Publication dates – March 13th 2011, Sunday Observer (Part 1)
– March 20th 2011, Sunday Observer (Part 2)
– March 27th 2011, Sunday Observer (Part 3)
– April 03rd, 2011, Sunday Observer (Part 4)
– April 10th, 2011, Sunday Observer (Part 5)
1. What are the steps taken when preparing for the graduate application process?
The Graduate application process can be tedious and it may take between six months to perhaps even one and a half years. This article will discuss in detail a list of things you will need to do in no particular order, to prepare for your applications.
Selecting an area of study: The last two years of your undergraduate studies are the best time to think about which field and specialization area you would like to pursue in graduate school. Even if you select a specialization area X at this time you can change it later if you really want to. But you need to stick with your selection at least during the application process. For example, if your field of study is Computer Science (CS) and you chose Artificial Intelligence as your specialization area, after you join a program you may be able to change the specialization to Databases.
Sitting for GRE and TOEFL exams: Most universities require that you have GRE and/or TOEFL test scores when you apply. Please refer to the section on “2. Which tests do I need to take?”
Selecting universities to apply: Please refer to the section “5. How do I select a university?”
Recommendations: You need to get recommendations from individuals that know about you and your potential. Since the credibility of the recommendation depends on an individual’s work, you must select your recommenders carefully. Please refer to the section “6. Where can I get recommendations for my graduate application?”
Writing the statement of purpose: Statement of purpose (SOP) must include the work you have done so far. Basically this document describes why you are a candidate to be selected for a PhD. Please refer to the section “7. What should be included in the Statement of Purpose”.
Being the early bird: Considering possible delays ahead of time and applying early will be advantageous rather than rushing at the last minute. This will also be less stressful. The section on “10. When to apply and other time constraints” will help you understand some of the constraints with respect to timing when you are thinking of applying to graduate studies.
Managing costs: The application process will incur some expenses on your end. The section on “11. How much does the application process cost?” will give you an idea of the total costs involved when sending in applications.
2. Which tests do I need to take?
Most universities may require GRE and TOEFL. Refer to the university graduate school website to find out the specific requirements. It is still a good idea to get ready and sit for the exams if you are planning to apply for several universities. There are universities that do not require either of these exams. But those are often highly competitive and your chances of selection can be low compared to others.
In Canada, majority of programs and universities do not require the GRE general test. However, if a student has done well in the GRE it can give that student an added advantage over other applicants. Also most programs require high TOEFL scores.
It is very important to do well in the GRE general test. It may definitely be the cut-off from getting an admission or not. The subject test is merely another factor but not necessarily the most important one. If you do the test and score high it may increase your chance of getting admission in to a program. The standardized test score of the subject test might give a hint of the applicants’ ability in the specific field and allows the Admissions Committee to compare applicants on the same test, regardless of which university the student did his or her undergraduate degree.
For example if you are a CS student and you are confident in theoretical CS material and you can afford the extra cost of the test (Rs. 15,000), taking the subject test in CS can be an extra step to show the Admissions Committee that you are thorough in your CS background. Also, if you do really well in that exam, it can partially fill the void of not having a stellar research profile. In other words, you could either have an impressive research profile (evidenced by publications, etc) or a good GRE CS subject score (beyond 80-85 percentile - which is a very competitive score). Taking the subject test is especially recommended if you are applying for a PhD. Over the years the Admissions Committee in some universities have come to consider the GRE CS subject test to be a tough exam and may prefer students who took the extra burden to prove themselves. This may be why some of the best universities in USA - like MIT, Purdue and John Hopkins University – do not require the GRE General Test but require the GRE CS test for admission.
Here are a few tips:
1) If you decide to take the GRE CS subject test and your results did not turn out to be impressive, DON'T report the scores to the universities. You can choose to report only the general test scores.
2) If you decide to take the GRE CS subject test, take it in November. Do not take the October test since it is NOT offered in India and China at that time. These countries have the most students sitting for these exams. Your score is compared with others who took the test on that day and if you take the test in October it is likely that you will end up with a lower percentile. However, if you take the November test, you will be competing with a larger population of students (including those from India and China) and that would help ‘smooth over’ your percentile (as there will be a lot of bright as well as not-so-bright students taking the test with you). For example, if you scored 800 in the October test and ended up in the 80th percentile, the same 800 "could" convert to 84th percentile in a November test.
