Overseas higher education process guide v1 0

Overseas higher education guide Earthsoft Foundation of Guidance

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Contents

Section – 1 - Heart to heart…sharing important points ............................................................................... 4

What are qualities needed......................................................................................................................... 4

Difficulties .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Consideration of higher education ............................................................................................................ 4

Critical steps ............................................................................................................................................... 4

Choose consultant / mentor as advisor ..................................................................................................... 5

Decision making ............................................................................................................................................ 5

To decide… ................................................................................................................................................. 5

USA tops for higher education ................................................................................................................... 5

Why consider USA for higher education .................................................................................................... 6

Why higher education in USA .................................................................................................................... 6

What you get ............................................................................................................................................. 6

Parameters to compare ............................................................................................................................. 7

Why to plan 2 years before........................................................................................................................ 7

About graduation in USA ........................................................................................................................... 7

Entrance test for qualifying graduation study - About SAT .......................................................................... 8

Function ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

Structure .................................................................................................................................................... 9

SAT exam pattern....................................................................................................................................... 9

Eligibility for SAT exam............................................................................................................................. 10

Critical Reading ........................................................................................................................................ 10

Mathematics ............................................................................................................................................ 10

Calculator use .......................................................................................................................................... 11

Writing ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

Style of questions ..................................................................................................................................... 12

Taking the test ......................................................................................................................................... 12

Raw scores, scaled scores, and percentiles ............................................................................................. 13

Technology or management - MS or MBA? Points to ponder… .............................................................. 13

Possible branches and locations .............................................................................................................. 13

Considering MS or M Tech ....................................................................................................................... 14

For post graduation..................................................................................................................................... 14


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High level procedure ................................................................................................................................ 14

Application time frame ............................................................................................................................ 15

Process for admission ................................................................................................................................. 15

10 Easy Steps ............................................................................................................................................... 15

Program and University Selection ........................................................................................................... 15

How to choose a overseas Graduate School / Post Graduate college ................................................ 15

Necessary admission tests (SAT, GMAT, GRE, IELTS, TOEFL) ................................................................... 16

Application Submission ............................................................................................................................ 16

Admission documents ......................................................................................................................... 16

Receive offer of acceptance..................................................................................................................... 17

Submit relevant documents to secure I-20 ............................................................................................. 17

Receive I-20 .............................................................................................................................................. 17

Preparation of documents to apply for student (F-1) visa ...................................................................... 17

Appear for visa interview at U.S. Embassy .............................................................................................. 17

Prepare to study and live in the U.S. ....................................................................................................... 17

Details captured for each steps. ................................................................................................................. 17

Preparation .............................................................................................................................................. 17

About GRE ................................................................................................................................................ 17

About GMAT ............................................................................................................................................ 19

About TOFEL ............................................................................................................................................ 19

About IELTS .............................................................................................................................................. 20

Test Prep: 6 Tips for GRE Success ............................................................................................................ 20

Reporting GRE score ................................................................................................................................ 23

Graduate Schools Admission documents – Checklist .............................................................................. 23

About Visa ................................................................................................................................................ 23

Visa documents ........................................................................................................................................ 24

Make the U.S. Student Visa Process Painless .......................................................................................... 24

Selecting universities ............................................................................................................................... 25

Suggestion to choose ............................................................................................................................... 25

U.S. News Business School Rankings ....................................................................................................... 25

Costing ..................................................................................................................................................... 26

Earning – Salary & Tax ............................................................................................................................. 26


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FAQ about admission ............................................................................................................................... 26

Don’ts while in USA .................................................................................................................................. 27

Suggestions while in USA ......................................................................................................................... 27

How to select accommodation? ......................................................................................................... 27

How do students search for room partners? ...................................................................................... 28

Booking ticket ..................................................................................................................................... 28

About facilities of communication ...................................................................................................... 29

About insurance .................................................................................................................................. 29

Cooking & other skills ......................................................................................................................... 29

List of items ......................................................................................................................................... 29

Common medicine .............................................................................................................................. 30

You can do it ............................................................................................................................................... 30

Section – 2 - Structure of the U.S. Education System: ............................................................................... 30

Bachelor’s degree Description ................................................................................................................. 31

U.S. Higher Education Glossary ................................................................................................................... 33

Useful links (url) .......................................................................................................................................... 44

Higher Education...................................................................................................................................... 44

Useful Links ................................................................................................................................................. 46

General ..................................................................................................................................................... 46

Standardized Tests ................................................................................................................................... 46

Accreditation ............................................................................................................................................ 46

Application Packet ................................................................................................................................... 46

Visa Information ...................................................................................................................................... 46

Search Engines ......................................................................................................................................... 46

Financing Your US Studies........................................................................................................................ 46

Overview of US Education System ........................................................................................................... 47

Pre Departure Information ...................................................................................................................... 47

Popular Study Abroad Search Engines ..................................................................................................... 47

General information ................................................................................................................................ 47

Indian Embassies and Consulates in US ................................................................................................... 47

References ............................................................................................................................................... 47


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Section – 1 - Heart to heart…sharing important points encouraging higher education

What are qualities needed

• Having dreams & Willingness

• Determination & Readiness

• Ready to put in efforts

• Understand time management

• Understand planning for study, examination, preparation

• Understand the importance of career & its management

• Availability of the resources

• Good friends & guides

• Good college & university

Difficulties

Mostly following are the difficulties one faces while considering higher education. Subsequent

paragraphs will address to overcome most of these.

• Mental resistance

• Lack of readiness

• Lack of information

• Inconsistent information

• Financial worry

Consideration of higher education

Be global

Adopt cross culture, keep fundamentals intact

Aim for the highest possible education

Seek admission for the best college/ university

Seek the best

Manage routine, circumstances, finance

Learn concept, fundamentally & innovatively

Get connected well, keep healthy relationships

Deliver the best & be proud

Study on latest technologies (White paper)

Participating in college events

Execute activities within legal framework

Critical steps

Self assessment - Know the abilities & interest – Assess the abilities & watch the interest

Career exploration, decide which is the highest degree in the field compatible to the career you

would like to do

Entire Pathway planning is essential

Start early - Talk about various career choices, at least 1 – 2 years before

Understand the changing realities of work


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Learn to explore all destinations - within country & overseas OR science, technology,

engineering , management OR school – college – employment

Investigate the specifics of the career choices

Remember strong deeply rooted desire is the starting point of all the achievements!

Choose consultant / mentor as advisor

• Put everything on paper: your goals, vision, what you want to do & why

• Seek a Mentor : ask your seniors, friends, family, cousins, and professors for advice

• Seek guidance about plan

Decision making

A Master’s or Bachelor’s or PhD degree from USA or any other overseas university will be a launch pad

offering exciting career opportunities. It offers you following courses. Student needs to think clealry

solving a algorithm of various questions and arriving at the conclusion for each of the questions like

1. Graduation – India or overseas? Why? BS – 4 Years (after 12th / HSC in India)

2. To graduation be technical cource ot management? Why?

3. To consider post graduation or job opportunity? Why?

4. To consider university for post graduation in India or Overseas? Why?

5. To consider post graduation be technical cource or management? Why?

a. MS – 18 to 21 months in technology after Bachelors degree

b. MBA – 2 Years course in management like Marketing, HR, Finance, etc

To decide…

To decide do you want to opt for higher education

To decide which branch and why?

To decide which country and why?

To discuss with parents, teachers and friends and conclude

USA tops for higher education

168 universities out of world's top 500, 17 of which are in the top 20

The United Nations assigned an Education Index of 99.9 to the United States, ranking it number

1 in world

USA Universities are the best for Masters, PhD & other higher education Programs

It is the world's ethnically & socially diverse nations & worlds no 1 democratic country

Graduating from an accredited American school & being exposed to the rigors of the American

education system is an investment for future

It is a combination of public and private entities

Public education is the responsibility of state & local governments, not the federal government.

Public universities receive part of their funding from the state governments.

Alumni donations and other sources also contribute large amounts of funding to both

Tuition at USA private universities is generally much higher than at public universities.

Good chances of scholarships, Teaching Assistance, Research Assistantships and Part time jobs

for Masters Students


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Why consider USA for higher education

Innovative & quality educational systems

o Application and case study-driven curriculum

o Excellent teaching quality & learning experience

o Prepares you to take hands-on challenges

o Increasing focus on soft skills, interpersonal skills (team building, leadership ,etc)

o Excellent class dynamics, course structure, professors help

Good job opportunities after MS or MBA in US

Huge exposure to world class knowledge & international environment

Study with international students

USA education system recognized globally

Research oriented education & applications

Valuable support to students

Grants for invention / research by major companies or government

The largest economic engine of the world

Get to observe

o Innovative financial products

o Sophisticated marketing methods & systems

Why higher education in USA

Offers a platform for excellent career growth

Innovative educational systems & programs

Diverse academic world & educational resource

Excellent infrastructure, good life style

Wonderful academic support from professors

Fullest exploitation of student’s strengths, potential and abilities

Possible funding, scholarship

Possibility of earning while learning, reasonably well paid part time job like lab assistant

Simple processes & decision making

Excellent effective transparent communication

Excellence and innovation

Best students, faculty, staff

Interdisciplinary environment

Leading-edge facilities, services

Industry and community collaboration

Global engagement

Optimal technology transfer

What you get

To get invaluable higher education

To grow yourself intellectually

To know the best practices internationally


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To get a good & global exposure

To study in a new environment and learning new things

To constantly challenge to balance school, work and finances

Parameters to compare

Infrastructure

Study in research

Support from the professors

Tests and examination

Assignments

Quizzes

Group Projects and Individual projects

Term papers

Class participation

Grading or Percentage

Learning recent technologies & practices

Opportunities

Why to plan 2 years before

You need to plan much prior for preparation. Each of the activities takes certain amount of time and

efforts. If you start early, it avoids last moment hassles and pressure.

Getting passport, few times you may face Name issue in passport

Preparing for GRE / TOEFL

Preparing for Statement of Purpose(SOP)

Research About Grad Schools in US

Funding like TA, RA, GA or Scholarships

Recommendations, Transcripts, Bank Statement

Re-take GRE, TOFEL- if you did NOT get good scores in first attempt

Unforeseen Issues

Time flies very fast in doing above activities

About graduation in USA - About Bachelor’s degree course in USA

Bachelor's degrees in the United States are typically designed to be completed in four years of full-time

study, although some programs (such as engineering or architecture) usually take five, and some

universities and colleges allow ambitious students usually with the help of summer school, taking many

classes each semester, and/or who have existing credit from high school Advanced Placement course

exams, etc to complete them in as little as three years. Some U.S. colleges and universities have a

separate academic track known as an "honors" or "scholars" program, generally offered to the top

percentile of students (based on GPA), that offers more challenging courses or more individually

directed seminars or research projects in lieu of the standard core curriculum. Those students are

awarded the same bachelor's degree as students completing the standard curriculum.


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Parents may need to consider if student is mature enough to deal with education overseas

immediately after higher secondary school at the age 17-18 years. The points like homesickness or

inculcation of likely bad habits to be thought about. Qualities of education and career opportunities

are better during graduation education at overseas. Education at early age allows an exposure to

overseas environment. When student go with lot of ambitions and dreams, he or she would stay

away from the bad habits except if unfortunately negatively influenced. Job opportunities are said to

be better for bachelors compared to masters. Students get continuous & longer exposure to the

educational systems & research followed by job opportunities.

Entrance test for qualifying graduation study - About SAT

The SAT is a standardized test for most college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned,

published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was

formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still administers the

exam. The test is intended to assess a student's readiness for college. It was first introduced in 1926, and

its name and scoring have changed several times. It was first called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, then

the Scholastic Assessment Test.

The current SAT Reasoning Test, introduced in 2005, takes three hours and forty-five minutes to finish,

and costs $50 ($81 International), excluding late fees. Possible scores range from 600 to 2400,

combining test results from three 800-point sections (Mathematics, Critical Reading, and Writing).

Taking the SAT or its competitor, the ACT, is required for freshman entry to many, but not all,

universities in the United States.

