1. Will I get admission with a
GRE score of...?
2. I've got admission to ASU. Should I
go, how good is ASU.
3. I haven't got any assistantship as of
now.
4. What are my chances of getting financial
aid when I come to ASU?
5. Whom to contact for getting financial
aid?
6. Can you check my admission status? Do
I need to submit some other documents...?
7. Can you let me know the names and email
addresses of people in XYZ department?
8. When are decisions made regarding admissions?
9. Can you tell me the pre-requisites that
I will have to take?
10. Oops, I have got some pre-requisite
courses, which I think I have already done!
11. Can I defer my admission?
12. What if I decide not to join ASU?
13. What is this Yahoo group I've heard
about?
14. Where can I find official information
related to Visa issues?
15. Flight Information
16. What if I miss a connection?
17. Immigration and Customs
18. Luggage Handling
19. Lost or Delayed Luggage
20. What documents do I need to carry
while traveling?
21. When should I come to ASU?
22. What is Tuition fee at ASU?
23. Do we HAVE to live "on-campus"?
24. Can I work off-campus?
25. What do I need to do once I reach
ASU?
26. What should NOT be brought from INDIA?
27. What are other important things I
need to know?
28. Miscellaneous
CLICK HERE to get a list of Apartments close* to University
1. Will
I get admission with a GRE score of...?
Admission for a specific program does
not necessarily depends on the GRE score alone. Different
programs have different minimum scores. Make sure you
have good verbal score in GRE (maybe around 500 or more)
and also a decent TOEFL score, other wise you will end
up taking some English improvement courses. So do all
the homework in India. You can contact the specific
department and the Professors there to enquire about
the possibility of your admission.
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2. I've got
admission to ASU. Should I go, how good is ASU.
The ranking varies every year, and it
varies for every department. The current ranking of
ASU maybe obtained from one of the rankings list (for
e.g. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/coworks.htm).
It was relatively easy to get funding here, though very
few students come here with aid, but due to the sudden
increase in the number of incoming students, it is becoming
harder by the day. If you don't expect to get admission
into one of the better schools, ASU might be a better
bet.
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3. I haven't
got any assistantship as of now.
Very few come to ASU with funding. You
can probably come here and then look for funding in
the department. One always stands a better chance if
he/she directly talks to the professors. ASU is a pretty
big campus, and there a lot of on campus jobs available.
Most of the on campus jobs fetch a basic monthly salary
sufficient to manage your monthly expenses, but not
the tuition fee. So even if you don't get a funding
from the department, you can manage monthly expenses
with an on campus job.
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4. What are
my chances of getting financial aid when I come to ASU?
It is very difficult to predict that!
The funding scene differs from department to department.
The students here would not know one's chances of getting
financial aid. It is better to contact the specific
department and the Professors there to know about the
chances of getting a financial aid.
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5. Whom to contact
for getting financial aid?
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP (TA) POSITIONS:
Every semester, the TA positions in
ASU are awarded by the respective departments and not
by the professors (as many students think). Students
have to apply for a TA position by filling the application
forms available with the concerned department, once
the person reaches here. This means, you cannot apply
for these positions when you are in India. As far as
my knowledge goes, the applications forms are not available
online on the respective department's web pages.
The various factors that are considered
for granting the TA position are:
SPEAK TEST / TSE Scores - If you have
not appeared for the TSE, then I suggest, if you have
got some time before starting from India then do that.
Otherwise you will end up paying in $$ to appear for
the test over here. The other option is to appear for
the SPEAK TEST, which is considered sufficient in lieu
of a TSE in ASU. You cannot appear for the SPEAK TEST
in India. You can do that when you reach here. The SPEAK
TEST is administered on- campus frequently. In view
of the limited seats each month, it is suggested that
you should enroll for it as soon as you reach ASU, so
that you don't have to wait for months to get a date
for the test.
Under-graduation GPA - Anything above
3.5/4.0 adds to your chances.
Recommendation Letters - By this, I
mean the letters from the ASU professors (who may like
to have you as his/her TA) and not the recommendation
letters that you have got from your school professors.
