How Difficult is GRE?

The GRE is an adaptive test. Let us take the Quants section for instance. Everyone’s first Quantitative section is “medium” difficulty, meaning that it may have some questions that most people get right and some questions only a few people get right. The following possibilities can occur:

• If you do medium well in this section, your second Quantitative section will also be medium difficulty.
• If you don’t get many questions correct, then your second Quant section will be much easier.
• If you perform quite well in the first section, you will find your second Quant section will be more difficult.

The same applies for the Verbal section.

It also depends largely on your preparation. The GRE tests your ability to reason with college-level vocabulary, analyze dense academic passages for meaning, and apply math knowledge up through plane geometry to solve problems. Thus, test takers who have the requisite knowledge and have honed their critical thinking skills will find most questions easy and will also perform well on the test

The GRE is a standardized test, meaning that the types of questions you will see, the material you will need to know, and the type of reasoning tasks you will need to do are predictable. This predictability means that you can learn to think like the test makers. Prepare for the test by studying the known range of material tested, practicing with test-like questions, and taking practice tests that simulate the GRE’s adaptive structure.

Following are some factors which affect difficulty level on GRE.

• Math knowledge

For some people who take the GRE, it may be years since they’ve last taken a math class or had to put their geometry skills to use. Or you may just have always disliked math and thought you were done with it once you finished your undergrad math requirements.

To overcome the same,Prep books are a great way to improve your knowledge of GRE math. There are many prep books available to help you become more familiar with the math tested on the GRE.

• Varied Vocabulary

Half of the Verbal Reasoning section tests your knowledge of some abstruse and superfluous vocabulary.Throughout this section, you’ll be asked to select words or sets of words to fill in the blanks in sentences.

How to Overcome It: Fortunately, the GRE repeats many of the vocab words it tests, so you can study and become familiar with the most common vocab words by making flashcards and quizzing yourself.

• The complex wording of questions

GRE makes itself challenging by wording questions in ways that require more logic and analysis to find the correct answer. This can be an especially frustrating aspect of the exam because you may know all the content needed to do well, but you end up getting tripped up by the wording of the questions by not understanding what’s being asked or being fooled into selecting an incorrect answer.

How to Overcome It: The way to avoid this issue is to do so many practice problems that you begin to see through the GRE’s tricks and are no longer fooled by them. Take multiple practice quizzes and tests and, for each one, go through every question you answered incorrectly and make sure you understand what went wrong so you can avoid making those same mistakes in the future.

• The time factor

Like most standardized tests, the GRE doesn’t give you much time to answer each question.You’ll get 30 minutes to write each essay and an average of one minute and 30 seconds to answer each verbal question and one minute and 45 seconds to answer each math question. That means you’ll have to be aware of the time for the entire test. You’ll need to work quickly and efficiently throughout the test in order to get to all the questions.

How to Overcome It:Practice, practice, practice! The more familiar you become with the GRE and the types of questions it asks, the more quickly you’ll be able to answer questions. Be sure to take timed practice exams to see which sections you run out of time most often on and to track your progress. Also, be aware of where you tend to spend a lot of time. Do the critical reading passages take you forever to get through? Do you get stuck on a math problem and lose track of the time, wasting valuable minutes trying to solve it? Focus specifically on eliminating these problem areas and make it a habit to move onto the next question if you’ve spent over a minute looking at a question and still have no idea how to solve it.

There you go – a complete answer to the question, “How difficult is the GRE?”

Know more about GRE Examinations: https://educationstreet.in/counseling/coaching-for-gre-ielts-toefl-sat-gmat/

BY: Piyush Garde

Faculty for GRE Quantitative Section- Education Street

www.educationstreet.in

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PREPARE FOR THE GRE?

A determined mind and a dedicated approach should not take you more than two to three months to be completely prepared to take on the GRE. The way you plan for your Masters program, the same planning should be done to emerge successful in the GRE test. Keep the following things in mind, before you start planning for your GRE.

