11. Statement Of Purpose :

       The Statement of Purpose is often regarded to be the single most important factor, which can decide the outcome of your application. It is a letter addressed to the college you are applying to, stating your reasons for wanting to pursue graduate study, among other things.
Your statement of purpose should include the following points :
* Reason for pursuing higher studies. Research and academic interests Goal in life Personal strengths and weaknesses Academic and other achievements Related experience / projects undertaken
* Reasons for applying to a particular university
Spend as much time as possible over your statement of purpose because it is the only means that you have to actually 'speak' to the college authorities, in order to convince them that you really deserve to be admitted to their University. Refer to the SOP section for detailed information.

12. Application :

       Send your applications to colleges well ahead of the last date mentioned in their websites. Based on personal experience, We can assure you that the earlier you send your applications, the better your chances are of gaining admission into universities. Also, the earlier you apply, the sooner you get your replies, and so you have more time to decide which college to finally go to. - Sample Application Package

13. Visa :

        You have to apply for a student VISA to the US. At the time of applying for a VISA, you have to have to prove to the VISA officer that you have sufficient funds to support your study in the U.S., as well as enough reasons for returning to your home country after completion of your education. Find out more about the visa procedure at Visa Information

14. Final Preparation :

        Contact students who are currently studying at the University you are going to, for information regarding what to expect once you get there.

Summary and Overview of Changes to GRE General Test from October 2006

 The new GRE General Test will be slightly over four hours long, an increase from the current two-and-a-half-hour exam. It will also no longer be offered in a computer-adaptive format, where the difficulty of the test is determined by the test taker’s right or wrong answers. Instead, it will be offered in a linear format, in which every student takes the same exam.

Changes to the Verbal Reasoning measure include:

  1.   two 40-minute sections rather than one 30-minute section
  2.   greater emphasis on higher cognitive skills and less dependence on vocabulary
  3. a broader selection of reading passages including sentence-equivalence questions
  4.   expansion of computer-enabled tasks

Changes to the Quantitative Reasoning measure include:

 1. two 40-minute sections rather than one 45-minute section
 2. fewer geometry questions
 3. more real-life scenarios and data interpretation questions
 4. on-screen, four-function calculator with square-root feature

Changes to the Analytical Writing measure include:

1. 15 minutes shorter
2. more focused questions to ensure original analytical writing
3. 30-minute argument and issue tasks

Each test will also contain a variable section that will not count toward a test taker’s score but will be used to select questions for future versions of the exam.

 Testing Center Rules and Regulations

· The test will be given on the day and at the time scheduled.

· Test takers will be assigned seats.

· Testing aids are not permitted in the testing room. These include but are not limited to beepers, pens, calculators, watch, books, pamphlets, rulers, highlighter pens, stereos or radios with headphones, cellular phones, watch alarms (including those with flashing lights or alarm sounds), dictionaries, translators, any electronic or photographic devices or keyboards.

· You may not eat, drink, or use tobacco during the test.

· Dress in a way that you can adapt to any room temperature.

· ID verification at the test center may include thumb printing, photographing, videotaping, or another form of electronic ID confirmation. This does not replace the photo ID requirements.

· If you requested and received an authorization voucher from ETS, you must take it with you to the test center.

· On occasion, technical problems may require late starts and/or rescheduling of your test.

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