Do you need to spend time on work and study for your online MBA course and you are wondering how you can possibly pass the course to get the ‘dream’ job that you need to succeed in life? What are the rules of passing this particular online exam?

Many people wonder what the rules are and the good thing is that there are not many rules, but there are some important things that you can do in order to ensure that you are better prepared than you might have been otherwise.

Here are the rules that you are longing for - the rules for your exam preparation.

Rule No. 1 - Familiarized with the exam format

Basically, you have to understand how the test is formatted. Each test that you take is going to be different and when you assume that this will be just another test you may be doing yourself a disservice. Therefore, you have to download practice tests and even take formal practice tests - these particular resources are searchable on the internet.

Rule No. 2 - Get yourself copies of practical guides and focus on every section

It is very important that you have to buy practice guides that explain all of the sections of the test to you (including the exam format as mentioned earlier). Focus on topics that are frequently asked during the exam. Do not simply assume that common questions asked will not be coming out during the exam day or vice versa. Knowing the format of the tests and what will be covered in each of the sections will give you higher chances of passing your exam with ease.

Rule No. 3 - Allocate sufficient time for revision

You need to allocate yourself at least 30 days for your revision. In this duration, you can make use of the time to:

• attend preparation courses
• buy books (you can purchase books via online)
• work with your coursemates who are taking the exam or have taken the exam in the past (you can find them by posting free online classifieds in Craigslist).

Distance learning programs have become increasingly popular in recent years. By offering individual attention and accredited lessons, distance learning programs are extremely appealing to parents of homeschooled children, especially those who want to do everything they can to help their children succeed in school and gain admission into college. However, the increase in the number of distance learning programs has also made it increasingly important for parents to take the time to choose the program that is best for their child or children.

The following is a short, simple, but effective guide to what parents should consider when choosing the right distance learning program for their child. Choose wisely. 

1. Individualized Programs - The entire idea behind a distance learning program is that it provides students with individual attention and an individually tailored curriculum that they might not necessarily receive at a traditional school. Parents looking to enroll their child in a distance learning program should consider whether a program provides this one-to-one attention and whether or not the program can be uniquely tailored. 

2. Consider the Teacher - Parents must also take the time to find a program that features highly qualified teachers who are able to effectively and efficiently communicate with the students they have been assigned to, as well as with their parents.

3. Accreditation - Parents should also make certain to select a program that has been officially recognized and accredited by an official licensing organization such as Western Association of Schools and Colleges. By doing so, the assure themselves that the curriculum is in line with academic standards, and that the teachers delivering the curriculum are fully credentialed.

4. Inspect the Curriculum - Since the ultimate goal of a distance learning program is often to prepare students for admission and success in college, parents must take the time to look over the curriculum to see if it is designed to help students meet admission requirements for a particular college or university. Other factors that parents should look for in a program’s curriculum include the method of delivery, the grade level covered, and whether or not it is aligned to local or national standards.

5. Read the Reviews - Since there are so many programs that parents can choose from, it is always important for them to look at what other parents are saying about them. Don’t be fooled by fancy graphics or “extra” features, instead, look at who is running the program, and who the program is accountable to.

Besides these five factors, parents should also look at a distance learning program’s record of college placement, the existence of learning opportunities with other colleges and universities, available support services, the “community” associated with the program, and whether or not the program offers any additional parent training.

Choosing the right distance learning program can be a huge decision in the life of both a parent and a child. There are definitely many factors to consider, but by taking the time to choose wisely, students can certainly reap the benefits of what has become an extremely effective method of preparing students for admission and success in college.

A few years ago, I attended an adult education school. It was great. I had tried a community college program before and thought I like it, until I tried this center. The classes at the adult school were concise and didn’t contain any filler classes.

I feel like I have wasted those three years at the community college. Some of the classes were not necessary and wasted my time. There were breaks in between classes that were sometimes three hours long.

The community college was not very flexible with beginning dates as well. There was either September or January. They only offered specific classes in each semester. I had no choice at to when I could attend class. I kind of felt like this school was in control of my life for three years.

Some days, we would begin early, and some days not till noon. Other days, we would work late or finish early. Keeping a part time job and going to school was stressful and confusing. It was difficult to keep classes, exams, assignments, and work hours all in order.

After not landing a job in my sector, I decided to go back to school. This time I was smarter. I decided to go to an adult education center for the main fact that it was only 8 months long and came out with a diploma and the community college version was two years.

This school was amazing. Classes began at 8 and ended at 1 everyday. We had 15 minutes breaks during the classes in which we were able to leave and come back. The programs were structured and organized.

The way the classes were organized was great. It was one subject at a time. Usually it would be two weeks, however sometimes they were one and three weeks long. I never had to worry about assignments for different classes or more than one test at a time. It was great.

There was even an employment specialist who worked with me to teach me how to write a resume, prepared me for interviews, and taught how the employer looks at everything. She always posted open positions in the community on a board and helped me tailor my resume to each position.

Also as I side note, I also attended university for one year prior to the community college. I hated it. The teachers did not know your name or even if you attended class. It was the worst educational experience I had.

So out of the three, I rank university the worst. Community college was better in that the class sizes were smaller and you really got to know your teachers and classmates. But above all, the Adult Education center was the best because you got to know your teachers, your classmates, it was easy to schedule a part time job around, there was no wasted time or classes, and only one subject to concentrate on at a time.

Since it is your future at stake, adopt a meticulous approach when selecting a university abroad. If you follow the step-by-step plan mentioned below, selecting the most suitable university for your study abroad will not be all that difficult. First, remember that the best college for you may not be the most popular/highly ranked, but one that offers your field of study and meets criteria important to you (such as financial aid, duration, etc.).