1. Decide when you would like to appear for your GRE exam and then start the preparation accordingly.
2. Figure out how good or bad you are with your English language skills and Maths.
3. How much time you can devote studying for each subject mentioned above.
4. Most importantly, when do you plan to appear for your GRE?

STEP 1: DIAGNOSTIC TEST

Foremost to begin with, start by taking a diagnostic test to assess your GRE level. It will reveal your strengths and weaknesses and will enable you to plan more efficiently.

STEP 2: QUANTITATIVE SECTION PREPARATION

If you have a math background, the Quant section should be easier for you to crack. However, if there are topics you struggle with, you’ll have to learn these concepts in detail and apply them to solving more problems. It is highly advisable to undertake practice tests for every new topic you have learnt. Check for GRE Preparation Apps on the play store.

STEP 3: VERBAL SECTION PREPARATION

The Verbal section is by and large the most difficult part of the GRE to crack through, especially with the vocabulary part. Make sure you download Vocabulary related apps and go through at least 20 new words every day. Do not memorise as it will only lead to panic as the number of words will keep increasing with each day of learning. Rather, observe how the words are used in sentences. In fact, you could also use them effectively in your essays and other write-ups.

Focus on the reading comprehension passages. Apply scanning and skimming techniques. Note down the key words that take you to the main purpose of the passage. Apply elimination techniques and then arrive at the best possible answer.

STEP 4: ESSAYS

Do not ignore the essay part, especially the Argument Essay. A proper comprehension of the argument essay is equally important before you commence writing. There are several argument essay topics available freely over the internet. Write at least two essays a week and get them assessed through a teacher or a verbal expert.

STEP 5: FULL-LENGTH TESTS

After a thorough verbal and quants preparation, start with the full-length tests. Take as many full-length tests as possible and time them. Time-management is very crucial and hence keep note of the same.

STEP 6: ANALYZE AND REVIEW

Contemplate on your scores and analyse where you are falling short. If are not performing well in a section or topic-related concept, diligently work towards the same. One last but most important advice – Keep revising the word list every single day and do not feel tensed.

Your timely preparation and hard work should sail you through!!

Know more about GRE Examination: http://educationstreet.in/counseling/coaching-for-gre-ielts-toefl-sat-gmat/

By: Mr. Dilip Kumar Dubey – Academic Head and Branch Head (Vashi)

Education Street.

IMPORTANCE OF YOUR COURSE TO FALL UNDER SOL IN CANADA

Canada education system mostly focuses on Research and Specialization. Canada encourages diversified study options in Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate certificate, Masters and PHD programs. Petroleum engineering, computer science, business/management, pharmacy, IT, Hospitality and Tourism, education and Teaching etc are the most demanding courses. Being land of immigrants, Canada is known as multicultural country and has really built healthy stay environment. Country’s education draws major attention of international student as it has maintained high education standards by each province. It is a bilingual country with two official languages English and French. Majority of French speaking people stay in Quebec.

It is world leader in Aerospace, pharmaceuticals, telecommunication and biotechnology. Education in Canada is generally funded and managed by Provincial Governments. There is no Ministry or department of education at federal level. Student can pursue their degree or course from Universities or colleges. There are 98 universities and 150 community colleges in Canada. Vancouver, Toronto, Halifax, Victoria, Montreal are the most popular cities. Ontario and Quebec are the most industrialized locations in Canada. Tuition fees in Canada are less as compared to USA or Australia. University of Mc Gill, Toronto, British Columbia and Alberta are ranked top 100 in the world and top 4 in Canada.

Canada Masters/Graduate certificate/diploma courses are of 1 or 2 years of duration. After studies if student wish to work in Canada they will have to apply for Post-Graduation Work Visa (PGWV).

Validity of PSWV depends on length of program:

• Less than eight months

You aren’t eligible for a PGWP

• More than eight months but less than two years

Your PGWP may be valid for up to the same length as your study program (for example,

if you studied for nine months, a work permit may be issued for up to nine months)

• Two years or more

A PGWP may be issued for three years

• More than one program

A PGWP may be valid for up to three years, for example, if you finished a diploma or

degree from an eligible school in Canada, and within the next two years you get a one-

year graduate degree or diploma from an eligible school in Canada.

