Master's in the US : A Guide

I've been writing a series of articles for the benefit of those who wish to pursue their Masters in the US. I completed the last part yesterday. Just posting the links here for the benefit of all:

1) MS in the US, a guide: Part ONE - Exams - GRE and TOEFL
2) MS in the US, a guide: Part TWO - Reporting scores and applying to universities
3) MS in the US, a guide: Part THREE - Post admit work to be completed
4) MS in the US, a guide: Part FOUR - Applying for a VISA
5) [URL="*phoenix-ani.blogspot.com/2009/05/ms-in-us-guide-part-five.html"]MS in the US, a guide: Part FIVE - Booking your tickets and packing your bags
[/URL]6) MS in the US, a guide: Part SIX - Traveling to the US and initial days of stay
7) NCSU Specific Information

PS: Not advertising my blog [as it is already very popular... hehe

]. This is for the benefit of those who are still deciding about pursuing higher studies and even those who haf plan to arrive in the US soon. Please leave your feedback at the end of the post on the blog. Hope the information is helpful

thnx a lot..!!

Hi!
I am currently a student of Class XI and My Aunt lives In US.
She applied for our Immigration way back in 1990s and the Application has Matured now. So we can avail a Green Card in 2-3 Months.
BUT
We are trying to delay it till i Complete my 12th from India and Then have a go at IITJEE. If i secure a good rank then i complete B.Tech from IIT and then pursue my Masters In US.
BUT
If i do not get good rank then i give SAT/TOEFL and then pursue higher studies in US.
So could you provide some info on That?

Crazykiller said:
Hi!
I am currently a student of Class XI and My Aunt lives In US.
She applied for our Immigration way back in 1990s and the Application has Matured now. So we can avail a Green Card in 2-3 Months.
BUT
We are trying to delay it till i Complete my 12th from India and Then have a go at IITJEE. If i secure a good rank then i complete B.Tech from IIT and then pursue my Masters In US.
BUT
If i do not get good rank then i give SAT/TOEFL and then pursue higher studies in US.
So could you provide some info on That?

I'm sorry, I don't haf much info about SAT. If you want information about TOEFL you can check out the first part of the guide.

As for SAT, you can check out www.ets.org for official details. ETS is the organization which conducts exams like SAT, TOEFL, GRE etc.

Thanks

Awesome work...

I want to be there rite now but only in 11th class now

D

Me too interested in studying Industrial Design abroad. Any advice

^^^ Did you complete your bachelors?

D

infra_red_dude said:
^^^ Did you complete your bachelors?

Is there no bachelors degree on Industrial Design

Awesome end to the series. Hats off you you.

BTW, you mentioned your experiences being "Good, Bad and Ugly" there right ? Care to give us a summary of each one of the three categories ?

Devrath_ND said:
Is there no bachelors degree on Industrial Design

In this economy I see it as an expensive business to pursue your Bachelors in the US unless you haf loads of cash to spend for the 4 year program. Hence, the question.

MetalheadGautham said:
BTW, you mentioned your experiences being "Good, Bad and Ugly" there right ? Care to give us a summary of each one of the three categories ?

Hehe... nothing much... some horrible experiences at the airport, initial days of projects and some traffic (driving) tickets

^^ WTF!! you have a International licence?

Charan said:
^^ WTF!! you have a International licence?

International, Indian, US.. you name it

During all my travels, I've never been checked. But then I had nothing to fear!

D

How much does it cost approx fro 2 years

Devrath_ND said:
How much does it cost approx fro 2 years

About 20-24 lakh Indian Rupees.

infra_red_dude said:
About 20-24 lakh Indian Rupees.

is it net cost or is it cost after you deduct expenses covered for by on-campus jobs ?
how much are you able to earn by on-campus jobs ?
does your internship allow you to earn something ? how much ?

MetalheadGautham said:
is it net cost or is it cost after you deduct expenses covered for by on-campus jobs ?
how much are you able to earn by on-campus jobs ?
does your internship allow you to earn something ? how much ?

1) It is the estimated net cost. It may vary from place to place, university to university and year to year.
2) I don't work on-campus but I guess you can earn anywhere from $150-400 a month depending on the job.
3) Not all internships are paid. Mine is; I can cover a semester's fees by working for 3 months.

D

Dont they waive off some fees. MIT does.

Devrath_ND said:
Dont they waive off some fees. MIT does.

What fees? Unless you get scholarship of some kind no fee is waived off. That depends entirely on the student, university [and the recession

]

I

iamnoob said:

You sure live up to your username!! :))

Thanks Infra, Wanted this a lot!

wow!! dat was really something helpful...even my frnds in U.S. wasn't this much of a help

a_k_s_h_a_y said:
Thanks Infra, Wanted this a lot!

j1n M@tt said:
wow!! dat was really something helpful...even my frnds in U.S. wasn't this much of a help

Glad you found the information useful

btw hw much can we earn by working part time there??...can it be enuf for paying our own fees without asking for money from home, at least from 2nd yr??

j1n M@tt said:
btw hw much can we earn by working part time there??...can it be enuf for paying our own fees without asking for money from home, at least from 2nd yr??

If you are talking about on-campus jobs then NO, it won't be enough for paying your fees. It will probably suffice for your monthly expenses. Can't say for sure that too, since I don't work on-campus; but surely the part-time on-campus job can't satisfy the fee requirement.