Function

The College Board states that SAT measures literacy and writing skills that are needed for academic

success in college. They state that the SAT assesses how well the test takers analyze and solve

problems—skills they learned in school that they will need in college. The SAT is typically taken by high

school sophomores, juniors and seniors. Specifically, the College Board states that use of the SAT in

combination with high school grade point average (GPA) provides a better indicator of success in college

than high school grades alone, as measured by college freshman GPA. Various studies conducted over

the lifetime of the SAT show a statistically significant increase in correlation of high school grades and

freshman grades when the SAT is factored in.

SAT (and ACT) scores are intended to supplement the secondary school record and help admission

officers put local data—such as course work, grades, and class rank—in a national perspective.

SAT has been more popular among colleges on the coasts and the ACT more popular in the Midwest and

South. There are some colleges that require the ACT to be taken for college course placement, and a few

schools that formerly did not accept the SAT at all. Nearly all colleges accept the test. While the exact

manner in which SAT scores will help to determine admission of a student at American institutions of

higher learning is generally a matter decided by the individual institution, some foreign countries like

India have made SAT (and ACT) scores a legal criterion in deciding whether holders of American high

school diplomas will be admitted at their public universities.


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Structure

SAT consists of three major sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. Each section receives a

score on the scale of 200–800. All scores are multiples of 10. Total scores are calculated by adding up

scores of the three sections. Each major section is divided into three parts. There are 10 sub-sections,

including an additional 25-minute experimental or "equating" section that may be in any of the three

major sections. The experimental section is used to normalize questions for future administrations of

the SAT and does not count toward the final score. The test contains 3 hours and 45 minutes of actual

timed sections; most administrations (after including orientation, distribution of materials, completion

of biographical sections, and eleven minutes of timed breaks) run for about four and a half hours. The

questions range from easy, medium, and hard depending on the scoring from the experimental sections.

Easier questions typically appear closer to the beginning of the section while harder questions are

toward the end in certain sections. This is not true for every section (the Critical Reading section is in

chronological order) but it is the rule of thumb mainly for math and the 19 sentence completions on the

test.

SAT exam pattern

The SAT exam is designed to assess the skills of thinking and logical reasoning of the candidates. These

are the basic skills that you acquire in your schools, but are highly valued at the college level as well. The

purpose of conducting this exam is to evaluate students for their writing, reading as well as

mathematical skills.

The total duration of the exam is 3 hours and 45 minutes. The SAT exam is divided into SAT Reasoning

Test and SAT subject based Test. If you want to take admission in any US college on the basis of SAT

reasoning score, it is just not enough to secure a seat in US colleges. But on the other hand, some

colleges also consider the score of the subjects based exam. In most of the cases when we say SAT

exam, it meant to the SAT reasoning test.

SAT reasoning test:

Exam Type Mainly objective & some writing section

Question Type Multiple choice question

Subject No of questions Marks

Critical Reading 67 800

Mathematics 54 800

Writing English 49 (MCQ) 800

Total Questions 170 (MCQ)

Maximum marks 2400

Marks of each correct answer Not specific

Total time for exam 200 Minutes

Writing: This section has essay type question section and multiple choice type questions. The essay

section has allocated the time of 25 minutes.


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Critical Reading: The critical reading section is divided into three sub-sections. The questions asked in

this section are based on either short passage reading or long passage reading. The questions are

multiple choice based questions. These questions generally evaluate a student's writing skills.

Mathematics: Mathematics section also consists of three sections. The total time allotted to this section

is 70 minutes.

Eligibility for SAT exam: Students can appear in this exam either after completion of their Class XII from

a recognised Indian university or education board or they can also take this test while studying in

ClassXII or Class XI. The students should keep college deadlines in mind while appearing in the exam. The

scores that are finally considered depends upon the fact that in which college you want to apply.

Students can reappear for the exam, but this action is not fruitful if higher scores are not expected.

Critical Reading

The Critical Reading (formerly Verbal) section of the SAT is made up of three scored sections: two 25-

minute sections and one 20-minute section, with varying types of questions, including sentence

completions and questions about short and long reading passages. Critical Reading sections normally

begin with 5 to 8 sentence completion questions; the remainder of the questions are focused on the

reading passages. Sentence completions generally test the student's vocabulary and understanding of

sentence structure and organization by requiring the student to select one or two words that best

complete a given sentence. The bulk of the Critical Reading section is made up of questions regarding

reading passages, in which students read short excerpts on social sciences, humanities, physical

sciences, or personal narratives and answer questions based on the passage. Certain sections contain

passages asking the student to compare two related passages; generally, these consist of shorter

reading passages. The number of questions about each passage is proportional to the length of the

passage. Unlike in the Mathematics section, where questions go in the order of difficulty, questions in

the Critical Reading section go in the order of the passage. Overall, question sets near the beginning of

the section are easier, and question sets near the end of the section are harder.

Mathematics

An example of a "grid in" mathematics question in which the answer should be written into the box

below the question.

The Mathematics section of the SAT is widely known as the Quantitative Section or Calculation Section.

The mathematics section consists of three scored sections. There are two 25-minute sections and one

20-minute section, as follows:

One of the 25-minute sections is entirely multiple choice, with 20 questions.

The other 25-minute section contains 8 multiple choice questions and 10 grid-in questions. For grid-in

questions, test-takers write the answer inside a grid on the answer sheet. Unlike multiple choice

questions, there is no penalty for incorrect answers on grid-in questions because the test-taker is not

limited to a few possible choices.

The 20-minute section is all multiple choice, with 16 questions.

The SAT has done away with quantitative comparison questions on the math section, leaving only

questions with symbolic or numerical answers.


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New topics include Algebra II and scatter plots. These recent changes have resulted in a shorter, more

quantitative exam requiring higher level mathematics courses relative to the previous exam.

Calculator use

Four-function, scientific, and graphing calculators are permitted on the SAT math section; however,

calculators are not permitted on either of the other sections. Calculators with QWERTY keyboards, cell

phone calculators, portable computers, and personal organizers are not permitted.

With the recent changes to the content of the SAT math section, the need to save time while

maintaining accuracy of calculations has led some to use calculator programs during the test. These

programs allow students to complete problems faster than would normally be possible when making

calculations manually.

The use of a graphing calculator is sometimes preferred, especially for geometry problems and exercises

involving multiple calculations. According to research conducted by the CollegeBoard, performance on

the math sections of the exam is associated with the extent of calculator use, with those using

calculators on about a third to a half of the items averaging higher scores than those using calculators

less frequently.The use of a graphing calculator in mathematics courses, and also becoming familiar with

the calculator outside of the classroom, is known to have a positive effect on the performance of

students using a graphing calculator during the exam.

Writing

SAT essay. This student received a 10/12 from two judges, each giving 5/6

The writing portion of the SAT, based on but not directly comparable to the old SAT II subject test in

writing (which in turn was developed from the old TSWE), includes multiple choice questions and a brief

essay. The essay subscore contributes about 28% to the total writing score, with the multiple choice

questions contributing 70%. This section was implemented in March 2005 following complaints from

colleges about the lack of uniform examples of a student's writing ability and critical thinking.

The multiple choice questions include error identification questions, sentence improvement questions,

and paragraph improvement questions. Error identification and sentence improvement questions test

the student's knowledge of grammar, presenting an awkward or grammatically incorrect sentence; in

the error identification section, the student must locate the word producing the source of the error or

indicate that the sentence has no error, while the sentence improvement section requires the student

to select an acceptable fix to the awkward sentence. The paragraph improvement questions test the

student's understanding of logical organization of ideas, presenting a poorly written student essay and

asking a series of questions as to what changes might be made to best improve it.

The essay section, which is always administered as the first section of the test, is 25 minutes long. All

essays must be in response to a given prompt. The prompts are broad and often philosophical and are

designed to be accessible to students regardless of their educational and social backgrounds. For

instance, test takers may be asked to expand on such ideas as their opinion on the value of work in

human life or whether technological change also carries negative consequences to those who benefit

from it. No particular essay structure is required, and the College Board accepts examples "taken from

[the student's] reading, studies, experience, or observations." Two trained readers assign each essay a

score between 1 and 6, where a score of 0 is reserved for essays that are blank, off-topic, non-English,


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not written with a Number 2 pencil, or considered illegible after several attempts at reading. The scores

are summed to produce a final score from 2 to 12 (or 0). If the two readers' scores differ by more than

one point, then a senior third reader decides. The average time each reader/grader spends on each

essay is less than 3 minutes.

Style of questions

Most of the questions on the SAT, except for the essay and the grid-in math responses, are multiple

choice; all multiple-choice questions have five answer choices, one of which is correct. The questions of

each section of the same type are generally ordered by difficulty. However, an important exception

exists: Questions that follow the long and short reading passages are organized chronologically, rather

than by difficulty. Ten of the questions in one of the math sub-sections are not multiple choice. They

instead require the test taker to bubble in a number in a four-column grid.

The questions are weighted equally. For each correct answer, one raw point is added. For each incorrect

answer one-fourth of a point is deducted. No points are deducted for incorrect math grid-in questions.

This ensures that a student's mathematically expected gain from guessing is zero. The final score is

derived from the raw score; the precise conversion chart varies between test administrations.

The SAT therefore recommends only making educated guesses, that is, when the test taker can

eliminate at least one answer he or she thinks is wrong. Without eliminating any answers one's

probability of answering correctly is 20%. Eliminating one wrong answer increases this probability to

25% (and the expected gain to 1/16 of a point); two, a 33.3% probability (1/6 of a point); and three, a

50% probability (3/8 of a point).

Section Average

Score

Time

(Minutes)

Content

Writing 493 60 Grammar, usage, and diction

Mathematics 515 70 Number and operations; algebra and functions;

geometry; statistics, probability, and data analysis

Critical Reading 501 70 Vocabulary, Critical reading, sentence-level reading

Taking the test

The SAT is offered seven times a year in the United States; in October, November, December, January,

March (or April, alternating), May, and June. The test is typically offered on the first Saturday of the

month for the November, December, May, and June administrations. .

Candidates may take either the SAT Reasoning Test or up to three SAT Subject Tests on any given test

date, except the first spring test date, when only the SAT Reasoning Test is offered. Candidates wishing

to take the test may register online at the College Board's website, by mail, or by telephone, at least

three weeks before the test date.

The SAT Subject Tests are all given in one large book on test day. Therefore, it is actually immaterial

which tests, and how many, the student signs up for; with the possible exception of the language tests

with listening, the student may change his or her mind and take any tests, regardless of his or her initial

sign-ups. Students who choose to take more subject tests than they signed up for will later be billed by

College Board for the additional tests and their scores will be withheld until the bill is paid. Students who

choose to take fewer subject tests than they signed up for are not eligible for a refund.


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The SAT Reasoning Test costs $49 ($78 International, $99 for India and Pakistan, since the older testing

system is in place). For the Subject tests, students pay a $22 ($49 International, $73 for India and

Pakistan) Basic Registration Fee and $11 per test (except for language tests with listening, which cost

$21 each). The College Board makes fee waivers available for low income students. Additional fees apply

for late registration, standby testing, registration changes, scores by telephone, and extra score reports

(beyond the four provided for free).

Candidates whose religious beliefs prevent them from taking the test on a Saturday may request to take

the test on the following day, except for the October test date in which the Sunday test date is eight

days after the main test offering. Such requests must be made at the time of registration and are subject

to denial.

Students with verifiable disabilities, including physical and learning disabilities, are eligible to take the

SAT with accommodations. The standard time increase for students requiring additional time due to

learning disabilities is time + 50%; time + 100% is also offered.

Raw scores, scaled scores, and percentiles

Students receive their online score reports approximately three weeks after test administration (six

weeks for mailed, paper scores), with each section graded on a scale of 200–800 and two sub scores for

the writing section: the essay score and the multiple choice sub score. In addition to their score,

students receive their percentile (the percentage of other test takers with lower scores). The raw score,

or the number of points gained from correct answers and lost from incorrect answers (ranges from just

under 50 to just under 60, depending upon the test), is also included. Students may also receive, for an

additional fee, the Question and Answer Service, which provides the student's answer, the correct

answer to each question, and online resources explaining each question.