Facts: A person has hardly got a TA
position in the first semester, unless the person has
been committed a TA position in the I-20 itself as a
form of some financial aid/support from ASU. This may
be given to some of the exceptionally brilliant students
and not to everyone in the form of Fellowship or Scholarship
or similar heads of funding. Moreover the Graduate Advisor
want to see what courses have you taken in ASU and hence
for what courses, you can be considered as a TA. So
scramble starts from the second semester to grab the
few positions. You compete with P.hd students as they
are awarded the positions first.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP (RA) POSITIONS:
The RA positions are awarded by the
professors in the concerned dept. and not by the department.
One can apply for a RA position in other department
also, but the department prefers students from their
own department. The professor while awarding the positions
considers the following things:
1.
If you have taken any courses under him in the previous
semesters. If so, then what was your grade in that,
if not then will you be taking any courses if he awards
you such a position. The other way around to look at
his coin is, how far the Professor knows you and if
you are in his good books.
2.
Are you interested to work under him in his research
areas? Now if the professor is into Wireless Communications
and if you go and tell him that you are interested in
doing something in Digital Signal Processing, then better
not waste your efforts and chill, as the result is bound
to be NULL. So the students need to study the areas
in which the professor is into and then try to work
something which will convince him that, yes, you can
be the right person on which he/she can think upon.
3.
Does the professor have some funds available for research
projects/work or for some industry related projects
on which he is working? If not then the chances of awarding
a RA is again very remote.
Students may like to get in touch with
the professors (the information for each department
and its professors is available on ASU web pages) when
in India and can explore if he/she responds and offers
some thing. The university website (www.asu.edu) gives
the email addresses of all the professors of every department.
It also gives information about the fields in which
they are working. Usually, one might contact the professor
and write to him/her about his/her interests. If the
professor is interested, he/she will get in touch with
you. It is always a good idea to have contact with the
professors by mail and let him/her know who you are.
Inform them if you have got an admission. They will
be more interested in you once you have been admitted.
If not immediately, you might improve your chances of
getting aid when you come and meet him/her personally.
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6. Can you check
my admission status? Do I need to submit some other
documents...?
We are not authorized to find details about the admissions.
The confidentiality of information of a student is maintained
very strictly. The Departments and the International
Student Office can provide the details of the documents.
We can just provide an overview!
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7. Can you let
me know the names and email addresses of people in XYZ
department?
ISA cannot arbitrarily give out names and email addresses
of students. However, we will post names of students
who themselves have volunteered to have their names
and department listed on the web page. You may contact
them.
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8. When are
decisions made regarding admissions?
Depends on which semester you are applying
for. For fall, students’ start receiving admission letters
as early as March and admissions continue until late
June. A word of advice is 'apply as early as possible'.
MAKE SURE YOUR ADMISSION FILE IS COMPLETE. THE BASIC
REQUIREMENTS ARE ADMISSION FORM DETAILS, TRANSCRIPTS,
FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND OFFICIAL TOEFL SCORE.
ONLY AFTER receiving these, will your packet (Transcripts,
GRE score, Letter of Recommendation, Statement of Purpose,
Resume, etc) be forwarded to the respective department.
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9. Can you tell
me the pre-requisites that I will have to take?
Sorry again! We are not the student record analysts!
Please contact the respective department for all information
related to academics. Besides, the department will have
to look at your transcripts to determine that.
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10. Oops, I
have got some pre-requisite courses, which I think I
have already done!
Usually students do not enclose a description
of the courses, which they have or will be taking. It
is very difficult for the graduate admissions committee
to know what you have covered by simply looking at the
course headings (since names differ). It may be helpful
to send syllabus/curriculum details along with your
application packets. If you have not done that so far,
and have been given pre-requisites, you may try to waive
them by sending a letter attested by your college/university
stating that you have covered the necessary topics/subject
under so and so course name. You may even get them waived
after coming here by producing the necessary syllabus/curriculum
details or as required by the respective department.
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11. Can I defer
my admission?
Yes you can. Inform your department
(administrative person in-charge) regarding this and
they will provide more information in this regard.
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12. What if
I decide not to join ASU?
Inform your department (administrative
person in-charge) in this regard and you may be asked
to return your I-20. It is courteous to inform that
you will not be joining since another deserving student
may be offered the financial aid that was offered to
you.
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13. What is
this Yahoo group I've heard about?
ISA is not involved in any Yahoo group
of the new incoming students.
