Happy Holidays from Britt!

To all our friends, students, and associates:

Britt wishes you and your a very

Happy Holiday season...

and a bright 2012!

Visit 130 colleges without leaving home!

Virtual College Fair

Join EducationUSA’s Inaugural Virtual College Fair this November!

The inaugural EducationUSA Virtual College Fair will take place during International Education Week this November, featuring over 130 U.S. colleges & universities from more than 11 states across the U.S.!  Each institution will be presenting for approximately 30 minutes during the event in virtual meeting rooms. So, during this 5-hour event there will be 13 different institutions presenting every half hour. If you cannot make it to see all your favorite colleges live, don’t worry. We will be recording each presentation and making these sessions available on our website by early 2012, as well as podcasting each session on iTunes!

Join us live on  Tuesday, November 15, from 9am-2pm (EST) and Thursday, November 17, from 9pm-2am (EST) (click on either link to see when these events will take place in your time zone)

Comexus offers 20 scholarships for indigenous students...

If you or someone you know is a Mexican national of indigenous descent, please check out the following scholarship info.  Applicants must speak an indigenous language and score 450 on the Institutional TOEFL (which Britt can prepare you to take then apply the exam).

Taller de preparación para Estudiantes Indígenas interesados en cursar un posgrado en Estados Unidos

El Taller está orientado a potenciales candidatos mexicanos de origen indígena interesados en cursar un posgrado (Maestría o Doctorado) en los Estados Unidos. Se busca apoyar estos candidatos para que conozcan a detalle el proceso que deberán seguir para ingresar a un programa de posgrado en una universidad estadounidense y solicitar becas y apoyos que les permitan cubrir el costo de sus estudios, entre ellos la Beca Fulbright-García Robles de Posgrado.

Requisitos:

 □ Ser de nacionalidad mexicana, de origen indígena, residir en el país y ser hablantes de una lengua indígena.

 □ Haber terminado una carrera universitaria a nivel Licenciatura y/o Maestría o estar en los últimos semestres.

 □  Tener un promedio mínimo de 8.5 en el último grado de estudios cursado (Licenciatura o Maestría según corresponda).

 □ Tener interés en estudiar una Maestría o un Doctorado en los Estados Unidos.

 □ TOEFL institucional* de 450 puntos.

 □ Llenar el formato de solicitud.

 □ Carta de auto adscripción a un grupo indígena.

 Presentar una carta de alguna autoridad de su comunidad que hable de los vínculos del candidato con la misma. 

Princeton & Yale undergrad info. session this week...

Interested in Princeton or Yale? Don't miss this info. session!


When: Sept. 28, 2011, 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Where:EducationUSA Advising Center in the Benjamin Franklin Library

Learn more about undergraduate studies at Princeton and Yale.  Amin Gonzalez from Yale and Chris Burkmar from Princeton will give an overview of the concept of a liberal arts education, discuss the residential experience, and offer information about the highly selective admissions process and financial aid. 

EducationUSA Mexico City 

EducationUSA

dentro de la Biblioteca Benjamin Franklin

Liverpool, 31 Col. Juarez

Mexico DF, 06600

Tel. 5080-2801, 2802

EducationUSA Mexico City     EducationUSAMX

TOEFL Prep for Spanish Speakers now in American Book Store

Greg Britt's "TOEFL Prep for Spanish Speakers" is now available in the American Book Store in downtown Mexico City (Bolivar 23, Centro).


The title sells for 400. pesos.  This is the book we use in our basic TOEFL prep courses (for pre-iBT, ITP, and PBT).  We provide copies to our students at the reduced price of only 280. pesos.


It's also available on-line (about $26. USD) at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.  


It's also listed on a new on-line book store in England that we really like because shipping of all books to Mexico is FREE!  Check out bookdepository.co.uk...here's direct link to the book there:  click here.  


If you are interested in using this text in your school, please contact us for info. on volume discounts and teacher training.


And if you don't live in Mexico City, get a copy of the book and take your classes virtually using our eClassroom...info.:  www.etoeflprep.com.

Need help with your undergrad essay writing?

EducationUSA Information Session

“Undergraduate Essay Writing Workshop.” FREE

Date: Thursday, September 8

    Time: 16:00 to 18:00

    Place: EducationUSA Advising Center

    Improve your undergraduate application to a U.S. university by coming    to this session that covers the entire process of writing an effective          personal essay. Topics include essay structure, brainstorming techniques, cultural expectations and editing strategies.

*Para registrarte para una sesión informativa de EducationUSA denrto de la Biblioteca Benjamin Franklin, favor de ir aqui y llenar todos los campos. 

   

'Tis the season...for education fairs! Here's one more...

