Importance of Higher Education Counseling For Study in Australia

By Siddharth M Gupta

Studying in Australia offers international students more than academic achievement and a globally recognized qualification. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience through which a student can develop independence, maturity, an understanding of other cultures, and the ability to see issues from different perspectives.

Study in Australia better prepares a student to work in today's global marketplace. This is why several foreign companies recruit directly from Australian universities and vocational institutes. Many international organizations and companies employ overseas students with Australian qualifications because their exposure to the outside world gives them greater independence and maturity. With international trade barriers disappearing, great opportunities exist for those with the skills, experience and knowledge to seize them.

In Australia, international students can gain this experience in a safe, friendly environment and at an affordable cost.

Education in Australia

Australia is the third most popular study destination in the English-speaking world, with more than 200,000 international students in Australian institutions across all education sectors: higher education, vocational education and training, English Language colleges, and schools.

Australia's universities have made important breakthroughs in modern technology and science while Australia's vocational training system, which is based on industry standards, is used as a model for other Asia-Pacific countries.

There are universities in all major Australian cities and throughout regional areas of the country ranging in size from around 3,000 students to 50,000 students. About 20 percent of students enrolled in Australian universities are from overseas.

Many international students also study in vocational education and training colleges and institutes across Australia. These institutes offer qualifications that recognised in the workplace.

The Australian Government ensures the quality of Australian institutions and courses in a number of ways. Institutions must be accredited and courses offered to international students must be approved and listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). Qualifications offered to students must fit the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The staff at Australian institutions is also very experienced in helping students from other countries, and there are well-established support systems in place for international students.

In a nut shell Australia is a dynamic and vibrant country with a great deal to offer students looking for international education. Australia has:

1. Dynamic and progressive education programs with a reputation for excellence


2. Globally-recognized courses and qualifications


3. A relaxed, enjoyable and safe lifestyle


4. Cheaper study and living expenses compared to many other countries


5. Vibrant, appealing and multicultural cities


6. Great weather


7. Amazing and diverse landscapes and scenery


8. Unique and wonderful flora and fauna.


9. Great employment opportunities in International Companies after passing out from any Australian university.

Sidharth Gupta of Global Opportunities (consultant for higher study in Australia and other countries) has written several articles on study in UK, USA, Canada, Australia etc. His company also provides active assistance for graduate and postgraduate study in Australia.

Australian University Rankings - A Comparison

By Loke Yuen Wong

What are the top ten Australian Universities? There is no official government ranking of universities in Australia. However there is a number of university league tables produced every year by relevant bodies such as the Melbourne Institute, The Australian Newspaper, The Good Universities Guide, THES and Shanghai Jiao Tong University's academic ranking of world universities.

The Melbourne Institute (operated by the University of Melbourne) has produced its own ranking of the international standing of Australian universities. This ranking is based on a number of performance indicators such as international standing of staff, views of Deans and CEOs, resources, undergraduate programs, undergraduate intake and graduate programs.

According to Melbourne Institute 2007 the top ten Australian Universities (in order of ranking) are: Australian National University (ANU), University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of Queensland, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Monash University, University of Western Australia (UWA), University of Adelaide, Macquarie University and Queensland University of Technology. From this ranking ANU was the number one Australian university in terms of international standing and reputation, followed by Melbourne and Sydney. Is this result representative? Here we will analyze and compare it with the other two famous international league tables - THES and Academic ranking of world universities (ARWU).

Ranking Comparison:

- The list of top four universities produced by the Melbourne Institute are the same in ranking order as THES and ARWU 2007. We are confident to say that they are the Best Four - ANU, Melbourne, Sydney and Queensland.

- Group of Eight (Go8) Universities are among the top 8 universities as ranked by the three different league tables. These include the Best Four and the rest of the group - UNSW, Monash, UWA and Adelaide.

- Macquarie and QUT are among the top ten list (after Go8) in the Melbourne Institute and THES league tables.

Please visit the relevant guides for more information on the latest Australian university ranking and the world ranking of best universities. The author, Loke Yuen Wong, holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University (UK) and a BCom degree from The University of Adelaide (Australia).

The December 2008 LSAT

By Jeffrey Weir

It is almost time for the December LSAT. The LSAT is the standard law school admissions test. This short article will cover a few quick ideas about how to prepare for the LSAT and what to do after you have finally taken the test in December.

