Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Will You Get Accepted?

Will You Get Accepted?

Knowing Your Chances
The admissions process is inevitably arbitrary, and admissions committees often make surprising decisions. You can, however, get a rough idea of your chances of getting into a certain program. Find out the GRE score and college GPA of the average grad student; these figures are usually available, and they're the only way to compare yourself to a large number of other people.

Your Numbers
If your numbers are substantially better than a program's average numbers, then your chances look pretty good, as long as the rest of your application materials are consistent with your scores. If your numbers are close to a school's average, they work neither for you or against you, and the rest of your application will determine your competitiveness in the application pool. If your numbers are substantially lower than a school's average numbers, consider that school a long shot.

The Rest of Your Application
Your complete application includes your essays, transcript, recommendations, work experience, awards and activities, writing sample, and publications, if any. There's another, "invisible" part of your application: your conversations with professors at certain schools and the impressions you left behind -- both vitally important. All of these factors affect your chances of admission. Even your ethnicity or region of origin can help you.

Your best source of information about your chances of getting into a school is a well-informed professor -- one who knows you and the programs you're interested in. Such professors can give you straightforward answers about how impressive your credentials look to someone in the field. They can also advise you about how best to present yourself and what questions to ask. These professorial insights are crucial to deciding how hard-hitting your applications are going to be.
If you have any kind of relationship with a professor at one of your prospective schools -- or if you get to know any in the course of your research -- then that professor is an ideal resource. Most professors can generally give you some idea of your strength as a candidate. The responses of professors at your prospective schools are more than just guesses; these professors may be able to influence admissions decisions directly.
Talk to Them
It's impossible to overemphasize the importance of talking to the professors at the schools you're considering. Admission to graduate school isn't about standardized tests or GPAs. It's about people: the people in the academic community you're trying to join, and the people you've worked with in the past. The opinions of the professors in your prospective graduate program, together with the recommendations you receive from professors you've worked with, are the most significant determinants in the admissions process. When you're trying to gauge your chances of success in applying to a program, nothing tells you more than the opinions of the professors involved.

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Detailed list of documents required for Visa

Hello friends,

This is a detailed list of documents required for Visa and details
about those documents.



Courtesy: http://www.state.gov







Required Documents for F1 Visa:

They can be classified as follows.

A. Consulate Documents.

B. US University Documents.

C. Qualifying Test Documents.

C. Educational Documents.

D. Proof of Funds Documents.

*********************************************************************
*

Consulate Documents:


1. Copy of Web appointment (TTS).

2. Form DS-156. (Can be downloaded and printed back-to-back (Both
sides on a single paper or sheet)

Download it from:

http://travel.state.gov/DS-0156.pdf

3. Form DS-157 (Only for all male applicants in the age group of 16
to 45 years)(Not required for Female applicants)

Download it from:

http://travel.state.gov/DS-0157.pdf

4. Form DS-158 (for applicants seeking visas in F category)

Download it from:

http://travel.state.gov/DS-0158.pdf

Note: You can fill the above forms in your own handwriting or if you
are using Adobe Acrobat reader 5.0, you can directly type in the
form (except a few columns) and take printouts directly.

5. One Demand Draft from the for Rs.4,600/- as mentioned below.

6. One Photo 50mm X 50mm (or 2inches x 2 inches Square) on form DS-
156. (Photo guidelines are given below within this section. Kindly
follow them as described.)

7. Passport - Each applicant must possess an individual passport
valid for travel to the U.S. with a validity date at least six
months beyond the intended period of stay;

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

Banks to take DD's (For Chennai consulate Applicants Only):

The following is a list of nationalized or foreign banks with a
branch in Chennai from which the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai
will accept Demand Drafts (current as of October 2003):



ABN AMRO Bank

American Express Bank

Andhra Bank

Allahabad Bank

Bank of America

Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur

Bank of India

Bank of Maharashtra

Bank of Muscat

Bharat Overseas Bank

Bank of Tokyo & Mitsubishi

BNP Paribas

Central Bank

Canara Bank

Citibank

Duetsche Bank

Global Trust Bank

HDFC Bank

Honkong Bank

ICICI Bank

IDBI Bank

Indian Bank

Indian Overseas Bank

Karnataka Bank

Lakshmivilas Bank

Oriental Bank of Commerce

Punjab National Bank

Reserve Bank Of India

Standard Chartered Bank

State Bank of Hyderabad

State Bank of India

State Bank of Indore

State Bank of Mysore

State Bank of Travancore

Syndicate Bank

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank

Tamilnadu state apex co-op Bank

The Jammu & Kashmir Bank

The Federal Bank

UCO Bank

UTI Bank

Vijaya Bank



Demand Draft Details:

Visa fees are as follows:



1) Non-immigrant visa application fee (non-refundable) Rs. 4600/-

2) Courier fee: Rs. 400 (Courier fees may be paid in cash or via a
demand draft favoring "T.T. Services" to be paid on the day of
appointment at the TT Services counter located at the Embassy.)

One Demand Draft/Bank Draft/Pay Order/Bank Managers

Check taken for the following amount from any Nationalized Banks and
Local Branches of Foreign Banks. DD's drawn on Co-operative Banks
are not accepted.

DD specifications for different centers are as follows:



1. New Delhi:

One Demand Draft for Rs.4600/-, drawn in favor of the "American
Embassy, New

Delhi." Drafts should be drawn on a bank with a branch in New Delhi.



2. Calcutta:

One separate DD on "American Consulate General, Calcutta," Payable
at Calcutta for the amounts of Rs.4600/

Write your full name and date of birth on the back of each and every
bank draft, using only a pencil to do so.



3. Mumbai:

In Mumbai a single DD includes both Visa application fee and Courier
fee.

Demand Draft for Visa Application Fee: Rs.5000/- Favoring "VFS a/c -
US Visa", payable in Mumbai.

Note: Drop Box applicants from Western Region opting the courier
service (Blue Dart) for home/office pick-up of application - please
add Rs. 120/- per passport. Total fee payable with pick-up service:
Each application must contain the Demand Draft for Visa

Application Fee: Rs 5120/- Favoring " VFS a/c - US Visa" payable in
Mumbai



4. Chennai:

One DD on "American Consulate General, Chennai." Payable in Chennai
for the

amounts of Rs.4, 600/- Important: Please write your complete name
and passport number on the back of each draft.



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--------------

B. US University Documents:

1. Offer letter from university or Acceptance letter from university.

2. SEVIS generated i-20 form from US University.

3. Any special letter of Aid or Funding.

4. Any useful correspondence with university officials or department
officials or

professors, in the form of mails or snail mails. If emails take
printouts of the same. When VO asks for them, present them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
---------

Regarding i-20's read the following:




(As of January 30, 2003 all new forms I-20 issued on or after that
date must be SEVIS compatible documents. First time students will be
able to enter the U.S. with non-SEVIS documents issued prior to
January 30, 2003. All continuing students must present a SEVIS-
generated form I-20, if they are applying for a visa after January
30, 2003. These new forms are printed on a single sheet of paper and
will have a large black bar code down the top right hand side of the
form.)

Note: If a student receives More than one i-20, he/she should take
all the received i-20's to visa interview. If the visa officer asks
for the proof of more i-20's then you can show them to VO. But
unless the VO asks for them don't show. Just

keep them with you. And also remember that VO will be knowing about
all your

admissions (If I-20 was ever issued)

---------------------------------------------------

******************************************

C. Qualifying Test Documents:


Original Score Reports of

1. TOEFL

2. GRE/GMAT



D. Educational Documents:


1. Original Degree of Graduation or any other available highest
degree as per the

specifications applicable to individual cases.

(What if Degree certificate is not available? kindly follow the
following FAQ available with Chennai consulate web-site.

Q. What if I have not yet received my degree certificate?

A. Yes - you may still apply, but please be sure to include your
Individual and

consolidated mark Sheets and provisional certificate along with
Course Completion Certificate duly signed and stamped with college
seal by principal.)

2. Intermediate or (10+2 exam) original certificates or as
applicable to your case.

3. SSC / CBSE - (+10th standard) original certificates or as
applicable to your case.

4. Original Degree Consolidated marks list (if available and
applicable to your case.) along with all semester/year marks lists,
which is now became mandatory.