Are you interested in studying for an internationally recognised Masters or PhD degree? Then mark your calender!  The QS World Grad School Tour is your chance to meet with some of the top universities from around the world.

Event features Meet face to face with the people who will be reviewing your applications Participate in discussions with national and international graduate school admissions officers Networking opportunities with fellow applicants and alumni Admissions advice A to Z of Masters and PhD subjects offered Personal meetings available through 'Grad School Select' Scholarships available Funding and career advice

Mexico DF- 30 AugCaracas - 1 Sep Bogota - 3 SepLima - 5 SepSantiago - 7 Sep Buenos Aires - 9 Sep Sao Paulo - 12 Sep Register Now

Coming soon, the MBA Tour...

If you're thinking about an MBA, you'll want to register for this annual fair.  Keep in mind that you will most likely need to take the iBT or PBT TOEFL exam (which Britt can help you prepare for) and the GMAT, among other admissions requisites.

¿Listo para estudiar un MBA?
Reúnete con las mejores escuelas de negocios del mundo
Ciudad de México, lunes 15 de agosto, 17.00 hrs. - 22.00 hrs., Hotel Marquis Reforma 
¡Regístrate ahora! 

Escuelas Participantes

Boston University Emory University ESMT HEC MontréalIE Business SchoolINSEADMcGill UniversityPurdue UniversityQueen's UniversityRice UniversityThunderbirdUniversity of British ColumbiaUniversity of MarylandUniversity of RochesterUniversity of DenverUniversity of TampaCollege of William and Mary Loyola University ChicagoWorcester Polytechnic InstituteYork University¡y más!

6 new PBT TOEFL exams are scheduled for Mexico City

ETS has announced that 6 new PBT (paper-based official) tests 
have been planned for Mexico City!

There are six PBT's now available for registration.  We think this is important because the exam (and the preparation) is a bit easier--and there's no Speaking section, which is hard for some.  Nearly all universities that require official TOEFL (yes, there are a few exceptions now) will accept either iBT or PBT.  To register go to www.toefl.org, where you can choose your date, make your payment, and reserve your place before the tests are full!  (You reserve for iBT dates at the same site).  The fee for both formats is the same, $160 USD.

The new PBT dates are: 


Aug. 13
Oct. 15
Nov. 12
Jan 14, 2012
Mar. 09
May 05

To prepare for this course, contact us for options--you can take the same course for PBT and ITP (Institutional, which we apply)

How to get a student visa...and more

Upcoming Events at Education USA

 

*Sesión informativa: “La Visa Estudiantil: Como Conseguirla.” GRATUITO.

Invitado: Agente consular

Fecha: El jueves, 30 de junio

Hora: 16:00 to 18:00

Lugar: Benjamin Franklin Library, Liverpool 31, Col. Juarez

Entérate sobre el trámite de la visa de estudiante: planeación, formatos y documentos requeridos, costos, visas de dependientes, la entrevista, y oportunidades de empleo.

*Pre-departure Orientation. Free.

Date: Tuesday, July 5

Place: Benjamin Franklin Library

Time: 17:00 to 21:00

This event is designed to assist individuals recently accepted to U.S. academic programs in navigating their transition to international student life. Not only will you learn skills for success in U.S. higher education, but you will also have the chance to speak with current students and/or alumni about their experiences abroad. Activities will address the following topics:

• Legal issues and the student visa
• Room and board
• Covering your expenses
• Student life and university culture
• Characteristics of American culture and cross-cultural communication
• Health and Safety

Students who have been accepted into U.S. institutions are invited to register before the July 1 deadline.

“Para registrarte para una sesión informativa, favor de hacer click aquí y llenar todos los campos.

All-American 4th of July weekend B-B-Q set

Plan now to enjoy a typical 4th of July weekend barbecue.  It's a unique opportunity to make new friends and practice speaking English with Mexico City's local ex-pats.

College students using drugs...to study

"Smart Drugs"

The problem of drugs on campus is nothing new. Most college students drink, but others choose to “party hearty” regardless of the damage they’re knowingly causing their bodies.


A new drug has become prevalent on college campuses, though, but students aren’t taking it to get high—they’re taking it to study.

Smart Drugs are Popular on College Campuses

Adderall is a brand of amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, a prescription medication normally given to children with attention deficit disorder, a vast range of behavioral disorders that typically include symptoms such as poor concentration, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It’s a powerful stimulant drug, not unlike meth or cocaine. Because it directly affects a pathway in the brain, Adderall has fairly high potential for abuse or addiction.