Step 1 - Self Evaluation

Do a thorough self-evaluation and short list around 50 universities. 

This involves-

Motivation behind pursuing education abroad- is it academic inclination/job possibilities/personal interest/specialization etc.

Realistic evaluation of professional and academic background- academic record (important in shortlisting universities by rank)/dedication/handling peer pressure/research or work experience in your field/certificates for extra-curricular activities.

Clear perspective of academic inclination- absolute surety of courses you want to follow

Clear picture about funding- Education abroad is expensive. Apart from the tuition fees various costs such as living, transportation, health insurance etc. are involved. In your case is it sponsorship/self-finance/ university funding etc.

Step 2 - Details of universities

Once through with self-evaluation, your focus must shift to acquiring hard-core details about the short-listed universities for your higher education. The broad areas you should get details on are 

* Specialization or programs offered and their duration * Ranking and faculty of the university * Approximate cost - tuition and other fees, accommodation, commuting, insurance* etc. * Entrance and academic eligibilities, tests required, accreditation status * Percentage of international students and their work experience * Other facilities and extra curricular * On the basis of these criteria short list roughly 25 to 30 universities.

Step 3 - Application

Next comes the application stage. On receiving application forms look into requirements such as minimum score of standardized exams, application deadlines, recommendation letters and other such relevant details. Compare this information with your criteria and segregate the universities in three categories 

* Those that meet your requirements * Those that do not meet your requirements and * Those that do not fall completely into either categories.

By logic, eliminate the universities in the second category. Further review the universities in the third category on the basis of ranking, research facilities, financial aid availability, admission requirements, program objectives and the approach adopted, location and student profile. By the end of this stage, you should have short-listed 7-10 (maximum 15) universities, in which you intend to apply.

Universities generally inform well in advance (from the commencement of the term) about their admission decisions. In case you have received more than one acceptance, prioritize on the basis of program (curriculum, duration, research facility etc.), reputation, costs and financial aid, best suited to your personal and professional requirements.

In case of a wait list in your first choice university and admission in second/other- pay the deposit and accept the offer to be on the safe side. At the same time accept to stay on the waiting list of the first choice university.

Exhaustive research on each university is essential to make the correct choice. It is time consuming, but never compromise on that.

* To get detailed insurance requirement information of over 500 international universities worldwide, click here

For students going abroad for higher studies, it is imperative to provide proof of sufficient funds (at least for first year expenses). Mostly all universities require sufficient proof of financial aid for meeting expenses such as application cost, tuition fees, accommodation and living, health insurance, transportation etc. Therefore unless financial aid can be arranged, studying abroad may not be possible at all.

If you are an Indian student planning to go abroad for education, you can consider the various sources for financial aid apart from your/parents’ savings. A main options are as follows -

Bank Loans 

Various banks such as Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Canara Bank, State Bank of India, Axis Bank, HSBC Bank, Indian Bank etc. provide education loans for studying abroad.

Depending upon the loan amount, certain percentage of security (such as NSE shares, house mortgage etc.) is required and interest is charged accordingly. Recently, most banks usually do not ask for security or collateral for a loan up to Rs. 4 lacs. The interest rates would generally not exceed the Prime Lending Rates (PLR). Certain banks also accept a third party guarantee instead of security. (But this is usually for loans between 4 lacs and 7.5 lacs).

To avail of bank loans, the candidate needs to fulfill certain conditions such as he must be an Indian resident, confirmation of admission and requirement of minimum annual income. The repayment of loan generally starts after six months of course completion or one-month of job (if employed immediately after course completion) and the entire amount has to be repaid in 5 to 7 years (from the first payment).

Trust Loans
Trust Loans are either free or charge a lower interest rate (2 to 4 %). The loan amount is variable and is usually up to Rs. 1.5 lacs. However, they generally have a deadline by which you must submit the loan application forms. Few of the well known trusts are- J.N. Tata Endowment (soft loans between Rs. 50,000 and Rs.1.5 lacs), Sahu Jain Trust, Mariwala Trust, K.C. Mahindra Education Trust and R.D. Sethna Scholarship Fund.

Fellowships

Fellowships are comparatively difficult to acquire due to stiff competition. The popular ones are- Inlaks Scholarships, Aga Khan Foundation, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships and AT & T Leadership Awards (only for U.S.).

Apart from these, you can also acquire financial assistance abroad by way of University Funding - Scholarship/Fellowships/Assistantships, U.S. Banks Student Loans (for US) and other sources.

One must remember that most universities provide financial aid to overseas students on merit and not on need. It is easier to avail monetary assistance for graduate programs than undergraduate courses. The aid amount varies for different universities and fields of specialization. Also note that it is easier to receive financial assistance from U.S. and U.K. universities than those in Australia, New Zealand or Canada.

In case of undergraduates, Aid forms from the institute as well as the Foreign Student’s Financial Aid Form has to be submitted along with a bank statement. Forms may ask details about your personal and total (family) annual income, average living expenses, asset details etc.

Postgraduate students must mention about financial aid requirement in their application forms. Meritorious students receive financial assistance most commonly in the form of tuition waivers, scholarship or fellowship and assistantships (a cash stipend to take care of their expenses and in return they work for certain hours a week- either teaching or research based).

Please note that Indians usually are able to manage some funding after one or two semesters.

A U.S. Bank loan is among the best alternatives for MBA students. When applying for bank loans in US, a co-signer (US citizen or permanent resident) is required. However, several banks will waiver the co-signer requirement.The relevant information will be available on the university website.

Ensure that you go through the university information thoroughly and understand the terms and conditions properly.