Applying to American Universities: A daunting task! 

The entire process of applying to and getting admission into reputed  American universities is a long and intensive one and  takes more than a year in most cases. It could broadly be divided in nine steps as described below:

1. The process, of course, starts with you taking a decision to pursue higher education in the United States. The next step is to start preparing for the required tests like GRE for MS/PhD, GMAT for Management degrees, SAT/ACT for undergraduate degrees, USMLE for medicine, DAT/NBDE for dentistry and LSAT for law degrees. You need to simultaneously start preparing for the mandatory TOEFL/IELTS as well.

2. The second step is to identify the universities that are most suitable for your field and that fit into your profile, considering your academic results, your expected score in GRE/GMAT/SAT or other tests, your research interest and in some cases location preference within the United States. What this means is that weather your profile is strong enough for a particular university you have short-listed? Remember, if you apply to a university that is too high ranked for your profile, there is a good chance of your application being rejected. And if you apply to a university that is too easy to get into according to your profile, then you will not be getting the quality education you deserve. So basically you need find the right match between your profile and the university's profile.

Selecting a working group of 10 to 15 institutions from the approximately 500 available in the United States is a challenging task. Although so much variety can be bewildering, it has a positive side as well. With so many institutions to choose from, it is almost always possible to find one or more institutions that meet your academic and financial needs and offer an environment in which you will be comfortable. Do not leave this important decision to a friends or a relative, or choose only from the most famous institutions. There may be other institutions more appropriate to your goals and requirements.

When deciding which schools to apply to, you should:

• Identify the specific universities that fit your particular research and academic interests, background, and goals.
• Get information about the below mentioned important characteristics of those programs and universities.
• Faculty credentials, reputation, and research interests.
• How selective is the program? Will you
  be able to meet their admissions requirements?
• Institutional and (if appropriate) program accreditation.
• Direct and indirect costs (tuition, fees, books, living   expenses, health insurance) and the availability of financial assistance.
• Degree requirements and courses
• Institutional facilities (libraries, computers, laboratories, etc.)
• Job-search success of graduates (job placement)

The most important factors in selection are availability of your chosen field of study and the quality of instruction and research in that field. One good strategy to identify universities is to choose a region of the United States that is advanced in your area of interests and then locate institutions within that region that offer your field of study. For e.g. New York for Finance/Banking, Texas for Chemical/Petroleum, California for Computer Science/IT, Michigan for Industrial/Automobile Engineering etc.

Use online catalogs, brochures and other publications to investigate the entire range of possibilities. Using a worksheet makes it easy to eliminate institutions that are too expensive, that do not meet your individual needs, or that have admissions requirements that are too high or too low. Gather as much data as possible about specific programs and institutions through Google search. The more you know about the school, the better it is. Universities are looking for a student who genuinely wants to be there, so having a solid answer as to why you want to be there is imperative.

4. The next step is to prepare documents like the Statement of Purpose, Recommendation Letters, Transcripts, Affidavit of Support, Bank Statements etc. All these documents must preferably go to the universities in the same packet to smoothen the application process both for you and the universities.

Make sure that the application package contains ALL the documents and information required by the university admissions office. An incomplete application will not be considered until all missing documents are sent. This means that time may be lost, and places and scholarships may have been allocated by the time all material is sent.

Students should make a checklist before sending in their application. Most applications require the following:

• Cover letter: The cover letter introduces the applicant and lists the documents that are in the package. The letter should also contain the correct name and address of the student and the correct name and address of the person supposed to receive the application. Remember to include your e-mail address as well. If documents are missing, this is the opportunity to explain why. The cover letter should always be typed and signed.
  
• A completed application form: Type or print the application. Minimize the corrections, smudges and deletions. Do not leave questions unanswered. If the question does not apply, write "n/a" (not applicable).
• Transcripts and diplomas: Transcripts, a detailed marks certificate, or comparable document showing all course work, grades, and proof of earned degrees for each institution attended must be submitted for all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned, or weather the program was completed or not. Transcripts must be official and forwarded in their original sealed envelopes. Schools may indicate they are looking for a specific minimum grade-point average (GPA), but can be impressed by a pattern of improvement. Depending on the particular graduate program, the school may also consider your GPA for course work in your major or in grades for individual courses related to the graduate program.
• Letters of recommendation: Letters should be in a sealed envelop that is signed on the back by the faculty member (Universities will never consider letters presented in an unsealed envelop). Students should always provide faculty with details of the program to which they are applying and the name of the university and the department. Faculty/teachers may choose to return the letter to the student or send it to the university themselves. In this case, students must provide the teachers with the exact address. However, try to send the letters of recommendation with the application package. If this is not possible, the cover letter sent with the application package must explain the estimated time of arrival of the letters and details of who is sending them.
  
