last year of college???? wanna pursue postgraduation in a reputed university??? I know how stressful the job can get....specially when there is a lack of guidance and direction tou might well lose your peace of mind....so let let me try to feed you with some mandatory initials....
The application process is a lengthy process. I recommended that you start around 15 months before the term that you are planning to enroll in, to be absolutely comfortable. For instance, if you plan to enroll in the fall 2008 semester, you should start around February/March 2007. Ofcourse this is not a thumb rule, but it’s best to have ample time at your disposal.
One must have clarity about ht ecourse of studyy. Once this is done, start with shortlisting the universities you want to apply to. This is certainly not as easy as it sounds, for the sole reason that there are numerous universities that offer the course of your choice, that seem good enough. How do you differentiate one from the other? The university rankings are the best source to help you with this. USNewsRankings can be a start. Additionally, you can go to the USEFI (specifically for people applying in the US). USEFI stands for United States Educational Foundation in India, and will give you exhaustive material for your research, including admit/reject tables that can tell you the kind of universities you have a chance of getting into, based on your profile.
Shortlist around 20 universities based on various criteria like course, ranking, cost, location, weather etc. You can then further extensively research these universities and make a final list of around 5-6 universities. Have atleast one dream university, and one safe-bet (where you’ll surely make it if none of the others accept you) in your list.
After having decided the universities you want to apply to, it is time to start preparing for the required tests. Most MS courses need a GRE score, while the business courses require a GMAT score. In addition, students from countries where English is not the native language, are required to give the TOEFL/IELTS. You can prepare on your own, or go to one of the coaching institutes that help you prepare for these tests. But, like for everything in life, you do need to practice quite a bit, because if you look closely at the test patterns and questions, you will realize that it is something no one can really teach you.
There are a few documents that you will need while applying:
1. School transcripts– This is a consolidated document of the marks you scored and your percentage/GPA in undergraduate college. It also mentions any rank system or GPA conversion method that your college uses. You can get it made from your institution, usually at a nominal fee.
2. Statement of Purpose – This is the most important part of your application. The SOP, or Personal Essay, is a statement of your educational and social background, the reason for graduate study, career goals, and just about any other information that you feel is relevant and may want to tell the admission committee. The admission committee does not come to know of your suitability to the graduate course just through the application. The personal essay is your chance to establish your suitability, as well as cover up any deficiencies or negative aspects of your application. Work on this really well.
3. Resume – This should be a 1-2 page document of your education, work-experience, publications, projects, awards, fellowships etc. Don’t make it too long, unless you’re Steve Jobs.
4. Letter of Recommendation – This is a letter from your professor, manager at work, or any person who can assess your academic capability for graduate study. Try to get recommendations from people who know you well. A letter from your Team Lead at the office would hold more weight than one from the CEO of your company, who would probably not know your capabilities that well.
This is about all that there is to it. Once you have all of this, you are ready to apply. I have tried to include all the aspects of applying to a graduate course. Remember to be absolutely sure before starting the process. We are here to make this process a smooth transition for you to embark on a new, interesting phase of your life. So get ready, and get going!
