1. +
Path to Higher Studies in US
(M.S. in Engineering Discipline)
Presented by Vikranth Gopalakrishnan (2002 Mech. Engg.)
vikranthkg@gmail.com
Sipikulmuthu.co.in
Credits for material: Apoorva Musunuri
2. +
Agenda
n Objective of this session
n Introduction
n Why pursue M.S. in The United States?
n How to apply for M.S. ?
n Tips for your applications
n Questions
3. +
Objective of this session
n Provide general information for all students on why to
pursue M.S. in the United States
n Provide useful information for students who are interested
or in the early stages of application process.
n Provide tips & answer specific questions for students who
are are actively engaged in the application process.
5. +General information
• Pursuing higher studies in US is one of many
options, good options are available in India and in
other countries as well.
• Several top universities for graduate engineering
school are located in United States.
• US universities are home of the several state of
the art research labs & centers.
• US universities offer several funding options for
your graduate education.
• US leads the Global economy with plethora of
entry level job opportunies.
• US university fosters an environment that aids
innovation & entrepreneurship
• US is a diverse, laid back, fun loving place,
making it a great place to enjoy higher studies.
6. +
Application Requirements
n Application form
n Application Fee
n 2 to 3 Letters of Recommendation
n Unofficial / Official Transcripts
n Self reported/ Official ETS reported GRE score
n IELTS or TOEFL
n Statement of Purpose
n Supplemental Questionnaires
n Financial ability form
Typical Application Deadline
Spring – Sep/Oct
Fall - Dec/Jan
7. +
GRE (Graduate Record Exam)
Tips for Verbal Reasoning
n Princeton Review
n Barron’s GRE Words list
n Kaplan
n www.quizlet.com
n www.codecoax.com (for reading comprehension)
n www.mnemonicdictionary.com for mnemonics to easily learn words
(mnemonics are basically an easy way to remember words or phrases).
n Avoid using Magoosh word lists
n Practice using the words within a context – understanding how to use the
word is more important than just knowing the word or its meaning.
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GRE (Graduate Record Exam)
Tips for Quantitative Reasoning & Essay
n Practice! Practice! Practice!
n Free online GRE Tests by ETS, Kaplan, Princeton Review and
Manhattan Review.
n Refer to Nova’s Free GRE Math Bible if time permits.
n Princeton material has some good tricks to solve GRE math
problems quickly and easily.
n Try to find someone trained to grade your GE essays. Use the
guidelines given in the official ETS GRE book for correct
grading.They even have sample essays and practice questions
which are very useful to get a good idea. ETS also gives sample
essay topics on their website for you to practice with.
9. +
Free Practice Test
n GRE - Manhattan Free Full Length
n GRE - Kaplan’s Free Full Length Test
n GRE - Princeton Review’s Revised GRE Practice Test
n GRE - ETS GRE Powerprep
n GRE - MyGRETutor’s 4 free full-length tests
n GRE - 800Score’s free full length revised GRE test
n TOEFL – ETS Guide for TOEFL
11. +Statement of Purpose
n It all begins with your interest and ambitions in your specific
field of engineering.
n Answer two specific questions
n Why are you a good fit to the university ?
n Why is the university a good fit for you ?
n Remember R & R – Demonstrate Rigor & Relevance
n Also remember to start early.
12. +
Recommendation Letter
n Remember – do not write the letter yourself. Its OK to
interview the person providing the reference letter and then
develop a draft based on it.
n It needs to discuss about your competence, credibility and
confidence through specific incidents/events
13. +Scholarships
n Reach out to seniors and actively build a network.
n Reach out directly to faculty in the university.
n Apply through the department.
n Reach out to other scholarship sources such as J.N.Tata
Endowment fund, K.C.Mahindra Edu Trust, Rotatory
scholarship, American Alumni association, Fulbright
scholarship, R.D. Sethna scholarship, Inlakhs, Narotam
Shekhsarai and Toefl scholarship
14. +
Key takeaways
n US universities are an excellent option for higher education
n Start the process as early as you can.
n GRE/TOEFL is required as a part of most applications but is
not the only thing that influences your admission decision
n Statement of Purpose is an extremely crucial component of
the application, so start early and go through a few iterations
to get it correct.
n Recommendation letters need to be solid and relevant.
n Leverage key online resources to select a good university.
n Build a strong network of seniors and other friends – It is an
extremely valuable asset.
18. +
TOEFL
n The TOEFL iBT test provides scores in
4 skill areas — Reading, Listening,
Speaking and Writing — and a total
score: Reading 0–30. Listening 0–30.
Speaking 0–30.
