Resources for TOEFL (self preparation) - How to prepare for TOEFL

Some people go for class room courses to train themselves to crack the TOEFL examination and some prefer to do it on their own. It does not matter how you prepare for TOEFL as only the final goal is important.

Tips to help you prepare for TOEFL:

• The questions in TOEFL do not test your extensive tough vocabulary (which is often found in GRE questions). The questions are designed in such a way that they are easier to understand, comprehend and easier to answer. International students whose medium of instruction in school/college will find it very easier. Those from non-English medium of instruction may find it a bit difficult, but it will turn out to be easier if you train for it. If you are able to comprehend the contents in this post, you are good enough to crack the TOEFL exam :)
• Begin your preparation in advance to allow yourself adapt to the TOEFL test pattern and structure.
• Know the test pattern clearly

Build your basic vocabulary:

• Complete the book: "Word Power Made Easy" by Norman Lewis. It takes maximum 6 months to finish the book (depending on your grasping power and interest). This book is essential to understand simple words, use the right word at right place, pronounce and spell correctly, avoid illiterate expressions/word usage, speak grammatically without embarrassing mistakes .
• If required, go through another vocabulary builder - "How to build a better vocabulary" by Maxwell and Morris
• Read lots of texts (they can be novels,children stories,news articles, blogs etc..)
• Your reading must be diverse and may cover topics from arts,science, technology, sociology, history,geology, politics etc..,

Comprehend, ask questions and make hints:

• Don't just read, try to comprehend the gist of the article that you are reading 
• Ask the following questions:
• Who is the author and who are his audience
• What is the general idea the author is trying to convey
• Is the author bent on proving some point? if so what is it?
• What is the tone of the author ( like approving, disapproving, neutral argument etc..,)
• If the author is trying to make a point, what is your opinion on it.
• Make a hint about your understanding and try to write it in your own words (This is called paraphrasing)

Listen and grasp:

• The next level of preparation will be to hear audio books.
• Buy/download an audio book version of your favorite book and load it in your mobile phone or computer.
• Best place to buy/download audio books - 1) click here and 2) click here
• Whenever you are on travel or sitting idle, listen to the audio book
• After you have heard a complete chapter , pause your audio book and try to recapitulate the content of the chapter in English
• Get hold of your friend or your family member and tell them what you have heard in that chapter (in English)
• It would be good if you hear a story and communicate the story to your friends/family

Engage in Conversation:

• Find a friend or make friendship with one who is well versed in communication skills in English
• Engage in conversation with him and share your experience
• Do not get ashamed during initial stages of your conversation due to the lack of control on your language. Everything will be alright as time passes by.

TOEFL Structure

TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) is a test that measures ones ability to use and understand English at the university level. It evaluates how well you combine your listening, reading, speaking and writing skills to perform academic tasks.

It is available in two flavors namely 1] TOEFL Internet Bases Test (IBT) and 2] TOEFL Paper Based Test.The format depends on your test center. Most of the test centers offer IBT format.

TOEFL IBT Test Structure:

Section	Time Limit	Questions	Tasks
Listening	60 – 90 minutes	34 – 51 questions	Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions.
Reading	60 – 100 minutes	36 – 70 questions	Read passages from academic texts and answer questions.
Break	10 minutes	—	—
Speaking	20 minutes	6 tasks	Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks.
Writing	50 minutes	2 tasks	Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing.

Click Here to download TOEFL IBT Sample Questions

GRE Revised General Test - Major Changes - book from March 15 2011

ETS will be replacing the current GRE General Test with a revised edition starting from August 1 2011 (For which the registration will begin on March 15 2011).

Monetary Advantage :
Test takers taking their test between August 1 2001 and September 30 2001 will be eligible for a 50% discount on test fee.

