Student from India planning to study in US will come across few US Admission Consultants (typically knows as US Admission Consultancies). Some students will apply to US Universities by doing their own research. But, still lot of students apply to Graduate School through US Admission Consultants. But, is it really necessary to apply to Universities through them?
Inside US Admission Consultancies in India
US admission Consultants are nothing but a yet another business entity. Their aim is to make money from students applying to US. Some of them are good in providing good consulting, but most of them know students are desperate to go to US, so they will try to exploit them.
Students usually approaching such consultancies
- Will not have any idea about US University Admission process.
- Very desperate to get admission in US University
- Consultants guarantee to get admission in atleast 1 university
- Not willing to learn about Graduate School Admission process
- Believe that Universities suggested by them will fit their profile 100%
US Admission Consultants – Fee
Amount of money they charge for the services they provide is unacceptable. Typical consultancies will charge Rs 10,000 to Rs 75,000 to apply for 4 to 10 Universities. That fee will not include the cost to forward GRE and TOEFL Scores.
Services provided foe the above fee will include
- Selecting Universities for you from their list
- Provide Sample Statement of Purpose and Letter of Recommendation
- Pay Application fee
- Fill and submit your applications.
Fees will not include a review of your SOP, or resume. Most of counselors working will no clue about US Admission process or have visited US. Things they say will make you think, they know each and every details about US University process.
There are consultants who have studies in US and willing to provide good guidance. This article doesn’t apply to them at all. There are few consultants who follow this blog. Frequently we will receive email form them. They will charge students for counseling and request us to provide them information for their students.
Well, there is nothing much that can be done about that. But, that’s the nature of consulting business. Usually they will get admission from the University they select for you, not from your choice of university.
Self – Application to Graduate School
If you want to save lot of money, it’s very easy to complete all the application process by yourself. Even though it will be brand new process for you, so many students have done it before you. all you need to do, is to follow them. Information is available online, spend time searching for that info. Here at Happy Schools Blog, you can find all such information.
Image Credit – Kup Kup Land (flickr)
Related posts:
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
my gre score is 970, toefl 80, 10th 78.5%, 10+2 78%, btech 64% which universities will fit for my profile?
please help me in selecting univerisities.
I want the qualification criteria for taking masters degree in IT, i didn’t see those
I want to understand Admision qualification or criteria for taking masters degree in IT,So i didn’t those requirements quarifications.
yea, students in india, please dont give away your parents money to a consultant. they are over-paid, under-worked glorified google searchers. none of the information provided by them is something that is not available on the universities websites or the visa website. many of these shady operators get cuts from the lower down univs in the US, and they will deliberately add that to all their clients lists, and then have all the other univs beyond their grades, this way the admissions will be tilted in their favor. also, the good universities are not stupid, they know when the SOP and LOR is fabricated, most students get the same SOP/LOR from the consultant. if you cant write ur SOP, are u really capable of studying for an advanced degree?