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A Guide for Applying to Master’s and PHD Programs in the US

A Guide for Applying to Master’s and PHD Programs in the US

This guide is for general information purposes only and is subject to change without notice. Use it at your own risk.

The opinions expressed in this guide are NOT those of the entities or websites referenced in it.

 

  1. Are you qualified to apply for a US graduate (postgraduate) program? You are more likely to be admitted to a US graduate program and to get a scholarship (called a graduate teaching or research assistantship in the US) if you have a second class (upper) or higher undergraduate degree (i.e., a B-average or better or a GPA of at least 3.5). If you have a second class (lower) undergraduate degree or a low GPA, ensure that your letters of recommendation clearly explain why you got a second class (lower) and that you have the ability of doing well in your master’s You should also address this in a sentence or two in your Statement of Purpose – SOP (see 8(iv) below). Additionally, if you got a second class (lower) degree but had strong grades of B or higher in, say, your Geography courses, then you and your referees should highlight this fact in your application to a Geography master’s program.

 

  1. Decide if you want to apply for the “Fall” (August/September) or “Spring” (January) semester. It is usually better to apply for the Fall Semester because it is easier to get a scholarship or assistantship. The application deadline for Fall Semester usually falls between December 15 and March 15. Application deadlines vary from university to university and by department even with the same Start date for online Master’s programs may however be different and might have different application/admission requirements. For example, review The 10 Best Master’s in Applied Mathematics and Applied Statistics Online here: https://www.bestcollegereviews.org/top/online-masters- applied-mathematics-applied-statistics/.

 

  1. Prepare and take the GRE/GMAT/TOEFL exams according to your target universities’ Fall/Spring semester application deadlines. Many universities have minimum GRE/GMAT/TOEFL score requirements. This year (2021) many universities have waived these exams because of COVID-19. Some US universities (e.g., BGSU) don’t require Kenyans to take TOEFL because English is the country’s language of instruction. You can however submit your TOEFL scores if you have them. If you obtained a lower second class degree, you can use GRE/TOEFL scores to show that you can do well in your graduate program. Some departments might also use these scores to grant you an In such cases, they will expect you to have certain minimum scores.

 

  1. Choose 5 or so universities that have graduate (postgraduate) programs in your academic area of interest (see 10 below). Then apply to 3 or more of them as you are able. To increase your chances of getting an admission and/or a scholarship, consider applying to universities in different rank categories (e.g., Research 1 and Research 2) because similarly ranked universities (e.g., Princeton and Yale) tend to be equally hard to get Most R1 and R2 universities are shown here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_research_universities_in_the_United_States.

 

  1. Ensure that your chosen course/area of study and university is accredited. All reputable US universities are accredited by reputable bodies (https://www.chea.org/regional-accrediting-organizations) that are recognized by the US Department of Duly accredited US universities publish their institutional accreditations on their websites e.g., https://www.bgsu.edu/catalog/general-information/the-univeristy/accreditation-and-recognition.html. Professional and specialized degree programs in the US (e.g., Urban Planning) are also required to have programmatic accreditation from members of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (https://www.aspa-usa.org/). There are many unaccredited universities in the US that offer cheap but worthless degrees. Be careful that you do not fall prey to such institutions. Even some of the duly accredited universities have poor quality programs. Use the information in section 9 below to avoid poor quality universities. Seek guidance if you are not sure of the quality of the university you are applying to.

 

  1. Visit the website of your target graduate program/department and identify professors that you would like to work with based on mutual research interests and their expertise. Reach out to these professors ahead of time and be sure to mention them in your statement of purpose (SOP) – see 8 (iv) below. If you don’t know which professor is best for you, ask the target graduate program/department’s Graduate Coordinator (CO) or Director of Graduate Studies (DoG). The CO and DoG is also the best person to approach with any application fee waiver/deferral requests or with any question that you might have about the program you are applying Your email to the CO or DoG should be written formally – a careless or informal email can cost you a valuable opportunity. Don’t write informally to the CO or DoG until he/she allows/asks you to do so.

 

7.    Consult your select US university website for current information on its graduate (postgraduate) degree programs and admission requirements. For example:

 

8.    Prepare/obtain these items before you start applying for admission

 

 

 

 

recommenders if you can’t get 3. Your prospective program/university will indicate the number of recommendation letters that you need to submit. If you are applying to a professional degree graduate program (e.g., law or medicine), a recommendation letter from a practitioner that you have worked with can help.

 

 

9.    The US has around 5,300 universities and colleges. How do I know which one(s) I should apply to?

 

 

 

 

 

https://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGS_Member%20Institutions_flyer_Dec20v1.pdf.

 

 

Figure 1: Distribution of Kenyans in Continental US by State and City, 2006-2010

 

 

10.    What to expect after you are admitted

 

 

about these visas here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html). You will need the visa (that will be stamped in your passport) and your I-20 to enter the US.

 

 

Read more about this process here (https://www.utrgv.edu/iass/admitted-students/f1-visa-process/index.htm). However, be sure to work closely with your US university when you are ready to apply for your student visa. The Nonimmigrant Visas page of the US Embassy in Kenya is accessible here: https://ke.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/.

 

 

 

 

I wish you all the best as you pursue your graduate education in the US.

 

While doing so, be sure to network with your fellow Kenyan and Kenyanist scholars at

 

 

Kenya Scholars and Studies Association – KESSA (www.kessa.org).

 

 

Why?

 

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

 

African Proverb

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