Study in USA

Ph.D or MS : PhD will Give You a Fatter Paycheck

Hello all. I have been following HSB since the past 3 months or so and it helped me immensely in almost about everything. I applaud the admin for this selfless and noble deed!

Read this post before continuing below – What Exactly is PhD?

I hope sharing what I know helps you out too! Like you, I am an aspirant for a graduate education too, starting next fall.
And just like the most of you, I was faced with the tough question : “Ph.D or MS?”

I am guessing most of you are aware of what these two terms mean.

PhD vs MS

MS is mostly a 2year course (however some universities can allow you a degree in less time than that, if some conditions are fulfilled, like completion of a project thesis and subject credits, for example).

But Ph.D is a variable-length course, with a minimum of 3.5 years and maximum of 7years mostly. It all depends on your work progress, thesis completion and approval of the same.

And another thing: unlike in India, both MS and PhD in US are termed as “graduate course” and not Postgraduate.

Your bachelor degree is “Undergraduate” course for them.

Now the biggie dilemma: MS or PhD?

Let me ask you a basic question: you must have planned for a higher education after your bachelors or other such equivalent course.

Why? Because you thought an added higher degree will give you a better edge over others (and I am not talking about people who do it just to get into US).

Very true! Similarly, Ph.D is obviously a higher and more valued degree than MS.

A common misconception is that PhD is done by only those who aspire for a career in the teaching profession. Wrong!!!

Nowadays, even R&D of reputed MNCs have started to prefer PhD scholars over a basic grad course. For those of you who are more bothered about the lucrative returns: yes, PhD will give you a fatter paycheck!

Pros and Cons

Alright now the pros and cons of the two. Beyond the fact that a PhD degree does have greater long-term benefits over MS, it has its own drawbacks too.

  • First, it requires patience and a strong aptitude for research.
  • Second, usually a university’s intake of PhD scholars is lesser than MS.
  • Thirdly, the process is highly selective and generally requires a strong CV with some research publications in the related area (but not always; a buddy of mine got into Purdue 2years back without any research work; just a 9.2*cgpa and149o GRE score and a good BTP, didn’t get funding though).

And now the good part:

  • PhD students get higher funding than an MS one and even if you do get into a university without a funding for the first semester, chances of your getting a scholarship from 2nd semester is higher than that in MS.
  • Secondly, the credits required for completing PhD is far lesser (24) than MS so that ways, you can finish them off in the 1st year itself and then chill off, as most do (And by that, I don’t mean no-work-no-study, you have to work on your thesis!).
  • Lastly, if your long term aim is PhD, then I suggest you to skip MS totally: it saves 2 years worth of time and money!

But then again, if you do get into an MS in US then getting into a PhD next in a good university is damned easy, in fact they prefer students from US universities for PhD.

Like, I am interested for PhD now, but I must kiss away any wishes of getting into MIT or Stanford or UCB, etc for that but if I go for an MS in some other univ (even if lesser ranked) now, there’s a tenfold chance of getting a chance of PhD in the above said univs after that.

But that is a big IF. If you do get a chance at PhD, just go for it!! Sometime in the future, you will be grateful that you did that, believe me!

The positives I mentioned attracted me and hence I am opting for PhD coming fall. I just cant wait to be done with my education ?

PhD and Professors

The above said, be careful when you do it. It is better to contact professors beforehand and communicate with them that you are interested to work for your PhD under their guidance.

And be very careful when you choose a professor. Check his profile, how many PhD scholars he has guided, what are his publications and awards, his project endowment, everything.

It is vital: it can make or break or career.

Remember there is nil value of a PhD degree if you have nothing commendable to show for it!

Don’t expect to be cooed and coerced and spoonfed in any kind of research work by your professor (be it MS or PhD); you have to work hard at it.

Everything said, I do realize the decision might still be confusing!

The pros and cons of each weigh each other out heavily!

When you apply for a univ, it requires you to specifically mention if you are interested for an MS or PhD.

Very rarely, univs like Purdue, for e.g. allow more than one option in your application or even evaluate your application for both degrees. It’s a tough call indeed! But who said it’s going to be easy??
Goodluck!

Following post was shared by a reader who requested to stay anonymous.

But, anyone deciding between PhD or MS, this post has highlighted several aspects of PhD that stands out from MS.

