The first steps

The very first step (as the title of the post suggests) is giving your GRE.

I was asked some very interesting questions (which honestly wouldn't have struck my mind, if i wasn't asked) by students who just gave their GRE ....

1. Should we give the Toefl test too?

2. Which one do you think is a better option - Doing your MS right after your engineering or working for a company (for maybe about a year) and then pursuing your MS degree?

3. Are we guaranteed a job once our MS is done?

1. Before I begin answering this question, I have to inform people who are reading this post that I am not a know-it-all and hence I might be wrong (absolutely or partially). If anyone has a better advice/answer, I request them to please post it for the benefit of the others.

Coming to the answer, Toefl is as important as the GRE for an admission into universities. The GRE score is used a basis for mass elimination/filtering (very similar to GD during interviews). Applications beyond a certain GRE score are the ones usually considered and this cutoff changes every single year. If the selectors have to choose between two applicants with the same GRE score then they look at the Toefl score, GPA, Letters of Recommendation, SOP, papers/journal articles and the rest of the candidate’s profile.

Apart from this the Toefl speaking score is a very important factor that is considered when teaching assistant-ships (TAs) are awarded. They want to make sure students understand the English we speak ;-). The cutoff again depends on the university. If we do not cross the cutoff then we will have to take an additional SPEAK test (50 USD) to be considered for a TA.

A brief background on the different kinds of assistant-ships:

TA - Teaching Assistantship

Usually this is the only funding that appears on the i20 and by far the easiest in terms of work-to-do.

RA - Research Assistantship

This usually means working under a professor whose research area you are interested in. This usually obtained by talking to a professor and making him realize how useful you can be to him. The success rate is higher when students get to the US and talk to the professor in person but I know people who attained RAs (from back in India) by talking to professors and impressing them via email!!

GA – Graduate Assistantship

I am not sure if this is available with every university.

All assistant-ships come with an in-state fee waiver and a stipend. This means you can do your MS for free (pretty-much!).

Apart from assistantships some universities offer waivers and scholarships. Waivers, (name- self explanatory) waive your in-state fee (no stipend). Scholarships usually mean cash, which you can use in turn for paying your fee. But, the number of scholarships that international students are eligible for are usually very less in number.

2. Both ideas are good and the choice largely depends on the priorities one has at that point in life.

Both choices have their pros and cons. The problem with MS after a job is, people tend to get used to the work-culture. It takes enormous grit, resolve, determination and will-power (I think I’ve exhausted my vocabulary of synonyms there, trying to make a point!!) to get out of that comfort-zone and pursue a higher degree and personally in today’s world of cut-throat competition I don’t think anyone should settle with an engineering degree alone. I have some friends who had plans of MS after a job, others who wanted to pursue higher degrees with their company’s financial support - now all they think of is an abroad on-site assignment or a promotion.

Having said this, I do know others who are pursuing their MS after years (1 to 5) of work experience. This work experience gave them an edge over the others when applying for jobs (especially during times of recession). [Side note : This does not imply AT ALL that others (without prior work experience) didn’t get a job!! It only means that they had a project or two to talk about additionally. ] Cannot say anything more because for me this is the "Road Not Taken" (like Robert Frost said!)

I’ve laid out the adv/disadv now it is up to u to decide whether you want to do your MS now or later!

3. This is a very tricky or should I say un-answerable question! In my humble opinion, the chances of getting a job after your engineering and the chances of getting one after your MS are almost the same. This is because, your expertise in your field of study will definitely increase but so will the standard of the company you apply to this time!!