Technology or management - MS or MBA? Points to ponder…

1. Do you like technical job like engineering or management job?

2. Do you like innovation, research & development or want to create a business using own ideas?

Possible branches and locations


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Considering MS or M Tech

# Parameter M Tech MS

1 Admission Tough to get admission There are many international universities so

admission is not difficult

2 Culture Continued with the same Different variety of culture helps future career

3 Cost Reasonable, manageable Very high to the tune of 30 lacs

4 Convenience High being within own

country

Less considering away from home however

systems & processes are extremely good

5 Exposure Reasonable International / global exposure, different

culture

6 Research Reasonable, more

weightage on theory

Latest technology exposure, research,

availability of huge budgets , High to the latest

technologies, thesis, papers, professors and

connect with the industries

7 Job Opportunities Reasonable Very high and well paid job

8 Scholaships and

support

Reasonable Very high, there are many foreign scholarships

and financial aids

8 Future You might land up settling

in India in major cases

There will be opportunities & chances to settle

in USA

For post graduation

High level procedure


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Application time frame

Process for admission

10 Easy Steps

Program and University Selection

Second important step is to conduct a detailed analysis of your academic background, work experience,

extra-curricular activities, sporting interests, budget restrictions, program and course requirement and

career goals. Also collect all the relevant information on the education system of the country you wish

to go for higher study. Based on the assessment, you may want to choose universities that best match

your academic profile, personality and career goals.

How to choose a overseas Graduate School / Post Graduate college

Thoroughly research graduate programs and prospective career fields before becoming international

graduate students –

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/international-student-counsel/2013/04/18/how-to-choose-a-

us-graduate-school

Check if university & program is well known within its circle

Whether city / country offers you exciting career opportunities for the said program

Finding the right graduate school is a time-consuming and arduous process, so consider the following

factors to decide which school is your best bet.

1. Research your program based on legitimate sources: Check & verify Program rankings using credible

U.S. websites to get an inside look at your program, including its prestige and standing. Learn more

about a program consulting directly with faculty and current students with the help of faculty.

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/international-student-counsel/2013/04/18/how-to-choose-a-us-graduate-school

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/international-student-counsel/2013/04/18/how-to-choose-a-us-graduate-school

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools


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2. Take into account the locations of your school: If your field of study requires practical skills rather

than theoretical knowledge, you should consider going to cities, because you will have a better chance

of getting internships there than in small, rural towns.

It's also important to know that many schools have campuses located in different cities or even different

states. You need to figure out on which campus your program is located by visiting the school's website.

Research the places of your potential future schools. You can ask questions like: What industries in my

field are located there? What are the job or internship opportunities like in that place?

3. Know the details of your program: Find out the syllabus and how long your program is from the

official website of the school since length of programs can vary by school even if the programs are

similar.

4. Learn your career options: Since your final goal is to find a job, talk to alumni or career service

advisers to learn what you can do and where you can go after graduation.

Consult your school's international students and scholars office to find out about the Optional Practical

Training program – which typically allows international students to work in the U.S. legally for one year

after graduation as long as their jobs are related to their educational field – as well as about visas. Many

offices' websites will also have information about applying for OPT.

The steps above mark the beginning of your future journey in the U.S. International students who are

aiming to have a successful academic life and career in the U.S. should remember not to get

discouraged. There's only one way you can make yourself better: never give up or stop trying.

Necessary admission tests (SAT, GMAT, GRE, IELTS, TOEFL)

Most programs in the U.S. require you to undertake an admission test as part of the assessment of your

application. Later finalise center where you may take the required tests.

Application Submission

You need to compile all necessary documents needed for the application. Then complete/ submit the

application form. Keep the track of your application at every stage and the relevant deadlines.

Admission documents

1. DD/Bank check for Application fee (If not paid it online)

2. Recommendation letters from 3 lectures

3. GRE/TOEFL/GMAT/IELTS Score photocopy

4. Transcripts (Bachelors Degree)

5. Bachelors Degree certificate (If available)

6. SSC/10th or Equivalent Certificate

7. 12th/ intermediate or Equivalent certificates

8. SOP (Statement of Purpose)

9. Bank statement

10. Affidavit

11. Study certificate or Job experience certificate

12. Photo Copies of first and last pages of your passport

13. Copies and proofs of all your other activities (Ex. Paper presentations, Your organizing skills in

your symposiums etc.)


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14. Ref - http://www.msinus.com/content/documents-required-apply-us-universities-192/

Receive offer of acceptance

When you receive your offer letters, you need to send the acceptance prior to deadlines. You may also

have to send additional documents if requirements.

Submit relevant documents to secure I-20

Once you choose to accept a university offer, you will have to prepare your academic and financial

documents and advise on payments that need to be made to procure your I-20.

Receive I-20

The I-20 confirms your enrollment and allows you to proceed with your U.S. visa application. You will

have to check that all the appropriate details are included in your I-20 to enable you to apply for your

student visa.

Preparation of documents to apply for student (F-1) visa

Collect all the information about visa regulations and compile your visa file. Make the relevant visa

application fee payments and book the visa appointment with the U.S. Embassy.

Appear for visa interview at U.S. Embassy

Appearing for the visa interview at the U.S. Embassy can be a daunting experience. You need to study

types of questions being asked by Visa officer and ready for the answer. It is suggested to practice

understanding pronunciations listening to CD or relevant content like movies, etc. Seek guidance from

those who have appeared. It is all about 30 seconds maximum what impression you offer. Prepare

yourself for the interview without pressure.

Prepare to study and live in the U.S.

You will have U.S. University experts talk to you about the academic, social, cultural and sporting life in

US universities. Also try to seek the list of admission for this year and if anyone staying in your city or

nearby city. You may want to join the various groups on internet like yahoo group or finding

accommodation & room partners. Try to collect information and seek guidance on important issues such

as foreign exchange, accommodation, insurance, medical requirement, communication means, etc.

There will be options for choosing accommodation like university campus and taking flat on rent jointly

with couple of students.

Details captured for each steps.

Preparation

Following will be helpful getting admission in the best of university

• Good score of entrance examination & TOFEL

• Experience in India will be considered positively

• Do mention of research work or publishing white paper in profile

• Nicely composed Statement of purpose (SOP) (Download samples, compose it well & get it

reviewed)

• Excellent academic reports from professors

About GRE

• It’s an entrance test need to quality for Masters in various fields.

http://www.msinus.com/content/documents-required-apply-us-universities-192/


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• Format – Computer based test

• Sections –

o Analytical writing – 1 issue essay and 1 argument essay (duration – 30 minutes to write

each)

o Verbal Reasoning – reading comprehension, sentence completion, sentence equivalence

and text completion. Test takers have two 30-minute periods to answer two sets of 20

questions

o Quantitative reasoning – Problem solving, Quantitative comparison, Data interpretation,

2 sections of 20 questions, duration - 35 minutes each

• Test can be taken from Monday to Friday during entire year.

• Maximum Marks

o 130 – 170 score scale in 1 – point increments (for verbal & Quantitative each)

o Essay score out of 6 in half-point increments.

• Score valid for 5 years

• Revised GRE replaced old GRE since Aug ‘11

• Negative Marking in New GRE ‘11 ? -NO

• Convert old GRE score to New GRE 2011 Scores directly with Formula ? - Not yet, ETS

Educational Testing Services - will release a concordance table in November

• Does Old GRE score become invalid after New GRE Pattern? – valid until July, 2016.

• Does each question in a section carry different weightage / Score ? - No

• Is difficulty of questions presented based on performance in previous questions? – NO, New

GRE Pattern is section-level adaptive

• Compare old GRE & New GRE pattern

Comparing GRE format

GRE Exam Old GRE Exam Revised GRE Exam

Design Test questions change based on answers

(Computer-Based Test)

Ability to change answers

Ability to mark answers and come

back(Multi-Stage Test)

Ability to use a calculator

Structure Old Structure Revised Structure

Time Approx. 3 hours Approx. 3 hours 45 min.

Scoring Scores range from 200-800 in 10-point

increments

Scores range from 130-170 in 1-point

increments

Verbal Old Verbal Reasoning Details Revised Verbal Reasoning Details

Question Types: Question Types:

Analogies Reading Comprehension

Antonyms Text Completion

Sentence Completions Sentence Equivalence

Reading Comprehension

http://testprep.about.com/od/thegretest/a/GRE_Computer.htm

http://testprep.about.com/od/thegretest/a/New_GRE_Exam_Structure.htm

http://testprep.about.com/od/Revised_GRE_Exam/f/GRE_Scores.htm

http://testprep.about.com/od/thegretest/a/GRE_Verbal.htm

http://testprep.about.com/od/thegretest/a/2011_GRE_Verbal.htm


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GRE Exam Old GRE Exam Revised GRE Exam

Quantitative Old Quantitative Reasoning Details Revised Quantitative Reasoning Details

Question Types: Question Types:

Multiple Choice Quantitative

Comparison

Multiple-choice Questions - One Answer

Multiple Choice Problem Solving Multiple-choice Questions - One or More

Answers

Numeric Entry Questions

Quantitative Comparison Questions

Writing Old Analytical Writing Details Revised Analytical Writing Details

One Issue Essay One Issue Essay

One Argument Essay One Argument Essay

About GMAT

• Next generation GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) required for admission to

masters program in management.

• Format – Computer based Test

• Sections:-

o Analytical writing assessment : 1 argument essay (30 minutes)

o Quantitative section : Problem solving & data sufficiency (37 questions, 75 minutes)

o Verbal section : Reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence corrections

(41 questions, 75 minutes)

o Integrating reasoning : Graph, Chart, Table or text 912 questions , 30 minutes)

• Test can be taken from Monday to Friday during entire year.

• Maximum marks – 800 (for verbal and quantitative), Essay score out of 6, score valid for 5 years

• Required score : Minimum 450 for admission, 700 for top universities

• It is recommended& preferred to have 2 – 3 years of work experience for top 50 universities.

About TOFEL

It is required for all the students of Indian origin, since their native language is not English.

• Format : Internet based

• Sections :

o Reading comprehension : 3 to 5 passages in 60 to 100 minutes

o Listening comprehension : 6 to 9 passages in 60 to 90 minutes

o Speaking : 6 tasks in 20 minutes

o Essay : 2 tasks in 60 minutes

• Maximum Marks : 120 score valid for 2 years

• Required score : Minimum score needed is 80 however few good universities may demand for

100.

• Generally most of the students get through TOFEL exam

• Tests are offered on weekends, during the entire year.

http://testprep.about.com/od/thegretest/a/GRE_Quantitativ.htm

http://testprep.about.com/od/Revised_GRE_Exam/a/Revised_GRE_Quantitative.htm

http://testprep.about.com/od/thegretest/a/GRE_Writing.htm

http://testprep.about.com/od/thegretest/a/GRE_Writing.htm


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About IELTS

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is to qualify admission to universities

in Australia, New Zealand, European universities. Many universities from USA and Canada have also

started accepting IELTS score in place of TOFEL.

This test has 2 modules – Academic and General Training (Immigration)

• Format : Paper based

• Sections :

o Reading comprehension : 40 questions in 60 minutes

o Listening comprehension : 40 questions in 30 minutes + 10 minute transfer time

o Speaking : 11 - 14 minutes

o Writing : 2 tasks in 60 minutes

• Required band score : Minimum 6.5 out of 9

• Tests are offered twice a month

Test Prep: 6 Tips for GRE Success

Need help mastering the GRE? These tips may help you tackle the test. Know what to expect before

taking the GRE.

Every year, more than 700,000 people take the Graduate Record Exam, commonly known as the GRE.

GRE is most commonly taken as a computer-adaptive test, meaning there's no need for a pencil and

those all-too-familiar bubble sheets. On the computer-based test, the difficulty of the questions is based

on the accuracy of your answers to previous questions. The better you perform on the first sets of 20

verbal and quantitative reasoning questions, the harder the next sets of 20 questions will be.

1. Go back to high school: Many GRE test takers are many years removed from the basic tenets of high

school math, which play an important part in the quantitative section of the test. If you're rusty, it's

important to revisit the concepts of algebra and geometry that you learned in high school.

