Magoosh GMAT Prep

Magoosh, a play on the old Persian word "magush" which means "one who is highly learned, wise and generous", is founded by four current Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley MBA students. I had a chance to review their portal and materials.

I like the way Magoosh presents their GMAT practice questions. Once you signed in, you can go to the Dashboard which then takes you to Practice or Results section. In the Practice section, you can customise your "practice" session.

There are over 500 questions for you to attempt; and more are added each day.

The best thing is you can start and stop anytime, unlike some practices which require you to complete the whole set. Once you completed, you can review your questions. The Results dashboard presents a summary of the questions attempted and how you fare vis-a-viz with an "average taker". I am waiting for a reply from Magoosh on the "average user" profile/definition. Nonetheless, this "average user" benchmark allows me to determine how well I do in terms of pacing (speed), accuracy (correct) and the difficult of the question (score).

In my review, I tried one question to get a feel how the dashboard works.

The question was on a Venn diagram, solving the no. of students who took both Spanish and French. It took me 45sec. In the Results dashboard (above), 86% of the takers (who are these takers?) got the correct answer and "they" took an average of 63sec. Great, I could get it right in less than the time taken by an "average taker". As you attempt more questions, each question (with an ID) will display your results and that of an average user. Use this to gauge your performance. I use "Avg Correct" to gauge the difficulty of the question.

Now, comes the best part of Magoosh. The video and/text explanation is found for each question. Just click on the question ID.

Magoosh offers basic 6 months access for free with 80 questions and for US$79, you get all the questions (and they add from time to time)

Overall, I think the Magoosh team came up with an excellent service for a reasonable price. If you are looking for GMAT practices, give Magoosh a try.

Jimmy Low

Business Magazine for Business Students

Check out the latest business magazine for business students.

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Jimmy Low

Malaysian Corporate Postgraduate Studies Scholarships

At present, I am aware of only three Malaysian corporations offering scholarships to those pursuing postgraduate studies. They are Maxis Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad and Khazanah Nasional Berhad. These three corporations also offer undergraduate studies scholarships. However, these undergraduate scholarships are not within my scope of writing.

Many of these corporations do so as part of their corporate social responsibility programs but more so as to play a part in developing and retaining Malaysia's human capital. Some of these scholarships are bonded i.e. successful applicants would have to return to Malaysia to serve the corporations for a few years. Think of it as a guaranteed post-MBA employment; this is crucial especially in the current economic uncertainties.

Postgraduate studies do not come cheap especially if you plan to do them overseas. Our present exchange rates with the typical countries of postgraduate studies - the USA, UK and Australia do not favour Malaysian candidates. Furthermore, we do not have educational loans from local banks. Many would have to refinance their houses in order to pay for their studies. Any form of financial assistance is welcomed.

Here are the summary of the 3 corporations' scholarship programs. For more information, visit their respective website.

Maxis Scholarship for Excellence
Allowing the best and brightest graduate students to pursue courses in a selection of programmes at the world’s top universities, Maxis Scholarship For Excellence promises academic excellence and broader personal horizons.

Five successful applicants will be awarded a postgraduate scholarship at the world's most prestigious universities to pursue a course in:

• Life Sciences and Engineering
• Medicine
• Business and Management Studies
• Law and Government Studies
• The Performing Arts

deal applicants for Maxis’ Scholarship For Excellence must have already gained admittance to a top US or UK university and meet the following stringent criteria:-

• Aged 30 years or below
• Achieved a minimum of a 2nd Class Upper Honours (or equivalent) degree from a good university.
• Have a minimum of three years working experience
• Have a strong appreciation and appetite for current affairs (for example, a general knowledge of Malaysia’s constitutional and legal framework, economic levers, government initiatives and nation building philosophies).
• Demonstrate a continuing involvement in extra-curricular activities (team or individual sports; voluntary service; affiliation with a recognized association or society) as well as special achievements in academics, social work or similar contributions.
• Possess the traits of an ambassador for Malaysia, with a sense of loyalty and identification for the country. There should also be evidence of a clear sense of purpose and goals in life, as well as a display of visionary capabilities.