*****************************************************************

E. Proof of Funds Documents:

1. Proof of ability to finance the education

A. Scholarship letters,

B. Bank letters,

C. Salary slips of parents and other sponsors if any,

D. IT returns for last 2-3 years etc of parents and other sponsors
if any.

E. Rental receipts of own shops or buildings if any with revenue
stamps.

F. Sponsors Business P/L Account duly certified by a CA if sponsor
is a businessman.

G. Pension Papers - if sponsor is retired.

H. 6 months of Bank records - i.e. Bank transaction statements. Or
Bank Passbooks of sponsors. (At times VO ask for more than 6 months
also.)

I. Chartered Accountant Statement of Monetary worthiness of the
sponsors.

J. Affidavit of supports by sponsors and student separately.

K. Loan approval letters (if you want to show loans.) Regarding
loans kindly look into FAQ's given below .

Note: As a matter of fact you need to show the funds available with
you through liquid cash, liquid assets and properties and other
immovable assets and annual income.

1. Liquid Cash

The Bank in which the sponsor is having an account on bank's
letterhead and duly stamped along with a seal can certify this. It
can be supported by 6 months Bank statements or Pass books whatever
available with Bank.

Your sponsors bank account should contain cash for first year funds
of university fee + Living expenses + insurance + misc expenses +
airfares to USA and + Reserve cash funds for second year. Generally
it will be between 20-25 lakhs and sometimes up to 30- 35 lakhs
depending upon the university expenses (Tuition + Living expenses as
mentioned for 9-12 months on I-20 for the length of study as
mentioned in I-20 ranging from 24 months to 39 months)

If it's for 24 months you have to show availability of liquid funds
for 24 months. If the normal length of course is for 36 months, then
you have to show availability of funds for all three years, even you
know course is for 24 months. So a lot depends upon what your I-20
is mentioning.

Liquid funds also covers any Fixed deposits + Bonds + Shares + NSC +
Mutual funds + Gold + Jewellery etc. In fact it's better to show
Fixed deposits in our opinion. They carry much weight. For
everything you intend to show get a latest valuation certificates
basing on which CA will be giving his certificate. If you are
showing Gold and Jewellery, you should produce their valuation from
a Government approved official valuer, along with a declaration of
possession of Gold and jewellery by the sponsorer. But remember in
recent times Gold and jewellery has lost its shine in visa
processing, as many a times VO's commenting that they don't think
parents or sponsorers will sell of their Gold and other

valuables for the sake of their wards education. So be careful,
while showing Gold and Jewellery. Try to show it only as an asset
but not as a means of funding for college expenses and fees.



So from bank you need to produce:

A. Bank Letter stating the funds available with sponsors account and
how much it will be equivalent in US$.

B. Fixed Deposits Original certificates.

C. 6 months or more Bank Transaction statements and Pass Books and
any other related documents.



2. Properties:

There's no uniformity in these issues. Generally it should be around
70-80 lakhs or more. These may be Buildings, plots, flats, shops,
agricultural fields, farm houses etc immovable property in any form
if you are able to justify. All these should be evaluated and
certified by a CE - Chartered Engineer or Tehsil or concerned
metro/revenue officials etc to give their certificate of opinion on
the value of these immovable assets.

3. CA statement:

A CA - Chartered Accountant will give his certificate of Monetary
worthiness of

sponsors basing on the documents he is having related to sponsor.
His certificate

mentions all the Cash, liquid assets and immovable assets available
with the sponsor, which can be available for immediate use for the
applicants study in USA.

*******************************************************************
NOTE:

There are a couple of changes about the documents required for visa:


now as per the new rules many changes were done....
the dd is rs4400 and not 4600 and it shuld b paid in advance at hdfc
bank in our city itself...
and also the courire fees in now around rs296 i suppose....
plz check out these........

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Some Important Facts on F1 Visa

Some important facts on f1 visa

1. Visa issuance is a very objective decision, and is not subjective:

Every visa official has a list of requirements (s)he looks for in a
visa application. If they are met, then (s)he issues the visa. If
not, (s)he doesn't. It is how these requirements are met that makes a
visa decision seem subjective. For instance, take the requirement of
showing that you will return to India. If you provide unambiguous
pragmatic evidence pointing to reasons for return, he will have no
reason not to grant a visa. US Visa Official Quote: "Give a rational,
objective reason that even a banker would believe".
If, on the other hand, you only play with words and have nothing
substantial to show, it looks like a subjective decision, since it
is based upon subjective evidence.

2. Proper documents are only half the story:

Visa officials know that documents in India can be easily forged. So
what is on paper is not enough. What you say, how you say it, matters
a lot. Sometimes it can even make up for inadequate documentation. US
Visa Official Quote: "Some people complain that we did not see their
documents. Remember, if we go through your documents when you are
standing there, then that is a negative sign. It means we don't
believe you and are checking the documents for proof or for grounds
to reject you. So not seeing your documents in front of you is a good
thing for you."

3. Success Rates of Visa:

Success Rates of Visa Issuance (overall) is 60 % .i.e. 60% of all
applicants, across all categories, are issued visas. 40 % are
rejected.
Success Rates of specific visas:
Visa - Success Rate
J1 Visa - 75 %
F1 Visa - 65 %
M1 Visa - 35 %

US Visa official Quote: "People who are between 18 and 37 and single
attract our attention".


4. How to increase your chances of Success ?

A. Legitimate Student:

Show that you have a coherent plan of study. e.g. B.A. English in
undergrad in India then MS in Computer Science in US is not a
coherent plan. B.E. Electronics & Communications then M S
(Telecommunications) is very clearly coherent. Also, try linking the
plan of study to India. There should be a connection between past
study and future plan.

B: Reputation of School:

The better the ranking of the school that you finally choose, the
higher your chances of getting a visa. Visa officials have actually
been quoted saying that they never cancelled the visa application of
a Harvard or Stanford student (they don't even look at anything else
if he has a Harvard offer). Of course, everybody doesn't get Harvard,
but then if you choose an obscure university, your chances of a visa
decrease correspondingly, as suspicion about your choice rises. The
official thinks "he's going there only to get to the US, there are
better univs than this in India".
Exclusiveness of course: If the course chosen is not offered in
India, then it is a positive sign - as long as you can still show
that it is logically related to your past studies. So you can't
choose Evangelism after a BSc Chem and then say "it's not offered in
India". Well, actually, you can but you have to show compelling
reason why you want that subject.

C: Evidence of having researched all options:

Show all schools that you chose (say, printouts of websites,
photostats of brochures), show clearly which ones you short listed
and why, which ones you got offers from, which ones you chose and
why. Basically, show yourself as a thorough student.

D: Proper documentation of previous study:

Have original copies of Board certificates, college degrees,
diplomas, extra courses (like NIIT) etc. Also have original results
of GRE, A-GRE TOEFL, TSE and other standardized tests handy.

E: Show proof of networking (if any) with professors:

If you have emailed (or written to) professors, have copies of the
mails ready to show, to establish seriousness of intent to study and
to show that you consider your education as an investment.

F: Multiple Offers:

If you have received offers from many universities, show that.
Especially if you have a scholarship offer from a lower ranked
university and are still going to a higher one, then attach proof of
this with your application.

G: Covering Letter:

Prepare a covering letter which covers all these points and all the
supporting documentation.

H: Be Systematic:

Carry a folder with the covering letter and all these papers in
order, so that (a) you don't fumble around in front of the counter
window looking for the right papers (b) you look systematic and
thorough.

Friends - All the best.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

REGARDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW.

REGARDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW.

You must be preparing to file your applications. Here are some tips on Financial Documents which may help you.

1.Financial Statements what are they?
Financial statements are meant to show to the universities that you or your sponsor have enough liquidity to finance your study and living expenses while you are a student in the American University.
This is a requirement by law and you have to provide it . There is no waiver on this score.

2.What does liquidity imply?
Cash in the saving bank account,Fixed deposits in the bank,savings in the post office accounts. I call these as "Pure Liquid Assets" and if you have these then there is no hassle with the univs.
People who do not have enough funds in the above do group some allied items in their Financial Statements. These I call as "Allied Liquid Assets". Demat accounts, PF, LIC policies are normally mentioned here.
Some Univs do accept the Allied Assets and some do not. It is a matter of convincing the univs.

