Author: shivam

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Harvard University lies at the top of the pyramid of academic excellence. Getting admission to this university is nothing less than a heroic achievement. Out of the thousands of applicants, only a meagre 4% get accepted. Harvard University has maintained a top ranking worldwide for many years. It will be overwhelming for a student applying to this prestigious university. To make the task a tad bit easier, we have compiled a list of factors to be taken care of while applying to this great institution.

Documents required to apply to Harvard University

The first-year applicants have to fill out a common application form. It is essential to submit your application before supporting materials like teacher recommendations, etc. can be submitted. The Harvard University application form fee is $85. The application includes a personal essay, an activity list, SAT or ACT scores, five short Harvard College questions, two teacher recommendations, a secondary school report with a school counsellor’s letter, and a high school transcript. Supplemental materials like music recordings, artwork, or selected academic work are most welcome by the Admissions Committee.

Deadlines for Harvard University application submission

The last date to apply for Restrictive Early Action (REA) is November 1, and Harvard University notifies the candidate by mid-December. The last date for applications for regular decision is January 1, and the University notifies the candidate by the end of March.

Harvard University seeks academic excellence among its applicants

Abroad study consultants state that students require highly competitive GPA, SAT, and ACT scores to get into the university. The university approximately requires a GPA of 4, an SAT score of 1580, and an ACT score of 36. However, not only scores are given importance. The Admissions Committee wants to see the applicant’s passion for learning and intellectual curiosity.

Students may challenge themselves by attending advanced courses and excelling in them. They may show their academic performance by participating in academic competitions and conducting independent study projects or research.

Harvard University believes that applicants should master some subjects and skills as preparation for college. Students can take Advanced Placement tests and International Baccalaureate tests to ascertain their proficiency in these subjects. The scores of these tests should be submitted with the application.

Harvard University appreciates extracurricular activities, talents, and personal qualities in applicants

Harvard University is looking for all-rounders who may benefit their college and society. The Admissions Committee is interested in applicants who are exceptional in one or more extracurricular activities. The university is not seeking mere participation but dedication to a passion. Overseas education consultants suggest that the activity list may not be sufficient to showcase your extracurricular talent. You may use the personal statement, essay, interview, or supplementary material to describe it more.

Admission officers may look for students with personal qualities of resilience, integrity, strong moral values, and leadership. Harvard University is seeking empathetic and compassionate students who would contribute to the community. Like extracurricular talents, reveal your personal qualities in your profile, personal statement, essay, or interview.

Harvard University alumni conduct applicant interviews

Abroad study consultants explain to students that an alumni interview is just a conversation. They are interested in knowing about you. There is no need to get nervous. Interviewers check if the student has done his/her/their homework about the college. They want the student to talk about themselves and share their experiences. It should be an addition to the personal essay and not a repetition.

Every student may not have an interview. It depends on the availability of alumni in the local area. If you are in a virtual interview, do not forget the basics of etiquette, like a neutral background and no background noise. You should feel free to ask the interviewer questions about the college.

Harvard University fees and scholarships

The tuition fee for 2024-25 is $56,550. Additional fees like housing, food, and student services make the total cost $82,866. However, abroad study counsellors state that the tuition fee is cut to $15,000-$30,000 with the help of financial aid. The list of scholarships available to Indian students is as follows:

• Horace W. Goldsmith Fellowship – Harvard Business School
• The Boustany MBA Harvard Scholarship
• The Robert S. Kaplan Life Sciences Fellowship
• Harvard Graduate School of Education Financial Aid
• Need-Based Fellowships

The university allows and even encourages its students to work along with their coursework for their expenses.

We hope you are now better equipped to apply to Harvard University. To get accepted into this university, focus on the following:

• A well-prepared application
• High scores on standardised tests
• Academic achievements
• Extracurricular activities
• Personal qualities of leadership and community involvement

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Engineering is a sought-after subject among students studying abroad. It opens the horizons of a student’s mind. They question the old ways and invent new processes. An engineer designed the infrastructure you notice around you. Abroad education counsellors depend on THE (Times Higher Education) World University Rankings to select the top universities. THE employs 18 indicators to rank the performance of global universities. Some important indicators are teaching, research environment, research quality, knowledge transfer, and international outlook. Here, we discuss the top 10 global universities for engineering as per THE World University Ranking.

