Explore your possibilities

Once you have decided that you want to pursue a master’s or PhD program in the US, you’ll proceed to the next step: finding a suitable university. This is an intensive, fun and often surprising process. With nearly 1,500 institutions, there are many different options. In addition, there are great differences between universities. Doing good research certainly takes time, but it will pay off in the end.

First, list exactly what you want to get out of your time in America. Based on that, determine which degree program is best for you.

The more than 1,500 graduate schools in the US are not all the same. For example, there are different types of universities, each offering their own master’s degrees and having different expectations of their students. There are lots of different institutions and degree options: there are universities that offer only master’s programs, universities that focus on a limited number of PhD programs, and large research institutions where you can choose from a wide range of both masters and also PhD programs.

Once you know which program you want to pursue, you can begin to further research the various universities by finding out where your subject is taught, in what way, and by whom. In addition, you should realize that each American university is free to determine its admission requirements. This may even go so far as to say that faculties at one institution have different admission requirements. Therefore, it is important to research which universities are well regarded in your field, what kind of education they offer and what the admission requirements and funding options are.

Choosing universities

Start by making a list of ten to twenty universities that match your needs and qualities. You can consider the following criteria to make a selection from the vast array of institutions and programs.

Academic profile

The academic profile and admission requirements may vary from college to college. Therefore, it is important to find a college that matches your needs and qualities academically. Conversely, you should realistically look at colleges where your academic profile meets admission requirements. Universities call this a “good fit.”

Financing

It is important to familiarize yourself well with college costs and any scholarship opportunities available. Also research what funding opportunities are offered by outside scholarship funds. Read on to learn more about funding opportunities and types of scholarships.

Accreditation

Having found a number of universities, it is important to check whether the programs you have your eye on are accredited. American universities are often accredited by region, and sometimes by discipline. Always check whether the university is accredited and, if so, by which organization(s).

How can you find a suitable university?

Once you have made a list of criteria and have you thought about your budget and what scholarship opportunities are available to you, there are several ways to then filter universities based on your preferences, costs and scholarship opportunities.

A good way to find out if degree programs fit your study needs is to talk to teachers at the institution where you are studying or graduated. Usually they can give you names of institutions and specialists within your field. Then you can contact the university’s program coordinator directly to find out if the university in question does indeed match what you are looking for. Other good sources of information are professional literature, reference books, and study guides.

Carnegie Classification

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education offers lists of universities ranked by:

The highest degree attainable at a specific institution
Research activity (high, medium, low)
Special focus schools with courses in particular subject areas (e.g., engineering or law)

Useful overviews are the

Basic classification (universities ranked by type of degree programs)

Graduate Instructional Program (list of graduate programs by field)

Search engines

In addition, there are several online search engines that allow you to search for universities based on your preferences. The best-known search engines are:

Gradschool.com
Peterson’s
GRE Search Service
This is where you can create a profile when you take the GRE test. Universities using the GRE Search Service can contact students through this channel with information about suitable programs and scholarship opportunities.

Rankings

You can use rankings in your search. Opinions are divided about the value of rankings. If you want to use them, at least make sure that the criteria on which the ranking is based correspond to the things you yourself find important about a university. Rankings are compiled based on various criteria, and the quality of education not always the most important criterion. For example, some rankings prioritize the amount of money a university has, name recognition or admissions rates, or rankings apply only to a specific faculty or program. Rankings can be useful, but should not be the only means in finding suitable universities. The most important thing is to find a university that matches your personal criteria.

The best-known organizations that deal with university rankings are

Make an overview of universities

Once you have a list of universities that meet your criteria and appeal to you, it’s wise to start mapping out what the admissions requirements are, such as with a college planning sheet. This allows you to compare universities in an overview on selectivity and admission criteria.

You can also use the sheet later to keep track of what documents you need to complete your application.

Shortlist

Once you have a list of universities that meet your criteria and requirements, you can begin to shortlist. We recommend that you apply to five to eight universities. To increase your chances of admission, it is wise to distinguish between different categories, namely dream, reach, and safe schools.

Two to three highly selective schools. These are your dream schools.
Two to three selective schools where your academic profile meets the admission requirements.
One to two where your academic profile is above the admission requirements and where you can reasonably assume you are a very strong candidate. These are your safe schools.

Tip

During your search for universities, keep an open mind and also look past the list of familiar names. There is a perfect match for everyone, and for everyone it is a different university. Many students begin their search by looking at the big names that are familiar to them, but there are many more options. It may just turn out that the perfect match is a completely different university than you initially envisioned! Also realize that admissions chances at the well-known Ivy Leagues are small for anyone and you should always build in a few safe schools.