From the thousands of institutions in the US that offer programmes of study, you will need to create a list of the universities you would like to apply to. We recommend you select 10-15 universities to get more in-depth information about.
There are numerous websites providing advice such as collegeboard.com or petersons.com
Making a shortlist
From your research, we recommend you choose 4-6 universities to apply to. US universities charge a non-refundable application fee and applying to more than 6 can get expensive.
Your shortlist of universities should include:
- 1-2 schools at the top of your range – universities that you would very much like to attend, but you’re not sure that your academic record and test scores meet their expectations;
- 2-3 competitive, but not extremely selective schools – universities where you’re confident that your application will be given serious consideration; and
- 1 safety school – a university that you are certain will accept you, because you more than meet their criteria.
Criteria for choosing a university
- Be clear about what you want to study and know exactly what speciality within your field you are intested in;
- Look for a graduate programme that is recognised as being strong in your prospective field;
- Don’t just research the famous institutions like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, UC Berkeley and Princeton, as there are many other excellent schools in the US. The top universities are the most expensive and difficult to enter. Schools with good programmes in your field may not necessarily be the ones that are well known to you;
- Note who is publishing research in your area of interest, and then find out where they are teaching;
- Seek advice from New Zealand academics in your field;
- Seek advice from US graduate students in your field who are studying in New Zealand.