Changes in User Interface:
1) Includes an Screen Calculator (for Quantitative Reasoning Section)
2) Test takers will be allowed to go back and edit answers (with in a given section)
3) Test takers can mark/tag questions so that they can be skipped and reviewed later
(Click here to download the latest FREE PowerPrep® Software provided by ETS, using which you can practice for the test and get hold of the new user interface)

GRE Revised General Test - Test Structure:

SECTION	NUMBER OF QUESTIONS	ALLOTTED TIME
Analytical Writing (One section with two separately timed tasks)	One "Analyze an Issue" task and one "Analyze an Argument" task	30 minutes per task
Verbal Reasoning (Two sections)	Approximately 20 questions per section	30 minutes per section
Quantitative Reasoning (Two sections)	Approximately 20 questions per section	35 minutes per section
Unscored†	Varies	Varies
Research††	Varies	Varies

ETS has removed antonyms and analogies from verbal reasoning section and compensated it by adding more reading comprehension questions,new text completion questions and new sentence equivalence questions

Quantitative Reasoning section includes more data interpretation questions and new question types based on real life scenario.

Analytical Writing section has not changed much.

To know the test structure in detail and to get a glimpse of sample questions please visit
http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/content

Click here to download a Free GRE practice book (PDF) 

Books for GRE:
a) Normal/Regular GRE (before Aug 2011)
1) Barrons GRE - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764142…
2) Princeton GRE - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375429…
3) Kaplan GRE - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419549…
4) ETS GRE - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0886852…

b) Revised GRE test (On or after Aug 1 2011)
1) ETS revised GRE book - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071700…
2) Mc-Graw Hill GRE book - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071742…
3) Princeton GRE book - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375428…
4) Kaplan GRE - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607148…

PowerPrep® is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS)

Taxes in US relevant to a student

Knowing your Tax obligation will enable you to get a better hold on your spending.
Two types of taxes are imposed in US namely 1) Federal Tax and 2) State Tax.
All taxes discussed here are applicable under Federal Tax laws. State Taxes differ from state to state.



Following guidelines are applicable to US tax rules/system:

1) Tuition Fee Waiver
Tuition fee waiver is not taxable (Fellowships award often comprises a tuition fee waiver component which is not taxable under US tax rules)

2) Stipends for Fellowships:
Stipends - Fellowship awards comprises another component called stipends ( also referred as "maintenance allowance") is considered taxable in income and is taxable under federal laws. Check http://www.irs.gov/individuals/index.html to see more details.
For international students 14% of the stipend is deducted at the source as tax and reported to IRS automatically. International students need not file a tax return as the tax is already deducted from the stipend. For US Citizens and permanent residents this tax is not deducted and are required to file tax returns (Deadline for filing tax returns : 15 April) and can pay quarterly tax payments to IRS.

3) Stipends for teaching/research (TA and RA stipends)
Stipends given for teaching/research assistantship are taxable.For international students the rate of tax is determined by the information given in IRS form W-4 (filled in during student's registration at the University) and is deducted at the source as tax and reported to IRS automatically. International students need not file a tax return as the tax is already deducted from the stipend. Same rules apply for US citizens and permanent citizens.

4) Hourly Employment wages (in the case of partial assistantships)
Hourly Employment wages are taxable under federal tax law

5) Social Security Tax
Social Security Tax is only deducted if a student is working as a TA/RA (Teaching/Research Assistant) and is working during summer months. Social Security Tax is not deducted during rest of the year for TAs/RAs. For Fellowship students, no Social Security Tax is deducted at any situation (i.e even during summer months)

6) Travel Funds
Students receiving funds for traveling is not taxable only when the travel is related to the university business (like attending conferences etc..,)

Summary:

For International Students:

Type of Fund	Tax Paid by Students ?	Withheld at the source?	Students need to report?
Tuition Waiver	No	Yes	No
Fellowship Stipend	Yes (Taxed at 14%)	Yes	No
RA/TA Assitantships or Stipends during Masters course	Yes (Tax rate as determined by W-4 form)	Yes	No
Hourly Wages	Yes (Tax rate as determined by W-4 form)	Yes	No
Travel Fund- on University business	No	No	No
Travel Fund - non University business	Yes (Taxed at 14%)	Yes	No

For US Citizens and Permanent Residents:

Type of Fund	Paid by Students ?	Withheld at the source?	Students need to report?
Tuition Waiver	No	No	No
Fellowship Stipend	Yes ( Tax rate as determined by W-4 Form)	No	Yes
RA/TA Assitantships or Stipends during Masters course	Yes ( Tax rate as determined by W-4 Form)	Yes	No
Hourly Wages	Yes ( Tax rate as determined by W-4 Form)	Yes	No
Travel Fund- on University business	No	No	No
Travel Fund - non University business	Yes ( Tax rate as determined by W-4 Form)	Yes	No

External Fellowships

Many foundations and corporations grant full or partial fellowships to graduate students to assist in their education. Students may apply for some of these fellowships directly to the concerned corporations or foundations before admission itself . They should notify the University/School to which they are applying about their application for financial assistance from external resources (if any). Here is a list of corporations/foundation offering external support (some are applicable for international students also).

