scores, activities, honors, awards, summer activities and employment.
Essays. Many applications also require one to three, 500-word essays. The essays provide you the opportunity to expand on an accomplishment or something about you that is not easily reflected in the short answers on the application forms
Recommendations. Start shining some apples to give to your teachers. There also may be recommendation forms that your teachers and counselors will need to complete, describing your academic ability and character.
Each of these pieces fit together to serve a specific purpose. The application forms give the colleges basic information about how you've performed academically and socially. The essays allow you to highlight one of your strengths and demonstrate your writing ability and the recommendations give others' opinions of you.
Focus on leadership and initiative . Colleges want students who are going to be leaders in the future and make a difference in the world. In your applications try to highlight any leadership experience you've had. Wherever possible, give the colleges examples of leadership and initiative in your applications.
Remember preschool? Well, this time show, DON'T tell . Instead of giving an overview of your accomplishments, give concrete examples of what you have actually done. It's important to not just state the facts but to also give some examples of your accomplishments to show the college what you've done.
Make your essay your personal highlights reel . Your essay is the opportunity for you to let colleges know about your most important achievement, goal or personal strength. Your essay should give the admission officers insight into who you are as a person, what's most important to you and what you will bring to their freshman class.
Help them help you . Your teachers and counselors may have to write dozens of recommendations. This means that you should do everything you can to help them. Give them at least three weeks advance notice and be sure to provide them with all of the forms, pre-addressed envelopes and background information about you that they'll need.
Fill the gaps . Maybe your transition from junior high to high school was a rough one. And, as a result, your grades suffered. You don't want to provide a lengthy accounting of every reason why your grades slipped, but explaining that you made a difficult transition into high school and that since then you've matured and gotten better grades will help.
Proofread, Proofread, Proofread! Some applicants have misspelled their own major or even put the wrong college's name in their essays, which has not left strong impressions on the admission officers. The best way to prevent these kinds of careless errors is to complete your applications early enough so that you have adequate time to review and revise and review again.

How and why to start your scholarship search early

For many high school seniors, by the time you are done with your college applications and turn your attention to scholarships, it's too late for some awards. The unfortunate fact is that there are a lot of scholarships with applications that are due in the fall. Whether you delay because of procrastination or because you are preoccupied with college applications, if you snooze, you lose.
To make sure you don't miss out on scholarships with fall deadlines, we recommend the following:
Begin your scholarship search during the summer of your junior year - or earlier. The number one reason most seniors miss the fall scholarship deadlines is because they do not start their scholarship search until the spring. Either on paper or computer create a master file of the awards you want to apply for, along with their deadlines.
Preview the future with scholarship search engines. Get a preview by filling out the profile as if you were a senior. This way you will force the search engine to show you scholarships that will be due when you are a senior. Just be sure to revise your profile with your correct age/high school year once you are done.
Start preparing in advance. For the scholarships that are due in the fall, make them a part of your normal homework routine. Work on them a little every day. This will prevent you from being overwhelmed and ensure that you don't turn in a hastily completed, last-minute application.
Reuse your college application essays for scholarships. You can save yourself some time by pulling out pieces from your college admission essays and reusing them in your scholarship essays.
Don't despair even if you do miss a deadline. The secret to winning scholarships is that you must apply not only when you are in high school but throughout college as well. Apply for the awards that you haven't missed and get ready for next year when, as a college student, a whole new door of scholarship opportunities will open to you.
When it comes to winning scholarships, the early bird really does get the worm - so start early to win more money. While you have a busy life and a thousand things going on at once, if you carve out a little bit of time to work on scholarships now you will be happily rewarded with some money to pay for school when you graduate.

How to Qualify for Financial Aid

Some personal finance techniques for maximizing your eligibilitypublished by financialaid.com
There are many forms of financial aid. Scholarships may be awarded for academic merit, achievement, leadership, artistic talent, and/or athletic prowess. Grants may be based on financial need or your attractiveness to an admission committee. Loans may be based on family ability to pay or just on enrollment. So how does one maximize the eligibility for financial aid?
Let's assume that you are most interested in "gift" aid - that is, money that does not have to be repaid. Federal gift (and subsidized loan) aid is usually need based. It uses a formula that is quite straightforward and looks at family income and assets, family size, and the number of family members in college to determine eligibility. There are a few places you can influence your eligibility:
Assets held in a parents name count much less than assets held in a student's name.
Home and retirement assets are not counted but other non-retirement assets are included in the formula.
Multiple siblings attending college at the same time increase your eligibility.
Are your parents supporting other dependents? Grandparents? Family size is important in determining eligibility. College gift aid may use completely different criteria than the Feds. Don't be shy in telling all in your application to the admissions committee. They are looking for students who will make a difference while in school, and will make them proud after graduation. This includes the genius, the creative artist, the talented athlete, the community service-oriented leader, the geographically diverse, and the ethnically diverse.
Some things you cannot change, i.e. your ethnicity or your IQ. However, you can show your community spirit through volunteering, working at your local nursing home, feeding the poor on Thanksgiving or starting a tutoring program for young children in need. Do you have artistic or performance talent? Keep a portfolio of your work from high school. It will help others to assess your special ability. Be prepared to audition for some awards.
There is no magic way to qualify - the magic is in learning what is available and applying for whatever you think you may be eligible for. This is hard work - it requires organization, perseverance and follow through. However, the returns can be significant.

