Applying to US Universities

A portfolio of architectural coursework and other creative projects is required for M. Arch. Admissions. The portfolio should include creative work which may include coursework, and from other projects. A typical portfolio of creative work includes twenty-twentyfive images of architectural design work and art. There is a trend of submitting URLs of web based portfolios.
A portfolio may include papers, photographs, slides or CD-ROM. Students should continually compile their best coursework so that there is no last minute rush to somehow make the portfolio.
You should only submit your own work in a portfolio. In case of group assignments, it should be indicated that the project was not entirely yours. If you are planning to submit a CD or DVD, make sure your files do not contain any virus. Write your name on each page of your portfolio.
Requirements for the portfolio may vary and be sure to check the websites of the Architecture departments. For more information about Applying to US Universities, please visit www.app2us.com

MS and PhD programs are among the most flexible programs at US Universities. The students get to select what courses they will study, what will be the topic of research, who will be the advisor and when will they graduate. The duration of the program depends on how many courses the student takes every semester and on the research productivity. Most MS and PhD programs have no official time frame, but there me be an upper time limit. In many cases it takes 2 years to complete a MS degree and 5 years for a PhD degree. For PhD programs, it matters if you joined the program after completing a Masters program or directly after a bachelor’s degree. Most PhD programs admit students directly after a Bachelors degree but the students may need to complete the coursework equivalent to a Masters degree and then concentrate on the doctoral research. In such cases it is likely that the PhD will take six years.  The fastest way to complete a MS degree is to take as many courses as possible per semester, take courses in summer and opt for a non-thesis option if available. You should plan for a minimum of two years for MS and five years for a PhD degree.

Nursing is one of the fastest growing professions in US. With an aging population and rise in the number of people who need assisted living, the demands for qualified nurses is steadily rising.

Students who graduate with a degree in nursing work in hospitals, research institutions, old-age facilities and in specialized care facilities.

 

Nursing is a type of job that cannot be easily outsourced, so it is a very safe profession to be in. Nurses earn a respectable salary. There are more women in this field, but it is not uncommon for men to take up nursing.

 

After completing a nursing education, Registered Nurse (RN) is a qualification which enables a nurse to be recognized as a professional nurse. An exam called NCLEX needs to be passed. Click here for details of the NCLEX.

Most MBA programs in US offer admission to full-time MBA only in fall. However a few Business schools offer spring admissions. The deadlines for spring intake is during August to October. Here is a list of MBA programs that offer admissions in spring semester: 

• Simon Graduate School of Business, University of Rochester 
• Illinois State University  
• Eastern Kentucky University 

Illinois State University and Eastern Kentucky University also offer summer admissions. Visit www.app2us.com for more information on admission process of US Universities.

GRE General Test score is required for most MS programs at US Universities. For many international students, GRE is a cause of anxiety. If you have got a low GRE score, there is no need to worry and there is a lot of hope for those with low GRE scores.GRE is one of many requirements. Most Universities do not have a minimum cut off. Strong academic background and evidence of research and publication are more important factors for admission. Well written essays and statement of purpose can also make up for a poor GRE score. If your undergraduate degree is from a very reputable University or college, the GRE scores become less relevant.A very high GRE score can help you only if your academic record and other aspects of application are very strong. Similarly a very low GRE score will hurt if all other factors are weak.
We suggest you do not waste time in reapplying for the GRE general test, it is better to improve the other aspects of applications. The best thing you can do is try and improve your academic grades/ marks and publish a research paper, in any conference or publication.please checkout www.app2us.com

Ph.D. programs can very different in US Universities as compared to those in your country. If handled properly, it can be the most rewarding experience of life. In some cases it can be a lot of stress and disappointment.  It may take five or even six years to complete a PhD so you should carefully consider whether it is really for you. You should be aware that PhD program is very rigorous, and takes a lot of emotional maturity to handle the stress and expectations.  A genuine interest in research or teaching is a good reason to consider a PhD program.  Availability of funding (especially more funding than MS programs) is a bad reason to apply for PhD. It is common to apply for a PhD program with an intention to “convert” it into an MS later, or leave after getting an MS. It is a potentially harmful practice and may lead to a lot of complications. In such cases a MS degree may or may not be awarded, depending on the rules of the department. The PhD program has essentially two parts, coursework and dissertation. A certain number of courses need to be completed before a student is admitted to candidacy. There could be a comprehensive exam based on the coursework. After the successful exam the student is admitted to candidacy and works on research. At the end of research a PhD thesis is submitted which is needs to be defended. Publication may be a stated or implied requirement for graduating. Even if you successfully complete the coursework and are finished with your thesis your department or your advisor may expect you to publish one or two research papers in q quality journal before he or she will approve your doctoral thesis. This is a key cause of delay in completion of PhD degrees.