Amelia Earhart Fellowships for Women
American Meteorological Society
American Psychological Association Minority Fellowships
Andrew W. Mellon Early Career Fellowships
Annal Sobol Levy Fellowships
Alcatel Lucent Fellowships
Beinecke Scholarship Program
Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program for the Americas
Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies
Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Compton Foundation Mentor Fellowship Program
Computational Science Graduate Fellowship Program
Department of Homeland Security Graduate Fellowships
DOE Fusion Energy Science Fellowships
DOE High Performance Computer Science Fellowships
DOE National Nuclear Security Administration Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship
Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship
East West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship
Eisenhower Institute Scholarship Programs
Environmental Protection Agency Fellowships
Financial Aid Information Website
Ford Foundation Fellowships
Fulbright Hayes Fellowships (study abroad)
Gaius Charles Bolin Dissertation Fellowships
Gates Millennium Scholarship Program
GEM Engineering Fellowship Program
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Research Center
Google 2006 Anita Borg Scholarship
Hertz Fellowships   

IBM Graduate Fellowships
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Jacob Javits Fellowship Program
John Gyles Education Award
Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust
Korean American Scholarship Foundation
Leifur Eiriksson Foundation

Margaret Yardley Fellowship
NASA Graduate Researchers Program
National Alliance for Autism Research
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships
National Humanities Center
National Physical Science Consortium Fellowships
National Science Foundation Fellowship
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Newcombe, Charlotte W. Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Graduate Fellowship Program
Organization of American States
PEW Younger Scholars Program
Post Doctoral Fellowship Opportunities

Soros Fellowships
Social Science Research Council Fellowship
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Thomas Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship
TIAA-CREF Ruth Simms Hamilton Research Fellowship
Truman Scholarships

United Negro College Fund/Merck Dissertation Fellowship
United States Army Center of Military History Dissertation Fellowships
von Humboldt German Chancellor Scholarship
Women's Research & Education Institute
Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellowships in Women's Studies

Fellowships and assistantships ( TA and RA )

Fellowships and assistant-ships ( mostly in the form of Teaching assistantships and Reasearch assistantships) are available for students pursuing their graduate study in US universities.



Fellowships:
Normally awarded to all doctoral candidates entering their first year of study, freeing them from the need to conduct research activities or the obligation to teach in the first year. Generally a fellowship for an year provides a full tuition fee waiver plus student health plan fee plus a maintenance allowance  for the year. The maintenance allowance is usually paid in monthly installments and is taxable. Fellowships are awarded by the degree granting department based on the merits of the candidate.

Assistantships:
Assistantships in teaching and research are provided for continuing students and aid applicants. The department granting the assistantship directly negotiates with student before granting it, meaning that, the student may need to talk to the professors directly to negotiate the assistantship (This normally happens for research assistantship). Entire assistantship amount is taxable. Two types of assistantships are commonly available : 1) Teaching Assistantship (TA) ; 2) Research Assistantship (RA)

Teaching Assistantship:
Depending on the need of the degree granting department, student are offered teaching assistantship who will provide services such as supervising the laboratory, assist professors in classroom teaching (prepare slide, presentation, material etc..,) and help the professors in grading ( evaluate answer sheets). Teaching assistantships may be offered as a full-appointment or partial appointment assistantship. In a full-appointment contract, the student needs to work for about 20 hours per week ( 6 classroom hours + 14 hours for preparation - this is also called full 6 hours appointment ). In the case of partial appointment, the student may need to work less than 20 hours ( it varies on a need by need basis). The allowance for the partial appointment is pro-rated according to the number of hours worked. Entire TA amount is taxable.