 Eligibility criteria for PGWV:

• Student should make sure institute has been allotted Designated Institute Learning (DLI) number
• Have a valid study permit
• Studied full time in Canada for 8 months long
• Must be above 18 years of age
• Apply for a work permit within 90 days of receiving written confirmation that you met the requirements of your study program.

Also, all DLI’s do not make student eligible for PGWV.

You can still apply for work permit after studies in Canada, if you are not eligible under PGWV.

Student can apply for Open Work Permits or Employer Specific Work Permits.

If student wish to work or apply for Permanent residency in Canada after studies, it is highly recommended that your course fall under National Occupational Classification (NOC) list. As we check the list we get to know almost all the course related occupations are in this list. For work or immigration purpose under NOC System, jobs are grouped as Skill Type 0, A, B, C, D. Skill type 0 are management jobs, A are professional jobs which require degree from universities, B are technical or skill related jobs where diploma degrees would be required. Work experience of few years is required for NOC, where part time jobs and internships are not taken into consideration. Also it is recommended not to depend on NOC list while shortlisting course for study in Canada, as it is updated every year.

NOC LIST: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/become-candidate/eligibility/find-national-occupation-code.html#find

Canada has a proud history of immigration and has long encouraged diversity and multiculturalism. With a high standard of living, low crime levels, clean cities and vast expanses of natural beauty, lakes, mountains, coastal areas and national parks, Canada is an extremely desirable place to live. Its most popular sports are ice hockey, basketball, golf, lacrosse and baseball, although football, rugby and cricket are growing.

Know more about study in Canada: http://educationstreet.in/study-in-canada/

By Neha Bodke

Associate counselor at Education Street.

Contact: http://educationstreet.in/about-education-street/contact/

Is doing Bachelors Abroad a recommended affair?

Sitting on my counselor chair I am always asked this question by inquisitive and curious parents of kids who are pursuing their 10^th, 11^th or 12^th, basically high school.  My answer to this question always in return is a question. I ask them “Do you want your child to have a wide exposure?” If the answer is yes to this then studying abroad is the right fit for you.

Studying abroad is an exercise you do for your kid to work on several part of his growth. Yes it comes with sending your kid away, it cost you more then your home country and it surely has some more efforts to you and your family. But a worthy option to bring the best of your child. Few imperative benefits are:

• Practical Education

Undergraduate degree abroad provides you an education, which is truly updated with latest advent and features. It’s not based on bookish knowledge and theory only. It gives a wide paradigm and ways to understand the concept in reality. The assessment is also in ways where you learn the fundamentals better and not judge you simply on a written exam.

• Carved course

A student post 12^th is surely a very naïve to decide his career ahead. University abroad understands this and hence keeps the first year very basic and exposes them to all aspects. They can study engineering and they can also do dance along with it. They can choose engineering and decide specialization later. Always a student going at undergraduate level can choose one major and other minor. Hence a young student can slowly develop its understanding and develop its course.

• Networking

You are going to provide your child the most wide and extensive cohort and network. Just imagine your child sharing the class with an European, African, American etc . The child is just not going to make friends from people across the globe but also learn different cultures, food, music and lifestyle. Hence their understanding is going to be beyond the normal education, which you would provide him here.

• Self Esteem and Confidence

A child staying with family always knowingly or unknowingly gets pampered a lot. All his chores basically are done or executed by parents or help in the family. Hence this becomes luxury. Once you send a kid abroad he learns a lot many things. He learns to cook, do laundry, clean the room, manage assignments and many more. So at the end you would be proud to see your child so capable to take care of himself completely. And you would be comfortable that he can lead his life ahead.

So the above points probably will motivate any parent who is reading it. It is a choice you make as a parent for a very promising career of your child.