New Internet-based TOEFL in India Begins April 2006

New Internet-based TOEFL in India Begins April 2006 New TOEFL test reflects real-world university English; Adds speaking component to listening, reading and writing Allahabad, October, 10, 2005 – In April 2006 students will arrive at Thomson Prometric testing centers and other educational institutions across India to take the first Internet-based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL® iBT). Developed by ETS, TOEFL iBT reflects the academic English used in higher education and is the first large-scale English-proficiency assessment to be delivered over the Internet. TOEFL iBT is the newest version of ETS’s English proficiency test designed to assess English-language skills in academic settings. The test is recognized by more than 5,200 colleges and universities worldwide, and is widely known as the leading academic English assessment. The new test stresses integrated communications skills and communicative competence. ETS created such enhancements as a new speaking section at the request of educators and admissions officials who worked closely with ETS and Thomson Prometric to develop the new test. The changes are expected to have a great impact on how English is taught. Since it was introduced in 1964, the TOEFL test has dramatically increased in stature among students and institutions worldwide. More than 17.5 million people have taken the TOEFL test, including nearly 750,000 last year alone. Unlike other English-proficiency tests, TOEFL iBT does not treat the English-communication process as consisting of separate tasks. The test measures all four language skills and, most importantly, it uses an integrated-skills approach in which test takers need to: read, listen, and then speak in response to a question listen and then speak in response to a question read, listen, and then write in response to a question According to The Institute of Psychological and Educational Measurement (IPEM) the ETS representatives in India: “TOEFL has emerged from being a test of language comprehension to a comprehensive assessment of a student’s ability to communicate productively in an academic environment. The next generation of TOEFL testing will assess communicative competence in English focusing on all four language skills. This means that there will be a full congruence between developing academic English proficiency and preparing for TOEFL, which is a welcome change for both teachers and students. So, in order to do well on TOEFL in the future, students will need to learn how to communicate productively in speaking and writing in addition to actively listening and reading.” Students can take the exam at Thomson Prometric test centers and at other Internet-based university and educational settings. The TOEFL iBT was first offered in September in the United States. Other countries will follow according to a phased plan. (See attached Note to the editor for other planned international launch dates). “This test is a breakthrough in English-language assessment,” says Kurt Landgraf, ETS President and CEO. “It is the only test that uses Internet-based technology on such a global scale to measure English proficiency. It also helps ETS expand its testing to thousands of locations worldwide, greatly improving access for the test takers we serve.” “Equally important is that for the first time, the TOEFL test integrates all four components of language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking, to help learners build the skills and confidence needed to communicate effectively in academic environments. University admissions officials and educators asked for this, and with their help, ETS’s research and development experts have delivered it.” “This new test is the successful culmination of a multi-year effort, combining a new test delivered using new technology and enhanced services through a significantly expanded set of testing centers worldwide,” says Michael Brannick, President of Thomson Prometric, a part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC). “We are committed to our collaboration with ETS to ensure effective and efficient testing operations for this increasingly important test. Thanks to our collective efforts, more testing candidates than ever before will have access to the TOEFL test worldwide.” “With the new TOEFL iBT test takers are presented with questions that truly reflect how language is used in an academic setting,” notes Mari Pearlman, Senior Vice President of Higher Education at ETS. “Admission officials, in turn, gain a better idea of how well prospective students will interact at their universities.” “Unlike other English-language tests, we do not use face-to-face interviews for the speaking section of the test,” Pearlman adds. “The interview method may add bias to a test depending on the rapport between the test taker and interviewer. TOEFL test takers record their spoken English. Instead of relying upon one person’s impression, ETS has between three and six highly trained raters review test taker responses. It’s fairer for students and more accurate for universities.” Pearlman says ETS has also expanded the writing section. In addition to the essay section in the current test, the new test includes another writing task. Test takers will read a short passage, listen to a lecture, and then type their response on the computer screen. Test takers are allowed up to four hours to complete the test, and all sections can be completed on the same day, adding a new level of convenience for test takers. Because the TOEFL iBT measures all four English skills, and includes independent and integrated tasks, ETS officials believe it will help English instructors link teaching and learning with testing to better help their students perform in academic settings. Other features of the new test include helpful performance feedback on score reports and score results provided online within 15 business days of testing. A free practice test is also available at TOEFL Practice Online at www.ets.org/toeflpractice. The new test will be administered on fixed dates in the ETS global network of Internet-based test centers and through Thomson Prometric, the world’s largest computer-based testing network. Most test centers will offer 30 to 40 TOEFL iBT administrations a year. The number may vary, based on the number of test takers and test-center capacity. The testing fee in 2005 will be US$140. For the latest information about TOEFL iBT, visit www.ets.org/toefl or contact IPEM 119/25a MG Marg Civil Lines. Allahabad. Email: sumit@ipem.org. Test takers can e-mail toefl@ets.org or call 1-877-863-3546 (toll free in the United States, U.S. territories, and Canada) or 1-609-771-7100. (From ipem.org)

Build a career in ERP

Build a career in ERP

ENTERPRISE Resource Planning, or ERP for short, denotes a software application that allows an organisation (or enterprise) to effectively and efficiently manage its resources. The resource could be manpower, raw material, vehicles, equipment and finances to name a few. Some leading software solution providers have developed ERP packages, which now form the backbone of several large organisations. ERP packages comprise several modules that can be used either in a stand-alone mode or in conjunction with one or more of the other modules. Oracle 11i, SAP, J D Edwards and People-soft are some of the popular ERP applications. These packages have found ready acceptance amongst several large and medium enterprises, and in return have helped the organisations achieve an optimal level of performance in their respective areas.

Demand for these applications is increasing by the day, primarily because of the huge potential they hold out for users. Such an exponential growth has created job opportunities for professionals opting for a career in ERP Package implementation and maintenance.

The ERP scenario primarily offers two types of job options -- that of the Functional Consultant and the Technical Consultant. There would also be other parallel openings in the fields of database administration, systems administration, software testing and network administration. Barring the first two, all the other jobs are more generic in nature and pertain to the software field as a whole.

Functional Consultant: These professionals require a fair understanding of and experience in a particular physical process. For example, an ERP package implementation in a pharmaceutical company would require functional consultants experienced in finance, HR, pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, procurement processes, inventory management, customer relationship, supply chain management, etc.
The functional consultant would thus be a person who analyses the business process of an organisation and designs the process flow of a particular business area.

A functional consultant should ideally be an MBA in the business area he is functioning in; and should have undergone a training session in the ERP, which he is implementing. Solution providers hold training sessions in their respective areas. For example, SAP conducts training modules for functional consultants in all the different business areas involved in a programme. These courses are, however, costly. A minimum of two to three years' experience in the relevant functional area is mandatory. As for monetary benefits, pay scales start from about Rs.15,000+ per month.