Similar Posts

125 Comments

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  2. hi
    I am in final sem of msc chemistry,planning phd from abroad.can u give me detail about stipends and scholarship on gre marks..and is it so tha most of universities want subject gre scores.. pls help me

    1. Hi Milind,
      PhD students are generally offered financial assistance in form of RA/TA positions. Stipends differ widely across Universities based on the availability of funds with the concerned department and living costs in the state. But yes usually the amount is sufficient to help you self sustain. Other than this many students are able to get tuition waiver as well which helps a lot. For your knowledge, stipend could be close to $20-25k per academic year.

  3. Many schools offer integrated MS-PhD to students who have completed their BPharm. But my question is, since the basic requirement for employment in any institution under AICTE is an MPharm, will my application with a PhD straight after BPharm be entertained? Or will they cite not having an MPharm degree to reject my application?

  4. Hi Barsha, Ideally you should be looking for a Masters programme at the moment. PhD admissions are tough. Check through the profiles of students who are currently pursuing a PhD program at an Australian University. If you have completed some decent projects at bbachelors level, you can plan for a PhD. Otherwise MS is what you should be looking at.
    All the best!

  5. Hello,

    I have completed my BSS in International Relations from Dhaka University. There I secured first class number. Can I complete my M.S or PHD in any Australian unicersity?Now i am in a dilemma whether i will go with M.S or PHD. Which one will be the best one for me.

    1. Hi Barsha, Ideally you should be looking for a Masters programme at the moment. PhD admissions are tough. Check through the profiles of students who are currently pursuing a PhD program at an Australian University. If you have completed some decent projects at bbachelors level, you can plan for a PhD. Otherwise MS is what you should be looking at.
      All the best!

  6. I am doing my MS here in the USA, but some my friends says that you should not apply for Ph.D. in MIT, Stanford etc. for unless you are connected to some professors who are related to the above Institute, becoz they prefer someone who is known somehow

  7. I’m looking to take GRE before this September, and apply for MPH spring 2013 or fall 2013.
    I am a dentist and plan on doing DDS after my MPH, and eventually practice as a dentist.

    I wish to pursue DDS on loan (which is going to be a huge amount) so I do not want to pursue MPH in a costly university.

    1. Could senior members here please give an idea how much an MPH is going to cost generally. I prefer applying only to the courses which have low fees, but in the same time are CEPH accredited.

    2. Can anyone also give an idea how scholarships work in SPH? And what are the chances of getting (is it dependent on GRE score/ is it declared with admission or we get RA only if we are lucky and once the course starts?)

    Any help would be highly appreciated. Thank you guys 🙂

  8. hi,
    I did masters in computer science and i have got 65% marks can i get admission to US universities MS or Phd program if i score high in GRE. i mean to what extent one’s academic matter. Any ideas?????????????????????????????????????????????

  9. Hi,

    My name is venkatesh & having 7+ years of Exp in IT. I have completed my M.tech.
    Can you please tell PhD offered colleges in USA.

    appreciate your help & response. Thanks

  10. I am Assistant professor in Geography and very soon going to complete my Ph D in Geography in University of Pune . is there any chance for me to get any opportunity in foregin countries.

  11. Hi everyone,
    I am an a level psychology student in uk
    Am in a weird dilemma.. can anyone tell me of wether it would be possible to do phd straight away after ur first degree(in psychology) or dø i hve to do MSC.??
    Please help…
    Best wishes,
    Hina Muhammed

  12. Hi, I am planning to do MS in computer science.. I wanted to know if the Fall semesters are better preferred than the Spring ones.. It is said that the Spring syllabus is tougher.. Is this true??

  13. hi
    i have done my msc in psychology and want to apply for phd in usa. can you tell me about am i eligible for phd or not.

  14. sir i am sahithi studying my m.pharm pharmacology project work i so so intersted to do my phd sir how much marks i want to get in gre and at which month i should write exam to go usa in 2013 can u help me sir

    1. hello sahithi me too doing mpharm(analysis & Q.A)interested to do Ph.d in Usa presently im prepearing for gre ( jan4th)gimmie ur facebook id so that we can discuss

  15. ektupa says :
    I have done my BE(EC) in June 2012 . By reading your Blog i made myself clear to do MS in US . My areas of interest are digital communication , basic electronics , mobile communication . Please inform regarding the opportunities at US in these fields . And the best colleges that offers good PG coarse in these fields .

  16. sir,i finished in m.e(cse) in tamilnadu.my aim would do in phd with scholarship in abroad.now i am working assistant professor of one enggineering college.how do apply it?is it possible to get schloarship in ph.d any forign university like US,australia.when i will join any university in abroad how much money is needed?

