Info on CAT,GRE TOEFL,IELTS,GMAT,PTE Academic

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and Singapore Management University ( SMU) have signed an MoU to collaborate on conducting training programs and research relating to international trade and business from an Asian perspective.

Under the partnership, the two institutions will jointly design and launch management development programs as well as offer postgraduate certificate programs in areas related to international trade, business and management.

Both parties also agreed to conduct joint research, case writing in the area of international trade and business, especially related to the Asian region. The MoU also covers student exchanges between the two institutions.

XLRI,which has plans so expand in a big way,both within and outside India,recently organized a Pan-South India alumni meet at Bangalore,with a target to raise Rs 100 crore fund for its ambitious expansion plans.


Amongst the distinguished attendees at the alumni meet were Father E Abraham, an alumnus from the batch of ‘78, and current Director of XLRI, Prof Sharad Sarin, Endowment Fund Chair, Prof Pranabesh Ray, an alumnus from the batch of ‘77, and current Dean, Prof Madhukar Shukla, Prof MG Jomon, Alumni Chair..

XLRI, Jamshedpur, has announced admission for its full time six-month certificate program in Entrepreneurship Administration designed to provide competency-based education to promote entrepreneurship in the country.

The programme - ‘Post-Graduate Programme for Certificate in Entrepreneurship Management (PGP-CEM)’, is targeted to enterprising individuals and those who run their family business. The total fee for the programme is Rs 55,000, and course starts in July,2012. The last date for applying to this programme is May 30, 2012.

Despite increasing number of MBA options available to aspirants, the interest in MBA education has not been much encouraging in India over last few years. This has resulted in most of the MBA colleges, excluding Top 40-50 B-schools, struggling to fill their seats and some even filing for closure of their management programmes.

MBA institutes are coming up with new programmes, innovative admission schemes and big promises. But, none seems to be working in their favour. So what are the corrective measures?

Experts believe that concern over quality of management education has deepened amongst all the stakeholders including Educators, Aspirants and Policymakers.  They feel that promoting the quality of MBA education is the only way to succeed for B-schools in India.

It's good news for MBA graduates this year.Rising from a slumber after the recession, some  79 per cent companies plan to hire fresh management graduates this year, compared to 72 per cent in 2011.

On an average, the number of MBA freshers per firm has also increased from 13 last year to 17 this year, according to a survey by NGO Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) and administrator of GMAT exam.

The regional variations in accordance with the exonomic mood is very much visible though.

ETS, the creator of the TOEFL test, and Hobsons, the leader in recruitment, communication, and student success solutions for colleges and universities, have announced to showcase the much anticipated TOEFL  Search Service, an online tool connecting higher education institutions with prospective international students from around the world at the NAFSA 2012 Annual Conference & Expo as more than 8,000 international education professionals convene in Houston next week,though, TOEFL Search Service will officially be launched only in July 2012.

The TOEFL Search Service is the first tool to tap TOEFL test-taker data for student recruitment purposes.It will offer admissions officials access to an expanding database of more than 200,000 recent TOEFL test takers who have opted in to learn more about higher education opportunities abroad.

From next month, prospective business school aspirants who sit down to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test, or GMAT, may notice something different: Instead of a three-part exam testing verbal and mathematical skills and analytic writing ability, there will be a four-part exam with a new section devoted to integrated reasoning.


The new section is designed to test the ability to evaluate and synthesize data from various sources presented in a number of different formats, and to predict plausible and probable outcomes. It is also partly there for security purposes, as reports of cheating have risen.

We all understand how important it is to score those extra few points on the D-day.
But again,it is also difficult to hide behind your books for months to prepare for your GMAT.
So,here is a list of interesting apps to help you with your GMAT preparation,not books any longer,but iPhone apps,that will certainly change the way you prepare for your GMAT.

