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	[IMAGE]	[IMAGE]	[IMAGE]  Dear Geof,  It's May, spring is in the air, and business school admission letters continue to be sent  around the globe! Many of you are faced with some exciting but difficult decisions for fall.  Others are looking to improve your chances for next year, and even more of you are just  getting started preparing to apply to business school next year. Here are some things to  consider, depending on where you are in the cycle.  	
 [IMAGE] [IMAGE] Getting started   [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] Decision making   [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] Improving your chances   [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] MBA Loans   [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] Foreign Transcript Evalution   [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] What's New   [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE]   [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE]   [IMAGE] [IMAGE]  [IMAGE] [IMAGE] This newsletter is brought to you by these Embark partner schools:  [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE]   [IMAGE]   [IMAGE]   [IMAGE]   Click on the school's logo for  more information.  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]   [IMAGE] 	[IMAGE]		[IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  Getting started [IMAGE] Just getting started with your  research? You have come to the right place.  Embark.com  offers several easy  steps to start the process of applying for an MBA program. It's not too early to start!  Find your ideal program by doing a  Matchmaker Search   Who knows, you might even  Get Recruited . Fill out an online survey and find out which programs are interested in you.  Wherever you are in your process, Embark is here to help!  [IMAGE] [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  Decision making - How to juggle your options [IMAGE] You may have heard of the 3 C's of  marketing. This month we propose the 3 C's of deciding on a business school: Curriculum,  Culture and Cost - consider all three when making your final decision about where you  will matriculate next fall.  Curriculum: Do the school's objectives meet yours as a student? Are the school's  professors teaching in such a way that complements your learning style? Are the  certificates or majors that are offered in sync with your career goals? Are you free to  take electives to get what you want out of business school? Hit the schools' websites  here  to read up on the  differences.  Culture: The best way to understand a school's culture is to visit. Not an option?  Try connecting with current students to learn first hand what it's like to be a student.  Ask about clubs, student involvement in decision-making, classroom dynamics, and even  what people do on Friday nights. These answers will be clues for understanding the culture.  Cost: Your first exercise as an admitted student: perform a cost-benefit  analysis to determine if the benefits you gain from business school outweigh the price  tag of attending. Don't forget to include the opportunity cost of not working in your  calculation. Public vs. private, international vs. domestic, cost of living by city...  there are numerous inputs to this equation so don't forget to think about the costs  before making your final decision to go!  [IMAGE] [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE] Improving your chances for next year [IMAGE] Well, maybe things didn't work out  quite as you had hoped. Applications are up this year and you may be among the many who  didn't get into your first choice school. If you were admitted to a program but it's not  the program of your choice, consider deferring your admission. Then, put in the time over  the next few months to really improve your application:   Contact the admissions office and set up an appointment to review your application  over the summer. Many schools offer this service and will give you feedback on becoming a  better applicant.  Learn whether or not there is a special application for students who are reapplying.  It may be simpler the second time around.  Retake your GMAT.  Free practice tests   are available through Embark.   Make a difference. Improve your application by showing a promotion at work, by taking a  leadership position in a volunteer organization, or by strengthening your application in  some significant way.  [IMAGE] [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE] MBA Loans [IMAGE] The MBA LOANS Program from our  partners at wiredscholar offers low-cost loans for your graduate business studies. Under  this program, you can apply through a single lender for both a Federal Stafford loan and  a private Tuition Loan Program (TLP) loan, making the application process faster and  easier.  Learn all the details  here .  [IMAGE] [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE] Transcript help! [IMAGE] Do you have  transcripts from foreign institutions? Get them evaluated  today !  You'll need to have your transcripts evaluated for admission and transfer credit. Hundreds  of US colleges and universities rely on WESevaluations to help them make admissions and  transfer credit decisions. AWES evaluation report clearly and accurately describes each  certificate,diploma or degree you have earned and specifies its US equivalent.  WES evaluations help you gain full recognition of your academic achievements,and the  service is fast and affordable.  Click here  for more information.  Wishing you a happy Spring!  Embark  [IMAGE] [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE] What's New? [IMAGE] To make sure you receive the  most relevant information from Embark, update your Profile by following these steps:     Click here .  Log in using your email address and Password.  Click on the "Update Account" link in the upper right hand part of the page.  Make any updates or changes.  Click on "continue" and you're done!    [IMAGE] [IMAGE]	


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