3. Need I take certificates from each bank having my sponsors account?
Yes. Certificates from each of your sponsors banker is required. Your sponsor may have several bank accounts there is no restriction on this.Remember that each of these certificate has to be original no photocopies are allowed.Thus if you are applying to 10 universities you need 10 original sets.

4.How much funds need to be shown?
You have to show two semesters cost comprising of Fees,living and miscellaneous expenses.
Check the univs requirements on these and show the funds accordingly.Each univ has it's own cost structure.Select the univs you want to apply and prepare the documents showing the highest expenses. This is done in order that you use the same Financial statement for all your Univs.
Note Read below "What if you I target for assistantship"

5.How to prepare the affidavit?
The affidavit of support should be on a stamp paper and attested by a Notary Public after your sponsor signs it.
This is done to impress the univ otherwise it has no legal standing in USA.
The affidavit should carry supporting documents from your(sponsors) bank certifying the amount you are having in your account. For FDs get another certificate. Similarly for other items.
Remember that you are targeting several univs. This implies that all your affidavits and bank certificates should be sent in original to each univ. So prepare as many as you intend applying plus one or two more. Preferably send the Univs financial forms along with your affidavit

6. When should the financial affidavit be sent?
It is best to send it along with the application. This helps the university. Sending it later some times causes hassles to coordinate the documents.
However if you are not prepared with them you can send these documents later when the univ asks for them. This will not affect your admission decision.

7.What if I target for assistantship?
If you are targeting for assistantship and are confident that you will get it and have decided not to go to a particular univ unless the assistantship is granted need not send the financial documents initially.
If any assistantship is granted you can reduce the amount of grant from the required finances and prepare the document accordingly.

8. I do not have funds so how should I go about?
People propagate several unethical ways do this. I do not.
Maybe with experience I have mellowed down .
Enough to say that I know some univs do verify with the banks about your documents. If you are caught on the wrong foot then there is no one to save you. The advisor shall not come forward nor the person who prepared the documents for you.
I can only comment that there are legal ways to overcome this difficulty. Use your ingenuity.
To this I will add that over 50% of persons who aspire to study abroad face this difficulty and your are not unique in this.
Think and you will find a correct and legal way out.

9.What is the period of validity of these documents?
About 4-6 months.

10. Can I use these financial documents for Visa purpose?
Yes and No.

While you must carry these documents while going for visa however it will be prudent to prepare separate documents when you go for visa.

HOW TO FIND MONEY FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL

HOW TO FIND MONEY FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL

(Mainly For Domestic Students )

Steps to Getting the Dollars

Select general area of graduate program (i.e., humanities, sciences, engineering, etc.)
* Some fellowships are designated to support specific areas (i.e., Mellon Fellowships for the humanities, Howard Hughes for the biological sciences, etc.)
* Select sources which match up, and eliminate those fellowship programs which are not applicable.
* Institutions may also have discipline-specific awards
* Search the Internet for funding sources (utilize list provided below).
Determine Degree Objective
* Further define sources available to you.
* Many institutions, agencies, foundations, organizations support students seeking the doctorate only.
* Contact graduate/professional school
o Reliable source for fellowship applications, reference manuals, etc.
o Access to financial support resource person likely who can assist in identifying support for which you may qualify.
Locate faculty members whose work most resembles your area of interest.
* Graduate Student Researcher positions mostly tied to faculty research grants
* Make contact with those professors.
Notify department of interest in consideration of all possible support
* Inform department/program of any fellowships (extramural) awarded to you.
* ;Inquire as to how your award will be supplemented for the non-fellowship years (i.e., TA, GSR/RA, etc.)
* Ask about the amount of fees and the method for paying them. (i.e., who will pay them?)
* Extramural funding deadlines likely to occur much earlier than institutional funding deadlines
* Assume normal requirements apply (i.e., transcripts, GRE, letters, etc.)
o Provide addressed, stamped envelopes to those from whom letters are requested.
o follow up to ensure that letters have been sent
* Fulfill entrance exam requirements early during senior year.
* November GRE will be too late for many extramural (i.e., NSF, Ford, Howard Hughes) funding opportunities.
* Work concurrently to gather information from Ford, NSF, Howard Hughes as these deadlines are all around the same time.
* Request letters of recommendation early
* Order transcripts in plenty of time to meet deadlines
* Submit fellowship application early; where possible utilize on-line applications
* Read and follow all instructions carefully and accurately.
* Late application are never accepted.
Reasons to seek extramural support
* Promotes professional development
* Some awards considered prestigious
* Graduate programs very interested in students applying for these funds.
o more inclined to be supportive of such students
o shows students' academic preparedness and motivation
* Students categorized as Honorable Mentions may also be funded.
* Best financial packages offered through some these programs (i.e., per year award substantial and usually covers multiple-year period).
* Along with departmental support, relieves concern of how educational/living expenses for duration of degree will be covered.
Institution-based fellowship support
* Explained in section below
Possible need for financial aid, need-based loans
* Loans should only be considered when financial need cannot be met.
* Contact campus-based Financial Aid Office for information. (see below for specific loans available)
* Select the loan option over the use of personal credit cards.
o no monthly payments incurred with loans
* Short-term emergency loans may be available in very limited amounts and when possible should be utilized in lieu of credit cards.

CAMPUS FUNDING
Types of Financial Support

Fellowship
* merit-based stipend plus fees should provide enough funds to pay for books, supplies and the cost of living
* single or multi-year
* will likely include TA or GSR/RA

Teaching Assistantship
* salaried position which requires attending professor's class and preparing discussion section, grading, reading and otherwise assisting faculty member with course instruction

Graduate Student Researcher (a.k.a. Research Assistantship)
* usually a laboratory environment where you learn research/technical skills while assisting a faculty member on his/her research project and eventually conduct your own project

Block Grants
* range of support varies and is provided mostly to supplement students' income or pay fees

Associate-In
* provides an opportunity for more advanced graduate students to teach a course

Traineeship
* grants to institutions to support various numbers of students in discipline- specific fields

Loans
* need-based support, formulated on student’s income rather than that of parent's
* eligible for Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans (available through Financial Aid Offices)

Internships
* provides practical experience (usually relevant to student's research interest) and may be provided by an outside institution or agency (government, private industry) and may occur during a summer or an academic year.

Fee Fellowships
* usually provides fees and tuition for one year or multiple years
* fee differential may be provided when student employed

Dissertation Fellowships
* Applicants must be ABD
* Committee selected
* Created dissertation proposal
* Degree completion usually required by end of academic year but may be extended to include summer and/or fall quarter.
* Often plays major role in promoting the completion of the dissertation/degree as it allows student to focus.

Policies Governing Award Recipients

Making Satisfactory Progress
* Maintaining minimum Grade Point Average fellowship requirement
* Taking/passing all required departmental coursework, exams, etc.
* Fulfilling any TA requirements satisfactorily
o TA recipients awarded fellowships must also meet fellowship GPA requirements (normally exceeds TA requirement).