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard’s comprehensive engineering programmes and innovation hubs keep it at the top of the list. The primary undergraduate engineering study areas are bioengineering, electrical engineering, environmental science and engineering, mechanical engineering, and engineering sciences. The programme admits around 9K students. Out of which, 25% are international students. The acceptance rate is 4%. The accepted average GPA is 3.87. The course is for four years. The course cost is estimated at $77K. However, overseas education consultants explain that it is affordable for international students with the help of scholarships.

Stanford University, Stanford, California

The different departments of engineering at Stanford University are:

• Aeronautics & Astronautics
• Bioengineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Management Science & Engineering
• Materials Science & Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

The engineering undergraduate programme admits approximately 8K students. The percentage of international students is 23. The acceptance rate is 4%. The accepted students have an average GPA of 3.87. Students have to spend four years to get their undergraduate degree. Like Harvard’s course, this course also costs around $77K. Abroad education counsellors recommend Stanford’s undergraduate engineering programmes because they focus on research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

MIT is famous for its cutting-edge research and consistently ranks high in all engineering disciplines. The different departments of engineering at MIT are:

• Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Biological Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
• Materials Science & Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

The engineering undergraduate programme admits approximately 5K students. The percentage of international students is 33. The acceptance rate is 5%. The accepted average GPA is 3.96. The course is taught for 4 years. The estimated cost of the course is $83K. Abroad education consultants encourage students with science aptitude to aim for MIT’s undergraduate research opportunities programme.

University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

The undergraduate engineering courses at the University of Oxford are:

• Engineering Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Information Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering.

Overseas education consultants suggest the University of Oxford’s engineering undergraduate programme for its top-notch level of teaching. The engineering undergraduate programme admits approximately 660 students. The percentage of international students is 42. The acceptance rate is 16%. Students need to spend four years to complete the course. The estimated cost of the course is £49K.

University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Aboard education counsellors recommend the University of Cambridge because of its excellence in electrical and electronic engineering. The engineering department specialises in:

• Aerospace and Aerothermal Engineering
• Bioengineering
• Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Electrical and Information Sciences
• Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
• Information and Computer Engineering
• Instrumentation and Control
• Mechanical Engineering

The BA honours degree is a 3-year course. If you do a 4-year course, then a Master’s is included. The engineering undergraduate programme admits approximately 1200 students. The percentage of international students is 38. The acceptance rate is 14%. The estimated cost of the course is £39K.

Now that you know the top 5 global engineering universities, get to work. Consult the best study abroad education counsellors, understand the admission requirements, and get accepted into the best universities.

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When it comes to pursuing a legal education, overseas study consultants say that selecting the right university is a decisive factor in shaping one’s career. With countless institutions offering law programs around the world, it can be challenging to pinpoint the ones that stand out for their academic rigour, faculty expertise, global reputation, and impactful alumni. In this blog, we delve into the top five global universities for law, highlighting their unique strengths.

Harvard University

The university offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in law. The J.D. students have multiple options for joint degree programs with various subjects like business, government, public health, and urban planning. Another interesting program is the Harvard Law School and the University of Cambridge J.D./LL.M. Joint Degree Program. Approximately 1,750 J.D. students attend Harvard Law School every year. The J.D. program is a three-year program. Abroad study counsellors enlist why Harvard maintains its top rank – its world-class faculty, unparalleled resources, diverse student body, and hands-on, real-life experiences.

Stanford University

Like Harvard, Stanford University also offers a J.D. degree in law. Additionally, it offers three types of joint degrees – JD/Master’s, JD/MD, and JD/PhD. Stanford admits around 180 students for a J.D. degree each year. Abroad study consultants recommend Stanford Law School (SLS), as it has one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios in the US, i.e., 7.3:1. So, students have increased interactions and better support from the faculty. SLS teaches practice-ready skills that employers demand. As a result, their JD students have a higher chance at prestigious clerkships and a high bar passage rate.

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is the only university from the UK that makes it to the top 5 law schools’ list. The university offers a Law (BA) Hons course in undergraduate study. It is a three-year course. Students study the interdisciplinary relationships of law with philosophy, economics, ethics, and criminology rather than only fundamental subjects. Approximately 262 students attend law school at the University of Cambridge every year. Abroad study counsellors suggest the Law (BA) Hons at the University of Cambridge, as it gives student exchange schemes. It allows students to study the laws of different countries, like South Africa, for a year.