3. What is considered to be a good GRE score?
The GRE consists of an analytical writing, verbal and quantitative sections. Quantitative section tests your mathematical skills and verbal section tests your English comprehension. The highest possible score for these sections will make your application more competitive. A score of 750 (out of 800) in the quantitative section is highly recommended, but getting 800 is even better. The requirements will depend on the field of study you intend to pursue. For the social sciences a higher verbal and analytical writing score is expected whereas for the sciences a higher quantitative section is important. The most competitive universities generally have higher requirements but it is important to remember that GRE is only part of the overall application.
The key to scoring the highest possible is to do lots of practice tests and time them. Most of the questions in the quantitative section are not hard but given the limited time it can be very challenging. Therefore the best way to prepare is to do as many timed practice tests as possible!
4. Where can I take the GRE and TOEFL tests?
Currently ETS offers the paper based GRE General exam twice a year in Sri Lanka, usually in February and November. To get the latest testing dates you can visit www.ets.org and register for the test. It is important to reserve a place early as the test centers fill up soon. If you cannot sit for the paper based test in Sri Lanka, India can be an alternative as the computer based test is available on a regular basis.
The internet based TOEFL test is available on a regular basis in Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna. The ETS website has all the information you need and practice questions for both the TOEFL and GRE tests. (www.ets.org/toefl and www.ets.org/gre).
5. How do I select a university?
This depends on the area of research you are interested in. Search for university labs or faculty that have research in your area of interest. Read papers published in those labs or faculty that interest you and email them with questions you have. Make sure you show interest in the work they are doing and see how they respond to your emails.
Selecting universities purely based on rankings can be misleading. University ranking process is an ad-hoc process and depends on numerous factors. A leading scientist in a certain field can have a lab in a small university that is not highly ranked. Also, general university rankings can be different from the subject based ranking. For example, a university that has a general Engineering ranking of 20 might have better professors and research work in the field of Electrical Engineering than a university with a general Engineering ranking of 10. Even within a specific field, when looking at per field rankings, a lower ranked university might have a better program for a given specialization you are interested in. It is recommended to select at least 2 universities each from rankings 1-15, 15-45 and 45-100 so that you can apply to 2 “dream schools,” 2 that you think you can get into and 2 backups. The selection process can be very subjective and sometimes you might be surprised, a school you thought you had no chance getting in to might accept you!
6. Where can I get recommendations for my graduate application?
The recommendation letters are a critical part of your graduate school application. It talks about your research ability and potential to succeed in graduate school from someone else's point of view. For this recommendation to be credible, the recommender must also have a credible record. Thus, it is essential to select your recommenders carefully. Two types of people you should avoid at all cost for getting recommendations are -
(i) People who have not published recently: There are people that are famous in the home country, who you think are recognized and acceptable in your university and therefore should be good to get recommendations. But don't forget that your recommendations are evaluated by a committee outside of Sri Lanka. They will search for your recommender and what they are doing. If your recommender has not published a research paper in a long time, they should be avoided since it might mean they have not completed any significant research contributions recently.
(ii) People who give negative recommendations: It is hard to believe but certain faculty have done this! The recommendation will be directly sent to your university by your recommender and you cannot review it beforehand. When a recommendation is supposed to boost your application if a faculty mentions that you are NOT suitable for any kind of research studies it will look negative on your entire application. So make sure you get recommendations from the people who will support your application and be able to talk about your research experience.
7. What should be included in Statement of Purpose?
Statement of Purpose (SOP) is the one opportunity you have to present the graduate committee with a sense of who you really are. Carefully consider what you want to present in and remember all the other documents are test scores and transcripts. Who you are as a person can only be demonstrated in your statement of purpose. It also acts as a marketing document that will sell your application to different universities. The university committee and other interested faculties will read the SOP to consider you to their university or lab. Here are few things you can include in this document:
Your past research experience: Include what you did for your final year undergraduate project. List any papers you published on this work or any other work. If you don't have a technical paper written from your final year project, this is the best time to write it and put it on the web. Write about challenging research questions you worked in the past.
Your passion for research: Select one or two research areas and mention how passionate you are. You can include an example like something you did or saw in your childhood and how it inspired you to learn and research more on that subject. Explain how you are curious about certain things in your area and include how you think you can contribute to improve them.
Your connection to research in the university/lab: This is one of the most important things. This section will be different from university to university. For a given university, find the research labs working on your related area. Read papers published in that lab and think about how those are related to what you are doing and how you think you can contribute to further their research. Write them down in this section and don't forget to reference the related research papers. Professors in universities love to see someone interested in their research. Make sure however, your suggestions for improvements in their research makes sense.