For Multi-Year Recipients (continuing students)
* Continuation of award contingent upon meeting academic standards
* Reporting requirements
* Maintaining required courseload
* Fulfilling advancement to candidacy requirements
* Not exceeding maximum (8 units) incomplete, "F" and/or NC grades
* Annual FAFSA filing by Spring deadline
* Reporting any change in status immediately (e.g., change in degree bjective, change of field/department, leave of absence, extended absence from class or withdrawal must be reported to Graduate Division/Graduate School immediately).
* Responsible for reporting fellowship awards when filing taxes

EXTRAMURAL FUNDING
Portable Awards

* all students should seek these funds
o if not successful first time, apply again
o first-year graduate students and seniors eligible to apply
* apply directly to funding agency/foundation
* multi-year award (usually three years of fellowships and fees)
*
* award may include the use of unused cost of education allowance for students' (COE) own research and other educational needs (i.e., purchasing a computer, a printer, or attending conferences, etc.)
* award amounts are usually substantial (i.e., $14,000+)
* often 12-month awards
* important professional experience

Other Types of Extramural/Portable Awards

* may be need-based award
* stipend plus fees
* usually multi-year
* recipient must qualify for each year awarded
* level of funding based on level of need
* could be awarded less than the maximum (up to $15,000)

SOURCES OF FUNDING

Institutional
* fellowships, teaching assistantships, researcher positions, supplies, equipment through department

State Government
* mostly need-based with residency required to be eligible
* filing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required for many states
* federal dollars not transferrable from one state to the next

Federal Government
* available through various U.S. agencies, foundations and departments including National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education and Energy
* fellowship programs include Jacob K. Javits, Grants for Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN), and loan programs such as Stafford Direct and Indirect Loans
* Work-Study for graduate students may be administered by a financial aid office or the Graduate Dean

Foundations
* funding provided in specific areas or for specific groups
* Ford funds predoctoral, dissertation-year and postdocs, specifically for minority students
* Howard Hughes funds predoctoral students in the biological sciences
* Mellon awards students in the predoctoral humanities

Individual and Organizations
* provide various amounts of awards for particular purposes and sometimes for particular individuals

FINANCIAL PACKAGE
A Good Financial Package

Provides a combination of funding sources
* fellowship - no work involved
* teaching assistantship - gives you teaching experience
* research position - learning to conduct research while earning salary
* TA and or GSR/RA position promotes socialization of the student into the program/department
* TA may be core requirement of graduate program

A Poor Financial Package

Unvaried funding source
* total teaching assistant - too demanding
* total fellowship - lack of teaching experience, lab expenses
* total research position - does not provide teaching experience; may not allow you to work on your own research (some exceptions)

Process for Consideration of Financial Support (on campus)

Nomination Process
* Most institutions consider all their admitted applicants for support
* Admission Application may allow selection of interest in financial support, including type of support (e.g., TA, GSR, fellowship, etc.).
* Department/Program sends Graduate Dean nomination requests for new or continuing student(s)
* Decision to award made
o Student informed of admission/award package simultaneously
o April 15 national deadline for notification of acceptance/declination of admission/award
o Notify declinations to institutions as soon as decision made as may allow reallocation of funds to other students

Following Award Acceptance
* File FAFSA
* For nonresidents, after arriving in institution state, immediately begin establishing residency.
o Open a bank account
o Register to vote
o Obtain state driver’s license or I.D.
o File residency paperwork with Office of Registrar
o By no later than twelve months later, file additional required paperwork with Office of Registrar.
o Nonresident tuition paid first year only
< ul>
General Requirements for Funding Opportunities to Qualify for State Funding

Eligibility
o U.S. Citizen
o Permanent Resident
o California Resident (If not resident, must obtain residency status by the next academic year.)
o Follow All Application Instructions to the Letter

Merit
o High Quality Academic Standing, based on bachelor's record and/or master's record
o Strong Letters of Recommendation from faculty advisors
o Strong GRE Scores
o Good Research Experience
o TA Experience
o Publications
o Accomplishments
o High Quality Writing Sample
o Department/Program Interview

All or several of the above items will be required no matter where you apply to graduate school, especially academic standing, GRE scores, letters and research experience. Also, some of the same requirements may be applicable for extramural awards. Other criteria relevant to successful completion of a graduate degree may also be considered. Often, the graduate dean will provide some oversight with the administration of both campus and extramural awards. This is the case even when fellowship stipends are paid directly to the students. The fee portion of the award is always administered by the institution and is usually included in what is termed "educational allowance." Any excess of the educational allowance not used for fees and/or tuition may be requested for use by the student for other educational costs (e.g. attending a conference, purchasing research supplies or equipment or computers, printers, etc.).

GRADUATE STUDENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES

American Geological Institute for Minority Participation program
Eligible applicants are doctoral students in geological sciences.

American Indian Graduate Center Fellowships
Eligible applicants are American Indian and Alaskan Native students seeking master's, doctoral or professional degrees.

American Political Science Association Graduate Fellowships for Minority Students
Eligible applicants are doctoral students in political science.

American Psychological Association for Minority Fellowship Program
Eligible applicants are doctoral students in psychology.

American Sociological Association Minority Fellowship Program

Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowships
Eligible applicants are students with outstanding potential in the applied physical sciences

Ford Foundation for Minority Fellowships (Predoctoral and dissertation-year awards)
Eligible applicants are ethnic minority interested in academic careers.

Forgivable Loan/Doctoral Incentive Program for doctoral students at accredited universities nationwide, providing five years of support for a total of $30,000. Loan forgiveness: twenty percent of the loan is forgiven for each year of full-time postdoctoral teaching at a California State University campus.

Forgivable Loan/Doctoral Incentive Program
Office of the Chancellor
The California State University
400 Golden Shore, Suite 222
Long Beach, CA 90802-4275

GEM Fellowships in Engineering
Eligible applicants are American Indian, African American, Mexican American, Hispanic and Puerto Rican students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in engineering.

Gates Millenium Scholars
c/o The United Negro College Fund
8260 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive
P O Box 10444
Fairfax, VA 22031-8044

GEM Fellowships in the Natural Sciences
Eligible applicants are American Indian, African American, Mexican American, Hispanic and Puerto Rican students pursuing doctoral degree in physical or life sciences.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellowships in the Biological Sciences
Eligible applicants are pursuing a doctorate in the life sciences.

Jacob K. Javits Fellowships
Eligible applicants are those pursuing the doctorates in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
Jacob K. Javits Fellows Program
P.O. Box 84
Washington, D.C. 20044
(202) 260-3574

Mellon Fellowships in the Humanities
Eligible candidates are doctoral students in the humanities

National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc.

National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowships
Eligible candidates are pursuing graduate studies in science and engineering disciplines with military importance.
http://www.battelle.org/ndseg/

National Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Grants for up to $1,000 for Hispanic undergraduate and graduate students.
http://www.hsf.net

National Medical Fellowships
Eligible applicants are minority students in first- and second-year medical studies.

National Medical Fellowships, Inc.
110 W. 32nd Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10001
(212) 714-0933

National Physical Science Consortium Graduate Fellowships
All are welcome to apply. Emphasis is placed on eligible candidates who are African American, Hispanic, or American Indian or women who are underrepresented, pursuing a doctorate in the physical sciences.
http://www.npsc.org

National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships
Awards multiple-year fellowships for students in engineering or the natural or social sciences.
http://www.nsf.gov

UNCF/MERCK Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowships
Awards science dissertation research fellowships to African Americans enrolled full-time in the life sciences or physical sciences.
http://www.uncf.org/merck/program.htm

U.S. Department of Energy Integrated Manufacturing Predoctoral Fellowships
Eligible applicants are doctoral students in engineering and other applied science fields whose research interests relate to integrated manufacturing systems.
http://www.energy.gov

OTHER INTERNET SOURCES OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT

American Association of University Women Fellowships (Dissertation Fellowships, International Fellowships & Selected Professions Fellowships)
http://www.aauw.org

California Student Aid Commission
http://www.csac.ca.gov/

Cornell University Graduate Fellowship Notebook - database of minority scholarships
http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Student/GRFN/

Department of Education EASI (Easy Access for Students and Institutions) Program
http://www.easi.ed.gov

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) on the Web
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Fast Aid - Free Online Scholarship Database
http://www.fastaid.com

Fastweb.com - Free Internet Financial Aid Search Services
http://www2.fastweb.com/fastweb/

Financial Aid Page
http://www.finaid.org/finaid/focus/grad.html

Humanities Research Institute
http://www.ucop.edu/research/human.html

Institute of Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC)
http://www-igcc.ucsd.edu/igcc/Z/igccmenu.html

Mildred E. Mathias Graduate Research Grants
http://nrs.ucop.edu/info/grants/mathias_annc.html

Minority On Line Information Service, U.S. Government
http://www.rams-fie.com/molis/scholar.html

National Research Council
http://www2.nas.edu/fo/

NRS Student Research Grant Program
http://nrs.ucop.edu/info/grants.html

President's Research Fellowships in the Humanities (PRFH)
http://www.ucop.edu/research/prfh.html

Princeton University's Graduate School List of External Funding Sources
http://webware.princeton.edu/GSO/finance.htm#

Purdue Research Foundation S.P.D. External Funding Sources for Non-Purdue Students
http://www.purdue.edu/dsp/ResearchServices/databases.html

Rockefeller Foundation Organization
http://www.rockfound.org/frameset.html

UCR Graduate Student Financial Support
http://www.cnas.ucr.edu/~graddiv/FinSupport.html

Yahoo.com Financial Aid Website
http://www.yahoo.com/education/financial_aid/



OTHER SOURCES OF GRADUATE STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS/GRANTS

A Selected List of Fellowship Opportunities and Aid to Advanced Education
Public Office, National Science Foundation
1800 'G' Street NW
Washington, DC 20550.