Yes studying abroad have some concerns like:

• Cost

It is expensive then education in India no doubt but scholarships and assistantships are widely available to international student. This I have seen in my experience of last 10 years that UG students get much more offered as financial perks as compared to master students. Hence cost of living can be removed by working part time and scholarships can help in reducing the tuition cost. Typical cost of education in primary countries like USA, UK, Australia or Canada would range from 6 Lakhs per year to 20Lakhs per year. This depends on various factors of the university like reputation, private or public, course etc. Hence we can fit the university as per the choice of the parent. Living cost typically is 6 lakhs to 7 lakhs which student after year happily remove on their own. Parent should not feel guilty or bad that their kid is going to work their as this is a very pivotal part of their learning abroad. It is good thing to know how to pay the bills on your own rather then spoon-feeding them longer till they become hell dependent on you.

• Distance

Some parents especially mothers have concerned to send their little ones far. Yes this can be daunting not having them around. But this little bargain is better then rotting your child here in some small time school and killing his/her caliber. I do not mean to demean Indian education but I have to be true to myself that there are very few good schools that provide quality. And then the competition is way to high out here as loads of applicants as compared to the seat available. So In this bargain you get everything you dreamt to provide your child and nurture him to be the best and nothing less.

We at Education Street (www.educationstreet.in) strive to find the right fit for your child looking at his abilities and interest. Also try for scholarships and assistantships to reduce cost for parents. So if you slightly also have this option in mind to send your child abroad you may knock our doors we have offices in Mumbai.

• Ankita Thakker

Founder / Counselor (Education Street)

Contact: www.educationstreet.in

OR Call: 9820418067/ 022-25681775

IS IELTS EASIER THAN TOEFL

There are many factors which will help you determine whether to take IELTS or TOEFL. These are language proficiency tests and have a similar format that involves listening, reading, writing and speaking. It is difficult to say which one is easier than the other. Hence, the following criteria will help you figure out the pros and cons of each test.

• Nature of the test– IELTS is a paper-based test while TOEFL is completely online based. If you are more inclined towards the traditional paper-pen pattern of learning, IELTS will be good to go with. If you are techno-savvy and find no difficulties reading passages and typing online, then TOEFL should be good for you.

• Accent– You’ll find IELTS easier especially with the listening section if you are comfortable with British accent or TOEFL if you are more at ease with the American accent. Hence, decide accordingly.

• Test Duration– IELTS takes place on two different days. The first day of the exam requires about 2 hours 45 minutes of time. Comparatively, TOEFL takes about 4 hours to complete as all four sections of the exam are held on the very same day itself.  So, if you want to give a shorter exam, then go for IELTS.

• Speaking Test– In the IELTS test, you have a 1-1 session between the examiner and the candidate for the speaking test. If you are good with your command over the language and can express yourself freely, IELTS is the right choice for you. On the other hand, TOEFL requires you to record all your answers online through a microphone for the speaking test. For people who are bad at giving interviews, TOEFL might be easy as you’ll be answering to a machine rather than person.

• Choice of universities– If you are applying for an institution in US, then consider taking TOEFL since it is more widely accepted in the US along with GRE. For countries in Europe, IELTS is the most preferred choice.

• Writing Topics– The essay topic for TOEFL is very simple and hardly requires brain storming as compared to the topic asked in the IELTS essay writing section. Also, if you do not have a good handwriting then typing an essay online for the TOEFL test should fit your bill.

• Listening section– The TOEFL listening test is 60 minutes long and the IELTS listening test is 30 minutes. In terms of concentration, most students find the TOEFL listening test very long and this results in them losing concentration and missing out on answers. In comparison, the IELTS listening test involves listening as well as writing down answers simultaneously which is an exciting and easy task.

• Reading section– The TOEFL reading test has multiple choice questions only. On the other hand, IELTS has a range of different questions including fill in the blanks, matching the headings and True, False or Not Given.

It is highly recommended that you take a diagnostic test for both the exams and then decide on the basis of your adaptability and scores.

By: Dilip Dubey

Academic Head and Senior Counselor

Education Street

www.educationstreet.in

Why Study in Ireland

TOP REASON TO STUDY IN IRELAND!

