Applying to US Universities

When writing your GRE or TOEFL, you can mention 4 universities. Your scores will be reported to these universities free of cost.

List of colleges that accept GRE scores.

For other universities, you'll be charged $20 per university. It takes 3 or 4 weeks to report your score.

Spend quality time on websites of universities you are interested in. Create a spreadsheet and collect information. Track the following for each university you want to apply to:

General information

• Links to the university site and important pages on the site
• State it is located in - to determine cost of living and opportunities for employment

Admission procedures

• Last dates for Admission for Fall, Spring
• GRE/TOEFL cut-offs

Academic strength

• Ranking of the university, department
• Key faculty members renowned in their field - Contact them at later, if required
• Strengths of the department, specializations offered in it
• Specialty schools or centers within the department - such as Center for Nano Materials or Bio-materials
• Major projects running in the department from Government Departments of Defense, Science or Industry

Fees and Placement

• Fee structure and promise of assistantship/fellowship
• Placement scenario

You can refine the list with additional information.