A Selected List of Post-Secondary Education Opportunities for Minorities and Women
U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare
Office of Bureau of Higher Education
Room 4913, ROB-3
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202.

A Selected List of Fellowship Opportunities and Aid to Advanced Education
National Science Foundation
Publication Office
Arlington, VA. Free

A Selected List of Post-Secondary Education Opportunities for Minorities and Women
U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare
Office of Bureau of Higher Education
Room 4913, ROB-3
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20202.

Admission Requirements of U.S. and Canadian Dental Schools
American Association of Dental Schools
Department of AR
1625 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036-2212.

Allied Health Education Directory
American Medical Association
Order Department, OP 417594
P. O. Box 7046
Dover, DE 19903

Annual Register of Grant Support
Reed Elsevier-New Providence
121 Chanlon Road
New Providence, NJ 07974.

Barrons Guide to Graduate and Business Schools
Barrons Educational Series
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppage, NY 11788

Free Money for Graduate School
Blum, Laurie, 1996
http://www.amazon.com

Financing Graduate School
McWade, Patricia, Peterson's 1996
http://www.petersons.com

Graduate and Professional School Opportunity for Minority Students
Educational Testing Services
Princeton, NJ 08540

Graduate Financial Resources for Minority Students in Engineering and Science
National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM)
P.O. Box 537
Notre Dame, IN 46556.

Graduate and Professional Opportunity for Minority Students
Educational Testing Service
Princeton, NJ 08540

Grants for Graduate and Predoctoral Study and Financing Graduate School
Petersen's Education Center
P.O. Box 2123
Princeton, NJ 08543-2123

Grants at a Glance
published by the Association for Women in Science and lists funding sources for women in science programs
Association of Women in Science
2410 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 303
Washington, DC 20037.

Grants for Graduate Study
1992, 3rd ed. Princeton, NJ: Peterson's Guides.

Guide to Study in Psychology
American Psychological Association, Order Department
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242.

Guide to Graduate Education in Urban and Regional Planning
Planners Bookstore
American Planners Association
1125 S. Michigan, Suite 1600
Chicago, IL 60603-6107

Guide to Corporate Support of Graduate Education
Council for Financial Aid to Education
680 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10019

Guide to Graduate Study in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Public Administration and Doctoral Programs in Business Administration
The Economics Institute
115 Stoneridge Drive
Chapell Hill, NC 27514

Guide to Architecture Schools
1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Guide to Corporate Support of Graduate Education
Available from Council for Financial Aid to Education
680 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10019

Health Services Administration Education
The Association of University Programs in Health Administration
1911 North Fort Myers Drive, Site 503
Arlington, VA 22209

How to Get Money for Research
Mary Rubin by Feminist Press as source for dissertation research funds for women (mostly in women studies area)

Medical School Admissions Requirements, US and Canada
Association of American Medical Colleges
2450 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037

Minority Student Opportunity in US Medical Schools
Association of American Medical Colleges
2450 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037

Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools
Law School Admission Services
Box 2400
Newton, PA 18940-0977

Pharmacy School Admission Requirements
American Association of Colleges and Pharmacy
1426 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2841

Programs in Public Affairs and Administration
National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
1120 G Street, NW, Suite 730
(or P.O. Box 92984)
Washington, DC 20005(20090)

Project 1000
Arizona State University
(administration site, toll free #1-800-327-4893)
goal is to recruit/retain Latino students in graduate programs

The Graduate Scholarship Book: The Complete Guide to Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants and Loans for Graduate and Professional Study
2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1990

The Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements: the Official AAVNC Handbook
Betz Publishing Company, Inc.
351 W. Camden Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Additionally, check with Graduate Schools for funding sources as many maintain libraries which include campus and external funding sources. Career Centers also offer an abundance of information on financial support opportunities.


ACRONYMS

While some of these acronyms are not mentioned in this document, in your search for graduate institutions and financial support, you may come across many of them.

AACRAO Association of American Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
ABD All But Disseration
APA American Psychological Association
ASA American Sociological Association
AAAS American Association of University Professions
ASEE American Society for Engineering Education
AY Academic Year
BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs
COE Cost of Education Allowance
ED U.S. Department of Education
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ETS Educational Testing Service
FAF Finanacial Aid Form
FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Assistance
FICA Federal Insurance Corporation of America (Soc.Sec.Tax)
FDSLP Federal Direct Student Loan Program
FY Fiscal Year
GEM National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science
GRE Graduate Record Exam
GSHIP Graduate Student Health Insurance Program
GSR Graduate Student Researcher
HEA Higher Education Act
HHS Department of Health and Human Services
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NAS National Academy of Science
NIH National Institute of Health
NIMH National Institute of Mental Health
NRC National Research Council
NRT Nonresident Tuition
NSA National Science Academy
NSF National Science Foundation
PAF Personnel Action Form
PFR Partial Fee Remission
RA Research Assistantship
SAR Student Aid Report
SC Student Contribution
SS Social Security
TA Teaching Assistantship
TF Teaching Fellow
TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
USDE United States Department of Education
USED United States Department of Education



GLOSSARY
Acceptable Progress Demonstrating good academic standing and overall performance in program requirements, based on an approved graduate program time frame.
Advancement to Candidacy After completing all University and graduate program requirements, student must pass a series of written and oral qualifying examinations.
Defense Final requirement for dissertation and the final oral examination on doctoral candidate’s dissertation.
Dissertation Prospectus a statement of the dissertation topic, how the research will be conducted, what it will entail and what it will accomplish.
Financial Aid Transcript A listing of all financial aid student has received while attending a particular institution.
Need Analysis The process of determining the estimated income student will need to successfully progress through degree (usually required annually).
Normative Time This is the approximate amount of time in which a student should go from graduate admission to filing the dissertation.
Teaching Fellow An advanced graduate student teaching a lower division course to a group of students, under Faculty supervision.
Terminal Master's The highest degree offered in a given graduate program.


Thoughts on computer science. Is it a science?

Thoughts on computer science.
Is it a science?
Note you can use some this for your SOP. However quote the original author's name :Dr. Robert Bridson of University of British Columbia.

The debate rages on: is CS a science, or engineering, or math, or even art? Funnily enough, often you don't hear from those arguing how they define science or engineering or math or art before they start listing arguments one way or another. This is not a silly exercise: I think it would be difficult to exactly define these disciplines, since the boundaries certainly are fuzzy. Is a physicist designing and building a new apparatus to test someone else's theory doing engineering? Is an engineer theorizing and testing by experiment how natural materials behave under loading doing science? One of the gold standards of traditional mathematical results is that they be elegant, beautiful, pleasing---is that art?

I think the truth is simply computer science is more or less all of these things. Attempts to nail it down will ultimately fail.

CS is science---if the defining feature of science is the scientific method of testing theory with experiment. Outside of some theory, most algorithm development goes along the lines of speculating how problems need to be solved according to some intuitive model of the domain, building an algorithm to fit that "theory", and then running experiments to demonstrate the (in)efficacy of the algorithm. HCI usability studies, performance tests, and the studies of many other branches are clearly scientific. Even debugging, beyond the searching-for-typos level, is arguably science: you start with a theory of how a program is (mal)functioning, then design experiments to tease out if your theory is correct allowing you to find and attack the bug.

CS is engineering---if the defining feature of engineering is building useful artifacts in a rigourously informed way. Building new hardware, large software systems, or studying how to do these things lies unquestionably in this domain. Even a lot of heuristic algorithm development is arguably engineering.

