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 admission 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 factor in selection is the 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 programs in your field of study. E.g. New York for Finance/Banking, Texas for Chemical/Petroleum, California for Computer Science/IT, Michigan for Industrial/Automobile Engineering etc.

3. Third step is to start the actual process of applying to the universities you have short-listed. This starts with you filling in the details of these universities in the score report forwarding section when you take your online GRE/GMAT & TOEFL tests. The test fee includes score forwarding to four universities of your choice. The scores are reported to the chosen universities within two weeks of the test date.

• 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 envelopes). 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, in most cases annoying. Admissions offices are dealing with thousands of applicants, and the last thing they want are thousands of people calling to check the application status. However if you have received no confirmation that the university's admission office received your application, a quick, polite e-mail will be tolerated. So after you have couriered all the documents you should wait for 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 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 were taking at the time of application, 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 universities 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 send 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 about the status.

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 that varies from $800 to $1200, depending the 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.

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 going to USA 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. universities need well qualified Indian students as much as the Indian students need a degree from the U.S universities. 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, it's 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 the last moment. 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!

The Application Process: A Time line and Checklist 

Planning ahead will give you sufficient time to make successful applications to the universities and colleges of your choice. If you’re  applying to PhD programs, it’s best to start early. Applications for most PhD programs are due in December or 15th January, while deadlines for master's programs tend to hit in January, February or March. No matter which degree you wish to pursue, starting early will give you more time to prepare and polish your application. 

May: Begin researching potential universities that are good in your area of interest and find out weather you meet their admission requirements. Take a practice GRE test. Your score will help you determine how much preparation you'll need for the real deal.

June: Find out application and financial aid deadlines. This will affect when you take the standardized tests required for admission since test results must reach admissions offices no later than these deadlines. The tests should be taken in advance of submitting university application forms. If your practice scores weren’t too hot, sign up for a GRE test preparation course.

July: Register to take standardized tests (GRE/GMAT/SAT     TOEFL etc) required by the universities to which you are applying. Begin narrowing down your choices of schools to approximately 10 to 15 institutions. Request more information from these schools via email. Visit their websites and get as much information about the department as possible.

August: Take the tests. If you're not happy with your scores, sign up to take them again. Continue narrowing down your choice of schools. While some students apply to more, 5 to 7 well researched choices are sufficient. Begin writing your statement of purpose.

September: Finalize your list of prospective schools, and pick a professor or two from each whose research interests mirror your own. Familiarize yourself with their work. Contact your recommendation people. Keep polishing your statement of purpose.

October: Now that you’ve identified the schools to which you will be applying, visit their websites to get application forms and other important information such as housing availability and costs. You can also contact the university or graduate program directly to request that materials be sent to you. Most universities provide an online request form for this purpose, but you can also send a letter, e-mail, or call.  Send your professors supplemental materials (like your resume, personal statement, etc.) that they can use as a reference in writing recommendation letters. Make contact with students and professors at your prospective schools.

November: Request official transcripts from your undergraduate institution. Request the completed and sealed letters of recommendation from your professors. Have someone in the same field and a few smart (and honest) friends read over your Statement of Purpose. Request ETS that your official score reports be sent to schools.

December: Complete and submit all applications, keeping two copies of every section for your records. Verify that your recommendations have been sent.

January: Focus on financial aid and look into private loans, grants and fellowships.

February and March: Try to relax while you wait it out. This will probably be the most relaxing time you'll have for the next several years, so enjoy it!

April: Celebrate your acceptances. Decide which university you will attend, notify the admissions office of your decision, complete and return any forms they require. Send letters of regret to those universities you turn down.

May: Email professors in your department to ask for financial aid in the form of teaching and research assistantships.

June: Use information from your Form I-20 or DS-2019 to fill out the SEVIS Form I-901 and pay the required $200 SEVIS fee (visit www.fmjfee.com to do this). Upon receipt of your I-20 and SEVIS I-901 payment receipt, apply to your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for a visa interview date. This could be done on www.vfs-usa.co.in. 