Algebra and geometry are assumed background knowledge in college courses, and you will be hard-

pressed to find a class to take at that level [that] will prepare you directly for questions of this type.

2. Sleep with your dictionary: While the GRE's quantitative section is not much more advanced than the

math found in the SAT—and familiarity with concepts learned in high school should be enough to post a

decent score—the verbal section went to college and graduated with honors in English.

During your time in school, be sure to read as much as possible to expand your vocabulary so that you

can decipher unfamiliar words, testing experts say. You can assimilate far more diverse vocabulary over

four years of college than you could ever hope to by cramming for a few weeks or months prior to the

GRE. It is extremely important for success on the qualitative sections of the GRE to be well read. Reading

English news paper and preparing 25 new words to add up to your vocabulary will be of great support.

3. Take a GRE prep course (if you can afford it): GRE is designed specifically to differ from areas of study

in college and is supposed to be a measure of a college graduates' critical thinking skills, not necessarily

what they learned in school. The tutoring classes tend to pay off, but are a sizable investment. Generally

students with good academic record need two months of preparation. If academic record is average or

self confidence for preparing on your own is weak then good to join some coaching.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-graduate-schools/gre


21

"It's worth investing some time and money in preparing for the GRE," says Mitchell. "Critical thinking is

something that's hard to change overnight because it's such a lifelong skill. We try to help people unlock

their critical thinking skills by getting more familiar with the test and more familiar with proven

methods."

Another option for building critical thinking that's a little easier on the checkbook is using the free

resources on the Educational Testing Services (ETS) website. Sample questions and essay responses,

advice, and scoring guides are available online from the folks who created the GRE.

4. Take a practice test! While your vocabulary may be impeccable, your writing skills polished, and your

quantitative abilities sharpened to a razor's edge, none of that matters if you're unaccustomed to the

test's unconventional format.

"To walk into this test unprepared, to sit down [and take it] having never done it before is suicide,"

notes Neill Seltzer, national GRE content director for the Princeton Review.

Educational Testing Service, the Princeton Review, and Kaplan all have free computer adaptive tests

online that help simulate what is a foreign experience to many.

"It's different from the SAT, and that really threw me off the first time," says Amy Trongnetrpunya, who

earned a perfect score on the quantitative section of the GRE after scoring poorly on her first try. "The

computer-adaptive practice exam really helped."

5. Don't like your score? Take it again: Schools have access to any GRE scores for tests you've taken in

the last five years, but experts claim that many universities only care about the best one. While this isn't

true for all schools and all programs, many universities pull the highest scores from the GRE ticket they

receive from ETS. The admissions officials (and sometimes work-study students) who receive the tickets

are the first line of defense, and oftentimes, they record only the top score when they're compiling your

file before sending it up the admissions food chain.

"Even though ETS will report every score, the person reading that file and making the admissions

decision may only see the highest math and highest verbal," says Seltzer.

6. Take a tough English course: Even if you aren't an English major and don't plan on writing the next

great American novel, honing your writing skills is integral to overall success on the GRE. The two essays

in the analytical section take up roughly one third of the time test takers are allotted. Some testing

experts argue that near the end of college you should take a high-level English or writing course.

While enduring a high-level writing course might put a small dent in the GPA (and ego) of non-English

majors, it is an immense help when it's time to crank out two timed essays on the pressure-packed GRE.

"I would emphasize taking a few rigorous English and writing college courses, in addition to test prep, to

best prepare yourself for the caliber of questions you'll find on the GRE," says Alexis Avila, founder and

president of Prepped & Polished, a Boston area-based college counseling and tutoring firm.

GRE: The price will remain $160, but the new exam will last about four hours rather than three. It will

also reflect key changes in the verbal and math sections. The current computer-adaptive test adjusts the

difficulty of each successive problem based on whether the previous one is answered correctly. The new

version will allow you to skip individual questions in a section, answer the others, then come back to

address the unfinished portion. The computer will then score the section and modify the difficulty of the

next part accordingly.

http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/


22

This change enables test-takers to avoid losing time when they're stuck. By temporarily putting a

problem aside, you can return to it and "see it with fresh eyes," says Neill Seltzer, national GRE content

director for the Princeton Review test prep company.

The content of the exam will change in other ways as well:

• Writing: You'll still be asked to write two essays, but you can no longer choose the topic. The questions

will also require "more focused" responses, according to Educational Testing Service (ETS), which

administers the GRE.

• Math: The revised exam will feature fewer geometry problems and will test your ability to interpret

data in real-world scenarios. One bonus: You can use an on-screen calculator.

• Verbal: Expect to be tested more on reading comprehension. Some sections may require you to select

multiple answers to be correct, or to highlight portions of reading passages in your response. In another

break from the past, analogies and antonyms have been eliminated. David Payne, ETS's vice president

and chief operating officer for higher education, says this is a definite improvement. Testing vocabulary

out of context is "really pretty far removed from what you'll actually be doing in graduate school," he

says.

The changes reflect an effort to create a test that admissions officials can more easily interpret and that

poses less of an ordeal for test-takers, Payne says. Scores will be adjusted, too, to range from 130 to 170

rather than 200 to 800 per section.

The revised GRE will completely replace the current version on August 1 (though the first scores will not

be available until November). The old test will be offered until then to those who wish to take it while

spaces remain available at examination facilities. But Princeton Review's Seltzer doesn't think test takers

should fret too much about the new exam. "There's a little bit of a shift in emphasis," he says, but "the

content that's being tested is not changing fundamentally."

GMAT: In June 2012, all GMATs will incorporate a new integrated reasoning section designed to assess

how applicants juggle and analyze different forms of information at once. Test takers will have to review

spreadsheets, written passages, scatter plots, and other visuals to address questions that might require

them to select multiple correct answers.

The ability to use and interpret information in different formats is precisely what business schools want

to see, says Ashok Sarathy, vice president for GMAT operations for the Graduate Management

Admission Council, which owns the GMAT. "It's not just a chart for a chart's sake."

Still, Scott Shrum, director of M.B.A. admissions research for Veritas Prep, a California-based GMAT test

prep and M.B.A. admissions consulting company, says, "If you've studied up correctly, you're not going

to be surprised" by the new section. Shrum says test takers will also appreciate the inclusion of new mini

case studies, which will allow for more creative and open-ended responses. In fact, Shrum notes, these

kinds of questions are very similar to what companies ask business students applying for jobs.

The official GMAT website will offer more details on the new test questions in the coming months. But

remember, Seltzer advises, "Your score on this test is not tattooed on your forehead at birth." As with

the GRE, you can take the exam up to five times a year. Retaking the test can make sense for those

applying to schools that have a formal policy of considering only the best score an applicant achieves.


23

Keep in mind that while the $250 GMAT remains the go-to test for many M.B.A. applicants, an

increasing number of business schools are now accepting the GRE in addition to the GMAT—or instead

of it. But you'll want to check with each institution to determine its policy (and the weight given to each

exam) before making a decision to take one or both.

Reporting GRE score

• Report GRE & TOEFL scores to the Universities officially through Educational Testing Services

(ETS) - Organizer of GRE

• Report GRE score to 4 universities for free

• Reporting to additional universities on payment of an fee Additional Score Reports (ASRs)

• Additional score reports can be ordered for a fee of US$23 per score recipient

• GRE score reporting Online http://mygre.ets.org

• by Mail or Fax 1-610-290-8975

• by Phone - 1-609-771-7290 or 1-888-473-7267 (toll free for test takers in the United States,

American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands & Canada) 1-888-473-8333 (TTY)

Graduate Schools Admission documents – Checklist

1) GRE Scores

2) TOEFL Scores

3) Academic Transcripts

4) Recommendation Letters

5) Statement of Purpose

6) Resume

7) Paper Presentation Abstract

8) Project Descriptions

9) Copies of certificates

• Academic certificates

• Technical research related

• Sports

• Leadership Skills

• Team Work

• Debates

• Volunteer Activities

• Community Services

About Visa

• Visa mainly depends on : accreditation, GRE score, Work experience, your profile &

presentation during visa interview

• Likely visa interview questions

o Why USA? -To pursue MS in xyz

o Why MS? – Innovative education system, in-depth knowledge, Academic Excellence, a long

term career prospects & exposure

o Why not INDIA? - option to go for the best

o How many universities have you applied?


24

o What are the universities that accepted you?

o What are the rejections?

o Funding arrangement

Visa documents

• Documents required for F1 Visa Interview

• Appointment Letter

• Valid HDFC Bank visa fee receipt

• DS-160 form

• CEAC Barcode Confirmation page of DS-160

• Proof of payment of SEVIS Fee Receipt I-901

• A 2 x 2-inch photograph

• Original Valid passport

• I20 and Letter of admission

• Financial Documents

• Certificate & Mark list for Bachelor degree (B.Tech / BE/ or other) & School - SSC / HSC

• GRE / TOEFL GMAT score sheets

• Work Experience certificate

Make the U.S. Student Visa Process Painless

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/international-student-counsel/2013/06/25/make-the-us-

student-visa-process-painless?src=usn_tw

Check hearing & understanding USA English using CD or watching English Movies. You need to practice it

well before attending Visa interview.

Arriving early with all of the required documents will ensure a smooth visa appointment.

Paperwork: It's the part of a life-changing experience If you're planning on studying abroad, getting your

student visa in order is one of the most important tasks when preparing to travel to the U.S. The

paperwork can take quite a while to process. Once you've applied to colleges, make sure to get your

initial visa forms in early.

There are several stages to visa applications, and the sooner you get your forms filled out, the sooner

you're likely to get your appointment at the American embassy and ultimately obtain your visa. After

working through the initial paperwork you must then make an appointment at the U.S. embassy for your

visa.

When it comes time for your appointment, make sure you are fully equipped. It is crucial that you have

all of your paperwork with you.

Double check this before you head out, as there will be some documents you need to bring in order to

complete the appointment, like your passport. Remember that electronics, and other instruments like

stapler, punching machines, etc, and your mobile phone, are not allowed inside the embassy Despite the

potentially long wait, make sure you arrive at least half an hour before your appointment is due to start.

Once your visa appointment is over, make sure you photocopy every important piece of paper, or scan

and save all of your forms to a hard drive.

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/international-student-counsel/2013/06/25/make-the-us-student-visa-process-painless?src=usn_tw

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/international-student-counsel/2013/06/25/make-the-us-student-visa-process-painless?src=usn_tw

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2013/05/07/universities-that-draw-the-most-international-students

https://www.educationusa.info/5_steps_to_study/undergraduate_step_4_follow_the_step_by_step_visa_application_process.php


25

Losing any piece of visa paperwork can land you in a mess, but the process of fixing that problem will be

made marginally easier if you have at least one backup copy of all of your required forms. Keep

everything together in a big folder, save copies on a hard drive and, of course, try not to lose any of the

originals.

Completing all of your visa requirements is an essential part of preparing to study in the U.S. If you find

yourself stressed by all of these forms, just remind yourself that once you get the paperwork filed you

can start planning the exciting parts of your new college experience.

Selecting universities

• Your score & last year cut off

• Select Top, Middle & lower class universities

• Select around 10 universities

• Cost of Education (Tuition limited to 6000$ for 9 credit hours+ Living expenses- scholarship)

• Availability of Fee waivers/ Assistant-ships) in the specified departments of universities

• Major in the School/University is Accredited (if not you may not be able to get the job you want)

• A School with less tuition fee and in Urban area

• Tie ups with industries for placements

• Research work in the university (Ph D students)

Suggestion to choose

• A city having plenty of transportation facilities

• Place having jobs, fund & energetic environment

• Make sure you majorly apply for state & public University than private University

• Plan to apply 9 -10 universities aiming to get 3 admits

• 1 admits each for

• Sure admit + funding + low tuition fees

• Sure admit + funding

• Sure admit

U.S. News Business School Rankings

• A recent study found that U.S. News has the most stable business school rankings, compared

with the Financial Times and Business week.

• A rapidly expanding body of academic literature that take a scholarly, analytical approach to the

study of academic rankings and their impact.