If you're just starting to think about the December LSAT, you should realize that the December version of the exam is your last chance to take the test in time to get your applications completed for the top law schools in the country in time for fall admissions. Some Tier 3 and Tier 4 schools may accept scores from the February LSAT - but remember the general rule of thumb, is that if you want to start school during the fall you must take the June, October or December LSAT in the year previous to your enrollment.

At a minimum, you will need four weeks to prepare for the exam once you have chosen the proper LSAT prep materials. For over ten years I've been lucky enough to help future law students prepare for the LSAT and the best LSAT prep materials I've found, at a minimum, meet the following criteria: 1) they are widely available 2) they are affordable (less than $100) and 3) they have been reviewed by industry experts and professionals and 4) they have a long and proven track record of improving the scores of those that use the programs.

Also remember that even in you do not earn the score you would have liked to on the LSAT all is not lost. Law school applications, overall, are done in the United States and thus you will find a less competitive law school admissions cycle that usual. Plus, the LSAT is just another standardized test. If you don't score well on the LSAT this doesn't speak to your intelligence or your ability to be a lawyer at all, rather it just speaks to your ability to successfully take standardized tests. This means that if you score poorly on the LSAT you should still try to achieve admission at your target schools. Work hard to explain to them in your application, essays and interviews how dedicated you are in pursuit of becoming an attorney.

Jeffrey Weir is a consultant, author and law school expert. His site about the December LSAT has helped countless students prepare for the LSAT exam. Students who would to discuss the LSAT can do so at Weir's LSAT Discussion site.

Definitive Guide to the University of Michigan

By J. Vincent Burr

The University of Michigan is one of the premiere universities in the world. It is one of the original eight "Public Ivy's", placing it in exclusive company as a university on par with Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. It has 3 campuses - the main one being in Ann Arbor, with the others in Dearborn and Flint. U of M has one of the largest research expenditures of any university in America, and has the largest number of living alumni at almost half a million. This large base of support has contributed to U of M having the 9th largest endowment in the United States at over $5.5 Billion.

The university was originally founded in 1817 in Detroit, and was moved to Ann Arbor in 1837 when the city offered up free land to entice the school to move there. It was the first major university to enroll women, beginning in 1870. The University of Michigan also has a place in history as the location of the historic speech where President John F. Kennedy proposed what became to be known as the Peace Corps. More recently, it was the defendant in two court cases that were heard by the United States Supreme Court involving the use of affirmative action in their admissions policies. The State of Michigan also passed a law banning the use of affirmative action in university admissions.

The University of Michigan has around 40,000 students enrolled in over in 600 academic programs. Students come from all 50 states and over 100 countries. U of M ranks very highly in every college ranking system, with more than 70% of their 200 programs being ranked in the top 10 nationally. The Ross School of Business is considered to be one of the best in the world, and the Medical School is as well. These high rankings and national reputation has led to extremely high tuition rates for students not considered "in-district". Tuition for Michigan residents is very reasonable considering the prestige of the university and quality of education. However, if you are an out of state student, expect to pay roughly what you would pay to go to Harvard or Yale.

U of M recently joined with Michigan State University and Wayne State University to create what's been dubbed the University Research Corridor. The purpose is to highlight the capabilities of Michigan's three major research institutions in an effort to help spark the transformation of Michigan's economy away from the fading automotive industry.

Aside from being one of the world's most prestigious universities in terms of education, U of M has a long history of athletic dominance in most major sports. Known as the Wolverines and recognized by their trademark maize and blue colors, U of M has produced hundreds of professional athletes with several current and future hall-of-famers among them. It's also launched well over 100 Olympic medalists, including the most recent one - Michael Phelps.

The list of notable alumni is astounding, including President Gerald Ford, several Supreme Court Justices, 25 Rhodes scholars, 7 Nobel Prize winners, and a Field's Medal winner. On the other hand, it's also known as being the school that the Unabomber earned his PhD from. That aside, you can't beat U of M for an education - see the links below for even more info.

About the author: J. Vincent Burr is the creator and chief educational writer for the college review site MyNextCollege.com, which contains plenty more information about The University of Michigan including reviews by actual U of M students.

Definitive Guide to Andrews University

By J. Vincent Burr

Andrews University is a private university located in Berrien Springs, Michigan - about 25 miles form South Bend, Indiana and about 100 miles from Chicago. It was founded in 1874 by the Seventh-day Adventists, and is considered to be the Flagship University of the Seventh-day Adventists school system. It was much smaller, and went by several names until 1959 when the graduate program and theological seminary of Potomac University moved from Washington, D.C. and joined with the school, merging into what is now known as Andrews University.