Columbia University

Columbia University also offers a J.D. degree in law. Moreover, it has dual and joint degrees like a four-year J.D./MBA program. The Law School presents students with international study opportunities at premier institutions of law. The total J.D. degree enrolment in the 2023-24 was 1410. Overseas study consultants vote for Columbia Law School because 95.4% of 2023 graduates cleared the bar exam in the first attempt. Also, 75.9% of 2023 graduates got jobs at National Law Firms.

New York University (NYU)

New York University is in 4^th position with Columbia University in this reputable list. New York University’s Law School gives a J.D. degree to undergraduate students. Also, it gives dual J.D. degrees in subjects like taxation, international law, economics, history, philosophy, politics, and French studies. Around 1389 students attended NYU Law School in 2023-24. Abroad study consultants recommend NYU Law School because it has a top ranking in specialised law areas, for instance, #1 in criminal law and international law and #3 in intellectual property law in the US.

Now that you are aware of the world’s top law institutions, it is time to start applying. Weigh your options and understand how the institution’s key points align with your personal and professional aspirations. Research well the documents required to apply. Make sure you submit a strong, rejection-proof application.

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Psychology offers an in-depth study of the human mind and behaviour. Abroad study consultants advise that studying psychology fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication. Psychology students can have fulfilling careers in multiple fields such as clinical psychology, counselling, education, health, and organisational behaviour. Every year, Times Higher Education (THE) ranks international universities based on 18 stringent factors. Here, we enlist the top 5 educational institutions to study psychology.

Stanford University

The Stanford University psychology undergraduate program equips students with a strong foundation in psychological theories and empirical research on human behaviour. There are three undergraduate degrees: BA, minor, and honours. With the BA degree, students have the flexibility to pursue other interests as well. The minor degree includes a brief but broad exploration of psychology. Senior honours students conduct original research under faculty mentorship. BA (Hons) is a four-year program. It comprises 70 units of coursework. 52 students completed their BA (Hons) in psychology from Stanford University in 2019-20. Abroad study counsellors observe that Stanford keeps its top rank due to a low faculty-student ratio, i.e., 6.4:1.

Princeton University

The psychology major (known as psychology concentration at Princeton) provides advanced courses on:

• sensation
• perception
• movement
• language
• decision-making
• reasoning
• social interaction

Like at Stanford University, major students at Princeton have the opportunity to do one year of independent research. The psychology concentration is a four-year program. Princeton University enrols roughly 100 undergraduate students. Abroad study consultants recommend Princeton’s psychology department because of its close affiliation with the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. The result is interdisciplinary research on neuroscience and psychological function.

University of Cambridge

BA (Hons) in psychological and behavioural sciences (PBS) is a three-year course. The core psychology topics are:

• statistics,
• neuroanatomy,
• neurotransmitters,
• neuroimaging,
• developmental psychology,
• psychopathology,
• cognitive psychology,
• language, gender, family relationships, and influences

Overseas study consultants recommend studying psychology at the University of Cambridge because the teaching staff are pioneers in psychology. The undergraduate program has lectures, seminars, small-group supervision, and laboratory work. Students also complete a research project in collaboration with an academic specialist. It is tough to get accepted into PBS at the University of Cambridge. Only 1 applicant is selected from every 6 applicants. Approximately 70 undergraduates take admission to the PBS course each year.

Harvard University

The Department of Psychology at Harvard University has one of the largest undergraduate concentrations at the university. The goal of the department is to understand the mind, brain, and behaviour through empirical methods. The undergraduate degree in psychology at Harvard University is for 4 years. Overseas study consultants recommend studying psychology at Harvard University because of the flexibility in pathways of study. There are 4 pathways of study: general track, cognitive neuroscience and psychology track, cognitive science track, and secondary field in psychology.

University of California, Berkeley

The Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, focuses on 6 research areas: behavioural and systems neuroscience, cognition, developmental, clinical science, cognitive neuroscience, and social-personality psychology. The undergraduate program encourages methodological, statistical, and critical thinking as a foundation for success across all psychology subfields. Abroad study counsellors appreciate that the department holds regular peer adviser workshops for undergraduates to decide about postgraduate education and pursue research projects. The UC Berkeley BA in Psychology has a duration of 4 years.

Choosing the right university for studying psychology is a crucial decision. While these five institutions consistently rank among the best, consider your academic and career goals while choosing your dream college. The university is best for you only if it fulfils your aspirations. Program specialisations, research opportunities, and location are important factors to consider.