Does PhD pedigree matter?

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This post is inspired in large part by discussion over at Cosmic Variance about the importance of choice of particular graduate school and pedigree effect. Two extreme points of view are: a) pedigree matters a great deal, having a top school name on your resume will enhance your chances of getting a job and b) pedigree effect is non-existent, and if you are smart and do good science, it doesn't matter where your degree is from. Additional discussion centered on issue of difficulty of "upward" mobility - which means that most people tend to get positions down the ranking ladder from their PhD institutions, not up.
It's of course difficult to do proper "controlled" measure of pedigree effect - maybe students selected by top program would do just as well in lower ranked programs, who knows.
So let's ask a different question - how many of the academic jobs in top research universities go to PhDs from the top programs? Ideally one would want to focus on recent hires only, looking at entire faculty makeup means integrating over the past50 or 60 years, with a big hiring spike in sputnik/cold war years. One way to address this issue is to look only at associate and assistant professors, which typically represent recent hires. Another, possibly better, way is to limit by the years of PhD (say count only PhDs obtained past 1995), but it involves more work. I spent about 4 hours compiling the data, and not sure I want to spend much more on this, even though it is a lot of fun and I am a sucker for playing with numbers.
So here's the statistics, and I will criticize methods later - AIP graduate program listings, which I believe are compiled in 2005-2006 list 636 professors in the top 50 institutions (I used NRC'95 rankings) in associate or assistant rank. Typically their PhD years span about 12-15 year period from about 1990 till ~2003-2004. 162 of them have foreign PhDs (more on that later) and 472 held PhDs from US. More than half of those hires have PhDs from just 8 institutions: Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Berkeley, Chicago, Stanford, Caltech and Cornell. The effect is larger than I expected, but perhaps not completely unexpected.
Below are the institutions that have 3 or more PhD graduates among 636 assistant/associate rank professors in the top 50 physics programs:

 

Harvard University Princeton University MIT Univ. of California-Berkeley University of Chicago Stanford University CALTECH Cornell University University of Michigan Columbia University University of Minnesota Univ of California-San Diego Univ of CA-Santa Barbara Univ of Il Urbana-Champaign University of Washington Yale University SUNY-Stony Brook University of Texas at Austin Univ of Wisconsin-Madison Johns Hopkins University University of Pennsylvania University of Rochester Univ of California-Los Angeles Univ of Maryland College Park Northwestern University Rice University University of Colorado Boston University Indiana University Rutgers -New Brunswick Brandeis University Duke University Purdue University

42 39 34 32 29 28 26 22 14 13 11 9 9 9 9 9 8 8 8 7 7 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3

Foreign degrees are more scattered all over the world, but here's some strong contributors:

Moscow Cambridge Oxford Munich Toronto Vienna Warsaw

15 12 8 8 8 3 3

 

Top 10 universities contribute 59% of US PhD hires, those ranked 11-20 provide another 18%, the next ten ranked 21-30 provide 10%, and ALL of the remaining US universities contribute remaining 12% or so.

More charts like:

Percentage of PhDs that goes on to become faculty at top 50 universities.

Comparison ranking in terms of total PhD hires and ranking of USNews and NRC.

and the complete article is available at Incoherently Scattered Ponderings

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MBA DEADLINES

Below is a list of select MBA programs with deadlines.
Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your application schedules:
· Most first round or priority deadlines are in October or November.
· Schools with rolling admissions review applications as they are received. Beyond March/April these schools review applications on space available basis.
· Generally speaking, it's better to apply earlier rather than later, however applying early at the cost of adequate time spent on your application is rarely advisable.
· Please verify deadlines and policies with each school.
· If you plan to apply for financial aid, verify appropriate deadlines.
· International applicants may be subject to a different set of deadlines.
· Most of the schools with a definite deadline review applications on space available basis beyond 3rd round. This specially applies to international students.
If you are an International Student you should not wait for these deadlines. Apply early.

November Deadlines
Emory University (Goizueta)
Purdue University (Krannert)
University of Michigan Business School
University of Texas - Austin (McCombs)
University of California - Los Angeles (Anderson)
Northwestern University (Kellogg)
University of Chicago
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
University of Oxford (Said)
Carnegie Mellon University
Yale University
College of William & Mary
Cornell University (Johnson)
Georgia Institute of Technology (DuPree)
Ohio State University (Fisher)
Tulane University (Freeman)
University of Arizona (Eller)
Michigan State University (Broad)
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)
University of Wisconsin - Madison
IESE (University of Navarra)
INSEAD (1 YEAR MBA)
University of Georgia (Terry)
Babson College (Olin)
Vanderbilt University (Owen)

December Deadlines

Arizona State University (Carey)
Boston College (Carroll)
George Washington University
Indiana University - Bloomington (Kelley)
Penn State University - University Park (Smeal)
Rice University (Jones)
University of California - Davis
University of California - Irvine
University of Colorado at Boulder (Leeds)
University of Maryland - College Park (Smith)
University of Pittsburgh (Katz)
University of Southern California (Marshall)
University of Washington
Wake Forest University (Babcock)
Georgetown University (McDonough)
Southern Methodist University (Cox)
University of Virginia (Darden)
Duke University (Fuqua)
University of California - Berkeley (Haas)
Ohio State University (Fisher) (second round)
University of Florida (Warrington)
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
University of Oregon (Lundquist)
University of Rochester (Simon)
University of California - Los Angeles (Anderson) (second round)
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)

January Deadlines

Iowa State University (rolling)
Purdue University (Krannert) (second round)
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (Carlson)
University of Washington (second round)
Emory University (Goizueta)
Boston University
University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa (Manderson)
Yale University (second round)
Dartmouth College (Tuck) (second round)
Stanford University (second round)
North Carolina State University
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (second round)
Harvard University (second round)
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) (second round)
London Business School (second round)
Northwestern University (Kellogg) (second round)
University of Chicago (second round)
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin) (second round)
University of Oxford (Said) (second round)
Michigan State University (Broad) (second round)
University of Virginia (Darden) (second round)
Carnegie Mellon University (second round)
College of William & Mary (second round)
Cornell University (Johnson) (second round)
George Washington University (second round)
Georgia Institute of Technology (DuPree) (second round)
Indiana University - Bloomington (Kelley) (second round)
Ohio State University (Fisher) (second round)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Lally)
Syracuse University
Tulane University (Freeman) (second round)
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign (second round)
University of Notre Dame (Mendoza)
University of Pittsburgh (Katz) (second round)
University of Southern California (Marshall) (second round)
University of Toronto (Rotman)
University of Wisconsin - Madison (second round)
Vanderbilt University (Owen) (second round)
INSEAD (1 YEAR MBA) (third round)
University of Georgia (Terry) (second round)
Duke University (Fuqua) (third round)
IESE (University of Navarra) (third round)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) (second round)
University of California - Berkeley (Haas) (second round)
Southern Methodist University (Cox) (second round)
University of California - Los Angeles (Anderson) (third round)
Case Western Reserve University (Weatherhead) (first round)
University of California - Irvine (second round)
Babson College (Olin) (second round)
Texas Christian University (Neeley)

February Deadlines

Emory University (Goizueta) (second round)
International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
Texas A&M University - College Station (Mays)
University of Arizona (Eller) (second round)
University of California - Davis (second round)
University of Colorado at Boulder (Leeds) (second round)
University of Maryland - College Park (Smith)
University of Massachusetts - Amhert (Isenberg) (rolling)
University of Rochester (Simon) (first round)
University of Texas - Austin (McCombs) (second round)
University of Washington (third round)
Virginia Tech (Pamplin) (rolling)
Rice University (Jones) (third round)
Georgetown University (McDonough) (second round)
Boston College (Carroll) (first round)
Boston University (second round)
Claremont Graduate School (Drucker)
University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa (Manderson) (second round)
University of Florida (Warrington)
University of Oregon (Lundquist) (second round)
University of Southern California (Marshall) (third round)
University of Utah (Eccles) (rolling)
Wake Forest University (Babcock) (second round)
University of Virginia (Darden) (third round)
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler) (third round)
University of Wisconsin - Madison (third round)
London Business School (third round)