The SOP is one of the most important documents that completes your application and make sure you give it ample thought and time.
8. Can I directly apply for a PhD after my undergraduate degree?
Short answer, in the US you can. In Canada you cannot.
You can directly apply for a PhD after your undergraduate degree if it is an American university. During your first few years you will be taking courses to fulfil the requirements for the PhD. These subjects are (usually) equivalent to a Masters degree. In most graduate programs the first two years are spent taking courses to complete the credits required for a Masters degree. Depending on department policy, if you decide a PhD is not for you, you can withdraw from the program after being awarded a Masters degree. The websites will mention whether the graduate program offers a ‘terminal’ or ‘non-terminal’ masters degree.
In Canada, students who do not have a North American undergraduate degree cannot apply to a Direct PhD program and most require a Masters degree to apply for a PhD. But there is a Master-tracked PhD program, in which once the first year is done, with the consent of a supervisor, the program can be switched to a PhD. Prior contacts with a professor (such as having prior experience in the lab they are applying to) and/or an exceptional academic and research record might also give an applicant a chance to enrol in the direct PhD program.
9. Can I choose a different field for Masters/PhD compared to what I did for my undergraduate?
Yes you can. Having theoretical knowledge in different fields can be to your advantage since many professors these days are involved in multi-disciplinary and collaborative research projects. However it is better to have research experience in the field or program you are planning to apply to since you can show your potential supervisor why you deserve to get accepted in to their lab.
10. When to apply and other time constraints
It is very important to meet application deadlines when applying for graduate programs. Start preparing early so that you can submit a strong application. Usually deadlines for Fall applications are between early December (of the year before) and mid January. Different universities have different dates, therefore keep track of them and apply as early as possible. This is easier said than done if you have not prepared for some of the requirements of the application. The following are a few things that will require early preparation and planning -
It is a must (almost, but always think it is a must!) to have your GRE and TOEFL results available at the time of submitting the application. Universities will not process your application until they receive these results. This will reduce your chances of being considered as the available slots will get filled by other applicants.
It takes time to get GRE and TOEFL results. If you are taking the computer based GRE General test it would take 15 business days (i.e. nearly three full weeks in the calendar - not two). Also, the fact that the computer based GRE General test is not available in Sri Lanka and the nearest place you can go (fly) to is in Chennai, India, takes away a good deal of days from your schedule. If you plan to write the paper based GRE in Sri Lanka, of course you don't have to worry about flying, but it will take approximately six weeks to get results. Also, the paper based GRE is conducted only twice per year in Sri Lanka (normally in Feb and Aug, visit for official dates on www.ets.org). They have a limited number of seats available and they get filled quickly. So register as early as possible if you are planning to take the test.
TOEFL Internet Based Test (IBT) is preferred over paper based version by most of the universities primarily because IBT includes a spoken section. You can take this in Sri Lanka and the schedule is not as tight as the GRE, but it will also take 15 business days to get the results.
You need to send addressed transcripts to all the universities that you are applying to before the deadline. Again, delaying it may affect your chances. The somewhat unfortunate fact (or experience) you may face is that not everyone in non academic divisions handling these transcripts understand the urgency and importance. So usually it would take you more than a day to get all the documents prepared, sealed and signed (by Registrar or a person in charge of that).
Even if you are lucky with human relations and get the transcripts in time, you still have to send them abroad (for example United States). It is highly recommended that you use some method that will guarantee recipient signature on arrival (e.g. registered mail, FedEx, DHL, etc). Usually it takes time for these documents to get delivered. Even FedEx will take two business days. So make sure you prepare all the documents required for a particular university into a single package and send it well ahead of time. On a side note, include a small cover letter noting the list of contents in your package for speedy processing when received by the university.
Getting recommendations in time is also necessary to complete your application. Allow a good deal of time for your referees to write a letter of recommendation for you. You may need to send them friendly reminders, but make sure you give them enough time. Rushing them for a recommendation in the last minute is not a good idea. It is important to be courteous to your recommenders and make sure you ask their permission to name them as your referee. Don’t forget to send a little thank you note after receiving this letter.
Filling the details required on the application form can take a considerable amount of time. Usually every application has at least three to four pages to fill (do the math when you are applying to more than one university). So start on your applications at least several weeks before the deadline.