Research Assistantship:
Students offering research assistantance need to work for 20 hours per week in the case of full time assistantship and less than 20 hours (varies according to the need of the professor) in the case of a partial appointment ( The compensation is pro-rated according to the amount of time devoted to research). Entire RA amount is taxable.

Summary of Differences:

Fellowship	Teaching Assistantship	Research Assistantship
Full Tuition fee waiver + health plan fee + maintenance allowance	Full-time: 20 hours/week work; Partial: < 20 hours/week work - amount accordingly	Full-time: 20 hours/week work; Partial: < 20 hours/week work - amount accordingly
No obligation to do research/teaching assistantship	Assist in teaching, make slides,grade exam papers,supervise labs	Assist in research activities of the professor
Only maintenance allowance is taxable	100% taxable	100% taxable

Percentage to GPA conversion

There is no straight forward way (in fact "no way") to convert percentage marks (which is offered in many universities across India,Bangladesh,Pakistan,Nepal) to GPA.

Percentage marks and GPA will not have any correlation unless lots of factors are factored in (Factors like quality of education,academic standard,academic syllabus,highest marks obtained, mean and variance of the marks etc).

The way the GPA is calculated is completely different from percentage marks.

Most of the US universities (to which you are applying to), will have two entries in the application form to list your GPA. 1) GPA 2) Scale.

So if you have scored 75% marks in your undergrad, it should be given in the application form as
GPA: 75
Scale: 100

Some universities will ask you to leave it blank if your marks were not graded in terms of GPA. Just do as you are told and they will do the conversion themselves.

I do not want to list a conversion table to convert from percentage to GPA, which is absurd.

10 Point GPA to 4 Point GPA

It is very easy and straight forward to convert GPA in 10-point scale (offered in some elite schools in India like BITS Pilani) to GPA in 4-point scale (as required by US universities).

The application form for the US university will specify whether you need to convert your GPA to 4-point or 5-point scale.

To convert a 10-point GPA to 4-point GPA, just use the following formula
GPA in 4-point scale = (GPAIn10Points-2)/2

Table for verification :

10-Point GPA	4-Point GPA
10	4
8	3
6	2
4	1

Example: If you have scored 8.4 on a 10-point GPA scale, it converts to (8.4-2)/2=3.2 on a 4-point GPA scale.

Foot Note: 
Schools in India using 10, 5 or 4 point GPA system:
All IITs,IT-BHU, NITs, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, BITS Pilani (Pilani, Goa,Hyderabad campuses), BIT Mesra,IIITs, Thapar University Patiala, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, NERIST Itanagar, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU),Anna university (main campus),Coimbatore Institute of Technology (C.I.T.), University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE,Bangalore) and most of the State run Technical Universities follow this system.

How to order GRE scrore reports online

Required materials : Credit Card

Step 1 and Step 2 are only applicable for new user

Step 1: Sign Up
If you are a new user, go to https://mygre.ets.org/greweb/login/login.jsp , which is the sign in page for all your GRE related services. Signing in allowed you to 1) Register for a test (Paper based as well as computed based test), 2) View/print your test admission ticket, 3) View test scores 4) Order test scores (ETS will directly mail the scores to the universities). Once you are on the page, click "Sign Up".

Step 2: Create your GRE account
If you are a fresh user who have not yet registered for GRE, supply your name exactly as it appears in your primary identification document ( Even-though ETS web page lists possible documents defined as primary ids, passport is the widely accepted identification proof - So you must have your passport before registering for GRE exam). Make sure that you give your name and date of birth exactly as it appears on your passport. Fill the user sign up form carefully and click continue and follow the instructions.

If you have already taken a GRE test and want to access online services, you still need to fill up this form. Make sure that you supply your name and date of birth that exactly matches what you have given for registering the previous test (You can confirm this from your recent score report, if you have received any)

Step 3: Sign in to your GRE account
You can access the GRE account sign in page at https://mygre.ets.org/greweb/login/login.jsp

Step 4: Order additional score reports
Supply your username and password under "Returning user" panel. Under the heading "Services", click "Order additional score reports". Confirm your personal information before placing the order and click submit. Select a test date for which you want to report your scores. and click "continue". Select the country and state of the school to which you want to send your score reports. Select your intended school from the list of schools listed in the search results. Make sure that the College Code listed against your intended school - exactly matches the code given in that school's website. For example, the code for University of California - Berkeley is 4833. Search for your department and select it. Again make sure, the department code is exactly same as given in the school's department website to which you are applying to. Select the test scores (General test/Subject test) you wish send to your intended school and click continue. Add more score recipients if you want and click "continue". Review your order and accept the terms and conditions. Next, supply your credit card information and you are done.

