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Admissions One Point Advice
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Tips on Applying to IUJ ? increasing your chances for admissions, scholarship support, and a fruitful IUJ experience! (This is a series of tips described in the IUJ email newsletter called "E-Campus IUJ" published on first Monday of every month by International University of Japan.)
Welcome to a new article series for the IUJ E-magazines! We are excited to offer you all tips for increasing your chances for admissions, scholarship support, and a fruitful IUJ experience in this 14 part series. We will guide you from the very beginning, with some basic reminders of how to consider IUJ, how to plan for your application before putting pen to paper (or fingers to key pad), so as to strengthen your actual application to beat the competition. These tips are meant solely as a guide from the IUJ staff to help you, and provide some ideas and strategies that you might not have thought about already. They are written by our Career Counselor who applied some successful JOB application tips to the theme of a successful IUJ application process. They do not guarantee admissions, or a scholarship award, but hopefully will give you a bit of an advantage! We look forward to hearing your feedback, questions and ideas for this column! Remember, too, there is an FAQ website related specifically to the IUJ application and application process at http://www.iuj.ac.jp/admis/ so if you cannot wait for the entire column to unfold, take a look at that information too. This series, though, is supplemental to that information in many ways. ( E-Campus IUJ" September 2006 )Sometimes students arrive on campus only to discover they are in the wrong IUJ program, or that a different one interests them more. IUJ now has 5 different Masters degree programs that compliment each other, but are very different in terms of emphasis, thesis writing requirements, economic/mathematical skill requirements, and future career paths. So before deciding on IUJ, or a specific program we have, read the descriptions of all 5 degrees thoroughly! Be sure you know everything we offer, and make a choice that fits your interests, skills you have now and skills you need for the future. Another wonderful advantage of being so well-informed is that you can plan to cross-register into classes offered by one of the other 4 programs! This is a truly unique advantage IUJ students benefit from! The chance for MBA students to take Development Economics courses or Project Cycle Management courses from the IDP; the chance for IRP students to take International Business Law from the MBA; for Ebiz students to take UN and Global Governance from the IRP, and the IDP students to take Customer Relationship Management from the Ebiz offerings, to name just a few popular combinations. Bottom line? Know everything you can about IUJ before you apply so you sound informed, confident about your decisions, and can propose a solid plan for how best to use IUJ for your future needs. ( E-Campus IUJ" October 2006)Those who come to IUJ with a clear purpose and vision for their future, find our programs highly enriching and rewarding. Conversely, those not knowing what they want to do after IUJ sometimes find our courses, especially first-year core courses, burdensome: They don't see the big picture and how what they are learning fits in. Avoid this latter experience by thinking thoroughly about what happens after you receive your diploma, and think of IUJ as a TOOL to help you get what you want. The IUJ Career Counselor can provide coaching and guidance after you enter the programs to help you fine tune your ideas, and make a plan to reach your goal, but the tone and strength of your application will greatly benefit if you already know what you intend to do. One way to begin to see your future, is to read the course descriptions and topics of the PLATFORMS (IUJ REP) at IUJ. The courses or research platforms you find particularly interesting may suggest a profession. For example if the Marketing Course sounds fascinating, maybe advertising/marketing is what you want to do; if project cycle management catches your attention, perhaps you want to be a development consultant; if our regional courses sound attractive, maybe a career in journalism; if the Mobile Technology platform grips you, maybe a career in mobile marketing is for you. Likewise, read the newspapers to see what subjects you keep coming back to. Talk to people, ask for contact information from IUJ alumni who might give you good ideas . . . whatever you need to do to see a future you, do it. Then use that insight to plan your IUJ education, and write clear essays and research plans in your applications. It all starts with a careful look at your motivations, and career desires. Then your IUJ days can come into focus. ( E-Campus IUJ" November 2006)As was described last month, having a good idea what you want to do after IUJ is a good strategy for applying to IUJ. Equipped with a future self vision, you can narrow down the choices at IUJ, and focus in our specific courses, professors, platform research, and thesis topic. Things will begin to come together. First you will know which degree is appropriate, but also what you need to and can take from other programs to customize your education and build your resume with skills and knowledge beyond the degree itself. You can pick and choose a few courses from other programs and find concrete experience through participation in the various platform activities ? present papers, participate in conferences and seminars, perhaps get published with a faculty member, match your thesis research to a platform, and even get a leg up on your PhD pursuits if that is your goal. All these ideas and motivations can be built into your application essay and research plans to show the admissions committee just how prepared you and how motivated you are for the IUJ adventure. ( E-Campus IUJ" December 2006)IUJ has several deadlines throughout the year, depending on if you are in Japan, overseas, and which degree you are applying for. Watch those deadlines closely, but get as early a start in the process as possible. For some countries, taking the GMAT (MBA only) and TOEFL tests can require travel and expenses. Test dates can cause delays that jeopardize your application. Getting