11. How much does the application process cost?
The application process consists of the application fee, cost of required tests (e.g. GRE, TOEFL), courier charges (of sending transcripts and other required materials). The following is a rough break down of the two main costs -
Application fee – This varies depending on the university, but in general it ranges from $50 to $100. This is per application for each university you are applying to. Thus, you need to multiply this by the number of universities that you are planning to apply. In some universities you may be able to get this fee waived by filling a form and getting it signed by your university Dean stating that the fee is a financial burden. Most applications are online these days and you have to use a credit or debit card to pay, before the application can be submitted.
GRE is $190 if you are taking it in Sri Lanka or India: for current info please visit - http://www.ets.org/gre/general/about/fees/
TOEFL costs $150: www.ets.org – select Sri Lanka as the TOEFL Testing Centre to view fees.
Additionally the ETS website has free materials and practice tests to download free. You may also take the Online Writing Practice for GRE's Analytical Writing for a fee. (For information visit ScoreItNow!: http://www.ets.org/gre/general/prepare/scoreitnow).
GRE and TOEFL scores are sent to your designated universities by ETS itself and there is an additional fee for that. The GRE test fee entitles you to send your test scores to four universities of your choice for no extra fee. You need to list the school codes of these four schools at the time of registration for GRE or on the day of the test (see GRE Scores: http://www.ets.org/gre/general/scores/send/). If you want to send to any other university or if you designate universities later it will cost $23 per university.
It is similar for TOEFL, however it allows you to select which four universities to send the score reports to online, until 10 p.m (local) on the day before the test day. The additional fee if sending to more than four is $17 per university (see TOEFL Scores: http://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/scores/send/).
In total, if you apply to only four universities you are looking at something around, (50 to 100 taken as 75 on average) x 4 + 190 + 150 = $640 (without other expenses).
12. How long does it take to complete the PhD?
Answer to this question depends on numerous factors. It can depend on your skills, your advisor, your area of research, your research lab, your rate of publications, your school, your department procedures and a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work. In general it can take from 3.5 years up to 10 years, but on average it is about 5 to 6 years.
13. How do I know whether graduate school is for me?
There are different types of Masters Degrees. You can do a course based Masters, a Masters which has a combination of courses and research or a fully research based Masters degree.
A Masters degree is usually 1.5 – 2 years, whereas a PhD is 4+ years of full-time research. To get a sense of what the work is like, you can get involved in research projects and gain experience during your undergraduate years. The sooner you can do this, the better it is. Also talk to graduate students in your school and abroad. Read research papers and faculty profiles to understand the kinds of research taking place and what is involved in a graduate degree. Refer to the section on “Why should I apply to Graduate school.” If you enjoy research work, graduate school is an option to get into after completing your undergraduate degree. It is important to start planning early.
14. Why should I apply to graduate school?
This is a highly subjective question. People apply for graduate school for various reasons. Some are really passionate about a field and they want to learn and research more in that area. Some want to become faculty and teach and therefore need to complete a PhD. Some people need to have a MS or PhD to get a better job. Some, because they enjoy learning more and becoming specialized in a given field and conducting original research; purely for the love of their subject.
Whatever the reason, the PhD process can be tough. Unless you are passionate about what you are doing, it can be hard to survive. There are people who have given up a PhD in the middle of the program, but having said that, most Sri Lankan students succeed.
15. What if I have a general degree and the only research experience I have is a literature survey? What if I have a second lower class? Can I still apply for graduate school? What can I do to boost my application?
You can still apply but you have to select your schools carefully. You will never know unless you try! Try to apply to a range of universities and be realistic. One option you could consider is if your undergraduate work is not so great is instead of applying to highly competitive, top-ranked universities, applying to medium or lower ranked ones which are less competitive. Later on, you can consider transferring to another university or if you consider doing a post-doc, you can explain why you have lower grades in your SOP. To boost your application you should get involved in as many research projects as possible and highlight this in your SOP. If you can get involved in presentations, conferences and have publications, this will help your application. Also, read your potential supervisor’s publications well and try to propose additional innovative ideas that can be added to their studies. Do everything you can to show that you are very interested in what they are doing and impress them!
You can also take external qualifications such as CIM and CIMA, and use those additional certificates and grades to boost your average. If you are applying to the US, you can send all of your transcripts to World Education Service (WES – www.wes.org) where foreign credentials are evaluated and they will provide a cumulative assessment. This assessment can also be sent to universities in Canada.
