university application Archives - Page 2 of 5

How to apply for PhD in top American universities?

October 12, 2020December 21, 2022Dilip Oak's Academy

Along with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a lot of international students are now keen on pursuing PhD at American universities because the programs are comprehensive and structured, and encourage a lot of independent research. Apart from world class facilities, well- equipped research labs and qualified professors, American universities also offer funding opportunities to deserving candidates which makes it easier for international students to pursue PhD in America. American universities have a global standing and they lead in innovation. This provides numerous job opportunities to PhD degree holders in academia, research institutes, government, and private research agencies all across the world.

However, in order to apply for PhD in top-notch American universities and reap maximum benefits of these programs, students must fulfill certain eligibility requirements and follow certain steps as given below:

Eligibility requirements:

Bachelor’s/Master’s degree: To pursue a PhD program in any American university, students must have a minimum of 16 years of education, which means, they must have completed their bachelor’s degree at the least. Many students also apply after their master’s degree, either in India or in the USA. Students can also apply for a combined program for MS and PhD.
Good scores in qualifying examinations: In order to qualify for a PhD, students should have a high score in the GRE (320+) and sometimes, in the subject GRE.
Good academic record: In order to pursue PhD at a top American university, students should have a consistently high academic record throughout the bachelor’s program (75% and above/GPA of 8.5 and above). If the master’s has been done from the USA, the GPA has to be 3.5 and above.
Research aptitude and work experience: Students who have a strong research aptitude, who have undertaken seminars and paper presentations, and who have relevant work experience are usually preferred. At Dilip Oak’s Academy, one of our students, who had a 70% academic record in Computer Engineering, four years of work experience, and who presented three papers in international forum including Italy and USA, received full funding for PhD in Computer Architecture from Georgia Tech, Ohio State, and Yale University.

Steps to follow:

Choose your research topic well in advance: Narrowing down your research topic in advance will help you a great deal in making an informed decision. Study the topics, and see which topic would be viable for a PhD project. Choose your program accordingly.
Research your PhD guide: When it comes to PhD, a good research guide is far more important than a good university. Hence, study the research work performed by professors from various universities, get in touch with them, and see if you can get approval from them for supervising your work. For PhD programs, it is always beneficial to first narrow down the right research guide and then finalize the university.
Lookout for funding opportunities: Pursuing PhD in America can be very expensive and hence it is recommended to first look at universities that offer funding opportunities, scholarships, and research/ teaching assistantships and make your PhD tuition affordable.
Finalize the universities: Once you decide your research topic, supervisor, and funding opportunities, shortlist your universities and start the application process.

For more guidance on university selection and admission process, enroll for our expert admission counseling today!

Application timeline for Fall 2021

September 21, 2020March 6, 2023Dilip Oak's Academy

If you are applying for fall 2021 the clock has begun to tick. So, don’t delay. Here is a detailed Timeline to help you start and streamline your application process:

October-December 2020

October 2020

Make a preliminary list of universities which meet your requirements considering:

Broad specializations you are interested in
Expected GRE score
Academic record
Budget
Recommendations by seniors studying in American universities

November 2020

Documentation

Start working on your Statement of Purpose (SOP). SOP is a crucial document that provides insights into your purpose of joining the course and university, your personality, experience in the field and long-term goals. It should be around 500 to 800 words long, precise, interesting, grammatically and technically sound.
Arrange for 4 sets of college and university transcripts.
Choose your recommenders (preferably college professors/project guides/employers) and keep recommendation letters ready.

November-December 2020

Test and application process

Take the GRE and TOEFL exams latest by 20th December 2020
Shortlist your final 8 to 10 universities.
Complete online application process latest by 30^th of December and send the required documents by courier. Of course, universities accept applications even till 31^st March, so you can send them by January too in case of any delay.
Request the ETS to forward your GRE and TOEFL scores to the universities you are applying to. (scores take minimum 2 weeks to come)

After sending the applications

You will most likely receive admission decisions from Feb/March. Once you receive the decisions, email your acceptance. This is very important especially when you are offered funding.