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14. Where can
I find official information related to Visa issues?
The best place for official information
regarding Visa issues is the US Consulates in India.
There are 4 Consulate offices in India at New Delhi,
Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai. The links to these are:
New Delhi
Mumbai
Calcutta
Chennai
Link
to US Embassies and Consulates worldwide
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15. Flight Information
Phoenix being a major US port of entry,
most of you can take flights from India to Sky Harbor
Airport, Phoenix. This will avoid any hassle of taking
domestic connections from New York, Chicago, Los- Angeles
or other airports to Phoenix. Try to come to Phoenix
directly instead of taking domestic connections.
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16. What if
I miss a connection?
Inform the airlines and try and get
the next flight. Call in and let us know so that we
will know the exact time you will be coming in, so that
we may alter your pick-up plan.
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17. Immigration
and Customs
Port of entry is the first US city where
your incoming international plane lands. In most cases,
a flight attendant will distribute customs declaration
forms and immigration forms before the plane lands at
Atlanta. Fill all these out, while on the plane. The
forms include questions about the contents of your luggage.
Penalties for incorrect declaration can be severe, and
you would not want to get caught up in a verbal interaction
with officers, just after landing. One important note
here, please do not scratch or over-write anything,
ask for a new one and surrender the old one.
Hence be pretty honest and write the details as questioned.
So long as pickles and spices are packed and sealed
in a proper manner, they can be classified as non-perishable
and dehydrated, and you may declare them as such. While
coming out go through the "GREEN CHANNEL"
not the "RED CHANNEL". Pay attention to signs.
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18. Luggage
Handling
Even if your luggage is booked through
to your final destination, it will be off-loaded at
your port of entry. Phoenix, being the port of entry
and your final destination too, you should not face
any problems. In case your port of entry is not Phoenix,
make sure you check your luggage and that it is loaded
in the connecting flight.
It is your responsibility to pick up the entire luggage
off the conveyor belt and take it through the customs
area.
DO NOT PANIC if the officer asks you to open the luggage.
It will be in your interest to pack it with your own
hands in India, so that when you un-pack it at the airport
(if at all!!), there should not be a condition that
the stuff in an unpacked condition is twice as much
as the one initially packed in!!
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19. Lost or
Delayed Luggage
If by any chance your luggage does not
seem to pop up on the conveyor system, look for it for
a certain finite amount of time.
Beyond which, contact your specific Airline-office and
fill up a DELAYED / LOST LUGGAGE form. Give them the
destination address and phone number so that they can
ship it there, after it arrives. There is a fair chance
that the luggage might have got shipped to another destination
or would not have been uploaded on your plane at your
connecting airport (Frankfurt / London etc.)
See to it that you fill up the form before leaving the
premises. Do not be rude but be firm while dealing with
the airline representatives. And do not panic too. It'll
come home safe.
Top
20. What documents
do I need to carry while traveling?
Carry your Passport; I-20, cash, traveler’s checks and
entry permit (in its original sealed envelope) on your
person, or in a handbag that you carry into the cabin.
Do not put any cash in the baggage you check in. Incidentally,
you won’t need more than $100 during travel, unless
you want to do some duty-free shopping. Carry the rest
of your money in the form of US travelers' checks.
Top
21. When should
I come to ASU?
Coming to ASU depends on financial aid
and your own convenience. If you do not have financial
aid then, coming 10-15 days before the first day of
classes is ideal. That will help you look for an on-campus
job (or assistantship) and also adjust yourself to the
place. Those with assistantship can arrive a week before
the first day of classes.
Top
22. What is
Tuition fee at ASU?
The info regarding tuition fee is available
at http://sbs.asu.edu/sbs/vpsa/fees.html.
All the international students have to enroll for a
minimum of 9 credit hours. Students having GA/RA/TA
are required to pay resident tuition. Other students
(even those with on-campus jobs) have to pay non-resident
tuition.
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23. Do we HAVE
to live "on-campus"?
No! Not at all. Almost all the international graduate
students live "off-campus". It is much economical
and convenient to live off-campus. The off-campus accommodation
is available at walking distance from the university
and there is no problem in commutation whatsoever.
Unlike most of the other cities in United States, the
bus service is very economic and efficient. There is
a free bus service from the off campus accommodation
locations to the university every 15-30 minutes.
