GETTING IN TOP UNIVS FOR MS- SUHRID BHATT-STANFORD ADMIT
July 13th, 2006 by 
coremaniac
This is based on my personal experience. It is basically a list of things I would do given another a chance to apply again!
Also, this document is not meant to be a sure shot formula to get into a top school… It should be viewed as a list of things that you should do in order to have a decent chance of making it… In other words, not doing these things undermine your chances of making it in the best of the universities
Prerequisites:
Very good GRE and academic stuff
actually get as much as u can of either
A urge (or atleast the pretence of it) to learn more
TO DO:
1) Apply for PhD (or MS/PhD) programs! Most top schools are looking for researchers not students who want the stamp of a top school. You can always quit after MS if you want to… but APPLY for PhD or atleast indicate that it is your ultimate goal
2) Write a focused SOP. Just a piece of beautiiful prose is not enough. You should be explicit in ur research interests and depict proper knowledge of the field. Do your research to find out what interests you. The more SPECIFIC you are the better it is.
3) Email profs even before you receive a decision. Again, do your research, find profs you are interested in… mail them! Write specific mails to each one. A generic mail will most likely go answered!
This exercise may not give you instant results but it atleast will make the prof look at your profile which is very imp. Often, applicants are rejected because no prof gets interested in them.
4) Fill each and every part of the application to the best of your ability even if the sections are *not required*. Dont be lazy… you have to put in that extra effort if you want to make it to the best!
5) Research experience is very imp… You cant really control it but if you are starting early, you should work towards getting 1 or 2 journal papers.
Will come up with more articles in due time
- SUHRID BHATT - STANFORD & TEXAS ADMIT
Posted in Students Speak | 
July 16th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
hi Suhrid,
thanks for this information. i’m a final yr medical student from manipal, india and would like to pursue further education in US.
as for research experience, i have @ Ind Council of Med. Research studentships, 5 comnference presentations and 1 publication.
i’l be grateful if u cud guide me further personally on this matter.
devesh
July 17th, 2006 at 11:30 pm
If you could send us/post a copy of your SOP just a rough copy, we would know what exactly people look for in an admissions essay or SOP.I would really appreciate that
Thanks
Ketan
July 27th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
HI Suhrid,
Thank you for the great piece of information. I am preparing to write the GRE by this September and want to know how to convert my engineering grades to the US standards. If you have any information about it, please let me know.
Maria
July 31st, 2006 at 11:19 pm
Hi all! Thanks for the enthusiastic replies!!
@Chetan
Actually I completed my undergrad from Rutgers (first 2 yrs were in Mumbai, then transferred to Rutgers).. so I may not b able to answer ur VISA queries since I havnt gone thru that procedure yet.. but post it on the forum (http://www.coremaniacs.com/forum/) and I am sure u will be helped! As far as admission criteria go, academics r definitely very important.. the only thing that could be more important is probably research experience
July 31st, 2006 at 11:31 pm
@ Devesh
Do post ur queries on the forum.. I am sure someone (if not me) will help u!
@ Ketan
I honestly cannot distribute my SOP on a public forum for obvious reasons.. but frankly, if I apply again, I dont think I would use the same SOP.. my SOP isnt the ideal example of the SOP i have rooted for in this article and hence I definitely dont want juniors to use it as a benchmark!
July 31st, 2006 at 11:34 pm
@ Maria
Do not try to convert your marks to the US GPA system! The admissions commitees have a very good idea of the various grading systems and they can evaluate ur capabilities based on ur local grades
August 1st, 2006 at 12:02 pm
i have gone through ur message.
it gave me a very good knowledge
im doing my final year BE. in mechanical engineering. next i want to go for Ms in States. Can u advice me how i should i make meself eligible for good Universities
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:45 pm
I wish to clarify 1 thing here - the first point (Apply to PhD programs).. This point is meant for ppl who have the intention or interest to do a PhD but aint sure.. If you know you definitely want to do an MS only, I do not encourage you to lie! However, if you r thinking of a PhD but aint very sure.. I am trying to push you into applying for it..
secondly this is mainly important for the top schools.. which get thousands of excellent applications.. now if they have 2 gr8 applications, but one is for MS only and the other indicates interest in PhD, they will obviously choose the PhD student since he will stay longer and can meaningfully contribute to the research environment there..
even in the top 10 schools, there r a coupla schools like Georgia Tech and Stanford which give a lot of MS only admits, but then they have a huge MS intake and they compensate by limiting funding to some extent! On the other hand, its harder to get a MS only admit at schools like Berkeley, UIUC, UT Austin which have a small MS intake..