Senior consultants may also be employed as architects to design and implement the entire ERP package for an organisation. Pay scales for seniors are generally very high, ranging between 500,000 and a million rupees per annum.
Technical Consultant: Technical consultants basically are software developers or IT professionals. Their task involves development of forms and reports based on inputs provided by a functional consultant. These professionals need to code the business requirements into the software and integrate them to form a contiguous package.

Typically, you should be a graduate in computer sciences to qualify for the position of a technical consultant. You should also have taken part in a training programme conducted by the respective ERP developer. Experience is not an issue at the entry level. However, senior developers and system integrators need to possess at least 5 to 7 years of experience in development. Pay scales vary from about 12,000 rupees per month at the entry stage to 50,000 rupees at the senior level.

A very senior IT professional may qualify as an architect to work along with a functional consultant in designing and implementing the application.
Many job opportunities also exist in the US and other developed countries, where there is a high demand for experienced ERP professionals with good communication skills.

The career benefits
If you are considering making a career move and becoming a consultant, a self-motivated ERP education is self-justifying. You will simply be more attractive to a larger number of potential clients if you are ERP-knowledgeable than if you're not. While many available ERP consulting positions seem to want at least one implementation experience, this isn't a big hurdle. You can overcome this issue by pursuing certification or simply marketing yourself at a bargain rate. Having an ERP knowledge base but no practical experience is certainly a much better skills position than not having any ERP knowledge at all.
If you realise the probability that your company will soon go to ERP, then a proactive approach to learning the ropes will make you the point person when the CIO begins putting the program plan together. There could be no better career move than to be three jumps ahead when the reinvention of your company gets under way. You'll be indispensable to the CIO and CTO and a tremendous aide to all your peers.
And keep in mind that even if you go to the trouble of learning ERP only to find that your company won't be converting anytime soon, your career and potential advancement have been greatly enhanced and will prove beneficial despite your company's ERP setback.
Unless your company is some kind of unusual standalone that just doesn't work with vendors or customers, your non-ERP shop is still required to work with partner companies that are. The tasks involved in this kind of relationship include setting up portals, designing shared B2B apps, and, in general, accommodating the partner company that is into integrated and distributed processes.
Once again, you will become the go-to staffer if these tasks are on the table and you're the one with some ERP know-how.

Hassle-free route to student visa in US-Relatives in the US can give financial guarantee via I-134 form

Dreaming of studying in the United States, but short of finances? Don't worry, aspirants can explore the possibility of a friend or a relative in the US extending financial help for that degree and the lucrative career it brings along.

The US Government allows its residents to give financial guarantee through I-134 form, which is basically an affidavit of support promising to fulfil the financial needs of a prospective student of a US University.


Fake and fail



"This document will convince the visa officer that the student will pay the required fee and so the chances of visa being issued are more," says Arun C. Vakil, a visa and immigrant specialist and the author of `Gateway to America.'

Not many are aware of this simple and more reliable route and students tend to fall prey to the consultants who suggest criminal ideas like "fake" documents of properties or "created" bank balances. Generally visa officers tend to suspect the financial status of applicants in India but since the I-134 document is issued by the US Government its authenticity cannot be questioned. "This clause has been there for several years but not many make use of it owing to lack of awareness," says Mr. Vakil.

The highest visa rejections in India are because of financial statements. Mr. Vakil suggests that applicants can also submit the financial documents of their siblings or close relatives apart from the documents of parents instead of fabricated records.


Directive to officers



Parents' financial statement is very important but Visa officials can consider the documents of siblings and relatives to decide the financial health of the applicant. "They are better than fake documents," he advises.

According to Mr. Vakil the US Government had recently directed its visa officers across the world to relax their critical approach in visa issuanceand it would surely raise the hopes of Indian students. Under section 214 (b) of the Immigration and National Act, Visa officers consider every student applicant as a prospective immigrant.


Good for students



But the new directive will confine the officer's suspicion to the authenticity of the application and his genuine interest in pursuing the course and not what the student intends to do after the completion of the course.

"This is a positive development that will help Indian students," he feels.

How to Tackle the Analytical Writing Assessment

How to Tackle the Analytical Writing Assessment[Article from www.800.com]

Students tend to be unprepared for the AWA section. This is ironic because it is the one GRE section where a small amount of preparation can make a large difference on test day. You don't want an embarrassing AWA grade coming up in a graduate school interview.

To beat the AWA, you must learn how to write in a highly disciplined and concise manner.

1. Be particularly concerned with structure. Clearly divide your essay into the introductory paragraph, two to three content paragraphs, and a conclusion. Take time out before you start writing to set up an organizational structure. Our Essay Guide includes sample essay templates for both the Issue and Argument essays.

2. Use transitional phrases such as "first", "therefore" and "because" to help the computer identify concepts between and within the paragraphs. Make sure you spell these transition words correctly so that the computer may identify them. The E-rater does not have a spell-checker built in.

3. Be a conformist.The E-rater is not programmed to appreciate individuality, humor, or poetic inspiration; it will be comparing the style and structure of your essay to that of other high-scoring essays. If your essay looks like the high-scoring essays in the E-rater's memory banks, you will get a high grade; if not, you will get a low grade. Our Essay Guide has 20 sample high score essays to give you a sense of the proper writing style for the AWA.

4. Clearly state your critique in the Analysis of Argument essay. The Analysis of Argument question will show you an essay loaded with logical fallacies, such as the unwarranted assumption or fallacy of equivocation. These are buzzwords that the E-rater detects to see if you have correctly identified the argument's logical flaws.

5. Know the essays and how to answer them. The Essay Section Guide shows you all of the 275 actual GRE essay questions and 20 selected sample answers to those essay questions. This will give you a feel for the essay questions and how they should be answered.

6. Write in effective American style. Both the human and the E-rater will detect poor writing style. The E-rater's memory banks have essays written in American grammar/style, which is slightly distinct from the English used outside of the United States.

7. Practice, Practice, Practice. Try to do the essays in the 30-minute time frame. That is half of the challenge. Always practice under timed conditions on a computer or take our practice essays for grading.

Are you Ready for the World

Are you Ready for the World?

