Because of the work and the costs involved in putting together a
good application, most students limit their applications to between
four and seven programs. However, you can request information from
as many universities as you like, keeping in mind any postage costs
and charges for university materials that you may have to pay. You
may have a clear idea of exactly which schools you will be applying
to and request information only from those. Or you may prefer to
request information from 10 or more schools that you believe meet
your needs, and then narrow down your list once you have read
through the catalog, application form, and other information you
receive.
If you have access to the Internet, you will find that many U.S.
universities put their catalogs on their websites, and some have
even stopped printing paper copies. Many also have on-line
application forms that can be completed on the computer and sent
back to the university electronically, or the forms can be
downloaded and printed. If there is an on-line application, you
should use it. This is the quickest method for submitting your
application. If you can download the application, appropriate parts
of the catalog, and other information from the websites, you will
not need to contact the university directly. Websites increasingly
offer other features, such as video tours of campuses.
If you do not have access to the Internet and need printed copies of
application materials and catalogs, contact each university by
writing a letter or by sending a fax or e-mail request separately to
each school. Include the information detailed in the section below,
"What to Include," in your written request. Or, you may prefer to
submit a preliminary application form instead; contact your nearest
EducationUSA information and advising center for copies of these
forms.
Due to the cost of mailing to other countries, you may receive a
shortened version of course listings, and you may be asked to pay if
you require the entire catalog. Check to see if your information or
advising center has copies of catalogs you need. If you do not
receive, or cannot find, all the information you require, write or
e-mail the school again and ask the specific questions you wish to
have answered.
E-mail is an easy way to obtain an application and other materials,
and U.S. universities are usually quick to respond. However,
sometimes you may need to make a telephone call to follow up on a
particular item. In that case, send a fax or e-mail ahead of time,
telling the relevant person that you will be telephoning, when you
will call, and what you wish to discuss. |
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If you plan to apply to highly competitive institutions or to seek
financial assistance, send your first inquiry 18 months before you
plan to enroll. In other cases, send your first inquiry 12 months
before you plan to enroll. Give yourself sufficient time for
possible delays in international mail, especially if you are posting
applications or requesting information in November or December when
the high volume of holiday mail will often double the length of time
mail takes to reach its destination. Be sure to send any letters by
international airmail because surface mail can take several months
to arrive.
Address your inquiry to the Director of Graduate Admissions, using
the address for the university given in the reference books. Send a
separate inquiry to the Department Chair or Departmental Graduate
Admissions Committee Chair requesting information about study and
research in the department, and advise the department that you have
also been in touch with the Graduate Admissions Office of that
school. Make sure you clearly write the name of the appropriate
office or department on the envelope. Also be sure to include the
full zip (postal) code for the institution on the envelope to ensure
that your letter reaches its destination as quickly as possible. You
may also send these inquiries by e-mail.
If you wish to write or fax your request, carefully type or print
all items. Always keep a copy of everything you send. Do not send
any documents with the original inquiry; wait until you file a
formal application. A letter or e-mail message should include the
following:
- Your name, printed legibly or typed in exactly the same form
and spelling each time, clearly indicating which of the names is
the family name. In the United States, each person is identified
primarily by a single family name or "last name," and it is
customary to use only the father's family name as the son or
daughter's family name. It is best to use your name as it
appears on your passport.
- Your date of birth, printed or typed with the month first,
then the day and year as it corresponds to the Gregorian
calendar; for example, May 6, 1967, is 5/6/67. If a different
calendar is used in your country, convert it to the Gregorian
calendar. Be sure to always use the same birth date.
- Your mailing address. Make sure your return address is
written clearly on the letter and on the envelope.
- Your citizenship and the country that has issued your
passport.
- Your past and present education in chronological order,
including technical programs, colleges, and universities or
other institutions attended since secondary school, with
examination results, grades, and rank in class, if known.
- The program of study you wish to apply for, using the exact
wording that that institution uses for the program, as well as
the month or term (fall or spring) and year in which you hope to
begin studying in the United States.
- The total funds available to meet your educational and
living expenses during each year of study in the United States,
and the sources of these funds.
- Scores from English language proficiency tests and required
admissions tests, if available, or dates on which you are
registered to take these examinations.
- If you are not a native speaker of English, your number of
years of English language study and where you studied.
These items will enable admissions officers to judge whether
application at a particular level of study is suitable for you and
to indicate your chances for admission. Sometimes schools or
departments will require this, and possibly additional, information
to be submitted in a more formal way as a preliminary application.
Again, this allows the school to see if you are a suitable candidate
for the program before you go through the whole application process.
If you have conducted thorough research to identify potentially
suitable departments and programs, most or all of the institutions
will respond by inviting you to submit a full, formal application
for admission. They will send all the forms and instructions, and
they may assign you a temporary, or processing, identification
(I.D.) number. Be sure to use that number in all future
correspondence with that institution. |
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