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MS in US with average GRE score: MIT (scholarship) vs Stanford University

MS in US with ScholarshipLike many Indian and international students planning to study abroad, if you feel that the university ranking and brand power means everything, you’d be impressed with Anamika Agarwal’s resume. But what’s more intriguing is the journey behind it and the lessons she has picked up from her experiences.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay) B.Tech graduate had set her eyes on the best universities for her Masters degree i.e. MS in USA. With an average GRE score, she knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

With her well-drafted MS applications she was able to convince the MS admissions team that her GRE score wasn’t such a big issue. Her strategy and approach worked. She got into Stanford, MIT and several other good U.S. universities.

While an MS at Stanford University would’ve been the ultimate addition to any CV, Anamika turned down the option. The reason being – MIT offered a free ride (full scholarship) for their Masters in IT course.

She worked for Goldman Sachs (New York) after completing her MS from MIT.

Several years later, she did it again. With a relatively low GMAT score (for an Indian engineer) of 690, she got into London Business School (LBS) for her MBA degree.

What was it that helped her tackle the tough admissions chances (with her not-so-impressive GMAT and GRE exam scores) and get into the best MS programs in USA with a scholarship and the toughest MBA in the UK?

Anamika shares her journey and some interesting lessons (specially about the value of brands) she learnt along the way. If you think you have a low or average GRE score (or GMAT) or you think the odds are stacked against you in the race for the best MS programs in U.S. or MBA courses across the world, read on.


 

6 Lessons from my MS in US (MIT) and MBA in the UK

by Anamika Agarwal

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever ~ Steve Jobs

This quote summarizes quite well my career journey till date – an interesting mix of experiences, some of which was planned while rest was sheer serendipity. The mantra (beyond hard work of course) has been to keep moving forward and embrace new ideas, opportunities and places with open arms and trusting for something bigger and better to happen.

Having completed my Bachelors from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, MS from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and MBA from the London Business School (LBS), I got the opportunity to study in some of the best institutions of the world.

Eight years of experience across four countries in various functions and industries has given me great exposure and a holistic view to build any business. As I revisit the past years while putting together this blog post, few things pop my mind as key influences/ learnings/ turning points in my career journey.
 

1. Our aspirations are a reflection of the environment we live in, the exposure we get and the company we hang out with.

The above mentioned factors have played a crucial role in grooming my career and personality in the early days. It’s the best way to stay motivated and continuously learn new things.

My entry to IIT was driven to a large extent by the company of friends I had back then in school. The desire to match up and compete in everything we did aspired me to clear JEE.

The induction effect continued thereafter at IIT as well and paved way for further milestones in my educational and professional journey say it be doing MS in USA, MBA in UK, job at Goldman Sachs in the U.S. or my current role with a start up.
 

2. Persistence is one of the biggest drivers to make things happen

I would not qualify myself to have had a smooth sail to the places I landed for education and work. It was a lot of persistence, hard work and some amount of luck that eventually made things fall in place.

In spite of an average GRE score, I got admits from Stanford, UIUC, Purdue and MIT for MS in USA (Masters degree). With persistent follow ups with the professors, I was able to convert my admit at MIT to half scholarship, followed by a full scholarship.

Similarly, during my MBA application, my GMAT score was 690 but I was successfully able to convert LBS.

My advice would be – don’t be disheartened in case you don’t have the most amazing scores (of course, they need to be above a threshold).

Work towards a stellar application as scores are just one component in the application. Now being a part of the candidate interview process for LBS, I have been able to validate this further.

Don’t be shy in reaching out to people for help (LinkedIn, Alumni Network, FB). In my journey, the loose & distant connects have been the most helpful. I was picked up by an Alum for my very first job at Goldman Sachs when I reached out to him.
 

3. Have a plan, but be flexible. There might be greener pastures in store for you

We all have plans and define goals for ourselves. Give your 100% in achieving the same. But at times, things might not work the way you would have wished.

