This guide will give an overview of MS Application Process to prospective graduate students. This covers topics like exams required for MS, profile building, university shortlisting, I-20 and visa process, funding options. I have included my experiences as well. Update: Visa, funding added.

1. Higher Studies:
An Exciting
Career Path
1
By Sukhada Ghewari

2. MS Preparation Guide
Few things I have learnt in my journey...

3. Aug
2018
Attempted GRE
Score: 324/340
Attempted
TOEFL
Score: 111/120
Oct
2018
Graduated
From WCE
CGPA: 9.51/10
June
2019
Job at TCS
Research started
Part of Secure and
Private AI team
July
2019
Applied for
Universities
Received admits from:
UCSD, UPenn, Univ. of
Wisconsin Madison,
Rutgers and Stony
Brook University
Dec
2019
Starting Grad
school at UCSD
MS in CS
Sept
2021
Because of pandemic,
I postponed my plan by a year.
About myself
Sukhada Ghewari

4. What is MS?
Why go for it?
4

5. MS in a nutshell
MS stands for Master of Science.
● Offered for courses in sciences, engineering & medicine.
(Can say somewhat similar to M.Tech in India)
● Is a research oriented course, though some courses are tailored for industry.
5

6. But Why?
Is Indian education system
not good?
Why not M.Tech?
Indian Universities are definitely
catching up with International
rankings, no doubt. And our
students have immense talent,
BUT->
If you want the following things, MS might be the
right option for you:
● International exposure
● Opportunity to work with and learn from
leading professors, to meet and collaborate
with diverse set of people
● Opportunity to grow as a person
● Willingness to learn about new cultures,
travel, and get out of your comfort zone
● A valuable asset to your profile for your entire
career -> better jobs and higher payscale
6

7. ● Do you know that not a single Indian university is in top 100 universities all
around the world? (IIT Bombay is the top-ranked institution in the country with
177th rank world-wide according to QS World Rankings 2022)
● It is sad but true :(
● Not to discourage you, rather to motivate you!
● If you have the potential to study at top universities, you should definitely TRY!
I mean why not?
● Educational investment is very important and rewarding. You reap its benefits for
the rest of your career.
7

8. Favorite destinations to do MS
● USA
○ Most preferred due to highly prestigious universities, CS hubs like Silicon Valley, state of the
art research and job opportunities, funding and internships, and quality of education.
● Canada
○ Cheaper with equally good universities and funding opportunities
○ Easier VISA and citizenship rules
● Germany
○ Consider if you are interested in Mechanical
● UK
● Australia
8

9. Types of MS
● MS with Thesis: (2+ years)
○ More focus on research than courseworks
○ Great start if you are interested in doing PhD
○ R&D jobs
○ Working with a professor on a research project
● MS without Thesis: (Coursework oriented) (1.5-2 years)
○ Flexible
○ If you want a good job in industry after graduating, pick this one
○ Structured set of subjects with smaller projects
● MS+ PhD program (5 years)
○ Straightaway commitment to 5-7 years PhD program
9

10. Types of universities
● Public
○ Funded by the Govt. of that state
○ Usually less fees
○ E.g. UC Berkeley, UT Austin, GaTech, UCLA
● Private
○ More expensive, though some offer scholarships
○ E.g MIT, Stanford, CMU, Ivy League universities like Columbia, Harvard, UPenn
10

11. Types of intake
Spring (January)
● Less intake
● You might miss out on internships and you might not take some courses because
of unfulfilled prerequisites that were offered in the previous fall
● Some universities don’t offer spring admissions
Fall (August)
● More preferred, more intake ( because undergrads directly go for Masters after
the completion of B.Tech)
● Lots of TAs, RAs, GAs and internship opportunities
● Their academic year starts with this sem
11

12. Types of degrees offered
according to specialization
MS in:
● Computer Science (Generic)
● Machine Learning
● Data Science
● Cybersecurity
● Bioinformatics
● Cloud Computing
● Robotics
● Software Engineering
● Human Computer Interaction
● MIS (Management Information System)
● Theoretical CS
12