Although not well known, it is generally considered to be one of the more research intensive schools in Michigan. It has an endowment of around $20 million, and very dedicated alumni due to its stated mission. The campus is about 1,600 acres, and is nestled into a very private setting, not far from the shores of Lake Michigan. The nearest bus station is almost 10 miles away, and there are very few distractions at the school. There are jobs available for those that want them, with about 70% of the students working on campus either full or part-time.

To say that Andrews University is not a party school would be a bit of an understatement. Alcohol is not permitted anywhere on campus, and there is a dress code, hair code, honor code, hazing is not allowed, class attendance is mandatory and dorm room visits from the opposite sex are strictly forbidden. Additionally, if you live on campus you are required to attend worship services. The entire campus is wired for high speed internet though, so you can live vicariously through others, online. You come to Andrews University for two reasons: you're a Seventh-day Adventist, and you want a world class education. The university has almost 300 faculty members giving it a student-faculty ratio of 10:1.

The university is made up of six colleges, which offer 85 undergrad majors and 50 graduate majors. Master's degrees and Doctorates are also offered in several areas as part of the School of Graduate Studies. The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest school by far. It is divided into twenty different departments that specialize in numerous areas of the fine arts, humanities, hard sciences and social sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences also offers numerous pre-law and pre-med programs, although most students deciding on a career in Medicine transfer to Loma Linda University in California, which is part of the Seventh-day Adventist school system as well. There is also the College of Technology, the School of Business, the School of Education, School of Architecture (which is highly regarded) and the SDA Theological Seminary for those with a "higher calling".

As a private university, you can expect to conform to the rules and traditions of the University, and chances are you wouldn't be considering Andrews University unless you were a Seventh-day Adventist, so none of these rules should come as a shock to you. You can expect to pay around $17,000/year for tuition and another $6,000/year for room and board if you choose to stay on campus. For more information, be sure to check the links below.

About the author: J. Vincent Burr is the creator and chief educational writer for the college guides and review site MyNextCollege, which contains a lot more information about Andrews University including more information on the educational system of the Seventh-day Adventists.

The Trajectory of Interior Design Courses

By Fabian Toulouse

Interior Design is concerned with the décor of specified area of space, including the walls, furniture, light fixtures, windows, doors and everything in-between. Whereas some clients seek out interior designers for workspaces, others employ them for help with their homes. There are many aspects to the art of interior design, after all it is an art form. A qualified designer must take the surrounding architecture, a client's personal tastes, and the client's budget into consideration when conceiving a space.

If Interior Design appeals to your sense of purpose and craftsmanship, you will need to prepare. A number of reputable colleges, universities, and academies sponsor design programs geared towards producing highly qualified graduates. As with any other field, you will need the necessary training and practice before a firm or independent client will hire you. Regardless of where you enroll, you will more than likely begin your course of study with basic design courses. These courses will lay the foundations to advanced, conceptual courses and eventually fieldwork.

Seeking out the right school or university may be time-consuming. Explore the options in your area, but remember where you study will affect where you work. Often graduates are disseminated to companies and clients in the general area of the school. If the notion of living in a new city is appealing, research the available universities and the surrounding neighborhoods. The people living therein are going to be you future clients.

Upon graduation, you will have to refine your career path. Do you want to work as a contractor or with a firm? Some graduates prefer to work with a firm in their first few years, learning the basic guidelines and the requirements of agency life. Other graduates exploit internships and make their ways into diverse companies. Either way, it is essential you get your feet wet. The competition will be fierce.

The annual income of an interior designer can vary. As with most career paths, experience translates into higher fees and greater income. As your contacts and client list grows, so too will your bank account. Trust in your talents and the training you receives in your interior design courses. Although you will not make much money in the first year or two, you will be networking and honing your skills.

F. Toulouse http://www.sheffield.edu/

Do Well in College Classes by Gaining a Competitive Advantage

By Devin Collier

Many people wonder how students in college classes consistently achieve high marks in nearly any subject they take. My experience in college has led me to believe that getting good grades in college classes is more related to competitive advantage over other students and not by sheer luck or intellect.

How do you gain a competitive advantage in college? To do so, think of how businesses compete in the marketplace. When one business thinks of an innovative process to reduce costs and gain market share, most competitors seek to compete by imitating the original business behavior. When everyone is using the innovative process, no one has a competitive advantage over the other. College is similar in the sense that if you want to do well, think of a way to innovate and gain a competitive advantage over other students.