At least in my university, the fees + university expenses come to about $11,000 per semester, while I believe working part-time on-campus one can earn about $300 per month.

according to u which is the best course for MS in US now?...networking?? or are there any courses like MIT provided by Australian universities, or any courses like MGP(game programing) provided by UK universities??...btw which course are u doing now for MS?? was ur stream Electronics engg. in B.E??...I now finished my B.Tech in CS, didn't decided wat to do next

j1n M@tt said:
according to u which is the best course for MS in US now?...networking?? or are there any courses like MIT provided by Australian universities, or any courses like MGP(game programing) provided by UK universities??...btw which course are u doing now for MS?? was ur stream Electronics engg. in B.E??...I now finished my B.Tech in CS, didn't decided wat to do next

Frankly, don't go with the masses and do a Masters in the 'most popular' or the 'best course'. Do what interests you. Masters outside India is very different from what you study there. If you don't like the course you gonna feel like committing suicide!!! [ok, thats probably a bit exaggerated... but you need to go with what interests you]. I did my bachelors in Electrical Engineering and now I'm doing my Masters in Computer Engineering specializing in Computer Microarchitecture.

Currently, the job market is very very bad... so it doesn't matter from what stream you graduate

infra_red_dude said:
Frankly, don't go with the masses and do a Masters in the 'most popular' or the 'best course'. Do what interests you. Masters outside India is very different from what you study there. If you don't like the course you gonna feel like committing suicide!!! [ok, thats probably a bit exaggerated... but you need to go with what interests you]. I did my bachelors in Electrical Engineering and now I'm doing my Masters in Computer Engineering specializing in Computer Microarchitecture.

Currently, the job market is very very bad... so it doesn't matter from what stream you graduate

ya I don't intend to go with the masses, am not dat type :smile:

I know wat I was doing when I took CS for B.Tech, at dat time CS or IT didn't had this much boom in India. I asked like this as I dunno anything abt the education in U.S. All my frnds and family in U.S. are in medical related fields, so they are not much of a help...then the only courses I found interesting are Networking and MIT in Australian Universities, and since I hav interest in some serious programming I found MGP in some UK universities like Hull and Abertray interesting.

btw hw do u handle it?!!...u did bachelors in Electrical and now doing Masters in Computer Microarchitecture!!...it will be difficult to jump in to an entirely new stream, nah??!!

So hw is this stream?? is it an electonics based subject or hardware based programming subject like we did some in CS bachelors course??

Aspire said:
Does Graduating from AIT (Ansal's Institute Of technology) Make some difference.
The tie-up is with Clampsons.

Well, its how much knowledge you haf and the ability to portray that during the admissions that matters. Unless one is from IIT etc. all other universities are treated as same.

j1n M@tt said:
ya I don't intend to go with the masses, am not dat type I know wat I was doing when I took CS for B.Tech, at dat time CS or IT didn't had this much boom in India. I asked like this as I dunno anything abt the education in U.S. All my frnds and family in U.S. are in medical related fields, so they are not much of a help...then the only courses I found interesting are Networking and MIT in Australian Universities, and since I hav interest in some serious programming I found MGP in some UK universities like Hull and Abertray interesting.

btw hw do u handle it?!!...u did bachelors in Electrical and now doing Masters in Computer Microarchitecture!!...it will be difficult to jump in to an entirely new stream, nah??!!

So hw is this stream?? is it an electonics based subject or hardware based programming subject like we did some in CS bachelors course??

Well, education is the US is more about what new you can do; most of the projects are about innovation. If you are on the OS side you will be developing stuff like file management, process scheduling etc. as your projects. So if you wanna pursue a career in CS, make sure you haf really strong programming skills and data structure knowledge.

For me, it was a total stream change. From motors, generators to CPU cores. I had a lot of practical knowledge but no theoretical knowledge about computer microarchitecture. Its the interest and hard work which make things possible

As for my course.. since its microarchitecture its mostly at the HW - SW boundary. Neither pure hardware nor software. We design CPUs, GPUs, Memory systems etc. So hardware knowledge like digital electronics, stuff like registers, ALU and software knowledge like C, C++, Perl at the system level, data structures etc. is very essential.

A

So a student who joins any stream can change his subjects midway through the course?

Aspire said:
So a student who joins any stream can change his subjects midway through the course?

Nope. What made you think so?

A

I mean at the end of the Semester.

Aspire said:
I mean at the end of the Semester.

At least in the US, there are very few 'core' subjects. Out of the minimum of 10 subjects you need to take to get your Masters degree only about 2 or 3 are mandatory (that too depends on the stream). All others are electives.

^^hw is it?? is it easy than doing B.E.??...I mean with only less number of subjects for MS?

Do we really get enuf time for all these part time jobs and studies, and for other stuffs??

j1n M@tt said:
^^hw is it?? is it easy than doing B.E.??...I mean with only less number of subjects for MS? Do we really get enuf time for all these part time jobs and studies, and for other stuffs??

It is definitely not easy than doing B.E. With about 3 courses (or subjects) per semester it is real tough (of course, depends on the subjects you choose!). Its more of your own exploration, how you relate theory with practical implementation and projects, lotsa projects where you actually prove something. Most of the projects are not repeated (as in from previous years) and are centered on the latest advancements (I can say that at least in my stream of study).

About jobs and time, it really depends on the program one is enrolled in, the course pressure, the course itself, the capacity of the individual and the willingness to work. So there is no straight answer for that question.

A

infra_red_dude said:
It is definitely not easy than doing B.E. With about 3 courses (or subjects) per semester it is real tough (of course, depends on the subjects you choose!). Its more of your own exploration, how you relate theory with practical implementation and projects, lotsa projects where you actually prove something. Most of the projects are not repeated (as in from previous years) and are centered on the latest advancements (I can say that at least in my stream of study).

About jobs and time, it really depends on the program one is enrolled in, the course pressure, the course itself, the capacity of the individual and the willingness to work. So there is no straight answer for that question.

There must be some sorts of time restrictions as well on the students who are on VISAs.
Plus in some universities you cannot work OFF CAMPUS, but Immigrants can work anywhere they wamt.