What is a Transcript

Submitting certified copies of Transcripts is an integral part of your application to graduate/undergrad studies.



Transcript:
Transcript is a copy of a student's permanent record that includes all courses taken,year and semester in which the courses were taken,grades/marks received for all courses,all honors received and the degree that was conferred upon the student. It may also contain number of people in the class and the average grade/mark of the class.


Official Transcript:
A copy of the transcript that is prepared by issuing university/school and signed by an authorized person under the seal of the issuing university/school.

Normally the transcript issuing university will not hand over the transcript to the applicant. It directly mails the transcripts to the school that you are applying to. Some universities, do hand over the transcript to the applicant and it becomes the responsibility of the student to mail the transcript to the requesting university/school.

A sample transcript may look like this

Materials needed for Graduate Application

Generally the following materials/info are needed for graduate studies application (in US and other countries).

1) Completed Online Application
Most universities have phased out the paper application process, only a handful of them are accepting paper application

2) Transcripts and degree scrolls
Certified true copies of transcripts and degree scrolls in sealed envelopes.
(Info on obtaining your copy of transcripts from Anna University)

3) Official GRE score
There is no minimum marks required for GRE. A general rule of thumb for successful application is as follows.
If you are applying to engineering school then you should have a good score in Quantitative Analysis (more than 700) and your score in verbal part can be compromised a little (about 550) and a decent score in analytical writing ( equal to above 3.5)
The requirements for graduate studies in fine arts and management studies will be almost reverse (ie. about 600 in Maths and more than 700 in verbal and a very good score in analytical writing - equal to or above 5.0).


5) TOEFL/IELTS Score
Official TOEFL (above 85/120 in IBT is safe for majority of universities- except for a few top ones - For MIT the minimum required TOEFL mark is 100/120 in IBT) or IELTS score .

6) Three referee reports
A Referee can be your professor or supervisor who will able to give feedback on your performance/assess your ability for research/problem solving/communication skills. The universities expect atleast 2 reports from academic referees. If you are out of academics for more than 4 years then 2 reports from your supervisors (at workplace) and 1 report from academic referee are suffice.

7) Statement Of Purpose (SOP)
Statement of Purpose should clearly state the following
a) How did you choose your intended program of study in the first place and how is it going to help you in achieving your goals.
b) What is your goal of pursuing the graduate study
c) Why do think that you are the best for your program of study
d) What are your personal strengths (like hard work, perseverance etc..,). Support your argument with examples from your life.(Like, you have put in long hours in the lab to finish a project that was assigned by your professor: which shows your hard work)
e) State whether you have acquired/demonstrated any leadership qualities or other skill that make you unique.
f) If your grades are inconsistent across the semesters, take this opportunity to explain why (in a convincing manner)
Read - A very resourceful article on writing a SOP or a personal statement from Purdue University 

8) Resume
A well written resume comprising the following sections
a) Objective or Summary
b) Areas of interest (list out specific areas in which u want to pursue your graduate studies)
c) Educational qualifications ( clearly state years of study, grades or marks obtained )
d) If you have work experience, list them out specifying your designation held, duration of work, roles played
e) Academic projects (Give a list of academic projects done by you with a brief summary)
f) Publications and/or patents if any
g) Academic Achievements
h) Programming/Software skills (if relevant for your field of study)
i) Extra curricular activities
j) Community involvements

Note: Do not include your marital status, passport number,social security number in the resume.
Clearly indicate your contact number and e-mail id.