Let's face it: It's tough being young these days. The world is much more competitive than it ever was, and there are so many things that need to be done. Newspapers and television tell us what kind of people we should be and the kind of clothes we should wear. Everyone wants us to earn a five figure salary. At the same time, we have to keep the values of Indian culture flying high. How does one find a balance between the two?

Add to this the dangers that lurk around corners. Some of them are pretty obvious, such as the importance of keeping to the right side of parents and teachers. Others are more devious: one can have an accident or worse, fall in love. This is to say nothing about other tragedies, like getting rejected in an interview, losing out on admissions to prestigious colleges, AIDS, pollution, restrictions on wearing jeans, teenage pregnancies.... the list is endless.

Who said that being a young person was an easy task? We know it isn't. The canvas of a student's life is filled with daily risks and uncertainties. Each brings us to the end of the world, well, almost. But the tragedy is that nobody understands that. What we need is a survival kit, something that tells us the kind of persons we should be and what we should be doing to succeed in life. No, we should not end up on a rope attached to a ceiling fan just because we can't cope up. We have to be made of sterner stuff.

Here it is, then, the Survival Kit, containing essential tools designed to make you a better person. It takes you through a maze of common problems and suggests solutions that will help you become a winner.

Cracking tests

Usually, the foremost problem faced by youngsters is related to studies. For the top students it is the fear of losing one's position by a few marks, while for those lower down, it is not being able to get enough no matter how much effort is put in. The uncertainties of the examination system seem to make it so impossible to excel. What matters is the quality of our concentration. Here are some ways by which our efforts can be better rewarded:


Always attend classes. Bunking classes may be a fashion, but it is always better to have somebody explain things rather than reading a book later on. Take notes. Revise the topic at home on the same day and mark your book with simple explanations which you will otherwise forget.

How to stay awake. Feeling sleepy in class is a common feeling. Asking questions or taking notes is a way to keep awake. Do not accept what the teacher is saying, but keep debating in your mind. Try to make points which need explanation.
Studying at home. It is an accepted fact that the human mind cannot concentrate for long periods. It is better to break up your study plan into 45 minute intervals. Take a break after each. Studying for five hours continuously would yield less result than putting in 5 intervals of 45 minutes each.
Wake up early. Many students study into the night, but it is more efficient to put the same effort in the morning. That's because one can concentrate better in the morning. Just two hours in the morning will be better than four hours at night.
Work to a schedule. Always have a time plan for working. Divide the chapters you want to cover and allot dates for each. This way, you can cover more than working without a plan.

Overcoming shyness

Studies are just one aspect to succeed in life. Becoming confident and speaking in public is often the insurmountable part, especially because these skills are not taught in schools or colleges. There are some students who take part in college debates and declamations, while the majority of students either do not get an opportunity or are unable to get over their shyness.


In most careers, team work is required. The inability to speak coherently or being shy will thus be a major drawback. Shy people often have a negative self-image and may feel that other people may make fun of them, even though nobody has enough time to think about others. The self-inflicted thoughts prevent people from being normal and the impression they project is one of being snooty and arrogant. Shy people may, thus, end up being looked down upon, turning their fears into reality.


Very often we create our own limitations. "I live in a small town and people living in cities are better than me", says one. Another person will say, "I live in a city but I was not educated in a convent school, so others are better." This goes on, almost as if people are trying to justify their weaknesses. Needless to say, the walls are imaginary. People from small towns or government schools often do quite well for themselves, cometimes even better than those who consider themselves better off. Take the example of the President of India Mr K.R. Naraynan. He was neither educated in convents nor did he live in big cities. When we analyse the backgrounds of successful people, we will discover that only a few of them were from large cities or educated in convents.


The way to overcome this niggardly feeling is startlingly simple: take control and volunteer for everything. Take part in outdoor activities. Play games. Volunteer for any group activity taking place in the neighbourhood. In college, seek opportunities to make presentations and speeches. That is how confidence is acquired.

The tensions of life

The pressures of studies and inter-personal interaction usually results in tension. One is beset by self-doubts and every small failure appears magnified. This leads to a feeling of being let down. Most people are able to bounce back and recover after a little while. In some cases, it may lead to depression. Affluent young people, of course, use the term to describe boredom or restlessness.


Real or clinical depression is a more serious thing. It may be marked by incapacity of work, thoughts of failure and death, fatigue and suicidal leanings. It results from disturbances in the brain's neuro-chemistry and is a crippling disease. With an estimated 6.5 per cent of adult Indians suffering from depression, it may not be as rare as we might expect.


Self-doubts are natural to a great extent and parents, while being supportive, should ensure that they are not overbearing. If you have negative feelings, or know of someone who is thus inclined, confide in someone you know. Contrary to popular feeling, friends and teachers will go out of the way to help you.


A hobby can drive away depression, keep you sane and give hours of pleasure. Yet, even though the number of activities have increased over the years, youngsters seem to have fewer hobbies.


Youngsters can develop hobbies for pleasure and profit. Collecting stamps, interior decoration, reading, gardening, fashion designing and writing are some of the common hobbies. Some of the more exotic hobbies could be to fly gliders, enrol at the local radio or television station for becoming a presenter, operating a ham radio. Of course, these depend on the kind of facilities available in your town. Remember that watching television for long hours is not a hobby. You will lose out on many friends and experiences if you are stuck on television.


A hobby will add to your knowledge as also the kind of person you are. For example, if you are taking part in some activities as a hobby, your self-confidence will undoubtedly improve.

Dealing with the opposite sex

As one grows, one begins to become aware of the opposite sex. One wants to be noticed and make friends. For its part, the media is relentless in projecting images of young people going around with someone of the opposite sex: the staple diet of films is a boy-girl relationship, while in advertisements, it seems that everything must be used to attract the opposite sex. Soap, toothpaste or talcum powder is not to be used for personal hygiene, but for the attention they may help in getting.


Can you blame a young person from getting confused? It is common to come across complaints from youngsters that they do not have a steady girlfriend or boyfriend and are considered backward by their peers. In every college, there is always a small group of Westernised students who seem to have no inhibitions or parental restriction, giving an inferiority complex to the others.