Aspire said:
There must be some sorts of time restrictions as well on the students who are on VISAs.
Plus in some universities you cannot work OFF CAMPUS, but Immigrants can work anywhere they wamt.

Its not 'some universities' but in every university. You cannot work off-campus on an F1 VISA in the US. You are only allowed to do internship, which again should be approved by your department.

A

infra_red_dude said:
Its not 'some universities' but in every university. You cannot work off-campus on an F1 VISA in the US. You are only allowed to do internship, which again should be approved by your department.

And if u go there as a US resident/get a green card/marry some american and get yourself registered u can work anywhere you want!
Yipeeee

will low grades reduce your chances of getting a student visa?

nix said:
will low grades reduce your chances of getting a student visa?

Probably yes... but if you've secured an admission in some university then you are good enough rite?

It all depends on the VISA officer. This may not strictly be the only reason for reject, but may be one of the reasons. Again, this Q is something which does not a definite answer!

A

nix said:
will low grades reduce your chances of getting a student visa?

Not if a university accepts your papers and gives you admission and files all the papers required from their side.

@infra_red_dude and @aspire: thanks guys...

A

nix said:
@infra_red_dude and @aspire: thanks guys...

No problem ;-)

G

good post buddy

i hav a stupid dbt...why are americans not studying ther? are they noobs..and is that 20-24lakhs is some fees we pay a real profit for univs?...

G

good post buddy

i hav a stupid dbt...why are americans not studying ther? are they noobs..and is that 20-24lakhs is some fees we pay a real profit for univs?...

gopi_vbboy said:
good post buddy

i hav a stupid dbt...why are americans not studying ther? are they noobs..and is that 20-24lakhs is some fees we pay a real profit for univs?...

Who said Americans are not studying here?

20-24lakhs sure is more than double of what what international students pay as compared to natives here.

@infra: how different is education there?. I have heard that people do not copy in the test and there are no invigilators. is that true?

nix said:
@infra: how different is education there?. I have heard that people do not copy in the test and there are no invigilators. is that true?

Yes, that is true. Academic integrity is a very very serious issue here. If you are found copying/plagiarizing you can be thrown out of the university, with no mercy. And they make this very clear at the start of the semester... at least thats the case in my university.

^ ^ ^
AFAIK. They also take legal action against plagarism. Right?

Good post BTW. Keep it up.

Liverpool_fan said:
^ ^ ^
AFAIK. They also take legal action against plagarism. Right?

Yes.

Liverpool_fan said:
Good post BTW. Keep it up.

Thank you.

A

Liverpool_fan said:
^ ^ ^
AFAIK. They also take legal action against plagarism. Right?

Yes
and in India everything is plagaurised :shock:

@infra_red_dude
Great work here. This thread is very informative about da Masters program in US. Btw on ur blog you have mentioned about networking course syllabus being structured by companies such as Cisco etc. What does that mean?

Secondly, i have seen a complete Masters in Networking program on NCSU site which involves topics from engineering (for 21 credits) plus some 9 credits to taken from some other pool of topics. How is this course different than actually taking up Masters in CS or ECE with majority of Networking topics in it?

@Aspire
Very well said and a genuine fact.

thelordrrulzzz said:
@infra_red_dude
Great work here. This thread is very informative about da Masters program in US. Btw on ur blog you have mentioned about networking course syllabus being structured by companies such as Cisco etc. What does that mean?

Secondly, i have seen a complete Masters in Networking program on NCSU site which involves topics from engineering (for 21 credits) plus some 9 credits to taken from some other pool of topics. How is this course different than actually taking up Masters in CS or ECE with majority of Networking topics in it?

Glad you found the information useful

1) What I meant was the Networking course syllabus in my University is actually given by companies like Cisco etc. which caters to the present Industry. In fact there are a few courses (subjects) which are taught by Cisco, Broadcom employees themselves.

2) About the other question, in both CS and ECE you need to select courses from a pool of topics. So if you are in ECE (like me), you could be an Electrical Engg. (EE) graduate or a Computer Engineering (CPE) graduate which only a chosen number of Networking courses apart from the mandatory courses which need to be taken from the major track (EE or CPE). However, if you working towards a networking graduate degree then you can take up any and all of the networking courses (and the list/choice is just too huge).

Hope that clears things

Thanks for the info.
Point 1 crystal clear.

Oh one more thing i am Electrical Engg graduate. A few doubts in point 2: You said chosen number of Networking courses apart from mandatory courses. May i know what these mandatory courses mean?
Is it possible for one to take up ECE in NCSU and select almost all networking subjects/ topics for his masters and graduate, instead of taking up the exclusive MS in Networking - a hybrid course??
Regards.

thelordrrulzzz said:
Thanks for the info.
Point 1 crystal clear.

Oh one more thing i am Electrical Engg graduate. A few doubts in point 2: You said chosen number of Networking courses apart from mandatory courses. May i know what these mandatory courses mean?
Is it possible for one to take up ECE in NCSU and select almost all networking subjects/ topics for his masters and graduate, instead of taking up the exclusive MS in Networking - a hybrid course??
Regards.

Yes, its possible to be a CPE Major and specialize in Networking. However, the requirement for graduation is such that one needs to take up one course from each of the 4 specialization (ASIC, Architecture, Software Networking). So out of the minimum of 10 courses required to earn a Masters degree, 3 would be from out of your area of specialization. If you however take up a Networking degree (instead of taking up EE/CPE and specializing in Networking), then you don't haf such restrictions and you can take 9 networking courses (+ 1 mandatory business course for MS-CN = 10 courses). Not sure if I cleared your doubts.