9) Statement of Financial Support (if required):
Some universities may ask for a financial statement stating your ability to pay for your education (atleast for the 1st year of study) or if you are a recipient of any scholarship from a sponsoring party, include necessary statements supporting your claims. For self sponsoring candidate, a reference letter from the bank indicating your name, your account number and sufficient amount covering your tuition feed and expected expenses during your first year of study is needed. If you are supported by your family, a reference letter from bank stating your family sponsor's name, amount owed for your education is needed). If you are a recipient of any scholarship from  a sponsoring party, a letter establishing the sponsorship is required as part of your application.

Application for higher studies : When to start ?

You should start your preparation for applying for higher studies when the seeds of the desire to pursue higher studies are sowed in your mind :)

A Realistic time-line for application:
For those who want to pursue higher studies immediately after completing their 4-year undergrad course, the best time to start your preparation process is by your 6th semester. If you are planning to enroll for Fall 2012 ( 1st semester starts roughly by Septemter 2012), the right time to start your preparations is by Jan 2011 (i.e. 1.5 years or 18 months in advance). For Fall admission most universities will start the application process by September the previous year and the typical application deadline varies from December to February mid.
(Note: Chances of getting Financial Aid is far higher for Fall admissions than for Spring Admissions). A more commonly followed time line for preparation is given below.

12 Months to application deadline

Research academic programs

Research on which grad schools to apply and their deadlines

Identify 3-4 recommenders (For Referee reports)

Start Preparing for TOEFL and GRE and register test dates

6 Months to application deadline

Take GRE and TOEFL exams

Talk with your Referees and supply them necessary data (Give at least 1 month time for them to prepare)

Prepare your Resume

Prepare Statement of Purpose (SOP)

2 Months to application deadline

Get your Referee reports ready

Revisit SOP and Resume for improvements

Start online application process

Mail official transcripts

Note:

While the identification of semesters among universities differ slightly, the common way of identifying semesters is as follows

Fall Semester : September - December
Spring Semester : January - May

MS,MS/PhD or PhD ?

For most of us obtaining a masters/doctorate degree is a challenge by itself. For many it is a life time aspiration/desire. If you are considering to apply for universities abroad (especially US), you should ,ask whether you are motivated to do higher studies.



Before you apply:

Making the decision:
Be it a MS or PhD degree, you need to make few things clear before you apply.

1) Do you really want to do higher studies? Yes/No

2) Are you inclined for studies/inclined to earn wages immediately after completing your 4 year bachelors degree course?

3) What is your ultimate goal of pursuing higher studies ? For some, the answers might be: "Don't know, My parents wanted me to do higher degree studies to get better marriage prospects","The other guy did it, so I also wanted to do","Just to migrate to US or other countries","I do not like to work here",etc...

If you are considering to apply for MS/PhD, please do not apply for it if you have any of these answers in your mind. But keep in mind that obtaining a Masters degree itself can be a nightmare for many. Doing a PhD is all about selfless determination,perseverance,hard work,patience.

4) Can you study for another 2 to 6 years (depending on your option-MS/PhD) after completing your 4-years course?


5) Draw out your plans for the future :
a) How would you like to see yourself after completing the degree?
b) What are the career options available upon completion of the degree?

Honestly answer the above questions and decide on your choice.

Once the decision is Made:
If you have decided to go a head to apply for MS/PhD, you have three options to choose from.

1)MS
2)MS/PhD
3)Direct PhD

Making the decision on MS,MS/PHD or PHD ?
Summary of Differences:

Course Type	Duration	Easy to get Admit?	Funding	Career Prospects
MS	1.5-2 years	Relatively Easier	Tough to get	Job
MS/PhD	2-6 years (2 years for MS + 3 to 4 years for Phd)	a bit tougher compared to MS	Mostly funded for PhD(after the qualifying exam) or after the 1st sem of your MS program	Jobs,research,academic teaching
PhD	average 5 years	Very tough (depends on your credentials)	Easily available	Jobs,research,academic teaching

MS/PhD: The traditional way
Complete your Masters degree first and then enroll for PhD. After obtaining the Masters degree, you will write a qualifying examination.  You will be admitted to PhD only after you pass the exam. In most cases professors will not fund a student (i.e. will not offer Research Assistant-ship) before he passes the qualifying exam. So you need to be prepared to fund yourself for the initial 1.5-2 years of your Masters degree course.

Direct PhD: Jumping ahead
What's this ?
Skipping the intermediate process of obtaining a Masters degree and directly doing a PhD

Who can apply ? 
If your ultimate aim is to obtain a PhD.