In short, an individual who is not only high-achieving, but boasts a well-rounded, potent blend of academic, personal, social, extra-curricular and experiential abilities and skills. (more)


Yayasan Sime Darby Scholarship Programme
This annual scholarship programme applies to high flying, well-rounded candidates who wish to pursue full-time studies locally and overseas. (more)


Yayasan Khazanah Scholarship Programme
Yayasan Khazanah is a foundation established by Khazanah Nasional Berhad – the investment holding arm of the Government of Malaysia.

We are entrusted to select, support, groom and nurture exceptional individuals who will eventually take on high-level positions in the best organisations including the Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) in Malaysia.

This mission is in line with Khazanah Nasional’s commitment to the active development of human capital to ensure that Malaysia continues to improve its competitiveness on the global stage.

As a start, we groom talents and help them build their capabilities by offering scholarships to pursue studies at Malaysia’s premier universities or at the world’s renowned institutions of higher learning.

Malaysian citizens may choose to apply from one of the three scholarship programmes below: -

1. Khazanah Global Scholarship Programme
2. Khazanah-Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) Merdeka Scholarship Programme
3. Khazanah Watan Scholarship Programme (more)
   

I hope more Malaysian corporations will step forward and offer bright and talented Malaysians an opportunity to pursue their postgraduate studies and serve the country.


Jimmy Low

Thank You for Coming

Thank you for coming to our Open Day. Although we had a smaller group this year, nonetheless, we shared our experiences in taking GMAT and applying for MBA.

Thank you Lim Yeong Chuan, INSEAD Malaysia Chapter Hon. Secretary for sharing his study experience and enlightening the aspirants on admission process.

For me, I will start my MBA in Berlin in January. Although I will not be as active as before in GMAT Malaysia, I still welcome emails from you. See you all in 2011.



Jimmy Low

Scholarships Everywhere

QS, the organizer of the World MBA Tour and World Grad School Tour, understands the importance of financial support during hard economic times. As a candidate registered for one of our fairs, you're eligible to take advantage of the QS Scholarship Fund. The total amount of QS Scholarships for Master and PhD programs is $386,000; for MBA programs - $1,600,000.

Visit topmba.com to apply now

The applications steps are quite simple:
Complete the survey at http://www.topmba.com/finance/apply-mba-scholarships by the 10th April 2010. If interested in Ashridge Business School, apply by 18th December 2009. If interested in Duke, Fuqua School of Business, apply by 7th January 2010.

After completing the survey in detail, you’ll be taken to a page from which you can apply for any of the scholarships on offer. You can save your data and come back to submit the essays later.

The winners will be announced online, pending admittance to the programs included.

Scholarships on offer include:

QS Community Scholarships for MBA and Postgraduate Studies
Five scholarships, US$2,000 each, to the candidates who demonstrate an exceptional level of socially responsible leadership and an ability to motivate others.

QS Leadership Scholarships for MBA and Postgraduate Studies:
Two scholarships, US$10,000 each, to the Fair visitors who demonstrate exceptionally strong leadership potential and innovative thinking.

QS Scholarships for Academic Excellence
One US$10,000 scholarship to the QS World Grad School Tour visitor with a perfect grade record.

QS Scholarships for Central and Eastern European Women
One €2,000 scholarship for a female candidate from one of the Central or Eastern European countries, joining an international MS program outside of her home country.

EMLYON European Master in Management Scholarship
One €15,000 scholarship for a young professional, accepted to EMLYON.

NYU Tisch School of Arts Asia Scholarship
One US$20,000 scholarship for an international candidate, going to study in the Asia campus of the NYU Tisch School of Arts.

Ashridge Business School Scholarships
Three scholarships, £6,000 each, will be offered to three categories of candidates: women, emerging markets and the non-profit sector. Deadline: 18 Dec 2009.

Cass Business School Scholarships
Four scholarships, £72,000 in total, for full-time and Modular Executive MBA candidates.

Chicago Booth School of Business Scholarship
One US$40,000 merit-based scholarship, renewable annually, for a student who has demonstrated the ability to succeed through academic and extracurricular endeavours.

Duke University – the Fuqua School of Business Scholarship
One US$23,000 scholarship for an international candidate who will bring diversity to the Duke community. Deadline: 7 January 2010.

EMLYON Business School Entrepreneurial Scholarship
One €15,000 scholarship for a successful candidate with an entrepreneurial spirit, admitted to the International MBA program.

