How to Shortlist Universities for MS in the USA: A Step-by-Step Guide
Darshan Shah
28 Oct 2024
Obviously, nobody would want to apply to universities randomly. Students who wish to study abroad start researching and university shortlisting much before they begin the actual process. Choosing the right universities to apply to according to your profile will increase your chances of being accepted to a program and university that you actually like. If you want to know the step-by-step process on how to shortlist universities for MS in USA without consulting someone and paying hefty charges, read along.
Understand Your Goals & Preferences
First of all, try to visualize what your career would look like after you’ve completed your Master of Science in USA. Would you want to study more, start working in that industry, or research?
Many times, students pick a particular course to study without actually considering what their career after having the degree in their hands will be, or how the degree will help them achieve those goals.
Research the course you wish to study, and look up for universities that are offering the best specializations, experienced faculty, and better opportunities for research in that field.
Location too will play an important role in your choice since the cost of living, climate of the place, and job opportunities in that area also matter. So these were the important considerations on how to
shortlist universities for MS in USA.
Let's assume for example that you wish to study MS in Biotechnology in USA. Some popular options available to me would be:
Once you have shortlisted the locations and universities in those cities which offer your course, the second step on how to shortlist universities for MS in USA is to move on to arranging that list of universities based on their QS or THE world rankings.
This will help you understand how reputed a university or college is in the global landscape. QSWUR website also mentions the quality of each university’s faculty, their employability rate, and so on.
You can also check subject-specific rankings of a university for MS in a particular field. This way of university shortlisting will allow you to understand how accredited and recognised your course is.
Now continuing our example, let us suppose that you are willing to go for only the universities with the highest rankings, so here if we consider the top 10 universities:
Harvard University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stanford University
Yale University
California Institute of Technology
New York University
Cornell University
University of California, Berkeley
Columbia University
University of California, San Diego
Consider Admission Requirements
The third step in how to shortlist universities for MS in USA is understanding the eligibility requirements of each university. Research the minimum GRE/GMAT scores required for your course, and also the minimum IELTS bands or TOEFL score required, otherwise you won’t be accepted.
Universities in USA also lay down minimum GPA requirements and amount of work experience needed in order to be accepted into the program. Check the university’s acceptance rate to know how easy or hard it is to get in. Being realistic about your options will make your chances of getting in better.
Now, again your universities will narrow down to the most easier to get into:
University of California, Berkeley
New York University (NYU)
Cornell University
University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
Financial Considerations
The most important factor to consider when you shortlist universities for MS in USA is perhaps the finances. You wouldn’t want to apply to universities whose fees you can’t pay for comfortably.
Remember, it isn’t as important to study in a university with higher rankings by putting a strain on your financial health.
It is just important to do your research and find the best university that matches your career needs, is affordable for you, and offers the best possible opportunities.
The core university shortlisting comes down to your budget, availability of scholarships, cost of living in that city, and how much Return on Investment (ROI) you’ll be getting through your post-MS earnings.
Now, your budget for example is up to $50,000 per year. So you will narrow down to:
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
Know About Their Campus Culture & Student Support
At the end of your university shortlisting process, you should check out the campus facilities, overall
environment, student life, support services offered to international students, and alumni network as a final step on how to shortlist universities for MS in USA.
These factors will determine your experience and student life in the US.
Use Online Tools to Shortlist Universities
So the best and probably the only way to research important information about your program and its eligibility requirements is by visiting the university’s official website when you shortlist universities for MS in USA.
You can also use rankings and other comparison tools that are available online. US News is one such. We too have a lot of accurate information on universities in our blog section. Search your university to start.
And that is almost everything on how to shortlist universities for MS in USA online.
Finalize Your List & Apply
Lastly, consider some more factors such as safety in that location, etc. and you’re good to go. Research and stay in tune with the deadlines so that you can submit your documents much before.
Craft a personalized Statement of Purpose for each university. Many students make the mistake of using a single SOP template for every university they apply to. But this is not recommended at all.
If you need help with shortlisting universities for MS in USA, or crafting engaging SOPs, and complete guidance throughout the whole process of studying in the USA abroad, contact our consultants today!
That was everything on how to shortlist universities for MS in USA. We hope you could get a detailed idea. If you wish to make the university shortlisting process easier, just follow our checklist above. One pro tip is to start researching as early as you can and using the help of professionals like us to get ahead lakhs of other applications. For any questions or guidance, please feel free to reach out to us.
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