US has been the dream destination for many an aspirant of a higher education abroad. Every year a huge number of Indian students set their foot on the shores of the United States of America to do their post-graduation. In fact, in 2021-22 the number of students pursuing post graduate degrees in the US was a whopping 1.02 lakh which showed an astonishing 48% growth in graduate studies over 2020-21, and accounted for 53% of all Indian students enrolled in the US in 2021-22.
So, what is it that beckons India’s graduates to go and do their post-graduation i.e., either masters or PhD from the US universities. Some of the factors are:
- Wider choice of specializations
- Access to technology and knowhow
- Research opportunities
- Experiential learning
- Outstanding faculty
- International recognition
- Multicultural environment
- Invaluable academic, professional and personal growth
- Launching pad for a successful career
Now, that surely makes pursuing a masters or a PhD from the US a lot of sense. Add to that the fact that there are several opportunities to fund your education by way of scholarships, waivers, research assistantships and teaching assistantships. Doesn’t it become more attractive? It surely does, and therefore you must seriously consider this opportunity if you are serious about going deep into the subject you are studying at present for your degree.
Once you have decided to pursue your next degree from the US, the next thing you will have to decide is the intake you would like to apply for. There are three admission seasons across the US universities, September for intakes in Fall; January for intake in Spring and May for intake in Summer. The main intake however is the Fall intake in September in which admission takes place for the maximum number of courses. The admission activity for this intake starts more than a year earlier and the formal application process in September the year before. So, you too have to target the September intake and plan for as well.
Now the steps of application process!
The first step to undertake in the application process is to do a self-analysis. This is important because unlike in India, the application process in the US is very time consuming and expensive. So, you need to be clear about the:
- Career you want to make
- Specialization you would like to pursue
- Academic orientation you desire i.e., taught course or thesis (research) oriented
2. Determining Your Shortlisting Criteria
The next step is to come up with your shortlisting criteria. Some of the common ones are:
- University ranking and other recognitions for the major you have in mind
- Selectivity i.e., number of applicants it admits from among the total applicants
- Course content and design
- Faculty background and credentials
- Prospects for funding
- Industry connects i.e., relationships with enterprises for projects, internships etc.
- Student profile and diversity
- Facilities
- Location
Once your shortlisting criteria are in place, it is time to search and shortlist universities in Step 3.
3. Shortlisting Courses and Colleges
In step 3, the objective is to identify about 25 odd universities in the first iteration and 8 to 10 universities finally for detailed analysis. To get started you can look at the rankings of the universities in the US News Rankings, or the QS World Rankings or the Times Higher Education Rankings and make a list of 25 universities based on some basic criteria such as ranking, costs, course design and any other criteria you feel is extremely important to you. Now you do a detailed analysis of these 25 universities and shortlist 8 to 10 from among them in such a manner that you have some that need you to stretch academically or financially or in some other ways; some that match your current capabilities and performance; and few 1 or 2 that you can easily get admission in as your credentials exceed their expectations.
After step 3, the steps that follow become specific to the university you are applying to and form a part of their application. Typically, the application in addition to the personal information to be filled up in the online application form needs:
- Academic transcripts for all semesters apart from the final and the pre-final one
- GRE and IELTS or TOEFL scores
- Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement
- Letters of recommendation (LOR)
- Details of internships done that relate to the post-graduate course you are applying for
- Details of projects undertaken that relate to the post-graduate course you are applying for
- Details of research performed that relates to the post-graduate course you are applying for
It is important to note that unlike the application for undergraduate admissions, for post-graduate applications, details of extracurricular activities and community services are not needed.
4. Take the Standardized Tests
So, step 4 is to prepare for and take the standardized tests. These are Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Ideally these tests should be taken as soon as you finalize your shortlist of universities.
5. Write Your Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement
Next comes the step 5 which is to write your statement of purpose (SOP) or personal statement (PS). SOPs or PSs are an extremely important part of the college admissions process. They are the only way the admission officers can gain insights into what kind of a person you are. Also, it helps them understand your academic background and motivation. So, it becomes the key to distinguish you from the other candidates who are applying. Therefore, you got to make sure that your SOP/PS is conveying your personality and ambition in an authentic and interesting way.
6. Get your Letters of Recommendation Sent
Step 6 is all about the letters of recommendation (LOR). LORs help the admissions committee learn more about you from a different perspective. The LOR could be from your faculty from the present college or university who have taught you, your project guides, your internship supervisor or any other person who has worked closely with you in a formal reporting capacity. They serve to validate whatever you have claimed about yourself as a student and provide insights into what you are like as a student to put your application in context. You will need 2-3 LORs for each university you apply to.
7. Get Copies of Your Transcripts Uploaded
The next step is the seventh step which is to put together your transcripts from the first year onwards. These may be needed to be sent across or uploaded as desired by the university you are applying to. More often than not the application is made while you are in the final year and either in the pre-final semester or the final semester. In either case you are not in a position to provide the transcripts for the semester. So, you need to tell that to the university you are applying and they understand the situation.
8. Provide Details of Your Professional Activities
The final step, that is the eighth step is to provide details of professional activities undertaken such as internships done, projects undertaken, and research performed. Normally there are sections in the online application to provide these details and upload certificates. It is a good practice to refer to them in your SOP/PS also in context.
Now you are ready to submit your application. But before you do that, it is time for one final check. Examine your application for grammatical errors, typos, word limits, spelling mistakes and specific format errors. If there are no mistakes and all is well, then go ahead and submit your application.