  17. Hii.. I am studyin in BITS Pilani.I have a cgpa of 9.15 currently.I will be writing gre by the end of this month to apply for fall 2013..I am not sure whether to apply for MS or PhD.But i dont have any publication.I do have done a few study oriented projects related to VLSI.Also i wanna get in VLSI(integrated design).I want to know how many colleges have the facility where a person can drop out of a PhD program after doing MS.Is there any fee that u need to pay if u decide to drop out?and with my projects should i hope for gettin into a PhD program of a good university

  18. Hi HSB,
    I have a GRE score of 1200 (AWM 3.0) & TOEFL 91. I also have 3 years of research experience with two international and one Indian research publication. Last year I applied for MS in food science in five universities, at the same time I was writing to many professors for PhD. I neither got a call for MS nor PhD.
    Can you pls help me out in selection of universities specially for PhD as it is my dream love?

    1. Lokesh,I can understand your situation and would suggest you search in internet universities in 1100-1200 gre range and then get in touch with a professional educational consultant and apply for it.

  19. If i directly opt for an PhD will ma PhD degree be accepted in India?? Will i be accepted for a job in government sector…Look friends i am considering a worst case scenario wherein some political crisis occurs and if Indians are driven out of USA….Plzz solve ma query….

  20. Hi,
    I am interested for higher studies in USA.Currently preparing for GRE exam.Targeting a score of 1300.Trying to find a very good college for AI and Robotics course.Worked for 2 years in Tata Research and Development Design Centre as a developer for business data mining.Interested for Phd else MS then Phd .Need some funding .Please if possible can you provide me some options how i can and where (i.e which universities ) can i look for funding of my course.Please do mention the list of universities with professors in AI and Robotics.

    Thanking you

  21. Hi,

    I have done masters in computer applications from India. It was a 5.5 years integrated course. Now I’ve been working with accenture for past 30 months.
    I want to change my career and opt for humanities (phd in anthropology). Am i eligible? It will be of great help if you could tell me how to go about it.

    Thanks!

  22. Hi HSB ,
    Im Prateek , im currently in 12th standard and i want to pursue a career in Computer science as its the only subject that attracts me and this is what i love to do. ,i would prefer a bachelor’s degree from India but then id like to get my master’s from USA. two big questions which haunt me every night are:-

    Will i be able to get financial aid?

    and if i opt for a loan then will i get placed in a company where i could AFFORD to repay the loan i took???

    plz answer the above questions .Thanking you in anticipation 🙂

  23. hello.

    I am doing my M.PHARM . I want to give GRE….. plz tell me whether “subject based GRE” is better than “Normal GRE” for doing Ph.d in U.S?

  24. Hi HSB,

    I got PhD admission (Department of Material & Engineering ) in South Dakota School of Mines and Technology without Any Assistanship or scholarship etc. and they are asking me to show annual expenditure in my bank account to issue I-20 form. I did B.Tech and M.Tech and working guy in India. I am in dilemma what to do. should I go for it with out funding or not. They say that I may be considered for the funding/assitantship but this is not gauranteed. Please suggest me what to do. I would be thankful.

    Regards,
    Mustafa

  25. Hi
    I have completed my MSc in Microbiology from Nepal and i have scored more than 80% in my MSc. Will i be able to apply for PHd in USA? I have decided to prepare for GRE. How much should i score in GRE to be eligible for the universities. Plz give me some advice.

  26. Hi HSB,

    I am in a dilemma which is quite relevant to your post here. My problem goes like this.

    Right now I have a choice between going for an MS or PhD. I have good academic records but my past research experience do not have any relevance to my current research interest. Secondly, my theoretical background required for current research interest is also close to zero. I have also been in a job for last one year which makes my knowledge of Physics a bit fuzzy.

    At my PhD school, there is only one professor who is quite renowned and relevant to my research interest. I got into touch with a student who had worked under him for an year. This is what he told me about the professor.

    ” …Also, the way it goes in Alex’s group is like this – first year students join his group, and are evaluated during the first year. If it doesn’t go well, you would be fired. Based on the number of students who were let go, I would ask you to be sure that you would be happy working with other groups as well.