It could be attributed to the timing or other external factors beyond your control. At such junctures, be open to the idea to explore other opportunities – even those that you might not have imagined ever in your wildest dreams.

I have seen this personally play out in my career journey multiple times.

While in undergrad, my goal was to pursue earthquakes but I ended up learning cutting edge technology during my Masters in US. Further the plan was to pick up a career in Finance but I eventually chose a role in a startup.

Now when I look back, I feel embracing new opportunities in a non-judgmental way has given me exposure to new avenues and enabled me to identify more interesting and satisfying career opportunities.
 

4. Brands and compensation are NOT the only metrics to define a sustainable and satisfying career

Lot of people call me a brand whore when they see my CV 🙂 Brands in your early career definitely help you get the credibility and access to different networks.

However, soon you realize there are other equally or more important factors that drive your satisfaction – quality of work, growth, passion, work life balance, impact and value creation. [Try this free online career guidance tool if you haven’t already]

It’s important to not lose sight of these aspects while choosing your career path.
 

5. Comfort zone means hitting a learning block and the time for a shake-up

It’s important to have the awareness and be honest to our own self when we feel we are getting comfortable in whatever we are doing.

Bringing a change when everything is going smooth does not come naturally to anyone of us.

But being aware of this feeling and pushing ourselves to constantly strive for the next challenging opportunity would help in the long run.
 

6. Believe in yourself

Last but not the least is to believe in your ability to make things happen! Play on your strengths while being aware about your weaknesses.

Don’t let a low GRE score or an average GMAT performance derail your success stories.

– Anamika


For general queries about MS applications, please post on our MS discussion forum.

If you are really serious about getting Anamika’s help for your MBA or MS application, check out our professional MS SoP review service and drop us an email with your profile details on: info [at] mbacrystalball [dot] com.

Read these related articles:
GRE scores for MS in USA
Average GRE scores for MIT | Average GRE scores for Harvard
Why I rejected a full scholarship for Masters from an Ivy League university
MS in Computer Science in USA as an international student
How to get into Princeton University


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Manish Gupta
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Chief Consulting Officer at MBA Crystal Ball, ex-McKinsey, IIT & ISB topper. MG can help you get into the top B-schools. Read more about this top MBA admissions consultant. Connect with MG on Email. Or follow on Linkedin, Facebook.

81 thoughts on “MS in US with average GRE score: MIT (scholarship) vs Stanford University”

  1. Hi Anamika,

    Greetings!

    Can you help me in answering the below questions

    1.How does the MS college in US evaluate the candidates with experience (I have 5 years). Do they evaluate differently from freshers or both are giving the same preference.

    2. what is the ideal time for preparing GRE and what’s a good GRE score for US universities.

    3. What factors does the candidate consider while choosing the MS program in USA.

    4. Which programme is better MS or MIS or MBA.

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • I would say there is no one recipe – it is a function of the course in question and the student diversity the college is trying to maintain for that course.
      To identify the recommended time for GRE preparation, suggest you take the mock test upfront to guage your current standing and identify areas of improvement. Basis that the recommended time for your preparation could be guesstimated.
      Many factors go into using the MS program – school ranking, course of interest, duration, geography, potential of assistantship, opportunities for job search and I am sure there could be many more.
      Type of course again would depend on the career you wish to pursue.

      Reply
    • Hi Anamika,
      I am currently working in IT from the past one year and I want to do MBA in US, because i dont want to continue my career in software.Which exam is better for MBA in US , GRE or GMAT? would my work experience be helpful in doing MBA. Kindly do reply me. Thanks in Advance

      Reply
  2. hi anamika. iam manisha studying b.com 3rd year. i want to do ms in finance in usa. should i write gre or gmat? what is the probability of getting admission in ms finance? is ms finance a good option to choose? i dont have any work experience. kindly give me reply asap….