Chances of Getting Admit ?
It depends on your confidence level and your credentials. If you think that you have good credentials (like international publications,good GPA or marks,internships,projects etc...).

After getting Admit:
You need to write the qualifying exam right after getting your admit to the grad school. Most of the questions in the qualifying exam requires in-depth understanding of the subject. Remember that you will be competing with students who has already completed MS degree.

Not able to decide between MS and MS/PhD ?
Safest bet is to go for MS. Some people may find it too early to decide on whether to do a PhD after obtaining a Masters. They can opt for MS , complete the degree and decide in due course whether they are really into going for a PhD.


The main difference between MS and MS/PhD: 
In MS/PhD program you might be allowed to write the qualifying exam even before completing the MS degree. This saves time if your aim is to do a PhD. On the other hand,  a student in MS will not be allowed to write the qualifying exam till he completes the degree.

Procedure to get Transcripts from Anna Univerisity

Are u applying for universities abroad and in need of transcripts from Anna University ? Here is a simple procedure to obtain the transcripts from Anna university.



Transcript : is a set a documents that comprises the follows1) Degree certificates ( UG and PG [if applicable] )
2) Consolidated mark sheet(UG and PG[if applicable])
3) Individual semester marksheets (if consolidated marksheet is not yet available/you are still in studying )
4) University Rank certificate (if available)

The entire group of documents is called 1 set of transcript (according to Anna University).

Check out the latest fees for 1 set of transcripts at
http://www.annauniv.edu/pdf/notification.pdf

Procedure to obtain transcripts:
Pre-requisites: a) Take all the available original documents with you in an envelope.You do not need to supply envelops for the universities that you are applying for. The Transcripts office will supply the envelops for you, b) Cash for DD, c)Writing Pen. You will make two trips for the transcript office to get the work done.

First Trip:
1) Decide on the number of universities that you are planning to apply  (add 2 to this number for backup - lets call this total number "N" )
2) Take a Demand Draft for "N x Fee for 1 set of Transcript + DD Commision charges"
(If I plan to apply for 7 universities, I would add 2 more for backup and if the fee for one set is Rs.200, then I would take a DD for Rs.1800+DD commision charges)
3)Demand Draft can be taken at SBI (State bank of India) bank branch located in the Anna University Main building. The bank closes by 4.30 pm and make sure that u give in the request for DD well in advance).
4)The Commission rate for the specified DD amount can be obtained from the chart/table listed in the bank premises.
5)After u have taken the DD go to the Controller of Examinations building (Closing time:5 pm). This is the tricky part. Note that this building is not situated in Anna University Campus.It is situated in an unexpected/unsuspecting location.You will be spending a great amount of time in locating the venue :)
6)Location of Controller of Examinations Building :
Come out the Anna University Campus.Do NOT cross the road.Turn right and walk along the Sardar Patel road (main road).Do NOT enter next campus (which is the Directorate of Technical Education Campus). Next you will see an iron gate and a path leading to a building at a distance (Which is what we are looking for). You will notice a security guard loitering around the place. Just go inside and ask someone in the building about the location of the "transcripts office".
7)Once you are at Transcripts Office, fill out the form given by the office staff (It will contain details like, your registration number,year of study,number of sets of transcripts you require, DD amount take,blah blah blah..). Handover the originals and the staff will handover an application/reference number for your request and you need to sign a register kept outside. Note down the application/reference number and the date of your application. The staff will ask you to collect the transcripts after 4 or 5 days.

Second Trip:
Required Materials: Application/Reference Number,glue stick,pen
1)Go the Transcripts office. Tell your Application/Reference Number.
2)The Staff will handover the requested number of duplicate transcripts in unsealed envelopes.
3)The staff will ask you to write on the envelopes the address of the universities that you are applying to. Write the address of your desired universities (Even if you have not made any on the universities, just write some arbitrary address which you can always mask with a white paper and re-write the actual university address later) and seal the envelopes using the glue stick.
4) Once you are done, the staff will hand over the originals to you.
5) Do not leave the place without checking whether you have received all the originals that you have submitted.

Happy Applying for Universities !!!