• Statement of Purpose: University applications usually include a essay section in the application. This section is approximately phrased with the following sentence: "Please explain why the program is suitable for you and your topic of research". It is called the "Statement of Purpose" and is the most important document in an application. The Statement of Purpose allows a student to highlight and emphasize individual achievements, goals and objectives for the future. It distinguishes one student from another and is one of the deciding factors for admission in an application package. Universities want to select motivated and bright students. The selection of the right graduate students is important for the faculty and the long-term reputation of the department and university.
• Application fee: Almost all U.S. universities require the students to pay an application fee. This fee typically ranges from US$20 - $80. 
  
• Standardized Test Scores: Check with the program
  to which you are applying to determine which standardized tests are required (GRE/GMAT/SAT etc.). As it may take up to six weeks for a university to receive official test scores, be sure to take tests well in advance of the application deadline. You must arrange to have the appropriate official score reports mailed directly to the school’s graduate admissions office by the testing service. Test scores more than five years old are generally not accepted for admissions review, and TOEFL and IELTS scores may not be more than two years old. Scores from the TOEFL or IELTS are generally required from all applicants whose native language is not English and who are not citizens of countries where English is an official language. Please note that the minimum score required may be different for admission versus consideration for graduate teaching assistantships.  
• Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  
• A completed financial certificate form, with supporting documents like affidavit of support and bank statement.
  
  

Send the application and all documents in a large envelope, preferably by an international courier like DHL, UPS, FedEx etc. Always keep photocopies of application materials. Send applications in well before the deadline. Applications sent afterwards may not be considered.

5. After the frenzied blur of test preparation, SOP, essays, school research and getting your applications in on time, potential students are faced with something even more unsettling: waiting for the school's decision. Once you've submitted all your materials, the situation is out of your control, and you and thousands of other hopefuls are at the mercy of a faceless admissions office!

While you may want to call the admissions office every day to check on your application, resist the urge! Most schools will automatically let you know when they have received your application, so phone calls and e-mails are unnecessary, and, frankly, annoying. Admissions offices are dealing with thousands of applicants, and the last thing they want are thousands of people checking in. However if you have received no confirmation that a school received your application materials, a quick, polite e-mail will be tolerated. 

So after you have couriered all the documents you should wait for two-three weeks before you contact the Admissions Office of the universities to find out weather your application is complete in all respects and if not, what other documents are required. Remember your application will be considered for admission only after you have fulfilled all the requirements.

After making sure that they have received your application and it is complete, do not try and contact the office of admissions again unless you have some important new information to share. A new GRE/GMAT score, a grade in a class that you are taking now, or a significant promotion at work would all qualify, but not much else. However, with differing acceptance deadlines, sometimes it becomes necessary to know where you stand with the Dream School when Backup University needs an answer! In this special circumstance, admissions offices understand the urgency, and will usually be  accommodating. "It's just like everything else; it's not what you say but how you say it" says an admission officer at Stanford. If you write them a very polite e-mail, explaining the situation and conveying that this school is your first choice, they will listen and usually send a prompt reply.

6. Once the university has taken a decision on your application, you will be informed either by an email or regular mail or both. As soon as you receive the acceptance letter start writing emails to the professors in your department to ask for teaching and research assistantships. Remember there are only a few positions available with the professors each semester and competition is intense for them, since in most cases they carry a full or partial tuition waiver and a monthly stipend which varies from $800 to $1200, depending on your professor's funding.

7. The universities that have accepted you will then send you a document called "I-20" with which you will apply to the nearest U.S. Consulate for an interview date. If you applied for fall semester you will get the I-20 latest by July 30th and if you applied for spring, the university will send it to you by December 1st. Generally International students are not accepted for the summer semester.

8. Preparing for the visa interview is by far the most important and the most stressful aspect of the whole application process. Most students start feeling the pressure built-up as the interview date approaches. After all it will be a life changing experience! But if you have prepared all your documents well in advance and are thorough with the expected questions, then there is no need to worry. Remember the U.S. needs well qualified Indian students as much as the Indian students need a degree from the U.S. And generally Indian students are preferred over students from most other countries. That's the reason Indian students now form the largest International student communities in most U.S. universities. More student visas are issued to Indian students than any other country in the world. So approach the interview with a confident and positive approach and you will win the day! 

9. Once you have secured that "hard-to-get" visa, its time for you to book your air-ticket and start packing your stuff. You could block a ticket free of cost with an Airline of your choice, well before your interview. This will help you in avoiding the high fare ticket booked at a later date. About the stuff, well, try to carry as many books as possible, as books in America are really expensive ($40-$100). It is strongly recommended that you contact the Indian students in your university and get a list of essential books. You could well end up saving a lot of money for other expenses!