Remember, at the end of the day your GPA is only part of your application and Graduate Committees consider your application as a whole. Recommendations, research and work experience and statement of purpose and test scores are all considered, not only your GPA.
16. Do I need to be exceptional to apply for graduate school?
Not really. If you are hard working and passionate about what you want to do and think you can do it no matter how hard it gets, then graduate school is for you.
17. How do I get funding?
There are a few funding options available:
(i) Fellowships: In the US, students with exceptional track records can apply for fellowships from different resources. These resources include the school you are applying to, government institutions and worldwide scholarships like the Fulbright. If you get a fellowship all your school expenses will be taken care of and you will get a monthly stipend. The best thing is you will not have to work to receive these benefits. In Canada, to get a fellowship, an applicant needs to be either a permanent resident (PR) or a citizen, which is not an issue since towards the end of the Masters program most students are eligible for the PR requirement. Majority of Canadian fellowships are granted by the university through NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada).
(ii) Research Assistantships (RA): Students are accepted into a research lab and can be awarded a research assistantship position. These students have to work about 20 hours per week in the lab and contribute towards the research project. Most RA positions are associated with the lab you are affiliated with. Your tuition fees are paid and you will get a monthly stipend (ranging from $1200 to $1900, depending on the university and the department) to cover your living expenses. These positions usually also include full health insurance coverage. The advantage of a RA position is that you get to do research and be part of the publications.
(iii) Teaching Assistantships: This is similar to the RA position in the number of hours you work and insurance coverage, however the work will consist of teaching or tutoring a class instead of doing research in a lab. Most of the time these assignments are available for PhD students from the first semester itself and for MSc students from the second semester onwards. It can vary depending on the department policies.
(iv) On-campus opportunities: If you don't get any of the above, there are many positions in other departments of the campus. Depending on the job position your tuition might be paid and you may be awarded a monthly stipend.
18. Should I apply for MS or PhD? What are the opportunities for funding?
If you are interested in doing a shorter research oriented and/or course-based degree, you might want to consider a MS since it is typically two years. Some universities offer a non-thesis (course based) MS which is also two years. If you plan to do the PhD (4+ years) or you need it for your chosen career it is better to apply directly to the PhD program. If you change your mind while doing the PhD, the programs or university may allow you to leave early with a terminal MS. This will depend on the department policy which is usually stated on the website.
Usually the number of credit hours required for a research MS is less than a course-based MS. For example, if a course-based MS is 36 credit hours, then the research MS would be around 30 credit hours. However, you have a thesis to complete and these 30 hours include 6 credit hours of research or more. Which is best depends on what you want to do and where you want to finally end up, in academia or industry.
It is more competitive to get into PhD programs due to the limited intake, compared to MS programs.
In the US, PhD students are given priority for funding and then the MS research students. Most MS degrees are not funded. On the other hand, almost all PhDs are fully funded although funding can usually be limited in the social sciences.
In Canada, almost all thesis-based MS degrees are fully funded and PhDs are also funded. There is no difference in getting a scholarship for the PhD over the Masters, but it might be easier than the US to get funding for a Masters.
19. Can I work part time while studying in the US or Canada?
In the US, you are allowed to work on campus for 20hrs per week within Fall and Spring semesters. During summer you can work in a place related to your academic work for 40hrs or more in a week. All the other employments will be considered illegal for students on student visa.
In Canada, you can work any number of hours on campus. If you want to work off-campus you can get a work permit which allows you to work 20 hours per week.
20. Can I bring my family with me if I'm selected?
Definitely yes since it is easier to have your family with you. You can work with the selected university to get dependent visa for your spouse and kids. Certain visa types even allow your spouse to work.
21. In the US and Canada are there specific states/provinces and schools that are better for Computer Science (CS) and Engineering?
In Canada, University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, Waterloo University and McGill University are all highly ranked for CS and Engineering programs. These are very competitive. Other universities to consider are Simon Fraser University, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Manitoba, Queens University, McMaster University and University of Ottawa.
In US it depends on the area of research you are interested in. The top 10 universities in the US can be good for any research area but after that point the rankings depend on your particular field of interest. It is recommended that you review staff profiles and research on labs in different universities and write to them.
Good Luck!
This and other related articles are available on www.sl2college.org under the resources section. SL2College is a global community that provides FREE advice and guidance to Sri Lankan students. Envisioned in 2005, SL2College helps Sri Lankan students access relevant information to assist them in making informed decisions about their educational goals. Please post your queries on the forum at www.sl2college.org or email info@sl2college.com.