• The Best Business Schools rankings have shown greater reliability over the years and have

greater validity in terms of objectivity.

• The study measured whether the salaries earned by MBA graduates were influenced by the

rankings by looking at the monetary differences students earned by going to higher-ranked

schools in the three different rankings.

• U.S. News did significantly better on this measure. The analysis found that students who

attended business schools that ranked higher in the U.S. News rankings earned larger salaries.

Approximately expenses during post graduation in USA

Following Types of expenses of approximately 5-6 lacs Rs to be budgeted before flying


26

1. Fee for entrance exam

2. Fee for visa

3. Application fee & courier charges

4. Ticket cost

5. Advance for accommodation deposit & rent for 1 month

6. Fee for college – 1st semester

7. Shopping in India of the items to be taken

Costing

Earning – Salary & Tax

• On an Average a fresher can get around 50 - 70k US$ Salary after Graduation from US University

• MS Degree holders given preference in TOP US companies

• Compared to Salaries in India, US graduate's salaries are multifold higher

• 60% of workers in USA are retiring by 2020. US needs lot of work force by that time

• Taxation is around 33%

FAQ about admission

Q : I have sent photocopies of GRE/TOEFL scores to universities. Still Do I need to send the scores

officially?

Ans - Yes, you must report GRE/TOEFL scores to universities through ETS. Sending photocopies is only

for fast processing of your application.

Q : When should I apply to Universities?


27

Ans - Try to apply 5 to 9 months earlier than the application deadline dates. You would have more

probability to get funding if you apply early. In order to get admission into some of the top universities

some students apply earlier by 1 year of deadline.

Q : Do I have chances of getting admission if I apply after deadline?

Ans - Most of the Low ranked universities won't consider deadlines. You would have good chances of

getting admission even if you apply after deadline. But this is not true in case of top universities.

Q : What is GPA? What is my GPA?

Ans - GPA means Grade point Average. It is the standard measure of performance of a student in USA. It

is similar to the 100% scoring system in India. There is an institution called WES. They will evaluate your

transcripts to calculate your GPA and send the reports to universities.

Q : Would GRE/TOEFL scores is important than academic marks?

Ans - Most of the universities will consider GRE/TOEFL score rather than academics. Admission

committees consider standardized exams, like the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, and GMAT, to make comparisons

among applicants from different countries and different universities. Therefore if you have a low

academic percentage, it is essential having good test scores. Some of the universities like University of

Cincinnati will consider strong academic % of a student rather than his GRE/TOEFL scores.

Q : What is Form I20?

Ans - A Form I-20 is a government form that tells the U.S. government that you are eligible for F-1

Student Status. It certifies that (1) you are or expect to be a "bona fide" student; 2) you meet admissions

requirements; (3) you will pursue a full course of study; (4) you proved to us that you have enough

money to study and live in the U.S. without working illegally or suffering from poverty.

Don’ts while in USA

1. NOT to park in Disabled parking without Handicap

2. NOT to miss paying Tolls at Unattended toll booths

3. NOT to mess with Under 21’s in America?

4. Not to buy Alcohol, Cigarettes under 21

5. NOT to drive Friend’s Car without your name on his Insurance

6. NOT to cancel Car insurance while at Home country

7. NOT to break Law of Deportation, GC, Citizenship

8. NOT to tip less than 15% for Waitress in Restaurants

9. NOT to speak in mother tongue in mixed group

10. NOT to apply to credit cards offers that come in Mail

11. NOT to use passport at places that ask Picture ID

Suggestions while in USA

How to select accommodation?

There are two types of accommodation.

1. Type A - Within university campus, as managed by university

2. Type B – off campus, to be managed by individual


28

Factors to be considered while deciding on campus or off-campus accommodation are mental ability to

stay with international student and of any gender! Other factors like bus/local train connectivity, overall

rent, inclusion/exclusion of utilities like electricity, internet, laundry, heat hot water, gas, proximity to

supermarkets, malls or grocery stores to be checked. It is advised to stay close by. Research is required

to decide to opt for on campus or off campus housing. Getting in touch with the seniors in the university

always helps. Joining the Facebook & Yahoo groups for particular university helps in posting questions

and doubts and seeking the inputs from the seniors which are to be further analysed. Individual research

is recommended. Do not blindly follow what others do/say. Accommodation can be finalised remotely

seeking url for rental accommodation, using internet search or from the seniors, having email

communication with owners and later skype call if necessary, finalising agreement and paying the

advance deposit & one month rent. Alternatively if you have any friend around the same locality, you

can stay for 1-2 week with friend and search for better choices in person. If your accommodation is a bit

far and if there is no direct bus facility then you might have to consider buying a second hand car. It is a

car dependent country unless you are in a place which is well connected by path trains. Purchasing car

could cost upto 5000 US$.

How do students search for room partners?

For on campus housing, the university decides who your roommate will be. However you can always

give preference of your roommate but it is not guaranteed that the same person will be your roommate.

For off campus housing, again, Facebook / Yahoo University groups helps. You can post your preferences

for roommate or create a spreadsheet with details about your name, major, place you are from,

preferred roommate: Gender, preferred eating style: veg/non veg etc. Once you have tentatively

finalised roommate, preferred from the same or nearby city in India, you may want to meet, discuss in

detail and understand the personality.

Booking ticket

Early booking of tickets may help save few bucks. You may want to visit all the travel sites to get an idea

about the range of ticket cost. It is advised to fly minimum 2 weeks before the orientation to settle

down, shop, and know the place, people and the university. Bulk booking and booking through agents

may save your time and its hassle free. You are suggested to check how much free baggage is allowed by

the airline. It is good to weight the baggage at home before starting.

Remember always: BE CAREFUL with ALL your documents all through your travel. The following

documents are quite important for a peaceful stay in the U.S.A:

Original Form I-20.

Original Passport with valid F-1 Visa.

Original Form I-94 (Do not ever remove, it is stapled to your passport! This document is more

important than the passport itself!).

Demand drafts, Travelers’ Checks, and currency.

Any sealed documents that the US Consulate gave you.

Other important documents, such as previous academic records.

Vaccination Certificate.


29

Letter of admission/financial aid.

About facilities of communication

Once you are in the US, the first thing you need to do is get a phone. Seniors will help you get to the

nearest phone store and depending on the rates and plan you may choose a service of your liking. AT&T

is popular in the east. But there are other service providers like the Sprint, Verizon and T mobile etc. Few

offers like free instrument with specific period of service might be attractive. For India calling, there are

a bunch of options like Dial91, IndiaLD, Raza, Reliance, etc. These can be availed through online payment

and may be changed within a month if not satisfied.

Next step would be to get a laptop. Desktop would be available at library of university. You may want to

wait for better sales deal like labor day to buy your own. Also you can subscribe internet jointly with

your roommate. About facilities of communication – It is observed that skype, yahoo, msn, gtalk like

applications are the most economical voice communication mean if internet facility is available at either

sides.Users can call any mobile in USA free of cost using Google talk.

About insurance

Most students are covered by the university insurance. However, if it is too expensive, you may want to

opt for a cheaper one from US. www.isoa.org offers reasonable price for students with good coverage. It

is discourage to come to US with an Indian Insurance, many Hospitals and doctors do not accept it!!

Cooking & other skills

Most of the students prepare their own food. Learn light cooking lessons from mom before flying (and

other activities like washing clothes, ironing, cleaning house, etc). Like India, you will not find small food

stalls around the corner in the US. If you are hungry, be ready to shell out a minimum of $5 – 10 $. If you

are a vegetarian, cooking helps as vegetarian food is little hard to get outside. It is suggested to get all

basic utensils like pressure cooker, pots, spoons of various sizes, knife, etc from India. You may want to

decide & divide the utensils with your roommate. It is better to have a Pressure cooker, kadhai, vessel

and a pan for each of you. Try buying the black vessels with flat bottom as many homes here have the

electric heating via coils.

List of items

You are suggested to take following items

http://www.msinus.com/content/what-carry-while-travelling-usa-626/

1 Cargo suitcase (24 kg)

(within 158 cm / 62 “),1

briefcase (8 kg), 1

college bag

2 bath Soap, 2

washing soap & 1

packet powder,

Sampoo, Face

Powder, Fairness

cream, hair oil

Moisturizers, Hair

Conditioners,

Deodorants, Shaving

kit and after shave

lotion, ear buds, nail

cutter, mirrors, comb,

perfume or cologne,

Razors, etc

1 set of stationary like

stapler, punching

machine, pens, pencils,

compass box, files, 20

photographs, Needle –

Thread , Extra buttons

http://www.isoa.org/

http://www.msinus.com/content/what-carry-while-travelling-usa-626/


30

10 sets of dresses , 15

sets of under garments,

including few sets of

thermals

Tooth paste & brush,

tongue cleaner,

10 sets of socks, 2 pair

of shoes, 2 pair of

sleeper

Kitchen spices, Daal,

Rice, Wheat powder,

ready Itly powder,

ready masala, Sugar,

tea, coffee, tea bags,

tea masala etc

3 Towels, 10

handkerchiefs

2 Belts, 2 wallets 1 Jacket, 1 sweater, 1

Overcoat, 2 Umbrella

Kitchen utensils, mug,

tea sieve,

2 Bed sheet, 2 Pillow

covers

2 x Spectacles

2 Packet of contact

lenses (12 months), 1

Sunglasses

Camera, audio/ video

CDs, portable player,

headset,

Common medicine

(Warning – Strictly to be taken under advice of doctors & physician)

Illness Medicine Illness Medicine Illness Medicine

Cold Vicks, Zandu

Balm

Stomach Pudhinhara Painkiller Nice

Action 500 Eno pauch Painkiller Combiflame

Coldarin Fever Crosin Teeth pain Soridon

Benedryl Reaction Avil Burn Supramycin

Setzin Headache Disprin Injury Dettol, band

aid

You can do it

• DESIRE changes nothing

• DECISION changes something

• DETERMINATION changes everything!

• All the best..you can do it!

Section – 2 - Structure of the U.S. Education System:

International Affairs Office, U.S. Department of Education Feb 2008

http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/edlite-index.html

Bachelor’s Degrees

The bachelor’s degree is the most common first degree in U.S. higher education and is the degree that

gives access to advanced studies. U.S. bachelor’s degrees are usually planned to take 4 academic years

of full-time study to complete. However, many degrees take longer to complete, including those in

engineering, architecture and other fields; and many bachelor’s degrees are completed in less than 4

http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/edlite-index.html


31

years by highly qualified and motivated students. Bachelor’s degrees may be awarded in academic or

professional fields of study.

Bachelor’s degree Description

The bachelor’s degree may be defined as “An award that normally requires at least 4 but not more than

5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all bachelor's degrees conferred in a 5-

year cooperative (work-study) program. A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and

employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work

experience with their college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4 years of

work are completed in 3 years.” (NCES)

U.S. bachelor degree programs usually include requirements for breadth as well as depth of study, and

students will fulfill what are called liberal or general studies requirements for introductory knowledge in

several subjects as well as a concentration in one or more subjects, called a “major.” Students are

assigned a faculty advisor, usually in the intended field of study, who assists the student in developing a

plan of study that is coherent and uses the general education requirements to support the major. Many

students become exempt from the general requirements through faculty examinations, presentation of

Advanced Placement (AP) examination scores (3 or higher), or presentation of an International

Baccalaureate (IB) or other advanced or honors secondary qualification.

Some U.S. undergraduate students’ transcripts may show that remedial courses were completed, or

examinations taken, in order to correct deficiencies or to complete prerequisites for certain subjects. It

is important to know, however, that U.S. accreditation rules do not allow remedial work to be awarded

undergraduate credit.

Inter- or multi-disciplinarity is a major thrust of U.S. higher education, and it begins with the first degree

level. U.S. educators and employers believe strongly that the bachelor’s degree should prepare students

for entry-level jobs as well as for possible advanced study. Whether students continue their studies or

enter the labor market, they will need to understand the basic principles of fields other than their own

narrow specialization, and they will need skills – such as languages, IT and computational skills – that

cannot be obtained exclusively in their major field. This extra knowledge and skill must be obtained at

the higher education level. Secondary-level preparation cannot substitute for it. And the degree

program should be structured so that the additional knowledge and skill complements the main subject

concentration.

