Applying to MS and PhD programs

Nitish Korula (2000A7TS054)Sanketh Shetty (2000A3PS150)

The Application Process

Selecting Universities Standardized Tests

(GRE/TOEFL/AGRE/TSE) Statement of Purpose Letters of Recommendation Resume

Selecting Universities

First prepare a shortlist (by June)

Identify 4 sure apps

Picking a spread Ambitious Safe A Judicious mix

Criteria for Selection Match the program to your needs Course structure Research Placements and Industry Linkage University Rankings (US News) Funding Policy Minor factors

(Location, history with BITS, time to graduation)

Standardized Tests – GRE/TOEFL

Initial Preparation Practice Tests

Repeating the Test Multiple Score reports

Standardized Tests – AGRE

Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics

Computer Science Theory Heavy (Algorithms, ToC) More basic than advanced topics CDC books, Practice tests

Statement of Purpose Difference between a SoP and Personal

Statement

What are your objectives?

Why graduate study?

Why this university and field?

Avoid cliches, quotes, COPYING

Statement of Purpose

Tell a Story

Prepare Drafts early and often

Customize for each school

Proof read, format, etc.

Letters of Recommendation Get letters from people who know you well

The letter should focus more on future research potential than on past accomplishments

Don’t write your own letter

Not more than one non-Academic letter

Résumés Keep it short! (1 page ONLY)

Active, not passive voice

Include: awards, publications, brief project descriptions, extra-curriculars, contact information

Exclude: objective, course descriptions, excessive school information, personal info

Set up a website

Pre-Apping Whom do you write to?

Grad Students Professors

What do you write? Introduce yourself Summary of your interests and the work you have done Why does his/her research interest you? A brief resume (inline)

DO NOT SPAM

Read the professor’s website to see if he/she has information for prospective students.

Grad school - the BITSian and BITS2MSPhD angle

What BITS2MSPHD can do for you E-group

Questions on everything answered Extensive Experience Good number of Universities represented Apping Optimizer

Website Loads of advice on every stage of the process. Continually updated (we try!!!) FAQs Discipline and Research Area Specific Info

Campus Collaboration – Application Process

Good idea to meet other junta applying to graduate school in your discipline

Share University specific information Clarify questions on procedure:

transcripts, score reports Do not READ or COPY each other’s

SOPs

Campus Collaboration -- Research Identify people with similar interests

Talk, exchange ideas and problems Work in groups Organize Reading Groups and Seminars

Work on long term projects Informal projects

Learn how to do research

PUBLISH! PUBLISH! PUBLISH!

Building your Résumé Identify opportunities

On Campus PS Research Institutes: IISc, JNCSR, TIFR,

IMSc, IITs etc. Abroad

Publications go a long way. PAships on Campus Extra currics are good too.

Leveraging the BITS Brand

Identify schools that accept a lot of BITSians

Identify faculty and grad students who are ex-BITSians

Cross-Apping Which department do you apply to?

Do you need to write the GRE Subject Test?

What should your SOP reflect?

What else do you do?

Common Apping Mistakes

Apping Low Apping Late Insufficient work on SOPs, Recos and

Resume Insufficient research work Sort out all official documents to

ensure they are consistent

Statistics from Last Year 63 students with known admits

Many multiple admits

Prominent Schools: Stanford, UIUC, CMU, UMD, GaTech, Cornell,

Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin

40 students with aid offers

Up from previous years

Q & A