March Deadlines

Columbia University (second round)
Indiana University - Bloomington (Kelley) (third round)
North Carolina State University (second round)
SUNY - Albany (first round)
Syracuse University (second round)
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (third round)
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (Carlson) (second round)
University of Pittsburgh (Katz) (third round)
University of Tennessee - Knoxville (rolling)
University of Washington (fourth round)
Wake Forest University (Babcock) (third round)
IESE (University of Navarra) (fourth round)
University of California - Berkeley (Haas) (third round)
University of California - Irvine (third round)
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin) (third round)
Southern Methodist University (Cox) (third round)
Harvard University (third round)
Northwestern University (Kellogg) (third round)
Yale University (third round)
Brigham Young University (Marriott)
Babson College (Olin) (third round)
College of William & Mary (third round)
Cornell University (Johnson) (third round)
Emory University (Goizueta) (third round)
Georgia Institute of Technology (DuPree) (third round)
New York University (Stern)
Ohio State University (Fisher) (fourth round)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Lally) (second round)
Rice University (Jones) (fourth round)
Texas Christian University (Neeley) (second round)
Tulane University (Freeman) (third round)
University of Arizona (Eller) (third round)
University of Georgia (Terry)
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign (third round)
University of Maryland - College Park (Smith) (second round)
University of Rochester (Simon) (second round)
University of Texas - Austin (McCombs) (third round)
Vanderbilt University (Owen) (third round)
Michigan State University (Broad) (third round)
Stanford University (third round)
University of Notre Dame (Mendoza) (second round)
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) (third round)
Case Western Reserve University (Weatherhead) (second round)
University of Chicago (third round)
University of Oxford (Said) (third round)
Carnegie Mellon University (third round)
HEC MBA Program (rolling)
University of Virginia (Darden) (fourth round)
Willamette University

April Deadlines

Boston College (Carroll) (second round)
Boston University (third round)
George Washington University (third round)
International Institute for Management Development (IMD) (second round)
SUNY - Albany (second round)
University of California - Davis (third round)
University of Colorado at Boulder (Leeds) (third round)
University of Connecticut (rolling)
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (Carlson) (third round)
University of Southern California (Marshall) (fourth round)
Wake Forest University (Babcock) (fourth round)
University of Wisconsin - Madison (fourth round)
University of California - Los Angeles (Anderson) (fourth round)
Babson College (Olin) (fourth round)
Clemson University (rolling)
Indiana University - Bloomington (Kelley) (fourth round)
Northeastern University (rolling)
Penn State University - University Park (Smeal) (second round)
University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa (Manderson) (third round)
University of Florida (Warrington) (second round)
University of Iowa (Tippie) (rolling)
University of Notre Dame (Mendoza) (fourth round)
University of Oregon (Lundquist) (third round)
University of Pittsburgh (Katz) (fourth round)
Dartmouth College (Tuck) (third round)
Columbia University (third round)
Duke University (Fuqua) (fourth round)
Georgetown University (McDonough) (third round)
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin) (fourth round)
Carnegie Mellon University (fourth round)
CUNY - Baruch College (Zicklin) (rolling)
London Business Schoo (fourth round)
Southern Methodist University (Cox) (fourth round)
Texas Christian University (Neeley) (third round)
University of Arizona (Eller) (fourth round)
University of Toronto (Rotman) (rolling)
May Deadlines
Claremont Graduate School (Drucker) (second round)
Georgia Institute of Technology (DuPree) (fourth round)
Georgia State University (Robinson) (rolling)
Rutgers The State University of New Jersey - New Brunswick & Newark (rolling)
Syracuse University (third round)
University of Maryland - College Park (Smith) (third round)
Yale University (fourth round)
Bocconi University (rolling)
College of William & Mary (fourth round)
Purdue University (Krannert) (third round)
University of California - Irvine

Beyond May

Fordham University (rolling)
International Institute for Management Development (IMD) (third round)
Michigan State University (Broad) (fourth round)
Texas A&M University - College Station (Mays) (second round)
University of Illinois at Chicago (rolling)
University of Oklahoma (Price) (rolling)
University of Rochester (Simon) (third round)
Erasmus (Rotterdam School of Management) (rolling)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Lally) (third round)
University of Oregon (Lundquist) (fourth round)
Clark University 7/1/04 (rolling)
DePaul University (Kellstadt) (rolling)
Kent State University (rolling)
Oklahoma State University (rolling)
University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa (Manderson) (fourth round)
University of Texas - Dallas (rolling)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Lally) (fourth round)
Thunderbird Graduate School (rolling)
University of Iowa (Tippie) (rolling)
University of Miami (rolling)
University of Missouria - Columbia (rolling)
Willamette University (Atkinson) Rolling

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Public and Private Univs Categorised

OUT OF 3000 UNIVERSITIES IN AMERICA ABOUT 100 ARE WORTH CONSIDERATION FOR ADMISSION. SOME OF THESE ARE CATEGORISED BELOW

Public

Indiana University
Iowa State University
Michigan State University
The Ohio State University
The Pennsylvania State University
Purdue University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Stony Brook University-State University of New York
Texas A&M University
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
The University of Arizona
University of California, Davis
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Florida
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
The University of Iowa
The University of Kansas
University of Maryland at College Park
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Oregon
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Texas at Austin
University of Virginia
University of Washington
The University of Wisconsin-Madison

Private

Brandeis University
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Emory University
Harvard University
The Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Syracuse University
Tulane University
The University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Rochester
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

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Admission Acceptance Percentage

ACCEPTANCE RATE LESS THAN 20%

1.California Institute of Technology

2.University of Rochester

3.Yale University

4.Florida International University

5.University of Florida

6.University of California-Santa Barbara

7.Carnegie Mellon University

8.Harvard University

9.Rice University

10.Michigan State University

11.John Hopkins University

12.University of California-San Diego

13.University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign

ACCEPTANCE RATE BETWEEN 21-30%

1.University of Notre Dame

2.Lowa State University

3.Dartmouth College

4.Ohio State University-Columbus

5.Georgia Institute of Technology

6.University of Massachusetts-Amherst

7.Princeton University

8.Lehigh University

9.Northwestern University

10.Rutgers, State University of N.Y.-New Brunswick

11.University of California Berkeley

12.Duke University

13.Brown University

14.University of California- San Francisco

15.Boston University

16.University of Texas - Dallos

17.University of Maryland-Cole Park

18.University of Cal.-Irvine

19.Cornell University

20.University of Wissin-Madison

21.Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge

22.Massachuset Institute of Technology

23.Case Western Reserve University

24.Universiof California-Davis

25.University of Connecticut – Storrs

26.University of Delaware

27.Kansas State University

28.Tulane University

29.North Carolina State University-Raleigh

ACCEPTANCE RATE BETWEEN 30-50%

1.Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2.University of California- Riverside

3.Texas Tech. University

4.University of Texas- Austin

5.University of Virginia

6.University of Georgia

7.University of Illinois- Chicago

8.University of Cincinnati

9.University of Rhode Island

10University of Pennsylvania

11.Purdue University- West Lafayette

12.Western Michigan University

13.Columbia University

14.University of Washington- Seattle

15.University of Maryland – Baltimore Country

16.Mississippi State University

17.Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State Univ.

