interested in STUDYING ABROAD?

[beanie]

hi! i want to take my graduate studies in the u.s. or uk.. i graduated 2 years ago, marketing degree, pero my work experience is not really related to marketing.. will that affect my application? and if you could give me advice on what courses i can take.. thanks!

[ercole]

Ha? Kararating ko nga lang noong pasokan. Ayoko na sanang bumalik dito pero ok na rin... anyway, gradutating na naman ako and my visa is multiple. That means, pwede akong pa balik balik kung kailan ko gusto. At, dahil dalawa na ng brothers ko nandoon na, gusto ko, doon na rin ako. We have a flat in Manchester (actually my sister's) who also graduted MBA there and anytime I can stay with her, libre (syempre) dahil single pa din naman s'ya. My younger brother is in London studyig at UCL. He is staying in one of UCL's student residences.

Hi! How tough is it to be accepted in MBA schools in the UK?
Requirements? Applications times? Approximate tuition and expenses per year? I actually got my undergrad in the US and for a change of atmosphere, I am thinking of getting an MBA or some graduate degree related to International Econ/Finance/Management/etc. either in the Australia or the UK. Any suggestions for good but affordable schools?

Any Filipinos here in PEx doing their MBA in the US? Can you please share your experiences? Any suggestions for the applications or the GMAT prep? The top private B-schools (Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Mellon, etc.) maybe too expensive for me and so I'm just looking for good state univs. (UT-Austin, Michigan and the like) or other small schools (but should at least be in the top 50). Anyone here studying in UCLA? How hard/easy is it to get into Anderson?
Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ercole]

how important really is the GRE score in applying to graduate programs in american universities? i'm applying to three prestigious schools of journalism - NYU, columbia, and northwestern. i'm starting to feel like i don't have a chance given my score in the GRE verbals. i have a pretty high GWA though, and i've received scholarship from japan. are these going to matter despite my GRE score?
hope someone can provide me with a sound answer. thanks!

Hi! I have many friends in grad schools (in different US states) and my experience is mostly in the sciences/eng'g so my reply may or may not be applicable to you. In the sciences, the GRE score is not really that much important but it helps your application tremendously. Most schools have a cut-off for the GRE scores and the GPA; I think you should ask them that. Normally, if you write the admission office, they would tell you forthright the minimum requirements. Application to grad school here in the US is extremely competitive, most especially if you're after a scholarship. So it's almost always given that one should have high grades and GRE scores, and one is mostly competing based on his/her background/experiences and of course the letter of recommendations. But I'm positive that one can win them with an superb personal essay of accomplishments despite an average GRE. Good luck!

[kelunji]

For those who want to study in Japan, inquire about the Monbokugasho Scholarship at the Japanese Embassy. If you are a government employee inquire at your JICA office.

[extranjero]

ako gusto ko... i always wanted to take master's abroad... pero nasa undergrad pa lang ako... kaso mukhang mahal ata ang processing nito e! pwede bang may shoshoulder ng expenses? scholar?

[shiftbackspace]

I am planning to take GRE, since it is required by most universities. What reviewers can you recommend? For those who took the test, how will you rate it (para magka-idea ako ng chances ko )?

Thanks.

[shiftbackspace]

(double post) sorry.

[krystle]

Barron's GRE reviewer is the best! I got 800 (quantitative) and 740 (verbal).

[HURST]

^

Hayop. ang galing mo naman!

[rave]

I want to elaborate more about kelunji's post about studying in Japan.

The easiest way (I think) appears to be securing a Monbukagakusho scholarship. Other companies may be funding their own grants, but I am not familiar with them.

Grantees of the scholarship will be funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education. As far as I know, there is no return of service contract, except for the informal insinuation that you will someday help your home country using what you have learned.