• Ireland has one of the best education systems in Europe.
• The quality of the Irish education system is a major contributing factor to the rapid rate of economic growth Ireland has experienced over the last few decades.
• Irish higher education institutions are widely recognised for excellence in many disciplines.
• Ireland is the largest exporter of software in the world and rates amongst the top five producers of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals globally. The ever-increasing demands of this high technology economy have ensured that the higher education technological sector offers the highest and most advanced standards and opportunities available today.
• Ireland is recognised as an international location for high quality scientific research.
• Ireland is an English speaking country.
• Ireland’s emerald landscape and its people are among the most enriching reasons to study in Ireland.
• Irish people are renowned for their friendliness and hospitality which greatly contributes to the ease with which overseas students adapt to student life in Ireland.
• Also Ireland’s landscape provides a rich environment for the many outdoor leisure pursuits for which it is famous.
• Ireland has a rich cultural heritage with its own distinctive language (Gaelic) music, culture and sports.
• Ireland is a dynamic, lively and modern country.
• Ireland has a young vibrant population, with 40% of the population under the age of 25; Ireland is one of the most exciting places in the world to be a student.
• Ireland is a safe country to study in.
• Ireland is a highly developed democracy with a modern economy.
• The new government rules allow students to stay back for 2 Years on declaration of results to seek employment. Once a student gains employment, the student becomes eligible to apply for Green Card/Work Permit.
  The number of international students visiting Ireland is increasing each year, students from all over the world are taking advantage of the higher education standard in Ireland coupled with the unique cultural experience.

Intake	September (Main), January (Minor)
Major Cities	Dublin, Limerick, Cork.
Deadline	6 Months prior
Duration of Course	1 year (Masters), 3-4 years (Bachelors)
Visa	2 years (Master program), 6 months – 1 Year (Bachelor)
Test	IELTS
Tuition Cost	10000 Euro – 18,000 Euro
Living Cost	10,000 Euro
Earning	9 – 10 Euro Per hour
Source of Income	Part Time – 20 hours a week.
Requirement	IELTS 6.5 and Good Aggregate
Permanent Residency	Possible
Salary Expectation after completion	24,000 Euro – 36,000 Euro
Major Industry	Software (More than 4000+ IT Companies with Headquarters of company like Facebook, Google, PayPal, Apple, Yahoo etc.), Pharmaceutical, Financial Service, Aviation, Hospitality etc.

By Vikas Sharma

Education Street

www.educationstreet.in

Get in touch with us: 022-25681775 / 9820418067.

“Culture Shock”: How to overcome it while studying Abroad.

One of the most common challenges international students face is dealing with “culture shock.” Culture shock is a feeling of disorientation many people feel when experiencing an entirely new way of life. Many international students find it difficult to adjust to the culture of their host country, so we are here to help you deal with culture shock and make the most of your experience abroad.

Symptoms

Before you leave to study abroad, make sure you’re familiar with the typical symptoms of culture shock so you can recognize and combat it early on. These symptoms generally include:

• Sadness, loneliness, melancholy
• Preoccupation with health
• Aches, pains, allergies
• Insomnia or excessive sleep
• Changes in mood, depression, feeling vulnerable
• Anger, irritability, resentment
• Loss of identity
• Lack of confidence
• Obsessions over cleanliness
• Longing for family
• Feelings of being lost or overlooked

New Challenges

Studying internationally is a new experience for everyone, and with new experiences come new challenges. You may occasionally feel confused, unsure and uncomfortable in the country you go for higher studies. People may have different values and new ways of doing things that seem strange to you. You may feel that everything has changed, including your immediate support system of family and friends.

To minimize the shock, you will probably want to keep in touch with family and friends back home—but it is important to also identify new sources of support. People whom you meet through your school’s international student office may also be a likely source of support. You could also contact relatives or friends who live in the United States to ask for their advice.

It might be a good idea to research international Culture before you leave, in order to minimize the shock upon your arrival.