@infra_red_dude
I think i am starting to understand it a bit. But still some ambiguity remains. The NCSU site states "Breadth is obtained by atleast one course from each of the three (3) specialty areas in Table 1." The table contains all the different ECE specialization areas.
I just wanted to know if its possible to opt for most of the topics or subjects from the Networking tab only such as ECE 570(FS), ECE573(FS), ECE574(FS), ECE575(S) etc in such a way to complete 30 credit hours and get a Master's Degree.

From your above post i presume that you mean to say that one must take the mandatory courses prescribed in Networking curriculum as well which according to the graduate plan of work must be from:
* Design Concentration
* General Information
* Hardware Concentration
* Software Concentration

Please clarify.
I am extremely sorry for bothering you with such noobish stuff.

thelordrrulzzz said:
@infra_red_dude
I think i am starting to understand it a bit. But still some ambiguity remains. The NCSU site states "Breadth is obtained by atleast one course from each of the three (3) specialty areas in Table 1." The table contains all the different ECE specialization areas.
I just wanted to know if its possible to opt for most of the topics or subjects from the Networking tab only such as ECE 570(FS), ECE573(FS), ECE574(FS), ECE575(S) etc in such a way to complete 30 credit hours and get a Master's Degree.

From your above post i presume that you mean to say that one must take the mandatory courses prescribed in Networking curriculum as well which according to the graduate plan of work must be from:
* Design Concentration
* General Information
* Hardware Concentration
* Software Concentration

Please clarify.
I am extremely sorry for bothering you with such noobish stuff.

You are correct. You can take most of the networking courses being in ECE (and not Networking). However, 3 courses must be from any 3 separate speciality areas, 7 others may be from Networking. In case of Networking degree, you can specialize in any if those 4 categories which you listed.

@infra_red_dude
Thanks a lot for your patience and the info which you have shared here. Now the whole picture is crystal clear for me. This means if one goes through the ECE department for a major in Networking then it becomes compulsory to take 3 courses from other specialty areas such as circuits, software, VLSI systems, Power Electronics etc.

On the contrary a MS in Computer Networking degree looks like a much convenient option with a lot of flexibility in courses involving only computer networking or business courses. What say??
Thanks again for the replies

thelordrrulzzz said:
@infra_red_dude
Thanks a lot for your patience and the info which you have shared here. Now the whole picture is crystal clear for me. This means if one goes through the ECE department for a major in Networking then it becomes compulsory to take 3 courses from other specialty areas such as circuits, software, VLSI systems, Power Electronics etc.

On the contrary a MS in Computer Networking degree looks like a much convenient option with a lot of flexibility in courses involving only computer networking or business courses. What say??
Thanks again for the replies

You got it!

The only thing that you didn't get it correct was the speciality areas. If in ECE you need to choose one course from each of Networking, Architecture, Software, VLSI (Digital) and not Power Elect., Circuits. Basically Networking under ECE is only offered as Computer Engineering (CPE). So 3 courses, one each from the speciality areas under CPE.

thanks a ton man.. for this guide awesome work

W

I am currently studying in B.E. (Information Technology - 6th Sem) Mumbai University. Please suggest me any good university for pursuing MS in Artificial Intell., Computer Science, IT. First time i have scored 1159 in GRE, in 2nd time its 1296.

@whoru007
AI... MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley are all that I know of. These are the top end universities, I'm not knowledgeable about any mid-tier universities since I am not in this area. Check usnews.com or similar websites for ranking.

Will I need the help of an agent to guide me in the whole procedure? Because, it does not look like a simple process and many people have advised me to take the help of a higher education consultant.

Can I go about it alone or do I need an agents help?

nix said:
Will I need the help of an agent to guide me in the whole procedure? Because, it does not look like a simple process and many people have advised me to take the help of a higher education consultant.

Can I go about it alone or do I need an agents help?

You can take the help of somebody to help you decide your stream, but I strictly advise you against approaching any "agent" for applying to colleges. One reason is I've seen many people do that and the agents always seem to have some connection to crappy universities. They will convince that this is the best university and apply for you there. They get their share and your career is ruined because of that.

Frankly, never trust anyone. Do your homework yourself. It surely helps. If you think this all procedure is too much then rest assured that actually pursuing a Master's degree is much more painful and work!

My sincere advise, stay away from any "agents" who say they will take care of the application process, no matter how much they "tempt" you with scholarships in "this top rated university" which is almost always bullshit!

I have few queries here
- What should be the minimum percentage in BE/BTech
- History of backlogs allowed ?

nithinks said:
I have few queries here
- What should be the minimum percentage in BE/BTech
- History of backlogs allowed ?

These things are relative. If you have average percentage in B.E. but have some industrial experience and have worked on some good projects then it may not matter at all. Same case with backlogs.

However, to be on the safer side I would say you need to have at least 65% aggregate. This is no hard and fast rule, but this figure is based on my personal interaction with fellow post-grad students.

V

@infra_red_dude
yr post is really helpful!! thanx a lot!

What is the difference in applying in fall session and in spring session? Why do people prefer fall session more than spring..?
actually, i've entered my 7th sem. Till now B.Tech was all fun, suddenly i've woken up realizing i'm too late..

A friend of mine told me slot for GRE test if full till December. so according to yr blog i'm 3 months late. So applying in Spring is the only option left for me.
plz help!
Also after i complete my B.Tech (in June, 2011) what do u suggest should i do so that it dosen't hamper my chances to get admission, i mean i know that sitting idle at home can seriously degrade yr chances of getting admission anywhere..

v_joy said:
@infra_red_dude
yr post is really helpful!! thanx a lot!
What is the difference in applying in fall session and in spring session? Why do people prefer fall session more than spring..?
actually, i've entered my 7th sem. Till now B.Tech was all fun, suddenly i've woken up realizing i'm too late..
A friend of mine told me slot for GRE test if full till December. so according to yr blog i'm 3 months late. So applying in Spring is the only option left for me.
plz help!
Also after i complete my B.Tech (in June, 2011) what do u suggest should i do so that it dosen't hamper my chances to get admission, i mean i know that sitting idle at home can seriously degrade yr chances of getting admission anywhere..