CS is math---if the defining feature of math is the logical synthesis of unambiguously true statements. Depending on the field within CS you look at, there may be more or less theorems and proofs in the papers, but even where they are not apparent, there is also the universality that computer science is steadily joining math and statistics in. In virtually every branch of science, the essential tools of analysis are math, statistics, and increasingly computation (or at least information technology).

I find it harder to argue that CS is art, though certainly aesthetics play an important role (but then again they play a role in virtually every endeavour). I would say the defining feature of art is the _expression of quintessentially human attributes to communicate those to other people. There are artists who indeed write software or build hardware as a means of _expression, but I would guess many would debate if that truly is computer science. I'm undecided---or rather as with most things in life it's not black and white, and trying to force a shade of grey one way or the other is unproductive.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

US can lose tech edge to India

US can lose tech edge to India

The United States' top advisory panel has warned that the US is fast losing its edge in science and needs urgent, extensive efforts to strengthen its scientific competitiveness, says a New York Times report.

A 20-member panel of experts convened by the National Academies has listed 20 steps that the US needs to take to maintain its dominant position in science and technology, said the paper.

The panel said that India and China are emerging as real hi-tech centres that can challenge the US hegemony in the field of technology.

The reasons cited for this were that they "have sacrifice and talent, there's a strong value of creativity, and local governments directly and indirectly help financing of technological activity and companies. Capital is available for technology, and there is awareness of the change in the global IT food chain. It cited many examples of emerging scientific and industrial power abroad and listed 20 steps the United States should take to maintain its global lead.

Pointing towards the erosion in the nation's scientific prowess, the panel said that other nations are gathering strength.

The underlying goal, the panel said, is to create high-quality jobs by developing new industries and new sources of energy based on the bright ideas of scientists and engineers.

"Thanks to globalisation," the panel's report said, "workers in virtually every sector must now face competitors who live just a mouse-click away in India, China, Ireland, Finland or dozens of other nations whose economies are growing."

At a news conference in Washington, panel members estimated the cost of the new recommendations at $10 billion a year, a figure that may prove daunting to Congress in a time of tight budgets, said the NYT.

The unmatched vitality of the United States' economy and science and technology enterprise has made this country a world leader for decades, allowing Americans to benefit from a high standard of living and national security. But in a world where advanced knowledge is widespread and low-cost labor is readily available, US advantages in the marketplace and in science and technology have begun to erode.

A comprehensive and coordinated federal effort is urgently needed to bolster US competitiveness and pre-eminence in these areas so that the nation will consistently gain from the opportunities offered by rapid globalization, says a new report from the National Academies.

The panel said these are some indicators that illustrate why decisive action is needed now:

* For the cost of one chemist or one engineer in the United States, a company can hire about five chemists in China or 11 engineers in India.
* Last year chemical companies shuttered 70 facilities in the United States and have tagged 40 more for closure. Of 120 chemical plants being built around the world with price tags of $1 billion or more, one is in the United States and 50 are in China.
* US 12th-graders recently performed below the international average for 21 countries on a test of general knowledge in mathematics and science. In addition, an advanced mathematics assessment was administered to students in 15 other countries who were taking or had taken advanced math courses, and to US students who were taking or had taken pre-calculus, calculus, or Advanced Placement calculus. Eleven countries outperformed the United States, and four scored similarly. None scored significantly below the US.
* In 1999 only 41 per cent of US eighth-graders had a math teacher who had majored in mathematics at the undergraduate or graduate level or studied the subject for teacher certification -- a figure that was considerably lower than the international average of 71 per cent.
* Last year more than 600,000 engineers graduated from institutions of higher education in China. In India, the figure was 350,000. In America, it was about 70,000.
* In 2001 US industry spent more on tort litigation than on research and development.

The congressionally requested report -- written by a 20-member committee that included university presidents, CEOs, Nobel Prize winners, and former presidential appointees -- makes four recommendations, along with 20 implementation actions, that federal policy-makers should take to create high-quality jobs and focus new science and technology efforts on meeting the US' need for clean, affordable, and reliable energy.

Some actions will involve changing existing laws, while others will require financial support that would come from reallocating existing budgets or increasing them. The committee believes that ongoing evaluation of the results should be included in all of the measures.

"America must act now to preserve its strategic and economic security by capitalizing on its knowledge-based resources, particularly in science and technology, and maintaining the most fertile environment for new and revitalized industries that create well-paying jobs," said committee chair Norman R Augustine, retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, Md.

"The building blocks of our economic leadership are wearing away. The challenges that America faces are immense."

A brief overview of the four recommendations follows, with a sample of proposed actions to implement them.

10,000 teachers, 10 million minds

* Increase America's talent pool by vastly improving K-12 mathematics and science education.
* Among the recommended implementation steps is the creation of a merit-based scholarship program to attract 10,000 exceptional students to math and science teaching careers each year. Four-year scholarships, worth up to $20,000 annually, should be designed to help some of the nation's top students obtain bachelor's degrees in physical or life sciences, engineering, or mathematics -- with concurrent certification as K-12 math and science teachers.

After graduation, they would be required to work for at least five years in public schools. Participants who teach in disadvantaged inner-city or rural areas would receive a $10,000 annual bonus. Each of the 10,000 teachers would serve about 1,000 students over the course of a teaching career, having an impact on 10 million minds, the report says.

Sowing the seeds

* Sustain and strengthen the nation's commitment to long-term basic research.
* Policy-makers should increase the national investment in basic research by 10 per cent each year over the next seven years. Special attention should be paid to the physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, and information sciences, and to basic research funding for the US Department of Defense, the report says.
* Policy-makers also should establish within the US Department of Energy an organization called the Advanced Research Project Agency -- Energy (ARPA-E) that reports to the undersecretary for science and sponsors "out-of-the-box" energy research to meet the nation's long-term energy challenges.
* Authorities should make 200 new research grants annually -- worth $500,000 each, payable over five years -- to the nation's most outstanding early-career researchers.

Best and the brightest

* Develop, recruit, and retain top students, scientists, and engineers from both the United States and abroad. The United States should be considered the most attractive setting in the world to study and conduct research, the report says.
* Each year, policy-makers should provide 25,000 new, competitive four-year undergraduate scholarships and 5,000 new graduate fellowships to US citizens enrolled in physical science, life science, engineering, and mathematics programs at US colleges and universities.
* Policy-makers should provide a one-year automatic visa extension that allows international students to remain in the United States to seek employment if they have received doctorates or the equivalent in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or other fields of national need from qualified US institutions.

If these students then receive job offers from employers that are based in the United States and pass a security screening test, they should automatically get work permits and expedited residence status. If they cannot obtain employment within one year, their visas should expire.

Incentives for innovation

* Ensure that the United States is the premier place in the world for innovation. This can be accomplished by actions such as modernizing the US patent system, realigning tax policies to encourage innovation, and ensuring affordable broadband Internet access, the report says.
* Policy-makers should provide tax incentives for innovation that is based in the United States. The Council of Economic Advisers and the Congressional Budget Office should conduct a comprehensive analysis to examine how the United States compares with other nations as a location for innovation and related activities, with the goal of ensuring that the nation is one of the most attractive places in the world for long-term investment in such efforts.
* The Research and Experimentation Tax Credit is currently for companies that increase their R&D spending above a predetermined level. To encourage private investment in innovation, this credit, which is scheduled to expire in December, should be made permanent. And Congress and the administration should increase the allowable credit from 20 per cent to 40 per cent of qualifying R&D investments.

The study was sponsored by the National Academies, which comprise the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. They are private, nonprofit institutions that provide science, technology, and health policy advice under a congressional charter.

How To Successfully Manage The Graduate School Process

How To Successfully Manage The Graduate School Process
by Dereck J. Rovaris, Sr.

The Politics Of Graduate School

Following is a collection of suggestions for successfully navigating the process of graduate school. For many students, that process, and perhaps the environment of graduate school, is unfamiliar. As a result of that unfamiliarity, they are confused and uncertain about graduate school. Some students quickly make the necessary adjustments; some get frustrated and respond inappropriately, and some never figure out what's happening. In any case, these pointers are provided to help graduate students anticipate situations and avoid potential problems. (Although the focus is graduate school, a great deal of this information applies to undergraduate school, as well). At the end of these suggestions is a "how-to" graduate-school preparation guide.