18.University of Colorado – Boulder

19.University of Michigan- Ann Arbor

20.Western Michigan University

21.University o f Southern California

22.Stanford University

23.University of Akron

24.University of Oklahoma

25.Auburn University

26.Arizona State University

27.University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

28.University of California – Los Angeles

29.North Dakota state University

30.Pennsylvania State University-Univ. Park

31.Southern Methodist University

32.University of Kansas

33.University of Maine

34.New Jersey Institute of Technology

35.University of Iowa

36.University of Toledo

37.Uiversity of Pittsburg

38.Texas A &M University –College Station

39.University of Utah

40.University of Louisiana- Lafayette

41.University of California- Santa Cruz

42.Oregon Grad. Institute of Sc. & Technology

43.Clemson University

44. University of South Carolina

45.North Eastern University

46.Howard University

47Suny – Stony Brook

48.University of Alabama – Huntsville

ACCEPTANCE RATE ABOVE 50%

1. Polytechnic University

2. Oregon State University

3. Tennessee Technological University

4. Florida Institute of Technology

5. University of Tennessee- Memphis

6. University of Alabama- Tuscaloosa

7. Southern Illinois University – Carbondale

8. Clarkson University

9. University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill

10. Wright State University

11. University of Texas –Arlington

12. Colorado State University

13. Illinois Institute of Technology

14. Wichita State University

15. Wayne State University

16. University of Arizona- Tuckson

17. George Washington University

18. University of Central Florida

19. University of Idaho

20. New York College of Ceramic at Alfred Univ.

21. University of Arkansas- Fayetteville

22. Tufts University

23. Michigan Technological University

24. University of New Mexico

25. Drexel University

26. Cuny –City College

27. Colorado School of Mines

28. Louisiana Technological University

29. Florida Atlantic University

30. Montana State University

31. Santa Clara University

32. University of South Florida

33. University of Miami

34. University of Missouri- Columbia

35. Stevens Institute of Technology

36. University of Mississippi

37. University of Hawaii- Manoa

38. University of Tulsa

39. University of Missouri – Rolla

40. University of Neveda – Reno

41. Ohio University – Athens

42. South Dakota State University

43. Marquette University

44. Catholic University of America

45. Indiana Univ., Purdue Univ.-Indiana Polis

46. George Moron University

47. Syracuse University

48. South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

49. University of Vermont

50. Suny College of Enviornment Science & Technology

51. University of Alabama – Birmingham

52. University of New Hampshire

53. University of North Carolina – Charlotte

54. North Carolina A&T University

55. New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology

56. University of Dayton

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Bill would financially aid illegal immigrant students

Ignoring the governor's veto of last year, a legislator has again introduced the California Dream Act, which would provide state financial aid for students who enter into the U.S. illegally.

Authored by state Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, the bill would give foreign students access to the state's Cal Grant program, scholarship programs they are not currently eligible for, and aid from individual schools.

The students would still be ineligible for federal loans, which are the main source of college financing for most students.

"There have been so many studies showing the benefit of an educated work force that many minds have been changed," says Cedillo. "Plus the governor is no longer in an election year, so he does not have to appear to be as tough on immigration."
Read the Article---

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Admission Process

Five Important points to be noted while selecting universities

1. For graduate programs you have to be accepted by the graduate school as well by the program where you apply.
2. Many universities have a minimum criteria of GPA that means percentage in our case. I have observed that they want at least 60% marks from Indian candidates. Please do check on this aspect before you apply.
3. Several Universities have a minimum TOEFL requirement. Check about this before capplying.
4. Please keep in mind that a Graduate school may have a different requirement than a program where you are applying.
If the requirement varies than generally the programs requirement shall be higher.
5. Observe the application Deadlines. If you cannot then you are likely to be rejected.

You will appreciate this if you observe the process of selection. Every graduate application is scrutinized by the Graduate School and the department you are applying to.

I present below the movement of your application:
1.You send the application to a Graduate School. In some cases you simultaneously send a copy of it to the department you are applying. In other cases the graduate school forwards the applications meeting the basic criteria observed by them.
Every Graduate school has set up a basic criteria like minimum GPA, TOEFL and in some cases GRE scores. Candidates meeting these criteria are only considered further by the department. Upto now the selection is very objective as only those applications are passed to the department which statistically meet the norms set by the Graduate School.
2. When your application reaches the department of your choice it is here that the subjective angle comes into play provided the department has not set any norms for itself. Let me point out that the department if it has set any minimum criteria it is usually higher than what is required by the Graduate School.
3.Once the application comes through this then the departments admission committee makes the final decision and it is here that your higher GRE , RECOS and SOP come into play.

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The Admit Office's Hate List

Excuses don't cut it, say seasoned admissions officials. Here's what not to say, from the folks who have heard it all
Whether it be gaps in your employment history, significant job-hopping, or a lower-than-you'd like GPA or GMAT score, many prospective B-schoolers have something in their applications that they worry doesn't reflect their true abilities. Is the worry justified? Actually, say admissions counselors, yes. "If you think the admissions committee will question something, we probably will," says Alison Merzel, co-director of MBA admissions at Ohio State's Fisher College of Business].
Read On This Business Week Story

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Common Mistakes Students Make When Filing Applications

(Compiled by Anne Heinzeroth for a presentation to Upward Bound seniors)

Remind students that proofreading does not equal spellcheck
A thing that some students forget a lot is SIGNING AND DATING the back page of the application.
You'd be amazed at how many students mis-spell their intended major pyschology, psichology, psycology (just to name some) and buisness (to name another) are the biggest offenders.
I wonder about the applications that are clearly penned in the mother's scrawl with portions also filled out by the student, so that you clearly see that two different people worked on it.
Illegibility/poor penmanship creates the obvious issues, especially handwritten essays that look really bad.
Applications folded 16 times to fit in a small envelope make it look bad; not to mention those that come in with soda/coffee stains, are sticky from placing a lollipop on them, or are torn/ripped.
Some applications ask for County or Country, and students get these mixed up.
Many students who have jobs do not mention them on applications. Often,these jobs impact the time they have available for activities, and so they should include this info to paint a fuller picture of their out-of-school activities.
And, my favorite, the essay all about how badly he/she wants to attend College X that gets sent to University Y by mistake.
For online applications, sometimes students slip the mouse and click on the wrong item in a drop down. (Amazing how many students say they're from Afghanistan -- which is usually listed right after United States on drop-downs for countries)
They substitute thesaurus words for the more natural ones. Parents don't realize that very bright 17 year olds do not and should not write like 45 year olds. Applications that stand out do not have the above problems. They "tell" rather than "show."
There are a couple things off the top of my head that make a poor impression on applications. The first one is:
a.when students list "Hanging out with friends" or "talking on the phone" as an extra curricular activity.
b.Then, another no-no is to blame the teacher in the personal statement for bad grades. I look for information not so much as why did you get the bad grade, but what did you do about it, i.e. seek extra help? Repeat the course? Etc... I could go on and on with this question! But I'll end with one more thing that infuriates me....
c.reading a college essay with numerous misspellings and grammatical errors. I'll even forgive a student if they list another university rather than overlook a poor attempt at writing the essay.


One common mistake is not informing their high school counselor or registrar that they are applying to colleges x,y, and z and submitting the necessary forms by the necessary deadlines to be sure that their transcript, profile, etc. will be sent to their colleges by their high schools.
a.Also - they need to remember to have their SAT or ACT scores sent to their colleges directly from ETS.
b.Also - each student should be sure to review his or her transcript before it is sent out. Check all of these: name spelling, Social Sec #, home address, phone numbers AND course names and grades and credits received. You'd be surprised how many transcripts contain errors that students are often never aware of because they didn't review their transcripts.


Don't read the instructions including the suggested length and topic prompt.

They don't realize that many colleges that use the Common Application also have supplements.

They don't relate whatever they are writing about to themselves. They write generic essays. They should write details that are unique to them and that only they could have written.

One major thing I include these days is that students have to be aware of the impression their e-mail address makes. I encourage them to create a "professional" email address for college and job applications. Offensive email addresses make a bad impression. I recommend all students use a hotmail address for college apps JohnDoe@hotmail.com). There is at least one case I can cite where we did not admit a student in part because his email address suggested sexist, violent behavior toward women. Most of them are not that bad but most are silly at best.




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Some Thoughts on Electronic Applications

Here are the responses regarding the do's and don'ts of applying to college on the internet:

Do's and Don'ts for Online Applicants!

Do... take the online tour. Before you start your application, walk through each step of the application on "a virtual tour".

Do... create a user name and password that you'll remember easily. Record it and keep it in a safe place. If you lose your password, some colleges allow you to create a new one, but if you forget your user name, you may have to start a new application.

Do... disable pop-up blockers in order to view the part of the application that displays in pop-up windows.

Do... use the correct browser. Most online applications functions only with Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher or Netscape 5.0 or higher (which you can usually download from the application site itself). The online applications are highly secure; so older browsers are not usually equipped to handle the necessary level of encryption.

Do... follow directions and complete all steps. On each page be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and the bottom of each pop-up to avoid missing any information.

Don't... forget to save your work. You usually have no more than 40 minutes per Web page before you'll be timed out. Whenever you save an entry or move to a new page, your work is usually automatically stored, but if you plan to leave your application for any length of time - to go grab a snack or answer the phone - use the save/logout feature to store your application.

Don't... compose your personal statement online. Take time to compose it in a word-processing application, such as Microsoft Word, save it as a text file, and then copy and paste it into the appropriate boxes online.

