Academic profile
Once you know what degree program you want to pursue, you can start doing further research on the various universities by finding out where your subject is taught, in what manner, and by whom. There are major differences between institutions. There are universities that offer only master’s programs, universities that focus on a limited number of PhD programs, and large research institutions that offer a wide range of both master’s and PhD programs to choose from. In addition, you must realize that each American university is free to determine its admission requirements. This may even go so far as to allow faculties at one institution to 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 funding options are.
What are the possibilities?
Start by making a list of ten to twenty universities that match your needs and qualities. You can consider the following criteria to select from the vast array of institutions and programs.
Professional criteria
- The content and structure of the study program within your field and related fields of study. For example, look at the compulsory courses, what electives there are, etc.
- The research specialization of the department as a whole and the expertise of the staff member with whom you want to study in particular.
- The qualifications of the staff members at the department.
- The student-to-faculty ratio.
- Specific admission requirements, such as work experience for certain professional master’s programs or specific subject knowledge for certain PhD programs. It is important to look realistically at your admissions chances at each university. Many graduate programs publish a summary of average test scores of admitted students — this can give you an indication of your chances of admission.
- Selectivity of programs. How many students apply for available spots?
- The quality of the library and the presence and quality of other research facilities (e.g., laboratories).
Personal fit
The academic profile is the most important starting point when looking for a suitable university, but of course you should also feel at home at the university. So it is also important to think about what kind of environment you will feel most at home in. Some points to consider in this regard are:
- The location within the country itself
- The size of the institution. Often there are more choices at larger institutions, while smaller institutions are often more attentive to individual study needs.
- Academic culture (for example, do you feel more comfortable in a competitive environment or do you prefer a university with a more inclusive character, do you want to work independently or are you comfortable with more guidance?)
- Facilities and extracurricular activities in addition to your studies