This blog post is second part of 2 part series of blog posts – How to Select US Universities.
- How to Select US Universities – Part 1
- How to Select US Universities – Part 2 (this article)
- How to Select US Universities – Part 3
You may have more than one dream universities to apply, but you can attend only one school. You have to analyze each university methodically to short universities. Most of the students don’t ask the following questions while selecting US Universities. They end up in some school that doesn’t offer the program of their choice ( or aid).
1) Cost of US Education
First major factor is to select university that you can afford. In worst case scenario, you have to pay for 2 years expense. You have to ask some tough question here with respect to affordability.
2) Tuition fees
In-state fees varied between University System. For example, in University of Texas System, if you get RA, TA, Scholarship, you are eligible to pay in-state fee. And In-state fee in University of Texas is 1/3rd of Out of state fee.
Example: Out of State Fee = $6000, then in-state will be $2,000
In some colleges, you don’t need to pay anything, maybe less than $1000 for health insurance and other small fees when you get In-State fees.
Example: University of Memphis, Out of state is $5000 then In-state will be less than $1000.
If In-state fee is minimal fee then HP = 10
If In-state fee is 1/3rd of the out-state or less then HP = 5
3) RA/TA/Scholarship
If you have admission with 100% RA/TA/scholarship then HP = 10
If you have you have partial scholarship/RA/TA then HP = 7
If you have like $1000 to $4000 in Aid then HP = 5
No RA/TA/Scholarship then HP = 0
4) Part Time Job
Find from the current students, about availability of the part time jobs.
If almost every students gets the job then HP = 10
If 50% of the students gets job the HP = 5
If No Part time jobs are available then HP = 0
5) Internship
As International student you are eligible to work for 1 year in CPT (Curriculum Practical Training). Students usually get internship in summer, but some schools allow students to work to 2 full semesters like UTA, UTD.
You have to find if the university you have the admission allows students to do internship and how long. Kansas State University will allow students only in Summer in CPT. Were as UTA will allow students to do internship for 2 semesters ( like Summer and Fall or Fall and Spring or Spring and Fall ).
Next you have to ask if the internship is under CPT or under OPT (Optional Practical Training). If the school allows internship under CPT then you are ok. If the school allows internship under your OPT, then it’s NOT ok to attend that school. For example Clemson University, internship is under OPT, which is not good. I will explain in later post on what is OPT and CPT.
So this is how HP has to be filled for this field
Schools also internship for more than 1 semester in CPT = 10
Schools allows internship in Summer ONLY in CPT = 5
If school allows internship in OPT = 0
If school doesn’t allow Internship = 0
6) Jobs after M.S.
But, majority of colleges, students have to look for jobs.
Majority of the colleges have Career Fair, where companies will visit campus and collect resumes. But the number of companies that usually come are very less. Some universities like NCSU have very high profile career fair.
If the college has campus recruitment program, then HP = 10
If you have to look for jobs then HP = 8
If majority of the students find jobs through consultants, then HP = 3
For example I have heard that in NJIT, majority of student don’t search for jobs, they graduate and join some consultancy firm. That’s not a good sign. It’s students responsibility to search for a job, if you are willing to put that efforts and expect the job offer to know on your door, without applying for jobs, then I’m sure student will have tough time. I know I was little harsh on the above statement, but I have seen so many people who after graduation, don’t apply for job proactively and end up joining some consultancy. (How consultancy works, that’s another topic to talk about in detail)
How to Select Universities Part 3 continued.
Hi I got 1070 in gre, 95 in toefl , 68% in btech and applied for four uni Massa amherst, OSU corvallis ,CSU fresno, UA of arkansas fayetville. Is there any chance you think of getting admission in one of them.Please mail me.My trade is Food Technology
Hi I got 1070 in gre, 95 in toefl , 68% in btech and applied for four uni Massa amherst, OSU corvallis ,CSU fresno, UA of arkansas fayetville. Is there any chance you think of getting admission in one of them.Please mail me.My trade is Food Tech
@ Raghu
I am 2008 passout and applying for MS in CS.
my profile-
GRE -1130, AWA- 3.5
toefl- yet to write
Acads- 75% from jntu
can u rate my chances of getting an admit from clemson and UTD and abt oncampus jobs and placement scenario there..