When you have accepted the university’s offer of admission and the documentation formalities are complete, the university will send you the 1-20, an immigration document, which is essential for obtaining a visa. Some universities send I-20 along with the acceptance letter.
Prepare the visa documentation according to the total cost of one year mentioned on the I-20
Study the visa application formalities specified on the official website of the applicable US Consulate.
Apply for a visa interview date – you can apply for a visa interview 120 days before the joining date mentioned on your I-20. Generally, students start applying for a visa from the third week of April. Once you get the visa date, proceed with the interview and complete the remaining formalities until your departure date.

At Dilip Oak’s Academy, we provide detailed guidance on these processes under our admission counselling services that include, selection of universities, drafting SOP and LOR, documentation process and visa counselling. Till date, we have sent 30,000 students to various universities in America including MIT, Stanford, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon and other top-ranked universities. To enrol, call us on 91-020-67444222, 91-8007878495.

Why Indian students planning for bachelors in the USA should take AP exams

September 14, 2020March 1, 2023Dilip Oak's Academy

While the standardized tests like SAT and ACT are very popular among Indian students aspiring to pursue bachelors in America, the Advanced Placement (AP) Test is often disregarded by most due to complexity of its courses. A lot of students consider them challenging and shy away from taking this exam. In today’s blog, we aim to address these misconceptions about the AP and throw light on how Indian students can actually benefit from this exam.

What is AP? (Advanced Placement)

AP Exams are standardized college-level exams designed to measure your mastery over a specific subject and help you earn credits. Under this, there are 38 courses from various disciplines to choose from like AP Calculus AB, AP Computer Science, AP Chemistry, AP Physics etc. You can choose the course for subjects related to your career of choice and your expertise. AP exams are scored on the scale of 1 to 5, where each score corresponds to a college course grade equivalent.

Are AP exams really challenging?

Yes.

AP exams are definitely challenging and demanding because they require you to dive deep in the subject, beyond the set purview.

Does that mean you should skip them?

No.

Though AP exams are rigorous, they are definitely worth taking, especially for Indian students, due to the following reasons:

Higher chances of getting into a top-ranked university: Taking AP exams adds weightage to your college application and helps you stand out among hundred others. Top-ranked universities prefer students who give AP exam because performance in AP demonstrates your thoroughness in the subject and ability to manage university-level studies.

Early graduation and reduced tuition cost: Taking AP exam during high school helps you to earn college credits even before starting with the college. A high AP score of 4 or 5 allows you to earn enough credits so as to skip a semester or even a year. In that case, you can graduate almost 6 months to 1 year early and save on your tuition fees by thousands of dollars. Some universities also allow you to skip introductory courses and jump to upper-level courses and even bag internships.

Scholarships and funding opportunities: Most US universities offer good scholarships to high AP scores. This enables the student to further save up on the tuition cost. Some universities also offer an Advanced Placement International Diploma (APID) to Indian students who score exceptionally well in more than 5 AP exams. Hence, even if you have a humble financial background, your AP score can help you complete your bachelors in a high ranked university at a relatively low cost.

What is the ideal time to give the AP?

The ideal time to give the AP is in your 11th or 12^th grade, depending on the number of exams you want to take and your level of preparation. You can find the details of AP exams on https://www.collegeboard.org/.

At Dilip Oak’s Academy, we offer guidance on these pre-requisite examinations for bachelors in America and also conduct online SAT coaching to help you ace your prep!

To know more about bachelors in America, examinations, the application process, visa and other requirements for bachelors in America, attend our free webinar on 20^th September. Register for the webinar today!

MS in Canada: Admission and student visa requirements (part 2)

August 17, 2020March 1, 2023Dilip Oak's Academy

In the last blog dated 10/08/2020, we discussed the benefits of pursuing masters in Canada and saw how fast the country is becoming one of the most sought after destinations for higher education. In this blog, we will focus on the admission and visa requirements for MS in Canada and breeze through the top Ten Canadian Universities for STEM courses.