So, it is not that you HAVE to apply for a PhD.. you must take into account all criteria and decide for yourself!
August 4th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Hi Suhrid
first of all,I would like to thank you for sharing with us your valuable information.I am a fresh Mechanical graduate,presently employed in a renowned core company.However I want to do an M.S in automobile engineering from a very good university through GRE after some work experience.I have a good offer from a software company and in the present company I don’t learn anything.I have a doubt on that.If I switch to software,Will it be difficult for me to get a very good college for my M.S after 1 or 2 years (probably) since I have deviated from my core field.Plz suggest.
August 5th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
@ Prince and other readers:
You may leave comments here on the blog but Please post your questions and queries on the forum here:
http://www.coremaniacs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=241
It is easier to reply there. Thanks!
Prince, I am replying to your query on that thread…
August 12th, 2006 at 12:33 pm
DEAR SUHRID,CURRENTLY I AM INTHE F.E AT MUMBAI UNIVERSITY..I WANT TO TAKE A SHIFT TO AN U.S UNIVERSITY AFTER TWO YEARS LIKE U DID.HOW IS THE TRANSFER PROCEDURE LIKE ?IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A TRNASFER INTO A GOOD UNIVERSITY LIKE UT AUSTIN OR UPENN .PLEASE LET ME KNOW.my emails id is ameyrane@gmail.com
August 15th, 2006 at 5:41 am
hey suhrid.am in my final year of engg in ait,pune.i havnt got a brilliant acad record.in the avg section.but i got a very gud extra curricular activity record.is that any gud?are acads given a lot of weightage in gre?
any chances of gettin 2 a gud collg?
September 5th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
hi akshat
for GRE acads matter.
i know few of my friends preparing for GRE and they say a decent score of 60 marks in each year of engg is important.
as ur in final year try and make all that is possible in this year.
get a good project that also help
and yes if u have a great Extracurricular then ur half done the only thing u need is try to show them that u have great extra curricular.
cheers
October 14th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
hi suhrid
i finished my engineering and have a PG in Construction Management.
currently am employed but i have a huge interest in Economics and want to pursue a PhD…..my acads are not tht gr8 so am not very sure..can u advice me which colleges in USA i shud apply to for securing a seat in PhD Economics….
November 17th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Hi Suhrid,i have finished my engg in 2003, now i m gaining experience in lecturership, wat do u think, it would be helpful to get admit and as u said “Research experience is very imp… you should work towards getting 1 or 2 journal papers.”can u pls tell me how should i start towards the journal papers, thr is no one to guide me!!!!
December 19th, 2006 at 11:37 am
suhrid,
I am third year chemical engg student.
I wil give GRE in 2008 AUGUST.
can u tell me how to enrich our RESEARCH EXPERINCE?
means TRAINING AND DOING PROJECTS IN GOVT.LABS is a research experince?
and second TELL ME THE REFERENCES.
MAY I TAKE REFF OF PERSON UNDERWHOM I TOOK TRAINING?
PLZ REPLY.
January 20th, 2007 at 11:48 am
If you could send us/post a copy of your SOP just a rough copy, we would know what exactly people look for in an admissions essay or SOP.I would really appreciate that
Thanks
sharath
February 27th, 2007 at 7:27 am
Hi Suhrid,
I am a second year student pursuing
B.E.(Hons.)Computer Science in BITS-Pilani.I want to do an MS after graduation.Now,I am pretty sure that until my 3rd year starts in August,I wont be able to do any signinficant research work.So,which all univ. are worth a shot for me given that I will have at most 1.5 years to do research-at best ,I can do 2 projects and an internship at some research Facility.So,which are the univ. I can think of applying to?Please do reply.
Abhinav