Let us pause and think whether this complex is justified and how it can be tackled. A school or a college are preparatory stages, providing opportunities to interact with many people. If there are sixty people in your class, it is an opportunity to have sixty friends. Being part of a group is enjoyable. Why do you want to reject all those wonderful people and get limited to the friendship of just one person? Often, it would mean moulding oneself to the whims and fancies of that one person. Is it advisable to give up your freedom? Needless to say, an involvement at a young stage would also mean saying goodbye to your dreams of making a professional career. A romantic involvement is never without its costs.


Moreover, intimacy with one person may also result in something more serious as a sexual relationship. Statistics show an increase of teenage pregnancies all over the country, pointing to the mess that young people are making of their lives. Are you up to handling a pregnancy during college?


The smart person, on the other hand, does not get involved. Friends of the opposite sex are all right and one enjoys their company in a group. This is a healthy relationship which will add to your confidence. At the same time, it is important to have your head firmly on your shoulders and not get carried away by peer pressure or media images. One must develop the ability to say no politely. If you do feel strongly about a person, wait till you start earning. There will be plenty of time to romance and to find out whether the feelings are mutual.


The next time you see a commercial on television where young couples are close to each other, remember it is a con-game: an entire industry of gifts and cards rests on making you fall in love. The manufacturers will no doubt succeed in selling their products, but what happens to your life is none of their business. If you want to fall in love, ask yourself the question whether you want to be conned by images designed by marketing experts. Make sure that you have evaluated all the consequences before committing yourself.

Surviving as a girl

Whatever one may say about advancement of women in all spheres of life, it is becoming increasingly difficult to survive as a girl in modern India. Blame it on the media which projects the image that every girl wants fun, or on anything else you wish. The dangers are many, from being teased by unknown people to being touched in crowded places. In extreme cases, this has taken serious turns: rejected males have thrown acid at girls or tried to harm them in other ways. Every once in a while, a scandal erupts which makes one wonder whether girls are really equal at all. Cases of rape and sexual exploitation are common. The latest scandal was exposed in Kerala where girls going to an ice cream parlour were drugged and their photographs taken, which were used to exploit them. Such scandals have been reported in the most unlikely of places.


Outdated laws in India encourage males to take liberties; girls do not press charges because of shame and the culprits are usually acquitted. The atmosphere in the country has been vitiated to a very great extent that most girls face a tough time just doing simple tasks. The more beautiful you are, the more difficulties you are likely to face.


Girls, thus, need a special survial kit which includes the confidence of dealing with unwanted attention. Of course, it is not advisable to fight with everyone. But the following tips will help:


Move around in a group. If you have to take the public transport, try to be with friends. Ask your friends to accompany you on errands. A girl in a group is less vulnerable to advances than being alone.
Avoid unknown places. Do not go to unknown beauty parlours or restaurants, even with friends. Stick only to places most frequented by students.


Beware of confidence tricksters. People will try to win your confidence by many ways, like getting you tickets for a movie. Refuse politely and go home.


Dress in a traditional manner. Yes, we all want to appear modern. The sad fact is that roadside males think that every modern girl is fair game. They will make comments and try to come close. What is the harm of appearing backward if only to avoid unwanted attention? Of course, you can dress as exotically you want when you are with known people.
Confide in parents, friends or teachers. Crimes against girls continue because they are too ashamed to speak out. Take control of the situation and confide, even if it is harmless eve-teasing you are confronted with.

Appearance

Your appearance speaks the world about you. That, however, does not mean that you have to stand for hours before a mirror trying to perfect your hairstyle. People usually do not pay attention to such things. What matters is whether you are presentable or not.


That effect is usually obtained by looking clean. Boys are well advised to shave everyday: a beard or a three-day old stubble gives an unclean impression. Regular haircuts give a well-groomed look. Sporting a ponytail or wearing earrings are best left to television presenters, since these are not signs of smartness. Long hair is unnecessary baggage which turns off the people dealing with you. Wear clean clothes. For formal occasions, make sure you have some ties. For everyday wear, pick up some jeans and smart T-shirts, but do avoid garish prints. It is good to use a de-odorant in summers. Avoid all other cosmetics.


Girls too need some dresses to be worn on special occasions. For everyday wear, suits and jeans are advisable. Colours can be used to advantage. Forget all those bold clothes made by fashion designers unless you want to make a fool of yourself. A girl can usually obtain a decent effect in clothes on her own. The hair must be trimmed to give a well groomed look. As for make-up, a light lipstick is all you need. Have your eyebrows shaped and get rid of facial hair. There is no point spending more time and money in trying to look good. Leave the fancy things to those who want to enter beauty contests. The formal look, required for jobs and interviews, is achieved by wearing a plain suit.


The idea is not to spend too much time on one's appearance because there are more important things to life. Moreover, it is doubtful that you have friends because of the way you look. People appreciate you for your nature and the kind of person you are. This does not mean that one can be sloppy, of course, but the fact is that you can have as many friends as you want with your manners and attitude than by spending a fortune on looking good. Of course if you want to be a model or beauty queen, your appearance will be paramount.

Today's young person

This brings us to the kind of persons we should strive to be. There are a number of wrong notions that are being circulated, including the need to be pushing, aggressive and competitive, of getting rich no matter what the methods, of getting an attitude, whatever that means and doing one's own thing. Modern sales institutes teach the importance of "selling a comb to a bald man" without realising that it will erode the credibility of the salesman. One can, after all, sell something useless only once. In the real world, bluffing works for but a short while.


Being confident is one thing, showing needless aggression is quite another. On the contrary, well-mannered youngsters will be appreciated and are likely to go far. It is important to maintain composure even if things go wrong.


Instead of being aggressive, young people will do well to acquire grace, manners and politeness. This is essential baggage to succeed in the long run.


One way of getting ready for life is to take up part-time jobs. Use summer vacations to help out in an office. This will help you gain confidence in dealing with people and learn manners so essentially required in the modern world. It will also help you decide which career to take up later. The spin-off is that one can afford a number of things with one's earnings, without depending on others.