Do... print out copies of your personal statement to cross-check your work with your counselor/advisor or an instructor.

Do... carefully review the summary page. Look for any instance where it says, "no information added," and if you didn't intend to leave that area blank, click "modify" to return to the step where you can fill it in.

Don't... be afraid to ask for help. If you have technical difficulties, don't be afraid to ask the "Help Desk," "Technical Support," or use the "Contact" links.

Do... click "Submit Application" when you've finished. Your application won't be sent to the University until you do.

Do... print out your receipt and keep it! You will have a record of your application id number and a complete summary of your application.




HINTS FOR APPLYING TO COLLEGE ON-LINE

Set-up an e-mail account to be used for college correspondence only (preferably not Hotmail).

Consider using the Common Application (www.commonapp.org ) which is accepted by many private, and some public, colleges and universities.

Print out the full application directions so you can "check-off" tasks as you complete them. Be sure to check if a supplement is required; if the form says Part 1 and there is no part two visible, you will usually receive part 2 after you complete part 1 and/or pay the fee.

Print out your completed application, or application summary and proof-read it before clicking the "submit" button. Make sure none of your information was cut-off. Save the printed copy for your college files.

Submit your application a week or more before the deadline. Application web sites slow down to a crawl the closer you get to deadlines, and sometimes crash!

Pay the admission fee by credit card if this option is available. Checks can take weeks to reach the school and that may delay the processing of your application.

Look for e-mail confirmation that your application has been received. Print out and file the application acknowledgement. Call the college's Office of Admission if you do not receive confirmation within forty eight hours after submission.

Finally, make sure you have arranged for all supporting documents to be mailed by the application deadline. See you counselor the day after you click "submit" so that the transcript and other materials will also arrive on time. Colleges do NOT notify schools that students have applied; you must do so.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common mistakes that students make on the Common Application Online Part 2

Students Don't Read the Instructions. "It's the single most important thing that keeps them from doing this flawlessly. Anytime you don't read the instructions something's probably going to come back to haunt you," Whitman said, who recommends that students print the directions out and read them before they start typing.

Waiting Until the Last Minute. "Literally, they're doing this the day before it's due at 11 at night," Whitman said. "If there's an early decision deadline on Dec. 1, they're on the computer Nov. 30. They may run into a snag that has nothing to do with us - their Internet access might be down. While it's instantaneously submitted, they shouldn't wait for the last minute to do it."

Not Entering a Valid E-mail Address. "Later on they wonder why they haven't heard from the college or got a confirmation message."

Not Checking Each Individual College's Requirements and Deadlines. "There again," Whitman said, "we have a profile for each college, which gives all the deadlines, fees, and supplementary information. It's all there, yet they'll submit late and wonder why they can't select a college from the list."

In the MY COLLEGES section, students are not accurately selecting and saving the colleges they want to apply to. They often select the right school, but forget to save.

Students Forget to Save Their Data and Log Out.

Not Thoroughly Reviewing Application for Errors and Truncated Text. "We have print preview, instructions all over the place, and even though you can type forever in the HTML input screen, this doesn't mean it's all going to fit into the PDF output," said Whitman, who encourages students to look at the print preview before sending. "What they see on the print preview is exactly what will be transmitted to colleges."

Not Using the Checklist to Ensure They Have Completed All the Requirements for their Selected Colleges. "There is another tab in there which will tell them which colleges accept credit cards, which colleges only accept hard copy."

Not Verifying They Have Completed the Submission Process Before Logging Out. "There are a series of screens they go through which ensure that the data is saved in our system on our server. They close down before doing that and the application is not complete and not submitted into our system," Whitman said.

Not Following Up With Fees and Supplemental Documents.

Not Sending Hardcopy to Member Colleges That Don't Accept the Electronic Version of The Common Application.

Now that you know the common pitfalls visit the Common Application's website at http://www.commonapp.org and see how many of your picks are there.

Sphere: Related Content

General Tips for Selection of Universities

Please note that the rankings pertain to Program Rankings
As a precautionary measure you must verify the requirement of GPA most of the universities from 1-80 rank require a first class from Indian Students.

Rank 1- 20
Top ranked graduate schools generally give a lot of importance to academic performance as compared to GRE scores. Good under graduate GPA and impressive research credentials are a must. Best chances for the top 3 in a class.
Who should Apply?
GPA > 3.8 GRE > 1500.
A class position. Published research papers.

Rank 21 - 50
Graduate schools in this range are a safe bet for students with a decent academic record and GRE scores. Excellent GRE scores can make up for a slightly low GPA.
Research credentials do improve your chances.
Who should Apply?
GPA > 3.5 GRE > 1400
GPA > 3.3 GRE > 1500.
A good project work or a published paper.

Rank 51 - 80
Students with just raesonable academic record and good grades in courses specific to your field of interest stands a good chance. Good GRE scores are a boost and can certainly get you an admit inspite of weak academics. But aid might be trickier. Research credentials can make up for bad academics and get you aid.
Who should Apply?
GPA > 3.2 GRE > 1350
GPA > 3.0 GRE > 1300
A good project work or a published paper may get some aid.

Rank 81-99
Universities generally rated LOW. Getting an admit might be much easier but aid is generally a problem as fund availability is less. Computer Science and Electrical Engineering students have a decent chance of getting aid. Funding in other branches might be erratic. Research Credentials may prove to be inconsequential.

Who should Apply?
GPA > 3.0 GRE > 1000
GPA >2.8 GRE > 1100

Rank 100 and Beyond
All Others
Getting an admit should be easy. But expect no funding. You will have to finance yourself.
Ask yourself whether it is worth it?

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Application Checklist

When applying to a University, you need to include certain items as part of your application package. Each college has its own set of requirements, but the checklist given below should satisfy the needs of most colleges.

1. Application FEE
A banker’s draft (US dollars) should be prepared for the required application fee in favor of the University

2. Application Form
Use the right application. International students are required to use a different application or they are asked to provide additional information then asked in the normal forms. If you are using a hard copy of the application the address where you are to send the documents shall be mentioned there.
If you are applying online then you need not send a hard copy of the application. However, when you submit the online application you will get an acknowledgement with your student ID. When sending the documents include a copy of this receipt. Mark all your documents with the student ID. The acknowledgement shall also tell you the address where your documents are to be sent.
Do keep in mind that some universities accept only online applications. Others offer some incentive in the form of lower application fee for applying online. The third category says it makes no difference whether you apply online or send a paper application.
In all these cases you have to send the documents by mail only. So whether you apply online or use paper application you will have to incur the postage/courier charges.

Program Application:
Ascertain whether the program of your choice requires any special application and if it is asked send this separately to the department. This envelope should also carry any additional material asked by the program. You should check the department’s address from the web site of the university.

Official Transcripts of Undergraduate Coursework
Prepare transcripts of all undergraduate coursework completed at the time of applying to the US, and have all copies sealed and stamped by your undergraduate university to make them 'official'.

Three Letters of Recommendation
Get recommendation letters from Professors who are familiar with your undergraduate academic work. Many Universities also ask you to include a 'Student Evaluation Form' along with your recommendation letters. Learn how to write a good recommendation letter by following the tips given in the messages of the group.

Personal Statement of Purpose (SOP)
Your mark-sheets & score reports speak for themselves, therefore a 'Personal Statement of Purpose' is the only means you have to communicate to the admissions officer why you deserve to be admitted to their University. Go through the Personal Statement section for detailed information.

Financial Certificate
At the time of applying, you need to indicate sufficient funds to support your education. Request your bank to issue a certificate as proof of the same.

Letter of Support
If a relative or friend is sponsoring your education, then you have to include a signed letter of support from them, indicating their willingness to fund your study in the US.

Copy of GRE & TOEFL score reports
You can include a copy of your GRE & TOEFL score reports, but you should also make sure that you ask ETS to send your scores directly to the Universities you are applying to.

Additional Certificates
Most colleges don't value certificates for extra curricular activities unless they are directly related to your chosen field of study. But, if you have work experience or have completed projects in your intended field of study, you should definitely include a letter/certificate from your employer or supervisor.

Sphere: Related Content

ADMISSIONS FAQ

What should I look for before selecting a program?

· Eligibility criteria
· Financial implications
· Availability of financial aid for the program
· TOEFL/GRE/GMAT/SAT scores required
· Recognition and validity of the program
· Job opportunities on completion of the program
· Future career prospects.

