Before yous give the GRE & TOEFL: You direct maintain an choice to ship your scores for gratuitous to 4 universities. After that they accuse yous $27 (for GRE) in addition to $19 (for TOEFL) to ship scores. So earlier yous seem for these exams, inquiry near universities thoroughly in addition to don’t waste materials these 4 spots. Some universities (like TAMU) don’t require TOEFL scores if you’ve got a grade of 155 (or whatever they demand) inward the verbal department of the GRE. Be mindful of these details in addition to relieve yourself approximately money.
Choosing a university: This is a crucial decision, in addition to guess what, it is completely inward your hands. Trust your gut feeling. It is ameliorate to apply to v universities of your selection than to apply to 10 ‘safe’ universities in addition to regret later. I’ll elaborate on this – comport amongst me!
Let’s do approximately math. You volition live on spending 1 or 2 years abroad – that’s a lot of time. Thanks to US dollar – INR conversion, yous volition live on spending at to the lowest degree 35 lacs INR including tuition in addition to living expenses if yous don’t direct maintain academy funding (and grants ARE hard to come upwards by). You volition live on staying inward a unusual reason – that may brand yous emotionally imbalanced. There is no guarantee of a landing a job. Are yous willing to larn through all this for a academy yous don’t fifty-fifty desire to attend? Trust me, it is ameliorate non to pursue a master’s than to pursue it inward a depression ranked university.
Consultancies are unremarkably unambitious in addition to inquire yous to apply to ‘safe’ universities. Don’t do it. Personal experience – I was told non to ‘waste money’ applying to approximately of the ambitious universities I applied to. I didn’t take away heed to them. I wanted globe bird education, in addition to if I’m spending in addition to thus much in addition to direct maintain the caliber to live on a role of an amazing university, why should I apply to universities I know volition direct maintain me easily? Where is the challenge inward that? I applied exclusively to the top ranked ones (which were tailored to my inquiry interests) and secured practiced admits.
Think near it this means – what if yous apply to 10 universities out of which 3 are ‘safe’ (i.e. depression ranked) in addition to yous larn admits exclusively from those 3? Since yous direct maintain spent in addition to thus much fourth dimension in addition to money, yous volition live on obliged to choose 1 of those. Or yous may do it out of guilt. How to foreclose this situation? Don’t apply to universities yous don’t desire to passionately larn to inward the outset place!
Do choose finances into trouble organisation human relationship - individual universities are expensive, public/state ones non in addition to thus much.
You may non larn a visa if your academy is depression ranked. Or yous may direct maintain to apply for the interview to a greater extent than than once, which demotivates yous a lot.
Academics in addition to competitive exam scores: Universities prefer students who are consistent in addition to direct maintain a build clean academic record. It doesn’t hateful yous can’t larn through if yous direct maintain backlogs – but you’d ameliorate direct maintain a practiced argue for it, which yous volition explicate inward your SoP. Similarly, GRE & TOEFL scores are of import exclusively to clear the outset pace of your application evaluation; if yous clear their minimum cut-off, that’s where it stops mattering. GRE AWA does non affair a lot in addition to thus it’s alright if yous larn 3.5+ (very special essays grade to a greater extent than than 4). I’m non a cent per centum certain near this, but I’ve heard that TOEFL speaking in addition to listening grade is of import to secure an assistantship position, later. H5N1 condom grade is 320 for the GRE in addition to 105 for the TOEFL (for practiced universities).
Writing the Statement of Purpose (SoP) & Personal Statement/Diversity Statement (PS/DS): It is 1 of the most of import determining factors inward your application. Let me enjoin yous the divergence betwixt an SoP in addition to a PS/DS. An SoP conveys your career interest, the role of choosing the schoolhouse in addition to the specific course, the technical locomote yous direct maintain carried out in addition to thus far, what yous believe volition live on the outcome of your erudition in addition to a petty fighting near your co-curricular activities patch a PS/DS shows your uniqueness (your ‘personal’ ambitions in addition to how yous volition choose ‘diversity’ to the school) in addition to tells them to a greater extent than near yous equally a person. (Update 10/27/18: my SoP in addition to PS aren't linked hither anymore)
Of course, yous should retrieve that all programs yous apply to volition live on dissimilar inward to a greater extent than ways than one. So, a unmarried SoP, patch it makes the basic construction of your presentation, should non live on used for all the universities. Mention a few professors’ locomote yous are interested inward or a lab yous would similar to locomote inward or other inquiry facilities that are unique to your academy – it shows that yous direct maintain position inward effort to inquiry near the school.
Most importantly, live on honest. Don’t brand stories to audio impressive; they know when you’re lying.
Tip 1: Add a personal comport on to your PS/DS past times making it a petty informal at approximately parts.
Tip 2: If yous already direct maintain a inquiry projection inward mind, write near it inward your SoP in addition to how the inquiry surroundings inward the particular academy is conducive to advance it.
Tip 3: You tin demo your maturity equally a mortal past times mentioning how yous volition live on helpful for the university, e.g. yous volition contribute towards inquiry in addition to choose abide by to the school.
Tip 4: Have a mortal who doesn’t know yous rattling good larn through your essays. Ask him if, after reading your essays, he would similar yous to live on a role of his university. He should live on unbiased.
Letters of Recommendation: It is ideal that your professor/employer writes a missive of the alphabet for you, herself/himself. Give her/him your resume for reference in addition to thus (s)he knows near your accomplishments. However, many a time, professors are okay amongst the pupil writing a petroleum draft of the LoR in addition to getting it approved/corrected from them. Either way, brand certain non to larn into vague. ‘She was diligent inward reporting her direct house the projection she was working on inward a timely manner’ is ameliorate than ‘She was punctual in addition to hardworking’.
First in addition to foremost, instead of assuming that a professor/your employer volition recommend you, inquire her/him if she is willing. Usually, yous demand 3 LoR’s – at to the lowest degree ii from the professors who direct maintain taught yous inward the past times (in example you’re a working professional person now). Make certain they know the deadlines for uploading the LoR’s, otherwise your application volition remain incomplete. Remind them politely but firmly near the letters. Ask them how they would similar to live on reminded. One of my professors had asked me to SMS him at to the lowest degree 1 time inward 3 hours (he was a rattling busy man) on the twenty-four hr menstruum of the deadline!
When to apply: Many universities direct maintain priority deadlines. If yous brand these, your chances of getting through are high, because these deadlines are unremarkably inward Nov or early on Dec – times when most people haven’t fifty-fifty got their scores or prepared their essays. Don’t await for your scores, to start doing your essays; start writing petroleum drafts instantly after yous seem for your GRE. Keep your application parcel educate past times mid-November to ensure a hassle-free application process.
Happy applying!