or your questions about education abroad, international education expert Rituparna Roy Chowdhury has the answers!

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How important is work experience to get selected at a good MBA school in the United States or Europe? Where can I get the scores versus colleges list about the GMAT exam?

What do you suggest as study materials for GMAT?

- Praveen K Singh

Yes work experience is a factor in the admissions decision. While two years is the basic tenure they look at, the average work experience should preferably be about five years.

For the scores versus colleges list, please visit www.usnews.com

I suggest you study from the Kaplan's or Barron's Guide. Make sure you go over the dictionary.

Take simulated tests from time to time to monitor your progress. Ensure that you take it under the exact circumstances as that of the actual test.

The day before the test, make sure you do not stretch yourself. Sleep well. Keep your brain fresh.

The test requires a lot of concentration. If you are tired, it is bound to bring down your performance levels.

I am doing an M Sc in Distributed Systems at the University of Hull, UK. I plan to pursue a Ph D from a good American university.

I hold a B Sc (Mathematics) degree from India, a Post Graduate Diploma in Software Engineering from the University of West of England [Images], UK.

When would be the best time to apply? What are my chances of getting into a Ph D programme at a good US university with valid GRE scores?

Should I get some recognisable work experience and then apply for a Ph D?

- XYZ

You could apply for a Ph D either in the final year of your M Sc (the admission process takes six to eight months) or with some work experience.

It is important to show you have a very strong research-oriented bent of mind. If you can project yourself as having a strong drive to create something new or bring about a breakthrough to a current problem plaguing your area of study, you need not have work experience.

Often, students studying for their MS programmes are absorbed into Ph D courses directly after they join the MS course.

Your profile looks quite strong. With a good GRE score, you are likely to be accepted by a good university.

I am a Multimedia Architect with 4.5 years of work experience.

I have completed my graduation in visual communication and have another in information technology. I am now looking for a post graduation course in Interactive Communication or Visual Journalism studies.

I did do some research on how to obtain a scholarship , but I don't have a clear picture on how to proceed. Please help.

- S V Moorthy

You need to take the GRE first.

Surf the Net to find out universities of your choice that offer your specialisations. Your profile looks quite strong. With some 4.5 years of work experience, you are likely to be accepted by good universities.

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Rituparna Roy Chowdhury specialises in helping students frame essays/ SOP and edits thesis for PhD students, conveying their themes with better communication skills. He is currently working on a short-term project for Kaplan, a Washington Post Company, and a leading Test Preparation Company in the US, to edit content for their simulated Tests on SAT, TOEFL, GRE and GMAT. He has worked with The Princeton Review, a leading MNC in the GRE/ GMAT/ SAT training segment. He can be contacted at rituparnaroychowdhury@rediffmail.com