Glad you found it useful.

Many universities structure their course according to the semester. Most of them have more choices during Fall semester. Many courses may not be offered during spring semester. Also, some universities (like mine - NCSU) allow you to intern only after your spring semester provided you have completed 1 year of M.S coursework which is not possible if you join in spring. Hence, people prefer to join in Fall semester.

Since you are on this forum I am assuming you are somehow related to computers (EEE/EC/CS/IT). My suggestion would be to work on your programming skills. The are required in abundant quantity for projects here. Also learn something extra like maybe HTML, XML, CSS, other web technologies etc. They can aid you in getting an on-campus job.

infra_red_dude said:
These things are relative. If you have average percentage in B.E. but have some industrial experience and have worked on some good projects then it may not matter at all. Same case with backlogs.

However, to be on the safer side I would say you need to have at least 65% aggregate. This is no hard and fast rule, but this figure is based on my personal interaction with fellow post-grad students.

Thanks for the info!

V

umm..
in that case, I have to go for admissions in fall 2011.
AFAIK there r universities that have their deadline in Jan, Feb or March..
Also, how long does it take for the score report to reach a university once the official GRE result is out (which is 10-15 days after GRE test, rite?) sent through ETS..?

I'm interested in Masters in Computer science/computer engineering program.. can u point me to a few graduate schools..?
thanx in advance!

v_joy said:
umm..
in that case, I have to go for admissions in fall 2011.
AFAIK there r universities that have their deadline in Jan, Feb or March..
Also, how long does it take for the score report to reach a university once the official GRE result is out (which is 10-15 days after GRE test, rite?) sent through ETS..?

I'm interested in Masters in Computer science/computer engineering program.. can u point me to a few graduate schools..?
thanx in advance!

It takes about 10-12 days after your score is out for ETS to send it to the university. But to be on the safer side, they ask you to have a cushion of at least 1 month, I believe.

Also, I don't know of any university that has an application deadline of March for Fall admissions. By March, most of the universities actually send out responses about selection or rejection.

M.S in CS or CE... MIT, Stanford are the usual 2. Apart from that Univ. of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, CMU, NCSU, UNC, UT Austin, UCSB and UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech. are some of the good universities.

V

Well I've been searching and this is what i've found: (i hope I'm not mistaken

)
Deadlines of grad school admission for Fall 2011 (international student) -

Univ. Suggested By You:

University of Illinois, Chicago : CS --> 15 feb
univ of Illinois, Urbana Champaign: CS--> 15 DEC
CMU: (u mean Carnegie Mellon University?) – Electrical Engg & Comp Sc – 15 Dec
NCSU, - 1 Jan
UNC, - Information N/A for fall 2011 (for fall 2010 It was: 1 June)
UT, Austin (Cockrell): Electrical & Comp Engg --> 10 Jan
UCSB and UC Berkeley: CS & CE –-> 15 Dec
Georgia Tech: CS --> 1 Feb

Other Grad Schools:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI: Comp Sc & Info system --> 1May (!!!)
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY: CS – 1 Feb
University of Southern California (Viterbi), LA: CS – 31 March (!!!)
Purdue University:
Computer Graphics Technology, West Lafayette – 1 April
Computer & Information Technology, West Lafayette – 1 April
Electrical and Computer Engineering, West Lafayette – 5 Jan/ 5 May
Computer Science, Fort Wayne – 15 may
Computer and Information Science, Indianapolis – 15 Jan/1 May

Columbia University, New York: Foundation of CS - 15 Feb
Brown University, Providence, RI: 1 May
University of Washington, Seattle, WA: 1 May

I'll keep looking..

This is the university list I am referring to:
Rankings - Project - Graduate Schools - Education - US News

also, if I give TOEFL 1 week after GRE, both these scores reach independently (when directly sent thru ETS)..? at the same time..? or do i have to attach them together and send to university all by my self..?

v_joy said:
Well I've been searching and this is what i've found: (i hope I'm not mistaken )
Deadlines of grad school admission for Fall 2011 (international student) -

Univ. Suggested By You:

University of Illinois, Chicago : CS --> 15 feb
univ of Illinois, Urbana Champaign: CS--> 15 DEC
CMU: (u mean Carnegie Mellon University?) – Electrical Engg & Comp Sc – 15 Dec
NCSU, - 1 Jan
UNC, - Information N/A for fall 2011 (for fall 2010 It was: 1 June)
UT, Austin (Cockrell): Electrical & Comp Engg --> 10 Jan
UCSB and UC Berkeley: CS & CE –-> 15 Dec
Georgia Tech: CS --> 1 Feb

Other Grad Schools:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI: Comp Sc & Info system --> 1May (!!!)
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY: CS – 1 Feb
University of Southern California (Viterbi), LA: CS – 31 March (!!!)
Purdue University:
Computer Graphics Technology, West Lafayette – 1 April
Computer & Information Technology, West Lafayette – 1 April
Electrical and Computer Engineering, West Lafayette – 5 Jan/ 5 May
Computer Science, Fort Wayne – 15 may
Computer and Information Science, Indianapolis – 15 Jan/1 May

Columbia University, New York: Foundation of CS - 15 Feb
Brown University, Providence, RI: 1 May
University of Washington, Seattle, WA: 1 May

I'll keep looking..
This is the university list I am referring to:
Rankings - Project - Graduate Schools - Education - US News

also, if I give TOEFL 1 week after GRE, both these scores reach independently (when directly sent thru ETS)..? at the same time..? or do i have to attach them together and send to university all by my self..?