It's All In The Department

DON'T underestimate the importance of the department. Think of yourself not as being enrolled in a university, but as being enrolled in a department.

DON'T get caught up in department gossip. Mess is mess.

DON'T volunteer information about your graduate school funding or personal finances to people who do not influence these funds. Your money is your business.

DON'T leave your advisor in the dark. Keep him or her informed of your progress and goals and keep notes on all agreements.

DON'T assume anything. Always check information out and verify it in writing, e.g., policies, requirements, deadlines.

DO identify faculty and student advocates to help you should you need help. Identify them BEFORE a problem arises.

DO establish good rapport with the secretaries. Your chairperson and advisors are important, but the secretaries run the show.

DO maintain positive relationships with the faculty, especially your advisor. You never know whom you will need.

DO create a calendar that clearly plots the steps and self-imposed deadlines required for degree completion. If you don't plan, your chances for success are minimized.

DO keep a file of all written correspondence and catalogs. Document everything; you never know what you might have to prove later.

How's Your Social Life?

DON'T let dating, partying, hanging in the gym, watching TV, or other social activities interfere with your schoolwork. Make time for these activities, but keep everything in proper perspective.

DON'T let relationship problems disrupt your studies or dramatically alter your academic pursuits. It ain't worth it.

DON'T let family or friends distract you from your goal: True friends and supportive family members will understand.

DON'T get so involved in your schoolwork that you neglect a healthy relationship. A truly healthy relationship will enable you to complete your program faster.

DO get involved in study groups and other academic endeavors. Two heads are better than one.

DO socialize with department associates. You don't have to like everyone a whole lot, but you do have to work with everyone.

DO establish healthy functional relationships that don't interfere with your academic progress. Life is not all graduate school, so you will need these relationships to sustain and reaffirm your goals.

DO make time for enjoyable activities outside of academic work. All work and no play makes Jack /Jill dull.

DO get involved in service to your community that allows you to share your talents. Your community needs this, and so do you.

DO maintain a positive spiritual relationship. Above all else, your faith will see you through.

Race Matters

DON'T assume that everything bad that happens is a result of racism. You may have brought the misfortune on yourself.

DON'T take on the entire burdens of your race. You should not take blame for inappropriate behavior of people who happen to belong to your race.

DON'T become the official spokes-person for your race. You don't have to answer questions that begin, "How do people of your race feel about. ..."

DON'T fight causes you can't win. Choose your battles carefully and make sure they are worth your investment.

DON'T exclude people from outside of your race: It often will be necessary to work with other groups in order to accomplish your goals.

DO support others with similar backgrounds: There is strength in numbers; working together and sharing can often make all the difference.

DO remember where you came from. When things get really bad, the folks where you come from will help you the most.

DO research issues that are important to you. Your agenda might be different.

DO establish and nourish a strong sense of self: Knowing who you are will make life easier when you are challenged on the basis of your race, gender, religion, or other defining characteristics.

DO go when invited. Go even if you don't want to listen to "that kind of music or eat that kind of food."

To Thine Own Self Be True

ALWAYS respect yourself.

ALWAYS maintain your personal integrity.

ALWAYS help someone else when you can.

ALWAYS rely on your spiritual strength.

ALWAYS set higher goals.

ALWAYS meet deadlines.

ALWAYS check your work.

ALWAYS remember your primary goal.

Graduate School Preparation Guide
What does graduate school entail?

Graduate school is not a process that can be taken lightly, and like anything else that is worth having, it requires a great deal of work. Graduate study typically refers to programs that award a master's degree or a doctorate. A master's degree usually involves one to two years of coursework, a comprehensive examination over that coursework, and in some cases, a thesis. Unlike undergraduate programs, your graduate coursework will take place nearly exclusively in your major area of study. A doctoral program requires anywhere from two to four years of coursework, comprehensive exams, and a dissertation. The comprehensive exams are much like senior comps and require a great deal of preparation. Typically a three hour written exam based upon your major coursework, comprehensives also may have an oral component covering your proposed research. The thesis or dissertation is your original research written with the guidance of a group of faculty known as your committee. Many students worry about writing a thesis, but with the support of your committee and with your academic training, you will find that, like completing coursework and comprehensives, you can write a dissertation.

How Do I Apply?

Once you have decided to pursue a graduate degree and have figured out which specific field you will study, the steps in the application process are as follows:

1. Create a list of potential schools
2. Register, practice, and then take the GRE
3. Ask faculty members for letters of recommendation
4. Write a statement of purpose and have it critiqued
5. Complete and mail your applications for admission and financial/fellowship support

The Application Process in Detail

1. Create a list of potential schools. To maximize your opportunities you will need to apply to several schools or more. The more schools to which you apply, the more chances you have for admission. Consult a guidebook such as Peterson's Guides (they can be found on-line or at your college library) where you will uncover a comprehensive listing of graduate opportunities in your respective area. The listings include descriptions of each discipline and their sub-fields. It will also include a wealth of data about the various institutions in those disciplines (location, entrance requirements, acceptance rates, tuition costs, funding options, enrollment demographics, etc.).

To create your list of schools you should first consider factors like quality of the program, strength of the university, reputation of faculty in your area, availability of funding, institutional support, and commitment to minority students. Other factors that may play a part include geographic region, size of enrollment, racial make-up of student body, community in which the school is located, and campus facilities and activities. After weighing these factors, you should compile a list of ten or more institutions.

Start by asking faculty members to recommend institutions. (Be careful; they almost always will think their alma mater is the best choice for you. This may, or may not be the case.) Check to see who are the leading experts in your chosen field. Find out what schools they attended and where they are currently working. Either school would be good to have on your list. Check to see where recent graduates from your academic department have gone to graduate school. If they have had positive experiences, that institution might also be good for you.

After creating your list of choices you should contact each school. Wherever possible you should make a personal visit to the campus. Campus visits can sometimes make all the difference. In any case, you should request application materials and any other information that will help you with the admissions process. Ultimately, you want to be able to select the university that will give you your best opportunity for success.

2. Register, practice, and then take the The Graduate Records Examination (GRE). The GRE is the entrance exam most often required for graduate admission. It has assumed a greater role of importance in the admissions process than was ever intended. The GRE has assumed this role of importance primarily because most applicants will have good GPAs, decent statements of purpose, and glowing letters of recommendation. What usually distinguishes one applicant from another is the score received on this nationally normed and standardized test. Therefore performing well on this test is of major importance. Make sure you practice using a review course or study manual. Make sure you register early (since the test is computerized you may register at your convenience at a test cite near you). Make sure that you schedule your exam at least nine months, but preferably a year and a half, before you start graduate school. Finally, make sure you do well on the test.

Few schools will post cutoff scores (something which ETS strongly discourages) but there seems to be some "magic" in obtaining a combined GRE score of 1,000-1,100 or better. This combined score is obtained by adding the quantitative score to the verbal reasoning score. Many schools will not only expect a minimum total score, but have minimum scores established for these individual sections of the test. Finally, some departments will require a minimum score on a Subject Test. The Subject Tests (covering material unique to your graduate discipline) are administered separately and require preparation and practice much the same as the general test.

3. Ask faculty members for letters of recommendations. Often applicants will try to impress admission committees with letters from a local politician, a high ranking university official, or even their pastor. While these people may be able to say nice things about you, the admissions committee is more interested in your academic abilities. Such interest usually requires the evaluator to be someone who has taught the applicant and who can speak favorably about the applicant's ability to perform graduate level work. Faculty members from whom you have earned at least two grades of "B" or higher (preferably two or more "As") are ideal candidates to write strong letters of recommendation for you.

When requesting these letters, always remember that it is just that—a request. Therefore request them courteously and thoughtfully. That means that you approach your faculty members early and that you provide them with enough information so that they can effectively write about your potential. Provide them with a half-page abstract that includes the courses taken and grades received from that instructor; a concise description of your graduate plans and plans beyond graduate school (i.e. "I plan to pursue my Ph.D. in higher education administration and later work as a student service administrator...); the mailing address for the particular schools to which you are applying (most schools will provide special envelopes for these letters); and the deadline for mailing the letters of recommendation.