Admission requirements

Academic credentials

Majority Canadian universities require you to have completed 16 years of education (12+4), i.e. – a four- year Bachelor’s degree before going for MS. This is applicable to all the technical background students like Engineering, Pharmacy, and Architecture etc. 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 cutoff percentage. Hence, you need to have a minimum of 65% to 70% in your degree course and an equivalent CGPA of a minimum of 7.0 to 7.5. Top universities especially give a lot of emphasis on the performance of the last two years of your degree course. (3rd & 4th year)

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

Qualifying examinations

TOEFL/IELTS: English Language Proficiency Test scores are a mandatory requirement of Canadian universities. A minimum of 6.5 to 7 band score in IELTS or 90+ score in TOEFL is required to get into the best Canadian universities. At Dilip Oaks Academy, we offer online TOEFL and online IELTS coaching along with rigorous practice sessions and mock tests.

GRE: Though a majority of universities in Canada do not require GRE scores, some of the top universities do ask for it. We recommend you to give the GRE and keep your scores ready if you aim to get into one of the top universities. Our Online GRE Coaching will enable you to prepare for the GRE in a hassle-free manner.

Crucial student visa requirements:

Once you receive admit from a Canadian university, you need to apply for a study permit that requires you to fulfil four crucial criteria:

1) Admit should be from a recognized university

2) Proof of funds to support yourself. At present this is equal to the tuition fee for one year and CA$10,000 as living expenses.

3) Proof of no criminal record

4) Fitness certificate from the doctor as recommended by the Canadian High Commission

Lastly, a quick glance at the Top 10 Canadian Universities:

University of Toronto
University of British Columbia
McGill University
McMaster University
University of Montreal
University of Alberta
University of Ottawa
University of Calgary
University of Waterloo
Western University

Kick-start your prep for MS in Canada NOW!

Enrol for our admission counselling services and start planning your Canadian endeavour the right way!

Time to rejoice: Trump administration revokes the rule regarding online classes for fall semester

July 15, 2020March 1, 2023Dilip Oak's Academy

A huge relief for International students

Indian students can now heave a sigh of relief as the Trump administration has finally revoked the new visa rule that required International students taking fully online classes in the US for the fall semester, to return to their home countries.

In our last blog dated 08/07/2020, we wrote in detail about the new rule and its possible repercussions on existing and new students aspiring to go to the US.

Soon after the announcement of this rule on July 6, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and many other institutes as well top American IT companies had filed lawsuits against the administration, seeking reversal of the rule. In response to these lawsuits, the Boston Federal Court revoked this rule on Tuesday, and asked the immigration authorities to pull the directive and return to the “status quo.”

Another factor that contributed to the reversal of the rule is the fact that a whooping number of international students join US universities every year and provide the required tuition revenue. International students contribute billions of dollars to the US economy every year. Sustenance of the new rule would have plummeted the enrollment and subsequently led to a deep financial crisis for the universities as well the country.

Now that rule has been revoked, international students, including Indian students, will be able to stay in the US even if they are pursuing online classes for the fall 2020 semester. New students who are in the process of joining the US universities for spring 2021 sessions will also be able to smoothly continue their visa process and education in the US.

Lockdown dilemma: Go for Fall semester 2020 or defer to Spring 2021?

June 3, 2020February 28, 2023Dilip Oak's Academy

According to the recent update, many universities especially from California, New York, Pennsylvania, etc. have decided to offer online courses for the Fall 2020 semester. However, we do not recommend going for online courses for several reasons which we have explained in our earlier blog Go For Online Semester or Request a Deferral? dated April 23.

Of course, some universities from a few states are also planning to resume in-person instruction for the Fall 2020 semester but they will give a concrete decision in July after consulting the public health officials. In that case, it will be difficult for students to obtain visas at such short notice.

Also, the US consulate has been non-operational since March 16 and with the extension of the lockdown, they have temporarily suspended the visa interviews. The exact date for resuming the process has not been declared yet. There is a possibility that the consulate may reduce visa interview slots and a limited number of applicants will be allowed at the consulate at a given time due to social distancing norms.