    Reply
    • Hello Manisha, you need to take GRE. However, if you already have nailed the course that you are aiming for you could check the application requirements. Admission is a function of your application and kind of people the Ad com is looking to build the student community. I have seen people with or without work experience both apply for such courses. Choice of course would be a function of what you intend to do in your career and be suitable gateway for entry to your professional journey.

      Reply
  3. Hello,
    I have 6 years of experience in IT industry and have a CTC of 11LPA. I am a coder with experience in retail and corporate investment domain. On the personal front, I am married and have a 2 year old son. The idea of doing an MBA from ISB Hyderabad is a month old one but I have already started preparation on my own. Now the confusion is , is it really worth leaving my career and family at this point and persuing this program. Are there very good oportunities which are beneficial career wise and money wise. Is an IIM through CAT a better option.. Or any other options..
    I look forward for your assistance .. It would really help if you could provide your personal contact where i can call you directly.

    Reply
    • Hi there, I think it’s too late for CAT as you already have 6 years of experience. You might want to look at other courses for experienced people like you. ISB is a better school in case you wish to apply. People using do MBA to either switch career or get accelerated growth in their existing field. however, there is certainly an opportunity cost to it and the returns might not be immediately seen. However, it will definitely bear fruit in the long run in various forms and shape according to me.

      Reply
  4. i completed b.e computer science and now i want to take up master in us. which stream in masters would be of greater scope for me in the future.
    how can i get full scholarship for ms?
    Please reply

    Reply
    • I would recommend doing some further research on the masters option. Another thing you might want to think is what sort of career you are looking for. In case you want to branch out to something beyond Computer Science then the choice of degree would depend on that as well.
      Scholarships are awarded/ followed on once you receive an admit from the school. RA and TA are the most popular ways of assistantship.

      Reply
  5. I am doing my final year engineering in Electronics and Communications. Taking my GRE exam soon. Interested in doing Engineering Management in US instead of normal MS route. What are the pros and cons of Engineering Management. Is this really a substitute for regular MBA. What are the suggested good universities.

    Reply
    • Good Luck with your GRE. Cons is Engineering Management would not offer any sort of financial aid opportunity (there are exceptions though). The good part is the course is of shorter duration, mostly a year.

      I would not qualify it as a substitute of MBA but definitely a good precursor to that. MBA students usually come with work experience so the student mix is also very different in the two courses. US News and some other websites would provide you university and course rankings .

      Reply
  6. hello Ma’am,
    this post was very useful:)
    I’m currently in SyBms and looking for a masters course.
    my question is, do Indians get jobs quickly after their masters program in USA? How difficult is it for the foreign students to get management jobs there?

    Reply
    • Glad you like the post Peehu! You get one year of OPT(Optional Practical Training Period) after Masters degree where you could work or find for a job. Job search is a process and how soon you get would be a function of many things – market, field, supply and demand. Your job opportunity would be a function of the Masters Degree you pursue!

      Reply
  7. Hi Anamika,
    Im doing my BA in psychology and economics. I was thinking of doing a mib right after this bachelors degree. What would be the kind of jobs i get once i come back to india ,considering i do my masters abroad.? i have been considering HR . Is a master in international business good enough to join the corporate world or am i on the wrong track? i would appreciate the help. thank you

    Krystelle

    Reply
    • Overseas exposure (education and internships) would be well appreciated by Indian employers and a lot of international learnings could be brought to Indian context. I would suggest don’t be constarined on the funnction to HR or sthg. Let that evolve with experience and exposure that you get during your course work.

      Yeah, Masters degree would certain open gateways to corporate jobs. Good Luck!

      Reply
  8. Hi,
    I am a 2014 graduate in ECE, currently working at verizon, have just completed one year work. Can you please suggest me whether should i look to pursue MIM or MBA? I want to shift industry after completing my masters to finance or operations. Also, please throw some light on gmat score required to get into a good college.
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • MBA would require little bit more experience. However, having said that the average age of students is only decreasing in US MBA schools. It’s a characteristic of the school you choose. MIM and MBA should provide you a platform of switch if you choose your coursework and internships appropriately. Also, corporates are open to freshers at this level. GMAT score would depend on the school. 700 or above would be a safe score for applications.