Here are a few simple examples in which you can gain an advantage from other students:

1. The use of a computer effectively can really help you organize the class. Does the teacher appreciate typed vs written assignments? Can you use online calendars to help organize deadlines?

2. Use a different style of study material like flash cards. Change the way you study simple concepts involving vocabulary. Try including pictures, unique phrases, or any other innovative approach to learn the class's material.

3. Try using technology in new ways. For example, you can put study materials on your phone or other portable device. Utilize online resources and social networking sites for help and advice.

There are many ways to innovate in the classroom that can really make a difference with your grades. If the class has a curve with tests and assignments, then this concept really makes a difference. You don't have to achieve a perfect score on every item in the class; it just needs to be higher than most students. This means that a student does not need to be better than everyone in the college, just those students in the class.

Devin Collier is a graduate student attending Brigham Young University. He maintains a blog about BYU Campus secrets and has a technology blog with reviews, tips, and tricks about the latest technology.

Financial Planning For College

By Amanda Suryan

Distance learning is one of the cheapest ways a person can earn a college degree. Let me share with you some things to keep in mind when preparing for your children's college education.

Even if you do decide to take the less expensive route of distance learning, the most important step you can take is to study what the Lord says about money in the Bible. Usually there are three main categories that a family's income will fall into: spending, savings, and tithes. God's Word has something to say about each of those categories. If we want to be wise about money period (let alone saving money for a college education), we should each seek to understand God's will for us personally regarding the funds He provides us. No two families are in the same boat, so this is something every one of us should to do. I can't do it for you, and you can't do it for me. But you can get help. Crown Financial Ministries has some excellent resources on what the Bible says about money, and I'd encourage you to check them out. That's just one example. I'm sure there are many more out there.

Another important point is to be open with your family members about who is paying for what. Are Mom and Dad going to cover everything or will your child be expected to help out? If the student will be financing a portion (or all) of his education, make sure he or she knows at least rough figures. That will involve some research, but it will be well worth it. Trust me when I tell you that this step will save a lot of stress! Money is one of the main issues that families have disagreements about. Usually all it takes to bring peace to everyone is a little research and communication.

When I was earning my degree through accelerated distance learning, there were some unexpected and heavy costs that I thought my parents were going to cover, but didn't. My measly bank account took a beating. That's how I know communication is so important. It will save your child from stress and possible bitterness against you. Lay everything out in the open!

Something else to think about is whether or not your child will be working at a job outside the home while he is earning his degree. All throughout my college experience, I worked part-time. With distance learning, my job was easy to fit in around my study schedule, so it worked well for me. Plus it was a good way for me to save up money for those unexpected expenses. Your family, on the other hand, may decide that you want all of your child's attention focused on his schoolwork. That's something you'll have to decide as a family.

I hope that I've given you some ideas that will be helpful to you as you plan for the future education of your children. May God bless you as you seek His will for your family in all things.

Crown Financial Ministries: http://www.crown.org Amanda Suryan is an expert on accelerated distance learning. She has an amazing mini-course called, "Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Becoming a Distance Learner!" To claim your FREE copy, visit: http://www.DistanceLearnerSite.com

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering - GATE

By Rohit Kumar Mehra

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an all-India examination administered and conducted in eight zones across the country by the GATE Committee comprising faculty from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordinating Board - GATE, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), and Government of India.

The zones and the corresponding administrative institutes of GATE are:

Zone 1 - Indian Institute of Science Bangalore

Zone 2 - Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Zone 3 - Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

Zone 4 - Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

Zone 5 - Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Zone 6 - Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Zone 7 - Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Zone 8 - Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

Some institutions specify GATE as the mandatory qualification even for admission of self-financing students to postgraduate programmes. GATE qualified candidates in Engineering disciplines are also eligible for the award of Junior Research Fellowship in CSIR Laboratories. Some government organizations prescribe GATE qualification as a requirement for applying to the post of a Scientist/Engineer.GATE is generally conducted on the second Sunday of February every year. Admission to all Post Graduate Degree Programmes with MHRD Scholarship / Assistantship in Engineering / Technology/ Architecture/Pharmacy in India is open to those who qualify at GATE.

SCHOLARSHIPS:

A candidate is eligible for Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) Scholarship/ Assistantship in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Pharmacy/Sciences at engineering colleges/institutes in the country if he/she qualifies in GATE. To avail the scholarship

" The candidate must secure admission to such a postgraduate programme, as per the prevailing procedure of the admitting institution. GATE qualification by itself does not guarantee admission. GATE qualified candidates in Engineering disciplines are also eligible for the award of the Junior Research Fellowship in CSIR Laboratories.