Therefore, there is no guarantee that you will get your visa on time.

Moreover, there is no certainty on when international airlines will resume operations. As per the recent update by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger flights would continue until midnight on June 30. Though it implies that operations will resume in July, no official date has been declared yet.

Given the above-mentioned points, it will be wiser to defer your admission to Spring 2021 since in-person instructions are likely to begin from January 2021.

Of course, we recommend students to consider all these factors and make their own decision.

The Difference Between Co- and Extra-curricular Activities and Why They are Important!

August 1, 2019December 17, 2022Dilip Oak's Academy

For those of you who want to pursue higher studies abroad, it is time to start brainstorming about your admission essays. And, though they may seem insignificant, important aspects that need to be covered in both these documents are your co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Especially for those of you applying for undergraduate programs, i.e. your bachelor’s, the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities carry equal weight along with your academic and SAT score. For the master’s program, your co-curricular activities will set you apart.
While “co-curricular activities” refer to those activities that go together with your academics in school or college, an extra-curricular activity is any activity you take part in that does not involve your academics.

Here are a few examples of co-curricular activities you can highlight in your application

Undergraduate Applicants (BS/BA): school Headboy/girl, class prefect, House Captain, college newsletters, science clubs and projects, inter-class and inter-school competitions and state/national level competitions, elocution, etc.

Graduate Applicants (MS): technical quizzes during college fests, Robocon, SAE BAJA, filing for patents, articles contributed for academic publication, state/national level technical competitions.

A few examples of extra-curricular activities: sports, athletics, debate, dramatics, learning foreign language, arts, chess and book clubs, Rotary/Rotaract, Lions/Leo club or AIESEC memberships, Boy Scout or Girl Guides, volunteer work (blood donation, tree plantation, old age homes, underprivileged children, etc.), painting or dancing, National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Sports Organisation (NSO), National Service Scheme (NSS).

If they are “extra-curricular”, why do colleges and universities care about these activities?
Colleges and universities like students who take efforts to develop their talents and passions. They want students who interact well with others and add something to the community. There is more to college life, particularly in the US than just attending classes. US colleges and universities appreciate students who will go the extra mile by taking initiative and participating in academic as well as social activities on campus.

Which are the activities to highlight and how to describe them?

Before you decide to include co-curricular or extra-curricular activities in your SoP or essay, consider the following questions:
1. Did you actively participate in the activity: provide specific details of the role you played in the activity.
2. Did you engage in this activity for a significant number of years: give specific numbers to give the admissions committee a clear idea of your dedication towards the activity.
3. Were you specifically chosen for any activity: list events, competitions, or showcases that you were selected for based on your expertise in the field.
4. Did you take initiative: state your experience as a leader or mentor and discuss what impact you had on others.
5. Did you make positive changes to the activity: describe the work you did to expand and improve any clubs or events that you were a part of.
6. Did the activity change you in a positive manner: illustrate the changes the activity brought about in you such as deciding to be a part of the debate team to get over your fear of public speaking.

Now, that you have this information, make sure that you focus on the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities when you draft your admission essays. Remember, it is never too late to start participating in activities and events that can highlight your skills and abilities to make your profile diverse and well rounded.

University Application Deadlines For Fall 2018

September 26, 2017December 22, 2022Dilip Oak's Academy

The application season is on, December is just round the corner …and university deadlines are coming up soon. So, here is our much awaited blog for university application deadlines for fall 2018.

Our list covers 128 universities with deadlines ranging from November 2017 all the way up to July 2018. At the end is a section on universities with rolling deadlines (click here to find out what is meant by rolling deadlines).

Remember that US universities update deadlines on their websites at different times during the academic year so, we will update this blog to keep up with changes on their official websites. We have compiled a list of university deadlines with utmost care, however, we request you to kindly cross check the dates displayed on official websites of the university.

Presenting the first in our round of deadline alerts.