You might want to confirm the date. Because domestic students have a different deadline than international students. When I'd applied all the universities either had a deadline of December 15th or January 1st for Fall for international students.

Both TOEFL and GRE scores would be sent independently and you need to request that to ETS separately.

V

Ohkzz!
yea.. I kept that point in my mind..
Anyways I'll double check the deadlines..
Thanx a lot for your help..

Thanks anirudh for spending time to answer these questions. Much appreciated. I still have some questions:

1. Do you book a date(for GRE test) after your preparation for the test? Or, do you book first and then study?

2. If you are going to book first and then start preparing, then how much time would you give for your preparation? Will you book the test 3 months from the current date?

3. Will the GRE and TOEFL slots get full if you don't apply on time? How will I know which dates are available for me If I try to book now.

4. Do you first make a list of colleges before you take the test, if yes, then why should you?

---------- Post added at 01:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 PM ----------

another question :razz:

If one is trying to get into fall 2011, why is necessary to take the GRE test so early (august 2010) ? On the ETS site, it says 15 days are reqd to send your scores to uni's. I'm planning to take the test on november or december. Is that too late?

I have been scanning the net to get such information but have been only partially successful.

one more

Since I'm starting out late, will I have to make a list of uni's that will accept applications later than usual?

nix said:
Thanks anirudh for spending time to answer these questions. Much appreciated. I still have some questions:

1. Do you book a date(for GRE test) after your preparation for the test? Or, do you book first and then study?

2. If you are going to book first and then start preparing, then how much time would you give for your preparation? Will you book the test 3 months from the current date?

3. Will the GRE and TOEFL slots get full if you don't apply on time? How will I know which dates are available for me If I try to book now.

4. Do you first make a list of colleges before you take the test, if yes, then why should you?

---------- Post added at 01:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 PM ----------

another question

If one is trying to get into fall 2011, why is necessary to take the GRE test so early (august 2010) ? On the ETS site, it says 15 days are reqd to send your scores to uni's. I'm planning to take the test on november or december. Is that too late?

I have been scanning the net to get such information but have been only partially successful.

one more

Since I'm starting out late, will I have to make a list of uni's that will accept applications later than usual?

1) There are no hard and fast rules. It's upto you.

2) 3 months should be more than enough. You don't learn anything "new". But all that you do is learn how do to things that you already know in the fastest way. If you are exceptional in English then Maths then you don't need any prep at all! However, if you require some prep in English (GRE Verbal) you may want to give 3 months.

3) Yes, you need to keep checking ETS site for the available dates.

4) Yes, this helps because when you complete your GRE/TOEFL tests, on the last screen you are given an option where ETS sends your scores to 5 universities for free. Based on your score, you can make a list of universities and ask ETS to send the score for free. Otherwise if you decide to send your scores later you will need to pay ETS a fee for each university that you want to send your scores to.

5) If you take the exam by say October 2010, then you get your results officially in 10 days or so and another 15 days for your results to be sent to the universities. If you are not satisfied with the score then you have the option to take the exam again, considering that it might be difficult to get the registration dates again.

All this would mean this process would be done by max. November 15. Almost all of the top universities have an application deadline of either December 15th or January 1st for Fall admissions next year for International Students. So yes, the earlier you finish with your tests the better.

Moreover your GRE scores are valid for 5 years and your TOEFL scores for 2 years. So it's always good to be done with these tests asap.

Of course you need to be very careful and aware of the deadlines of all the universities you intend to apply. No university will give you any grace period and they will strictly not accept your application if it's late.

Since you are starting out now, I suggest you read Part 1 and 2 of this article. All the information would then be fresh:

Phoenix: MS in USA, A Guide : Part ONE
Phoenix: MS in the US, a guide : Part TWO

Thanks a ton for the reply, I have a question about choosing colleges, on what basis do you differentiate among tier-2 universities? I want to get into a college that is not very expensive. How do I make sure that I don't get into some shady, bad-future kind of college?

nix said:
Thanks a ton for the reply, I have a question about choosing colleges, on what basis do you differentiate among tier-2 universities? I want to get into a college that is not very expensive. How do I make sure that I don't get into some shady, bad-future kind of college?

Search on the net if that university has come out with something for the masses. Most Tier-2 universities do a lot of work which is published, useful to the general public or contributes to NSA, NASA, DARPA etc. Any "shady" university will not have this.

In addition to that, most Tier-2 universities are well known. So you can ask around people about the university. Most shady universities are unheard of.

Also, never approach an "agent" who promises to help you get admitted to a "good university that offers you a scholarship". These are 99.99999% shady and fake and will ruin your career. Do your homework yourself

well, I guess I've troubled you enough now. C'mon guys where are the questions? I'm feeling lonely here. :razz:

Thanks a ton, I know you must be very busy but I really appreciate you taking some time out to clear my doubts. I have some time now and looks like I have to several things at the same time like studying for GRE and also preparing documents like SOP etc..

Regards,

nix said:
well, I guess I've troubled you enough now. C'mon guys where are the questions? I'm feeling lonely here.

Thanks a ton, I know you must be very busy but I really appreciate you taking some time out to clear my doubts. I have some time now and looks like I have to several things at the same time like studying for GRE and also preparing documents like SOP etc..

Regards,

Oh... please feel free to ask questions. I would be glad to answer. When I came here I didn't know anybody whom I could ask questions. I had to find my own answers. I know how difficult and frustrating it can be. So when you have somebody to ask questions to don't give up that opportunity and make the most out of the other person's experiences!

I think its time to chase my dreams now. I can never do without MS in US.
I started a bit late, infact now i have zero confidence level of scoring a better score.

Can you help me with some study material to gauge my level ? A weekly plan would be helpful too. What could be the best time to give gre in 2011. And when would i be able apply at the earliest after my results.