AFTER GATE EXAM:

" Cracking GATE is important to get admission to postgraduate programmes and avail scholarship benefits for studying in various government-engineering colleges of India.

" Once qualify in GATE, is eligible to pursue doctoral programme in chosen branch of science like, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Application.

" Scoring well in GATE helps to pursue M. Tech program in any of the leading institutes of India.

" After qualify in GATE, one become eligible for the award of JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) in the CSIR laboratories.

A major advantage about GATE is that of getting the opportunity to be a part of any nationally reputed Educational Institute and continue learning and research.

Rohit Mehra is webmaster of http://www.gateprep.com/ Gate Exam India, which is a leading online education portal, provides a platform where students or engineering aspirants can have online tutorials for GATE competitive exam like. The portal intends to provide an elite expert panel, comprising GATE students, graduates and engineering coaching professional who have a common passion for Engineering Entrance exams in particular and science in general. The panel will provide online guidance to students appearing for the JEE. The biggest asset of the venture is that it is free, no subscription cost either! This comes as a huge-advantage to the student community who has been craving for personalized help, but could not afford it due to costs or demographics. It also breaks all geographic barriers to bring together some of the best brains in the industry to help nurture the next generation.

Common Admission Test (CAT)

By Rohit Kumar Mehra

CAT Examination or Common Admission Test is carried out each year by Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs). Common Admission Test ascertains candidate's presence of mind and mental ability to perform during pressure. Success in CAT examination depends majorly upon two important parameters.

• Reducing the number of negatives and managing a strike rate of 85%

• Intelligently choosing questions to answer by picking those, which one is sure about the answers and avoiding the rest .

CAT entrance examination is conducted as criteria to shortlist aspirants who are looking for admission to the six IIMs including

• IIM Ahmedabad

• IIM Bangalore

• IIM Calcutta

• IIM Lucknow

• IIM Indore

• IIM Kozhikode

Apart from the IIMs some of the top management institutes such as Management Development Institute, S.P Jain Institute, Nirma Institute of Management, T.A. PAI and IMT also offer admission to applicants appeared for CAT.

The duration of the examination is of 120 minutes and the number of questions asked in common admission test varies each year. Therefore, a usual CAT examination has questions varying between 75 and 150 . This is an objective based examination and so the aspirant has to choose the best answer for each of the question which is marked at the OMR sheet. Every correct answer is awarded with one mark and every wrong answer faces a deduction of 1/4th of a mark. Differential marks are offered to the questions and therefore questions may be 0.5 mark, 1 mark or 2 marks.

CAT exam is conducted once a year in November/December and those who have graduated with minimum 50% aggregate marks are eligible to sit for it. Additionally those appearing in the final examination of graduation are also eligible for appearing in CAT.

Exam Pattern

Although the exam pattern of CAT is not consistent, usually 75 to 100 numbers of questions are asked in a CAT examination. The marks may also vary from 0.5 mark, 1 mark or 2 marks on a correct answer as well as deduction of 1/4 or 1/3 can be expected on a wrong answer. CAT Examination is conducted to test the ability of the aspirant in following areas which are

• Verbal Ability

• Reading Comprehension

• Problem Solving

• Data Interpretation

• Logical Reasoning

• Data Sufficiency

• Maths Problems

The pattern of this test has often been changed in the past.

2005 exam pattern consisted of:

• Three sections of data interpretation / reasoning, quantitative analysis, and reading, comprehension/verbal ability.

• Duration- 2 hours

• Total number of questions- 90

• Negative marking- 1/3 of mark allotted for a single correct answer

• Total number of questions in DI/Reasoning- 30

• Total number of questions in Qualitative analysis- 30

• Total number of questions in Reading Comprehension/Verbal ability- 30

All three sections carried 50 marks each.

Rohit Mehra is webmaster of http://www.gobskool.com/ - CAT Exam which is a leading online education portal provides a platform where students or MBA aspirants can have online tutorials for competitive exams like Common Admission Test (CAT). The panel will provide online guidance to students appearing for the CAT. The biggest asset of the venture is that it is free, no subscription cost either! This comes as a huge-advantage to the student community who has been craving for personalized help, but could not afford it due to costs or demographics. It also breaks all geographic barriers to bring together some of the best brains in the industry to help nurture the next generation.