Continue reading →

The Art and Science of Drafting your Statement of Purpose

March 10, 2017December 17, 2022Dilip Oak's Academy

Drafting your Statement of Purpose should be considered to be, essentially, a communication exercise, which you ought to take very seriously. Why do we say this? Well, for two reasons: first, going forward, there will be many such situations in which you may have to interact with others by means of the written word. And second, subject-matter knowledge is not enough. You would need to find an effective way to communicate your message so as to evoke the desired response from its target reader(s).

Below are a few tips to draft a decent SoP:

Cover all important points: make sure you mention your academic accomplishments and major achievements, if any, along with papers presented, seminars and workshops attended, projects undertaken, and internship experience you have had, in their order of importance.
Highlight your soft skills: exhibiting good communication skills will enhance the impact of your academic performance and may even prove to be decisive if you happen to be tied with another applicant for admission whose academic performance is identical or equal to yours.
Avoid clichés: As far as possible, avoid words like “team player”, “leadership qualities”, etc. Try and find better ways to showcase such qualities or accomplishments. For instance, you may mention how effectively you worked with others in a close-knit team to successfully complete your project in a timely manner.
Keep it simple: It’s a rough draft. The beautification of language can come later as your suggested draft takes on a more sophisticated shape.
Start early: Some people tend to put things off until the last moment. On the other hand, starting early will give you more time to reflect on what you intend to include in your SoP. It will also minimize the risk of inadvertently leaving things out, enabling you to present a comprehensive narrative and present a strong case for your candidature.
Get help from experts: There are experts around who can help you draft an attractive Statement of Purpose thereby increasing your chances of getting admitted to the university of your choice. So, avail of their expertise and ensure that your SoP is a winner.

University Application Deadlines For Fall 2017

September 14, 2016December 22, 2022Dilip Oak's Academy

Our list covers 145 universities with deadlines ranging from December 2016 all the way up to August 2017. At the end is a section on universities with rolling deadlines (click here to find out what is meant by rolling deadlines).

Presenting the first in our round of deadline alerts.

Continue reading →

University Deadlines For Spring 2016 Semester

April 17, 2015March 6, 2023Dilip Oak's Academy

The month of June is now approaching which means the spring 2016 application process should now begin. As per our standard practice we are publishing university deadlines for spring 2016 semester.

Keep in mind some universities update deadlines on their websites at different times during the academic year.

The deadlines mentioned below are for the graduate school only. The department deadlines may differ from the graduate school deadlines and hence you should cross check with your respective department for confirmation.