IE Business School Scholarships for Women
Two scholarships, €22,500 each, will be granted to female candidates, accepted to the IE International MBA Program.

Melbourne Business School International Scholarship
Two scholarships: US$20,000 each, to the international candidates who will become great MBS ambassadors.

Sydney Business School International Scholarship
Two scholarships, US$12,000 each, for future business leaders.

USC Marshall School of Business Scholarship
One US$24,500 scholarship to a candidate accepted to the USC Marshall MBA program.

Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School Scholarships
Twenty scholarships, €425,000 in total, are granted by Vlerick and some of the world’s leading MBA recruiters, including ING, KPMG, Deloitte and E&Y.

“QS Scholarship winners are united by their demonstration of responsible leadership and community commitment, in very varied circumstances,” says Nunzio Quacquarelli, the Managing Director of careers and education group QS. “All of these young people have done something remarkable in their lives. Take, for example, Eduardo Olivares who worked as a counsellor in Chile helping people to escape severe poverty by setting up their own small businesses, or Yue Tu who cycled more than 2,500 miles across China to raise money for charity.”

To complete the survey and apply for all of these scholarships, go to http://www.topmba.com/finance/apply-mba-scholarships. To maximize your chances of being awarded a scholarship please complete the survey and application survey in as much detail as possible.

QS Scholarships application deadline is 10 April 2010.


Good Luck!

The QS World MBA Tour & QS World Grad School Tour Selection Panel
http://www.topmba.com/finance/apply-mba-scholarships

GMAT Malaysia 2009 Open Day

GMAT Malaysia, founded in 2007 as a support group for MBA aspirants, will host a GMAT Malaysia Open Day on December 13, 2009. The purpose of this Open Day, which is held annually, is to share our experiences in taking GMAT and to answer any questions or clear doubts or worries about this "major" test before entering any business school.

Details of Event
Date: December 13, 2009 (Sunday)
Time: 10:00AM to 12:00NN
Venue: Starbucks next to HSBC Damansara Utama, Jalan SS 21/37
GPS Coord: 3.0 0 3N, 101. 37 25 10E
Google Map: Click here



This Year's Specials
This year, we have invited the INSEAD Malaysia Chapter Hon. Secretary to share his experience in studying in INSEAD Fountainebleau and Singapore, and his career switch from research engineering to business development.

In addition, speak to some of the GMATters on their MBA application experiences to some of the top universities.

For more information or to sign-up for the Open Day, kindly email Jimmy Low at jimmy.gmlow@gmail.com or call 012-2000 916. You may also visit our GMAT Malaysia blog at gmatmalaysia.blogspot.com.


Thank you and see you on Sunday!




Jimmy Low

Maxis Scholarship for Excellence

Maxis Berhad is one of a few Malaysian corporations that offer scholarships for postgraduate studies.

Annually, 5 successful candidates are offered postgraduate scholarships to top universities around the world. For more information, click here.

I have added two other websites on Malaysian scholarships - www.malaysia-scholarship.com and www.malaysia-scholarship.net - on GMAT and MBA Resources.


Jimmy Low

Interview Season

By now, you should receive an email or call for Admission interview, if you have submitted your MBA application. What should you do next?

Review. Reread your application forms (I hope you have printed or PDFed a copy before you click the "Submit" button, application essays and resume(s). It is important you know what you have written to each school. Typically, each candidate would submit 2-3 applications to his/her "favorite" business schools and receive calls/emails for personal interview around the same time. When that happens, you don't want to be caught off guard saying things that were meant for School A to School B.

Rehearse. Now, talk to your mentor or recommender and ask him/her to do a mock interview with you. It is good that you have someone experienced in conducting interviews or have attended business school to ask you some of the typical questions. Each school has their unique set of questions but most of them should cover the followings:

a. Tell me/us about yourself.
b. Tell me/us about your career progression.
c. What did you choose our school and/or our MBA instead of doing in your own country?
d. Why Country X?
e. Why do you need an International MBA?
f. Share with me/us your international working experiences.
g. Why did you choose to do your undergraduate in this school and/or country?
h. If you are not admitted, what would you do?

