Fall 2014, questions on admissions/references/schools/plan

Several months ago I made a post about my intentions here

After receiving your feedback and deciding on an approach that’ll work for me here is what I am thinking:
Spend a year in school at a Mandarin training center full-time – I’m primarily looking at the university options (with tutoring) because they’re cheaper and it’ll allow me to maximize my length of stay with a visa. After 1 year it sounds like I’d be able to obtain a work permit which may open some other opportunities for me. Then either continue to learn Mandarin for another year, or perhaps go for a masters degree.

Question regarding references/letters of recommendations for schools and the Huayu scholarship:
I don’t have any true academic references but I know my district governor through my local Toastmasters club. Will someone in Taiwan know what Toastmasters is? (Toastmasters is a public speaking organization)
The other reference is the Associate Dean of my department (I work at a university although on the business side of things).
Another possible reference is my friend who has a PhD and I thought having someone with a PhD would look good on a recommendation.
Would you say say these are good references? How much does a title/status really mean?

I’m looking at applying at…
ICLP
MTC
Fo Guang
NYSYSU
NCKU (already applied online through their site but not sure if I have applied too soon or not…)

Questions on my above choices:
Any comments regarding those places? Any suggestions of other places not listed above (smaller the class size the and/or the cheaper price the better, my wallet can only stretch so far…)…

Question regarding university admission times:
Generally, when do Fall admissions open for the schools? I’ve sent some emails but only Fo Guang has been prompt in their reply.

I do have some concern that what if I apply to all these places and no one accepts me for the Fall. Is my concern legitimate? (I have a university degree, 3.3GPA, 30 years old)

Anything you don’t like about my plan that could use improvement?

Why would they reject you from a Mandarin training center? The more students they take in the more money they make. You could be 90 years old with a 1.0 GPA and they’d still take you. GPA isn’t even on the application.

And yes Toastmasters is known in Taiwan, although whether the person reading your application will know what it is is less certain.

Yo Clayton. Don’t worry about getting accepted because as long as you have 2,500 dollars in a bank account, no AIDS/STDS/, measles, or Tuberculosis then you’ll get in. I just got accepted into NSYSU in kaohsiung and i had to mail them a package with all that material and they sent me back a letter of admission. they didnt ask about gpa i just sent a copy of my diploma. the medical exam cost $365 from the americas tho i wasnt happy about that. I looked at going to Fo guang too but its really expensive compared to NSYSU and Kaohsiungs way cheaper than Taipei.

For your HES app everything like gpa, future plan, and references matter. i think phds are your best reference and the dean would llook good too. i have two phds writing my letters. i got the same plan as you after a year of chinese study ill prolly go for an MBA. let me know where u make it to might see you in september at nsysu! good luck!