Today's smart person is a team player, confident about oneself. Yes, they are ambitious. As compared to youngsters of the past, they probably have more confidence and are much more aware. The idea is to use these advantages constructively. We have to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, since there is nobody who has everything. We can be achievers too, if we give ourselves a chance. If less fortunate people have made it big, what really stops us, who are young and educated, who have our lives in front of us?

Tips to overcome fear of Public Speaking

Tips to overcome fear of Public Speaking

Do your knees feel like Gumby's when you have to get up and speak in front of a group? Do you feel like the next words out of your mouth are going to be the dumbest words ever uttered by a human?

Over 41% of people have some fear or anxiety dealing with speaking in front of groups. People who have this fear can experience all kinds of symptoms: Sweaty palms, accelerated heart rate, memory loss and even difficulty in breathing.

Everyone, even experienced speakers, has some anxiety when speaking in front of a group of people. This is perfectly normal. The best way to deal with this anxiety is to first acknowledge that this fear is perfectly normal and you are not alone. To reduce your fear, you need to make sure you properly and thoroughly prepare yourself before you speak. Proper preparation and rehearsal can help to reduce this fear by about 75%. Proper breathing techniques can further reduce this fear by another 15%. Your mental state accounts for the remaining 10%.

Few suggestions you should use to overcome your speaking anxiety. The first and most important of all is preparation. I like to think of it as the 9 P's: Prior Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance of the Person Putting on the Presentation.

10 steps you can take to reduce your speech anxiety.

1. Know the room - become familiar with the place in which you will speak. Arrive early and walk around the room including the speaking area. Walk from where you will be seated to the place where you will be speaking.

2. Know the Audience - If possible, greet some of the audience as they arrive and chat with them. It is easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers.

3. Know Your Material - If you are not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase. Practice your speech or presentation and revise it until you can present it with ease.

4. Learn How to Relax - You can ease tension by doing exercises. Sit comfortable with your back straight. Breathe in slowly, hold your breath for 4 to 5 seconds, then slowly exhale. To relax your facial muscles, open your mouth and eyes wide, then close them tightly.

5. Visualize Yourself Speaking - Imagine yourself walking confidently to the lectern as the audience applauds. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.

6. Realize People Want You To Succeed - All audiences want speakers to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They want you to succeed - not fail.

7. Don't apologize For Being Nervous - Most of the time your nervousness does not show at all. If you don't say anything about it, nobody will notice. If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have with your speech, you'll only be calling attention to it. Had you remained silent, your listeners may not have noticed at all.

8. Concentrate on Your Message - not the audience. Your nervous feelings will dissipate if you focus your attention away from your anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience, not yourself.

9. Turn Nervousness into Positive Energy - the same nervous energy that causes stage fright can be an asset to you. Harness it, and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm.

10. Gain Experience - Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. Most beginning speakers find their anxieties decrease after each speech they give.



About author

Lenny Laskowski is an international professional speaker and President of LJL Seminars (tm), in Newington, CT. He can be reached at (860) 666-4855 or by email at President@LJLSeminars.com.

Studying in the US? Get a work visa

Studying in the US? Get a work visa


Unless they have decided on further education, most students who finish their graduation face a dilemma.
They worry about what to do next; whether they will get a job and, if they do, whether they would need to move to another city.
For Indian students studying abroad, the dilemma multiplies.
Consider, for example, the options you have if you are a student in the United States.
When you finish your Bachelor's/ graduate degree, your time as an F-1 (F-1 is a student visa) foreign student will also come to an end. Yes, you are proud of your accomplishments. But, you also wonder: ~ Should I aim at a career back home or should I consider remaining in the US for a while?
~ I want to stay in the US. Will US employers be willing to hire me?
~ How can I retain my personal independence while pursuing an employment-based visa in the US?
Let's attempt to answer some of these questions.
If you have visited an immigration lawyer about your upcoming graduation, the possibilities are you may have been advised to work towards getting an H-1B (a work visa) visa right away.
While this advice may be useful for a select few, your best bet is to accept a one year post-completion practical training option if it is available.
Why do many immigration lawyers recommend an immediate switch from an F-1 student visa to H-1B professional visa? There are many reasons.
If you come from a developing nation that has a high rate of illegal immigration to the US, you could be identified as an 'intending immigrant' if you have to travel while doing your practical training on your F-1 student visa.
In other words, even though your F-1 visa would still be valid because you are involved in post-graduate career training, the immigration officer at the port of entry can make an arbitrary decision that you have no intention of returning home and may not allow you to re-enter the US.
Nonetheless, occupational practical training is advisable for graduating students for the following reasons:i. Unlike H-1B visas which are employer-specific and require changes every time you change your job, the F-1 Practical Training visa (valid for one year) is simply issued by the Designated School Official.
ii. This means your employer does not have to fill out forms, does not have to promise your return ticket home, etc. A US employer would be uncomfortable hiring a foreign professional because of the immigration consequences; the process of applying for an H-1B visa can be scary, especially when the person you are hiring is an unknown entity.
iii. If you have your practical training visa in hand, you can confidently sit through your employment interviews and assure your prospective employer that, while you are a foreign student, you have the necessary employment authorisation to pursue your career; the company does not have to worry about getting you permission to work for them.
This route will open up doors for a future H-1B visa as you will have the time to develop a good relationship with your employer. The obvious benefits are: i. It allows you to get a job without your employers having to consult their in-house attorneys, who are usually petrified of foreign workers.
ii. Once you are in the door, you can show them just how talented you are.
You begin to develop your relationship with the employer and become a valuable member of the team, not just the new kid on the block.
iii. As that first year of employment reaches its final quarter, you raise the issue with the personnel department and advise them that you will need their assistance in switching to an H-1B visa.