Which University should I join?

Very good question! You need to evaluate every University individually and observe the following:
· Does it offer the program of your choice?
· Is it recognized or accredited?
· Admission and Academic Requirements
· Minimum TOEFL/GRE/GMAT/SAT/ scores required
· On campus and off campus jobs
· Job opportunities on completion of the program
· Financial Aid/Scholarships/Assistantships offered
· Campus Life
· Proximity of the campus to the nearest city etc.


What other criteria in an institution should an Indian student look for before deciding to apply to it?
If you are keen on teaching assistantship at least in second or the third semester you should choose University with large Undergraduate population and which also offers Undergraduate courses. Many students make mistake by applying to the
smaller Institutes that offers only graduate courses.


Where do I get all this information?
Come to Admission Source with its vast experience and access to up-to-date information on foreign Universities, which is essential before applying. It is very difficult for a student to gather such information all by himself in absence of such information a student can land in a wrong program or in a wrong college or in a wrong city that could seriously affect his career. Admission Source will help you select the right program and college with the assistance of latest information we have on foreign Universities, thereby saving you precious time and money. And
most of your entire career is safe in the hands of real professionals. Admission Source's unique personalized counseling makes the difference.


What are the services of Admission Source?
Admission Source offers the following services:
Individual Counseling: Admission Source shall provide you individual counseling till you are admitted.
Selection of programs: We will advise the colleges that offer programs most useful for your career advancement.

Selection of Universities: We assess your academic records and help you understand the criteria for admission at various American/Canadian Universities. We recommend only Universities recognized and accredited by ABET, NAAB, ASLA, AACSB.

Scholarships: Admission Source will help you to apply for any merit aid and scholarships that you may be eligible for. If you are applying to a graduate school, it may be possible to find
institutions that will offer you fellowships or assistantships
.
VISA COUNSELING IS OUR SPECIALTY

What are the programs Admission Source can get admission into?

You name it we have it. Engineering, Management, Computer Science, Mass Communication, Fashion Merchandising, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Clinical Nutrition, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry are just some of the 600 programs, which Admission Source offers.

What is the Universities Admission source can get admissions? Please ask for the List of Universities. Our students are admitted to only top universities. Unlike others we only apply to universities, which are ranked.


How the systems of applying with Admission Source really work and how successful are we?

The system of applying to Universities abroad is very complicated and takes a lot of time, money and load of paper work. To address these difficulties we have devised a Common Admission Source Process. Our experts are aware of what the Universities are looking for and do the total marketing of the student application.


Why should I apply through Admission Source when I could apply on my own?
Sure. You could apply on your own as well to your desired list of Universities. But you have nothing to lose when you apply through Admission Source. For our working is so managed that the cost of applying directly shall also work out to same amount as applying through us. In addition you get all the backup facilities from us. Admission Source, being a not for Profit Organization, gives the best value.


Are Admission Source Universities fully accredited and recognized?

All Universities recommended by us are fully accredited and recognized by various accreditation bodies and organization.


What are the Standardized Tests?

Standardized Tests are tests conducted by the Educational Testing Service, USA also called the College Board, ETS. There are several tests for students at various academic levels, some of them being TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT. Standardized Tests.

Specifically, when should one ideally take the standardized Tests?

Students seeking admission in the Undergraduate courses are advised to take SAT and TOEFL latest by November of the year in which they enter 12th standard, preferably in July. Student seeking admission in Graduate course in September should take GMAT and GRE in or before November of the previous year. Taking this test only in December of the previous year will restrict the number of Universities in which you can apply.

Are there any Universities in the United States that would not require or waive the Standardized Tests?

TOEFL is a non-escapable examination for International students from countries other than whose mother tongue is English. However Admission Source has been successful in tracing certain US Universities that would not require you to have the scores of these standardized exams other than TOEFL at the time of your admissions, but they would require you to appear for these exams during the first year of the study. These Universities are less in number and may be limited to only certain programs and courses of study.

What is acceptance rate and how does it influence a student in selection of a University to apply?

Students often think that Universities that are hard to get in are necessarily better than the other ones. This is a major myth among students. Some US Universities are so big and philanthropically funded that they could take in as much as 30,000 - 40,000 students a year. This means they would take in an applicant if he/she meets the minimum admissions criteria and academic standing. Yet these Universities remain to be one of the best in the world today. Other Universities may be small and acutely funded resulting in smaller class and a less number intake.
Thus they wish to pick only the best from the total pool of applicants, and here you "find yourself rejected" and admiring all your life if only you could get into that school. Choosing Universities could be so difficult and students many times realize later on in their life, how much it counts to choose the right University for you. Remember "Harvard" or "Princeton" may be the worst of the places you could go for your personal student profile.

What are the various stages of application process for admission in US University and their time frame?

If you are interested in applying in the Fall Semester in 2004 the following should be your timetable:
Initial contact with University: JUNE - SEP, 2003
Taking entrance test: APRIL - DEC, 2003
Sending the complete application form: OCT - FEB, 2003
Receiving of admission letter: APRIL 2003
Visa application: JUNE 2003


Can there be a break in continuity in education before one seeks admission in MBA, MA, and MS?

YES, unlike in India when the general practice is for student to go directly from B.A/B.Com/B.Sc to M.A/M.Com/M.Sc/ MBA a large number of US students take up employment for a year or two immediately after the Under-graduation, and come back to University only later for their Master's degree.

Do International students have options in funding their education?

Yes. There are proven and tested possibilities of funding your education without stress.

BANK LOANS: Many local banks in your hometown would be ready to provide you with a bank loan for the entire length of your studies abroad. If you have a relative living in America and who is willing to stand guarantee you can easily get a loan from an American financial institution. In addition ASSISTANTSHIP OR SCHOLARSHIP are available for Graduate Applicants as discussed below.

How easy is to get such finance assistantship from US Universities?

The position was quite easy till a few years back when many bright Indian students apply for admission in Graduate course received an offer of teaching assistantship along with the offer of admission. This has become quite rare in the last two to three years. Universities now days send only the letter of admission and expect student to enroll first without any financial assistantship and then take the chance in the second semester. Therefore if you propose to seek admission in the Graduate course in a US University you must prepare to pay the tuition fee and also meet your living expenses for at least one year. Otherwise your academic record should be exceptionally outstanding.

What are the types of financial assistance extended to students of US Universities? Yes.
There are proven and tested possibilities of funding your education without stress US University grants three type of financial assistance:

(I) The First one is for Under Graduate Students. Scholarships and work-study possibilities are there.
(ii) The Second is fellowship or scholarship for Graduate Students. This is a direct aid. In addition to the wavier of the tuition fees, this type of financial assistance will make available sufficient amount to the student, which will cover his living expenses. This is based on merits and does not require any reciprocal service by the student to the University except an obligation to continue to maintain a meritorious scholastic record.
(iii) The Third type of assistance also for Graduate Students. It is available to a number of Indian.

STUDENTS IN US.

A teaching assistance. It will require you to assist a senior professor in his teaching functions or to take class for Undergraduate students or assist them in their laboratory assignment.

How much will be the monthly living expenses of an Indian student in USA?

This amount will vary with the location of the University and will depend upon whether it is a big city like New York, Chicago, and Atlanta or is a relevant smaller city like Phoenix, Cincinnati or a University town like Amherst, Purdue.

But since the price of essential food items such as milk, bread and eggs are uniform almost the difference is in the different level of house rents payable in different places. Many Universities themselves provide accommodation to the large number of students enrolled in them. Typically two to four students combine together to rent a house, each student getting an independent bedroom but sharing the other facilities. Since food cooked at home is much cheaper than the restaurant food, the home make cook by turns and share the total kitchen cost. As a thumb rule one may say that the accommodation will cost each student $200 to $250 per month. Book, travel postage etc. round will cost of $50 to $70 per month. Food will cost around $100 per month. Even one can earn around $300 per month by doing odd jobs during spare hours within the University campus.

How much is the annual tuition fees in US?

There is a wide variation in the tuition fee charged by US Universities ranging from $5000 to $30,000 for a full academic year covering 9 months. In fact the annual tuition fee in some of the reputed Universities in US is as little as $7500. Generally speaking the tuition fees is the least in Universities funded by the state governments while it is higher in private institutes. Foreign students have to pay the tuition fee as a resident of other state in USA.

