T sirRiddy:
I decided to start writing a memoir about my application for a Master’s degree in the United States today, the 1st of September, 2015. I saw a need to do this because I believe that having this would really help make the process easier for most people DanjaNinja post=48197478:
. who want to do it without the use of agents. I have detailed the steps I took during the process of applying to MS programs in the US.
I applied to seven schools and sent all my application materials to the graduate schools.
They include:
1. Auburn University
2. Kansas State University (KSU)
3. University of Kansas
4. Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)
5. East Tennessee State University (ETSU)
6. University of Arkansas, Little rock (UALR)
7. University of Central Arkansas, Conway.
I graduated from college in 2014 August with a 3.6/5 GPA, BS Computer Science. I started making enquiries about schools that would admit me to their MS program for fall 2016 and provide me with good funding. I came up with quite a number and had to scratch many off my list due to their high GPA and test score requirements. Some of these schools were Purdue University, Oregon State University, University of Maryland College Park. I got to know from most school requirements that I would require the GRE general test and TOEFL. These were standardized tests that schools used to appraise the strength of applicants. Some other programs like Psychology and Chemistry require that applicants write the subject tests.
School Search:
My interests were originally in IT/Software Project Management and I always thought I could pursue an advanced degree in the discipline, do good internships, and then acquire certifications to practice the profession. However, I was advised to apply to MS programs in Computer Science for the sake of viability and returns on Investment as well as the need to improve my chances of getting good funding. I used US news to search for Computer Science graduate programs. I then went through each of the department websites. I was impressed with Arizona State University (ASU) as I saw a Professor who was involved in research related to Software Project Management. I decided to make ASU my first choice school, even though it was ranked at #48 in the whole of the US, which seemed highly ranked for my profile. UMD has a good program too but their admission requirements were so intimidating. I started looking for decent programs that could guarantee my getting funded. But do these schools exist anywhere?
After getting to meet some altruistic folks on Nairaland, I got names like ETSU, MTSU and UALR. I had many schools on my radar like Wayne State University, Montana State University and Utah State University. My advice is to find as many schools as possible, then shortlist as things become clearer. Another advice is to make sure each school is contacted before one starts applying. Their email addresses and other contact information can always be found on their website. It is advisable to mail the graduate school and the department you would be applying to about admission requirements, whether you need your transcripts evaluated or not, funding and research opportunities. Be clear how things are done there before you apply. Also public/state schools have more funding than private schools. Some top private get external grants for research as well as substantial donations from large corporations and government that afford them to fund their students. Do extensive search on the schools you would be applying to. This will help you know the quality of their programs, the funding as well as the target on your GRE and TOEFL before you take these tests. For instance, ASU have it on their computer website that the medium Quant GRE score for their accepted applicants is 159. What this means is that anyone applying should be aiming for a 160 in the exam to meet their GRE requirements. Though, meeting GRE requirement does not automatically guarantee you admission to any program but this considerably improves your chances.
Contacting prospective schools:
I cannot overemphasize the importance of this. I mailed each graduate program director, expressing interest in their programs, asking specific questions about their curriculum and research, as well as their funding opportunities. This made it easier to shortlist schools to apply to. Florida International University, for example, said they fund only the top 10% of accepted candidates and I did not want to take such huge risk. East Tennessee State University said they fund 25 students among their 40 to 45 graduate students. Wayne State University do not fund in the first semester and Utah State University only waive out-of-state tuition.
Especially for spring applicants, mailing your prospective schools can save you a lot of stress and cash.
Standardized tests:
I needed to write two tests to apply to graduate programs in the United States. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General test and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are the tests that cost 195 dollars and 180 dollars respectively. I started browsing about the GRE as I had often heard of how taxing it was. I used blogs like Magoosh and Prepcrunch to read about the modalities of the test, people's experiences as well as the preparation materials required. I went to CMS in Lagos, purchased Barrons and Gruber books to study for the test. I got those books and started using Isolo Library as a study center around the end of August. I was awaiting the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and that would not be until November. After a month of study, I took the first Powerprep mock test and scored 153Q 151V. I was dejected as my target score was 160 in the Quant section. I went to Nairaland and got some good recommendations on better resources to use. These books were Manhattan, Nova, ETS books. Another issue was the erratic power supply in my area which was really hindering my prep. I moved to Ile Ife where I graduated from and spent over a month reading tirelessly and solving practice questions from different sources. I took my second Powerprep and my quant score improved to 156. I was still a bit scared but I decided that I would retake the test if I had less than 160. My test was scheduled for December 15. I took the test and got quite a good score: 162Q 154V 4.5AWA. These scores were good for most of the schools I was aiming for. I also prepared for my TOEFL and took it on May 2015. I got 107 but did not meet the 26 which was my target score for the Speaking section. I sent my GRE and TOEFL scores to all the schools and confirmed if they received them through telephone calls.