    Secondly, to let you know what you should expect. Cold atom experiment are quite complicated , you would not expect help from Alex if you get stuck. That I would say is the worst aspect I find. …”

    At my MS school (Calgary Canada), which is less ranked than the PhD school, the professor willing to supervise me is opposite to the PhD school professor. His mails regarding what to do before coming to University is really encouraging and willing to help. Working under him I believe that I would be able to gain relevant training and can apply to better PhD schools after MS.

    But the same courses and lab work can be obtained in the initial coursework at PHD college. The only thing is uncertainty of getting the only professor I want. Secondly, If I do not succeed just because of my knowledge base, my life afterwards would be full of regrets. Kindly advise me what to do ?

    What should I do ?

  27. I pursue a Ph.D study in Pharmacology in one of US Universities. I want to know the job market in this field. Any body who has experience in this field is well come to put any advice.
    Thank you very much in advance.

  28. Hi there,

    I have completed my Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) with thesis in General Pharmacology but the result has not published yet. At present, I am doing M.Sc in Drug Design and Discovery in The University of The West of Scotland in UK. This programme will be ended on Febryary, 2013. I have a long vision to enrolled myself in a PhD progremme in USA and develop a strong carrier in medicine. For this purpose should I need to appear in GRE. What necessary steps should I take to enrolled myself in PhD programme?

    1. asak…..will u plz guide me…….i m in m.pharm pharmacology first yr….and think about phd after that…….so plz mail me on my email id jazakallah

  29. This is a wonderful post! Thanks for sharing.
    I am still extremely confused over what to choose, my ultimate aim is a PhD, but I do want to work in an industry to see what it’s like before taking the PhD step.

  30. This is one of the most well written and true to the core, if i may add, posts so far. I have this small confusion regarding an ms+phd course combined in the us universities. Is it plausible to leave the course in between , that is just after the ms, and apply for phd in a higher ranked university in the us.

  31. hie…i m pursuing msc(integrated)medical biotechnology course which is of 5 n half yrs…m i eligible for PhD in U.S.

  32. Hi.. I have done with my MBA fianance in distinction. I want to go for phd in economics. Could you please suggest some good universities to go ahead.

  33. I have passed bachelor in civil engineering.Can, I directly apply for the Ph.D without MS in structural engineering.And how to contact to the professor for research assistantship.

  34. Hello,
    I have completed my MCA with distionction and 2 years of experience in teaching field and 6 months experience on testing in co oprate company.
    plz let me know how i can apply for h1b visa from india. Should i need to write GRE AND TOFEL?

  35. Hi, At the onset Wish you a Happy New Year to HSB Team, Kindly request you to answer the below mentioned queries:-
    a) I am pursuing my Masters in IT from Punjab Technical University and into my 3rd Semester , Post completion can I apply for MS at a recognized US university ?
    b) If Masters degree are pursued at a Distance mode, Will that get acceptance in US university or do they recommend only regular mode of education ?
    c) To apply for Ph.d what are the pre-requisites irrespective of a Masters at a Particular subject ?

    Thanks

  36. Hello,
    I a have given my GRE and scored281 in the new pattern,which is said to be equivalent to 1040 in the old GRE.I want to apply for phD in microbiology.I have cgpa of 3.72 on 4.Kindly let me know if this GRE score would be enough to get an i20 .I am keen in the University of VIrginia.
    TOEFEL i yet to be given.

  37. Hi,

    Does any one have an idea about academic job market in USA, specially when one have PHD in Management from Indian University or IIMs. ?

  38. Hello

    I have done B.tech in computer science from India and pursuing M.tech from India itself.How can I get admission for Ph.D in US?

  39. Hi,
    I had done M.Sc in microbial & Food Technology and working as microbiologist since 2 yrs. Now i want to apply for phD in life sciences in Canada. Can you plz help me out in this, I want to know admission procedure for the same.

  40. Hi Guys
    It’s been more than a month I have been in touch with the reviews posted here. I am very thankful for the members who shared their knowledge and experiences with us which boosted my confidence to put my problem infront of you.

    I have done Bsc (Comp Sci) with a score of 65% and MBA (Tourism) with CGPA of 9.2 from DAVV University. I am planning to give GRE by the end of Jan’12 but I am in a dilemna whether to go for MS or Phd as I have no idea about the Phd in Toursm from USA

    Can you please help me out ??

