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BIO-AQUA

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Good day everyone,

Now many people face problems once reaching their senior year. Their whole tiime is occupied by IB work, despite the fact that there are other exams to worry about. Time management is not the major topic here, it's the admission tests. Many have probably heard of the common ones (such as the SATs, BMATs..). Anyway, you will find a list of the most important admission tests in many countries and for different majors. Any additional help is greatly appreciated.

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1. SATs (Language proficiency and Mathematics)

The SAT Reasoning Test is a measure of the critical thinking skills you'll need for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well you analyze and solve problems—skills you learned in school that you'll need in college. The SAT is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors.

Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200—800, with two writing subscores for multiple-choice and the essay. It is administered seven times a year in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories, and six times a year overseas.

The SAT includes several different question types, including: a student-produced essay, multiple-choice questions, and student-produced responses (grid-ins). Check the attachments for detailed approaches to each section.

1- Critical Reading:

70 min. (two 25-min. sections and one 20-min. section). Content: Critical reading and sentence-level reading. Items:Reading comprehension, sentence completions, and paragraph-length critical reading. Score: 200-800

The critical reading section, formerly known as the verbal section, includes short reading passages along with the existing long reading passages. Analogies have been eliminated, but sentence-completion questions and passage-based reading questions remain.

2- The Mathematics Section:

70 min. (two 25-min. sections and one 20-min. section). Content: Number and operations; algebra and functions; geometry; statistics, probability, and data analysis. Items: Five-choice multiple-choice questions and student-produced responses. Score: 200-800

The SAT includes mathematics topics from up through a third-year college preparatory course, such as exponential growth, absolute value, and functional notation. It also places emphasis on such topics as linear functions, manipulations with exponents, and properties of tangent lines. Important skills such as estimation and number sense are measured through the multiple-choice and student response (grid-in) questions (formerly measured in the quantitative comparison format).

Can I use a calculator?

Yes. Students can use a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator. The College Board recommends that students use at least a scientific calculator for the SAT, although it's still possible to solve every question without a calculator.

3- The Writing Section

60 min. Content: Grammar, usage, and word choice. Items: Multiple choice questions (35 min.) and student-written essay (25 min.). Score: 200-800

The writing section includes both multiple-choice questions and a direct writing measure in the form of an essay.

A- Short Essay

* The short essay measures your ability to:

- Organize and express ideas clearly

- Develop and support the main idea

- Use appropriate word choice and sentence structure

You'll be asked to develop a point of a view on an issue, using reasoning and evidence — based on your own experiences, readings, or observations — to support your ideas.

The essay will be scored by trained high school and college teachers. Each reader will give the essay a score from 1 to 6 (6 is the highest score) based on the overall quality of the essay and your demonstration of writing competence.

B- Multiple-Choice:

* The multiple-choice writing questions measure your ability to:

- Improve sentences and paragraphs

- Identify errors (such as diction, grammar, sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, proper word usage, and wordiness)

For more information, please click here.

Some tips for the SAT

Overall Approach

Overall_Test_Approach.pdf


Approach to the Writing Section

Approaches_to_the_Writing_Section.pdf


Approach to the Reasoning Section

Approaches_to_the_Mathematics_Section.pdf


The Critical Writing Test

The_Critical_Reading_Section_of_the_SAT_I_Reasoning_Test.pdf

2. TOEFL (Language proficiency)

The TOEFL® (Test of English as a Foreign Language™) test measures the ability of nonnative speakers of English to use and understand English as it is spoken, written, and heard in college and university settings.

The TOEFL test is offered in different formats depending on a test taker's location.

The Internet-based TOEFL® Test (iBT) tests all four language skills that are important for effective communication: reading, listening, speaking and writing. The test helps students demonstrate that they have the English skills needed for success.

Most people take the TOEFL test as a prerequisite for admission into colleges and universities where English is used or required. In addition, many government, licensing, and certification agencies and exchange and scholarship programs use TOEFL scores to evaluate the English proficiency of people for whom English is not their native language.

Nonnative English speakers at the 11th-grade level or above should take the TOEFL test to provide evidence of their English proficiency before beginning academic work. The test content is considered too difficult for students below 11th grade.

For more information, please click here.

3. IELTS (Language Proficiency)

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking – for people who intend to study or work where English is the language of communication.

Since 1989, IELTS has been proven and trusted worldwide to provide a secure, global, authentic and customer-focused test which measures true to life ability to communicate in English. Close to 5,000 education institutions, faculties, government agencies and professional organisations around the world recognise IELTS scores as a trusted and valid indicator of ability to communicate in English.

