Everything you wanted to
know about US grad schools
(but were afraid to ask)
Tahir Azim
Why we are here
• Applying to grad schools is daunting, especially
in the US
• Lots of components, lots of chances to trip up
• Lots of misconceptions
– does GPA matter?
– is GPA the only thing that matters?
• FAQ: how do I make it to a top-ranked
program?
Introduction
• The application process is not an exact
science: everyone has a different story
• But most stories have some common
components
• So why does my opinion matter?
Graduate Admissions
• How to Apply
• Where to Apply
• Components
– GPA
– GRE
– TOEFL
– Research/Industry Experience
– Recommendation Letters
– Statement of Purpose
How to Apply
• Most US universities have a single application submission
date.
– All applications have to be submitted before this time.
– Admission committee then sits down and selects students
– Very few schools allow professors to admit students
directly
How to Apply
• Timelines
– For post graduate admissions in the US the deadlines are
generally in the November – December timeframe. This
is when applying for the Fall Semester.
– Some universities take international applications for Spring
Semester. Expect to hear back between mid-February and
mid-April. Semester starts Fall of that year
How to Apply
• What you will need
– Transcripts
– GRE Scores
– TOEFL Scores
– Resume
– Recommendation Letters
– Statement of Purpose
– Application Fee
How to Apply (Approximate Timeline)
Mark progress
regularly with
sample tests
(Powerprep)
Register for
GRE Test
GRE Prep
Start
July
Aug
Start
working on
SOP
Ask
GRE Test
Recommenders
Date
for LOR
(Ideal
Time)
Sept
Oct
Register for Request
Transcripts
TOEFL
Application
Deadline!
GRE Test
Date
(Last
Ditch)
Nov
Dec
TOEFL
Test Date
Finish SOP
Work
Where to Apply
• Rankings
– US Universities: US News & World Report
– World Ranking: Times Higher Education
• Rankings are based on Area:
– Engineering vs. Law vs. Medical etc so make sure you are looking at the
right ranking
– Example: Harvard is good for MBA, Medicine or Social Sciences, but
not so good for Engineering
• Expenditure per annum
– Tuition + Boarding + extra
Where to Apply
• Apply widely
• Don’t apply to just one or two dream schools
• Apply to at least 7-8 schools, including your dream schools
plus a couple of “safety” schools
– One such school: San Jose State (in the heart of Silicon Valley)
• But don’t apply to a disreputable school – not worth
it and even if you get in, may not get a visa
Where to Apply
• Many universities are skeptical of Pakistani students’
credentials
– Do apply to universities where NUST has a reputation
– Examples: Georgia Tech, Michigan State, USC
Components of a Grad School
Application
Transcripts and GPA
• Does GPA matter?
Transcripts and GPA
• Does GPA matter?
GPA
DOES
MATTER
Transcripts and GPA
• Does GPA matter?
– Actually, the correct answer is, it depends…
– If going to industry, doesn’t matter
– If going for higher education, it does matter
• Indicates how suited you are for academics
– For a top-ranked program, GPA must be > 3.5
• Else, RED FLAG!
Transcripts and GPA
• So what can I do to overcome a low GPA?
– Only one way: research output
– For example: publication in a highly reputed
conference/journal (e.g. SIGCOMM) or awesome
research-oriented project(s)
Research Experience
• Must for PhD admissions
• Big plus for MS admissions
• If you want to go for PhD or MS from a top
program, choose a research-oriented FYP
• Preferably, have a publication at a reasonably
reputed venue
– Publications at very low-quality venues don’t
count!
Industry Experience
• Industry experience counts if it’s in a “hard”
area
– Hard to define “hard”!
– One example: one Stanford admit from NUST
worked on a real-time OS for embedded systems
– If you build large systems or design new
algorithms or make 3D games, you are probably in
a good area
– If you create “simple” websites or apps, maybe
not…
Resume vs CV
• Resume: short (preferably 1 page), not more
than 2 pages
• CV: detailed, contains everything big or small
that you ever did
• If asked for a resume, submit a resume, not a
CV!
Letters of Recommendation
• Normally 3 required
– At least 2 should be from academic sources
– For example, your FYP advisor, co-advisor or
professor with whom you did a project
– One letter could be from your work supervisor
or senior colleague
• Perhaps, the most important part of your
application
Letters of Recommendation
• A winning letter of recommendation:
– is written by someone who knows you well
– contains one or more personal stories about your
capabilities
– contains content that’s unique about you, not
generalizable to everyone
– should support the research/work experience in
your resume
– does not sound fake or cliched
Letters of Recommendation
• Content of the letter matters more than who
wrote it
• But a good letter from a more accomplished
person carries much more weight than an
equivalent letter from an ordinary Joe
• If someone says, “Write the letter yourself, I
will sign it”, beware!
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation
• A bad example:
– Student X was an excellent student in my class, earning an A grade
due to his hard work and intelligence. I found him to be an honest
and dedicated student, who completed all the tasks that were asked
of him… His intellect is supported by the excellent grades in his
transcript. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.