4. Write a statement of purpose and have it critiqued. The statement of purpose often distinguishes the winners and the losers. Those who get accepted almost always have better statements of purpose than those who do not. What sets a good statement apart is its overall quality as one in which you clearly demonstrate your potential for graduate study. A good statement will be the following:

a. Concise - say what you have to as efficiently as possible; most are limited to 1 - 1 1/2 pages

b. Organized - your essay should be well thought out and structured; work from an outline

c. Clear - it should say exactly what you want it to say; no ambiguity

d. Honest - do not pretend to be who you are not; but, do not sell yourself short, either

e. Personal - this is uniquely yours; it is a statement about yourself. Write about yourself.

f. Positive - sell yourself using positive attributes; do not dwell on negatives like low grades

What is included in a statement of purpose varies from school to school. Be sure to read each application carefully and provide the specific information requested. Typically you are asked to include answers to most of the following questions:

* Why do you want to get a graduate degree?
* What are your specific goals for graduate study?
* How have you been academically prepared for these goals?
* What are your goals beyond graduate study?
* What tangible experiences helped prepare you (research projects, internships, professional and volunteer experiences, publications, exchange programs, etc)?
* Why should you be admitted?

Upon completing your statement, show it to a friend and have it critiqued. Make corrections and then share it with a faculty member. Ask the same questions. Inquire about punctuation and grammar. Make the necessary revisions and then have it proofed one last time. If you are satisfied you may then include it with the rest of your application. This may seem like a tedious process for a one-page statement, but it is necessary however, since you will seldom be asked to write a more important statement.

5. Complete and mail your applications for admission and financial/fellowship support. This is in fact a very important process, and you do not want to leave anything to chance. Type your application or use a word processor: it must look nice, and it must be legible. Make copies of everything! Use the original application materials provided (no photocopies) including any return addressed envelopes. MAIL ALL MATERIALS WELL IN ADVANCE OF ANY STATED DEADLINE! Institutions receive hundreds of applications and most have no room for late or incomplete applications. Order transcripts and test scores early enough to be mailed timely to the appropriate institutions. Further, remember that a completed, clean, and on-time application will not by itself get you admitted, but you can rest assured that an incomplete, sloppy, or late application will get you rejected.

Complete all financial-aid forms (some are separate) and fellowship/assistantship requests (most are included in the application) in a manner similar to that of your application. While most students receive funding from their graduate institution, you will find outside funding advantageous. Such funding may come from major corporations, professional organizations, special interest programs, or other sources. They often have fall application deadlines, and they typically require good grades and test scores. Contact these funding sources directly or check with your school for other sources. These funding sources can be found in reference journals at your library or on-line at websites such as www.blackcollegian.com and fastweb.com. Note that because of under-representation of certain groups at the graduate level, you are likely to find plenty of funding to go around. You should not have to pay for a Ph.D., given the number of funding opportunities available.

Is Graduate School Still A Good Idea?

Yes it is, because you have (or will have) successfully completed an undergraduate program that prepared you for the rigors of graduate school. You have the intelligence; the question is do you have the discipline and persistence. What about grades? Usually a 3.0 GPA is a minimum, but there have been numerous graduate degrees awarded to people with averages that were lower. A good test score on the GRE and a strong statement can make the difference if your grades are not as strong as you would like. What about going later? Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today? People who wait often never pursue graduate study because of professional, financial, or personal commitments. Others who wait and eventually enroll will typically state that they wish they had started graduate work sooner. Go now while there are plenty of funding opportunities, while you are still academically sharp, and while you are not overly encumbered. The simpler your life is the more time and energy you can devote to your study.

Your career, in whatever field you have chosen, can only be enhanced by the acquisition of a master's degree or a Ph.D. Your marketability and promotability increase, as will your prospects for major contributions to your field and for leadership responsibilities. These and other intangibles point to the many benefits of advanced study. Further, the critical shortage of African-Americans with advanced degrees, especially Ph.Ds, requires an immediate remedy that must be found soon. The need for African-American lawyers and MBAs is crucial. However, the necessity for African-American Ph.Ds. to provide research and instruction in all academic areas is at the critical stage. You owe it to yourself and the world around you to make the most of your education and your life.

Preparing today for an advanced degree is more that just a good idea; it is what you should do.

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Hassle-free US visas for students of India

Hassle-free US visas for students

George Iype | October 04, 2005


The Indian rush for US visas has prompted the American embassy to
overhaul the process of visa applications, especially for students
travelling to the United States for further studies. In fact, they
will now given priority as per the new visa regulations formulated
by the US Consulate General for Indian applicants.
If you are a student and have already applied for a visa application
appointment with the US consulate in Chennai, for instance, it is
likely that your scheduled date would come in March next year. But
your enrollment date at your US university is scheduled within the
next four weeks.
Don't worry. Now, all you need to do is take an emergency
appointment at any of the US consulates across the country. You
could also take this appointment by logging on to the consulate Web
sites.

The US has four consular offices in India: New Delhi, Mumbai,
Chennai and Kolkata.

The visa concessions to the Indian student community are part of the
new US visa regulations that came into force in the country on
October 3.

According to the new norms, visa fees will have to be paid in
advance and will be non-refundable. They cannot be transferred to
any other applicant, except with special permission from the
embassy, says Counselor for Consular Affairs in India William
Bartlett.

David S Feldmann, vice consulate general, Chennai, says the new
system will considerably reduce the waiting period as far as the
interview for the visa application is concerned.

"The main difference in the new system is that the categories would
be self-selected. Earlier, applicants had to send e-mails describing
their purpose of visit, which were scrutinised by the consulate.
Now, the applicant can do the categorisation himself by following
the criteria prescribed on the Web site," he says.

The Visa Facilitation Service will now provide US visa services
throughout India.

Under the new arrangement, the non-immigrant visa application fees
of $100 (Rs 4,400) will have to be paid before booking an
appointment for an interview.

The fees, along with Rs 276 towards visa-related services -- it was
earlier Rs 441 -- can be paid at any of the 32 branches of HDFC Bank
in 12 cities across the country (check http://www.vfs-usa.co.in/ for
list of the HDFC Bank branches authorised to accept the visa
application fee).
When going to pay the fee, you will need to carry a photocopy of the
first page of your passport with you.
Take your visa application appointment two days after the fee
receipt has been issued by the bank; the receipt won't be activated
before that.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

US Universities Application Package Checklist

Application Package Checklist

When applying to a University, you need to include certain items as
part of your application package. Each college has its own set of
requirements, but the sample list given below should satisfy the needs
of most colleges.

1. Bank Draft :
Prepare a bank draft in favor of the University that you are applying
to, for the required application fee (e.g. $50).

2. Admission Forms :
Include the right number of copies of your admission form (e.g. 3).
Make sure you've included all the forms required by looking up the
college's application checklist.

3. Official Transcripts of Undergraduate Coursework (2 copies) :
Prepare transcripts of all undergraduate coursework completed at the
time of applying to the US, and have all copies sealed and stamped by
your undergraduate university to make them 'official'.

4. Three Letters of Recommendation :
Get recommendation letters from Professors who are familiar with your
undergraduate academic work. Many Univs also ask you to include a
'Student Evaluation Form' along with your recommendation letters.
Learn how to write a good recommendation letter by following the tips
given here - Recommendation Letters

5. Personal Statement : [ Samples: 1 2 3 ]
Your mark-sheets & score reports speak for themselves, therefore a
'Personal Statement' is the only means you have to communicate to the
admissions officer why you deserve to be admitted to their University.
Go through the Personal Statement section for detailed information.

6. Financial Certificate : [Sample]
At the time of applying, you need to indicate sufficient funds to
support your education. Request your bank to issue a certificate as
proof of the same.

7. Letter of Support : [Sample]
If a relative or friend is sponsoring your education, then you have to
include a signed letter of support from them, indicating their
willigness to fund your study in the US.

8. Copy of GRE & TOEFL score reports :
You can include a copy of your GRE & TOEFL score reports, but you
should also make sure that you pay ETS to send your scores directly to
the Universities you are applying to.

9. Additional Certificates :
Most colleges don't value certificates for extra curricular activities
unless they are directly related to your chosen field of study. But,
if you have work experience or have completed projects in your
intended field of study, you should definitely include a
letter/certificate from your employer or supervisor.