Every year, there are increasing number of international applications being received at the respective universities especially in USA. Majority of the applicants apply for the programs of engineering, science and management fields which are competitive in nature, requires preciseness in not only documents being submitted while applying for the program, but also the number of factors which are enlightened here for students’ reference:
1. Being an Early Bird
The thumb rule is to start the application for the particular term at the earliest without waiting for any deadlines. Application submission can be time consuming and requires an amount of effort for completion, where rushing it at the last moment would result into errors.
For this, start referring the deadlines for the particular term and program which you want to apply, where at times it has been observed that few universities unfavorably do not evaluate the submissions received near to the closing date for the application.
Not only this, but many competitive programs get filled on priority upon receiving the number of applications on first-come first-serve basis, where being late to submit the application, would only result into getting waitlisted or denial in acceptance.
Moreover, if a candidate wants to go for under-graduate or graduate programs, he would not have to wait for final grades as the universities does offer conditional acceptance on the grounds of predicted grades and relevant aspects in your application.
2. Have the right number of universities
Conventionally thinking and sticking to only one university for the application would not be a fruitful practice, as to increase the chances of being accepted, it is worth applying to minimum two to three universities for improving the chances of gaining the acceptance.
On the other hand, being skeptical and applying to lots of universities would not only create more burden of work in terms of completing the application, but also the increase in application expenditure as many universities do charge application fees ranging from USD 30 to 100.
Hence, a well-planned approach would be to choose five to seven universities as below:
i). Two universities which are in top rankings but may ask you to stretch your budget, there would be no harm in aiming high and applying for 2 such options.
ii). Two to three targeted universities, where realistically the acceptance can be secured.
iii). Two safe-ground universities, where it would be quite certain that you will receive the acceptance and as a last-resort you would not be feeling demotivated to decide over this universities for attending it.
Ensure that you apply to universities where you will be feeling happy at the heart, motivated enough to pursue your desire program.
3. The Magic Wand of Personal Statement
There is no doubt that applications usually require the academic documents at first, but each university in USA does refer to the personal statement written by the student himself, outlining his career progression, ambitions, interests, co-curricular activities, and achievements and how his exposure as an individual has led him to pursue respective program at the university where he would be applying for the particular term.
As the word “Magic Wand” says it, where the apt explanation would make the application outcome turning into your favor. Copied or randomly written statement may lead to the undesirable impression over the assessing faculties and may lead to decline of the admission application.
4. Importance of Work Experience
There is no doubt that in today’s environment, work experience serves as a benchmark for the candidate in any field where it helps prove that a person would have exposed to real-time working and field-related scenarios, making him more competent and trouble-solving orientation.
In some cases, many universities prefer evaluating the overall profile of a student, where even if a candidate is lacking in GPA and having number of backlogs, but having extensive experience in-relevance with the field of study would allow a candidate to secure the acceptance regardless of lower GPA.
Also, some of the Graduate Programs such as Master of Business Administration or Master of Engineering requires few years of relevant experience, as a part of application process and assessment.
5. Submission of Mandatory and Additional Documents
It is one of the important aspects of the application procedure, where upon filling the application form, the required documents are usually displayed by means of a checklist. Documents in electronic format like PDF files of academic marksheets, transcripts, degree certificates as well as letter of recommendation along with additional documents such as employer’s reference letter, trainings and internships awards.
Also, many universities do send a verification request on submitted letter of recommendation to the referee in their email, where they are required to submit the reference form. If referees fail to do it, then the application remains incomplete. Hence, it is very important to ensure that your referees respond to the reference checks sent by the universities to ensure your application is being assessed promptly.
6. Follow the right application pathways
There are numerous ways to submit applications to the institutions; however, the most efficient and time-saving way is to consult an education advisor like Focus Education who can assist in this aspect as we have experienced staff who are well-versed with the process.
At times, there are number of universities which use centralized application system instead of their individual application platforms, but this can be tricky and create confusion hence consult us and we will guide you the best.
7. Funds in the right place
As an international student applicant, it would be evident to ensure the availability of funds to afford the tuition fees for the program duration as well as requiring the living expenses funds maintained in Savings Account / Fixed Deposit in the individual account or parents’ savings account.
Especially, when it comes to USA’s universities application, it does require funds statement during the assessment and issuance of the acceptance. Also, ensure to calculate the range of annual tuition fees of the universities alongside living expenses which can be managed from the parental and family sources, without burdening them.
8. Securing the Entrance Exam Scores
There is no doubt that academic grades of the previous credentials are primary benchmark but also the English Proficiency Examination namely IELTS, PTE or TOEFL will be playing pivotal role in securing the acceptance alongside academic grades.
Also, in many demanding courses of engineering and sciences as well as management, aptitude tests such as GRE or GMAT are being asked for as a part of entry requirement. Ergo, scoring good in these examinations would ensure the unequivocal acceptance in the desired universities.
If you are ready to embark on your educational journey in the USA, Focus Education is here to guide you through the US student visa application process and beyond. Our consultancy specializes in assisting students with every aspect of their study plans. Contact us now to start your journey and transform your academic aspirations into reality.