      Reply
  9. Hello Anamika,
    I just finished my Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunication. I want to do MS in US, but my family doesn’t have enough amount of money and they don’t want to send me abroad. Instead, they want me to do MBA in India. I am more of a technical guy and love my field. Though I never gave serious thought to doing MBA, though always found it attractive. Hence, confused between both. Need your perspective on the matter. Thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • MBA scholarships are unlikely. However, chances of scholarship in MS are much higher as you could work as TA or RA. MBA and MS have quite different objectives. If you want to be in the technical field, recommend MS. MBA is more for consulting, finance or management jobs in industries.

      Reply
  10. Hello Anamika,

    I am an IT professional, have 4+ yrs experience in software development and I am planning for Master course in International Business (US), Now the dilemma is which Master course value adds more and suits my current profile “MBA in International Business” or “Masters in International Business”(MIB). In many comparison on blogs MBA won this throne.
    Please also need your guidance on below points.
    – US MBA/MIB vs Australian MBA/MIB
    (with respect to
    Asian/Indian market, as I want to come back to India after 3 – 4 yrs)
    – All US MBA have Aug/Sep intake where as MIB have both Sep and Jan so which would be preferable?

    Reply
    • With your experience I feel MIB is a bit too late.You should consider MBA at this juncture of your career. MBA is quite an expensive proposition which needs to be self funded. So, even if you want to come back to India, would suggest you should consider working abroad first for a couple of years to get rid of your debts. Unfortunately not very familiar with Australian education landscape. But anyday would rate US better than Australia.

      Reply
  11. Hello Anamika,

    it was pleasure reading this article and a great help. I have a query, if you could help?
    i’m a fashion designer with a B.Des from Symbiosis University and an average GPA of 2.4 (no excuses). i am currently working and doing well, have a work experience of 2 years. Now i plan to do masters in specialized MBA [marketing and branding] from US university. i have a GRE score of 320.
    what do you think are my chances with a GPA as low as that(when they are specific even at the time of application regarding GPA) in a well ranked university with scholarship approved ?

    Kind regards.

    Reply
    • Honestly the chances are slim :(( Unless there is something that uniquely differentiates you from other applicants and addresses some of the gaps observed in your GRE and GPA.

      Reply
  12. Hi Anamika, a good post there 🙂
    I’m a recent btech graduate from Electronics and communication background with 76%, I want to do ms in fall 16.
    I got a score of 296 (AWA 2.5), retaking on July 3rd, I’m worried if I get low score again, what are my chances getting into top 20 institutes.
    And is it good to go for spring intake?
    Also, I would like to fill in my free time with Internship, is this Idea good?

    Thank you for your time and good day 😀

    Reply
    • Honestly the chances are slim :(( Unless there is something that uniquely differentiates you from other applicants and addresses some of the gaps observed in your GRE and GPA.

      Reply
  13. Hello Anamika,
    Nice to read your story.

    I’m a btech graduate working in a Public Sector Unit. I have 5+ years of experience in design and development of electronic products. I am keen to take a break for higher studies. Would it be wise if i go for MS now? I guess that is a more financially viable option for me…

    Reply
    • The reason to do higer studies needs to be more than just taking a break. Request you to do some reflection on this and how you intend to leverage this in your career.

      Reply
  14. Hi Anamika,

    I had a big doubt in my mind. I hope you help me in solving it.

    Currently i am working in Cisco as a Services Engineer. Though the job is good and Pay is extremely good. But i some how find myself to be extremely restricted in terms on career options.
    I was interested in MS in Finance course in US. So how good are my chances in getting a decent college for MS in Finance?
    I see that colleges do accept people from Engineering, but the percentage is very low.
    Is this a misconception? Also how are the job prospects in US for person who has done MS in Finance. Would appreciate if you could help me with this. Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Hi Shreyas,

      Try answering yourself why you want to do Finance after Service Engineering and why not MBA. Honestly, the selection depends on credentails and how legitimate your story and intent for the course is.

