Applying to US Universities

• Admission to a very low-ranked University
• Admission without Funding
• Poor GRE or TOEFL score
• Lack of financial documents
• Presence of relatives in USA
• Incoherent Academic goals

The applicant should plan his or her University selection from the beginning with a goal to get admitted to a reputable US University. Proper care should be taken to compile all required financial documents like income tax returns of parents. Student should be confident and be able to explain basic questions like Why this University.

So it is possible to get admitted to a US University for MS without GRE score. The following programs waive the GRE score for qualifying candidates:

• California State Univ. at Channel Islands (CS)
• California State Univ. at Northridge (CS)
• Carnegie Mellon University (Physics)
• University of Utah (Chemical Engg)
• University of Pennsylvania (Nursing)

US News 2008 College rankings are now available here

US News is one of the reputable rankings. Full rankings can be seen on a payment basis. Rankings often help in benchmarking when you are trying to figure out where to apply. It may be a good investment in your long process of applying to US Universities. Our view on the imporatance of rankings was posted here.

Source: www.usnews.com

Fulbright Scholar grants are awarded for advanced research and university lecturing in the United States. Doctoral degree or equivalent professional training or experience at the time of application. Individual grants are available to scholars from over 150 countries. Applications for grants are made through the Fulbright commission/foundation or public affairs section of the U.S. embassy in their home countries.

Scholars need to apply in the home country for the scholarship. A person holding permanent residency of United States is not eligible. Proficiency in English is expected so that the awardees can teach at a US University. To determine if your home country participates in the program, please contact your country’s Fulbright commission or the public affairs section of the U.S. embassy.

Source: www.cies.org

• George Washington University
• Penn State University
• Princeton University
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Texas A&M University
• University of Arizona
• University of Florida
• University of Houston
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• University of Kansas
• University of Utah
• Virginia Tech
• Washington University in St. Louis

Test takers can review sample questions and additional information about the new question types on the GRE website.For more information about the GRE General Test, visit www.ets.org/gre. Test takers can e-mail questions to gre-info@ets.org or call (609) 771-7670.

Source: ETS Press Release

An I-20 form is an official US government document which certifies eligibility to be an F-1 non-immigrant student at a US University. I-20 is generated when a student is accepted by a US University and shows that he or she has enough financial resources to cover the studies. It is then sent to the student in order to be used to apply for an F-1 visa at a United States Embassy or Consulate in their home country. Getting an I-20 does not make you eligible to enter the United States unless you get a student visa stamped at a US Embassy or Consulate.

Once you have been issued an I-20 form, you should only sign the I-20 for the school that you will be attending in the United States. You should read carefully the regulations listed on the back of the I-20 before you sign it. If there are any errors on the I-20, you should promptly request the University to correct it. Do not apply for a US visa with an I-20 that has errors.

Once you get your student visa and enter the US, I-20 remains a very important document. You will need your I-20 endorsed by the International Students office (or its equivalent) each time you plan to travel abroad or need the duration of your studies extended.

After the intense academic programs when it is time to graduate, many international students look for a job in USA. The salaries depend on a lot of factors including the area of specialization, location of the job, prior experience of the candidate and the current state of the US economy.

It is relatively easier to find jobs in Science and Engineering related fields, because the employers are able to prove that they did not find qualified US citizens for the job. High Tech jobs pay higher than jobs in other sectors.

However it is not always easy to find a job, especially because many employers have a policy of not considering international students. Some students also find it difficult due to their poor spoken English skills.

As in 2007, a student with an MS degree and no work experience can make anywhere between $ 40,000 to $ 90,000. Salary comparisons based on location can be found on www.salary.com.