recommendation letters, and writing a great application takes time and energy. So don't wait until just 2-3 weeks from a deadline, but give yourself the best chance you can by starting early. Also, IUJ scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis. You increase your scholarship chances by being considered in the early part of the recruiting season. Those not receiving an award or nomination in one round, are rolled over to be considered with the next group, etc. But if you are in the last group, you get your application in for the last deadline, there is no roll-over chance! Furthermore, if something goes wrong with international mail, computer delays, etc. you can recover if you start well before the deadlines! ( E-Campus IUJ" January 2007)Those interested in the MBA must submit a GMAT - Graduate Management Admission Test score This can be difficult for some not just because of the content of the test, but the logistics it requires. The GMAT is not offered everywhere, and there are limited seats for the test in places where it is offered. A list of test sites is posted at www.mba.com, and reservations can be made to take the test through that site. Be sure to prepare well! If you have not taken a test for a long time, take some online practice tests. If you have limited business experience, consider taking the GMAT after 2 years of working, or take even more practice tests, and read various test guides! Take a GMAT preparation course, join the GmatClub to get help from others preparing to take it, or ask an IUJ alum from your area about the test, and get their advice on getting a solid score. The GMAT score is important for your IUJ admissions success and scholarship chances. Take it seriously. Practice first. Take it as soon as you know you are going to pursue an MBA and be ready to apply to IUJ! The testers will send the score directly to campus (be sure you give them the right code!), but we have had some people fail to get that score to us by the application deadlines and missed the chance to join us, or the chance for scholarship selection. The IUJ Business School application guidelines show GMAT test dates you need to schedule to meet your IUJ application deadlines. http://ibs.iuj.ac.jp/admission/schedule.html Good luck with this test. Don't go into it blindly or ill-prepared, as there is a lot of good a score of over 650 can do for you! ( E-Campus IUJ" February 2007)IUJ is a graduate school with all course work and thesis preparation done in English. With so many countries living on campus together 24-7, all with their unique accents and use of English, having a solid base in the language makes for a more rich campus experience! We must ensure our students can handle the course work and campus interaction in English. TOEFL/TOEIC/IELTS are three measures we have. It is not too fun to prepare for and take the tests, but do so with this in mind . . . You are about to enter an international community where English is the shared language. So study for the TOEFL/TOEIC/IELTS with a bigger picture in mind! Your new friends await you, and look forward to exchanging views and opinions with you, in English. Your faculty looks forward to reading your essays and thesis in English. So preparing for the TOEFL/TOEIC/IELTS is really just getting yourself ready for an intense English experience. Do you feel motivated?
Be sure to carefully check the IUJ TOEFL/TOEIC/IELTS exemption policy. Many African countries, for example, are not exempt from submitting the test. Only native English speakers who are nationals from these countries are exempt: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA are considered as native English speaking countries. You can also be exempt under this provision: Those who have formally completed an undergraduate or graduate program which medium of instruction is English in one of the following countries: A solid TOEFL/TOEIC/IELTS score can help your application, and that low score can kill it! AND not submitting a TOEFL/TOEIC/IELTS score won’t even get you in the game. Last but not least, TOEIC is invalid for MBA and E-Biz Programs. So if you are planning to apply to either program, prepare for TOEFL or IELTS. IDP, IRP, and IPSP accept all of three exams; i.e., TOEFL, TOEIC, and IELTS. Please also view Admissions page: http://www.iuj.ac.jp/admis/ ( E-Campus IUJ" March 2007)As part of the application process, IUJ requires you to write an essay to help us get to know you, and evaluate how you fit into the IUJ programs best. We want to be sure we can support your interests and future goals, and want to be sure you have a plan to make the most of your 1-2 years with us. Here are some tips for writing the essay, and points you should include: The official IUJ Application documents have a few more pointers and guidelines. So refer there for the official word! ( E-Campus IUJ" April 2007)Also a part of your IUJ application for GSIR applicants is your Research Plan. As IUJ is a graduate school, and we hope our students come to us with a clear vision of what they want to learn not only in our courses, but as an independent researcher writing an original thesis. We want to confirm we can support your research interests with our faculty experiences, and want to confirm you are motivated to explore something specific. We also want to know how your research and presence on campus can enrich our programs (classroom and REP), and we enrich your work. Here are some tips for writing the Research Plan, and points you should include: In all your documents, there will be a chance for you to clearly state your career path Б your professional goal for after IUJ. Take this chance! In the written materials, if you interview formally for admissions, or if you are exchanging information informally with an IUJ staff member, including the Career Counselor and Student Recruitment staff, express your future goals. This is impressive and creates a very strong image about you. Those who cannot express their goals, who "don't know what I want to do" do not have such a reputation. The image is that since you do not know what to do professionally, you will just keep on studying. IUJ prefers more goal oriented people, ready to go get what they want and create a foundation at IUJ for that future. That is what the concept of "professional school" is. We can take you more seriously if you take yourself more seriously. So