  41. hi
    i am from Libya and i have scholarship in pharmacy in photochemistry field
    i want to pursue my Msc degree in USA but i have no idea about best universities
    related to my field…..
    plz i need help as soon as possipl

    thanx

  42. hello
    I am currently doing my B.TECH(IT) my aim is to do MS in US,but now i am confused
    with your blog whether to do MS or Ph.D.which is better? please reply for this great confusion

  43. hi ifinished my msc in biotechnology in uk and i want to apply for phd in us i have 78% in bsc and 53% in my msc. .am i eligible to apply for phd in us . i am yet to take my gre. can i get scholorshipin us universities. plz help me out in this i ma really interestd in research.

  44. Hi,

    I am currently doing MS in US from a good reputed university. I am interested in going for PhD but is possible only after I finish MS work for a year and after I repay loans taken for my MS studies. Due to some unexpected issues I faced during my MS, I couldn’t concentrate properly on my studies and my GPA isn’t impressing. Also I don’t have any research experience but I have good amount of work-exp.

    Should I go for PhD. What could be my chances of getting admitted with funding by an university. I wish to choose some reputed US universities while applying.

    Am really confused w.r.t my career and need suggestions. Please help.

  45. Hello, I am from Nepal and I want to apply for PhD in a reputed US University. I completed my M.Sc. in Computer Science and Information Technology with distinction(83.5%, 2nd rank) in 2009 from Tribhuwan University, Nepal(www.cdcsit.edu.np). My thesis topic was “Performance Evaluation of RSA Variants and Elliptic Curve Cryptography on Handheld Devices” and have published one article. I am planning my GRE on Feb. 2012. Can I expect to be admitted till Aug, 2012???????

  46. I got a B.Sc in physics and by April 2013 i will be completing B.E. in Electronics Engineering, after this i am planning directly for PhD and Skip MS.Now i wanted to know which Universities in US are better for electronics and would my dual degree help to get admitted easily,also what time will be perfect to apply for GRE in my case.

  47. PHD vs Masters degree in Material Science from Michigan Tech University- is PHD worth the additional time and money spent when entering the job market? and long term?

  48. hi hsb,
    i am a member of your family. i have completed my MCA in 2002 with distinction and worke din DELL for 2 yrs and recently completed my MBA in first class. I am 34 now. Is age a constraint to do MS ? Am i eligible to write GRE? Pl let me know . But I am interested in writing GRE . If I can write in dec when can i expect to go i.e., jun2012 / ?.

    1. You can Write GRE and you are eligible. If you take up the Exam during December, though its the New GRE we talking about, the scores will reach the University before Feb 2012. “When can I expect to go?” – Not sure I understood.

  49. hi…i did my b.pharmacy with a 70% aggregate and have good inter and 10th acdemics. i have a good practical knowledge compared to theory and my gre score is quite low ..is it possible that i’ll get a chance to do ph.d in a recognised university??

  50. hi!
    I am madhura , i have completed my MSc in biochemistry with distinction and i also have distinction throughout i.e 10th , 12th, BSc, MSc. But my GRE scores low it is between 920 to 1120,
    please tell me whether i could get admission for phd in good university. I am interested in food technology, probiotics and related fields so which university i should prefer . And i don’t have any publication yet but i am working on it.
    Please guide me.

  51. Hello,

    PhD in Integrated biology or synthetic biology, but my academic average is 76.4-graduated from Jordan- and my GRE is low ranged (900-1100; Quantitative rages 550-650, I still haven’t got my scores yet) but I think it’ll be hard to find a university to admit in such grades.
    Who can kindly advise me to which universities to apply to, (Illinois preferable).
    Or should i apply to an MS for now?

    Thanks,
    Hanna

  52. iam going to complete my graduate course in bpharmacy form India by 2012.i received scores from gre and toefl also.gre-1010.toefl-84.and i have an academic progress of 84%.i have an research article in IJEB.iam interested greatly in research.my doubt is wheather it would be better for me to pursue ms or phd( based on study level).kindly suggest me which option is best as soon as possible.iam gng to apply universities within 7days.

    1. hi i m pharmcy student can u give me information how i can apply for usa
      now i m in 3rd b pharm my %66 i m iranian student but i m studying in banglore thanking

  53. Hi HSB,
    I have completed my M.Sc degree in physics from Presidency College,(Now Presidency University)University of Calcutta in 2011. I have scheduled my GRE @November. Anyway, my question is, I have a poor GPA(I haven’t calculated it in the way the universities in US do, but I think it is just a bit more than 2.1 in the scale of 4) ow my question is, if I even score around 1200, or more than that, do I have a chance to earn a full funding from any university in US?I want to pursue a PhD in Physics.