July: Appear for the visa interview. Research the courses available for the semester and decide on those that you will be enrolling in. Do some elementary research on those courses through the web.

August: Make travel arrangements. Organize finances. Arrange to transfer funds to a U.S. bank; make sure you have funds for travel and expenses on arrival. Finalize arrangements for housing and medical insurance with your university. Contact the International Student Office at your university with details of your arrival plans, and confirm details of any orientation for new students held by the university.

One final note: Almost every grad school applicant will receive at least one rejection. While that won't be fun, it's not quite the final act. Call your contact professors in that department and politely express your regret at not being admitted. Ask them if they can point out where your application was weak or give you some suggestions on how you might strengthen your candidacy in the future. This will help if you choose to re-apply the following year, in case you are not satisfied with your present university.

Talking to the professors at prospective universities
With all the piles of paper involved in applying to universities, it's easy to conclude that paperwork is what it's all about. But the application process doesn’t end on the page. When it comes to graduate admissions, you have a big advantage if you talk to people. The conversations you’ve shared with faculty at your prospective schools will play an important part come decision time. A typical graduate program receives only hundreds—not thousands—of applications each year. Out of these hundreds, a program might extend offers of admission to a few dozen, expecting some of those admitted to choose other schools. Usually, the number of candidates is small enough that the admissions committee can expect to meet, or at least talk to, a significant portion. Faculty members who are not on the admissions committee often lobby it to admit preferred candidates, whom they have spoken to. Therefore, to put together the strongest possible application, you have to be a go-getter (or at least act like one!). That means getting in touch with professors at your prospective schools and making your research interests and career intentions clear to them. If you've done some thinking about what you want from a graduate program, the faculty will sense your clarity and direction, and do the rest.

Don't feel that you need to sound like a professor yourself. Stretching your knowledge to sound wiser than you are is a sure-fire way to appear unreal. If you haven’t studied an important area of your field, present it as a topic you’re looking forward to learning about. Then try and shift the discussion back to a subject in which you’re more conversant. After all, no one is expected to enter graduate school already knowing everything there is to know.

Remember to stick to the positives when you talk about yourself. Though you should be prepared to discuss your shortcomings, don't volunteer them yourself.

Finally, have a clear sense of what you’d like to get out of each conversation.  It’s best to have a few specific, carefully chosen questions prepared. Practice discussing your background and interests. Professors will be more likely to advocate for you if you’re articulate, friendly and respectful of their time.

A few final Suggestions...

• When applying to universities, it is important to present the application in the best light possible. In addition to listing academic and personal achievements, it is the tool of persuasion, which students can use to promote themselves as ideal candidates for a program. The success of the application depends on the ability of the student to demonstrate strengths, creativity, and individuality. It is important to describe skills and accomplishments as well as academic interests.
  
• Preparing an application package requires time and effort. Do not leave it until the last minute. Start the process in early September to meet the winter deadline for submitting the documents. Many Indian students miss opportunities for acceptance at institutions of their choice or chances for financial aid simply because they do not allow enough time for the application process. The process of admission in the United States requires at least a year if you are applying to selective institutions or requesting financial aid. Selection, application and testing may each require several months.
• Throughout the process you should try to improve your understanding of the program, show continued interest and passion for the school and continue to stay connected to the professors and staff in the department you are applying to.
• The sooner your application is considered the better the chances of getting admitted, because most American universities start admitting students even before the deadline for application has expired. So if your profile is good enough and you applied two-three months before the deadline, there is a better chance of admission, than when your application reaches them one week before the deadline. So it is strongly recommended that you try to send the application as soon as feasible. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DEADLINE!

When all is said and done, don't overdo it. Sit back and relax. All the work you put into the application you submitted by the deadline was not all for nothing.