What is the starting salary that a graduate degree holder can hope to get in USA?

This will depend upon your subjects and whether you take up an employment with a private company or a government or with local bodies. Generally speaking the starting salary ranges between & 30,000 to 60,000 per annum.

Can an Indian student study MBBS in USA after completing 12th standard here?

There is no Undergraduate Medical College in USA. You must complete your BS degree and then take a test known as Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). It is only on the basis of your academic records in Undergraduate course and your marks in MCAT that you can apply for admission to a medical college for doing MD.

Can a MBBS degree holder from India seek admission for higher studies in USA?

No. It is almost impossible for them to get Visa for further studies. But one can seek admission in MS/MPH or Ph.D. for which you will have to take GRE and TOEFL.

To how many colleges should one apply to ensure the admission?

This will of course depend upon the credentials you are carrying in terms of your GPA, and your scores on TOEFL, GRE or GMAT or SAT. A student who for example has been a top student of a reputed institute with a overall grade point average of above 3.5 and score over 2300 out of 2400 in GRE may perhaps choose just one top institute such as Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley or Purdue University and should be certain of admission in it. The above is of course an exceptional case. Typically an International student writes to about 20-30 institutes asking for their application form and finally applies to around 10 institutions for admission. He gets admission offers from 5 to 6 from them.

Where can I get more details about this process?

Please contact
ADMISSION SOURCE
Suite 112 SCO 139-141
Sector 17C
Chandigarh
Mobile 9888812246

Sphere: Related Content

Admission Application Status

You can check the status of your
admission application by going
to these links:

Albama
1. The University of Albama at Tuscaloosa
ID # Required
http://graduate.ua.edu/application/appstatus.html
or Contact
http://graduate.ua.edu/application/

2. University of Albama at Birmingham
http://main.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=24746

California
1. UC- Berkeley
Contact the department /program to which you applied to obtain the status of your application
http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/grad_app.shtml#5

2. University of California - Riverside
http://www.graddiv.ucr.edu/admtoc.html

3.Stanford
Computer science
http://cs-admissions.stanford.edu/forms/apply-status.php

UCLA
https://www.gradadmissions.ucla.edu/newapp/

UC-Santa Barbara
https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp/index.cfm?app=old

Delaware
1. University of Delaware
http://www.udel.edu/admissions/viewbook/apply/applyonline.html
http://www.udel.edu/gradoffice/applicants/

Florida

1. Florida State University
Online application status not available. Contact the right person by email or telephone.
http://www.fsu.edu/prospective/admissions/contacts.shtml

2. University of South Florida
https://sonic3.grad.usf.edu/Status.asp
http://admissions.grad.usf.edu/track.html

3. Florida International University
http://gradschool.fiu.edu/status.htm


GEORGIA
1. Georgia Tech
http://www.grad.gatech.edu/admissions/status.html

Valdosta State University
http://www.valdosta.edu/GRADSCHOOL/

Illinois
University of Illinois at Chicago
http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/statuscheck/
http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/applyonline/grad/

Illinois Institute of Technology
http://www.grad.iit.edu/admission/apforms.html

Indiana
1. Purdue University
http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/admissions/

Indiana State University
http://web.indstate.edu/sogs/GradNewtemp/appstatusonline.html

Iowa
1. University of Iowa
http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/graduate-working/check-ap-status/

Maryland
1.University of MD -College Park
http://www.testudo.umd.edu/apps/gradapp/

Massachusetts
1.University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
http://www.umassd.edu/graduate/appstatus.cfm

2. University of Massachusetts - Boston
https://www.umassadmin.net/isis/checkstatus/login.asp?inst=umbos&career=grad


Michigan
1.University of Michigan- Ann Arbor
Racham Graduate School
http://www.rackham.umich.edu/Admis/

2.Western Michigan University
http://www.wmich.edu/admi/gradapp/
Be sure to save your personal account login information so you can return to complete your application in more than one session, or to check your application status.


Minnesota
1. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
http://www.grad.umn.edu/prospective_students/apply_online.html

Missouri
University of Missouri - Columbia
Pin # Required
http://gradschool.missouri.edu/apply/status.html

Nebraska
1. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/prospective/status.shtml

New Jersey
1. Rutgers The State University of NJ
SSN # Required:
https://www.acs.rutgers.edu/gradadmission/programStatusLogon.app
http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/apply.shtml
or Contact
http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/

New York
1. Rochester Institute of Technology
http://www.rit.edu/~625www/grad_admission.html

2.SUNY-Binghamton University
http://gradschool.binghamton.edu/check.asp


North Carolina
University of NC-Chapell Hill

You may monitor the status of your application at http://admprosapp2.admissions.unc.edu/grad/

You may obtain your Person Identification Number at

https://www-s3.ais.unc.edu/SISMisc/pidwmp


Univ of NC- Charlotte
http://www.uncc.edu/gradmiss/p_app_instructions.html
https://ais03.uncc.edu/appstat/appreq.htm


Ohio
Ohio State University
Applicant # Required
https://newman.uts.ohio-state.edu/admissions/appstat/Adm_AppStatus.cfm
http://gradadmissions.osu.edu/text/step_by_step_text.htm

University of Cincinnati
To check on the status of your application or receipt of materials including GRE and TOEFL scores, please contact the department to which you applied. You can find a list of departments by visiting http://www.grad.uc.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.programlisting.
Engineering applicants may additionally visit http://www.eng.uc.edu/graduatestudies/prospectivestudents/onlineapplication/. Choose the link on the right (already applied) and enter your email and password to login.

Oregon
Oregon State University
Online application status not available. Contact the right person by email or telephone
http://oregonstate.edu/admissions/graduate.html

Pennsylvania
1. Penn State
ID # Required
https://vwapps.ais.psu.edu/cgi-bin/gstatus.exe/launch/status

South Carolina
1.Clemson
ID # Required
http://www.grad.clemson.edu/ApplicationCheck.php
http://www.grad.clemson.edu/Admission.html

2.College of Charelston
http://www.cofc.edu/gradschool/future/index.php

South Dakota
The University of South Dakota
Online application status not available. Contact the right person by email or telephone
http://www.usd.edu/gradsch/gradapp.cfm

Tennessee
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
http://admissions.utk.edu/graduate/check.shtml

Texas
1. University of Texas - Arlington
Student ID Required
http://grad.uta.edu/status.asp

2. Texas A&M -College Station
http://www.tamu.edu/admissions/Grad/

3.Baylor College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
http://www.bcm.edu/gradschool/grad-application.html#checking

Utah
Brigham Young University
ID # is Required
http://www.byu.edu/gradstudies/?action=admissions.applicationstatus

University of Utah
http://www.sa.utah.edu/admiss/graduate.htm
https://www.acs.utah.edu/prod/bin/student/admission-tracking

Washington
1.University of Washington
After you have submitted the application, you may log-on to check the status or update your address and email.
https://www.grad.washington.edu/application/


VIRGINIA
1. Virginia Tech
You can track your application\'s progress online once it has been submitted and processed. We will send you an e-mail providing instructions for checking your application status.
http://www.grads.vt.edu/admissions/applying/index.html

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Low GPA stories

Here is a compilation of low GPA stories from Business Week Forum.

