Spring or Fall : Graduate School Admission
By HSB
Graduate school admission in Spring semester, you must have read my previous post on different types of questions and ideas among graduate students. If you haven’t read Questions about Spring admission in Graduate School, I strongly suggest to read that before continuing reading this. Previous post will give an overview of what this article is about.
I had so many emails from students applying for Spring semester to post this article ASAP. I still haven’t completed the college shortlisting part. Also, I’m planning to run small quiz in future posts, that will create awareness about Graduate School admission process.
You can find answers to the following questions in this article
- Is it ok to apply for College Admission in Spring
- What about admission chances?
- What are the chances of getting Visa?
- When can I apply for Internships?
- Will I be eligible for Summer Internships?
- Will Spring students considered for Scholarships and Aid?
Is it ok to apply for College Admission in Spring ?
Yes, its absolutely ok to apply for graduate schools in Spring semester.
What are pros and cons in applying for graduate school in Spring
Pros : None
Cons : None
What about universities acceptance rates?
Universities usually have have a limit to maximum number of students they can admit. And that limit is usually based on the resources universities have. Resources in universities mean – number of professors ( to maintain student to professor ratio), physical class room size to accommodate students, lab facilities ( some biotech labs in small schools can accommodate only few number of students). Also, how much profit colleges are willing to make. If they need more profits, some schools can give accept more students. Much more factors comes into play. But, all those above factors doesn’t affect much or play major role in deciding to apply for Spring vs Fall semester for college.
Chances of getting Student Visa?
That’s completely not in our hands. We don’t know how much visa quota they for for each countries or any other information. I would say you stand the same chance to get visa for Fall, Spring or Summer. If you are confident and have capacity, you will get visa.
When can I apply for Internships?
Rules and eligibility for International students to apply for Internships vary between schools. but, majority of schools will allow students to go for internships only after completing 2 semesters of study or some schools after completion of 18 credits. So, if you go in Spring, you will be eligible to go for internship from Spring next year. So, that doesn’t make difference between Fall and Spring admission. Something to note here, you can go for internship even during Fall or Spring semester, not just Summer.
Will Spring students considered for Scholarships and Aid?
I have talked about getting admission with scholarship in several of my posts.
So, the idea behind is simple. If you have High GRE you will get admission and chances are more get admission with scholarship if you contact the professors during the admission process.
So, this rules out the myth, students will never get scholarship for college admission during spring semester.
Now you must be clear and with all doubts explained, those applying for graduate schools during Spring, you have same chance and resources that every student will have who apply for college in Fall semester.
Now, let me answer other ‘interesting’ ideas students had about college admission in Spring semester
Courses are tough in Spring Nope, that’s wrong.
Less Internship and job opportunities Nope, that’s not right, every student stand the same chance to get jobs and internships as Fall semester students.
Less chances to get aid and part time jobs Again that’s not right. Students do graduate and move on and its cycle. None stays in school studying for many years.
Visa’s are first come first served basis If you have right qualification, you will get visa.
Less intake in spring, so not many courses will be offered If not many courses will offered, what about students who are still in school from Fall semester. Number of students enroll in Fall is more than spring, so obviously they have to take classes. Number of students in Spring has got nothing to do with courses in spring semester in graduate school.
Getting internships will be easier Generally more internships will be available in Summer, but considering Technology background, internships will be available round the year.
It will be difficult to find place to stay Students gradate in Spring and finding an apartment to stay is no big issue. Usually college students find place to stay in 1-2 weeks of arrival in U.S.
Related posts:
- Questions about Spring Admission in Graduate Schools
- Q&A: Spring vs Fall Semester – Which is Better?
- Graduate School Admission : Applied-6; Rejected-6
- When to Apply for Fall 2010
- 5 Ways to Check Graduate School Admission Status
Can I get a centralised Data of Deadlines for Application to US Universities. I am unable to find one.
Thanks for the enlightening article. I just want to know this. For people who apply for spring intake & have graduated from their UG institutions just 6 months back, is it necessary to show some job experience during visa interview? Will the visa officer ask what I have been doing the past 6 months? I understand this is not asked for people who join grad school in fall immediately after graduating…
sir,
i want to apply for college admission in spring2010 .so when it will be right time for me to take gre exam
Dear Sir Actually I planned for fall 2010.As its already october i think I am too late.So I am planning for spring 2011.Plz tell me what will be the suitable time to write GRE for spring 2011?And I will also get more than 3 years of experience for spring 2011.Will the experience of around 4 years help me to get a good college??
dear sir
I am doing my final year BE ( comp.sc) i have planned to take my GRE oct 2009 , but was not able to .and i cannot be taking till dec 1st week because of my semesters .
when do i take GRE for spring 2011 intake .??
is it advisable spring 2011 .??
Hi Sir,
After reading your posts about Spring,I have gained more confidence,that I can come up well.But I dunno the exact procedure to follow as of how to apply for spring.Can you please give me a schedule kinda thing to join for Spring 2011,as you have written for Fall 2010.(eg:http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/when-to-take-gre-fall-semester/).I am planning to take my GRE exam by dec 29,2009.My major will be networks and now currently i am doing B.E-ECE.And can you please also suggest like,how much should be the maximum marks roughly for applying for good colleges?
Hi Sir
First of all hatsoff to you .. Your post are so prespicious , and informative.Thanks for clarifying most of my doubts , but still left one
What is the lastest possible time that wud be appropriate to take GRE for the fall 2010??
As i am into my prepration , and beleive it would take 2 more months .Can i take GRE in mid /late of oct or dec start ,and even though sucessfully meet deadline? I want to fix a date soon please help me
@Mayank – You can take GRE till Feb 2010 to apply for Fall 2010. But, number of universities that have deadlines will decrease as you delay the process. Consider joining Premium Membership Club. It will help with your GRE, University Selection and many other queries.
Sir
Thanks for enlightening post.
But, I have still one doubt about summer internship.
There must be difference , in case of Fall admits and Spring admits, in duration in which students are allowed to do internship. Won’t that duration effect spring admits?
You can work as an intern after completing 2 semesters ( Spring and Fall – if you join in Spring) or Fall and Spring ( if you join in Fall).
sir im planning 2 take ma gre in sep.. will it be 2 late to apply 4 fall 2010?
Nope, it will not be late. How much score are you getting in practice tests?
Hi, I wanted to know the general closure of dates by universities for Spring admissions, for PhD courses. Thank you.
i’m so grateful to you for posting this article..i have so many things to do this semester that its hard for me to apply before the deadlines are up…so was planning to join in spring..
what is the minimum aggr of my engg course that wud be sufficient for me 2 get admission in a good university???
sir you have been doing a great job. Congratulation on success . MY PROFILE IS GRE-1210(Q-800;V-410;AWA-3). TOEFL-82; BTECH(ECE)-77%.I’M PLANNING FOR FALL08. MY QUESTION IS 1.HOW ARE JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN VLSI FIELD?. 2.MANY HAVE ADVISED ME TO SHIFT TO CS( COMPUTER SCIENCE).IS THIS A GOOD IDE
WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?
thank u