1) GMAT Toolkit app: – One of the highly recommended GMAT preparation app, which can help to aim for 700+ score. It’s loaded with hard-hitting questions sufficient for 11 whole tests + 3000 additional questions for free. Built in Timer, you can easily time yourself and see how good you are. An app Supported by one of the biggest companies in preparation, ‘’Kaplan books’’. Available for $24.99, Onetime download, updates all other devices too.

2) GMAT Connect: – What value can I get from this app? Let us give you some of the main features of this application.

British Council, which operates as a division of the British High Commission in India, is launching two new courses in teaching TKT and IELTS ­in Chennai and Hyderabad. Addressing the media Paul Sellers, director, South India, said, “TheTKT course can be used as preparation for the Cambridge TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test) exams or as a standalone teacher training course. It will help those who teach, or would like to teach, English to all age ranges and levels, improve their classroom practice.”
The first course will cover a module on language and background to language learning and teaching for 28 hours over seven weeks. While the second course will cover lesson planning and use of resources for language teaching and selection and use of resources and materials.
The course is a package offer along with the Cambridge TKT exam also administered by the British Council and TKT trainees are given a discounted exam fee. There will be a special launch offer discount on course fee for trainees registering in the first term. The courses start from May 30 in Chennai and Hyderabad. The timing is 5.15 pm to 7.15 pm.

Newcastle University has announced 70 new international postgraduate scholarships for Indian students.

Newcastle University, a research intensive university, offers  postgraduate courses in different disciplines like science, commerce, engineering, computer, science, medicine, management, business, arts etc.

The Newcastle University International Postgraduate Scholarship (NUIPS) 2012 will be awarded to international students applying for postgraduate taught courses in any discipline for the academic session starting in September 2012.

Each NUIPS 2012 scholarship values £1500 per year and is payable towards tuition fee. To be eligible, you should have been offered admission to any postgraduate taught degree programme in Newcastle University.

You should have a first class honours degree and IELTS 7.0. If you have an upper second (2:1) equivalent degree and IELTS 7.0, you will be considered on a competitive basis.

Why choose PTE Academic?

PTE Academic is Pearson’s academic English test which delivers real-life measurement of test taker’s language ability. It is computer based and has test centres worldwide.

✓ Flexible – choose a date to suit you

✓  Fast – results in 5 days

✓  Convenient – one 3 hour test session

✓  Sensible – see your scores before choosing your institutions

Did you know that some test takers have scheduled, taken and sent their scores all within 7 days?

Who accepts the test?

Pearson has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with the Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal (ECAN) to promote PTE Academic, its secure English language test, throughout the country.  The partnership will ensure that students applying to study abroad have access to a globally accepted, fast and reliable test.

ECAN is Nepal’s largest education association with a membership network of over 300 student recruitment agents and consultants. As part of the collaboration, Pearson will be providing training for all teachers and counsellors of ECAN agents and will be working closely with ECAN to support the promotion of the test through its network and recruitment events. ECAN’s office will act as the liaison office for Pearson Language Testing in Nepal.

Apart from UGAT ,  a national level examination conducted by All India Management Association for admission to various professional courses in leading institutes of the country,KU will also accept CAT/MAT  scores for various programmes offered by it.
 “This is in line with the Vice- Chancellor Prof Talat’s vision to provide a platform to the students wherein they can appear in national level tests so that they are eligible for admission to various prestigious programmes being offered by the renowned institutions of the country,” said a KU statement.
 But UGAT still remains the primary source of admissions to KU,as stated by Director Business School Prof. Shabir A Bhat,who  said this examination was recognised and most of the prestigious institutions across the country take the UGAT score.
 It is pertinent to mention that last week MAT examination was also conducted at the University of Kashmir by AIMA.
 The director said that this year the admission to the MBA/MFC/IMBA programme shall be made on the basis of MAT/CAT/UGAT scores obtained by the students.

Time is of the essence, they say. There are few areas in life in which this cliché is more pertinent than it is to the GRE.

Surely , clever time saving strategies, cannot fill in any deficits of knowledge. However,they can help you perform much better on the anxiety-provoking GRE.

Attempt the easier Questions first:

 Try attempting the easier questions first before diving in for the long passage in the verbal section.