Most bachelor’s degrees are titled Bachelor of Arts (BA or AB) or Bachelor of Science (BS or SB), but

there are many other bachelor’s degree titles in use.

HONORS BACHELOR’S DEGREES

Honors bachelor’s degrees are awarded and involve more independent study, require a thesis or special

project, and may have special admissions requirements. The designation, admission and content

standards for honors degrees are set by the awarding institution. Honors degrees are usually

designated on the degree transcript and sometimes on the degree diploma, and the title of the honors

thesis or project will often be provided.

Liberal Arts and General Education


32

AACU Description of Liberal Arts Education provides information on the concept of liberal education and

explanations of the various terms used to refer to this model of undergraduate education.

AACU Description of General Education provides information on the concept of general education and

links to various resources.

Content and Quality in Undergraduate Education

Project on Accreditation and Assessment provides an analysis of quality assurance factors related to

liberal arts programs at the bachelor’s degree level.

AIS Guidelines for Interdisciplinary General Education is the Association for Integrative Studies’

recommendations for quality assessment of general education programs.

State Student Learning Assessment Database is a linked directory of information on state policies and

procedures for assessing undergraduate learning.

Credit Production and Progress Toward the Bachelor's Degree examines the content of bachelor’s

degree programs and progress toward the degree using national data sources.

Remedial (Non-Credit) Education

Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions provides the most recent available

data on the extent and nature of remedial education services, who offers such services, and institutional

policies regarding remedial education.

Bachelor’s Degree Productivity and Outcomes

Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) Survey is a national longitudinal study of a cohort of 9,000

students enrolled in 800 higher education institutions that examined their educational experiences and

attainment.

Baccalaureate and Beyond (BB) Survey is a longitudinal study of national cohorts of bachelor degree

recipients (1993, 1997, and 2003) that examines their graduate study and work experiences after

earning a first (bachelor’s) degree.

POST-BACHELOR’S CERTIFICATES

A number of U.S. higher education institutions offer programs that permit a student to earn a

specialized certificate (it can also be called a diploma) at the same time the bachelor’s degree is earned

or shortly thereafter. These certificates may indicate the mastery of knowledge and skills, such as

foreign languages or computer software, or the completion of additional requirements permitting

access to professional licensure procedures, as in teacher training, accounting, and other fields. Post-

bachelor’s certificates usually require no more than a single academic year to complete, and are often

completed as part of the degree program. They do not constitute a separate degree level and are not

degrees.

The B.L.S. degree is frequently awarded to graduates of programs in divisions of continuing or adult

education, as well as to students who complete structured and supervised independent studies

programs. Despite the title, the content of this degree often corresponds to regular B.A. or B.S.

programs in academic or professional fields.

Will like to Quote email from one of the famous universities of USA, dated 5th Jan 2012, which will give

clear idea about documents required, fee requirements and likely scholarships during graduation

program.

http://www.aacu.org/advocacy/What_is_liberal_education.cfm

http://www.aacu.org/resources/generaleducation/index.cfm

http://www.aacu.org/gex/paa/PAAreport.pdf

http://www.units.muohio.edu/aisorg/pubs/genedaccred.html

http://www.stanford.edu/group/ncpi/unspecified/assessment_states/stateReports.html#AL

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/quarterly/Vol_1/1_1/5-esq11-b.asp

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/peqis/publications/2004010/

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/b%26b/


33

In most cases, we will take classes with a grade of C or better from ACCREDITED universities as transfer

credit. The individual department will be responsible for determining accreditation, evaluating credits,

and assigning an appropriate year level to a student. I am unable to speculate his admissibility to our

school will be without a transcript or completed application. Please send us the following as soon as

possible so we can begin the application review process:

-Application (available online or you can print out this PDF on this link and fill this out:

http://www.rit.edu/emcs/admissions/pdf/international_application.pdf)

-$50 application fee

-Personal statement or essay

-Official transcripts from all high schools/universities attended with official translations

-TOEFL or IELTS score report

-Financial documentation (letter of sponsorship and bank statement).

International scholarships will be awarded to highly qualified freshman and transfer applicants. All

applicants are considered for merit scholarships, which typically range from $6,000 to $15,000 per

academic year and are renewable with a 2.5 or higher RIT grade point average. Freshman international

applicants are encouraged to submit SAT or ACT results. Scholarship awards are only offered upon

admission to RIT. RIT also offers limited need-based scholarships for international undergraduate

students. To apply, students must demonstrate financial resources of at least $42,450 USD and

complete the College Board International Student Financial Aid Application:

http://www.rit.edu/emcs/admissions/pdf/1011%20Intl%20Student%20Fin%20Aid%20Application.pdf.

Students who are awarded merit or need-based scholarships may use scholarships awarded as part of

the documentation of support. The total support, which may include the merit or need-based

scholarships if applicable, must total at least $42,000USD in order for RIT to issue the I-20 or DS-2019

forms necessary to apply for a student visa. For additional information on our international admissions

process, you may view the following website:

http://www.rit.edu/~960www/contact/international.php3. Please note that we do NOT accept any

documents via e-mail. All student credentials must be sent to our office via postal mail. Please let me

know if you have other questions.

Assistant Director, Office of Undergraduate Admissions

Unquote

U.S. Higher Education Glossary

International students: Your search for the best U.S. university for you starts here - By ANITA NARAYAN

What's the difference between a college and a university? Who are undergraduate students versus

graduate students? What's the FAFSA? Studying in the United States can be confusing if you don't fully

understand the words used in U.S. higher education. With that in mind, U.S. News has compiled a

glossary of important terms specifically for international students and parents. While this list is not

exhaustive, it offers a key starting point as you explore the best U.S. universities for you.

We want to hear from you! What words are missing from this glossary? Comment below or send us an

E-mail with your thoughts and suggestions.


34

A

Academic adviser: A member of a school's faculty who provides advice and guidance to students on

academic matters, such as course selections.

Academic year: Annual period during which a student attends and receives formal instruction at a

college or university, typically from August or September to May or June. The academic year may be

divided into semesters, trimesters, quarters, or other calendars.

Accredited: Official recognition that a college or university meets the standards of a regional or national

association. Although international students are not required to attend an accredited college or

university in the United States, employers, other schools, and governments worldwide often only

recognize degrees from accredited schools.

ACT (American College Test): A standardized college entrance exam administered by the American

College Testing Program. Four separate, multiple-choice tests measure knowledge of English, math,

reading, and science, and one optional writing test measures essay planning and writing skills. Most

students take the ACT during their junior or senior year of high school, and most colleges and

universities accept scores from either the ACT or SAT. Some schools may recommend, but not require,

international students to take the ACT or SAT. (See the U.S. News college test prep guide for more

information.)

Affidavit of Support: An official document proving adequate funding from an individual or organization

to cover an international student's educational and living expenses while enrolled at a U.S. college or

university.

AP (Advanced Placement program): A program offered by the College Board, a U.S.-based nonprofit

educational organization, that allows students to take college-level courses while in high school.

Students can then take standardized AP exams; those with qualifying scores can earn credit at certain

colleges and universities.

Assistantship: A financial aid award granted to a graduate student to help pay for tuition that is offered

in return for certain services, such as serving as a teaching assistant or research assistant.

Associate's: An undergraduate degree awarded by a college or university upon successful completion of

a program of study, usually requiring two years of full-time study. An associate's is typically awarded by

community colleges; it may be a career or technical degree, or it may be a transfer degree, allowing

students to transfer those credits to a four-year bachelor's degree-granting school.

Audit: To take a class to gain knowledge about a subject, but without receiving credit toward a degree.

B

Bachelor's: An undergraduate degree awarded by a college or university upon successful completion of a

program of study, typically requiring at least four years (or the equivalent) of full-time study. Common

degree types include bachelor of arts (B.A. or A.B.), which refers to the liberal arts, and bachelor of

science (B.S.). A bachelor's is required before starting graduate studies.

C

Campus: The grounds and buildings where a college or university is located.

Coed: Open to both men and women (often used to describe a school that admits both sexes and a

dormitory that houses both genders).


35

College: A postsecondary institution that typically provides only an undergraduate education, but in

some cases, also graduate degrees. "College" is often used interchangeably with "university" and

"school." Separately, "college" can refer to an academic division of a university, such as College of

Business. (See U.S. News's rankings of Best Colleges.)

Commencement: A graduation ceremony where students officially receive their degrees, typically held

in May or June at the end of the academic year, though some colleges and universities also hold August

and December ceremonies.

Common Application: A standard application form that is accepted by more than 450 member colleges

and universities for admissions. Students can complete the form online or in print and submit copies to

any of the participating colleges, rather than filling out individual forms for each school. However,

international students will typically need to submit additional application materials unique to each

college.

Community college: A public, two-year postsecondary institution that offers the associate degree. Also

known as a "junior college." Community colleges typically provide a transfer program, allowing students

to transfer to a four-year school to complete their bachelor's degree, and a career program, which

provides students with a vocational degree.

Conditional admission: An acceptance to a college or university that is dependent on the student first

completing coursework or meeting specific criteria before enrollment. For an international student, this

can include a requirement to attain a certain level of English-language proficiency if the student's TOEFL

score doesn't meet the minimum required.

Core requirements: Mandatory courses that students are required to complete to earn a degree.

Course: A regularly scheduled class on a particular subject. Each college or university offers degree

programs that consist of a specific number of required and elective courses.

Course load: The number of courses or credits a student takes during a specific term.

Credits: Units that a school uses to indicate that a student has completed and passed courses that are

required for a degree. Each school defines the total number and types of credits necessary for degree

completion, with every course being assigned a value in terms of "credits," "credit hours," or "units."

Culture shock: Feelings of uncertainty, confusion, or anxiety that can occur when adjusting to a new

country and culture that may be very different from your own. International students may also

experience "reverse culture shock" upon returning to their home country, after they have become

accustomed to the new country and culture.

Curriculum: A program of study made up of a set of courses offered by a school.

D

Dean: The head of a division of a college or university.

Deferral / Deferred admission: A school's act of postponing a student's application for early decision or

early action, so that it will be considered along with the rest of the regular applicant group. A "deferral"

can also refer to a student's act of postponing enrollment for one year, if the school agrees.

Degree: A diploma or title awarded to students by a college or university after successful completion of

a program of study.


36

Department: A division of a school, made up of faculty and support staff, that gives instruction in a

particular field of study, such as the history department.

Discipline: An area of academic study.

Dissertation: An in-depth, formal writing requirement on an original topic of research that is typically

submitted in the final stages before earning a doctorate (Ph.D.).

Doctorate (Ph.D.): The highest academic degree awarded by a university upon successful completion of

an advanced program of study, typically requiring at least three years of graduate study beyond the

master's degree (which may have been earned at a different university). Ph.D. candidates must

demonstrate their mastery of a subject through oral and written exams and original, scholarly research

presented in a dissertation.

Dormitories (dorms): Student housing provided by a college or university, also known as "residence

halls," which typically includes rooms, bathrooms, common areas, and possibly a kitchen or cafeteria.

Double major: A program of study that allows a student to complete the course requirements for two

majors at the same time.

Drop: To withdraw from a course. A college or university typically has a period of time at the beginning

of a term during which students can add or drop courses.

Dual degree: Program of study that allows a student to receive two degrees from the same college or

university.

E

Early action: A program offered by some colleges and universities that allows students to submit their

applications early, typically in November or December, and receive decisions early, usually in mid- or

late December. Students are not required to accept the admissions offer and have until May 1 to decide.

Although some schools allow international students to apply via early action, applicants who request

financial aid may not receive a decision any earlier than those who apply through the regular decision

process.

Early decision: A program offered by some colleges and universities that allows students to submit an

application to their top-choice school early, typically in November or December, and receive the

decision early, usually in mid- or late December. If accepted, students are required to enroll at that

school and withdraw all applications to other schools. Although some schools allow international

students to apply via early decision, applicants who apply for financial aid may not receive a decision any

earlier than those who apply through the regular decision process.