build your reputation by taking the chance to share your goals! And don't worry IUJ loves diversity! So your goal may be off the main stream, or very typical for your degree Б we want all kinds! We have applicants hoping to promote Buddhism based on International Relations in India, wanting to be traders on Wall Street, teach women's rights in Nepal, improve bus transportation in SE Asia, become an ambassador to Japan from their country some day, enter the business consulting world, start their own jewelry shops, promote democracy in Cambodia, bring credit card system to Laos, join CNN in Turkey, etc. ( E-Campus IUJ" June 2007)Try to learn as much as you can about the IUJ Faculty members. What are their research interests, where did they get their schooling, what courses do they teach at IUJ, what platform program are they affiliated with, and what are their outside research interests. What books or articles have they written? Find those that you have something in common with (your parents went to the same school?), who match your academic goals, and write your application reflecting similar themes. This is especially an important strategy for those applying to the International Relations Program which requires a long and serious thesis. Our faculty will need to support your thesis as supervisors, and if they are interested in your theme they will look forward to working with you all the more! ( E-Campus IUJ" July 2007)As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations of IUJ, IUJ launched Research and Education PLATFORM. IUJ aims to prepare leaders who can contribute to the solution of various global issues, and PLATFORM tries to equip its participants with expertise obtained through high level intellectual training originating in awareness of such issues. Various programs in PLATFORM are major research themes that involve faculty and students on campus, collaborating with IUJ stakeholders - companies, organizations, governments and alumni - in attempts to solve global issues. If you are interested in one particular PLATFORM theme and in finding solutions for that theme, express that in your application and link your research to PLATFORM showing how you can contribute to it! Convince the admissions committee that if you are at IUJ, the PLATFORM theme XYZ will benefit! That will surely draw committee members' attention. ( E-Campus IUJ" August 2007)When you join IUJ, you join an international family. The Alumni Association wants quality people who are ready to commit to IUJ and our global network for many years ahead. So when you graduate, your IUJ experience is just beginning.
Know who the alumni are! Ask to get into contact with an IUJ Ambassador (an alumni volunteer program) to exchange ideas and views. Know what the association does world wide, and even ask to be invited to an event as a student or before you come to IUJ! Review the IUJ Placement Reports* to know what professions the alumni go into, and perhaps model yourself on one of them! Most importantly, if you learn who some of the IUJers in the world are, you can see yourself as an IUJ alum. Express how you can contribute to IUJ not just as a student, but as an alum! We want to be proud of our alumni and support you as a student and into your career. Likewise we want our alumni to be proud of IUJ and contribute back to the school by helping recruit the next generation, spreading the word about IUJ, helping our research continue, providing donations for scholarship funds, and much more. So as you consider applying to IUJ, and take on the application, see yourself as an alum! ( E-Campus IUJ" September 2007)Now, the question you have all been wanting this column to address. How do IUJers pay that high tuition, and how can I finance my education at IUJ for 1-2 years? If you take the advice presented to you in this series, you should be able to submit a very sound application, test results, and position yourself for one of those generous scholarships IUJ can provide! Our related funding sources, and outside funding sources too, will find your application well-prepared, informed, and motivated making scholarship granting easier! The steps presented this past year should help your chances. But what if they do not? What if you are not granted a scholarship as part of the admissions process? One idea is to apply to IUJ again in a year's time and seek out support from family, research loan options from your country banks, and research outside scholarships (those not in the IUJ program) and apply again with financial backing. Another option, is to risk coming to IUJ on your own financial resources, and applying for scholarships through IUJ (very limited and extremely competitive) after you enroll, and seeking funding outside the IUJ programming to continue on. The Japan Student Support Organization (JASSO) homepage may have some ideas for you to consider: www.jasso.go.jp. Check with the Japanese embassy near you, contact other independent groups who may support scholarships for Japan-related studies, and review websites like WB and JICA to learn about their scholarships and applying for them for your IUJ studies (though these last ones are included in the IUJ Scholarship guideline pages). More and more students see IUJ as a solid investment and are coming without scholarship support, but fully self-funded. With the solid placement rates before graduation, especially for the MBA students, into good jobs in Japan, and the success rate of all our alumni as they crawl up the career ladder, IUJ is making itself a good reputation in International Organizations, investment banking, and far beyond. So if our programs offer you what you need as a professional, maybe seeing your education as an investment for the future is in your best interest. We believe your IUJ is a sound investment, and our alumni are proving that by their success. This concludes the Application Tips series. Since we believe that these 14 tips we have suggested in the series are valuable and there are new readers who haven't been introduced to them, we have decided to re-run this column from next month. If you are one of those new readers who missed reading this column, or one of our old friends who would like to reconfirm some of the key points, this is your chance. See you in the next edition! ( E-Campus IUJ" October 2007)
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