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School Selection > FAQ's |
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Where should I
apply?
Where should I apply? Your school selection must be made keeping in mind the following – your academic grades, test scores, your budget, the major that you are looking for and the term of entry. One of the most important things to keep in mind is the rank and reputation of the University you shortlist. Other factors that you might take into account before making your choice would be - the student to faculty ratio, the location of the school, the climatic conditions, the latter being totally irrelevant unless you have health constraints in severely cold climates.
How do I begin my search for schools? Various websites provide you with information on how and where to start, i.e. www.petersons.com; www.collegeboard.com. If you go through our website, you will find a lot of information that will help you in starting your application process. Apart from this, if you need any more help or information, you can contact us via email.
How many schools can I select from? The US is the only country in the world, which offers students a plethora of over 3300 colleges at the undergraduate level and over 1400 colleges for the Master's program. The MBA candidate alone can choose from 700 institutions.
What is a pre-application? A pre-application is a tentative list of schools that you would like to apply to. On the basis of your academic profile, your probable test scores and financial ability compile a list of universities to which you must send a letter requesting further information. This is called the pre-application stage. Send out your request at the earliest either by: 1. Accessing the websites of the universities and directly requesting application forms and material or 2. AirMail – Send your request letter by regular airmail to all the schools on your list. Approximately 3-4 weeks after you mail these letters, you will start receiving application packages from the various Universities. Please read the forms carefully for the deadlines, test requirements and other important information. Red-Alert - Note that some of these Universities may have their own set format of pre-application letters, once you receive these, you need to fill up the required data and send it back to them so that they can package the rest of the material and send you. Some colleges will ask you to download the application forms from their websites.
What schools should I include in my pre-application list? The pre-application letter should be sent to approximately 25-30 schools. Make you list on the basis of your academic grades, expected test scores, major, (in case of graduates area of specialization within the major) and the term of entry. The thumb rule is to include only a small percentage of schools that are in the Top 50 in your preapplication list. This is because the top 50 schools are extremely competitive.
Which are the Ivy League schools? There are eight colleges that are part of the ‘Ivy league Colleges’. These are very old and established colleges in America which have become leading academic institutions in the world. They are also well known for their sports. The Ivy League Schools are as follows: Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Cornell University,Dartmouth College, Princeton University, Brown University, Yale University
What is the honors program? The Honors program is a ‘tougher’ program than the regular coursework. You will need to turn in more assignments, do more research work and generally work harder at your grades. There is no separate application process for the Honors program. If you have excellent academic record and excellent scores on standardized tests you are automatically considered for the Honors program. Some universities may review your performance in the first semester and then let you opt for the Honors program.
What are the Regional and National Rankings? National universities are generally rated as the best colleges in the country (USA) for over all academic excellence, faculty and infrastructure, offering any/all/majority of the subjects that are being taught. These are colleges that are ranked in the Top 50 and beyond. There are many colleges that do not make it to the top national colleges but which are very well reputed. These colleges are ranked according to the US regions (North, South, Midwest and West). There are a host of rankings that you will find. Each college may be ranked differently in different rankings. For e.g. Purdue University is not a ‘Top 50’ national university but falls under the next ‘50’ category. However it is in the top 15 category for business, operation research, engineering, and computer science. Red-Alert - Rankings are a complementary tool to making the right choice. You cannot choose your school solely on the basis of its rank.
I do not have access to the www. Can you recommend some books that may help me in my research? The Petersons Guide (www.petersons.com), US News Review(www.usnews.com) and the Kaplan are some extremely informative books that will help you in your search for the right school.
What is the tier system of undergraduate schools? After the top 50 Universities, the Universities are ranked in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tiers. These tiers represent Universities in the descending order. You will find these rankings at www.usnews.com
My maximum budget is US$15,000 per year? Can I find colleges that suit my budget? Yes! There are many schools that you can apply to which will meet your budget. While most schools appear expensive most of them also give out financial awards based on need and merit. Please look up our money section for further information.
I am looking for 2 different majors of study. Can I get that in 1 school? Yes! Every school offers a host of majors. You will need to choose the Universities that offer both your majors.
What are the details that need to be mentioned in a pre-application letter? The letter should contain a brief on your academic background, information on the degree, major and the term you want to enroll in. Do not forget to put your postal address where the information can be sent to you.
One of the Universities has sent me its pre-application letter, which asks for my test scores. What should I do? If you have already given the test you can tell them your scores. If you are yet to give the test write the dates when you will be appearing for your standardized tests
What is the meaning of early decision deadlines? The early decision deadline may be as early as November or December. These are typical schools like Stanford and University of Pennsylvania. If accepted the student is bound to attend that college and is required to withdraw his application from all other colleges. You can apply to only one college for an early decision. Madhavi Desai recommends that unless you are very certain that the early decision school is the one you would like to seek admissions to, do not opt for an early decision. In other words an early decision school should be your top choice in your list of schools and one that you can afford.
Why is the Fall term more popular than the Spring term? The Fall term is more popular than a Spring term for the following reasons
What are the additional requirements that I need to pay attention to? At the undergraduate level some schools may ask you to take the SAT 2 test in addition to the SAT 1. At the graduate level the graduate schools may ask you to take the AGRE test in addition to the GRE. As an MBA candidate you may be required to schedule an appointment for an interview.
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