How Graduate School Application is reviewed or submitted

In the last post i was talking about Low GRE score options and your chances of admission if your score is less then 1100. Today, I was planning to writing about 2 different topics

• Job in India or Masters in U.S.
• What would I be doing If I didn’t come to U.S.

But, just before I started writing, I thought, why not write about the application process breakdown, after the Graduate School application packet is submitted. From my experience, in observing the admission process, its almost similar is all the schools. Atleast the flow of application package from the time you submitted Graduate School or Undergraduate School application. Let me see if I can finish this within this post or have to break it down into 2 or more.

Breakdown of the process:

Step 1: Submit application before deadline

Step 2: Send all documents (hardcopy)

Step 3: Unique application ID

Strep 4: Application fee

Step 5: Scores Verification

Step 6: Forward to Department

Step 7 : Decision Making

Step 1: Submit application before deadline

You have to submit application before deadline. Some schools are very specific about that, but some schools accept application after the deadline, but you have to pay the additional fees. Submitting online application will make the process much faster. If you submit paper application, they will have to enter the application into the system. It would delay the decision process atleast by few days.

Step 2: Send all documents (hardcopy)

Now, the application is submitted. One tips that I would say here, when you submit the hard copy, it will make the Graduate School work easier if you can enclose a check list of all the documents you include in the top and arrange Graduate School application documents like Statement of Purpose, Recommendation Letter, Bank Statement, Affidavit of Support, Resume, Certificates, Project Descriptions,… from the sponsor in the exact order.

If you have submitted, online application, and got an unique reference number, make sure you include that number at the top of all the documents. You can pen down on the envelop of Recommendation letter, Statement of Purpose, ..

Track the package all the way through the graduate school. FedEx, DHL, provides very good tracking options. Make of note of the person who signs and receives your package. It’s very important, to note that. You can use that as a reference, if you wan to contact them in future.

Step 3: Unique application ID

Now the application is with the Graduate School. Now the waiting games begins. Patience and strong belief will get you the admit. There are so many things that has to go right, for the application to be approved and sent to Department for review.

There will be one person who will be assigned to process your application. Graduate Schools typically receives so many applications, at times they misplace few documents, then you are in trouble. Hope that doesn’t happens. I will talk about what to do if you application status says, missing documents.

that person will enter all your details in the system. Will create a folder and using their checklist, they will see if all the documents are received. Hang on, not that fast.

Step 4: Application fee