Application Process for MS in US Universities


For Indian/International Students [with specific inputs for students of Uttar Pradesh Technical University(UPTU)]

 

Results

While waiting for results

Congratulations on getting a admit !!

Deciding which University choose amongst multiple admits



Topics on this page:
 
While waiting for results
After you've sent your last application, the impatient wait for results ensues. Please mind that some Universities send results really late while some will keep you in waitlist for long. University of Minnesota kept sending admits till last week of June in 2008 while SUNY, buffalo kept people waiting for a long long time. Keep checking your status at the official application website of the University. Most of the time, you'll get a email once a final decision on your application has been reached but sometimes they'll just update your status online and won't send a email. So, its better to keep checking the application website regularly.
You must keep checking the edulix results forum to see which University has started giving accepts/rejects. It may be possible that you don't hear from the University even when they have sent out a lots of admits/rejects. Be patient. All Universities have different ways to process applications and you'll get a decision sooner or later.

What if I don't hear from the University for long?
In case you don't hear a decision from the University, just email or call the concerned admission officer. In my opinion, calling is always a better option that email. Some Universities are really lousy in responding to emails.
 
Congratulations on getting a admit !!

I hope you are reading this page because you've got a admit. Let me take a moment here to congratulate you. Every applicant knows how precious an admit is after all the hard work that we put in the entire exercise. I remember keeping my computer online all night during the time of results and would wake up and check my email in the dead of the night, sometimes 2-3 times during night.

Most of you might have had a couple of pleasant mornings with a admit waiting for you in your inbox. The first admit is really special as it really helps to calm some nerves specially if you had a string of rejects before that.

So lets go ahead and discuss how should you deal with the 'problem of plenty' in case you have multiple admits. What all should you consider and what should be your approach to zero in to the University that best suits you


Deciding which University choose amongst multiple admits.

While not getting a admit was a problem till now, multiple admits are no less a problem either. Because now finally the ball is in your court again. You need to decide which one to choose.
Different phases of application process require different skills. The skill required here is your socializing and networking capabilities. I don't have much to write here except than to stress that you need to talk to as many people as you can to help you decide.

The best people to guide you are students who are already enrolled in that particular program there. So, the algorithm should be as follows:

  • Go the the University website and navigate to that program's website from which you've got a admit.

  • Find someplace where you'll have a list of the class of students already admitted to that program.

  • If you find their email ids right there then well and good. If you find only names of the students, go and look up the name in the directory of the University to get their email id. Almost all Universities maintain some kind of a online repository (a online directory) that will find students based on their name, program etc.

  • Once you have got a list of some students from each University, send them emails.

You may not get responses from them. Don't worry, just keep sending mails to different students from the list you have. Remember the students who are already there are the BEST resources to tell you good and bad things about their Program/University. You need to poll a couple of them before you decide on a University.

Several Do's and Dont's for your email asking for advice:

  • Don't write long emails to students. Graduate students seldom have a lot of time to read and respond to your long emails. Be very precise. Write that you have got these options enumerating the University/Program for each of your admits. Ask specific questions about the University.

  • Ask what according to the student would be the best choice to make given your admits.

  • Briefly ask all the finance/TA/RA, campus job questions.

  • Make sure you don't write long paragraphs. Ask couple of questions in a tabular manner.

I write these 'obvious' facts because we often ignore that the other person may not have all the time on earth to answer your peculiar questions and may discard your email if it is not coherent enough. Be brief and precise.

You can checkout the University group/community on facebook/orkut and try to find if there is one dedicated to your specific program. You'll get a lots of contacts in any such group/community.

Your decision to choose a University must solely depend on the faculty and the courses that you'll take there. It should also depend on the financial aspects if it is a concern for you. Further, you should also take into consideration the weather of the place where your University is. You should not choose Universities in places of extreme cold if you are allergic to cold weather.

Once you have decided your University, send them a letter of acceptance stating that you accept the offer. It is also important that you intimate other Universities that you won't be joining them. This really helps them to manage their wait list better and issue offers to waitlisted students.
 



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