The test taker who has shared his experience,had taken the PTE Academic Test on the 2nd of May,8 A.M.
We have compiled hereunder the detailed suggestions that might be of help to any PTE Academic aspirant:--


Suggestions for the test:

1. Go through the online tutorial for a start - pearsonpte.com/PTEAcademic/Documents/PTEA_Tutorial/PTEA_Tutorial.html

2. PTE Academic Test Taking Strategies give a very good picture of the questions on the real exam.
pearsonpte.com/TestMe/Preparing/Pages/PTEAcademicTestTakingStrategies.aspx

3. Exam tips can be obtained from

A B.tech in electronics and telecommunications, Sujit left his 3 year old TCS job to prepare for MBA entrance exams. He topped CMAT 2012 and also converted NMIMS Mumbai to a final call.
Excerpts from an interview:--

1. Tell us something about yourself—your academic background, work experience etc.
I have done engineering in Electronics and Telecommunication from K J Somaiya College Mumbai. After that I was picked up by TCS during campus placements, which I left after three years in August, 2011 to prepare for MBA entrance exams.

2. What is your CMAT 2012 score?
My CMAT 2012 score is 322 and all India rank is 2.

3. Which college you are looking forward to convert into a final call?

FMS Delhi has declared the cutoffs that they used to shortlisting people for GD/PI.

General category students: 
Seats- 101 
GD/PI calls: 1230 
CAT 2011 cutoffs: 98.73


OBC Category students: 
Seats- 54
GD/PI calls: 651 
CAT 2011 cutoffs: 85.80


SC Category students: 
Seats-30 
GD/PI calls:363 
CAT 2011 cutoffs: 78.81 



ST Category students: 
Seats-15 
GD/PI calls: 188 
CAT 2011 cutoffs: 53.78

Beginning April 24,you will have the option pf paying for TOEFL test using your local currency.
You just have to select Credit Card as your payment method in the TOEFL online registration system, 
and you will have the option of paying in select local currencies instead of U.S. dollars. 
The system will display the available currencies and the credit card types supported for each.
Also,you can change your selection at any time before you click Submit to process your payment.

A very good article for aspirants who want to take the GMAT in the months to come.
Please go through the article for a good understanding of the changes to GMAT.

GMAT: The Next Generation « TMMBA Talk

The GRE Program is now introducing what it calls a 'ScoreSelect' option that allows test takers to decide which test scores to send to the institutions they designate. Described by GRE ”as one more enhancement to its more test-taker friendly platform,” essentially allows test takers to hide weaker scores from admissions officials and to send the scores they feel reflect their personal best.

To be made available starting July 2012, 'ScoreSelect' builds on the momentum that started with the 2011 launch of the test-taker friendly GRE revised General Test, which test takers worldwide responded to with great enthusiasm. “The ScoreSelect option focuses on helping test takers succeed on the road to an advanced degree because they can approach test day with more confidence,” said James Wimbush, Dean of the University Graduate School at Indiana University, and 2011–2012 GRE Board Chair, in a statement.

The Pearson Group has announced a strategic partnership with JJL Overseas Education, a leading overseas education consulting and service company in China, to promote its English Language Proficiency test--Pearson Test of English Academic in China.
Developed by the world's largest education publishing group, PTE Academic is a computer-based international English language test. Compared with TOEFL and IELTS, PTE Academic is more flexible on test sessions and faster at returning scores. Test takers can register a test 24 hours in advance and get the scores within five business days. Therefore, an entire testing process can be completed within just seven days. This speed enables students to meet their institution and visa application deadlines faster. Moreover, students can send their best scores to schools free of charge.

