Hello dear! So, if you have decided to go abroad for further studies, then let me help you in planning this. From my own experience at IIT Madras and of those around me, I can be of some real help to you. Please note that though most of the people want to go to USA, these tips will apply to all other destinations too. I will divide my lecture into following parts:
Why do you want to app?
Well! difficult question, right? But answer to this is essential to plan your app in the best possible way and successfully too. Think about it, since that's the best way; but if you can't, then select one of the following. This list is obviously not comprehensive but one of these reason applies to 90% of the students.
- Since everybody else does...
- Excuse to go abroad...
- Its all about money, money and money
- I really want to study the best
- For new experience...
- Enjoy the life...
- Can't live in this country any more
- Really don't know...
Hence, if you are going for the first or the last reason, just carry on... and don't think about it much (though later you have to!). If you want this as an excuse or for money then select univs such that your chances of going are maximum, even if it means that you go to for lower ranking univs. If you want to go for experience and enjoyment then happy and entertaining USA visit to you from me. And, if you are one of those real determined guys (or girls) who aim for univs for their studies then you should look for good research and facilities in univs, though funding is also important. Any way, whatever the reason be, things won't change, just the way you do will !
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When and how to start?
It all depends on when you take your GRE and TOEFL tests. By the way process of apping should start at end of sixth semester (i.e. 3rd year) in 4 years course or end of 2nd year in 3 years course. For Indian academic system, that means July-August. So approximate time that I will refer to, will correspond to months starting after 2nd or 3rd year as the case may be. First problem for most Indians is English. So, work on it. Start reading English comics, novels, magazines, newspapers from the first year onwards itself. The more you read, the more your vocabulary and speed will improve, and that is important. Best book for all is Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis; a little red book costing about Rs.90, but extremely useful and interesting. Finish it in first year. Start apping work in June-July, assumimg that you are already working for your GRE. It is best done in groups, where people are there to help, doubts could be clarified and contacts can be used. But don't worry, if you don't have a group or group does not cooperate then the fundaes from me will come handy.
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Time tabling of activities !
Rough time table for all the activities is presented here. Obviously you are not supposed to stick to this, but this will give you approximate guideline and you will know if you are too late.
| Booking GRE | About 5 to 6 months before the date you plan to take GRE is good if you want favourable day and date, also possible upto 3 months before but depends on the crowd. |
| Taking GRE | Previous January is preferable, till July August is also acceptable but must before October ends. |
| Booking TOEFL | About 5-6 months before the approximate date, though no preparation is necessary, crowd is more for TOEFL |
| Taking TOEFL | Any time after GRE (before also possible though) keep one week at most for preparation |
| Univs selection and brousing! | About May-Jun-July, use summer for this, though best done after your GRE |
| Asking for paper application forms | In August end or September beginning. |
| Apply for transcripts at college | September end or October beginning-assuming one month to process |
| Running for recos (most painful task!) | August end to September beginning-it may take from one week to two months (or even longer!) depending on your professor. |
| Preliminary SOP outline | September end-keep thinking and keep reading other people's SOP |
| SOP finalisation | Should be over before you dispatch your application ! |
| Collect transcripts | November Beginning-Check if they are sealed and signed |
| Apply to univs | About 25 days before posting date-usually November end |
| Collect recos | About 20 days before posting date-but keep asking profs again and again
|
| Posting | About one month before univs deadline, avoid Chritmas period-December 20th to Jan 5th, since most of the univs have holidays and postal department is overcrowded ! |
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How much will it cost?
At current rate (as of May 2003) GRE and TOEFL will cost you about Rs.10,000, plus transportation cost if your city is not a GRE / TOEFL center. Main and very useful component of apping is browsing and if internet is not free then it may cost a hell! You can estimate the expenses for about 50 hrs of browsing at least! Other major component is univs fee-which vary from ZERO to $95! In general, higher the univ is in reputation and ranking, more is the fee and the vice-versa. On an average you can estimate fee about $40 per univs. Posting etc. will cost about Rs.700 per half-a-kg (3-4 application packets) or Rs.700 per application packet (rates are based on DHL charges for courier to USA as of May 2003) depending on how you send them!
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Taking GRE and TOEFL tests
First thing to know here is that GRE is a tough test and TOEFL is easy and unfortunately GRE values much-much more than the TOEFL in your admission process. So don't ever neglect it. GRE and TOEFL brochures can be obtained from your college office or can be ordered freely online at www.ipem.org. All relevent information regarding booking by phone & credit card OR by post & credit card or check can be obtained from the brochure. Forms can also be downloaded from GRE website and TOEFL website. Best book, or Bible, if I may say so, for GRE is Barron's-How to prepare for GRE test by Galgotia Publication. This book, costing about Rs.180 has all relevent material for GRE, mainly word-list. This word list has to be remembered by heart when you go to take GRE. Google Search for the key words like GRE Barron's word list, GRE word list and Guru's word list gives a lot of useful links to online resources for cracking GRE. A good preparing website is www.number2.com which teaches and provides online tests for GRE. www.supervoca.com has quick vocabulary tests. Complete GRE test is available at kaplanpracticetest.com and other links can be found in Google search for free GRE online tests.