More than 700,000 people a year are now using IELTS to open doors throughout the English-speaking world and beyond. The test is taken every year across 120 countries, and is one of the fastest growing English language tests in the world, and sets the standard in integrity, research and innovation.

For more information, please click here.

4. BMAT (Medicine + related sciences)

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is a subject-specific admissions test taken by applicants to certain medicine, veterinary medicine and related courses at the institutions listed below. The BMAT is owned and administered by Cambridge Assessment, the new identity for UCLES, one of the worlds largest assessment agencies. We are responsible for producing and marking the test, and also facilitate an extensive worldwide centre network at which candidates can sit the BMAT.

The next BMAT test will take place on Wednesday 31st October 2007.

The BMAT is needed for: Cambridge University, Imperial College London, University of Oxford Medical School, Royal Veterinary College and University College London.

For more information, please click here.

5. UKCAT (Medicine + related sciences)

The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is used in the selection process by a consortium of UK university Medical and Dental Schools.

The test helps universities to make more informed choices from amongst the many highly-qualified applicants who apply for their medical and dental degree programmes.

It ensures that the candidates selected have the most appropriate mental abilities, attitudes and professional behaviours required for new doctors and dentists to be successful in their clinical careers.

The UKCAT does not contain any curriculum or science content; nor can it be revised for. It focuses on exploring the cognitive powers of candidates and other attributes considered to be valuable for health care professionals.

The test is run by the UKCAT Consortium in partnership with Pearson VUE, a global leader in computer-based testing and part of Pearson plc. It is delivered on computer on a worldwide basis through Pearson VUE’s high street centres.

For more information, please click here.

6. UMAT (Medicine - Australia and New Zealand only)

The Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) is a test administered in Australia and New Zealand to help determine who is fit to study and practice medicine, dentistry, physiology or pharmacy. As its name suggests, only those wishing to study undergraduate medicine or health sciences degrees are required to sit the test (mostly school leavers).

For more information, please click here.

7. GMAT (Business and Management)

The Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) is a standardized assessment—delivered in English—that helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management. Schools use the test as one predictor of academic performance in an MBA program or in other graduate management programs.

What the GMAT® Measures

The GMAT® exam measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that you have developed over a long period of time in your education and work. It does NOT measure:

your knowledge of business, your job skills, specific content in your undergraduate or first university course work, your abilities in any other specific subject area, or

subjective qualities—such as motivation, creativity, and interpersonal skills.

Format and Timing

The GMAT® exam consists of three main parts, the Analytical Writing Assessment, the Quantitative section, and the Verbal section.

1- Analytical Writing Assessment

The GMAT® exam begins with the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA). The AWA consists of two separate writing tasks—Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an Argument. You are allowed 30 minutes to complete each one.

2- Quantitative Section

Following an optional ten-minute break, you begin the Quantitative Section of the GMAT® exam. This section contains 37 multiple-choice questions of two question types—Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. You will be allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to complete the entire section.

3-Verbal Section

After a second optional ten-minute break, you begin the Verbal Section of the GMAT® exam. This section contains 41 multiple choice questions of three question types—Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction. You are allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to complete the entire section.

For more information, please click here.

8. LSAT (Law)

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a half-day standardized test required for admission to all ABA-approved law schools, most Canadian law schools, and many non-ABA-approved law schools. It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use as one of several factors in assessing applicants. The test is administered four times a year at hundreds of locations around the world.

Many law schools require that the LSAT be taken by December for admission the following fall. However, taking the test earlier—in June or October—is often advised.

For more information, please click here.

That's it for now.. Have a nice day everyone. :(

Edited by BIO-AQUA
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  • 3 weeks later...

You. Are. A. Saint! Where's the thank button???? :P

- Recommendation Letters (from your six or seven teachers + one or two extra). There are slips that the advisor gives you to sign your name and give to your teachers who will be writing for you. The letters remain confidential, and you never read them.

*cough*

Technically.

My teachers showed me my reference letters. :lol: But then I had nice teachers.

- Predicted Grades. These are gathered by the advisor from each one of your teachers, and again, they remain unknown (until the time the results come out.. By then, the surprise element is gone.

Again depends on your school. My school had no problem telling me my predicted grades.

FIRM CHOICE: This is where you want to be - no change at all. Done.

INSURANCE CHOICE: In case something happens, this is your second and next best choice.

