Postgraduate Applications 2011

470 GMAT ? I think it's very low. School like HEC ask for something like 700, it's doubtful that LSE as lower criteria.

From their FAQ :
What is the minimum GMAT or GRE score required?
There is no minimum GMAT score required to apply for MIF. The average GMAT score of the 2009 intake is 720. Similar performance is expected from candidates submitting GRE scores (average of verbal and quantitative scores)

I see but that is also the Master of Finance, which is insanely limited as far an enrollment goes. They only accept something like 60 people out of 1,500 applications every year. MSc Management is rather new so I don;t know.

I don't know, I was just saying that LSE has a very good reputation and 470 seems way under the standard, even if it's a new Master. I maybe wrong, I have no insight and I have just some friend who wants to go to HEC and I expect LSE to have the same standard. It makes no sense to take a so bad candidate.

Why does a 470 GMAT automatically make someone a bad candidate? Before anyone jumps on the bandwagon, no I don't have that score personally, as I have never taken the GMAT before. I am still wondering though how come that everyone believes that one can just measure the abilities and the success someone will have with a standardized test? Ever thought about that some people don't have the time to study for such test because they are working 16hrs days?

It does not mean the person is bad as a person or as a student but a low score does not put you in the best position. You can also ask why exam are done ? Dissertation are I think a better to assess student capacity but you still have exams. In the other hand you can't say there is no correlation between student result at a test and their overall capacity (I admit you can be sick and fail your test but that's an other point).

Tests and exams are a way to demonstrate your intellectual capacity, how hard you can work etc...

And if the average score of accepted student is around 700 your chance with a score way under seems low. But if you can come up with an example which shows it's not true, I will accept it happily.

I don't think that questioning the GMAT is the same as questioning why exams. I personally think and I have seen it over and over that some people are good at taking standardized tests and other people are not.

I agree that exam/tests are a way to show your intellectual capacity and how hard one can work but I don't count the GMAT as being one of these tests.

If the average is 700, there are people way over and there are people way under. An application does not only consist of the GMAT score. Otherwise the majority of the people going to postgrad nowadays would be the overwhelmingly high number of for example Indian students who score high on the GMAT. There are people at Harvard getting their MBA who have not scored 700 on the GMAT and barely touched 620.

The GMAT is in my opinion not a good indicator of intellectual ability. I will give you an example of a scenario that I have witnessed myself: In the quant section, there are for example word problems and geometry problems in both Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. Let's just say we have someone who is very good at Word Problems in both DS and PS, but is really bad at Geometry in both sections. Given that the GMAT questions are picked randomly, the score for this student will be lower if he receives more geometry questions and higher if he receives more Word problems. Thus the result will not be an accurate reflection of his or hers actual intellectual ability.

I'm applying for:
MA in Archives and Records Management - University of Liverpool
MA in Librarianship - University of Sheffield
MA in Librarianship and Information Management - Liverpool John Moore's University

Have started filling in the application forms for librarianship courses but I'm waiting till I have a bit more experience before I begin to fill in the archive course application form.
I'm starting to think about filling in my personal statements, but I'm slightly stuck on how to relate my experiences on my previous uni course and my voluntary work (which is mainly involved in archives and admin) to the librarian courses.

I'm applying for:
MA in Archives and Records Management - University of Liverpool
MA in Librarianship - University of Sheffield
MA in Librarianship and Information Management - Liverpool John Moore's University

Have started filling in the application forms for librarianship courses but I'm waiting till I have a bit more experience before I begin to fill in the archive course application form.
I'm starting to think about filling in my personal statements, but I'm slightly stuck on how to relate my experiences on my previous uni course and my voluntary work (which is mainly involved in archives and admin) to the librarian courses.

Which is your first choice?

You went to Edge Hill - I applied there for undergrad, I really liked it but couldn't do joint honours there

In Imperial online form, can someone select 2011 year ? I can only choose 2010. If 2011 application are not open do you know when they will open ?

In Imperial online form, can someone select 2011 year ? I can only choose 2010. If 2011 application are not open do you know when they will open ?

maths apps open mid-november, imagine it should be similar for other subjects

Well I'll probably apply in 2012, so I'm being ultra eager Although am looking now in case I do want to apply for 2011 entry.

A few things I was wondering, I dont know if people can help
a) Are you applying for back up choices? I don't know if I should look into lesser universities courses, in case the better ones turn me down.

b) This may sound silly, but I only just scraped a 2:1. I had some issues in my second year and left myself a lot to do in the third year, which thankfully I achieved! If they look at my transcripts will this be frowned upon at all?

c) References. I've not really kept in touch with undergrad tutors. Would they be happy for me to come out of the woodwork and ask for a reference?