NO.	NAME OF THE UNIVERSITY	DEADLINE
Deadlines in June
1	University of Maryland, Baltimore County	1-Jun
2	Texas Tech University	15-Jun
3	University of Tennessee, Knoxville	15-Jun
Deadlines in July
1	Florida Institute of Technology	1-Jul
2	University of Pittsburgh	1-Jul
3	Washington State University, Pullman	1-Jul
4	North Carolina State University	15-Jul
5	University of Illinois, Chicago	15-Jul
6	University of Rhode Island, Kingston	15-Jul
Deadlines in August
1	Kansas State University	1-Aug
2	North Dakota State University, Fargo	1-Aug
3	University of Michigan, Dearborn	1-Aug
4	Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo	1-Aug
5	Wichita State University	1-Aug
6	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	15-Aug
7	South Dakota School of Mines & Tech	15-Aug
8	South Dakota State University, Brookings	15-Aug
9	University of Kentucky, Lexington	15-Aug
10	San Francisco State University	31-Aug
Deadlines in September
1	East Carolina University	1-Sept
2	Florida International University	1-Sept
3	George Washington University	1-Sept
4	Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago	1-Sept
5	Indiana University, Bloomington	1-Sept
6	Lamar University	1-Sept
7	Mississippi State University	1-Sept
8	Oakland University, Rochester	1-Sept
9	University of Alaska, Fairbanks	1-Sept
10	University of Nebraska, Lincoln	1-Sept
11	University of Oklahoma, Norman	1-Sept
12	University of South Carolina, Columbia	1-Sept
13	University of Texas, Dallas	1-Sept
14	University of Texas, San Antonio	1-Sept
15	Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University	1-Sept
16	California State University, Chico	15-Sept
17	Northeastern University, Boston	15-Sept
18	Texas A & M University, Kingsville	15-Sept
19	Tufts University	15-Sept
20	University of North Carolina, Greensboro	15-Sept
21	University of North Texas, Denton	15-Sept
22	California State University, Fresno	30-Sept
23	California State University, Northridge	30-Sept
Deadlines in October
1	California State University, Long Beach	1-Oct
2	California State University, Sacramento	1-Oct
3	Case Western Reserve University	1-Oct
4	Eastern Michigan University	1-Oct
5	Illinois State University, Normal	1-Oct
6	Indiana University Purdue University	1-Oct
7	Minnesota State University, Mankato	1-Oct
8	Northern Illinois University, Dekalb	1-Oct
9	Oklahoma State University, Still Water	1-Oct
10	Old Dominion University, Norfolk	1-Oct
11	Oregon State University, Corvallis	1-Oct
12	Pennsylvania State University, University Park	1-Oct
13	Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville	1-Oct
14	State University of New York, Stony Brook	1-Oct
15	Stevens Institute of Technology	1-Oct
16	Tennessee Technological University	1-Oct
17	University of Arkansas, Little Rock	1-Oct
18	University of Colorado, Denver	1-Oct
19	University of Detroit, Mercy	1-Oct
20	University of Houston, University Park	1-Oct
21	University of Idaho, Moscow	1-Oct
22	University of Iowa, Iowa City	1-Oct
23	University of Louisiana, Lafayette	1-Oct
24	University of Massachusetts, Amherst	1-Oct
25	University of Nevada, Las Vegas	1-Oct
26	University of New Mexico, Albuquerque	1-Oct
27	University of North Carolina, Charlotte	1-Oct
28	University of Texas, Arlington	1-Oct
29	University of Virginia, Charlottesville	1-Oct
30	West Virginia University, Morgan Town	1-Oct
31	Worcester Polytechnic Institute	1-Oct
32	California State University, Los Angeles	15-Oct
33	Duke University	15-Oct
34	Marquette University	15-Oct
35	Texas State University	15-Oct
36	University of Georgia	15-Oct
37	University of South Florida, Tampa	15-Oct
38	Villanova University	15-Oct
39	California State University, Fullerton	17-Oct
Deadlines in November
1	Florida State University	1-Nov
2	Idaho State University	1-Nov
3	Monmouth University	1-Nov
4	University of Louisville, Louisville	1-Nov
5	University of Miami, Coral Gables	1-Nov
6	University of Utah, Salt Lake City	1-Nov
7	University of Wyoming, Laramie	1-Nov
8	Vanderbilt University	1-Nov
9	Arkansas State University	14-Nov
10	City University of New York, City College	15-Nov
11	Missouri University of Science & Technology, Rolla	15-Nov
12	Montana State University, Bozeman	15-Nov
13	New Jersey Institute of Technology	15-Nov
14	University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth	15-Nov
15	Marist College, Poughkeepsie	30-Nov
16	Southern Methodist University	30-Nov
Deadlines in December
1	Lehigh University	1-Dec
2	Louisiana Tech University, Ruston	1-Dec
3	New York Institute of Technology	1-Dec
4	Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn	1-Dec
5	University of Alabama, Birmingham	1-Dec
6	University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa	1-Dec
7	University of Houston, Clear Lake	1-Dec
8	University of South Alabama, Mobile	1-Dec
9	University of Southern California	1-Dec
Deadlines in January
1	Louisiana State University, Baton Rogue	1-Jan
2	Wayne State University	1-Jan
3	New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology	2-Jan
4	Santa Clara University	10-Jan
5	New Mexico State University, Las Cruces	27-Jan
Deadlines in February
1	University of Maryland, College Park	7-Feb
Rolling Deadlines
1	Wright State University, Dayton	Rolling
2	University of Toledo	Rolling

Under rolling deadlines there is no fixed application deadline declared by the university. Applications are accepted anytime till the seats for that particular semester are full.