Also, I would like to do MS in embedded programming (linux, kernel etc). But I am from IT background. Is it possible? What are all univ popular in embedded field?

ichi said:
I think its time to chase my dreams now. I can never do without MS in US.
I started a bit late, infact now i have zero confidence level of scoring a better score.

Can you help me with some study material to gauge my level ? A weekly plan would be helpful too. What could be the best time to give gre in 2011. And when would i be able apply at the earliest after my results.

Also, I would like to do MS in embedded programming (linux, kernel etc). But I am from IT background. Is it possible? What are all univ popular in embedded field?

I just googled for GRE materials online and prepared. Also if you can get Kaplan and Princeton Review materials from somebody (acquaintance/friend) then that should help.

Also, as I've explained before if you want to get into Fall 2011 batch, September/October 2010 would be a good time to give your GRE, TOEFL. For the next year, increment all years by one!

Yes, you can switch into Embedded programming. That is a sought-after area now. The future sure looks embedded. It doesn't matter what background you have, you just need to have the interest and the zest to work towards your goal. I was a purely electrical guy after my Bachelor's but now I've completely switched branches and am into design and architecture of embedded GPUs. It all depends on your interest, your abilities and the your commitment. If you have those, close your eyes and apply to that programme!

As for universities, all the universities I'd listed above for CS also hold good for embedded systems.

^^Thanks for the reply.

I am thinking of giving exam around feb 2011 as I am too busy with work in company. Also, GRE pattern will change from Aug 2011. What do you suggest.

ichi said:
^^Thanks for the reply.

I am thinking of giving exam around feb 2011 as I am too busy with work in company. Also, GRE pattern will change from Aug 2011. What do you suggest.

When do you plan to apply?

Also I have no clue about the pattern change etc. What does ETS say about this?

^^ i'd like to give exam in feb 2011 (not anytime sooner). Tell me ur opinion about it and when will i be able to join ?

I just read over few websites that pattern will change from aug 2011. Though havent corroborated the same.

ichi said:
^^ i'd like to give exam in feb 2011 (not anytime sooner). Tell me ur opinion about it and when will i be able to join ?

I just read over few websites that pattern will change from aug 2011. Though havent corroborated the same.

Feb 2011.... You can then apply for Spring 2012. You cannot apply for Fall 2011.

^^ :/

Ok, so for spring 2012 how much can I extend the date of exam from feb 2011 ? Because I want to get as much time as I can squeeze in.

Thanks. I will be 25 in 2012

ichi said:
^^ :/

Ok, so for spring 2012 how much can I extend the date of exam from feb 2011 ? Because I want to get as much time as I can squeeze in.

Thanks. I will be 25 in 2012

The rule of thumb is that you should give GRE at least about 10 months prior to the semester you intend to apply for.

For e.g. if you want to apply for Fall (which begins in August), it's a good idea to give GRE by October, the previous year.

hey infra,
i hope u dont mind clearing a few of my queries too...
1>I am doing my 5th sem of ECE currently. I intend to pursue an MS preferably in VLSI/Microelectronics. I did a bit of scouting and the from what I found out the job prospects for Microelectronics in US seems to be relatively worse among other branches. Can you shed some light on this?

2>Are job prospects after graduation a 'prime' concern, or should I go with what I really like? (I havent yet done the VLSI course yet, but from my past interests and performances I am quite sure I will fare well. I have done a couple of small hardware projects. So I have some hands on experience with Digital Electronics, Microcontrollers, PCB Design, etc. Also on the other hand my statistics is kind of weak and hence Wireless Communication seems like a no go)

3>Please can you tell me any other major electronic hardware related specialization that are widely offered?

4>What do the tier 2 colleges, say from 15-50th look for in terms of research experience? Does it need to be absolutely ground-breaking or are any average to good projects with a hint of some potential good enough??

confused said:
hey infra,
i hope u dont mind clearing a few of my queries too...
1>I am doing my 5th sem of ECE currently. I intend to pursue an MS preferably in VLSI/Microelectronics. I did a bit of scouting and the from what I found out the job prospects for Microelectronics in US seems to be relatively worse among other branches. Can you shed some light on this?

2>Are job prospects after graduation a 'prime' concern, or should I go with what I really like? (I havent yet done the VLSI course yet, but from my past interests and performances I am quite sure I will fare well. I have done a couple of small hardware projects. So I have some hands on experience with Digital Electronics, Microcontrollers, PCB Design, etc. Also on the other hand my statistics is kind of weak and hence Wireless Communication seems like a no go)

3>Please can you tell me any other major electronic hardware related specialization that are widely offered?

4>What do the tier 2 colleges, say from 15-50th look for in terms of research experience? Does it need to be absolutely ground-breaking or are any average to good projects with a hint of some potential good enough??

1) The only area where you have jobs now is software. There are absolutely no jobs in the hardware unless of course you have exhibited exceptional projects and experience or have a couple of patents to your name! Even with all that, the job prospects are in this order:

Physical Design (almost no jobs without 5-6 years exp.) < Digital Design (very very few) < Systems (very few) < Software - Low Level (some jobs) <<< Software - High Level (plenty of jobs)

2) I cannot answer that question. Are you rich enough that you can afford your education abroad even if you don't get a job? Do you want to complete your education and return back? It's up to you!

3) Embedded systems is hhhhhhot, atm. Wireless communication is another evergreen stream.