Emailing professors should be done for the purpose of benefiting form the process not for the heck of it. With the challenging application process, you are hard pressed for time. Time should be carefully invested in any aspect of application and sending emails is no exception.  Most of us do not like spam emails in our mailbox and so do the Professors. The time of Professors is precious. Sending repetitive and unfocussed emails is only going to irritate them.

Here are some ideas which will help you get a favorable response. Write a grammatically correct email and perform a spell check. Write a small mail that focuses on your research interest and you want to work with the Professor. Write a new email for every situation, never use a generic email like Dear Professor my interests are same as your interests!! Think of a good subject. Do not send any attachment in the first email. But it is a good idea to send a link to your resume. Make sure you have read the website and the research interest of the Professor. The content of your mail should reflect this. Your email should very briefly mention one or two of your strongest attributes, like 800 GRE quant score or a paper publication. 

There is a decreasing order of probability of a response if you are mailing after getting a admission offer, or after sending your application packet or even before sending your application. Some application formats ask for names of one or two professors with whom you want to work. In that case your mail should mention that. Never ask for Teaching Assistantships, because individual professors do not decide that. Never directly ask for funding in your first email. Do not mail all the Professors of a department. Do not email the same professor repeatedly if you do not get a response. If you get admitted to a program, you may resend an email to the some of the Professors in that department. For international applicants not familiar with American culture, we would like to add that be very polite in your tone. Address the Professor as Dear Dr. lastname, or Hello Dr. lastname. Never write “Dear Madam” to a female professor - it is culturally inappropriate.

The most important idea is to write something interesting and unique which will get noticed and differentiate you from hundreds of students who recently mailed that professor.

For more ideas on how to make your application stand out, please visit www.app2us.com.

ETS, the world’s largest educational assessment and research organization, is acquiring Thomson Prometric, the global leader in technology-enabled testing and assessment services. Prometric is part of The Thomson Corporation. 

ETS is Prometric’s largest customer for technology-based delivery of tests and assessments. Prometric delivers ETS’s TOEFL® (Test of English as a Foreign Language™) test, the GRE® (Graduate Record Examinations®) tests and the Praxis™ teacher licensing assessments. Thomson Prometric delivers assessments directly to candidates via the web and through a global network of testing centers in 132 countries.

Source: ETS Press Release

If you have decided on what to study and considering where to study, please checkout www.app2us.com and other resources on internet. If you have decided to study in a top US University, but have not decided what to study, you are not the only one with the similar dilemma. For a quality

US education experience, often the academic and economic aspects need to be balanced.  To elaborate on this point, there are students who aspire an MBA degree, but the prohibitive cost leads them to consider MS. There are students who are actually interested in MS degree but end up applying for a PhD program because they have heard that probability of funding is more for PhD. The more confused ones start an MS program with an aim of applying for MBA later. The MBA programs are becoming a riskier venture for international students. The currency rate of most countries makes it very difficult for students to pay their fee. Funding opportunities are partial and limited. The job potential is uncertain. As it happened on April 1, 2007, the visa quota may get filled up and students may need to return to their countries if they could not get an H-1B visa. Working outside US may make it difficult to pay back huge MBA student loans. The funding for MS programs is shrinking but still a good number of Universities offer full funding. The flexible format of MS programs makes it possible to work part time as student workers to help pay the costs. It is possible to make good money during full-time summer internship. PhD programs are the safest bet for funding. However if you are offered admission to a PhD program without funding, it is a signal that the department does not really want you, but they will be happy if you want to contribute to their research output at your own cost. Five or six years is a long timeframe to commit without getting a commitment of assured funding. So to join a PhD admission without funding is a very risky proposition. We suggest you apply for MBA / MS / PhD whatever actually interests you and helps you achieve your goals in life. However it is good to be aware of the relative financial implications.

For MBA Fall 2008 aspirants, the first round for the Top 20 is going to open soon. Complete your GMAT if not done already. 

If your GMAT is round the corner it is the time to put in some efforts for preparation and take practice tests. You should be finalizing your target Universities soon, at least four Universities, so that you may be able to report your GMAT and TOEFL score free of cost on the test date. Most essay topics are available. Start to write the first cuts. For MBA programs employer reco matters a whole lot more. If you want to keep your MBA application venture a secret from your current employer, it is a good time to contact your past managers for the letters of recommendation.

For more information, check www.app2us.com