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How I did it:

• Decision - Well, Firstly i decided that i wanted to pursue higher studies. I was not sure of precisely which subject to take, but i had a general idea.
• Exams - The next step was to write the necessary exams for it like GRE, TOEFL etc. So i worked really hard for this and it paid off
• Selection - Next is the selection of universities and programs. This requires some research and it's best to consult many people and decide on a few
• Application - I would rate this the most daunting of all steps where in you need to write about your purpose, get recommendation letters from professors, fill in applications at all the websites, keep track of deadlines, provide necessary documents and finally consolidate and mail them all!
• Finance - Once the application process is done and you've got acceptance, decide how you're going to pay for it - either by getting a loan or asking your family to sponsor you.
• Final steps - If you need a visa, fix an interview, else you're all set. Just get the necessary vaccines, register for the classes you want and you're all set to go!!!

Lessons & tips: 1. Get recommendation letters before hand.
2. Also go through websites of universities and find out before hand all the documents they need. Set about collecting all the possible ones before hand.
3. At the application process stage, it is easy to lose motivation and procrastinate. At that time, be around with others who are going to school, visit campuses, talk about how student life is and you'll soon want to be a part of it too!

Resources: Microsoft Excel - Iti s very useful to keep track of all universities, documents, your scores etc for immediate reference.

Jan 16, 2009, 07:53AM PST | 0 comments