Technically, this applies more to UK universities. But I suppose you can use it to prioritise (sp? that looks wrong...) your university choices in general as well.

US universities usually give you unconditional offers right away, so you know you're in before you even do your exams anyway, so you just accept your first university choice out of the ones you've gotten accepted to.

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thanx bio-aqua, this is a very helpful thread. as for me i am planning to get into an engineering course, but am not sure yet whether to study electric or electonic and now a new in idea in my head says biomedical engineering, i still have till the end of this month to decide, which is more than enough...

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Again depends on your school. My school had no problem telling me my predicted grades.

l.

Same here. My predicted grades was actually discussed with me since the teachers put what the grade I was aiming for in the exams. In a realistic way of course.

Btw, recommendations letters. Do you write that for UK universities as well? :lol:

Oh and of course, bio-aqua, you have my full and unconditional graditute for all the work you have put about uni :P

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Yes. This applies to all universities. In case of the UK, the UCAS takes care of these things.

Oh okay. I never knew that. So am I just suppose to ask teachers to write a letter and how do they send them? I mean, I apply individually through UCAS and I haven't found a part in the form for recommendations. Just the refrence.

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Oh okay. I never knew that. So am I just suppose to ask teachers to write a letter and how do they send them? I mean, I apply individually through UCAS and I haven't found a part in the form for recommendations. Just the refrence.

there is a part! it's under the "referee details" section, you're not supposed to fill that out yourself. if you're applying yourself, just give your username and password to who ever your referee is and let them fill ou that part for you. Or if your school allows you to view recommendations then just fill it out yourself :lol:

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there is a part! it's under the "referee details" section, you're not supposed to fill that out yourself. if you're applying yourself, just give your username and password to who ever your referee is and let them fill ou that part for you. Or if your school allows you to view recommendations then just fill it out yourself :D

****. I need to give them my password? :D *rushes off*

But okay, thank you :) I will probably have the IBC to fill it out. I was going to have the Head of IB at my school to do it but problem is that he is sort of 'family' now so it would propose a problem then.

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I passed by the university advisor's office today and asked about the UCAS form. You practically fill it out yourself and give the username and password to the university advisor (or whoever substitutes) to double check. It's better to do this to be on the safe side.

As for the recommendation letters, the advisor (or the IBC) takes care of receiving and sending them to the UCAS. Mostly, you never get to see them.

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I really don't know what I would do without you :D However I am confused about this part?

you will be able to send your application to your referee.

So we are suppose to send them or give your password and if the first one, how? :/ I know I have a lot of questions. The closer the deadline comes the more anxious I become of things :D

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I passed by the university advisor's office today and asked about the UCAS form. You practically fill it out yourself and give the username and password to the university advisor (or whoever substitutes) to double check. It's better to do this to be on the safe side.

As for the recommendation letters, the advisor (or the IBC) takes care of receiving and sending them to the UCAS. Mostly, you never get to see them.

not really... if you apply through bridge international (and yes I onyl mean Bio-Aqua int his case) you get to see them since they give them to you in sealed envelopes which you can take a sneak peak at while giving them to your counselor in birdge :D that's what I did.. I didn't know my IBC and principle thought so higly of me :D

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So we are suppose to send them or give your password and if the first one, how? :/ I know I have a lot of questions. The closer the deadline comes the more anxious I become of things :)

OK.. Well basically you have your referee (who is the university advisor/ IBC or whoever substitutes). In any case, before you send your final application prior to Oct. 15 (for medicine only), they double check your info and add/remove certain things to make your application suitable for sending. You have to give your referee your username and password (as well as the buzzword in case they don't know it- in my case, the university advisor gave it to me) since there may be times when the application needs some stuff and you might not be able to do anything (due to studying/exams or any other reason). So you share your username and password with yourself and the referee only.That's it!! :)

not really... if you apply through bridge international (and yes I onyl mean Bio-Aqua int his case) you get to see them since they give them to you in sealed envelopes which you can take a sneak peak at while giving them to your counselor in birdge :D that's what I did.. I didn't know my IBC and principle thought so higly of me :(

Wow. Talk about confidentiality :) .. They are sealed for a reason, Lc!! :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well the teachers have to give the predicted grades by mid september/october according to each individual and what he/she is applying to. For example, medicine students applying to the UK need to have everything ready before Oct. 15th.. You might want to check with your school. (Note that you don't know your grades, if that's what you mean). There is no 'faking' predicted grades!

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