      Finance Sector is not anymore as lucrative and attractive as it was a couple of years ago. But I am sure merit and talent would still be welcomed by the industry!

      Reply
  15. Hello Mam

    I am Studying Btech Third year in Electronics and Communication Engineering.I have Published a IEEE Paper.I am also doing a project under a professor who is a visiting professor to University of California Berkley.I am intrested in masters in Wireless Mam.So,is this helpful in pusuing masters in top Institutes like Stanford,MIT etc…………

    Reply
    • Absolutely! Any sort of unique experience that differentiates you from the rest of the applicants would be great. Prior projects and publications should be highlighted and would give you a great edge.

      Reply
  16. Hello ma`am,
    I am studying Btech last year in mechanical engineering and I want to do MS in Robotics from a US university. Is it possible to get admission in top universities like MIT without work experience just by giving GRE?

    Reply
  17. Respected Ma’am,
    My name is Satpreet Singh Virdi, I have completed my Mechanical Engineering and also my Post Graduation Diploma in Digital Automobile Designing. I have a total work experience of 3 years and now I am planning to give GMAT by the end of this year. I have a clear view of how I have to approach for GMAT Exam but I am really very confused about the selection of colleges and the courses as according to my field. I have decided to stay in Automobile Field itself, after I am done with my MBA. Can you please suggest me the colleges and also the courses which I should keep in mind during the process of my preparation.
    I will be highly obliged to hear from you.
    Thanks and Regards,
    Satpreet Singh

    Reply
    • Hello Satpreet,

      Are you planning to do a MBA or MS? Selection of college would require further detailed discussion. A good diverse mix of colleges ( top choices, mediocre and buffer/ safe) would be a good approach.

      Thanks,
      Anamika

      Reply
  18. hi m’am ,i am student of btech 3rd yr ece branch. Since i am looking forward to do MS from foreign universities so i just wanted to know whether just good gre score is sufficient to get scholarships (full) in top us universities like mit , stanford,etc. ,if yes then what is exactly Toefl for ?

    Reply
    • Hi Harshit,

      GRE is one part of the application. Statement of Purpose, Recommendations play a big role as well. TOEFL is for English proficiency.

      Reply
  19. Hi Anamika,

    Can u suggest me wch Exam i nd 2 appear i.e GMAT/GRE. I want to go for MS finance from US university. I hv done my HM well hv personally visited the university websites & checked for application requirement wch says acceptance of either GMAT/GRE. But 1 of my friend said even though its GRE is accepted but GMAT is preferred. & hence i am personally planning to mail all the univeristy wch i listed the TOP 25 university for MS finance. I hope that works. Hope university should not reject me after submitting GRE score if GMAT is preferred but GRE is also accepted.

    Please suggest sm gd classes for GMAT/GRE preparation as I am avg student in Quant & Verbal.

    Reply
    • Hello Ekta,

      For Masters degree mostly it would be GRE. But just to be doubly sure, go through the requirements of the schools once you shortlist them. It’s pretty black and white there and should not leave you with any confusion.

      FOr preparation, check out Kaplan, Princeton. This should be readily available after primary research on google.

      Reply
  20. hey
    i am in second year of doing graduation . i want to do my post graduation from abroad.
    is it okay for me to do mim first and work for 2 years and than go for mba.
    because i am really interested in doing mba .

    Reply
    • Hi Priyanka, What sort of graduation degree is it? Probably MIM might not be required. Directly pick up some interesting work experience after garduation and then apply for MBA.