• A good example:
– Student X impressed me with his intelligence and curiosity. He
routinely surprised me with the high quality of code in his
programming assignments. Several times, he was able to jump ahead
to advanced technical details during the course of a lecture… I
strongly recommend him for higher education in computer science.
Letters of Recommendation
• One important point
– Online applications give you the right to view your
recommender’s letters
– Waive off that right!
– Shows that you the recommender is not writing
under any pressure from you
Statement of Purpose
• May be the only place where you can
demonstrate your writing skills
Statement of Purpose
• Write a quick draft first, then re-write, rewrite, re-write!
• Don’t start writing two days before the
deadline… give yourself at least 2 weeks
Statement of Purpose
• Try to fit within 1.5 pages
• Be direct and to-the-point
• Admissions committee members have 3-5
minutes to read it
– Write clearly and avoid long sentences and passive
voice as much as possible
• Do not speak in platitudes and cliches
– e.g. do not make a fuss about your patriotism or
childhood interests, unless you have some
evidence to back it up
Statement of Purpose
• A good statement of purpose contains:
– Your motivation for higher education
– Your background in your field
• What sets you apart
• Brief story about your academic & research
experiences in undergrad
• Accomplishments (research, other academic)
– Reasons for choosing a particular program
• Customize this part for every program you apply to
GRE
• Don’t be scared of it!
• GRE General
– Computer Based/Adaptive
– Organization of Test:
• Quantitative
• Verbal
• Analytical Writing
• Ok to take the test more than once
– Can report the best score in each section
• GRE Subject: optional but a good score in relevant area
might help
GRE
• Your percentile score is what matters
• Bad percentile => RED FLAG!
• GRE General score for top-ranked universities
– 85-90+ percentile in Quant and Analytical
– For Sci/Engg, 65-70+ percentile ok for Verbal
• For lower-ranked schools, acceptable GRE score
– 75+ percentile in Quant/Analytical may be enough
The key to the GRE
TIME
MANAGEMENT
The key to the GRE
• Time is your biggest enemy!
– Must practice to manage time
– About 1.5-2 minutes per question
• Always practice in time-constrained settings
– If an exercise contains 10 questions, stop solving after
exactly 20 minutes
• Not timing yourself will lead to over-confidence
and failure
GRE Verbal
• Do you often read books outside the syllabus?
– If yes, you are more likely to do well
– If not, start reading now!
• High-frequency word lists really helpful
– Need to memorize at least 1000 words
GRE Quantitative
• A test of high-school math
– but remember, time is the enemy!
• No partial credit
• Practice fast problem-solving
– Using mathematical shortcuts
– Remembering and applying geometry theorems
– Thinking intuitively
GRE Quantitative
• Be prepared to make an intelligent guess and
move on
• Don’t get bogged down on one question
• Don’t make it an ego problem!
• Most importantly: practice within time
constraints
– Apply the above methods even while practicing
GRE Analytical Writing
• Critique an argument
– Point out flawed assumptions or logical flaws in the given
argument
– Provide alternative explanations for an issue
– Explain what evidence may be needed to evaluate an
argument
• Express a logical opinion on a topic
– Write a reasoned essay on some issue
– Provide an argument for why you agree/disagree with a
statement
GRE Analytical Writing
• A few minor grammar/spelling mistakes are ok
• But do NOT use logical fallacies, e.g.
– Ad hominem attacks
– Arguments based only on religion/ideology
– Strawman argument
– Anecdotal argument (generalization)
– https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/
GRE Resources
• Barron’s GRE book
– Excellent tips, tricks and shortcuts. Must have!
• ETS Powerprep GRE software (free)
– Helps you practice in a realistic setting
– Like doing the GRE at home!
• Magoosh GRE (nice word list app)
TOEFL
• Mandatory, but piece of cake for most people
– Students from rural areas might want to take this
more seriously
• Basically tests if you understand everyday
English
• For Internet Based TOEFL, marks are generally
out of 120.
• Decent score: even 80-90 is probably sufficient
Finances
• So how much cash does this cost you?
• If accepted into PhD: FREE!
– Most universities guarantee funding for PhD
• If accepted into MS: $20,000-$60,000 for tuition
– You may get a scholarship/fellowship... done!
– Otherwise, need to show bank balance
Finances
• If accepted into MS: $20,000-$60,000 for tuition
– You may get a scholarship/fellowship... done!
– Otherwise, need to show bank balance or support
letter
• Support letter needs to be from a reputed organization
• Bank balance could be of a relative or a friend
• For CS people, may be easier to get TAships nowadays
– CS departments in the US are exploding in size => Need Tas
– A TAship pays for both tuition and living expenses
• Start applying for RA/TAships as soon as you get there
Finances
• If you get into a top-ranked school but don’t
have the cash...
– After graduating from a top-ranked school, CS/EE
grads are ~100% guaranteed to find a job that pays
$70K-100K per year
– Enough to pay back any loans in 1-2 years
– If you’re willing to return for 3 years, NUST is willing
to fund you
Resources on the Web
• http://nlp.stanford.edu/~rkarthik/DAGAP.pdf
• http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~natalia/studyinus/g
uide.htm
• And of course, http://phdcomics.com 