If you're knee deep in applying for business school, take the time to read one of the latest articles from BusinessWeek that discusses some of the latest tactics and offerings business schools are using to entice international students:

In Hunt for Students, Business Schools Go Global

Key points for students in Dubai:

* Full-time MBA programs are focusing more on recruitng students from the Middle East.
* Employment recruiters want to hire more students from the Middle East.
* Duke University's Fuqua School of Business has (or will have) a new campus in Dubai as part of its global campuses network.
* New scholarship programs are being implemented to encourage application and enrollment from students from "developing countries" including Jordan.

These exciting developments should motivate you to study even harder for the GMAT!

If you're preparing for the GMAT, you probably have an idea of what you should be reading (HINT: pick up a National Geography magazine at Books Plus), studying, and practicing. But what should you be listening to?

I recommend listening to MBA Podcaster. This website offers free insight into the MBA admissions process through interviews with business school staff, admissions counselors, and MBA experts.

All programs are easily downloadable with iTunes or Windows Media. A few of the topics related specifically to the GMAT are:

* Conquering the GMAT
* Dealing with a Low GMAT Score
* GMAT Test Taking Tips from the Test Prep Experts
* The GMAT
* GMAT Not Required

In addition to discussions on the GMAT, there are wide variety of programs about other business school related issues. These programs will keep you informed, boost your spirits, and help you maintain a consistent GMAT prep routine. They are so easy that you can do MBA research while taking the Metro!

The January Round 2 deadline is the next opportunity for business school hopefuls to apply. For those of us who have just decided we want to go to business school, Round 3 is a more realistic target.

So what's with the rounds? Rounds are business school application periods. Most schools have 3 rounds, while other schools have 4 or accepted students on a rolling basis (until the class is filled). Round 1, in October, is always the best round to apply. It isn't very competitive since this deadline slips many students minds. Round 2 tends to be competitive because more people apply in this round than any other. While Round 3 is less competitive than Round 2, Round 3 acceptance is still difficult because much of the class has been filled already. So while you have fewer students, you have fewer spots.

If you are applying Round 3, your best weapon and reason you should be accepted is your GMAT score. Don't "enter the ring" not ready to fight. You have to train for the GMAT and business school like any top athlete. Preparing alone is not the best way to go about it: get a trainer, get a training plan, and get a sparring buddy. The Dubai Tutor can help you with all 3 of these.

January GMAT classes are forming now! Email the Dubai Tutor for small group classes, a flexible study schedule, and a program crafted specifically for working professionals.

When I was in college and studying hard for a big test, I often had a recurring dream that I woke up late on test day...and missed the test! Studying for a test but forgetting to register by the deadline is a lot like my recurring dream. Before you start preparing, be sure to register for the test!

Here are the upcoming test dates for SAT and GMAT:

SAT and SAT II Subject Tests
December 5, 2009
January 23, 2010*
May 1, 2010
June 5, 2010**

* If you are in your senior year and want to go to college in the U.S., this is the last available SAT before the registration deadlines.
** If you are in your senior year and want to go to college in the UAE, this is the last available SAT before the registration deadlines.

GMAT (based on application rounds)
Round 2 - early January 2010
Round 3 - late March/early April 2010
Round 4 - May 2010*

* As an international student, you should apply before Round 4 so that you can successfully obtain your F-1 Student Visa by the beginning of new student orientation.

Note: If you are taking the TOEFL or IELTS, these tests are administered quite frequently throughout the year so you don't really have to worry about registration deadlines and availability.

Any questions? Email the Dubai Tutor!

From my recent classes I am convinced that most students aren't really using practice tests to their benefit. Yes, it's a 4 hour test and you want to get the beach soon. Yes, you have lots of homework, office work...Yes, insert weak excuse here. You have other things to do, this is exactly why you should be motivated to get the most out of every practice test you take. Here's how:

On a Friday, sit down and take a full-length timed practice test. Refer to my posts for FREE SAT and GMAT resources online. Do the test in one sitting with, at most, two 10 minute breaks. After you finish, put the test aside and do not do any other studying that day.

The next day, correct your test. While correcting your test sounds simple, this should take you about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the number of questions you get wrong. Here are the steps you should take:

1. Use the short answers to determine which questions you go right and which you got wrong.
2. Analyze the questions for your strengths and weaknesses. You should be able to group the questions by type. Which types are you consistently getting right? Which ones wrong?
3. Rework the questions you got wrong. When you rework, read the question, go back to the book (passage) or your notes, and really spend some time on the question. Think about why the answer is A, for example, if you got E.
4. Think about why the other answers are wrong. Process of elimination is your best friend when it comes to test taking, so it's important that you refine your strategy. Underline specific words in the answer choices that make them wrong, write down the reason it should be eliminated, and look for patterns that can help you get the answer right upfront.
5. Any questions you aren't able to understand, read the solutions from your book or the practice test. After you read the solution, rework the problem using the method specified.
6. If you still don't understand after reworking the problems and reading the solutions, email the Dubai Tutor.

Happy test taking!!

Out of all the tests I prepare students for, the SAT and GMAT tend to give students the most problems. Why you ask? Because these tests are not designed to test what you learned in school or skills you should have if you speak a language. The SAT and GMAT test the more elusive analytical and critical thinking skills.

Basically, the SAT and GMAT mess with your mind in two ways: through the test formats and through the questions they ask. But don't worry, you can "beat" the test and prevent mind-messing using the strategies below. For every problem, there is a solution.