You might think that I am talking all about GRE but not about TOEFL, thats true! Reason is that TOEFL is too simple too talk about. Just ralax and take exam. At most you can do is practice listening exercises with Barron's-How to prapare for TOEFL test by Galgotia Publication (audio cassettes accompny the book) and look some eassay samples at www.testmagic.com. And yes, since I have taken GRE in older format (pre October 2002 format with anlalytical section), I dont have much idea about how to go about for eassay section of new GRE. But above specified links will help you in that.
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Selecting Universities
This is very crucial phase of apping for two reasons: first, chances of admission and your career (to some extent) depends on what you app to, and secondly, it is most confusing and tiresome. But is is important as well. So lets start! There are few factors which constrain your univ selection. They are your GRE score, your TOEFL score, your undergraduate academic performance, your co-curricular performance (only for exceptional cases), reputation of your undergraduate college, your graduate degree objective, your financial requirement and your SOP, recos to some extent. If you are going for MS / on full funding / belong to not-so-reputated college / have low academic performance / low GRE or TOEFL, then you have to choose lower (in ranking - may not in quality) univ. On the other hand, PhD and exceptional co-curricular add to chances. Any combination of above factor will determine your course and best way to go about it is EXPERIENCE. Not, of course, your's but your senior's. Ask those who had "similar" characteristic factors like your's and judge their success. Spend a lot time on browsing and find a program which suits your interests - if you have any particular! Some websites like this and others give tips on charcateristic requirement of some univs which can be take with precautions. After all it's a gamble!
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Preliminary Application
Now since internet is invariably used for applying, preapp is a redundant step. For those who wish to apply on paper, this is aplicable only if they want to ask univ to send them application form, instead of downloading it from website. However, I'll list out what all is expected in this step - some of which will be useful for each applicant's category. Visit the website of the univ you want to app to, and note down all relevant information, speacially, deadline, form or mode of payment, any chances of application fee waiving, number of transcript requirement, graduate secratory's email and phone number, postel address, any additional requirement of GRE Subject Test or Test of Spoken English etc. Mail grad.sec. to ask for paper application packet. Online applicants should visit their application and note down anything which requires previous preparation, viz. requirement of rank certificate from department, so that you don't fumble at final filling time. Also ask the grad.sec. if they have recieved your GRE and TOEFL scores. If not, take necessary action and reconfirm.
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Letters of Recommendations
Usually each univ requires 3 recos, and atleast 2 should be from your professors. If you have done some worthwhile job in your summer internship or any regional / national organization, it is a good idea to ask them for reco. However, all 3 academic recos are accepted. Ask profs, who knows you personally to give you reco letters. If you have done some course under him (or her) and he works in field related to your app field, it is added advantage. Usually reco templates for a univ can be downloaded from web. Give these to your prof, with an idea of why (need not be true!) and which field you are apping to so that he can write some related stuff. Also request him to give it well before deadline (If deadline is not printed on template, it's good to announce it one month before actual date). After every week or two visit him and remind him of your task. This is the toughest task of apping without you doing anything! Keep pastering. If you have some idea that a particular prof is lousy then keep a backup reco ready i.e. ask for 4 than 3. If you are unsure of content of reco from some prof ask him to give one more than required for a fictitious univ, which can be opened later! Avoid same prof giving recos to more than one person in same univ & department. Also ask for not more than 4-5 recos from one prof. If you are apping in different fields then ask prof to remember what to write in which reco. And finally, get it sealed and signed and remember to put correct recos in correct app packet. Supply profs reco templates in envelope correctly addressed to avoid confusion. It could be good idea to give your resume to prof so than he can refer to some specific accomplishments.
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>Sending Scores to univs
If some univs are not in the list of free score report done during test taking, they have to be sent separate scores for GRE and TOEFL. Just download Additional Score Report Request Form for GRE and TOEFL and send it to required address with fee. After 2-3 weeks, confirm with univs for reciept of the score. If scores are sent (either free or paid) but not recieved contact GRE or TOEFL representative and seek the clarification. Usually they take about 2-3 weeks in replying and if its their mistake they will send it free again. If you choose, you can request for score reporting again by paying again.
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Statement of Purpose (SOP)
SOP is one of the most important thing in app. If a well written and convincing sop can turn opinion in your favour, then poorly written or plagiarised sop can ruin all other good credentials. So, idea is that spent enough time on sop and make it look convincing. Refer to some sites like statementofpurpose.com or search for sop or admission essays to find what is expected. Few examples can be found here. Remember few important things. Never copy. Write what you feel like but avoid cliches. It need not be true but should sound true! Try to put examples of people, incidents, projects who influenced you in this field. ReReRe..Check for all gramatical error and make somebody critisize it for you. Never exceed limit of 1.5 to 2 pages until you have done something exceptional.
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< align=justify>Financial Assistance
Most necessary thing after admission. Prospects of aid can be best obtained by contacting former students in that univ, its previous record and demand for field you are apping to. Just write a Financial Statement stating your position and pray to god!
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Final Application Process
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Posting and Dispatching
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Post-Application Watch
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I don't feel like completing it...Sorry!
Other Useful Links
Information on Visa
Apping Guide
Appying to US universities