    Regards…

    1. Parthib
      Apply 4 M.S. instead of phd.
      Dont worry about gpa. it shud b above 3.0 even if %age isslightly above 50% (around 55%).

      Do research and go 4 a thesis option during M.S. and pursuing a phd won’t b a problem.

      Alternatively, go 4 a phd in Calcutta or Delhi and apply for post doc positions after phd.

  54. Hi HSB,
    I just wanted to know some good universities working in solar energy. I have completed my undergrad in Metallurgy from NIT Trichy and have done projects in IISc in solar energy and also have 3 international publications. I hope u would let me know the necessary.

    regarsd

      1. I Agree with AM. More in the Calgary area. I work for a Energy Trading Company that has its Operations in Calgary, Canada.

  55. Hello,
    I am from Biotechnology department from NIT Rourkela. I appeared my GRE and my range of scores wre 1130-1280. My CGPA is 8.26 and I am the third ranker of department. I have done projects in Tezpur University and through SURGE program IIT-Kanpur. Can you please suggest any college where I can get as a Phd???

      1. HI,
        MY CAREER :
        10TH/SECONDARY =50%
        12TH/HR.SECONDARY =53%
        B.S CGPA =2.39 OUT OF 4

        M.S CGPA =2.75 OUT OF 4
        WORK EXPERIENCE = 11 YRS IN Pakistan
        GRE SCORE = not given
        TOEFL = no given
        SUGGEST ME THE COLLEGES IN ELECTRICAL/COMPUTER OR IN CS FIELD.AND TELL ME ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT WOULG GET FOR THI PROFILE
        THANK YOU!

  56. I heard that only A Post graduate (In India,Need to complete 10+2+(3/4)+2 i.e 18 years of his education) Can Do PhD .. Is this True??

  57. i am b.pharm student,,..i have completed my b.pharma from rajiv gandhi university,i am in dilemma that what should i prefer???either in m.s or pharm D…from which university if yes than….and would i get scholarships???

    1. even i have the same question and completed my b.pharm from rajiv gandhi university..guys plz suggest what are the best courses for further to have good job oportunities..

      1. I’m no Saint but I learnt this lesson in a very Hard way. Lost my Time / Money. Focus on building your knowledge or your research area. Studying for Job, in other words Money will land you in a Job but you will be lost over few years of Experience. If you are looking only for a Job, You migh as well get a Killer Resume and Hunt for a Job. My Brother is a Ph.D in Pharma. He focused on research since his M.Pharm. He got his Ph.D in less than 3 Years. Its in the attitude, Everyone needs Money but keeping that has a goal blinds you from seeing a Larger Life. Money will flow eventually but its the matter of Attitude. I study for making Money and gained little knowledge with no further growth. I study for Knowledge, Money flows over time but I gained a lot of knowledge and my growth is limitless. Its in the Attitude.

  58. hi……….

    I am Laxman Tawade having age 23 years.i have completed my B.E. with first class but my academic record is not that much excellent. i am planning for MS in FALL 2012. uptill now ,i have published 4 research paper in international journal and 1 in international conference to my own credit. curently i have worked as REVIEWER for 4-5 international journal , 6-7 IEEE sponcered interantional conference and worked as program comitee member of 6-8 international conference. Currently i am working as member of some international reserach society like 1. International Association of Computer Science and Information Technology (IACSIT). 2. Affilate member of signal processing for communication and networking technical comitee… 3. academy and industry research collabartion center(AIRCC).. i am having experience of working my reserach project in RELIANCE,INNOVATION LAB,INDIA. so wheter above mentioned work will helpful for getting schloarship in MS……I am giving my gre exam in dec 2011 with full preparation and confidence……so please tell me what should i do……..i am also somewhat confused about MS AND PHD

    1. ur acad recrd is damn good n u can get a scholarship via that BUT…havent u been reading up abt GRE on HSB as well as ETS???? it has been clearly and repeatedly mentioned everywhere that if u want to go for fall 2012, u have to take GRE before november 2011??? there’s no way u can apply for anything before spring 2013

    2. Dude U can apply to MIT , UCB etc irrespective of ur GRE/TOEFL score . from where u have done ur BTech ??? its matters a lot . if U r giving GRE/TOEFL in dec 2011 , U cant go 4 fall 2012 but u can apply to europe and canada.

  59. how much important is the University rank? as in, should u give more weightage to the course content or the university rank? i found a course that coincides very closely with my interest (basically psychology related) but the university rank is 50th or so. how should i interpret that? worth it?