You may also refer to our ‘University Info’ features which provides centralized information about the top 220 universities in America, including the university rank.

We wish you all the best!

Application Timeline for Fall 2015 – Make Sure You Are on Track

November 14, 2014December 14, 2022Dilip Oak's Academy

If you are applying for admission in fall 2015 the clock has begun to tick. So, don’t delay. Review this Application Timeline for Fall 2015 immediately and get to work.

June-August 2014

Review your goals for your MS in US and choose some specific areas in which you would like to specialize.

July 2014

Register for the GRE and TOEFL examinations – if you are targeting the top 10 or 15 universities, you should take these examinations preferably by September 2014. If you are targeting other universities, you may take these exams by 20 December 2014 so you can meet the deadlines of universities which are in December 2014.
Register for the Subject GRE – important for doctoral programs in pure sciences and biological sciences in top schools.

Note: the exam is held once in a year in November, however, seats usually get filled up by August.

August 2014

Make a preliminary list of about 30 universities which meet your requirements considering:

Location
Costs of living and education
Broad specializations you are interested in (for departments and specializations see the ‘university info‘ page on online.dilipoakacademy.com)
Recommendations by seniors, your professors etc.
Whether your academic profile fits the universities requirements.

For more details, see: Selecting a University for Your MS in the US. Also refer to our post on university information available on the social media

September 2014

Arrange for 10-13 sets of transcripts in sealed covers from your college or university – some universities insist on university transcripts/university attested mark sheets
Choose your recommenders (generally 3 recommendations are required, at least one of which should be from the educational institute last attended) and give them the necessary details – resume, copies of your mark sheets etc.
Start working on your Statement of Purpose and resume

October-December 2014

Take the GRE and TOEFL exams latest by 20 December
Carry out a comprehensive review of the 30 universities considering:
1. Your academic performance in bachelor’s degree
2. GRE and TOEFL scores of students admitted in the past
3. Any minimum cut-offs with respect to GRE and TOEFL scores
4. Whether courses of your choice are offered in the Fall semester
5. Cost of education
Make your final shortlist of 8-10 universities.
Complete your Statement of Purpose (SOP) and resume
Request the ETS to forward your GRE and TOEFL scores to the universities you are applying to, specifying the correct codes for the universities/departments you are applying to.
Note: some universities require certain documents to be sent to the department you are applying to.
Complete online application process and send the required documents by courier

This completes the application process; however there are further steps to be taken:

Track the status of your application on your status page of the university’s website. Though universities generally communicate decisions or requirements by either e-mail or post, it often happens that the only source of information is your status page.
If there are any deficiencies in your applications (missing documents, non-receipt of GRE or TOEFL scores, recommendations etc.) immediately correct the deficiencies.
When you receive an offer letter from the universities (or when your status page shows that you have been given admission) email your acceptance(This is very important especially when you are offered funding)
When you have accepted the university’s offer of admission and the documentation formalities are complete, the university will send you the 1-20, an immigration document, which is essential for obtaining a visa.
When you receive the I-20, check that it is correct in all respects:
1. Your name and date of birth should be exactly as in your passport
2. Your course and course duration should be correctly specified
3. The financial sources indicated should exceed the costs etc.
Prepare the visa documentation
Study the visa application formalities specified on the websites of the applicable US Consulate and the VFS (Visa Facilitation Services)
Apply for a visa interview date – you can apply for a visa interview 120 days before the joining date mentioned on your I-20.

For further details on the F-1 visa see our previous blog on the subject.

Note: Dilip Oak’s Academy organizes a ‘Pre-departure Orientation’ in June-end every year for students who have been admitted to the fall semester. In the Orientation, Mr. Dilip Oak covers matters such as:

the student (F1) visa
foreign exchange
airport formalities (port of entry/immigration procedures)
insurance
medical checkups & immunizations
initial formalities in the university
accommodation (on- & off – campus)
financial and other formalities for the first semester of studies

Keep a look out for our announcement of the Orientation. The announcement will appear on this blog sometime in June.