Combating Culture Shock

If you are an international student experiencing culture shock, here are some tips that might help ease your transition:

• Remind yourself that everything you’re feeling is perfectly normal
• Keep in touch with your friends and family back home via email, text, or telephone
• Surround yourself with familiar items, such as photos or ornaments
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet; try to find familiar food
• Some students find faith or religious communities helpful; many chaplaincies welcome students of all faiths for pastoral or social activities
• Maintain contact with your ethnic group as well as with local students
• Look for activities that will put you in contact with other students who share your interests
• Maintain your confidence in yourself; follow your ambitions and continue your plans for the future
• Find out what services on your campus offer help for international students dealing with culture shock, and reach out to them

Maintain Habits

You may also want to maintain a few habits. Perhaps you could continue to practice your own faith on a regular basis, with a group of like-minded individuals. Or maybe you enjoy jogging, playing chess, or cheering for your favourite sports team. While the activity will most likely be somewhat “Internationalized,” it may offer comfort to do some of the things that you enjoyed doing in your home country. Exercising regularly has been found to be an excellent way to combat depression, so you might consider working regular physical activity into your daily schedule.

Support Systems

During the transition from your home country to the study abroad destination, new support will most likely come from the admissions office or international student office university campus you choose to attend. Most offices coordinate orientation sessions for new students within the first few days of your arrival, to help you get acquainted with your new surroundings.

Other forms of support will come from new friends, an academic advisor or psychological counselling centres. Many universities have therapists who have been trained to work with people just like you to discuss the types of new challenges you face.

A great way to build up a personal support system is to get involved in the social aspects of your campus. Research the clubs and organizations on your school’s website, and you’ll be sure to find at least one group full of people who share your interests, whether they be sports, theater, environmentalism, or knitting. This is an excellent way to make friends with like-minded people, and you will be feeling more at home in no time.

Most importantly, be prepared to open yourself to new experiences; be prepared to learn, not only in the classroom, but in your interactions with new people every day.

Vikas Sharma

Study Abroad Consultant, Education Street

Mumbai

HOW TO PREPARE FOR GRE VOCABULARY

Preparing for GRE vocabulary is a mammoth task to deal with considering the voluminous amount of words that come across as your learning progresses. One needs to build a strategy to grasp command over as many words as possible. Let us take a detailed look at few of them as follows:

Learning the ROOT words

Root words are the basic words to which affixes (prefixes and suffixes) are added to form the new word. Taking a detailed look at studying the root words in addition to learning individual words can help you expand your vocabulary considerably.

Learning words through Apps

Why not make the best use of technology to learn new words at the click of your fingertips? There are many apps related to GRE vocabulary which can help you enhance your vocabulary. One such app is “BuildMyVocab”. With an extensive list of 200 most important words from the Barron’s GRE Word List, this vocabulary app has devised fun ways to remember those words. Another such good app is VocabMagik. It is an innovative English vocabulary app that helps you improve vocabulary for GRE exam. Learning with animated cartoons and witty mnemonics makes learning easier.

Learning in groups / class room sessions

Learning words in a group can be fun. You can participate in vocabulary tests, quizzes and      discussions to make learning better and interactive.

Do not simply memorise / Use the words

Do not keep memorising words simply for the sake of learning. You can put the learnt words in to practice by using them regularly.  It may be easier to implement them into an essay or a volunteered comment / speech in the class.

Develop a habit to read extensively

Cultivate a habit of reading extensively.  List down the new words that you come across while reading. Make it a habit to recall these new words regularly. As you read any website or newspaper, try replacing the words with the new set of words you’ve learnt. Last, and perhaps the best thing you can do is use this newly gained vocabulary as often as possible. A very good book I’d suggest is WORD POWER MADE EASY by Norman Lewis. It also has ample of vocabulary exercises to solve as you learn.

Few links

The following are the few links which can be helpful.

Manhattan GRE Flash Cards

Learn 1500 essential GRE words

Wordnik

Vocabulary.com.

Barron’s 333 High Frequency Word List – GRE

Barron’s 800 Essential Word List – GRE

Manhattan 500 Essential Words – GRE

Manhattan 500 Advanced Words – GRE.

