ClickNSmart Team

GRE or GMAT score can be very important to improve your chance of admission to graduate school. A GRE test is usually required if you want to apply to most graduate programs, whereas a GMAT test is required by almost all top Business Schools in the country. A low GPA and a higher than average score on GRE or GMAT test score can increase your chance for graduate school admission. The ideal case is a combination of high GPA ( >3.5) and high GRE or GMAT score. Top universities like UCLA, Harvard, Standford require high GRE or GMAT score and high GPA. Some of my classmates with a relatively high GPA were not admitted to top graduate schools just because of a low GRE/GMAT score. This is so sad. GRE/GMAT test is not as easy as SAT or TOEFL test. I took one myself and got a high score on the GRE test. A combination of average GPA and high GRE scores got me into M.S. in Material Engineering program at Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, UCLA. I want to share my success experience with you all.

Below are some advices on the GRE/GMAT test preparation:

1. You should train yourself with adequate GRE/GMAT preparation. You will be confident taking the test when you are fully trained yourself. Confidence will make a difference in your test score. That’s true!

2. Get GRE/GMAT practice tests inside the GRE/GMAT preparation book and spend lots of time to practice ( ~ 4 hours a day).If you have a discipline and motivation to prepare, you will be ready for the test.

3. You should practice at least 5 months before the test day. Last minute preparation does not work for GRE/GMAT test. A lot of my friends start study 2 months before the test and they all get low score. My experience, I started 4-5 months before and got a really good score. Practice! Practice!

4. Good preparation book is very important. Some of the test question will be similar with the book. Not all the books are helpful. The three preparation books I’ve used are: Kaplan, Official GRE/ GMAT prep book, and Barron.

Suggestion: study really hard, be confident, and prepare ahead of time.

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ClickNSmart Team

Many of my classmates and undergraduate friends ask me: “Bunga, How did you find a research adviser? I am interested to do research, but I don’t know where and what to start with.”

If that sounds like you, then I would like to share few tips based on my previous experience doing 1 year of undergraduate research at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA):

1) Start by searching in the department website for any faculty members;

2) Find out about their research interests and see if you are interested in any of them;

3) Once you find the research area that you want, e-mail the professor to set up an appointment to meet and discuss about your interest in doing research with the professor;

4) Before meeting face-to-face with the professor, read again the professor’s research interest so that you can impress him/ her to clearly show your interest;

5) Send him/her a thank you note by e-mail after the meeting and don’t forget to leave your contact information.

6) Follow up with the professor again if after 1 week, you have not heard back from him/ her.

These are very practical tips for those of you looking to find an undergraduate research opportunities. Also notice that I make no mention of any specific major, because the tips above are applicable regardless the academic majors.

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ClickNSmartTeam

Business major is a top choice almost for everyone. In this bad economy, the demand for business major graduates is always higher than any other major. Business is not as straightforward as many people believe; the business curriculum in general focuses more on the analytical and the critical thinking part, which are both important skill in addition to the soft communication skill . Business knowledge is a key element for your future success. There are more opportunities by majoring in business. Business majors can choose various concentrations, such as: Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources, and  General Management.

Here’s are the average salaries for these majors, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistic (www.bls.gov)

~ Median Annual Earning ~

• Management Analyst : $68,050
• Accountant : $54,630
• Economist :$77,010
• Financial Analyst : $66,590
• Human Resources : $42,420
• Marketing research Analyst : $58,829

Management Analyst : Salaries for management analysts vary based on experiences, location, and expertise.

Economist : has the highest median annual salary, but the starting salary for bachelor’s degree was $35,752 in 2007. For master’s degree has an annual salary of $43,731. And for Ph.D, the salary starts at $52,912

Human Resources : has the lowest annual salary compared with other business fields. For human resources position with a high school degree, the average annual salary begins $26,685

Nowadays, many people are getting an additional business degree on the top of their technical degrees (science or engineering degree) in order to be competitive in the job market. Therefore, I would strongly recommend adding some business knowledge, either through traditional brick and mortar schools or through distance learning (online) business degree program that many universities offer.

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ClickNSmart

The first thing i notice that many students have a problem when it comes to understanding the basic of science. They struggled even with the very basic concept like the concept of temperature and pressure They know only the surface; not dig it into the very base such as where those things come from and how these could happen. Most students just jump to the question and answer it without having the complex thinking. ” Do this and then that happens”. Unlike scientists, students like to think in a simple way rather than critical way. This can be a huge problem and cause average or even below average grade.

Even though simple sometimes works for understanding the concept-people still can graduate and get barely enough GPA-but the true scientists requires more critical thinking - not only you drop the glass and it falls, That’s why many students get a degree and know nothing. Ask yourself ” How much money do I spend in order to pay for tuition to good university?” Don’t you think that it is a waste of your time and money if you only aim for the grade but not the knowledge?

Einstein said, “I am just an average student that is passionately curious about things”. Einstein himself did not get a good grade, but he learned even much more physics than even his former teacher

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ClickNSmartTeam

Today’s college-bound students face more challenging chance of admission than ever before. The record application statistics states the unprecedented competition to get into BEST universities. The data shows the more and more applicants apply and the less people get admitted.

I graduate as an undergraduate (Chemical Engineering )from BEST University in the United States, UCLA. Next step, I will pursue more advance degree (Master’s degree). On January 2009, i will start as a graduate student in Material Science and Engineering, concentrate on Electrical materials at UCLA. Therefore, I want to share my experience so you can also get into the TOP university

I want to share with you guys, the tips to for you to get into TOP university:

- You must maximize and make your admissions application stand out from the crowd.
- Participate in extracurricular activities that relates into your field of study.
For example; my major is chemical engineering, therefore, I join AlChE (Chemical
Engineering Club)
- Try to make a good relationship with the professor. For example; often come to
his/her office hour and ask the question/ material that you feel hard. Show your interest
to the lecture. From that, you can get glowing letter of recommendation from him/her.
- Discipline, study hard, and try to do the homework on time.
- The most important thing is “ Do not ever feel that school is a duty and boring, but you need to think that school is something that you like”. By that, a good GPA will come to you by itself.
My past experience was Even though I study hard and do all homework, I always get an average grade, never get above than average. This happens because I treat the course as my duty not a hobby. After a month, I change my mind and try to love the course. Finally, I got an A. Therefore your mind is your power. Of course, this needs to come
Along with your work (study hard).
- Have research experience with the Professor. To get admitted to the research group is not as easy as you thought. Just be persistence and always ask the Professor to get into his research.

Quote : No one born genius. Just do the best, believe in yourself, and believe in GOD, you will get into TOP university.

Please leave a comment, what do you guys think about get into TOP university?

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