Your central hub for your application process will be the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines. The application process takes one year.

http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/
http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/scholarship/monbusho.html

The scholarship accepts undergraduate and graduate level students, among others.

http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/scholarship/undergrad.htm
http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/scholarship/research.htm

In the case of graduate level studies (Masters or PhD), you will initially be enrolled as a non-degree research student, and you must pass your school's usual entrance exam and admissions process. I have to stress here that in Japan, the hardest part in studying in any university is the entrance exam. I recommend that you start studying for it as early as possible. Most departments have sample exams you can download, in English and Japanese. I have heard stories in some cases where the professor or department waives the admissions process, but this did not happen to me.

One of the reasons that the application period is so long, is that it gives you enough time to contact a Japanese professor to accept you as a member in his laboratory (only applicable in graduate studies, I think). Although the Ministry of Education assigns you to a professor anyway, having an informal correspondence and agreement with your professor of choice will greatly increase your chances of getting accepted. Surf through university websites and find out the laboratories and professors with research aligned to your desired field of study. Try to contact them through email and present your case. The more popular universities in Japan have quite a number of foreign students, so this won't be much of a surprise to them. Try to be polite. And remember, it is the student who will adjust to the research preferences of the professor, not the other way around.

Once you have a host laboratory waiting for you in Japan, you can now complete your application forms and submit them to the embassy. There will be a few more formalities, including an interview. All I can say is that read the goals of the scholarship carefully and you will know what to say.

If you have difficulty reading Japanese webpages, install your OS's Japanese language files, and use Babelfish. It also helps if you learn Katakana.

-----

And about the off-campus aspect of it all, it's cool to live here. Once you have gone past the language barrier, you'd be able to enjoy the unique aspects here, like their music, Japanese gag shows, and video games, among other things. Tip ko lang, try to make it in a university in the Tokyo area. Lalo na kung ma-gimik ka.

[kelunji]

rave,

thanks for the elaboration. are you studying in Japan right now? w/c university? I spent 6 months 2 years ago there, from Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, Kagoshima , Sapporo and other small towns. I stayed mostly in Osaka, Tokyo and the longest in Sapporo at Hokkaido University.

I'm hoping I'd get back this year.

[kelunji]

One of the reasons that the application period is so long, is that it gives you enough time to contact a Japanese professor to accept you as a member in his laboratory (only applicable in graduate studies, I think). Although the Ministry of Education assigns you to a professor anyway, having an informal correspondence and agreement with your professor of choice will greatly increase your chances of getting accepted. Surf through university websites and find out the laboratories and professors with research aligned to your desired field of study. Try to contact them through email and present your case. The more popular universities in Japan have quite a number of foreign students, so this won't be much of a surprise to them. Try to be polite. And remember, it is the student who will adjust to the research preferences of the professor, not the other way around.

elaborate ko lang ito. baka isipin ng iba magiging slave ka ng sensei mo sa Japan. totoo, iba ang culture doon, matindi ang sempai-kohai (senior-junior) relationship at heirarchy. e.g., as the new-comer, its you're assumed role to fill up the coffee-pot and the place for your shoes is at the bottom portion of the lab shoebox. pero aalagaan ka naman, yung mga professor talagang nagtuturo and if you have problems the sensei will act like your foster parent. all he/she asks is that you inform them where you go or what you want to do (my sensei phones my dorm if I'm not in the lab and inquires if I'm alright). contrast this with Western professors that practically leave you to your devices and rarely teach.

[Dennis21]

kelunji and rave,

do you know sir Noriel Tiglao and kuya Val, his barkada, both from the UP College of Engineering? They just came back last year from a four-year (master's to PhD.) study at the University of Tokyo. Sabi nila, madali lang daw mag-aral doon compared sa UP. Is this true?

[rave]

kelunji: Yes I am studying in Japan right now, sa University of Tokyo. Kararating ko pa lang (1 year) and the only classes I have ever took so far are Nihongo classes. I will start my formal course soon, though. I wrote that post on the scholarship based on personal experience.