HOW TO WRITE A SUCCESSFUL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

HOW TO WRITE A SUCCESSFUL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE - REVISITED
FOR GRADUATE SCHOOLS
Based on a presentation by
PROFESSOR EDWARD HOWER*
The personal statement is a difficult piece of writing, maybe the most difficult piece of writing you will ever do, and therefore you have to do it very carefully. It is an opportunity for you to give a picture of yourself. It may take a great deal of time and energy but at least you will have written something you are proud of, which says something important about you. So I would suggest first of all: write it for yourself as much as for graduate schools in America; do a job that you like, something that has integrity, which says something important about you. If things don’t turn out the way you hope, at least you will have written something difficult but satisfying.
How important is the essay part of the application? This depends on your marks to a certain extent. If your marks are very high, then it may not be as important as it is for someone whose marks are not so good. Nevertheless it is important. A person with high marks can spoil his/her chances of admission with a bad essay. At highly competitive schools, where most applicants score at the 97th percentile level on standardized tests, a winning personal statement may be the deciding factor in admission.
WHAT ARE ADMISSIONS OFFICERS LOOKING FOR?
First of all don’t second guess. Don’t try to figure out what you think they want and supply it because you won’t be able to do that. Nor can you understand the mind of a 50 year old American who is living 10,000 miles away from you and may have woken up that morning with a headache and then was bitten by a dog on his way to the office. There is no way you can second guess, you cannot read their minds. Having said that, I can tell you some things which all college admissions officers want to see in the application:
A picture of your overall personality
How will you give a picture of your personality? I would suggest that you imply rather than state the facts. For instance, don’t say ‘I am a smart person.’ Demonstrate it, imply it. Don’t say ‘I am energetic.’ Give evidence by the fact that you worked after school for six hours every day and still had time to play on the volleyball team.
Academic background and work experience
It would be a mistake to talk about your high school. Start with your undergraduate career. School records may be worth mentioning if there is something extraordinary about them.
A connection between your background, your proposed study and your future goal
Admissions officers are looking for some continuity in what you have done, what you want to do in the near future and what you hope to do in the distant future. So, connect them.
A sense of commitment and motivation
Rather than simply saying ‘I am committed’, find a way of inferring that you are indeed highly committed and motivated to your proposed field of study.
Your ability to discuss thoughts clearly and intelligently in writing
They will be looking at your writing skills - how well you can present yourself clearly and intelligently when writing, hence the importance of spending considerable time on the statement.
These five points are very general but almost every university wants to know about them. They may be too general but if you miss one of them you are probably missing something important.
SOME GENERAL DO’S AND DON’TS:
· Do take a lot of time. Don’t do this at the last minute. Plan to spend a month or so preparing for the essay. Plan to let it rest for a week, so you have time to mull it over and get a perspective on it. Don’t be hasty and sloppy.
· Do read the question carefully. If they ask you why you want to go to law school, answer that. If they ask “What are your career goals,” answer that. Don’t go off on a tangent or get too verbose.
· Do write the length of essay they ask for. If they ask for 200 words give them that or 190 or 220. You don’t give them a 1000 and you don’t give them 50.
· Type your final draft unless they tell you not to. Type it well with no mistakes. Buy some good paper. If you’re writing it, see that it is clear and legible.
· Do write a separate essay for each university that you are applying to. There is no reason why you can’t take a paragraph from one essay and apply it to another. Your essays don’t have to be every word different but each university would like to think that you are especially interested in their program. Each university is different. Make something about your essay distinctive to that university and mention its name. Don’t write an all-purpose general essay. Admissions faculty don’t like that.
· Do as much research on the university as you can. If you can get hold of a catalogue, read it. If you can find someone who went to the university, talk to them. Find out as much as you can about the university. You don’t want to say ‘I have always wanted to go to Harvard because I wanted to find out about the Great American West’. As most of you know, Harvard is not in the Great American West. It is in Massachusetts.
· Don’t try to second-guess admissions faculty, as I have already said, and don’t flatter them. Don’t say ‘I’ve always wanted to study at the University of Montana because I have heard that it is the best university in the world to study medicine.’ It may not be and even if it is, it sounds like flattery.
· Don’t be phoney. Be honest. Admissions faculty can spot a dishonest essay a mile away. It would not be to your advantage to be dishonest as you might get into a university and then find it was not the right place for you.
· Accentuate your positive qualities. If you had the highest mark in class, make sure that they know it. Make sure that they know that you were able to hold a full-time job while going to school. Make sure that they know that you won any awards. Make sure that they know that you were captain of a team.
· Don’t glorify yourself. Don’t say - ‘I was the best tennis player in the whole city of Madras’. That is boasting. However being modest and subtle are also not good qualities. There is a medium between being modest and boastful.
· Mention your positive achievements as they apply to your graduate admission. The information you provide about your important achievements must be related to your field. If you are applying for medicine and you have won a poetry prize, don’t mention your poetry prize because you may not have space. It is a good thing, but you may need to fill your application with more relevant information. On the other hand, you could mention your work as organizer of blood donation camps or your internships as a psychiatric care worker.
· Do not repeat materials that are already on the application. Don’t say ‘My major is Physics’ because you have already said that somewhere else. Instead say ‘While I majored in Physics I also took ...’ or ‘My Physics major enabled me to take special courses in... and...’. Do mention your knowledge and experience in the field at the university level. It is usually a poor idea to mention your high school experience unless something exceptional happened at that time that changed your life or affected your career choice.
· It is important to mention your work experience, or volunteer work that you may have done or extra-curricular activities if they relate to your field. For example, if you are going to apply to business school and you were on the basketball team you may think that it is not relevant. However if you learnt leadership qualities, if you learnt how to endure defeat, if you learnt management skills by being captain of the basketball team, then it is relevant. You have to show the relevance. If you had a job after school, working in the college bookstore or you have done volunteer work at a hospital, this is relevant - you have learnt management skills at the shop. You have learnt to interact with people while you worked in the hospital.
· Be definite in your application. Don’t say - ‘I hope to do this,’ ‘I might like to do that’. Say ‘I want to do this,’ ‘I am planning to do this,’ ‘I intend to do that’. Your language is definite. It is not hesitant and indecisive.
DO’S AND DON’TS ON HOW TO WRITE
· Write simply, not in a flowery and complicated manner.