Hello Madam, please give info. on 1 year MBA programmes in the USA. Which are the good institutes for the 1 year programme and the minimum GMAT score required? Do these institutes offer placements to the 1 year MBA programme student batch? What are the prospects in the future? How much will the approx. total expense including tuition fees and living expenses? Is Canada a better option than USA , for 1 Year programme? I am a chemical engineer , I immediately did MMS (MBA, Marketing), from Mumbai University in 2009. I have 2.5 years of Work Experience in Industrial Marketing. I am thinking of doing a specialisation within Marketing through this programme eg. Strategic Management.My intention is to study in a foreign setting , get a global exposure,get a job there , with descent salary. Would you advice 1 year MBA programme? Please reply, Thank you.

According to a recent survey from Kaplan Test Prep,just 16 per cent of MBA applicants this year have opted for GRE,others have gone for the tried and tested GMAT.

The main reason for the continued dominance of GMAT,
Kaplan believes,is that students believed that some of their target schools do not accept the GRE (Graduate Record Examination), which is designed as an entry test for all graduate programmes, not just business school. Sixty per cent of those that did not consider the GRE said this was the primary reason for sticking to the GMAT.

I Am Studying in Class 9 At Delhi Public School, Vadodara. I Live In Vadodara, Gujarat I Am Looking Forward To Get Future Admission In Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA For Medical Degree (Undergraduate Course). How can I prepare for TOEFL or for PTE a?

PTE Academic is a computer-based academic English language test for international students. The test is widely accepted by universities, higher education institutions, and government departments around the world, including Harvard Business School, Yale University, INSEAD, University of Manchester and London Business School.PTE Academic is also valid for two years.


Hello ma’am, can you tell me what test materials are required to prepare test takers for PTE young leaders?


I can tell you about PTE Academic. For learning resources, please go through the link, http://pearsonpte.com/TestMe/Preparing/Pages/home.aspx. You will be able to download free practice test and can get the feeling of live test.


I am moving to Canada on 30 th of this month with my family.. I have done my Grade 12. The universities there demand an English Proficiency. So is this Pearson test applicable?

What is PTE Academic?
PTE Academic is a computer-based test for international students. It is accepted by business schools such as London Business School, Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School. INSEAD, IE and IESE. The test is approved for UK and Australian student visas and endorsed and preferred by GMAC, owners of the GMAT.

Why choose PTE Academic to support your MBA application?

Universities are looking for students like you for their programs. 
Help them find you by signing up for the TOEFL Search Service 
when you create a profile or register for the test.

ETS welcomes the efforts of authorities in Hong Kong who assisted in taking action against individuals who were attempting to take the test on behalf of others during the February 25 TOEFL® test administration. Through the work of ETS’s Office of Testing Integrity, we were able to identify these individuals in advance of the administration and worked very closely with the authorities to help apprehend those arrested. Although such incidents are rare, we take test security extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring fair testing worldwide. Because the situation is being handled by the authorities, we cannot comment further at this time.


Source:-- ETS

Pearson, the publisher of The Economist magazine, has just launched a brand new English proficiency exam, which they are hoping will grow to be as popular as the TOEFL is today. The new exam is called the Pearson Test of English (PTE). There are three forms of the new exam. The one that will interest TOEFL students the most is the PTE Academic. Already over 500 universities, including top ones like Yale, have announced that they will accept PTE Academic scores from international students. In addition to the academic exam, there is also a PTE General, and a PTE for Young Learners.

Educational Testing Service (ETS) has announced a new, toll-free customer support center to serve TOEFL® test takers in India.

The TOEFL India Customer Support Center offers guidance and timely information for students regarding the TOEFL test. The new center is accessible by phone toll-free directly from India, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., India Standard Time, at 000-800-100-3780. In addition, student inquiries can be sent via e-mail to TOEFLsupport4India@ets.org. The center is available to assist students with identifying test preparation materials, locating test centers, obtaining their score reports, ordering additional score reports and other pre- or post-administration inquiries.

To know whether you should read the IELTS Reading passage first or the questions first, experiment with both strategies and see what works best for you. Many students have found it helps to skim through the questions first to get an idea of what to pay attention to in the reading passage. This method may work for you too, but in reality, it depends on a number of factors. These include how well or how quickly you read, the type of questions, how difficult they are, how much time you have, and so on. So, never mind what your teacher recommends, or what your best friend is going to do. Try both ways and see what helps you the most.

Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Module consists of personal questions about you, your family, your work, your education or other familiar topics. A categorized list of such topics and questions is given below. You can use these sample questions to rehearse for this part of the oral interview. Make sure you can speak correctly, clearly, and with ease and confidence in response to each question. Remember to make your answer interesting by providing more than the most basic information. Some of these sample questions are highly likely to appear on your exam, so review them well.

YOU

Describe yourself.

FAMILY

Describe your family?

Do you have a large or small family?

How much time do you spend with your family?

What do you like to do together as a family?

Do you get along well with your family?

Are people in your country generally close to their families?

Hi friends here is the latest information related to IDP IELTS result. IDP IELTS results will be announced soon and can be easily downloaded from the link hereunder.

Best Of Luck Friends !!!

Click On IELTS RESULTS link to check your Result:

To complete your IELTS letter writing task within 20 minutes, it is helpful to know some common phrases and set expressions. Being able to use these will allow you to express your ideas quickly and effectively, without thinking about each and every word. While you're learning their meaning, also make sure you can spell them perfectly. Finally, try the quiz at the bottom of the page to see how well you know these important expression.

Apologizing

I'm sorry about...

I am sorry that...

Bridge2Rwanda, an American Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Rwanda Development Board, have initiated a programme to offer preparatory lessons to high school graduates who qualify for scholarships in American universities.

The Executive Director of the Higher Education Council in the Ministry of Education, Prof. Geoffrey Rugege, said the programme is aimed at enabling Rwandan students access US scholarships.

"The Ministry of Education fully supports the initiative by Bridge2Rwanda. The advantage of getting a good score in TOEFL, SAT, GRE and GMAT is that an American university can give you a scholarship if you pass the tests very well," he observed.

The Institut Europeen d'Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) recently announced modified standards for college aptitude tests that are more in line with the practical requirements of its executive students.

INSEAD's in-house developed testing procedure is intended to supplement the most globally standardised testing process — the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT).

The GMAT is a tool used to assess the capability of candidates pursuing graduate business degrees — Executive Masters in Business Administration programmes (EMBA).

INSEAD believes that the GMAT puts too much emphasis on certain academic areas of studies that are of little or no value for business executives.

The Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, will include a new reasoning section starting this summer.

An additional section of the standardized exam will be added in June, according to a Kaplan Test Prep press release on Wednesday.

The test is used to evaluate students applying to graduate-level management programs, according to GMAT's website.

"A GMAT score at a top-tier institution is always going to be an important element of consideration," said Alexander Sevilla, director of UF MBA Programs and assistant dean at the Hough Graduate School of Business.

As an indication that more Indian students look at foreign countries like the US for higher education, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) had witnessed an increase of 43 per cent of students taking the test from India last year.

Eight lakh students took the examination from around the world in 2011, an increase of 13 per cent over last year.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE), a standardised test for getting admission in American universities, has implemented the proposed changes from 1st August, 2011 as declared earlier. The students who have taken this test have mixed opinions about this new format of the test. Geeta Garg, who wants to pursue Ph.D in Economics from a US University, says that "before taking the exam she was worried about the pattern of the exam as no one knew what the new format will be like. She said that she was particularly wary about the Analytical Writing section."

The new format of the exam was introduced on 1st August, 2011 and this is first major revamp in the structure of the exam since October, 2002. The GRE mainly consists of sections on Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) has noticed maximum number of test volumes in 2011. The figures crossed 8 lakh test volumes last year. The Educational Testing Service has shared this information and said that the launch of new revised test played a significant part in this success.

This is really a good development for GRE test when all other tests recorded a downfall in volumes. The launch of GRE revised General Test helped record a good increase compared to last year. This year GRE recorded almost 13% increase in volumes over that of 2010. ETS officials said that this change has happened due to the new friendly design of the GRE revised test. The test gives you the freedom to choose a college worldwide as the test score is accepted by a large number of management institutes across the globe.