  60. hi….
    actually i hv a small doubt……. i completed my bpharmacy in india and nw am ready to take up my pg… so if i continue my pg here in india and thn can i try for phd thre in us??????? will it be ok or its tough to contuinue like that????? pls anyone reply me …send it to my email plssssssss….

    1. y not??
      but do consider d option of going for phd after ur bpharm. though I dont know much about ur area, I am saying so because our pg (MTech for us engineers), has almost nil value in the US so people with an aim to study there usually skip MTech

    2. hey gayatri,,i have the same dilemma..but it is for sure you for phd soon after b.pharma..and can u tell me your university u did ur b.pharmacy.

  61. ok, i have completed my Msc Biotechnology with average mark and . now i am trying to go for Phd, but i do not have good research experience.
    should I go for Phd or MS.
    I would like to say thank to get suggestion.

    thanks.

  62. Thanks! The post motivated me again! I was considering to do a PhD from US as for sure it is my long term goal. I wrote to a professor at Colorado State University, and to a professor at University of Washington, but got no replies. I had gone through their research papers, tried to relate my undergraduate research work to those, but seems like I could not get them interested enough. I understand that my CGPA is not really bright (7.24/10), but I have one paper published in a good American journal. Moreover I have an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, but applying for Atmospheric Sciences ( Even though they say they encourage Engineering applications, I can understand that an undergraduate degree in atmospheric Sciences will be given more priority). I had quit my job after one year in Qatar and came back to India. I was really looking forward to get into the area of climate dynamics with a PhD, but seems like dreams got too high as of now and I should consider applying for MS first. I wonder if I had been making the right decisions at all… HSB had been giving really useful directions so far.. I wish I could get some advise.

    1. kaushik, dont get disheartened if a couple of profs dont reply. I myself had to send out scores of mails before a handful finally replied, that too mostly a casual flippy reply. So keep up your hopes and keep mailing. Yes, though they say that u can change ur major stream, yet they prefer candidates from a similar undergrad major and its really tough to get profs interested in such cases, but never lose hope. if u have done some work on atmspheric dynamics, emphasise on that when u mail them. If u havent, but you really want to change to that, go for MS first..getting that in ur case will be easier than phd

      1. Thanks a lot AM! That was really helpful! Do you think it is impolite to mail more than one professor in a department, because there are more than one professor who do similar work. I wish I could send E-mail to another professor, but I’m a bit hesitant wondering if they would find it inappropriate. And yes, I do understand that I should rather do MS first.

        Thanks for your advise,
        Regards
        Kaushik

        1. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEVER EVER MAIL 2 PROFS FROM THE SAME UNIV SIMULTANEOUSLY (forget same deptt!!)
          Profs can get to know you have been mailing more than one and it creates a negative impression that u are desperate. do a thing. when u go through a univ’s faculty list, write down the names, research area, email-id and short points to be highlighted in your mail to her/him. Mail one during their duty hours (remember the time async), wait for a few days (dont expect replies on weekends), if they dont reply, u can:
          1) mail them again. dont mail more than twice
          2) now mail another prof from same deptt/ same univ
          do attach a short CV when u mail them which highlights your research & academic acquisitions , do not keep redundant info like HSC SSC %, cocurriculars, etc
          this should work

          1. Oh Thanks!.. that was really helpful of you!! I haven’t mailed them again… I’ll do that! And yes I did mention a few credentials and gave them the link to my website if they wish to see my detailed CV. Haven’t attached any files yet because I read some professors don’t like attachments in the very first mails.

            Regards
            Kaushik

          2. thats a wise thing, but do attach a short concise CV…it ensures profs that u are serious. GL 🙂

  63. please help me i have cpmpleted my bachelors in physiotherapy and pursuing my master in the same which will be over in May 2013. I want to fly US in sept 2013 for admission in Business school, can i get it in top 10 schools i dun full work exp but have part time and also extra curricular activites like and won prize at All India level for devising health policy and so on…
    Can you guide me whether to take GRE / GMAT cz for Harvard they require GRE score

      1. but then tell me whether its better to do Phd in health management directly since i have done my masters in India or i should opt for masters n den do ??? Indian masters degree is not recognised or is it?? i am doin masters in physiotheraoy

  64. Ok here is another question that naturally arises after reading this blog. MS – Thesis vs. MS – Non-Thesis (both short term and long term benefits & also career/pay-check benefits).. shed some light HSB..