Electives: Courses that students can choose to take for credit toward a degree, but are not required.

English as a Second Language (ESL): A course or program of study used to teach English to non-native

English speakers.

Enroll: To register or enter a school or course as a participant.

Exempt: Not required to do something that other students may be required to do. For example, a school

may require all students to take a freshman English course, but some students may be exempt based on

their high scores on a college entrance exam or their previous coursework.

Extracurricular activities: Optional activities, such as sports, that students can participate in outside of

academic classes.


37

F

Faculty: A school's teaching and administrative staff who is responsible for designing programs of study.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): Application used by U.S. citizens and permanent

residents to apply for financial aid from U.S. federal and state governments. International students are

not eligible for U.S. government aid, but schools may ask international students to submit a FAFSA to

determine financial need. (Note: A social security number is required to complete the FAFSA.)

Fees: An amount of money charged by colleges and universities, in addition to their tuition, to cover

costs of services such as libraries and computer technology.

Fellowship: An amount of money awarded by a college or university, usually to graduate students and

generally based on academic achievement.

Financial aid: All types of money offered to a student to help pay tuition, fees, and other educational

expenses. This can include loans, grants, scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, and work-study jobs.

(See the U.S. News paying for college and paying for grad school guides for more information.)

Fraternity: A student organization, typically for men, formed for social, academic, community service, or

professional purposes. A fraternity is part of a college or university's Greek system. Some fraternities,

such as those with an academic or community service focus, may be coed.

Freshman: A student in the first year of high school or college / university.

Full-time student: A student who is enrolled at a college or university and is taking at least the minimum

number of credits required by the school for a full course load.

G

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test): A standardized graduate business school entrance exam

administered by the nonprofit Graduate Management Admission Council, which measures verbal,

quantitative, and analytical writing skills. Some business schools accept either the GMAT or GRE. In June

2012, the GMAT will incorporate an integrated reasoning section designed to assess how applicants

analyze different types of information at once. (See the U.S. News business school test prep guide for

more information.)

Grade: A score or mark indicating a student's academic performance on an exam, paper, or in a course.

A "grade" can also refer to which year a student is in while at elementary, middle, or high school, but

that usage typically does not apply at the college or university level.

Grade point average (GPA): A student's overall academic performance, which is calculated as a

numerical average of grades earned in all courses. The GPA is determined after each term, typically on a

4.0 scale, and upon graduation, students receive an overall GPA for their studies.

Graduate school: The division of a college or university, or an independent postsecondary institution,

which administers graduate studies and awards master's degrees, doctorates, or graduate certificates.

(See U.S. News's rankings of Best Graduate Schools.)

Graduate student / graduate studies: A student who already holds an undergraduate degree and is

pursuing advanced studies at a graduate school, leading to a master's, doctorate, or graduate certificate.

A "graduate" can also refer to any student who has successfully completed a program of study and

earned a degree.


38

Grant: A type of financial aid that consists of an amount of free money given to a student, often by the

federal or a state government, a company, a school, or a charity. A grant does not have to be repaid.

"Grant" is often used interchangeably with "scholarship."

GRE (Graduate Record Examination): A standardized graduate school entrance exam administered by

the nonprofit Educational Testing Service (ETS), which measures verbal, quantitative, and analytical

writing skills. The exam is generally required by graduate schools, which use it to assess applicants of

master's and Ph.D. programs. Some business schools accept either the GMAT or GRE; law schools

generally require the LSAT; and medical schools typically require the MCAT. Effective August 2011, the

GRE will incorporate key changes in the content, length, and style of the exam. (See the U.S. News GRE

guide for more information.)

Greek life / Greek system: A college or university's collection of fraternities and sororities on campus,

whose names originate from letters in the ancient Greek alphabet.

H

High school: A secondary school that offers grades 9 to 12.

Humanities: Academic courses focused on human life and ideas, including history, philosophy, foreign

languages, religion, art, music, and literature.

I

Independent study: An academic course that allows students to earn credit for work done outside of the

normal classroom setting. The reading or research assignment is usually designed by the students

themselves or with the help of a faculty member, who monitors the progress.

Institute: An organization created for a specific purpose, usually for research, that may be located on a

college or university's campus.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS): The U.S. government agency that collects income taxes. International

students who work on or off campus or receive taxable scholarships must pay taxes. A college or

university's international student adviser can provide further information, including on relevant tax

treaties between the United States and specific countries that may allow certain benefits.

International student adviser: A school official who assists international students, scholars, and faculty

with matters including orientation, visas, income taxes, insurance, and academic and government rules,

among other areas.

Internship: An experience that allows students to work in a professional environment to gain training

and skills. Internships may be paid or unpaid and can be of varying lengths during or after the academic

year.

Ivy League: An association of eight private universities located in the northeastern United States,

originally formed as an athletic conference. Today, the term is associated with universities that are

considered highly competitive and prestigious. The Ivy League consists of the highly ranked Brown

University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton

University, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University.

J

Junior: A student in the third year of high school or college / university.


39

Junior college: A two-year postsecondary institution that offers the associate degree. (See "community

college.")

L

Letter of recommendation: A letter written by a student's teacher, counselor, coach, or mentor that

assesses his or her qualifications and skills. Colleges, universities, and graduate schools generally require

recommendation letters as part of the application process.

Liberal arts: Academic studies of subjects in the humanities, social sciences, and the sciences, with a

focus on general knowledge, in contrast to a professional or technical emphasis. "Liberal arts" is often

used interchangeably with "liberal arts and sciences" or "arts and sciences."

Liberal arts college: A postsecondary institution that emphasizes an undergraduate education in liberal

arts. The majority of liberal arts colleges have small student bodies, do not offer graduate studies, and

focus on faculty teaching rather than research. (See U.S. News's rankings of Best Liberal Arts Colleges.)

Loan: A type of financial aid that consists of an amount of money that is given to someone for a period

of time, with an agreement that it will be repaid later. International students are generally not eligible

for U.S. federal government loans and will typically require an American cosigner to apply for a private

bank loan.

LSAT (Law School Admission Test): A standardized law school entrance exam administered by the

nonprofit Law School Admission Council, which measures reading comprehension, analytical reasoning,

and logical reasoning skills. There is also a writing section; although it is not scored, it is sent to each law

school to which a student applies. (See the U.S. News LSAT test prep guide for more information.)

M

Major: The academic subject area that a student chooses to focus on during his or her undergraduate

studies. Students typically must officially choose their major by the end of their sophomore year,

allowing them to take a number of courses in the chosen area during their junior and senior years.

Master's: A graduate degree awarded by a college or university upon successful completion of an

advanced program of study, typically requiring one or two years of full-time study beyond the bachelor's

degree. Common degree types include master of arts (M.A.), which refers to the liberal arts; master of

science (M.S.); and master of business administration (M.B.A.).

Matriculate: To enroll in a program of study at a college or university, with the intention of earning a

degree.

M.B.A.: A master of business administration degree.

MCAT (Medical College Admission Test): A standardized U.S. medical school entrance exam

administered by the nonprofit Association of American Medical Colleges, which measures verbal

reasoning and writing skills and physical and biological sciences knowledge. The MCAT will likely

undergo significant changes in 2015, with new areas added, such as genetics, cell and molecular biology,

psychology, and sociology.

Merit aid / merit scholarships: A type of financial aid awarded by a college or university to students who

have demonstrated special academic ability or talents, regardless of their financial need. Most merit aid

has specific requirements if students want to continue to receive it, such as maintaining a certain GPA.


40

Midterm exam: An exam given after half of the academic term has passed and that covers all material

studied in a particular course until that point. Not all courses have midterm exams.

Minor: An academic subject area that a student chooses to have a secondary focus on during their

undergraduate studies. Unlike a major, a minor is typically not required, but it allows a student to take a

few additional courses in a subject different from his or her major.

N

Need-based financial aid: Financial aid that is awarded to students due to their financial inability to pay

the full cost of attending a specific college or university, rather than specifically because of their grades

or other merit.

Need-blind admissions: A college or university's policy of accepting or declining applications without

considering an applicant's financial circumstances. This policy does not necessarily mean that these

schools will offer enough financial aid to meet a student's full need. Only a handful of U.S. colleges or

universities offer need-blind admissions to international students.

Net price calculator: An online tool that allows students and families to calculate a personalized

estimate of the cost of a specific college or university, after taking into account any scholarships or

need-based financial aid that an applicant would receive. By Oct. 29, 2011, each higher education

institution in the United States is required by law to post a net price calculator on its respective website.

Nonmatriculated: Enrolled in a college or university's courses, but not in a program of study leading to a

degree.

Nonresident: A student who does not meet a state's residence requirements. A college or university may

have different tuition costs and admissions policies for residents versus nonresidents. In most cases,

international students are considered nonresidents. A "nonresident alien" is a person who is not a U.S.

citizen and is in the country on a temporary basis.

Notarized: Certified as authentic by a public official, lawyer, or bank. Colleges and universities often

require international students to submit notarized documents, such as the Affidavit of Support or high

school transcripts.

O

Open admissions: A college or university's policy of accepting all students who have completed high

school, regardless of their grades or test scores, until all spaces are filled. Most community colleges have

an open admissions policy, including for international students.

Orientation: A college or university's official process of welcoming new, accepted students to campus

and providing them with information and policies before classes begin, usually in a half-day or full-day

event. Many colleges and graduate schools offer a separate orientation just for international students to

cover topics such as how to follow immigration and visa regulations, set up a U.S. bank account, and

handle culture shock.

P

Part-time student: A student who is enrolled at a college or university but is not taking the minimum

number of credits required for a full course load.


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Pass-fail: A grading system in which students receive either a "pass" or "fail" grade, rather than a specific

score or letter grade. Certain college or university courses can be taken pass-fail, but these typically

don't include ones taken to fulfill major or minor requirements.

Ph.D.: A doctor of philosophy degree. (See "doctorate.")

Plagiarism: The use of another person's words or ideas as your own, without acknowledging that person.

Schools have different policies and punishments for students caught plagiarizing, which tends to occur

with research papers and other written assignments.

Postdoctorate: Academic studies or research for those who have completed a doctorate. A "postdoc"

can refer both to a person who is pursuing a postdoctorate and to the postdoctorate itself.

Prerequisite: A required course that must be completed before a student is allowed to enroll in a more

advanced one.

Priority date: The date by which an application must be received in order to be given full consideration.

This can apply to admissions, financial aid, and on-campus housing. After the priority date passes,

applications may be considered on a case-by-case or first-come-first-served basis.

Private school: A postsecondary institution controlled by a private individual(s) or a nongovernmental

agency. A private institution is usually not supported primarily by public funds and its programs are not

operated by publicly elected or appointed officials. Stanford University, for example, is a private school.

Probation: A status or period of time in which students with very low GPAs, or whose academic work is

unsatisfactory according to the school, must improve their performance. If they are unable to do so,

they may be dismissed from the school. Students may also face "disciplinary probation" for

nonacademic reasons, such as behavioral problems in the dorms.

Professional school: A higher education institution for students who have already received their

undergraduate degree to gain training in specific professions, such as law, medicine, and pharmacy.

Provost: The senior academic officer of a college or university who typically oversees all academic

policies and curriculum-related matters.

PSAT: The Preliminary SAT, a standardized practice test cosponsored by the nonprofit College Board and

the National Merit Scholarship Corp., which measures reading, writing, and math skills, giving students

experience with the SAT. Students usually take the PSAT in their junior year of high school, and U.S.

citizens and permanent residents can submit their scores to qualify for National Merit scholarships. (See

the U.S. News college test prep guide for more information.)

Public school: A postsecondary institution that is supported mainly by public funds and whose programs

are operated by publicly elected or appointed officials. The University of California—Berkeley, for

example, is a public school.

Q

Quarters: Periods of study that divide the academic year into four equal segments of approximately 12

weeks each, typically including the summer.

R

Registrar: The college or university official who is responsible for registering students and keeping their

academic records, such as transcripts.


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Registration: The process in which students choose and enroll in courses to be taken during the

academic year or in summer sessions.