      Reply
  21. Hello Anamika,

    I would like to congratulate you for the amazing career path you have had so far. Coming to me, I am a B.E graduate in Computer Science and Engineering from a college in Bangalore. Placed in Deloitte US-India (Joining batch – December, 2015). I have always had the knack for the business aspects of the events I have been a part of, especially the people management part of it. However, I cannot let go of the technologies that are used in today’s world to ease our work. In short I would love to be the one managing the company and the technology used in various projects. With respect to that, I have recently come across a MS course in U.S, “Management in Information System”. Sounds perfect to me. All this while I had planned to work with Deloitte as a Business Technology Analyst for 3-4 years and head on with my MBA. I am confused now. I am in need of some special advice. I would appreciate if you could help me decide which path to choose.

    P.S, in any case it would be impossible for my family to fund my MS.

    Regards,
    Utsav

    Reply
    • Thanks Utsav for all the kind words.

      So, the way I would compare a MS degree in Information System and MBA would be timing. If you want to go staright to studies or after 1 or so year of experience, MS works for you. Possibility of getting a funding is much higher in MS. MBA would happen much later when you would have accumulated 3-4 years of experience and are looking to switch career or growth in your existing career path. MBA would never be funded except for there are some consulting companies who sponsor MBA and expect you to return to the company post MBA for sometime.

      Reply
  22. Hi Anamika,

    I have done B.A, M.A and M.Phil in Economics and would now like to do PhD from US. I do have 2 years experience in Delhi University as Assistant Professor. Would you be able to guide the procedure for the same?
    Which test will be best for me to get the admission? And What are the financial options available?

    Regards,
    Sonia

    Reply
    • Sonia, Congratulations on all the hard work you have put in so far.
      Unfortunately I won’t be able to guide you much on PhD. All I know few of my friends applied for PhD. The application process is same as MS as far as I know. Some of them got both the degrees – MS and PhD.

      Reply
  23. hi anamika mam,
    your story is amazing and it has influenced me alot. Mam, i have recently joined reliance industries , did chemical engineering . I want to do MS in energy management can you please guide me that even if i am not able to score well in GRE what kind of profile should i have to get accepted in the top universities with schlorship ( Like what factors should i have in my resume ) . Please reply mam .
    Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Harnav!
      Please don’t assume you can’t score well. I think a negative mindset would reflect somewhere in your efforts as well. Work with full positive focus.
      You might want to look at the profiles of some of the alums from the course that you wish to do. Unfortunately there is no fixed recipe!

      Reply
  24. Thanks a Ton for d reply Anamika,

    I have started preparing for GRE but i am not been able to get gd marks in Verbal. I Studying from Magoosh & Mahanttan word list for Verbal. Can u plz suggest how to improve marks in GRE Verbal.

    Which mock test shall i take. plz list sm of the websites

    Regards,
    Ekta Shah

    Reply
    • Verbal has been an uphill task for all people who don’t have English as their first language.
      I remember we used – Kaplan, ETS recommended books, Princeton.

      Reply
  25. Hello maam,
    I am currently doing ece engineering from an undergrad college in india.Even though my college is not the best college in country,it is still a respected one and holds a national ranking.Do u think my chances of getting in an elite college for pursuing MS degree would be hampered by this factor.

    Reply
    • I do think school does play a role. One way to evaluate would be to look at students from your school who have been able to successfully secure admissions in foreign universities. That should give you a fair idea.

      Reply
  26. Hello Anamika, thanks for an enlighting post. I wish to ask which is better doing an MS in Finance from US (from top 30) or an MBA in finance from USA ( outside top 60) ? Moreover, which gives you better prospects of a good job, considering am interested in Portfolio Management profile.

    Reply
  27. hey anamica, i have done BCA from LPU and i want to go to the US for MS computer science, i have some questions :-

    1)out of the following states which would suit for a career in computer science (Mississippi,Tennessee,Kentucky,Oklahoma)
    2) which colleges accept 3 year bacherlors for addmission in masters
    3)should i take GRE?i was never a outstanding student hence i would take the practical option to not go for the best colleges like harward etc
    4) how much marks should i get in gre for scholorship

    thanks!