The above list is not exhaustive. I am sure my fellow GMATers and readers can share more. For some schools, you are thrown more challenging questions or even do a 5- or 10-minute presentation.

Receptive. As a potential business graduate, you must be aware of the events around you - in your country and more so, around the world. Thus, you must read well and able to articulate your opinions/ideas. What are the common themes these days? Global warming, corporate social responsibility and sustainability, financial crisis, corporate ethics, etc. Some schools are strong in a particular area; so, expect some questions that are aligned with the school's current focus.

Now, the final question in most applicants' mind is: Should I do a telephone/video conferencing interview or visit the school? Depends on your budget and your confidence. If you really want to get into that school and have confidence of getting in (after all, you have been called for interview; those not necessary the interview means a likely acceptance), please make that small "investment". Show your sincerity and eagerness. Demonstrate to the Admissions Committee that you have what it takes and a worthy candidate. It is hard to sell yourself to the Admissions Committee over the phone. Body language and your voice play a part in projecting your enthusiasm. It's easier to convince the other party when you meet face-to-face. The same goes for interview with a local alumni.

I wish you all the best in your MBA admission.


Jimmy Low

Creating A Resume That Sells

Here's an interesting article I would like to share with you.
WSJ: How to Fix Your Resume

For my MBA application resume, I narrowed to one-page and covered 3 broad areas in the following manner:

Education. List your undergraduate university, city and country, and the graduation year. Put down the degree conferred and your major. If you received honours or distinction, highlight them. Do include any academic awards or scholarship you received.

How far back do you want to list? Well, it depends on your working experience. If you just graduated, you may want to show your A-levels or its equivalent and your undergraduate degree.

Employment. This part should be your main focus. Spend most of your time here in perfecting it. List down, in reverse chronological order, your working experiences - company name, industry, location (especially important if you work in multi-national companies and work outside your home country) and the period of each employment.

List, in bullet points, your quantifiable achievements. DO NOT list your job descriptions or responsibilities. It is your professional achievements that the AdComm/headhunter/HR is looking for.

Extra-curricular. You should be an all-rounder person. Thus, demonstrate your involvements in out-of-work activities such as in non-governmental organisations, clubs or societies, projects, etc. Don't underestimate the power of volunteerism. This shows your involvement in the larger community besides work. Also, your involvements in clubs and/or NGOs tell your reader more about yourself - leadership qualities, entrepreneurial skills, teamwork, working with people from different countries and cultures, etc.

There is so much to write about yourself. Turn your resume into a marketing and advertising tool for yourself. Get yourself noticed.


Happy Reading! Please share your thoughts on this topic.


Jimmy Low

Essays

I've spent the past several months helping others edit their essays for several schools. It's a fairly tedious process that involves you writing some stuff and sending it to me, me reading it and leaving red marks all over before sending it back to you - repeated maybe 15 - 20 times.

To make it easier for you to write an essays, let's go through the basic requirements of a good essay.

1. You need, inspiration - lots and lots of it. There are several ways you can get it, but the best way is to get some whiskey and start drinking. Actually, drink on the night that you're planning to write your essay. While you're sober, start jotting down little stories that would look like the following the next morning

Rescued a village - dug waterholes - ate Mcdonald's
Top of class - biggest geek in class - had no friends

and so on... actually, when you feel guilty the next day, you'll probably rewrite everything. But yes, write down little anecdotes of your life. Compile maybe 20 - 30 stories for various situations, this is your story bank.

2. Look at the essay questions and look at your story bank, mix and match till you feel it's pretty good. Then start to write the story with sufficient detail, the trick is too much detail and it's boring and long, too little details and it'll be boring and superficial - you need just enough detail to get the reader's attention while enough to explain what happened. It's not easy, so you'll probably have to do it for quite a while.

At this point, you can start to stretch your stories a little bit. You work in credit sales? Rewrite it to say that you were the top sales person in personal loans. You get the idea, a little bit of exaggaration is ok.

3. Decide on whether your essay answers the question. Write it to answer the question. If it doesn't answer the question, then it's a lousy essay with an interesting story.

It'll probably take you a while to get used to this, do it a few times for your application. At some point you'll hit the zone and just be able to write flawlessly on why you need an MBA while talking about how you saved your company from going bankrupt...