recommendation letter

How to Make a Strong Profile for Admission to an MS Program in the USA

Dilip Oak's Academy
Strong Profile: MS in USA

As you set your sights on international education, building a strong profile that impresses admission committees and reflects your unique strengths and aspirations is crucial. Let us explore how students can build a compelling profile for studying abroad.

Define Your Academic Goals

Before you build your profile, choose your academic goals and the field of study you are passionate about. Understanding your objectives will guide you in selecting the right courses and extracurricular activities to complement your academic journey.

Academic Excellence

Maintaining a solid academic record is the cornerstone of a strong profile. Strive for excellence in your coursework, emphasizing subjects related to your chosen field. A high GPA is a testament to your dedication and a key factor in gaining admission to top-tier institutions.

Research and Projects

Engage in research and projects that align with your interests. Universities abroad also value your hands-on experience through internships. Showcase any published papers, presentations, or innovations from your research endeavors.

Coding and Software Proficiency

Emphasize your proficiency in coding languages and relevant software. Highlight any coding projects, open-source contributions, or software development experiences you have undertaken. This demonstrates your practical application of theoretical knowledge.

Excel in the GRE Test

Many US universities require a good GRE score. Invest your time thoroughly preparing for the GRE. A strong score significantly enhances your chances of admission to a good university. Consider taking GRE classroom coaching or GRE online coaching to maximize your performance.

Language Proficiency:

English proficiency test is a mandatory condition. Take language proficiency tests like TOEFL or IELTS seriously, and invest time honing your language skills. You must have a good score in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

Letters of Recommendation

Secure strong letters of recommendation from teachers, project guides, or employers who can speak of your academic abilities and character. Please provide them with relevant information about your goals and achievements to ensure personalized and impactful recommendations.

Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose

Craft a compelling personal statement that reflects your journey, aspirations, and your unique qualities. Be authentic, showcasing your passion for your chosen field and explaining how the program aligns with your career goals.

Extracurricular Activities

Engage in a diverse range of extracurricular activities to showcase your well-rounded personality. Join clubs, sports teams, or volunteer organizations that align with your interests. Highlight leadership roles and significant contributions to demonstrate your ability to balance academics with active participation.

Resume/CV Building

Develop a comprehensive resume or curriculum vitae highlighting your academic achievements, internships, relevant work experience and extracurricular involvement. Tailor your resume to align with the specific requirements of the universities you are applying to.

Take the time to carefully consider each point mentioned above, as they collectively contribute to presenting a well-rounded and compelling application. As you start on this exciting journey, also remember that guidance from mentors, advisors, and peers can be invaluable. They can offer insights and feedback that will help you build a strong profile and enhance your chances of success. Best of luck, and remember—each step you take brings you closer to achieving your dream of studying abroad.

As India’s leading Study Abroad Consultant, Dilip Oak’s Academy offers a comprehensive suite of admission counseling services that can guide you through the entire process from Shortlisting Universities to Visa Counseling. Over the last 27 years, with our expertise, we have successfully sent 32,000 students to various prestigious American universities like MIT, Stanford, Cornell, and Carnegie Mellon. We also offer classroom and online coaching for GRE, TOEFL, and IELTS, as well as GRE Self Prep. To explore our services, book a free consultation or call us at 91-20-67444222.

Dr. Harchol-Balter on the Recommendation Letter

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Ideally you would like to make all your letters of recommendation count. Consider the following two letters:

(i) Letter 1: “I highly recommend student X for your graduate program. Student X received an A+ in my undergraduate algorithms class. He was ranked Number 2 out of 100 students. He got the highest score on the final. He worked very hard all semester, never missed a class, and was always able to answer the questions that I asked in class. This conscientious attitude makes him an excellent candidate for any graduate program. ”

(ii) Letter 2: “I highly recommend student Y for your graduate program. Student Y received a B in my undergraduate algorithms class. He was ranked Number 29 out of 100 students. Halfway through the semester we started working on network flows. Student Y seemed extremely excited by this topic. He disappeared for 4 weeks and even missed an exam. However when he came back, he showed me some work he had been doing on a new network flow algorithm for high-degree graphs. He had done some simulations and had some proofs. I’ve been working with student Y for the past couple months since then and he is full of ideas for new algorithms. I think student Y’s initiative makes him an excellent candidate for any graduate program.”

Which letter do you think is stronger? It turns out that Letter 2 is very strong. Letter 1 actually counts as 0. At CMU we mark all letters like letter 1 with the acronym D.W.I.C.. This stands for “Did Well In Class” which counts for 0, since we already know from the student’s transcript that he did well in class. By contrast, student Y’s letter gives us a lot of information. It explains that the reason student Y didn’t do better in class was that he was busy doing research. It also tells us that student Y started doing research on his own initiative, and that he is quite good at doing research. The professor was impressed enough with student Y’s ideas that he took him on as a student researcher despite student Y not having high grades.

You want your letters to all be of type 2 (this doesn’t mean that you should skip class!). Remember that letters of type 1 will not count. You want words like self-motivated, strong research potential , own initiative, independent, and driven to appear in your letters. These are the words that we circle when reading recommendation letters. You therefore want to ask letters from people who have seen you do research. These may be professors or employers.

Related Blogs on Application Documents

Related

Recommendation Letters – Part 2: Ingredients of a Good Recommendation Letter

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What Recommendation Letters should Cover

Recommendation letters should cover the following points (also see the links to great sample recos at the end of this post):

  • How long the recommender has known you and in what capacity (teacher, seminar or project guide, practical supervisor, project leader etc.)
  • His or her assessment of your academic performance (relative rank etc.), intellectual abilities, work habits and character
  • Your special achievements – especially in projects or in papers presented
  • Your communication skills – how well you were able to present your seminars
  • Your social skills – ability to work well with others, leadership qualities
  • Some background about the recommender – this is useful in the case of professors whose work in a field might be good but little known outside India; things to highlight include area of work, achievements in that area (papers published, awards etc.), prominent places worked in, length of experience and so on