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24. Can I work
off-campus?
Students on F-1 visas are not allowed
to work off-campus. Under extenuating circumstances
this restriction may be waived, but only with prior
permission from the Immigration and Naturalization Services,
and that too only after completing nine months of studies
here. The Immigration Department is very strict about
permitting F-1 students to work off-campus, even if
the situation appears desperate from the point of view
of the student. Spouses on F-2 Visa are not allowed
to work under any circumstances.
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25. What do
I need to do once I reach ASU?
Things to do once you are here:
-
Get your Identification card (ASU
Sun Card).
-
Get your ASU e-mail account activated.
-
Attend the Orientation program.
-
Open your Bank Account.
-
Contact your department and your
adviser.
-
Get an apartment to live in.
-
Get your social security number
-
Subscribe to ASU India.
-
Start having a good time at ASU.
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26. What should NOT be brought
from INDIA?
-
Excessive winter clothing - We get
cheaper and better quality clothing here. Don't
worry; there would be enough time for you to cover
yourself up.
-
Organic Edibles - Something like
fruits, vegetables or meat products. You will face
trouble at the customs. Pickles are ok but definitely
NOT fruits!
-
Loads of formal clothing - Just
unnecessary! Shorts and T-shirts are the order of
the day here.
-
For Women, excessive jewelry -Again,
the same reason as above, it isn't appropriate for
daily wear, but good only for special occasions.
-
Utensils -You gets most of them
here. They just occupy a lot of space, and of course,
weigh a lot. If you are bent on packing you bags
to their fullest, then you could possibly get a
truckload of Indian delicacies for the Indian-grub-starved
desi junta!
-
Electric appliances - which work
on 220V. Forget about their working, you cant even
plug them in.
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27. What are other important
things I need to know?
-
International Students are NOT allowed
to work Off-Campus through out their stay. No exceptions.
If caught, deported directly.
-
On Campus Jobs wont waive your tuition.
You need to still pay the out-state (non-resident)
tuition.
-
Graduate, Research and Teaching
Assistants pay in-state (resident) tuition.
-
Health Insurance is COMPULSORY. The
ones bought in India are NOT valid here.
-
Medical examination to be done in
India as specified in the documents, is compulsory,
don’t take risks, you may be asked to do them here
at a cost. And get them filled in that place itself.
-
Give us your travel plans in advance,
so that we can arrange for your airport pick-up
your initial temporary accommodation.
Top
28. Miscellaneous:
Some Advice:
-
Please take all facts and calculations
in account before starting your new adventure here.
The rules and regulations here concerning all aspects
viz. academics, policies, university/government
rules are very strict with no exceptions or waivers.
-
Please do not direct your queries
to many people at a time. Kindly understand, we
are ordinary students like you guys, we ourselves
are busy here, kindly give us time for your reply.
Each one of us gets an average of 10-15 emails per
day!
-
This is a bad phase in this nation's
economy take that into account. The economic slowdown
has affected both jobs and funding at schools. Plan
for long term goals, its an important phase/transition
in your lives.
-
Finally, please don’t ask us about
other universities, we don’t have any info about
them. We'll end up giving you wrong info most of
the times. And, kindly be specific in your questions.
A Guide To American Conversation:
-
The telephone is never engaged,
it is always busy
-
You don't disconnect a phone, you
simply hang up
-
You don't stop at signals, you halt
at the lights
-
You don’t pass out from a university,
you graduate
-
You don't accelerate, you step on
the gas
-
If your tire is punctured, it means
you have a flat.
-
There are no petrol bunks or petrol
pumps, there are gas stations
-
You never post a letter, you always
mail it
-
You don't stand in a queue, you
are in a line
-
You no longer like something, you
appreciate it.
