Admissions facts and myths

Test Information- GRE®, GMAT™, TOEFL® and IELTS®

  1. Which examinations are required for Higher Education in America?
  2. Which examinations are required for courses in Management Information Systems (MIS)?
  3. Generally, what is the minimum score required on the GRE® , the GMAT® and the TOEFL® tests for admission to a good American University?
  4. How many times can the GRE® test, the GMAT® test, the TOEFL® test be taken and which score is considered?
  5. When should one take the tests if one wants to apply in Fall/Spring?
  6. What is the subject GRE® test? Is it compulsory?

    7. Admission Criteria

  7. Is a 15-year graduation enough for a master's degree?
  8. Are external degrees, autonomous courses, part-time diplomas accepted?
  9. Is work experience required for MBA?

    10. Opportunities for Non-Engineers

  10. What is the scope for Medical students in the US?
  11. Is it true that only Engineering and Computer Science students have opportunities in the US?

    12. Practical Issues - Costs and Funding

  12. What are the sources/types of Financial aid available?
  13. What is the average cost per year at US universities?
  14. Can I work while I am studying in the US?
  15. Am I more likely to get funding if I enroll for the Fall semester? Which semester is preferable - Spring or Fall?
  16. Does work experience help to get funding?
  17. Can I change my university while studying in the US?
  18. Is it possible to change my field of study?

Q1. Which examinations are required for Higher Education in America?

  • The GRE® (Graduate Record Examination) is required for Master's and Doctoral Degree courses in all subjects other than Management (Engineering, Physics, Biology, Pharmacy, Computer Science, Psychology, etc.)
  • The GMAT® (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) is required for all Management courses. It is also advisable to take the GMAT® if you are applying for an MS in related fields like Finance, Accounting, Marketing and allied fields
  • The SAT™ (Scholastic Aptitude Test™) is required for all undergraduate i.e. bachelor's level courses
  • The TOEFL® (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required for all International students whose native language is not English and are seeking admission to American universities

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Q2. Which examinations are required for courses in Management Information Systems (MIS)?
Some universities require you to take the GRE® whereas some require you to take the GMAT™. We recommend that you check the specific requirements of the universities you are interested in applying to.
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Q3. Generally, what is the minimum score required on the GRE® , the GMAT® and the TOEFL® tests for admission to a good American University?
Most universities do not have a 'cut-off', but to secure admission to a good American university the score required in these examinations is:

The GRE® test: 1100 out of 1600 for admission. For financial assistance, your score should be more than 1400. Of course a student can get admission even if his score is as low as 900, but in that case he cannot apply to a high ranked university

The GMAT® test: Good business schools require a GMAT® score of 600 out of 800 for admission. Obtaining financial aid means getting a score of more than 730. Of course a student can get admission even if his score is as low as 450, but in that case he cannot apply to a high ranked university

The TOEFL® test: Most graduate/undergraduate schools require a minimum score of 80 (out of a maximum of 120) for admission, but some good universities demand a score of 100.

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Q4. How many times can the GRE® test, the GMAT® test, the TOEFL® test be taken and which score is considered?
The tests can be taken more than once. Universities generally consider the best score but sometimes they may consider the average score. The decision is totally at the discretion of the university concerned.
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Q5. When should one take the tests if one wants to apply in Fall/Spring?
Students aspiring to join American Universities in the Fall Semester beginning in August/September should take the examinations latest by January of that year. Students planning to join in the Spring Semester beginning in January should take the examinations latest by July in the preceding year
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Q6. What is the subject GRE® test? Is it compulsory?
For admission to master's courses in biological sciences, pure sciences and computer science, it is recommended that you take the subject GRE® test (also called the Advanced GRE® test or the AGRE® test ). A good performance in the test proves you have adequate preparation to enter a graduate program. Moreover the subject GRE® test score may be an added advantage for getting financial aid.
To know more about the subject test, please visit the official web site
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Admission Criteria

Q7. Is a 15-year graduation enough for a master's degree?
Generally, American universities require that you complete 16 years of education before enrolling for a graduate program. Therefore students who have obtained a bachelor's degree after 15 years of education are required to complete a master's degree to qualify for admission to an American university. Students with an exceptional academic record can get admission in spite of 15 years of education, especially in pure sciences and humanities
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Q8. Are external degrees, autonomous courses, part-time diplomas accepted?
American universities are not generally willing to accept bachelor's or master's degrees obtained through correspondence courses. Also, degrees offered by institutes not affiliated to recognized universities are not accepted.
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Q9. Is work experience required for an MBA?
Nowadays apart from a good GMAT® score, many universities ask for work experience of at least 2 years

Opportunities for Non-Engineers

Q10. What is the scope for Medical students in the US?
It is not possible for M.B.B.S. degree holders to obtain visas for further studies in medicine in the United States unless they pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) . But M.B.B.S. degree holder can seek admission in M.S. or Ph D programs in non-clinical subjects such as Immunology, Bacteriology, Anatomy, Genetics, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Pathology, Bio-medical Engineering, Public Health, Biotechnology etc. For this they will have to take the GRE ® test and the TOEFL ® test.
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Q11. Is it true that only engineering and Computer Science students have opportunities in the US?
No, this is not true. The american education system and job market needs students from various fields. In fact non-engineering students stand a better chance of getting financial support from US universities. Every year we send several students in the fields of Sociology, Psychology, Geography, Economics, Mathematics and Statistics, Literature and Languages, Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Immunology, Physiology, Biomedical Sciences, Toxicology etc. A majority of these students secured admission in the top ranking universities with financial aid.
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Practical Issues - Costs and Funding

Q12. What are the sources/types of Financial aid available?
Most universities offer substantial financial assistance to their students. They can be divided into three types:- Fellowships/Scholarships, Teaching or Research Assistantships, Campus Jobs.
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Q13. What is the average cost per year at US universities?
The cost of education in the United States ranges from $15000 to over $40000 per year. In addition to tuition fees, books and food, you have to plan for the expenses towards housing, health insurance and transportation.
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Q14. Can I work while I am studying in the US?
US laws do not allow students on an F-1 visa to work off-campus. But on-campus job opportunities are available. It is possible to work for up to 20 hours per week and the pay can vary between $6-10 per hour, depending on the area and type of work. Jobs can vary from working in a computer lab to library work or dishwashing in the cafeteria.
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Q15. Am I more likely to get funding if I enroll for the Fall semester? Which semester is preferable - Spring or Fall?
Generally yes. But funds keep coming to professors throughout the year. What matters more is the fact that most universities do not have comparable courses for Spring and Fall. We recommend that you compare the difference in courses before taking a decision.
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Q16. Does work experience help to get funding?
Generally yes, but relevant work experience is more likely to be considered e.g. if you are applying for Environmental Engineering, then you must have worked in the field for at least a year. You must send your work profile, duly authenticated by your employer, along with the application form.
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Q17. Can I change my university while studying in the US?
Yes. If you are not satisfied with your university, after you join it, you can apply to other universities and transfer your credits to the university you choose. You can do this at any time, but usually most students transfer admissions after the 1st or the 2nd semester. You should be aware that the new university may not accept all your credits and may ask you to take some extra credits. You can also take transfer, if another University is giving you financial aid.
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Q18. Is it possible to change my field of study?
Yes. The American system is very flexible. So you can change your field of study while studying in a particular university e.g. a student doing his M.S. in the engineering or the physics department can shift to the computer science department. But it often happens that when you transfer your terms for some other subject, the new department may not accept all your earlier credits. They may treat you as a fresh admission and accept only those credits that are similar in both courses.
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