Hey, my GPA was considerably less than yours (around a 3.0) and I still was accepted to Kellogg. I had a high GMAT score and I broached the subject during my optional essay. About me -- I was also a math major and took graduate level classes as an UG. I also had steady extracurriculars while participating in ROTC training all four years of school. I only had one bad academic year and my GPA for the other three was around a 3.3. Still, I am not \"proud\" of my GPA and was honest about the issue in my essay -- specifically I stated that I just don\'t identify with the person who performed to that level anymore. I used my subsequent GMAT score, quant background, and work experience to show that I have the brains and the discipline to excel in any future academic endeavors. I also pointed out that following graduation from UG I was recognized as an honor grad during army officer training, etc. Hope this helps. FYI, I would be happy as a pig in sh*t if I had a 3.2 -- it\'s all relative :)
2/15/06 Brewskind

I have 2.6 in engineering and I will attend Wharton in August. I did not build alternative transcript, but I did write an optional essay explaining why my UG record is not a representative of my potential and intellectual ability. mid 700 GMAT, 3.5 WE in 2 countries, speaking 4 languages, almost non existent EC
2/15/06 teladan

I wasn\'t even close to a 3.0, and I got in several top-10 schools. You\'ll need to show that you\'ve done a lot of other significant activities, have a good leadership history, and that you can bring a unique background to the school. A high GMAT can also compensate for a low GPA, assuming your undergrad was at a really good school. Personally I feel like the GMAT is more important to most schools than GPA, but in my case, they definitely looked at my complete application. Just recognize that your GPA is a weakness, and focus your essays on your strengths.
2/15/06 Itcolt1

Got a 3.3 GPA. Lousy transcript. C- in Intro to Calc. The only Math or Econ Class I took. 720 GMATs. At Wharton now as a 1st year. Got a summer job offers at Mck/Bain in San Francisco office, two multi-billion $ hedge funds, and 1 large PE shop. Incredible recruiting year with all my friends with multiple offers. The Wharton name carries tremendous clout to recruiters. Mck and Bain asked for my GPA and still gave me offers. Go figure! They really don\'t care about GPA, once you get in.
2/15/06 Whartonite07

I had a 2.8 (and 1 failing grade) and I just got into Ross. Here is what I did to mitigate the negative effects of my GPA;
1. got a high GMAT (710)
2. Developed an alternate transcript (took 3 business classes and got A\'s)
3. Addressed in the addtional info essay (explained that my GPA is nobody\'s fault, but my own, and said that XYZ proves that it will be better this time)
Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to an application, but I think these above points (among other things) serve to mititgate a low GPA. I had a 2.8 and a failing grade and I just got into a top 10. It can be done.
3/7/06 cdubya

Hi, I have a 2.8 GPA 690 GMAT and got accepted in Columbia.-
3/7/07 mjd903

I got into Wharton with a less than stellar GPA. And have a job at Goldman for the summer so it can be done (I did have a high GMAT and took 4 extra classes and got As to build an alternate transcript)...
3/7/06 natashaMBA

I had a 2.8 undergrad GPA. I balanced this out with a high GMAT and high MS GPA. I am in at Kellogg and Chicago.
3/8/06 Westernkhan

Currently in at Darden, interviewing at Yale, waiting from Tuck and Haas. Due to failing not one but two (!) classes freshman year, I sport a very odd 3.2 from a good but not great small college. I stressed in the optional essays that I learned from my failures, and put up an increasing GPA each year after that. (Had something like a 3.6 the last two years.) I also scored solidly on the GMAT (ever so slightly above median top-10 scores), and, I believe, most importantly, completed a four-course certificate program at Columbia while working full-time last year. Hopefully the 3.8 I racked up there makes a convincing case that I\'m no longer a volatile undergraduate hippie who can\'t be bothered to attend class. 3/8/06 KeithHScott

Not really a success story, but I think I\'m a pretty strong applicant despite a 3.04 GPA in CS at a good engineering school. First 2.5 years I had a 2.7, then for the last year and a half I had a 3.5. Had 740 GMAT. Also some really cool work experience, as I crewed on a yacht that crossed the Pacific after college. My dings stem more from the 2 yrs W/E in corporate america rather than gpa.
3/9/06 110th st

Another low GPA success story....I got into Kellogg with a GPA of 2.7 (Ivy league school). GMAT was around the average for Kellogg.
3/21/06 hekmatyar

2.9 gpa. downward grade trend. major gpa something like a 2.3 (obviously did not highlight) econ (which apparently for everyone else was an easy major) no alt transcript. 730 gmat (gave up a few months of life to study for it) Accepted at wharton. is it just me? seems like Wharton\'s the way to go if you have low gpa but story to back it up. all i can say is... there\'s hope! at the end of the day, you want them to look at who you are, not what your stats are. i was really discouraged when i started out, specially from reading all these forums. but at the end of the day it\'s really letting what you\'re all about shine through, not about contorting yourself to fit what you think they want. of course you do that strategically, but really, the process is not as fake and superficial as people on these boards make it out to be. they really do want to get to know you!
3/21/06 akanelo

Hi everyone, I fit in this category, I had just below a 3.0 from a solid undergrad school. I have almost 4 years of work experience and I took courses at a nearby community college to make up for my transcript. My quant score on the GMAT was good too. I am in at Darden and currently waitlisted at Chicago. I was waitlisted at Cornell but I\'m going to take myself off. I think that it is definitely something you can overcome, but you need to act on it outside of the workplace in my opinion. My biggest piece of advice is that you can make up for weaknesses in the past, but you cannot make up for sloppy essays. Do not take the writing aspects of the application lightly, it will hurt you more than poor stats. 3/22/06 ScoobySteph

I haven\'t finished my quest yet, but I have had some success thus far, so figured I\'d share... 2.46 ugrad Ivy CompSci, 710 GMAT (77% Q)
My work experience has been really strong (I\'ll have 7 yrs upon enrollment) with 2+ years of management experience. Been doing volunteer work for last 2 years and have been an electronic music DJ as a hobby for last 6. Start picking up extracurriculars ASAP if you don\'t have any. They make great essay topics, too, IMHO. Interviewed at Wharton, Columbia, and MIT in R1. Was really hoping for the MIT one, but got the ding. I took 3 classes (calc, accting, stat) and got A\'s and A+\'s in them prior to applying. I think this was what prevented me from being \"dead meat\" (gotta love Sandy). I HIGHLY recommend you do this if you had a poor GPA. Also spent a ton of time on my essays and really tailored them to the specific schools. You really need to show you are extremely interested and knowledgable about the school, but its even more important if you\'re not one of those 800 GMAT / 4.0 braniacs who work at McKinsey and climb volcanos in their spare time. Just found out I was waitlisted at Yale (with no interview....weird) and so now I am enrolling in another class (econ) at UCLA Extension (online) to show that I\'m still committed and that I am still going to do well in my classes. And who knows, I might get some love from HBS (although it hasnt happened yet), this whole process is such a black box I don\'t know what to expect any more! Hope this helps someone out there. And don\'t give up hope w/a low GPA. You absolutely should apply, but plan on working twice as hard as aforementioned brainiacs :) The way I look at it, they worked harder than me as a ugrad, and now I am paying for it. As a side note, having to bust my butt also made me constantly confirm that I really wanted to do this.

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University Acceptance Rate

The following acceptance shows the number of applicants getting admission for every 100 applications.

What does this number mean?

Low Acceptance: Generally Very Competitive schools (top ranked schools); but some

Even low ranked schools which get more number of applications can also be a Low acceptance rate school

High Acceptance: Generally, Less competitive schools which generally issue more i20’s.

Such schools issue more number of admits; so genially safe schools. It can also mean high competition for funding.

So bottom line “ lower the better”