13. Popular US Universities for MSCS
● Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg
● Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
● University of California (Los Angeles, San Diego, Berkeley, Santa Barbara , Irvine, Riverside,
Davis)
● Purdue University at West Lafayette
● University of Washington, Seattle
● State University of New York (SUNY) (Buffalo, Stony Brook)
● Arizona State University
● North Carolina State University, Raleigh
● University of Texas (Austin, Arlington, Dallas)
● University of Illinois (Urbana Champaign, Chicago)
● New York University (Courant, Tandon)
● University of Southern California (LA)
● Rutgers University
13

14. Things required
to apply for MS
14

15. ● Valid Passport
● GRE score (Some universities are waiving it off due to Covid)
● TOEFL score (better to appear even if optional)
● Academic Transcripts
● SoP (Statement of Purpose): VERY IMPORTANT
● LoRs: usually 3, sometimes 2 (Letter of Recommendation)
● Resume
● Certificates for work ex if any
● Willingness to learn: MOST IMPORTANT :P
15

16. How to prepare
for GRE?
16

17. GRE: Graduate Record
Examination
● Very important but not the only factor when it comes to MS
● Conducted by ETS
● Computer Delivered (mostly preferred)
● Adaptive
● Not the measure of your intelligence
● Checks basic maths and verbal abilities
● FEES: 213 $
17

18. Structure of the exam
3 sections:
● AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment) (6 marks)
○ 2 essays: issue and argument
○ 60 min
● Quant (170 marks)
○ School Math
○ 2 or 3 sections ( 35*3 = 105 min)
● Verbal (170 marks)
○ Advanced English proficiency is checked
○ 2 or 3 sections ( 30 * 2 = 60 min)
● TOTAL 340 + (6 for AWA)
● TOTAL TIME ~230 min- 3.75-4 hr
18

19. When to give GRE?
● You can book your date of the exam on ETS official website
● Check date availability and centers.
○ (Nearest is Pune, then Mumbai→ highly preferred: PROMETRIC)
● Better to give in vacations. ( 1-3 months of efforts needed)
○ E.g second/third year summer vacations.
● If you want to give GRE in college routine, distribute your efforts over 3-4
months and do it in chunks.
19

20. Types of Questions
Quant Verbal
● Quantitative Comparison Questions
● MCQ — Select One Answer Choice
● MCQ — Select One or More Answer
Choices
● Numeric Entry Questions
● Reading comprehension
○ MCQ 1 choice
○ MCQ 1/more choice
○ Select in passage
● Text Completion
○ 1 blank
○ 2 blanks
○ 3 blanks
● Sentence Equivalence
20

21. How I prepared?
● Efforts: 1 month
● Resources used:
○ Magoosh
○ ETS official guide
○ Barron’s 1100 word list
○ Word Power Made Easy
○ Read sample essays in ETS Guide for AWA
● Mock Tests: 3 ( You get 2 mocks for free when you book your GRE)
21

22. AWA
22

23. Tips
● Read sample essays (pool of subjects available on ETS website)
● Follow the structure of the essay (intro/body/conclusion)
● Let each passage be for a specific point (modularity)
● Do 3-5 min brainstorming before writing the essay
● Use words you know, don’t make spelling mistakes and grammar mistakes
in an attempt to sound fancy
● They want to see how you logically relate and put some idea in words
● Be clear and pithy. Don’t be repetitive and confusing
● Practice writing a few by your own
● Get these checked by a qualified person. Improve
23

24. Quant
24

25. Some topics from the syllabus
● Ratio and proportion
● Probability
● Profit and loss
● Simple and compound interest
● Speed, distance and time
● Permutation & combination
● Linear equations
● Quadratic equations
● Sets Theory
● Statistics
● Pipes, cisterns, work, time
● Lines and angles
● Triangles
● Polygon
● Quadrilateral
● Circles
● Coordinate geometry
● Order of operations
● Volume and surface area
● Percentage
● Number properties
25

26. Advice
● Be humble. Overconfidence kills.
● Questions are simple, you might be tempted to do math mentally. Don’t.
● Approach each Q like an 8th grader. Carefully solve the problems and cross
check. (20 Q in 35 min )
● Accuracy matters, not speed.
● Practice and make your basic math concepts clear.
● Target for 165+
26

27. Verbal
27

28. 28

29. Verbal can be intimidating!
● But using smart tactics and common sense, you can conquer it.
● Time management is the key.
● Time to use elimination method you learnt for JEE.
● Practice.
● Follow the logic, not intuition.
● After solving, do analysis. Find and improve weak points.
● Read blogs (NY times and such) to get comfortable with higher level
English. (if you have time)
● Don’t cram the words, understand the context and usage; use those in your
daily conversations.
29