When it’s prescribed by a doctor and taken as instructed, Adderall can help increase attention span and focus by boosting dopamine levels in the brain. Often referred to by nicknames such as “smart drugs,” “study buddies” and “smart pills,” it has also become one of the most popular drugs on college campuses across the country.

May 17, 2011 NBC Today Show investigation found that college students are becoming addicted to Adderall in increasing numbers because the drug helps them focus while they study and makes it easier to pull all-nighters before exams. It’s also easy to get on campus: an undercover Today Show intern was able to locate a student selling Adderall in a college library within minutes.


College Students Confess Their Experiences with Adderall


One college student confessed to NBC News’ Amy Robach that Adderall allows her to “forget about everything around her” when she’s looking at her textbooks. The student justified her actions by asking, “I figured if everyone else is doing it, why shouldn’t I get the advantage?” during the report that aired on the Today Show.  Another student, who went by the pseudonym Mike, revealed that Adderall has given him a boost to work nonstop for 10 hours a day.

Side Effects of Adderall


Adderall is generally considered safe when it’s taken as prescribed by a doctor, but medical experts warn that it can be very addictive.


One freshman honor student named Aly told Ann Robach that she first took a “smart pill” offered by a friend when she was struggling to keep up with schoolwork. Aly soon became addicted to Adderall, buying several pills every single day. The pills’ side effects came quickly, too. Aly was initially able to concentrate and study, but she soon began suffering from mood swings, insomnia, panic attacks and depression. Ironically, her grades spiraled downward and she was asked to withdraw from her university.

Eventually, Adderall can distort reality and cause users to become psychotic. “They develop paranoia, and so they think people are out to get them, out to hurt them,” Dr. Glen Hanson of the University of Utah College of Pharmacy explained to Utah’s KSL.com. “And it’s not unusual to find heavy users actually look like a schizophrenic.”


“It’s a highly addictive substance and when you play with addictive substances, you ultimately get burned,” Stephen Odom, a drug abuse counselor at Sober Living by the Sea, said during the Today Show report. “For all intents and purposes, Adderall is speed. You’re putting something in your body that’s gonna make you think you’re OK when you’re not. And the next thing you know, you’re gonna be spinning out of control.”

Mexicans work and STUDY harder than most in the world!

Who works hardest?

Mexico ranks number three in this world-wide study...

We talk a lot about being workaholics here in the United States, but it turns out we've got plenty of competition when it comes to keeping busy.

A study of 34 countries has found that Mexican, Japanese and Portuguese nationals spend the most time each day on work, studying and household chores.

Belgians, Danes and Germans spend the least amount of time on both paid and unpaid work, according to the study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

And as for us Americans? Despite our reputation for being all work and no play, we ranked ninth, after countries including Austria and Canada.

The OECD said the research was broken down into two categories: paid work and study, and unpaid work such as cooking, cleaning and shopping. The organization used time use surveys and other data to come up with the rankings of its 34 member countries.

It looked at people’s time commitments over all seven days of the week, including holidays, and included both employed and unemployed people ages 15 to 64. That explains why the daily tallies may seem relatively low.

Although Japanese and Mexican people worked most, the breakdown between paid and unpaid work was slightly different.

The researchers found that Mexican people spent nearly 10 hours per day on working, studying and doing chores over the seven-day week. That included about 5.7 hours a day on paid work or studying, and the rest on chores.

Japanese people spent slightly more time on paid work or study --  6.3 hours per day -– but  less time on chores.

In the United States, people spent about 8.2 hours per day on paid and paid work, including 4.8 hours each day on the job or studying.

How to choose a graduate program of study...March 17

EducationUSA & IIE Latin America invite you to a graduate workshop:

How to Choose a Graduate Program of Study Fecha: El jueves, 17 de marzo   Hora: 16:00 a las 18:00 Lugar: Biblioteca Benjamín Franklin Did you know that there are over 2,000 graduate programs in the U.S.? Let us help you search for, and compare graduate programs and find options that fit your goals and interests. *Please register for this FREE event by sending your full name and academic area of interest to EducationUSA@iielatam.org. Bring a photo ID to enter the library.

Financial aid and scholarships for under-grad studies...

Los envitamos a una sesión informativa:    Ayuda financiera y becas a nivel licenciatura                                                                                                                 Fecha: El jueves, 10 de marzo                                                             Hora: 16:00 a las 18:00                                                         Lugar: Biblioteca Benjamín Franklin  Liverpool 31, Col. Juárez         Incluye información acerca del proceso de solicitud de ayuda financiera y becas, como         encontrar fuentes de financiamiento y más.         *Para confirmar tu asistencia a los eventos de EducationUSA, favor de enviar un e-mail con tu          nombre completo, campo de estudio, y fecha del evento a EducationUSA@iielatam.org.