    Reply
    • Hello navdeep,

      Difficult to answer your questions. You might want to look at the schools and courses that you are interested in across the states. Basis the course requirements you could see if the 3 year bachelors is acceptable.
      GRE would be required 99% across all colleges. Scholarship is not a function of GRE. You could reach out to the professors for TA and RA opportunities.

      Reply
  28. Hello Anamika Mam,
    Greetings!
    I really loved your article as it generated a sense of self-confidence in me. But I need to make a career choice at this moment of my life. I have just completed my B.E in electronics and I am confused whether I should prepare for CAT or should take a job and go for experience and then plan for MBA or MS abroad ?
    Also I would like to add that back from the college life I have been interested in starting my own venture and also started 2 of them but eventually both failed after some time.Both of them taught me that I lacked on various significant tangents,some of them even I don’t know. Mam,on this I need your advice over which course to selects so that I can learn to be an efficient person with handling people and resources..
    Kindly guide…

    Reply
    • India startup market is doing very good and there are tonnes of opportunities in India. I would recommend to be India. Going abroad would require financial burden which might not allow you to pursue your startup dream after MBA.

      Other option would be work for some interesting startups that interest you and learn at the job! After 2-3 years of experience you could re-evaluate what needs to be done .

      Reply
  29. Mam,
    I am studying in ANNA UNIVERSITY,GUINDY,CHENNAI.I am in final year ECE.
    I wrote my GRE and score is 302.Quant 160. Verbal 142.
    TOEFL yet to be written.
    My ENGG GPA upto 6 th sem is 87%.
    I want to pursue VLSI.
    Pl suggest some good universities.I have in mind of ASU,UTD,UCI,Ga TECH.

    Reply
    • Please look at school rankings and that would help you identify the schools and courses that are best fit to your aspirations. Good Luck!

      Reply
  30. Hello mam !!!

    Your journey is really inspiring and enlightening. Although i don”t have a big brand name to back up my profile, as i did my b-tech in ‘mechanical and automation engineering’ from IP univ. with a decent 74.8% but i have pursued and enjoyed almost every bit of my dreams of building cars and robots though my entire college span. In the due span of my college life i got the opportunity to experience the real practical engineering wherein we build a Super mileage single sitter vehicle and participated in a world class competition – Shell eco marathon , Malaysia. having had such a wonderful and learning experience i decided to build something more mean and appealing and my love for Formula-1 took me on!!! . so i along with one of my friend decided to try our hands on making this dream come true. We started approaching our colleagues and friends in sharing this dream and within an year we built a Formula-! prototype car with an 800CC engine roaring at its back and participated in FSAE india (a nation wide competition sponsored by maruti suzuki) and were able to end up in top 28 teams who cleared the complete static scrutiny.

    Apart from these two projects i have published two research papers and currently working in an Automobile R&D as a senior design engineer and have been lucky to work on a number of new innovative products and have chance to prove my caliber by developing some new innovative products and banking 3 patents for the company as an inventor. Now its been two years since i graduated and i dream of pursuing my masters from THE MIT and would be taking GRE on 31st August . Kindly help me out in clearing my dilemma of whether do i have what it takes to be an MITian and what score should i aim for and how should i further approach in my application process in regards to SOP’s and LOR’s.

    Thanks! and would be eagerly waiting for the response 🙂 and Have a nice day!!

    Reply
  31. Hi,
    My daughter just joined B Tech in Mechatronics I-Year. She wants to do MS in Robotics in any leading universities in US. Just guide us as to how to proceed further in respect doing GRE, TOEFL, other activities etc… so that we plan and complete all the formalities in time.

    Reply
    • Hello Rajuji,

      Please identify the school and courses. Once you have identified the courses, all requirements would be clearly listed. That would give you a clear focus on what needs to be done.

      Good Luck!
      Anamika

      Reply
  32. Helo Anamika,

    I am a final year mechanical engineering student studying in an affiliated college in chennai. I wrote my GRE this june. Verbal-149, Quants-160, AWA-3.5. I wish to pursue MS in Aerospace engineering. Should I consider it writing it again or can I get it through a good SOP and LOR. Is it a waste of time and money to apply to top universities like MIT or should I give ti a try. Also give me an insight about what a good SOP is and how can that be used to connect the dots.