· Write in a straightforward way. In other words don’t be subtle or cute. Write in a clear and logical manner. If you have to be creative that is fine, but be so in a straightforward way. These people are really interested in your vocation. They don’t want to read something that is in the form of one act plays nor do they want to read three adjectives per noun. They want you to be direct and straightforward.
· Be clear in what you are saying. Make sure you are logical. Explain yourself with great clarity. Finally, most important of all, be specific, not vague. Don’t say - ‘My grades were quite good’ but say ‘I belonged to the top 5% of my class’. Don’t say - ‘I am interested in sports’. Say ‘I was captain of my hockey team’. Don’t say ‘I like poetry’. Say ‘I did a study of Shakespeare’s sonnets and wrote a twelve-page bachelor’s degree dissertation on Imagery’. Don’t say - ‘I want to be a Supreme Court Judge that is why I want to go to law school’. Say things like ‘I was an apprentice in a court’ or ‘I often went with my father to the courts to listen to cases’ or ‘I wrote a legal column for a school newspaper’. That is being specific.
HOW DO YOU WRITE THE ESSAY?
There are three stages: preparation; writing the essay; revision.
Preparation
Brainstorming is an important part of preparation. Take some time and write down in note form the important events and facts about your recent life - from the time you graduated from high school. List the things that you have done and the things that have been important to you. For example:
· Won a poetry contest
· Got A’s in Physics and Mathematics
· Member of volleyball team
· Worked after school in shop
· Won a contest
· Worked with a social welfare group on a slum project
· Went to Hyderabad for six months to stay with an aunt because she was sick
Write out the answers to some questions. Write them out in some detail, being as specific as you can.
· What is special and impressive and unique about you? This is not an easy question to answer. You should ask someone ‘Hey what is so special about me’. Your mother may not always have the same ideas you have: ‘You eat well’. That’s not going to help you figure out an answer. Ask a friend.
· What details in your life have shaped you and influenced your growth? What details in your life have made you the person you are and have influenced your choice of career goal?
· What have you learnt about your field that has stimulated you and given you the conviction that you are best suited to that field?
· How have you learned this?
· Classes
· Important reading
· Work experience
· Extra-curricular activities
· How have your work experiences contributed to your personal growth? If you have not had a job, don’t worry about it, but mention it if you have - even if you were not paid for it. Perhaps you took care of neighbours’ children for a number of years. If you are applying for graduate study in social work, psychology or education, you can make this relevant.
· What are your career goals? Be as specific as you can be. Not all students are clear about what they want to do ten years from now. If you don’t know it, don’t fake it. Be as specific as you can be. Not everyone can be clear - some students are not old enough or experienced enough to know what their future goals are.
· Explain any discrepancies or gaps in your record. If you dropped out of university for a year to take care of your father who was ill, that will show up in your student record or transcript. You will have to explain that. You don’t have to make a big deal about it. However admissions faculty will want to know why you were not at university for a certain period. Suppose you had poor marks in the first two years and then your grades picked up and the reason you had poor marks is because you were not sure what you were doing or you were sick a lot or you were moving from one city to another. Explain that. For example, ‘My marks in the first two years were not up to my expectations but once I got settled into a new home, they improved remarkably’ or ‘My father was ill at that time and I had to take care of him. After his death, I had to face university again.’ If such experiences have influenced your record you should mention them. Don’t make silly excuses. But if something really needs explaining, don’t skip over it.
· Have you overcome any special obstacles? Some of you may have faced troubled times in your life - financially, medically or have had family problems. If they are really obstacles explain how you have overcome them. This makes you appear like a person of considerable character.
· What personal characteristics do you have that will enhance your prospects for success in your field? Can you demonstrate that, give evidence? If you can’t give evidence that you are a hard- working person then don’t say you are hard-working. If you are a hard-working person and you have worked ten hours a day at a job and studied, that is worth noting. Again inference may be the best way of stating it.
· What special skills do you possess? Ask your friends. You may have special skills in communication, articulation, or are you especially good at leadership, do you have sharp analytical skills, or are you creative. This is where your autobiography would be useful. You acted in a college play and people thought you were terrific. What does this mean in terms of applying to a graduate school of law? It means you are able to get people to pay attention to you. Being a good actor can make you a good lawyer. Actors have gone on to become lawyers and politicians as we all know, so look over your life. What special skills do you have? Perhaps you have a technical skill, a pilot’s licence or you know how to repair motors.
· What are the most compelling reasons the committee should be interested in you? What is so great, so wonderful about you? If you have done a good job with your autobiography and you have done a good job answering these questions half of your work is done. It takes time to do this. Spend time on it.
Writing the essay
Write several outlines and decide which you like best. Remember the essay has an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Outline the things you want to say and from all the material you have written, select the material which you think will go well in your essay. Select the most significant details. Put that into your outline. Make your outline useable, make it neat and leave lots of space. Now you are ready to write the essay. Write on lined paper, double spaced, using only one side of the page.
The first attempt at writing the essay is going to be terrible, but don’t worry; it is only the first draft. Do not edit as you write. Write it out. Make it too long.
Revision
Let the essay sit for a day or two. Then go over it with a red ink pen making little lines; cross out words or sentences. Revise it carefully and write your second draft. This may also be disappointing. Don’t expect too much from your first attempts. It takes a lot of work. I have often put in a lot of work, put it in an envelope, taken one last look and said ‘Oh hell, I have to do it again’ and I did it again. Do as many drafts as you feel are necessary.
Spend time on the first paragraph. Make sure that first paragraph is terrific and interesting. Don’t make it cute or flowery. Don’t say anything less than fascinating. You won’t get it on your first draft. You will probably get it on your sixth or seventh try. Also pay attention to your last paragraph which may be only one sentence - make it a snappy last sentence.
Be clear, specific and interesting.
You are likely to be exhausted, fed up and sick of the whole project. At that time don’t push yourself. Let it sit. Give the essay to somebody else to look at. Someone who is older, perhaps a former teacher: not a friend who is afraid to criticise you. Somebody who cares enough to be critical and tell you the truth. Then write it again.
Once you think you have got the final draft, what do you do? Proofread it as if you were the editor of India Today or Times of India. Not a single mistake must survive - spelling or grammatical. Look every word up in the dictionary that you are not absolutely sure of.
Remember that content and style are both important (60%:40%). Make sure that the essay looks perfect.
*Professor Hower is a visiting professor from Cornell University, Department of English. He wrote this piece while he was in Madras.