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All-in-one documentation
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All-in-one VIETNAMERICAN graduate study documentation graduate school- general the choice of pursue a graduate degree in the US can be one of the
best decisions you ever make. with more than 1200 colleges and universities
offering advanced degrees, the diversity of graduate education in the US is
unparalleled. graduate schools contribute to nearly every area of research, and
graduate students play a major role in the advancement of knowledge. with the
growth of technology and advances in research over the years, continuing
education in advanced degrees have become very important in building a
successful career. american educators have a great deal of respect for higher
education in other countries. generally, systems of education cover the same
knowledge base, but arrive at the conclusion of the program in
different fashion. in the end, if a student completes the whole program
of study through doctorate, regardless of the system, students will have covered
the same body of knowledge. what, then, distinguishes US systems and what is the
advantage of a US graduate degree? students tell us that the approach to
learning, the practical application of knowledge, technological support,
understanding resources available, and applying knowledge to practical
situations is what distinguishes the US system. research is funded by industries
that will use the research results. business and industry support education as
those who learn now eventually become leaders in those fields. students are expected to acquire knowledge of a discipline but also
a skill set in analytical thinking that will help them apply the knowledge and
advance the industry in which they choose to work. successful students take
their graduate education and apply it to the best of their abilities. the amount
of success they accumulate is directly related to the application of what was
learned in graduate school. students also tell us that their study abroad
experience puts them ahead of other candidates in the job market. they may have
the basic knowledge they need to do their job before leaving home, but spending
a year or two or three in the US gives them a perspective that other candidates
do not have. where competition for jobs is great, the study experience in the US
will pay untold benefits. the unique nature of graduate education there are number of
important differences between graduate and undergraduate education in US. first,
decisions about admission are made by the faculty in the academic departments.
many graduate programs are highly competitive and only the most qualified
applicants are offered admission. some graduate programs, such as law or
clinical psychology, admit only a few applicants per year. graduate education in US is divided into stages, and a degree is
awarded at the end of each stage. a student is usually admitted first to a
master’s degree program. this requires from one to three years of full-time
study, depending on the subject and the student’s preparation. the next stage is the doctoral degree, which usually requires three
years of full-time study, in residence at the university, beyond the master’s
degree. doctoral studies focus almost entirely on the major subject and require
the completion of qualifying exams, plus a dissertation. the dissertation is a
major written work documenting original research, which must be orally defended
before a committee of faculty members. applicants to graduate programs are
expected to have a strong background in the area to which they are applying. the
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is the most common doctoral degree in US. many students follow the stages of graduate study in sequential
order. it is possible, however, to apply directly to a doctoral degree program
without completing a master degree first. some doctoral programs award a
master’s degree while the student is completing the requirements for a
doctoral degree. in some instances, graduate schools will allow nondegree study
at the graduate level. applicants who show exceptional promise but are not
interested in being admitted to a degree program should talk with a faculty
adviser in the department of interest to explore the possibility of studying as
a nondegree student. the academic department is the “home base” for a graduate
student. students work closely with their faculty adviser, other faculty
members, other graduate students in the department, and departmental
administrators to complete their coursework and research. Significant emphasis
is placed on pursuing original research and much of the course work is devoted
to research methods and independent study. graduate students gain valuable
research experience by assisting faculty members with research projects or
experiments and writing. this research culminates in a major project of some
kind. your career goals your career goal is one of the most important factors in
determining the direction of your graduate education. that goal will help you
choose the academic program and the degree level that is most appropriate for
you. a doctoral degree may not be the most logical choice if you are planning to
become an accountant. since the focus of graduate program is concentrated in one
area, you should apply to programs in which you have a strong academic
background. carefully review the course requirements to determine if you have
the necessary qualifications to pursue that program. be aware of prerequisites-
the courses you are required to complete before being admitted to a graduate
program. degree equivalencies graduate- test scores the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Test of English as a
Foreign Language (TOEFL) re the most commonly required assessment tests (if
you’d been pursuing education in US for a long period of time before, ask if
you may not have to submit TOEFL score). you may have to take a GRE subject test
in your specialty. Tests required for specific fields of study include the
Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for business applicants; Law School
Admission Test (LSAT) for law school; and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
for medical school. Carefully read the graduate schools application or catalog
to determine which exams are required for the program of your choice. because of
the length of time required to receive official results (up to 6 weeks after the
exam), and because of early deadlines in competitive program, you should
register for all required exams at least one year prior to applying to graduate
school. a photocopy of your test results may be included with your graduate
school application, but officil copies of your results will be required. graduate- personal essay graduate- additional materials to include with your application
resume: include a current resume listing your scholarly writing and
professional presentations, and research project summaries.
supplemental information: read the application instructions carefully to
determine if the department to which you’re applying requires you to complete
additional forms or provide additional info beyond the standard application.
this might include an audio or videotape. a writing sample: you may have to submit a sample of your writing, especially if you will be writing a dissertation or are applying to a program that requires keen writing skills, such as journalism, English, political science, or creative writing. test info SAT I: Reasoning test SAT II: Subject test ELPT (English Language Proficiency Test) AP (Advanced Placement Examinations) APIEL (Advanced Placement International English Test) ACT (American College Testing Program Assessment) TOEFL TSE (Test of Spoken English) GRE (Graduate Record Examination) GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
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