    Regards
    Ashwin Kumar

    Reply
  33. Hi Mam

    1) Does work-ex. have any role in selection for MS course or for getting any scholarship in US ?

    2) I don’t have any research paper in my name. How much my resume is going to get affected by it

    Reply
    • Depends on the course and value add you are bringing with your work experience. But I don’t think it matters a whole lot. Research papers would be a plus but NOT a must have.

      Reply
  34. Hi Anamika,

    I have done my Bachelors of Engineering in IT from India with 70% and a First Class with Distinction and have 3 years of IT Experience .

    My scores in GRE are –
    Verbal 141
    Quant 140
    AWA 3.5

    What are the chances of me getting admission into a State University in US ? I am thinking to apply for Middle Tennessee State University which is in Nashville, Tennessee.
    I am already in last stages – since I am planning to take admission in Spring 2016 and last dates to apply everywhere is October 1.

    I do not want to loose a year and hence I am afraid.Your suggestions would be appreciated.

    Reply
  35. Sir….i m a 4th year student at RV college of engg(mechanical)….I want to do MS in USA and also started preparing for GRE but the one thing i worry the most is I got 58% in class 12th xm. Will it affect my chances of getting into reputed colleges?????……..plzzz guide…..thnk U

    Reply
    • Difficult to answer. Would depend on how you balance/ explain this performance was a one off thing and not the true representation of yourself in your application!

      Reply
  36. Hi Anamika,
    Your write up on your education path and your guidance is really helpful and motivating.
    I felt very happy because we are really looking for similar kind of advice and guidance at this moment from someone like you. thanks to you and mbacrystalball. sorry for the lengthy mail. coming to point:

    My daughter is dong B.Tech-Electronics and Communication Engineering from JNTU (campus). very recently she gave her GRE and got very less score beyond her expectation (297/340). she is planning to attempt again sometime during sept.
    Need your advice and guidance for her, how to prepare and plan to get into top universities viz., MIT, Standford. as of now she prefers to be in core eng. rather changing to management or other courses.
    Also our sincere request to pleeease guide/help, for her profile/CV preparation and further guidance. if you don’t mind in sharing personal email so that can share details.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Thanks Gayathri.

      1. You should start looking at the relevant courses offered by MIT, Stanford and other schools you are interest in.
      2. Reviewing the profiles of some past students should give you a fair idea to understand your potential for admission.
      3. You could sign up with MBA crystalball for guiding you with the application process.

      Good Luck!

      Reply
  37. Hi Anamika,

    I have done my engg in Entc n post that my MBA in marketing from an autonomous Colg and hve 3 yr of experience in business development. since, I want to change my career path to data analytics so, giving GRE and doing MS in data analytics would be helpful?
    Along with it for admission the university must be referring to prior experience n my experience is different .so, would I be facing difficulty in admission??

    Awaiting for your guidance

    Reply
    • I personally feel you should look at some analytics related certifications versus doing another Masters degree. Check out some schools in India – IIT Bombay, ISB have some part time courses that might interest you.

      Reply
  38. Dear Peepals, this page content has been growing rather rapidly making it look less like a blog post and more like a forum. So we’re moving the action to a more relevant place for discussions – our forum.

    For general queries, please post on our MS discussion forum.

    For formal help from Anamika, check out our MS SoP review service and drop us an email: info [at] mbacrystalball [dot] com.

    – – Please do not post new queries here – –

    Reply
  39. Hello Anamika,
    It was really enlightening to read the arc of your career which is inspirational. I do have a query to the kind of carreer I should look ahead. I am a 9 years experience software professional (in Testing field) and I am looking to pursue MS from the US. I haven’t zeroed the university yet but do you think this turn will be helpful in terms to career advancement and change? Also how do we apply for scholarships therein? Please help me with these queries.

    Reply

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