As it comes closer to that wonderful time of college applications, you’ll have to start deciding where you’ll be applying to. Even if you already have some ideas where to apply to, it’s usually good to decide in concrete first where you’ll be applying. of course before you apply you need to have a high school diploma, if you didn’t get it yet apply fast for the free GED classes or programs that are available  in every  city. Here is a website that has a huge database of free of charge GED classes. 

It should take you about a month or two to get your GED certificate then follow my steps.

The average student will apply to somewhere between five and ten schools. This gives you a good selection once you know where you’re admitted, and you can pick your best fit of those. You should never put all of your eggs in one basket when it comes to college applications. The best way to decide where to apply is to divide your colleges into three main categories: Top choices, safety schools, and reach schools.

#1: Your top choices

You should apply first and foremost to your top choices — the schools you can realistically see yourself attending. These are schools that you have a reasonable chance of getting into, and it’s reasonably likely that you would also attend them if you were accepted.

These are the meat and potatoes of your applications, and you should make sure that these applications are bulletproof. Even if some of the schools are a bit of a stretch, chances are you’ll be admitted into at least one.

I recommend applying to at least three of these schools, if not more.

#2: Your safety school(s)

Safety schools are schools that you are extremely confident will admit you. These schools are your Plan B — if none of your top choices accept you for some horrible reason, at least your safety school will still take you. Chances are you won’t need your safety, but it’s good to know that you’re admitted at least somewhere.

Depending on how strong your high school resume is, what might be a “safety school” for you could be someone else’s top choice. Apply to the best safety school you can, but make sure that you’re extremely confident that you’ll be accepted. You can even apply to different ‘levels’ of safety schools, where some are more sure bets than others.

You probably won’t need more than two safety schools, if even that many. Read More →

The other day I received a question about SAT practice books — which I used and how I prepared for the test.

It may be an expensive way to prepare, but I’ve always believed the best way to prepare for the SAT is to take it, I have done a similar thing when I took GED test, then first I followed for  5 weeks GED class on internet  and then I took a test.

Once you’ve taken it, you’ll have a good idea what to expect — what types of questions are on it, the typical time limits, and so forth. When you come back and take the test a second time, you’ll know much better what to expect and be far more prepared.

Personally, I didn’t use any SAT books — my original plan was to use the test as a practice, then buy a book, study that, and take the test again. However, I got lucky with my test and I was happy enough with the score not to bother retaking the SAT. In the end, I didn’t buy any book, I just “winged” the test and that managed to work out.

When it comes to which book is best, I haven’t experimented with too many. Nate at Debt-Free Scholar wrote a review of the 411 Sat Prep Series, which contains three books with help for the three areas: Math, Writing, and Reading. Based on this review, this series definitely looks like a solid contender.

I believe that using just about any book at all will help. Generally more reputable sources, like Princeton Review, will likely be more beneficial.

The key to preparing is to study your weak areas. If you’re solid at math, then you need to focus on reading and writing to make sure that you’re ready. Take as many practice tests as you can, and look closely at your results to try to find specific areas that need improvement. Study all questions — including the ones you got right — to learn what strategies have and have not worked for you.

One advantage to standardized testing is the multitude of practice tests. I found that practice tests are the best way to prepare for me, and since there are so many SAT practice tests online, it becomes very easy to quickly test yourself.

Preparing before arriving in the USA

Scholarship grant and private students need to organize themselves prior to embarking on a life-changing adventure of learning overseas by working on these guidelines:

- Research about American Universities

• You should do some research about some universities before deciding on a school. You can find numerous independently owned sites that will support you with this endeavor. For instance if you would like to have more understanding of MBA programs, check out Mackmo.com. This is a small-scale website that discusses costs versus advantages of many MBA programs very critically. Another one is poetsandquanst.com. I’m quite sure that you have never been told about these websites, but you will be excited when you check them.
• International students may additionally obtain information on various other websites and look for specific programs, such as course or study that do not require the GMAT. You can find websites such as MackMo that list in online MBA studies without GMAT: www.mackmo.com/gmat
  
• Deciding upon the university: The Directory of US Universities & Colleges Recommended for Study of Saudi Students is actually produced in agreement with specific considerations authorized by the Ministry of Higher Education , that comprise, but are not limited to, regional and professional accreditation by appropriate accrediting organizations in the USA. This directory is kept up to date every year.

- Learning the English language

Students are recommended to learn English, understanding the language would help students with the application process to American universities, enhance their knowledge of the American traditions and lifestyle, and organize them for additional studies in English if necessary.

English Language Training: Because English is the language of teaching in American universities and colleges, international students will have to show proof of their language competencies to meet up with admission requirements. The language skills of foreign students are assessed by certain tests for example the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and also the Michigan Test. Read More →

The educational system of Saudi Arabia has undergone a stunning improvement. Nowadays, the system consists of 27 private and 25 public universities, and this number is growing. The country has around 30,000 schools, and a significant variety of colleges and other educational institutions. The country’s education platform is available to all citizens and offers students free education, free study books and a care system.

Mohammed Luqman works at King Saud University in Riyadh, and he says that the country needs to concentrate more on higher education. We can find plenty students in undergrad classes, but what we really do need are more students in higher education. Many of our students want to study abroad,  because of scholarships, or decide to become employed as a consequence of the local and regional need for educated workers.  Read More →

Robert Lacey, who recently completed a second book about Saudi Arabia, says the country’s government consists largely of pro-Western moderates.

“The moderates in Saudi Arabia would dearly love to push all the bearded extremists on to a boat and send them off into the sea,” Lacey told Newsmax.TV. His new book is “Inside the Kingdom: Kings, Clerics, Modernists, Terrorists, and the Struggle for Saudi Arabia.”

Seventeen of the ministers in Saudi Arabia’s cabinet hold master’s degrees and Ph.D’s from American universities, Lacey said. Read More →

The Carter Doctrine was a policy proclaimed by President of the United States Jimmy Carter in his State of the Union Address on January 23 1980, which stated that the United States would use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf region. The doctrine was a response to the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, and was intended to deter the Soviet Union—the Cold War adversary of the United States—from seeking hegemony in the Persian Gulf. After stating that Soviet troops in Afghanistan posed “a grave threat to the free movement of Middle East oil,” Carter proclaimed: Read More →

Nothing is easier than to denounce the evil-doer. Nothing is more difficult than to understand him (Fyodor Dostoevsky – The Possessed)

Robert Lacey chose this famous Dostoevsky phrase to open his new book ‘Inside the Kingdom’ for the reason that he wanted to have an understanding of the traumatic events of 9/11 and the country that provided the majority (15) of the in total nineteen hijackers on the airplanes that were involved in this tragedy. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia never really was the place to be a favorite in the western hemisphere, and to be honest, how could you appreciate a nation that charges $70 or even more for something that is costing them below $10 to produce – and next brings you terrorists at the same time? Read More →

New York – Can terrorists be rehabilitated with kindness? On Friday, May 8 at 8:30 PM NOW on PBS partners with best-selling author and journalist Robert Lacey (The Kingdom, Majesty) to investigate the surprising success of Saudi Arabia’s approach to dealing with terrorists and extremists –without torture or water-boarding. Given extraordinary access to the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry and its practices, Lacey visits terrorist rehabilitation camps that use ‘soft policing’ tactics to be NICE to the bad guys. Read More →