Know More about GRE Examination:

and http://educationstreet.in/how-difficult-is-gre/

By: Dilip Kumar Dubey

Faculty Head and Branch Head (Education Street)

www.educationstreet.in

Application Aced !!

You’ve finally made up your mind to study abroad – but that’s really just the easiest part, isn’t it? The next step’s the clincher, and it’s bound to last a while, so buckle up. Your application package is your chance to get your foot inside the door of some of the most prestigious universities abroad. But even if you have an excellent academic history and a great GRE score, if you don’t get the right help to prepare your application with precision you would lose on some prestigious universities.

Admission committees at universities sift through several excellent applications every year, and to make the cut, we at EDUCATION STREET ensure that your application is unique.

So how do you make your application unique? If you’ve started making your to-do lists (and if you haven’t, you really should start now, because the application process can be an organizational nightmare), your checklist may look something like this:

• Application form
• Essays
• Recommendation letters
• Standardized test scores
• Resume 
• Transcripts

You ought to know that every component of your application plays a pivotal role in your admission – or rejection. As Stuart Schmill, Dean of Admission, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says, “We look at all parts of the application to develop a picture of the applicant’s talents and motivations. It might vary for different applicant, and depends on what element tells us more.”

STANDARDISED TEST SCORES

Let’s go down the list first. Registering to take standardized tests is one of the first things you might want to deal with, because test dates are booked in advance, and its best you register early to get the date you want. Besides, knowing your test date is snapping at your heels can only spur you on to prepare harder.

Every university and programme has its own score requirements, which EDUCATION STREET helps you to shortlist according to your profile. Do not worry if your GRE score is low or your academics scores are not great. Depending on your programme, you may even be able to balance out an average score with a sharp SOP and strong recommendation letters. EDUCATION STREET specializes in this. We have dedicated editors for the same.

TRANSCRIPTS

Going further down the list, getting your transcripts together may depend on the degree of bureaucratic obstacles at your alma mater, so expect two trips to your college office at the very least.

APPLICATION FORMS

Application forms attempt to extract basic information like contact details or your family background, but some also request short answers to questions to understand the student.

Guidance at every stage is given to you at EDUCATION STREET. We give personal attention to what is filled by you in the forms and once confirmed by us then only you submit the form. Sample forms are there at office for assistance. Students can also sit in office and fill the forms so arrangement for Wi-Fi and Terminals is available.

ESSAYS – Statement of Purpose

Essays are one of the most important parts of your application because they are your chance to be more than a set of numbers and scores.

You need to reveal facts about yourself that are not apparent in any of the other application material – an inspiring incident from your childhood, a life-changing event, challenges that have made you think the way you do, or how your ambitions took root. You can also mention subjects you are passionate about – ecology, cruelty to animals, adult literacy, healthcare for the aged, anti-nuclear proliferation – because they demonstrate how you think.

Universities also like to know that you have researched about the university, the programme and the faculty members and are keen to be a part of their academic community.

This is also your opportunity to explain inconsistencies in your academic or work profile (for instance, why you missed a semester or performed poorly in it, or why you took a year’s sabbatical from work). If you’re in a niche, unknown academic stream or field of work, you may also explain that here.

Focus on the programme you are applying to. “An engineer is expected to be more analytical. His essay should show how he went beyond the syllabus to develop his scientific interests, like research projects, participation in technical festivals with details of the model he developed, or more about how he used his technical skills to help others – made a website for a shopkeeper, or taught computer skills to senior citizens,”

The most important thing is to be honest. Focus your energy on painting a concise, complete, and well-thought-out picture of who you truly are, rather than present what you think the admissions committee is looking for in response to essay questions

EDUCATION STREET provides SOP counseling   to bring the best essay out of you. We share with you several essays so that you have your mind thinking on those lines. First draft is always instructed to be written by the student, as we believe the essay should have the heart and soul of the student. Later we take it from their and our editors edit and polish it to make the final draft.

RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

When it comes to recommendation letters, one rule you can go by is to approach people, who know you well, as opposed to those that are known well. If you can get both, well then, that’s just perfect, but it’s extremely important to have the former. This is because your letters must have detail and shouldn’t be a collection of empty platitudes.

EDUCATION STREET advises: They may be important people, but if they write just a few generic lines, it doesn’t help you. They must detail your abilities and strengths in different situations and describe your potential as an academic student as well.”

Three recommendation letters are normally required and at EDUCATION STREET we strive hard that it speaks volume about you.

RESUME

Resume should be easy to segment, easy to read, and should always be presented in reverse chronological order, i.e., most recent activity listed first. Keep it brief and crisp.

We at EDUCATION STREET feel resume should give a clear insight towards your profile. So we help you in this task as well by providing you proper guidance and counseling.

So these are prime elements of your application process and EDUCATION STREET would like to assist you for the same.

By

Education Street

End of Education is Character

www.educationstreet.in

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Contact: 9820418067.

How to decide which Universities are Safe, Moderate and Ambitious for me?

The moment you start with your application process the question on which universities to apply daunt you. Some feel the university is too high fetched, another one feels it is clean sweep and some other one around feels I am confused I like them all. In this confusion most of us remove and waste loads of time in this confusion rather than applying before deadlines.  We realize this is a common occurrence with almost all students applying to USA. However the solution is not very straight but with a clear roadmap you achieve the same.

Primary Filtration

1) Fix the Coursework

In the foremost steps you need to decide on few things. Course you want to apply for – like for e.g. – Masters in Data Science or Masters in telecommunications or specialize in VLSI design etc. So this is your primary filter to see which all universities fall in your pool.

2) Like the Location

If you are opinioned about some fix location like silicone valley due to jobs, or someone lives there or its too cold use these as a next level of filter. This will refine it further.

3) Check the Tuition Fees

If funds is restricted or you need some economical range of fees check the university portal for this first ideally.  So check whether university is public funded or not. This will give you a kickass filter.

With above three filters you would be able to come to very crisp options.  Now after this you can use various ways to choose the 6-8 universities you should apply. Normally these many universities are more then enough to apply. More then this we feel is just waste of money and add to indecisiveness at all stages. After this you now have to decide which are safe, moderate and ambitious. For this various methods can be useful. Most sort-after can be a good counselor, which are rare these days but a few of them promise to be very helpful, and life changing. Or it can be forums online to check the feedback of students. And further it could be connecting with the alumni of those universities to share the credentials of their class. This will bring you down to your 6-8 universities and help you make you the most crucial decision. Do not fall prey to unnecessary and faulty information which is also very easily available online. So you need to validate your data either with your counselor or alumni.

After all this you can place your universities in the bucket of safe, moderate and ambitious. There is no golden rule on how many of each from these tags you should apply follow your mind. Some prefer more on safe as they want to take less risk absolutely fine. And some are the high risk takers want to be in make or break situation so apply only to ambitious one. So it all depends on your attitude and you follow that.  Safe universities are the ones where you have got maximum answer for your profile as yes. Moderate is the one where you have got mixed reviews. And Ambitious ones are those, which are like grapes, which you do not know whether they are sweet or sour but you want to attempt them, as they are your dream universities. So segregate our universities the best strategy is to apply in all sections.  Jump into this process beforehand as it takes time and is very important. Also remember to apply beforehand of deadlines as it helps to be up the queue, receive scholarships or funding and also get more positive responses.

Shortlisting US Universities is the crucial stage as you decide here which university among these chosen one would be your life-changing chapter in your career. Hence do take time and efforts and start with this process smartly.

Author- Mrs. Ankita Thakker – Education Street

Ankita@educationstreet.in

Education Street is an overseas education counseling firm helping student as a gateway to solve their dilemmas regarding university application, Test preparation, SOP, LOR, application process, finance guidance and Visa preparation. Three offices widely spread in Mumbai and with a strong team of counselors to guide and tutors to impart.

www.educationstreet.in