Dennis21: I won't be surprised. I personally know quite a number of UP Engineering ex-faculty who are studying here. And tungkol dun sa sinabi mo na mas madali mag aral sa University of Tokyo kaysa sa UP, well I sure hope it's true. Pero ayun nga, as I said earlier, it is general knowledge that the most difficult part of Japanese academics are entrance exams. Quoting a friend na nauna sa akin by 1 year, pag pumasa ka raw, pwede mo nang itulog hanggang graduation. Another way to view it is given by a friend in my lab, that Japanese universities put more weight on research outputs rather than classroom lessons, so in effect, classes are really easy. Maghanda ka nga lang on your thesis defense day.

[KuyaDanny]

maybe too expensive for me and so I'm just looking for good state univs. (UT-Austin, Michigan and the like)

Michigan MBA tuition is no longer cheap for nonresidents of Michigan. It's about the same as tuition at private schools.

[kelunji]

kelunji and rave,

do you know sir Noriel Tiglao and kuya Val, his barkada, both from the UP College of Engineering? They just came back last year from a four-year (master's to PhD.) study at the University of Tokyo. Sabi nila, madali lang daw mag-aral doon compared sa UP. Is this true?

sorry, I was a JICA kenshuin (trainee) and based at Tokyo International Center in Nishihara, Shibuya and Hokkaido University, Sapporo. never went to Tokyo U. But regarding tertiary education, well from what I saw at Hokkudai, medyo loko-loko din mga estudyante. Accdg. to them, medyo dun lang daw kasi sila nakakapagbulakbol after yung very tight life nila during elementary and hi-skul. compared daw sa mga huli, sisiw na daw ang college and beyond.

rave,

ok yang Nihonggo classes, masaya hehe. short-termer lang kasi ako kaya crash-course na 40hours, pwede na mambarat sa flea-market hehe.

In my case mas madali ang JICA scholarship, I just met our expert today and he just told me that I got the scholarship (all I did was submit my CV, but then they already have my previous record) but they still have yet to find a sensei, my previous one is old and due to retire next year and can't accept anymore students. So if there are other gov't employees here subukan niyo sa JICA. konti na lang sahod natin so might as well take advantage of the available benefits.

[he_qi_mei07]

is it hard to get a visa to study in the pi ?

[OliverWood21]

Perfect thread, exactly what I need.

I have been researching for weeks on any scholarships that I can find abroad (wanted to pursue an MBA). Well, I think its relatively easier to study abroad if you have the funds but it will take three times (or even more) effort to find fellowship grants to International Students.

Based from my research, there is a very slim chance of getting an "Ivy-League" scholarship for people who don't have significant work experience or extraordinarily high GPA or GMAT scores. So I am setting aside my dream of studying in the US for now since I don't have money yet (who knows, I might pursue a PhD 5 years from now). I am looking at the options of studying in Canada (Queens or Univ of Manitoba), Singapore (INSEAD or Nanyang), and Australia. Fingers crossed, I hope I can find a fellowship.

Why don't "big time" US schools like Harvard, Kellog, Sloan, Wharton prioritize on recruiting more people from underdeveloped countries such as the Philippines as what Australia is doing now?

Makes me think that World-Class US Education is really exclusive for wealthy people.

[KuyaDanny]

Because citizens of underdeveloped countries have significant legal impediments to getting good jobs in the United States after graduation. Business schools want to get students who are bright and show potential to succeed. These schools want their alumni to get hired and make a lot of money after graduation, so that the schools can brag about the graduates and maybe the graduates can donate some money. Sure, these legal impediments can be overcome, but the schools will not do it for the students. Why should they when they can easily choose from so many other applicants who are US citizens or permanent residents?

[OliverWood21]

^^
KD,

Just my 2 cents, this only proves that top-tier US schools are more of a business venture than an altruistic institution.

Well, realistically, that's the main reason why these schools exist anyway.

Good thing that schools in Australia and Japan are more open for financially incapable Filipinos to study.