30. 30

31. Few more things to remember
● Passport and Appointment Letter is must to carry
● Try and get done with it in the first attempt.
○ Giving it twice is tiring and unessential if you do it right in the first attempt
● Checks patience, be patient.
● Don’t give up if your last section was bad. Treat each question and section
independently.
● Keep yourself hydrated and alert on the exam day.
● Reach the center 45 min before the appointment time.
● Eat dry fruits and have juice in the break.
● Breathe in, breathe out and rock it.
● Send your scores to 4 prospective unis after the GRE and TOEFL for free. (think
beforehand)
31

32. How about
TOEFL?
32

33. TOEFL is easier than GRE!
● Tests basic English proficiency.
● Computer delivered. (Closest Center is Pune. I gave it in VIT, Pune)
● Optional: but you’ll need to give english test in in the university after joining.
● Kill 2 birds in one stone:
○ After giving the GRE, appear for TOEFL within 2-3 weeks, when your brain is still in GRE
mode ON
● Alternative exam: IELTS
● FEES: 180 $
33

34. Structure of TOEFL
34

35. Advice
● 100+ is good enough with 23+ in each section.
● Again a lengthy big exam, be patient and humble.
● Get familiar with exam pattern and types of questions.
● With 2-3 week prep, you are good to go.
● Useful resources:
○ TOEFL iBT Official Guide
○ Magoosh
○ Notefull
● There will be some disturbances (some people may have their speaking
section going on). Be prepared accordingly
35

36. ● Other alternative to TOEFL is IELTS, which tests your ability to communicate
in English.
● Both exams are similar. I cannot comment about IELTS because I didn’t take
it.
● Almost all universities accept both TOEFL and IELTS scores.
● Other caveats:
○ Check if some universities have waived off GRE, TOEFL.
○ You may want to explore ‘At Home GRE/TOEFL’ option.
36

37. Profile Building
37

38. Can’t emphasize enough
on this
** very important
* important
What unis look for in your profile
GRE
score*
CGPA**
Projects*
Relevant
work ex/
internships*
Research
Publications * Social
Service/
Volunteering
Co-curriculars
(competitions,
hackathons
etc)*
SOP**
LORs**
Extra
curricular
38

39. Ideal Timeline
for MS in fall
2022
39

40. 1. Appear for GRE and TOEFL by September ‘21.
2. Start thinking about your SoP from now, and finalise in October ‘21.
3. Ask your profs for LoR from now. (2 academic, 1 industrial, ideally)
4. Shortlist universities based on your profile. (start thinking from now)
5. Apply to universities in October ‘21- January ‘22.
6. Receive accepts and rejects by April ‘22 and finalize your university.
7. I-20 and Visa procedure (April ‘22 -June ‘22).
8. Book your ticket, pack the bags, and bon voyage!!!
40

41. Types of
deadlines
41

42. Priority Deadline:
When you apply before priority deadlines applicable for a few universities, you might get an admission
decision earlier than expected.
Scholarship Consideration Deadline:
There is an abundance of scholarships and financial aid available to help international students out.
However, many universities require you to apply before a certain deadline (usually earlier than the
regular or final application deadline) for you to be eligible for scholarships.
Regular Deadlines:
This type of University Application deadlines are the most common. Usually universities expect
candidates to apply before this deadline and decisions are declared within a few weeks of applying.
Source: Yocket 42

43. Shortlisting
Universities
43

44. You cannot apply to unlimited number of
universities, as there is a fee of ~100 $/application
Pick 6-10 universities, categorized in 3 tiers according to your profile:
Ambitious: Your dream schools, but very difficult to get into
Moderate: Achievable
Safe: Very likely that you would get
● How to evaluate your profile? From whom?
○ Ask seniors who already went to to pursue MS. Ask their scores, work ex, achievements.
○ Consultant? (Personal choice. It does save time but IMO, nobody knows you better than you do).
○ Yocket, gradcafe- see other students’ profiles and where they got admits.
● Factors to consider while shortlisting:
○ Coursework, fees, jobs, location, weather, ranking, labs, research, professors, alumni network.
44