Name
Acceptance %

Auburn University, AL
53

Univ of Alabama-Birmingham, AL
77

Univ of Alabama-Huntsville, AL
53

Univ of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
27

Univ of Alaska, Fairbanks, Ak
36

Arizona State Univ, AZ
28

University of Arizona, AZ
34

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
54

California Institute of Technology,CA
10

Stanford University, CA
31

University of California, Berkeley
15

University of California, Davis
26

University of California, Irvine
16

University of California, Los Angles
32

University of California, Riverside
19

University of California, San Diego
17

University of California, Santa Barbara
16

University of California, Santa Cruz
23

University of Southern California, CA
40

Colorado School of Mines, Co
67

Colorado State University, Co
31

University of Colorado, Boulder
56

University of Colorado, Springs
ND

University of Colorado, Denver
73

University of Denver. Co
95

University of Connecticut, CT
21

Yale University,CT
11

University of Delaware, DE
12

George Washington University, DC
55

Howard University, DC
43

Florida Institute of Technology
54

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
37

University of Florida,Gainesville,FL
11

University of Miami,FL
49

Georgia Institute of Technology, GA
24

University of Georgia
20

University of Hawaii, HL
58

Idaho State University, ID
90

University of Idaho,ID
43

Illinois Institute of Technology, IL
53

Northwestern University, IL
19

Southern Illinois Univ, Carbondale, IL
56

University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
16

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
13

Purdue University- West Lafayette, IN
23

University of Notre Dame
13

Iowa State University
14

University of Iowa
20

Kansas State University, KS
23

University of Kansas, KS
26

Wichita State University, KS
57

University of kentucky,KY
18

University of Louisville,KY
ND

Louisiana State University, LA
30

Louisiana Tech University, LA
62

Tulane University, A
39

University of Louisiana, Lafeyette, LA
55

University of New Orleans, LA
42

University of Maine, ME
46

Johns Hopkins University, MD
10

University of Maryland- College Park, MD
13

Boston University, MA
23

Harvard University, MA
11

Massachusetts Inst of Tech, MA
24

Northeastern University, MA
33

Tufts University, MA
46

University of Massachusetts- Amhrest, MA
10

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, MA
74

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA
65

Michigan State University, MI
8

Michigan Technological University, MI
55

Oakland University, MI
80

University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
30

Wayne State University
39

Western Michigan University
61

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
29

Mississippi State University, MS
24

University of Mississippi, MS
43

University of Missouri- Columbia, Mo
ND

University of Missouri-Kansas City
58

University of Missouri Rolla
48

Washington University in St.Lious
29

Montana State University, MT
52

University of Nebraska -Lincoln, NE
22

University of Nevada, Reno, NV
ND

Dartmouth College, NH
11

New Jersey Institute of Technology, NJ
60

Princeton University, NJ
14

Rutgers State Univ, New Brunswick, NJ
12

Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ
62

New Mexico Inst of Mining & Tech, NM
ND

New Mexico State University, NM
64

University of New Mexico, NM
42

Clarkson University, NY
53

Columbia University, NY
43

Cornell University, NY
25

CUNY, NY
56

Polytechnic University, NY
70

Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, NY
23

SUNY Binghamton, NY
39

SUNY - Stony Brook, NY
22

Syracuse University
35

University of Buffalo- SUNY,NY
25

University of Rochester, NY
7

Duke University, NC
16

North Carolina State University, NC
21

University of North Carolina, Chapel hill
35

University of North Carolina Charlotte, NC
63

North Dakota State University, ND
48

Case Western Reserve university, OH
24

Ohio State University, OH
18

Ohio University, Athens, OH
67

University of Akron, OH
40

University of Cincinnati
21

University of Dayton
82

University of Toledo, OH
38

Wright State University, OH
80

Oklahoma state University, Ok
45

University of Oklahoma
47

University of Tulsa, Ok
54

OGI School of Science & Engg, OR
42

Oregon State University, OR
30

Portland State University, OR
73

Carnegie Melon University, PA
19

Drexel University, PA
44

Lehigh University, PA
27

Pennsylvania State Univ- Univ Park, PA
21

Temple University, PA
49

University of Pennsylvania, PA
26

University of Pittsburgh, PA
24

Brown University, RI
14

University of Rohde Island, RI
50

Clemson University, Sc
41

University of South Carolina, SC
ND

South Dakota School of Mines & Tech , SD
71

South Dakota State University
77

Tennessee Tech University,TN
39

University of Memphis, TN
45

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
28

Vanderbilt University, TN
8

Lamar University, TX
56

Rice University, TX
11

Southern Methodist University, TX
68

Texas A & M University- College Station, TX
31

Texas Tech University, TX
31

University of Houston, TX
31

University of Texas, Arlington, TX
90

University of Texas, Austin, TX
19

University of Texas, Dallas, TX
61

University of Texas, El Pasco
80

Brigham Young University, UT
38

University of Utah, UT
ND

Utah State University, UT
51

George Mason University, VA
67

Old Dominion University, VA
63

University of Virginia, VA
11

Virginia Commonwealth University, VA
64

Virginia Tech, VA
24

University of Washington, WA
25

Washington State University, WA
16

West Virginia University, WV
50

Marquette University, WI
74

University of Wisconsin- Madison, WI
23

University of Wyoming
35

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Safe Schools

The following Universities have a good chance of admit for a Profile of around 1000 GRE and Bachelors score of 50 %.

These schools are also some times “frequently applied schools”.

Arkansas Tech University

Northwest Missouri State University

Arkansas State University

Nova Southeastern University

Ball State University

Oklahoma City University

Bradley University

Old Dominion University

South West Missouri State University

California State University Group

Southern Mississippi University

Chapman University

Southern New Hampshire University

Clark Atlanta University

Southwest Missouri state University

Clarkson University

St University Of West Georgia

Columbus State University

St. Cloud University

Delaware State University

St. John's University

DePaul University

Stevens Institute Of Technology

Duquesne University

Strayer University

East Michigan University

Tennessee state University

East Tennessee State University

Texas A&M International University, Laredo

Farleigh Dickinson University

Troy State University

Ferris State University

University of Missouri Kansas City

Florida Institute of Technology

University Of Louisiana, Monroe

Florida State University

International Technological University

Georgia College & State University

University Of Bridgeport

Georgia Southern University

University of Findlay

Georgia State University

University Of Hartford

Golden Gate University

University Of New Haven

Governors State University

University Of North Florida

Idaho State University

University Of San Francisco

Illinois State University

University Of Wyoming

Jackson State University

Virginia Commonwealth University

Kennesaw State University

Wayne State University

Lamar University

Western Kentucky University

Long Island University

Western Michigan University

Loyola University, Chicago

Wichita State University

Marquette University

Wright State University

Michigan Tech University

University Of Northern Iowa

Milwaukee School Of Engineering

University Of Dayton

Minnesota State University, Mankato

University of Idaho

Mississippi State University

University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana State University, Bozeman

University Of Texas, El Paso

Morehead State University

University Of Texas, Tyler

New Jersey Institute of Technology

University Of South Alabama

New York Institute Of Technology


North Dakota State University


Northern Kentucky University


If you have a better profile then please try to apply for better ranked schools

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Understanding GPA

If you follow the narration given below as to how USA univs go about calculating GPA. You will get a better idea about your own academics.

In the US, universities use a purely statistical way of measuring progress.
Each of the courses a student takes in a term is worth a number of \"units\" or \"credits\".
Most are worth three units.
These are graded A, B, C, D or fail.
An A gets four points
a B three
a C two
a D one
and a failure none

Averages

Universities multiply the number of units by the grade number.
So, an A for a three-unit course is worth 12 points.
A -B is worth 9 points
A -C is of 6 points
and a D is 3 points
At the end of the term, they divide the number of accumulated grade points by the number of units to get a student\'s Grade Point Average (GPA).
For instance, someone might accumulate nine unit points in a term and get 24 points (an A and two Cs).
Divide the points (24) by the units (9) and you get a GPA of 2.67 - just below a B (3) equivalent.
The average is worked out term-by-term and a rolling average ends in a final GPA at the finish of the degree course.
Employers get a more exact idea of where job candidates stand when they look at the final grade.
However, whether a couple of hundredths of a point would make that much difference is debatable.
US students tend to specialize less early on than their overseas counterparts.
So, transcripts of performances in all exams taken during a course are also available.
An employer might use these to pick and choose particular relevant skills - such as a manufacturer who cares more about units in chemistry than English literature.
The GPA undoubtedly gives a \"purer\" version of a student\'s overall progress, but even in the US there have been accusations of grade inflation.

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Need help with your application Process ?

Do you need help for choosing which universities to apply to..??

Do you need help for getting admits in good universities..??

Do you need help for getting financial aid/scholarship/T.A/..??

Do you need help for appearing for the visa interview..??

Do you need help for any matter concerning the application process..??

Do you need help for any matter concerning the GRE/GMAT/TOEFL exams..??

Above all are you aware of the post program employment record of different universities.??

Even if you have low scores/academics/been rejected once, you still have a very good chance.

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Further Questions about admission process

1) Is it ok, if we send the application directly to universities without contacting the professors?

Yes. Professors are contacted to find some combatibility between your area of research interest and the proffesors area of research. They are primarily contacted for RA.

2) I had sent mails to professors asking them to evaluate my chances of working with them. Some of them havent replied. Will it be fine, even if I apply for these universities also?

Yes

3) My profile is GRE - 1390/1600 (Q 800+V 590), TOEFL - 280, M.Tech (IIT Bombay) - 8.76/10 and B.E - 73.96%, Two conference papers at Asia-pacific conference. Please suggest me top, safe and sure universities for admission.

Please check the Resources available in Admisssion Source Blog.

4) Will applying to 4 or 5 universities be fine or shall I apply for more universities?

Depends on your University selection and your objectives of getting only admission or along with assisstantship.

5) What is the best time to apply for getting aid?

NOV - JAN after verifying the deadlines. There is no harm in applying early

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