4) There is no "hint" here. The selection committee does not spend time evaluating all that. You need to show what you've achieved for Tier 2 universities, your projects that are your claim to fame, some research affiliation with NITs, IITs, IISc etc., some projects you might've done in collaboration with these institutions, professors etc.

infra_red_dude said:
1) The only area where you have jobs now is software. There are absolutely no jobs in the hardware unless of course you have exhibited exceptional projects and experience or have a couple of patents to your name! Even with all that, the job prospects are in this order:

Physical Design (almost no jobs without 5-6 years exp.) < Digital Design (very very few) < Systems (very few) < Software - Low Level (some jobs) <<< Software - High Level (plenty of jobs)

kind of a bummer! :sad:

is it really that bad? and with the hardware jobs being shifted to taiwan, etc it doesnt look as if it will get better even 3-4 yrs down the line, does it? :sad:

infra_red_dude said:
2) I cannot answer that question. Are you rich enough that you can afford your education abroad even if you don't get a job? Do you want to complete your education and return back? It's up to you!

Let me rephraze my question: What I meant to ask was that if I am able to really excel in my field of study and work my ass off to be the best, will I still end up without a job if I opt for certain non-HOT fields related to hardware. (Guess u already answered it the previous point)

infra_red_dude said:
3) Embedded systems is hhhhhhot, atm. Wireless communication is another evergreen stream.

thanks.

confused said:
Let me rephraze my question: What I meant to ask was that if I am able to really excel in my field of study and work my ass off to be the best, will I still end up without a job if I opt for certain non-HOT fields related to hardware. (Guess u already answered it the previous point)

Of course. If you can prove yourself nobody is stopping any company from giving you a job

Guys, registrations for 2011 will open at the end of October 2010.
So book your seats early to get a preferred date and location.

Great !

Anirudh, I think you need to update your blog post, you have said that, for toefl, one needs to list score recipients (universities) 20 days prior to the toefl test, but its actually one day. The link is:
TOEFL: Internet-based Test: Send Scores

G

dude why are mba guys are paid more than research ppl?

iim guys get crore packages n MS guys in lakhs only?

^^business domain ?

But I'd say "Don't waste your time in doing things you don't like".

nix said:
Anirudh, I think you need to update your blog post, you have said that, for toefl, one needs to list score recipients (universities) 20 days prior to the toefl test, but its actually one day. The link is:
TOEFL: Internet-based Test: Send Scores

I probably need to re-word that sentence. What I meant what was, you need to be clear on which Universities you intend to send the scores to; so that you can take advantage of the free score reporting

I have a query. I have given my GRE few days back, scored V:670 Q:780. And now I am contemplating about whether I apply in Spring 2012 or Fall 2012. Obviously I am leaning towards Fall 2012. But I have already sent scores to 5 universities after the exam ended. So do I have to send scores again to universities and tell them that I want to apply in Fall 2012 ??

P

Great thread.

Request anyone in UK to make similar thread for Masters/MBA.

It will be great help to friends/family.

Thank you so much infra

I'm currently in my 3rd year of engineering.
I'm doing B.Tech in Engineering Physics and i was thinking of aiming for gre.
Your blog was very helpful and covered various aspects about the whole process.

K

Thanks a lot for this study in United States information. I am also planning to do my M.S from USA and hence your guide on GRE and TOEFL would be useful.

Hello dude,
I am doing IT engineering.. js done with my 5th sem ( i am hoping i have nicely cleared my previous backlog as well as this sem ). I will see to it that i dont get any backlog hereon.

I am an IT freak by nature. I am a geek for my friends. I have keen interest in software though hardware ( study wise ) is a bit messy for me , though i m good practically in it.

I plan to do further studies in IT / Computer Science
I am ready to put in any amount of hardwork required ( Be it GRE , or Be it MS or MTech )

What would you suggest for me ?

Doing job after my BE ( i have 1 and half yr to complete it ) , Doing MS , or Doing mtech in India ( Kindly explain all options , with things needed to do , future scope , advantage , disadvantage )

I am currently owner of a web designing firm too.. But i feel i have way to go..

Waiting for your response

Regards

Some universities prefer individuals with work exp while other show bias for good academics.

I'd say get some experience in the field you are interested and then go for MS. But that's just my personal opinion.

^ Thanks.. even i m considering it
But i plan giving gre this year itself ( my score will be valid for 3 yrs if i am right ) as i feel d earlier we give , d sharper our brain is at apti solving

If i get good campus placement , i will take the job and apply later for MS or straight to US

thatz my plan as of nw. i request u ppl to guide me

2 More questions

1.) I live in a small town , we dont get GRE books here that easily. I would request you to tell me some great GRE study material sources ( AS PER D NEW PATTERN ) , i dont plan joining any class as i dnt have a good one in my city.
BOOKS: Plz tell me the books to refer (I would be buying 1-2 of them for flipkart.com or other reputated online stores. I would appreciate if u can give the link to the book as i confused looking at 163 books in GRE section at flipkart)

2.) I am even planning GATE exam ( for Mtech in India ) It is totally technical and preparing for it is the other extreme direction than preparing for GRE. So a detailed guide on GATE vs GRE on scope , limitaitons , advantage would be great.

Thanks

^^I cannot recommend GRE books based on new syllabus as I appeared for the old pattern. Refer to URCH forum.

Make it a habit to sharpen your vocabulary. Start as early as possible, and enjoy it. Quant is not that tough but tricky. Nonetheless, get adequate practice for it.

I'd favor MS from US rather than MTech from India.

But the main factor is the availability of funds at your disposal for MS in US. You should have fixed assets (land, house), gold, fixed deposit etc equivalent to 25 lac of worth in rupees (amount can be higher for few universities). Getting solvency certificate is easier from non-private banks but still you/your sponsor should have the proof of the assets ready.

Some universities ask for financial statements at the time of application itself.

So, keep that in mind and start saving.

A long process, I will write some other time.

Thanks Faun,

It would be great if you could suggest some good books , resources ( Barrons , Kaplan , ... there r many

)

I will wait for your long process answer

Hi Guys,
Reviving a old/dormant thread apparently. Could the OP comment on the validity / relevance of the first post now that it is 2014 ?