-
# is not a hash, it is a pound sign.
-
There is no full stop at the end
of a statement, instead you find a period
Currency:
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American Terms and Their Indian
Equivalence:
Apartment = flat
Battery = cell
Beat up = worn out, shabby (said of a thing)
Beat around the bush = avoid an issue
Been had = to have been taken advantage of
Big shot = a supposedly important person or someone
who thinks he/she is
Big deal = anything important, exciting
Bike = cycle
Break the ice = make a beginning
Buck = dollar bill
Bombed = see "high"
Boot = trunk
Booze = alcoholic beverage
Bummer = a term to designate that something undesirable
has happened
Cab = taxi
Cash = paying someone with currency rather than a check
Check = cheque
Check out = look over a situation
Cilantro = coriander
Collect Call = a telephone call where the recipient
of the call pays
Cookie = biscuit
Cool or neat = slang term denoting approval for something
or someone
Cool it = calm down
Cop = slang for policeman
Cut it out = stop it
Crack up = to lose emotional control in laughter
Date = to go out with someone; also the person with
whom you go
Down = to feel depressed, sad
Downtown = Central Business District of any American
city
Down to earth = practical, straightforward, (person)
Drive one up the wall = drive one nuts; to make one
very nervous, or upset
Drop = to withdraw from a course on or before the set
date
Drugstore = Pharmacy/Chemist
Eggplant = Brinjal
Electricity = current
Elevator = lift
Eraser = rubber
Fall for = take a strong liking for
Fed up = disgusted with, or tired of
Fender = bumper
Flammable = inflammable
Flashlight = torch
Freak out = to lose control of oneself, go crazy
Gas = petrol
Give a ring = to call on the telephone
Go to pot = to deteriorate
Grass = slang term for marijuana
Gripe = to complain
Hang up = in reference to the telephone it means do
not hang up the receiver
Hang in there = keep trying; do not be discouraged
Hassled = troubled by
Have a lot on the ball = to be capable, talented, or
efficient
High = intoxicated ("loaded") from liquor
or drugs
Hit the sack = go to bed
Hood = bonnet
Hung up = to be in conflict over a problem
I.D. = identification
In a nutshell = very briefly and concisely
Jock = an athlete
Keep your shirt on = be clam, be patient
Know the ropes = be familiar with the details of an
undertaking
Lemon = bad buy or purchase
Loaded = to get intoxicated
Long Distance Call = STD/Trunk call
Make ends meet = budget within one's income
Make up = (1) to apologize after a fight or disagreement
(2) To do an assignment after it was due
(3) Cosmetics a woman uses
Mailbox = post box
Mid term = test given during the middle of the quarter
Motel = inexpensive hotel
Motorbike = motorcycle
Muffler = silencer of a car
Okra = ladyfinger
On the house = free, no cost
Old man = slang term for father
Once in a blue moon = seldom, infrequently
Out of it = (1) somebody whose mind is far away or preoccupied
(2) Somebody not fitting into a certain group
Out of the question = unthinkable, impossible
Over my dead body = not if I can stop it!
Out of sight = term of approval denoting something exciting
or very good
Panhandler = beggar
Payphone = public telephone
Pedestrian Crossing = zebra crossing
Peanuts = groundnuts
Phony = someone who is insincere, also fake
Play it by ear = to respond to circumstances as they
arise
Play second fiddle = be second in importance
Pop-Quiz = a test given with no prior warning
Pop/Soda = aerated drink/soft drink
Pot = a term used for marijuana
Psyched up = to mentally prepare yourself for something;
excited about something
Pull one's leg = to tease someone
Pull strings = use influence
Pull the wool over someone's eyes = deceive or mislead
someone
Put someone on = to tease or try to fool. "Are
you putting me on?"
Put your foot in your mouth = say something you regret
having said
Rip off = to steal; charge an exorbitant price for some
item
Redneck = hillbilly
Restroom = toilet
Returned Check = bounced cheque
Run around with = be friends with
Screwed up = confused
Shook up = upset
Show = movie or film, cinema
Sidewalk = footpath/pavement
Skip or cut = not go to class
Stoned = to get high on grass
Straight = one who goes along with the norms of society,
conservative
Subway = underground railway system
Take a rain check = to postpone an invitation, accepting
it for a later date
Take for granted = to assume
Through the grapevine = through gossip
To Go = carry out (especially referring to food)
To the max = to the maximum or greatest degree
Traffic Light = traffic signal
Trash Can = dustbin
Uptight = worried, tense
Under the weather = sick, not feeling well
Windbreaker = windcheater
With flying colors = with victory or success
Wasted = an extreme lack of energy. Also can mean "high"
Ya'll = you all
Zee = the letter "Z"
ZIP Code = postal code
Zero in on = focus or concentrate on
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