college transcripts

Eligibility Requirements for MS Programs in Canada

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1. Academic credentials

A majority of Canadian universities require you to have completed 16 years of education (12+4), i.e. a four-year Bachelor’s degree before applying for MS. This is applicable for students from technical backgrounds like Engineering, Pharmacy, and Architecture. For non-technical fields like Arts and Management, a student is required to complete 17 years of education (12+3+2).

Canadian universities have a very high cut-off percentage. Hence, you need to have a minimum of 70% to 75% in your degree course and an equivalent CGPA of a minimum of 7.5 to 8.5. Top universities especially, give a lot of emphasis on your performance in the last two years (i.e. the 3rd & 4th years) of your degree course.

If you are planning to pursue an MS in Business Management, Finance, or Business Analytics, you are required to have relevant work experience of minimum 1 to 3 years.

2. Qualifying examinations

TOEFL or IELTS: certain minimum English Language Proficiency Test scores are mandatory for admission to Canadian universities. A minimum IELTS band score of 6.5 to 7 or a minimum TOEFL score of 85+ is required by a majority of Canadian universities. At Dilip Oaks Academy, we offer  TOEFL coaching and  IELTS coaching along with rigorous practice sessions and mock tests.

3. GRE: Though a majority of universities in Canada do not require GRE scores, some of the top universities do, and so we recommend that you give your GRE if you aim to get into one of these universities. Our GRE Coaching will help you thoroughly prepare for the GRE exam. (hyperlink underlined words to GRE landing page)

We also offer Admission Counseling (hyperlink to Admission Counseling Masters in Canada page) through which we provide guidance on the selection of universities, application essays, and visa counseling. 

Eligibility Requirements for MS and PhD programs in the USA

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MS and PhD programs in the USA

In order to pursue a MS and PhD programs in the USA, you need to meet the following academic and English language requirements:

Academic credentials:

A majority of American universities require you to have completed 16 years of education (12+4). So, complete a four-year Bachelor’s degree before applying for the master’s program. This is applicable for students from technical backgrounds like Engineering, Pharmacy, and Architecture. For non-technical fields like Arts and Management, students must complete 17 years of education (12+3+2).

A good GRE score:

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is a standardized aptitude test that assesses a student’s verbal and mathematical ability. The GRE, which is scored out of 340, is an internet-based test and can be taken throughout the year. The score is valid for five years and a minimum score of 300 is strongly recommended.

The minimum required TOEFL or IELTS score:

Since our native language is not English, we need to show that we have the minimum required English language skills to pursue graduate programs in America. For this purpose, you can take the TOEFL, which is scored out of 120. Most good American universities require a score of 80+ in TOEFL. You can also take the IELTS, another English proficiency examination, which is scored on a scale of 9. Most universities require a band score of at least 6.5 in IELTS.

Explore our numerous blogs on GRE Quantitative Reasoning and GRE Verbal Reasoning and pursuing education in the USA.

Good academic performance:

Your academics are as important as your GRE score. To get admission in good MS and PhD programs, you should have a consistently good academic record in all four years of your degree course. As far as possible avoid backlogs and year-downs.

Curricular and co-curricular accomplishments:

When applying for MS and PhD programs in the USA, American universities give weightage to the projects and seminars you have done as part of your course. They also consider co-curricular activities such as the publication of papers in nationally and internationally recognized journals and participation in conferences. Take up internships, whether paid or unpaid, to gain practical experience and boost your profile.

Relevant work experience:

Relevant work experience increases your chances of getting admission to good universities and securing good jobs after you have completed your MS.

As India’s leading Study Abroad Consultant, Dilip Oak’s Academy offers a comprehensive suite of services, including GRE, TOEFL, and IELTS coaching, as well as GRE Self Prep. Furthermore, our admission counseling services can guide you through the entire process from Shortlisting Universities to Visa Counseling. With our expertise, we have successfully sent 32,000 students to various prestigious American universities like MIT, Stanford, Cornell, and Carnegie Mellon. To enroll in our comprehensive overseas education consultancy services, book a free consultation or call us at 91-20-67444222.