Regular decision: An admissions process used by colleges and universities that typically requires

applicants to submit their materials by January 1; an admissions decision is generally received by April 1,

and if admitted, students usually have until May 1 to respond to the offer. The majority of applicants are

evaluated during regular decision, rather than early action and early decision.

Resident assistant (RA): A student leader who works in campus dormitories and supervises issues and

activities related to dorm life. RAs often receive free housing in the dorm in return for their services.

Rolling admissions: An admissions process used by some colleges and universities in which each

application is considered as soon as all the required materials have been received, rather than by a

specific deadline. Colleges and universities with this policy will make decisions as applications are

received until all spaces are filled.

Room and board: Housing and meals. "Room and board" is typically one of the costs that colleges and

universities will list in their annual estimated cost of attendance, in addition to tuition, fees, and

textbooks and supplies. If students choose to live in dormitories, they may be required to buy into a

meal plan to use on-campus dining facilities.

S

SAT: A standardized college entrance exam administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) on

behalf of the nonprofit College Board, which measures reading, writing, and math skills. Most students

take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and most colleges and universities accept

scores from either the SAT or ACT. In addition, students may choose to take the SAT Subject Tests in

English, history, languages, math, and science to demonstrate their knowledge in specific academic

areas. Some schools may recommend, but not require, international students to take the SAT or ACT.

(See the U.S. News college test prep guide for more information.)

Scholarship: A type of financial aid that consists of an amount of free money given to a student by a

school, individual, organization, company, charity, or federal or state government. "Scholarship" is often

used interchangeably with "grant." (See the U.S. News scholarship guide for more information.)

School: Any educational institution, including those that provide elementary, secondary, and

postsecondary education. In the latter case, "school" is often used interchangeably with "college" and

"university."

Semesters: Periods of study that divide the academic year into two equal segments of approximately 15

to 18 weeks each. Some schools also offer a shorter summer semester, beyond the traditional academic

year.

Seminar: A course offered to a small group of students who are typically more advanced and who meet

with a professor to discuss specialized topics.

Senior: A student in the fourth year of high school or college / university.

SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System): A computerized U.S. government database

used to track international students and scholars in the United States. Once an international student is

accepted by a U.S. college or university, the school is required to mail the student a Form I-20, which is a


43

paper record of the student's information in SEVIS. A student must pay a SEVIS fee and use the payment

receipt and I-20 to apply for a visa.

Social Security number: A nine-digit number issued by the U.S. government to people who are

authorized to work in the United States and collect certain government benefits. Many colleges and

universities use the Social Security number as the student identification number. International students

who are in the United States and are authorized to work either on or off campus must apply for and

obtain a Social Security number, which is then used to report their wages to the government.

Sophomore: A student in the second year of high school or college / university.

Sorority: A student organization for women formed for social, academic, community service, or

professional purposes. A sorority is part of a college or university's Greek system.

Standardized tests: Exams, such as the SAT, ACT, and GRE, which measure knowledge and skills and are

designed to be consistent in how they are administered and scored. Standardized tests are intended to

help admissions officials compare students who come from different backgrounds.

T

Teaching assistant (TA): A graduate student who assists a professor with teaching an undergraduate

course, usually within his or her field, as part of an assistantship.

Tenure: A status offered to high-level faculty members at a college or university that allows them to stay

permanently in their positions, after demonstrating a strong record of teaching and published research.

Term: Periods of study, which can include semesters, quarters, trimesters, or summer sessions.

Thesis: A formal piece of writing on a specific subject, which may be required to earn a bachelor's or

master's degree.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): A standardized exam administered by the nonprofit

Educational Testing Service (ETS), which measures English-language proficiency in reading, listening,

speaking, and writing. Many U.S. colleges and universities require non-native English speakers to take

the TOEFL and submit their scores as part of the admissions process.

Transcript: An official record of a student's coursework and grades at a high school, college, or

university. A high school transcript is usually one of the required components of the college application

process.

Transfer credit: Credit granted toward a degree on the basis of studies completed at another college or

university. For instance, students who transfer from a community college to a four-year college may

earn some transfer credit.

Trimesters: Periods of study that divide the academic year into three equal segments of approximately

10 to 12 weeks each.

Tuition: An amount of money charged by a school per term, per course, or per credit, in exchange for

instruction and training. Tuition generally does not include the cost of textbooks, room and board, and

other fees.

U

Undergraduate student / undergraduate studies: A student enrolled in a two-year or four-year study

program at a college or university after graduation from high school, leading to an associate or

bachelor's degree.


44

University: A postsecondary institution that typically offers both undergraduate and graduate degree

programs. "University" is often used interchangeably with "college" and "school."

V

Visa: An official mark or stamp in a passport that allows someone to enter a country for a particular

amount of time. Common visa types for international students and scholars in the United States include

the F-1 (student visa) and J-1 (exchange visitor visa). To apply for a U.S. visa, student applicants must

first receive a Form I-20 from the college or university they plan to attend, which is created by the U.S.

government's SEVIS database.

W

Wait list: A list of qualified applicants to a school who may be offered admission if there is space

available after all admitted students have made their decisions. Being on a wait list does not guarantee

eventual admission, so some students may choose not to remain on the list, particularly if the school is

not their first choice.

Withdraw: To formally stop participating in a course or attending a university.

Work-study: A financial aid program funded by the U.S. federal government that allows undergraduate

or graduate students to work part time on campus or with approved off-campus employers. To

participate in work-study, students must complete the FAFSA. In general, international students are not

eligible for work-study positions.

Useful links (url)

Higher Education

# Important url Description

1 http://redbus2us.com/ Very popular websites guiding for higher

education in USA, blogs, FAQ, processes, dos

& don'ts, fees, scholarship, etc 2 http://www.msinus.com

3 http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/

4 http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_t

w_5738.html

Website by USA Govt for Students seeking

education in USA

5 http://www.4icu.org/top200/ Listing of Top 200 universities

6 http://www.educationobserver.com/ It is one of the pioneer Indian Portals on

Education. We provide Educational News,

Scholarship News, a Discussion Forum to post

your educational and career queries, and a a

number of Model Examinations

7 http://www.impeloverseas.com/StudyAbroad/U

SA/USA-Scholarships.aspx

Detailed information about financial aids,

Country Overview, Education System, Why

USA,Universities in USA,Scholarships,Visa

Guidelines, Student Life, Work after Studies

8 http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/wp-

content/uploads/2008/09/student-guide-to-

us.pdf

Useful information about higher study in

India, overseas, test preparation, counseling,

scholarship, etc in presentation format

http://redbus2us.com/

http://www.msinus.com/

http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_5738.html

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_5738.html

http://www.4icu.org/top200/

http://www.educationobserver.com/

http://www.impeloverseas.com/StudyAbroad/USA/USA-Scholarships.aspx

http://www.impeloverseas.com/StudyAbroad/USA/USA-Scholarships.aspx

http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/student-guide-to-us.pdf




45

9 http://www.slideshare.net/rrakhecha/27-

earthsoftguidance-for-post-graduation-after-

engineering

10 http://www.india.idp.com/ Very good information about education,

courses, universities, scholarships,

placements, etc for overseas and Australia

11 http://www.newzealandeducated.com/ Guide for study in New Zealand

12 http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/ Guide for study in Australia

13 http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/ Listing of Top global universities - region wise,

subject wise, etc, Details about higher

education like books, ranking, awards, jobs

14 http://www.topuniversities.com/ Listing of Top global universities & various

courses

15 http://www.usief.org.in/ USA - India educational foundation sharing

complete information about higher education

16 http://www.usief.org.in/UsefulLinks.aspx Useful links for guiding various entrance tests,

visa processing, financial aid, travelling, etc

17 http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-

best-universities-rankings/top-400-universities-

in-the-world

Listing Global Ranking of 400 Universities and

their details

18 https://www.educationusa.info/ Guides students seeking education in USA,

19 www.internationalstudentloan.com Loans for additional assistance funding their

tuition, travel and living costs

20 http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/gradu

ate-school-road-map/2013/06/28/lessons-for-

parents-of-international-grad-

students?src=usn_tw

Lessons for parents of international students

21 http://www.usnews.com/ Latest NEWS about USA

22 http://grad-

schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-

graduate-schools

Ranking of university for different desciplines

23 http://www.benefits.gov/ The official benefits website of the U.S.

government

24 http://www.ed.gov/ U.S. Department of Education

25 http://www.usa.gov/ The official benefits website of the U.S.

government

26 www.learnhub.com

Useful information about higher study in India

http://www.slideshare.net/rrakhecha/27-earthsoftguidance-for-post-graduation-after-engineering



http://www.india.idp.com/

http://www.newzealandeducated.com/

http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/

http://www.topuniversities.com/

http://www.usief.org.in/

http://www.usief.org.in/UsefulLinks.aspx

http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-universities-rankings/top-400-universities-in-the-world



https://www.educationusa.info/

http://www.internationalstudentloan.com/

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/graduate-school-road-map/2013/06/28/lessons-for-parents-of-international-grad-students?src=usn_tw




http://www.usnews.com/




http://www.benefits.gov/

http://www.ed.gov/

http://www.usa.gov/

http://www.learnhub.com/

http://www.learnhub.com/


46

& overseas, test preparation, counseling, scholarship, etc

Useful Links

The following is a list of the relevant links which will be helpful for students.

General

www.educationusa.info

Standardized Tests

SAT - http://www.sat.org/

ACT - http://www.act.org/

GRE - http://www.gre.org/

GMAT - http://www.gmat.org/

USMLE - http://www.usmle.org/

TOEFL - http://www.toefl.org/

IELTS - http://www.ielts.org/

PTE Academic - http://www.pearsonpte.com/

Accreditation

www.chea.org

http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation

www.abet.org

www.aacsb.edu

Application Packet

www.commonapp.org

www.statementofpurpose.com

www.californiacolleges.edu/admissions

www.applytexas.org

Visa Information

http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov

www.ustraveldocs.com/in

Search Engines

www.collegeboard.com www.llm-guide.com/

www.communitycollegeusa.com www.phds.org/

www.petersons.com www.sophas.org/

www.gradschools.com www.lsac.org/

www.mba.com

Financing Your US Studies

www.fundingusstudy.org

www.twitter.com/edUSAUpdates


47

Overview of US Education System

www.edupass.org

Pre Departure Information

http://www.educationusa.info/pages/students/getready.php

Popular Study Abroad Search Engines

www.studyabroad.com

www.goabroad.com

www.iiepassport.org

General information

US Embassies and Consulates in India - For US visa information for Indian & American citizen

US Embassy, New Delhi - http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/

US Consulate, Chennai - http://chennai.usconsulate.gov/

US Consulate, Hyderabad - http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov/

US Consulate, Kolkata - http://calcutta.usconsulate.gov/

US Consulate, Mumbai - http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov/

US Embassies Outside India - http://usembassy.state.gov/

Indian Embassies and Consulates in US

For Indian visa information for US citizens and Indian citizen services abroad, visit relevant website

Indian Embassy - Washington DC - http://www.indianembassy.org/consulate-in-us.php

Indian Consulate - New York - http://www.indiacgny.org/

Indian Consulate - San Francisco - http://www.cgisf.org/

Indian Consulate - Chicago - http://chicago.indianconsulate.com/

Indian Consulate - Houston - http://www.cgihouston.org/

Indian Embassies Outside US - http://india.gov.in/overseas/indian_missions.php

References

1. http://redbus2us.com/

2. http://www.msinus.com/content/why-ms-us-masters-study-usa-503/

3. For personal free guidance - [email protected]

4. http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/student-guide-to-us.pdf

Disclaimer – pl ref http://myefg.in/contactus.aspx

Compiled by

Earthsoft Foundation of Guidance

1, Lotus Enclave, 98 Anand Park,

Aundh, Pune 411 007 India (www.myefg.in)

http://india.gov.in/overseas/indian_missions.php

http://myefg.in/contactus.aspx

Overseas higher education process guide v1 0

Education

usa tops

post graduation

qualifying graduation

scaled scores

raw scores

entrance test

management ms

critical steps