45. Let’s talk
finances
45

46. ● Let’s all admit that US education is VERY expensive.
● Why is it worth spending this much money?
○ Exposure, experience, and connections.
● Ways to reduce total cost:
○ Try to get scholarship. (Your profile should be outstanding for this!)
○ Try to get a Teaching/Research/Graduate Assistant job- a great way to develop new skills
(communication, presentation, teaching) and get paid for it while you are still studying.
○ Work part-time in as a lab assistant, storekeeper, barista, cashier (so many on-campus jobs)
while in college, No work is small. :)
○ Save big by cooking your own meals.
○ Summer internship in industry pays good too! (~10k $)
○ Explore educational loan options (collateral, non-collateral)
○ Most importantly, do really good in your MS, work hard for placements, and all these efforts
will definitely help you land a good job!
46

47. Visa Process in
brief
47

48. Prepare your financial
documents
(loan, bank certificates,
statements, savings)
Apply for I-20
document to your
prospective university
by uploading financial
documents
Receive I-20
Book visa
appointment
slot and pay the
fees
Pay SEVIS fees
Prepare for the
visa interview
Appear for the
interview:
VISA granted
(Success! :D)
Shopping, flight
ticket booking,
housing
48
Fill in DS-160
form

49. Typical Questions asked in the Visa Interview
● Why X University?
● What is the purpose of your travel?
● Where did you apply and what are your other admits and rejects?
● Who is sponsoring your program?
● What do your parents do? Annual income?
● What were your scores (GRE, TOEFL, Undergrad CGPA)?
● What is your plan after graduation?
The visa officer wants to validate 2 things:
1) You are a genuine student whose purpose of traveling to the US is education and not
immigration.
2) You have enough money to fund your education. 49

50. Opportunities
after MS
50

51. 51
After Completing MS
Do PhD/ PostDoc
Starting own company
Researcher/Scientist
in Industry
Researcher + Professor
in Academia
Job (dev, data scientist,
project manager)
Whether you want to pursue these career options in or is your personal choice.
Heavily dependent on type of work you want, pay expectation, cultural preference, priorities.

52. I know this whole pipeline of MS application
is lengthy and costly.
But if you really want to do it, you’ll find a
way to maneuver it smoothly.
What ultimately matters is your willingness
to learn and grow!
52

53. Useful
Resources
53

54. ● www.ets.org
● Magoosh free apps (for GRE and TOEFL Prep)
● Universities’ websites (most reliable resource)
● Yocket App
● Parth Vijayvergiya’s Youtube channel (Highly recommended)
● Yudi J and Sajag Porwal’s Youtube channels
● For rankings: www.usnews.com
www.csrankings.org (for specialization wise rankings)
54

55. Finally, to succeed in any endeavor, there are no shortcuts,
no tricks and tips, it’s just you and your efforts.
55
Kung Fu Panda

56. Some beautiful University
Campuses you cannot take
your eyes off
(and which hopefully inspire
to consider MS as the next
endeavor in your career)
56

57. Carnegie Mellon University 57

58. University of California Berkeley 58

59. University of Pennsylvania 59

60. University of California San Diego (My University :D) 60

61. Rutgers University 61

62. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 62

63. University of Texas Austin 63

64. Living away from your family in a foreign land isn’t easy.
When all of your classmates are amazing and hardworking
people from all around the world, and when the competition
is tough, it’s not easy.
It’s not easy to study, work, cook, clean, take care of your
mental and physical health, managing all of this together.
But this very experience will change you for better.
It will give you a fresh perspective and deeper admiration
for things we take for granted.
This will be an important defining part of your own unique
identity!.
64

65. Main takeaways
1. MS is an excellent career option if you want to get world-class education, and if
you are passionate about your area of interest.
2. Attempting GRE and TOEFL/IELTS exams is the first step.
3. You should start building your profile very early.
a. Maintain a good CGPA.
b. Competitions, hackathons, open-source contributions, blogs, projects, volunteering work.
c. Decide and plan early (at least 1.5 years before actually starting your MS)
4. They evaluate your profile holistically.
5. Although costly, it is worth doing if you do it right. Also reap the benefits lifelong.
6. Many exciting opportunities await after completing MS.
65

66. Questions?
66

67. Feel free to contact
I’ll be happy to help :)
● sukhada.ghewari@gmail.com
● Connect on LinkedIn:
○ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukhada-ghewari/
● Connect on Twitter:
○ https://twitter.com/sukhadavici
67

68. Thanks!
68