Five proven ways to get into top-ranked US universities even with a low GRE score

Dilip Oak's Academy

aiming for a TOP-ranked us university

Generally, a high GRE score (330+) is considered to be one of the most important requirements to get into topmost US universities. But what if you receive less than 330? Does that mean you have to give up on your dream university?

NO.

Your GRE score is not the only parameter that decides your chances of landing a seat in a high-ranked university. US universities have a very holistic approach to a student’s profile. Apart from your score, your academic credentials, intent, commitment, and relevant work experience are some of the factors taken into consideration.

Here’s how you can highlight your strengths and dwarf the low GRE score:

Good academic credentials: A consistently good percentage (above 70) or a GPA above 8.5 in your bachelor’s degree can overshadow your low GRE score and boost your chances of getting into top universities.

Appealing Statement of Purpose: A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is your key tool to enhance your application. It is your only chance to communicate your goals to the admissions committee. Therefore, make sure that you draft an honest, precise, and appealing SOP that compels the committee to look at you as a “value addition” to their organization. Under our admission counselling services, we provide personal sessions with our SOP counsellors and help you draft a winning SOP.

Letters of Recommendation: Though this appears to be a very routine requirement, it is but a crucial document of validation. Make sure that you get recommendation letters from professors or project guides under whom you have studied at least for a semester or worked on a project. You can also take a LOR from the employer under whom you have interned or worked for at least a year.

Work Experience: More than on-paper scores, American universities are interested in knowing your practical knowledge of subjects and application skills. A relevant work experience, either an internship or a job, will demonstrate your skills, agility, and ability to work in a dynamic environment. Work on enhancing your practical experience and explore ways to build a great career profile.

Check out our sample resume and start preparing right away.

Co-curricular activities: Projects and paper presentations add a lot of value to your application. Make sure that you’ve worked on strong projects, and presented papers in nationally and internationally recognized seminars and reputed publications.

The University Transcript: What Exactly is It and Why is It Important?

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The transcript is an official summary of your academic performance and progress to date. It is one of the key documents you have to submit when you are applying for admission to a doctoral or master’s program of studies in an American college or university (the others are the statement of purpose, recommendation letters, a resume and of course your GRE and TOEFL scores). In order for the transcript to be acceptable to American universities as an official document, it must conform to the following specifications – it should be:

  • printed on the university or college letterhead
  • signed by the appropriate college or university authorities i.e. the college principal or registrar or the university registrar
  • in the format required by American universities (not in the ordinary mark sheet format usually provided by Indian colleges and universities)

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The University Transcript: A Comprehensive Description of the Details Included

Dilip Oak's Academy

Your transcript should contain the following:

  • a ‘bona fide certificate’ containing:
    • your name
    • the name of the college where you studied
    • the name of the course you studied
    • the duration for which you were at the university/college and date of completion of the course
  • the examination scheme which, includes details such as:
    • whether all subjects are compulsory or whether there are elective subjects, a project etc.
    • the number of semesters in the course and the duration of each semester
    • the duration of each lecture
    • the minimum marks required to pass in a subject
    • the maximum number of grace marks that may be given so that a student may pass or obtain a higher class
    • the score scheme used: grade point average (GPA) or aggregate percentage/class system
  • the ‘mark sheet’ section which, states:
    • the breakup of subjects studied in each semester
    • the number of hours per week for lectures and practical work in each subject
    • the maximum marks per subject
    • the marks you obtained in each subject
    • your total marks, percentage (or relative grade), class and relative rank in the class, college or university in each year
  • the highlights and history of your college or university (in brief)

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All About The Resume – Part 1: Why You Must Send a Resume in Your Application Packet

Dilip Oak's Academy

 

Why Sending a Resume Matters

Resumes (pronounced re-syoo-mayz) are included in your application for an American university for three reasons:

  • firstly, to give the admissions committee a brief snapshot of your academic performance – academic performance carries great weightage in deciding whether you will be admitted or not and in some universities admissions committees form their first impressions of your academic performance by looking at your resume
  • secondly, to present your qualifications for a research or teaching assistantship – for this reason remember to attach a covering letter to your resume requesting that it be circulated to interested professors
  • thirdly, to provide details of projects, seminars, industrial training etc. that you could not include in your SOP because of the word limit