@bhargavi: For M.S. Computer Science, you will need atlest 1100 in GRE.
hi i got less score in gre .my academic is 60 % i want to do ms in computer science im going to write my toefl oct 18 what shall i do now ho my score is just 750 what can i do now shall i write it again or tell me is there any universerstites wich offer admission to that score also
I had secure GRE score 830 (550-quant, 280-verbal). 60 % Academic.
sujjest some good major's For MS which would fetch good jobs after completion and also good universities who provide RA/TA/scholarships, parttime jobs.
can I choose CSU Los Angeles/Chico/Long Beach, because these univerisities are 3/4 tier, will there be any problem in getting jobs etc.
@haritha: For Jan 2009, its late to apply when when you plan to take TOEFL by end of september. I would suggest, you apply for Summer 2009.
i had got my gre score 900 and my b.pharm academic percentage is 79.4.can i get admission for january 2009 for doing my M.S.i am going to take toefl by the end of this month.plz suggest me some of the universities and courses offered with which my profile matches.
Hi There, i am from germany, I am heading to the states to study, i am now googling college tuition fees, but there are in-state and out-of-state tuiton fees. Am i considered for being out-of-state student?
hey im planning for ms in compter science eng for fall 2009….can ou just suggest me b which month i should be ready with all my scores????
hiii i have written my gre.ive got 970(quant-670 verbal-300),and my acads=70.4%.can u plz suggest me some universities for my score.first n foremost will i get ny university for ms in computer science with dis score.plz reply to me as soon as possible .
@B V R CHOWDARY: I have listed few Low GRE Score universities,search for them within the blog. I'm not sure why you said 'without english program'. For Jan 2009, it will be very tough. I would suggest you can apply for Summer 2009 (May 2009)
plzz help me send me college list without english program. my profile
toefl-71(10,20,17,24)
gre-1040
b.tech-73.8%
12-84%
10-79.5%.
help me fast i need to apply fastly for jan 2009
send reply to my mail id
by the way my branch is ee
i have a gre score of 1250.wit quant(790) and verbal (460).can i get a fully aided phd in any good university.if yes where shud i apply?
hey guys,
i recently wrote GRE. i got a score of 1090. i.e., QUANTS-750 and verbal-340.
can u name some good universities which offer MS in petroleum engineering and can i get scholarship for my mark?
@ Shapan : You can apply for 3-5 universities. You can get admission, but for Visa it will be tough. If you have good academic credentials, you should be fine. Good Luck.
My gre score is 870. Want to take Admission MS in mechanical Engineering.Is there any chance
hi…have got acceptance frm St John's Univ for MS in Pharm admin….
cn anyone pls tell abt the prospect of the course & abt the univ as well.
i shall b thnkful to u
hi i got an admit in suny-buffalo for EE
how are the job opputunities at buffalo
if anyone has spme idea polz send it to my email id
my gre is 1270 awm2.5
toefl 87
academics 70.6%
want to do ms in pharmaceutics …plz suggest some state univ which still have deadlines
hey there hi
u r doing a great job …nice site.
actually wanted the list of univ for low scores.
i got 990 yesterday…i am feeling terrible.shud i give it again 2nd time ? or shud i apply with that score ???
i want to pursue MS in biotechnology
can u also help me with the univ offering that course please…really sad .do help !!
my profile b-pharmacy65% no backlogs gre 1080 toefl 88 can u give some universites for ms in pharma program
hello first i want to tell abt me.my acadmemic is 60.11%.
with 14 backlogs and my gre score is 1080. so i want to know that my backlogs can be a problem for me and with my gre score which 1080 is ok for me in getting visa.
Hello,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for all your suggestions through happy schools…Can u pl let me know about all the required financial documents for visa processing and coming to property papers should we attach them along with the CA report.