    1. MS with thesis is generally given more relevance and weightage than without a thesis one. Coz it shows the person has an aptitude for research. And if u complete your thesis well, it has both “career/pay-check benefits”. Usually MS without thesis is of fixed duration but those with one depends on you: it terminates the day you submit your thesis ( courtesy buddy at Lawrence Tech)

  65. I would like to thank the person who shared his views regarding MS/phd. I am an Msc student, planning to go for a phd, most probably in germany, after this ends. I want to know that, is GRE mandatory to do a phd in the US..? aint toefl scores acceptable..?
    And what is the minimum score in GRE upto which students are admitted, apart from the CV. ?
    I would be really thankful if i can get these answers.

    1. Welcome
      The majority of the US univs require a GRE score but GRE is NOT mandatory in SOME univs or in some cases, some chosen programmes of some univs. For eg, MIT’s EECS deptt, univ of Saskatchewan do not require a GRE score (but u cant escape from TOEFL)
      Some univs specify a cutoff for GRE based on previous year’s average scores of admitted applicants, however, if you have a strong CV, considerations to a low GRE may be allowed. In very very rare cases is GRE totally pardoned.
      Skipping GRE shouldnt be your idea, it will simply drastically narrow down your options to a few not-so-good univs. If you do want to skip it, you might want to look to Canada or UK or Australia; they dont usually ask for it
      GL!

  66. HI HSB,

    I got PhD admission (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering) in University of Utah without Any Assistanship. I have defered the admission to Spring 2012. Please kindly suggest me to go for this even with out assistanship. is there any chance for me of getting any assistanship after joining this university. Please kindly suggest me in this regard.

    Thanks,
    Sanjeeva Kumar.

    1. go for it! Its good. And yes, getting funding from 2nd sem is damned easy for PhD people. It will cover up your investments in the first year too

      1. Hello Sanjeev, I am a civil engg undergrad at thapar. Please guide me on the opportunities MS can offer , i.e. Is the job market in civil in US(or Germany) good enough to absorb an MS or is it a trash thing to do .

  67. hi,i am the worst student with a very low marks,completed intermediate , undergraduate degree BA(bachelor of Arts)below average,Completed first year and second year MA (master of arts) in Geography with average marks,but thesis is to be finished this year…currently studying in australia Master of urban planning of one year course..six months to complete,i am 29 years old male from Nepal,i am very hopeless coz i cant improve my concentration for studies…always watching fantasy movies and badly engaged myself in legal entertaining world since two years..gonna marry soon to get rid of this..so my question is .i am like this…however i have big interest to do my PHD in geography…i know i cant go anyfurther at this stage..coz i have not any good record..and need extra energy to overcome my bad habit rather ..concentrate to get good marks…and get credits for PHD…plz plz..i am frustrated …can u plz give me direction what can be done to finish my pHD..is there any direct process to get PHD after finishing my six months ..remianed to complete both master degree in geography and planning….

    1. dunno abt phd in geo but i can suggest you 1 thing: dont get married now unless you settle down n stabilise urslf first!
      GL

  68. Thanks a lot..Your is post is very helpful..DO you have any idea about how to proceed for PHD after Masters. I mean do it require any entrance exams ?

    And you mentioned that “there’s a tenfold chance of getting a chance of PhD in the above said univs after that.” how is that possible?

    1. Your academic standard will improve after completing MS in US. So, you would have better chance of getting admit in top schools.

      + MS will give you exposure towards research.

    2. it is possible coz of the reason hsb gave + coz recos from US profs have far more weightage than a foreign country’s. obviously, if d prof knows ur recommender, he is assured ur app is not BS + he is also assured that u are trained and oriented well according to their norms of research

  69. Yes, you’re very much right. I also intend to do my MS and PhD from US and I’m of the same opinion adding something more that almost every US university considers a PhD application for funding by default. UT@ Austin, UW@Madison, U of I Urbana-Champaign, UCLA etc. That’s very nice thing. While filling in UC Santa Barbaras’s graduate application I encountered option for both MS and PhD but if one aims to get PhD as long term goal then no need to apply for MS.,directly apply to PhD program.
    Finally good observation and hope it helps lot all aspirants to get graduate degree from US.
    Best Wishes
    Mir Muhammad Lodro @ EE Department Sukkur IBA Pakistan

  70. If i get my MSc(1year) degree from UK, will i be able to get admission for PHd in US and wat will be the chances of getting scholarship!!!

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