PS: There is a wonderful Facebook group, NEW GRE, for the GRE study that I found about a week to my test. I met great guys there and also got lots of materials and advice there. I also found a TOEFL group too and this was really helpful. Also, Notefull YouTube videos helped a lot.
Transcripts:
I got my transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES). What this means is that the body converts my GPA which is on a 5.0 Nigerian scale to a 4.0 US scale. This cost me 212 dollars. This was a requirement of some of the schools I was applying to. I sent the other transcripts directly to the graduate schools using regular NIPOST at a rate of 350 naira which took about three weeks. I confirmed that they all received them by calling them.
Most schools would not require WES evaluations, some would. Do not hesitate to ask your school about this and read their websites. Also, if you want to use the NIPOST service, do that only when your deadline is far as some friends have unpalatable stories about their services.
Personal Statement:
Most schools would require a student applying to a graduate school to write a Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose, detailing the career goals of the student, why he believes he is fit for that program as well as explaining how he would be a great addition to that program. I browsed different sites looking for good Personal Statements. Sites like msinus.com was a very good source for getting a lot of perspective before writing this statement. I wrote and edited a lot after inputs from a lot of good friends. I wrote a one and a half pages and tailored it to each school. Most schools would like you to include your research interests and how you would advance the discipline here.
There is a book that is quite good for learning how to write a good Statement of Purpose. It is written by Richard Stelzer: How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate Schools and Professional schools. You might want to get it.
Letters of Recommendation:
Usually, schools ask three faculty members of the undergraduate institution you graduated from to write a letter that explains to the admission committee what kind of student you were in school. It is supposed to detail your academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities and your personality. It is easier to get good recommendations when you have a rapport with your lecturers while in school. Also, ask your lecturers for letters as early as possible. Then, ask at least five as some might disappoint in the last minute.
Funding:
One of the dissuading reasons from applying to graduate schools is the thought of how to pay for it. The average tuition costs of graduate studies is 20000 dollars per year, some can be as low as 12000 dollars while those of private schools are way higher. There are other costs including living expenses (rent, food, and utilities), books, University fees, Room and Board. It is no longer news that most people cannot afford to pay given the high cost as well as the high exchange rate between dollar and naira.
Many graduate students get their school fees paid through Graduate Assistantships. They are usually three types: Graduate Research Assistantship, Graduate Teaching Assistantship and Graduate Administrative Assistantship. These positons are both academic and non-academic and require that students offer a service to the departments in the school for a number of hours in return for a partial or complete waiver of their tuition and some stipends to support their living expenses. This position can be renewed based on performance after a semester or a year. Some schools do not offer such until a student has spent at least a semester or year. This is why it is advised that applicants mail schools to know their policies before applying.
There are also Fellowships given to exceptional students who have demonstrated academic or scholarly leadership. Some schools offer scholarships but these usually cover a very small portion of the costs.
I have also come across scholarships like MasterCard Foundation Scholarship and I also know of a friend who is enjoying a Fullbright Scholarship. However, these scholarships are competitive and prestigious, and only the brave get them.
No matter your financial capability or academic standing, it would be wise to seek out for financial aid both from the schools you are applying to and any other sources that you know of.
Apply early
To increase your chances of getting admission and funding, apply early. Please do.
CONCLUSION
I got accepted into most of the programs I applied to (Almost all are not famous programs) but Kansas State University offered me an MS/PhD admission with a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (funded). This made my decision easy really as I have always wanted a PhD admission from the start. My low GPA discouraged me from applying to PhD programs. This means I would spend five years; getting an MS first after two years and proceeding to get a PhD three years later.
If you have a GPA of at least 4/5, I would advise that you try direct PhD programs (If you really are cut out for research).
Also, my program is not high ranked. It is 90 among Computer Science programs in the US. If you have a GPA of 4/5 and can make a 320 on the GRE, it would be good to try better programs (top 50 programs). Spread your risks though and I believe you will get into a very good program.
One more thing to do I forgot to mention is to go to each department website, look for professors who are doing research you like and read their journals actively. You can summarize it and send them a critique. You can never know who would reply you. Many who are hired as Research Assistants secure the positions using this means.
I believe this is detailed enough for application process for graduate admissions. Visa decisions are largely dependent on individual profile, level of preparation for the interview and luck as seemingly similar candidates have had different outcomes at the embassy from observation. Issuance of visas solely lies in the hands of the Consulate Officer and anyone can be denied if the official believes the applicant is not qualified. Denials in the Nigerian embassy are quite rampant due to the sheer volumes of applicants as well as the high occurrence of forged documents by applicants from the country. Adequate preparation for the interview, confidence and having ties to one’s home country are required for this process.
Thank u SirRiddy for taking out time to write this.Indeed u are a great guy,may God bless u. 4 Likes |
Education / Re: How To Achieve High Scores On The GRE by tiwowo: 4:03am On Aug 05, 2016