Test Formats

Problem: The tests start with writing, which requires a lot of creativity and makes many students tired before the rest of the test begins. (An extra warning for GMAT: The two essays do not count in your 200-800!)
Soluton: Outlining is the key to writing quality and quantity on the SAT and GMAT. Take 3 to 5 minutes and jot down your opinion and 3 reasons to support your opinion BEFORE you start writing. Making a quick outline is guaranteed to improve the structure, flow, and readability of your essay.

Problem: The tests have experimental sections and questions that are not part of your score.
Solution: Don't worry about which questions are experimental. Do all of them as if they count.

Problem: Math sections come in the middle of reading sections and require you to change your way of thinking.
Solution: Being able to switch between math and reading is a critical skill to develop for the SAT and GMAT. Although you may prepare for the math and reading separately, you should work several practice tests to get used to switching between the two. The key is PRACTICE.

Problem: Sections that require lots of reading often come at the end of the test. You're sleepy and tired by the time you get to them.
Solution: Practice! Practice! Practice! Pretend you are a professional runner. The only way you develop the endurance to run a marathon is by running marathons. During your study for the GMAT or SAT, you should train by doing several full-length practice tests in one sitting. A full 4 hour test. If you need some tests, check out my postings on free SATs and GMATs.

Questions

Problem: The questions on the test include "trick" answers that the average person would pick. Here's an example from the 2009 College Board SAT practice test:

In the xy-coordinate plane, how many points are a distance of 4 units from the origin?
(A)   One
(B)   Two
(C)   Three
(D)   Four
(E)   More than four

The average person would probably select D. Unfortunately, the answer is E (forgot about points that are diagonally 4 units from the origin, didn't you?)

Solution: When you practice, look for "trick" answers and figure out why they are tricks. Is there something that if forgotten applied incorrectly would have given a trick answer? What if you didn't work the problem all the way to the end? Think about these tricks and you won't fall for them on test day.

Taking the SAT and GMAT is not just about reviewing content. It's also about learning strategies and practicing so that when it's time for your "marathon," you don't have to think about it. Need more help "training?" Email the Dubai Tutor.

If you're studying for the GMAT using a book you bought at MacGrudy's or Books Plus, check out these FREE online adaptive GMAT practice tests to complement your studying. Since the GMAT is a computer adaptive test (CAT), these tests will give you practice to improve two important aspects of your test-taking: taking tests on the computer and working with a test that changes according to you.

* MBA.com GMAT Test Prep Software: 2 full-length CAT tests! Take one in the beginning to determine your baseline score and Take the other just before the GMAT to determine your score improvement.
* The Princeton Review full length practice test: Use this test midway through your study program to see how you are progressing. Be sure to do it in one sitting!
* Veritas Prep online practice test: Great for establishing your baseline score or getting some practice.
* Kaplan online practice test: Online practice test with a few freebies.
* Peterson's online practice test: Create a log-in and work just the verbal or math section as part of your practice.

The Dubai Tutor does not endorse any specific GMAT prep program. Use the tests available to help you increase your score or email the Dubai Tutor if you need guided preparation.

BusinessWeek recently reported, quite plainly in fact, that business school is getting crowded. Enrollment at top business schools, including Harvard, Wharton, and INSEAD--three schools topping the MBA wish list for a lot of Dubai b-school hopefuls--is at record highs. Many schools have confirmed that the entering 2009 students are part of their largest classes ever.

For more details, read the entire BusinessWeek article.

So what does that mean for you? In a word, competition. The financial crisis has convinced many wannabe MBAs that business school is a good place to wait until the storm is over. More top business school applicants now have higher GMAT scores, higher grade point averages, and more interesting work experiences than ever before, increasing the competition to get into business school. With more students in business programs, there may be greater competition for resources and faculty attention.

If you want to stay competitive for business school application, you will need to do two things:

1. Step up your GMAT preparation to increase your score. If you are preparing alone, consider forming a study group with likeminded friends or seeking the services of the Dubai Tutor to complement your preparation.

2. Look beyond the Financial Times and US News top 10 business schools. Schools that are not in the top 10 have actually lost students to other programs, leaving them very interested in new applicants. Programs in the middle of rankings lists also have lost students to regional programs (state schools), which means they are worth considering.

In the future, it is likely that competition for top business schools will also increase, regardless of whether student enrollment numbers do. It's not Harvard if everyone can get in, right?

Studying vocabulary for the SAT, GMAT, TOEFL, or any of these standardized tests is a waste of time. There I said it. Why is studying vocab a waste of time you ask? I'll give you not one, but three reasons:

1. There are more than 750,000 words in the English language according to AskOxford.com. Can any of these words be on your test? Yes. Do you really have time to learn the definitions of all of them? No.

2. Vocabulary is not directly tested. With the exception of a few questions on the SAT and TOEFL, there aren't really any questions that ask you "what does this word mean?". These questions are usually asked is indirect ways. Basically, the question makes it seem like you need to know the definition of a word to get the answer right. Well, you actually don't. You can always use context clues--the other words in the sentence or paragraph--to help you figure out the answer.

3. You have more important things to do with your time (and I don't mean watching TV). Considering that you should spend three months or less studying (not cramming) for the test, there are other concepts to learn that relate directly to the test. Suck at probability? Well, it's on the SAT and GMAT. Use your time to improve it. Can't write an essay to save your life? Well, you have to write one not matter which test you take so learn how.

Teachers, test prep companies, and the test maker do not want you to know that learning vocabulary for tests, like the SAT and GMAT, is useless. Why not? Is there some global conspiracy to get students to read and study hard? Of course not. Vocabulary is easy to teach. Vocabulary flash cards fill books. Vocabulary adds to the mystery of the test. Focus on the important stuff and leave vocabulary out of it.