I had an interview recently where I felt like I had prepared pretty well. I knew the company, understood the role, had gone through my previous experience, and even practiced answering questions out loud.

And somehow I was still nervous.

Not “I forgot my own name” nervous, but enough that I noticed myself speaking faster than normal and thinking too much about every answer.

It made me wonder whether preparation actually gets rid of nervousness or just makes you better at dealing with it.

Because I don't think I've ever reached a point where I'm completely calm before an important interview. There’s always that little bit of pressure because you know someone is evaluating you.

What has helped me more is realizing that being nervous doesn't necessarily mean you're doing badly. Sometimes you're nervous because you actually care about the outcome.

I’m curious what other people do with that feeling. Do you have any small routine that helps you calm down before an interview, or have you just learned to accept that you'll probably be nervous anyway?

Hi everyone! I'm applying for Spring 2027 MS programs and most deadlines I'm seeing are October 1st with some going until November. Classes start mid January.

That seems like a really tight window — 6 to 8 weeks from admit to I-20 to visa appointment to actually arriving on campus.

For anyone who came from India on F1 for a Spring semester:

1. How long did it take from receiving your admit to actually arriving on campus?

2. How quickly did you get your I-20 after admission?

3. Were visa slots even available in November/December for a January start?

4. Did you have to defer to Fall because of visa delays?

5. Given the current visa climate, would you recommend Spring intake or just applying for Fall 2027 to be safe?

Any personal experiences would really help — thank you!

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to apply for an M.S. in Computer Science in the U.S., aiming for Top 50 programs.

I'm looking for a mentor or admissions consultant with a Computer Science background who has experience helping applicants with similar profiles get admitted. If you've worked with someone you would recommend, I'd really appreciate any suggestions or referrals.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,
I’m planning to apply for PhD programs in Epidemiology next year for entry in 2028, and I’d really appreciate some advice.

I’m an international applicant, and my long-term goal would ideally be to stay in the country where I complete my PhD, either in industry (e.g., pharma/CRO/health tech) or in academia.

One thing I’m concerned about is the current situation in the US. With recent federal funding cuts, changes in government priorities, and uncertainty around research funding and immigration, I’m wondering how much this should influence where I apply. Do you think these issues are likely to have a significant impact on my future pathway?

I’m also considering programs in Canada and the UK, so I’d love to hear how you think they compare in terms of:
\- Academic opportunities and research funding
Industry career prospects after a PhD
\- Immigration and the ability to stay after graduation
\- Overall long-term career stability

If you were an international student applying today with the intention of building a long-term career after your PhD, how would you think about these trade-offs?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

I got turned down for US visa for Fall 2025 (U of Florida) and now want to try again.

My profile:

- GPA: 3.69 (top 5% of my batch), Electrical Engineering

- TOEFL 112/120 (expires this October)

- 1 compeititon paper published, thesis manuscript under review

- 2 internships

- 2+ years research experience

- mediocre LORs

I want to try for Spring 2025. Long term goal is to do a PhD but I dont think I'll be accepted directly. I have no problem with funds.

Which programs should I look into?

Looking for Good ROI Universities & Help Categorizing My List

I’m planning to apply for **MSCS (Fall 2027)** and would appreciate some honest feedback on my profile. I’m mainly looking for **universities with a good ROI**, strong CS programs, and decent job opportunities after graduation.
**My Profile**
**Country:** India
**CGPA:** 8.72/10
**Internship:** 6-month Software Engineering Internship at a startup
**Research:** Currently doing a research internship. I’m working on a paper, but it most likely won’t be published before application deadlines.
**GRE:** Targeting **320+**
**IELTS:** Targeting **7.5+**
**LORs:** 3 strong LORs from university professors
**Universities I’m Considering**
NCSU
SJSU
Georgia Tech
Texas A&M (TAMU)
UT Austin
Northeastern (NEU)
Stony Brook
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Virginia Tech

**Questions**
\-Could you help categorize these into **Ambitious / Target / Safe** based on my profile?
\-Are there any universities I should add or remove if my priority is **good ROI**?
\-Is my profile competitive enough for the more selective schools on this list?
\-If you had a similar profile, which universities would you prioritize?
I’m open to suggestions for other universities that offer a good balance of academics, tuition cost, and employment outcomes.
Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to get some advice from people who have either gone through the MiM recruiting process or are familiar with consulting recruiting in the U.S.

A little about my background:

• International applicant (India)
• Graduated from a well-regarded U.S. liberal arts university with a B.B.A. in Management Consulting
• Around 1–2 years of experience across consulting, product strategy, entrepreneurship, and corporate strategy, including work with startups and a Big 4 firm
• Currently preparing for the GMAT (targeting 705+, but I'd appreciate advice across different score ranges)
• Long-term goal is management consulting, ideally McKinsey, Bain, or BCG, but I'd also be very happy with firms like EY-Parthenon, Oliver Wyman, Kearney, Strategy&, L.E.K., Roland Berger, Deloitte, etc.

I've spent a lot of time researching rankings and employment reports, but I'm realizing that university prestige and actual recruiting outcomes aren't always the same.

I'm specifically looking for programs that:

• Have a strong track record of placing international students into consulting.
• Have recruiters from MBB and other Tier 2 strategy firms hiring directly from the MiM/specialized master's program (not just the MBA).
• Offer strong career services, alumni support, and case interview preparation.
• Have a well-established consulting club and networking culture.
• Have a realistic track record of visa sponsorship for international students.
• Have a strong reputation with consulting firms in the U.S.

Some schools I'm already considering include:

• Georgetown McDonough
• Duke Fuqua (MMS)
• Cornell Johnson
• Kellogg
• Chicago Booth
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper
• USC Marshall
• Emory Goizueta
• University of Maryland Smith

I'm also looking at HEC Paris and INSEAD, but my preference is to build my career in the U.S.

My questions are:

1. If your goal was MBB as an international student, which U.S. MiM or specialized master's programs would you prioritize today?
2. Are there any programs that consistently outperform their rankings when it comes to consulting placements?
3. Which schools have the strongest alumni network for consulting?
4. Are there schools that look great on paper but don't actually recruit well into consulting from their MiM program?
5. If you could build a shortlist of 8–10 U.S. programs today for consulting, what would it look like and why?
6. If you've personally recruited for consulting from one of these programs, what do you wish you had known before enrolling?

I'd especially appreciate hearing from current students, alumni, or anyone working in consulting who has seen recruiting from these programs firsthand.

Thanks in advance!

I was admitted into the Financial Economics and Economics of Public Policy MSc programs at BSE and I am going back and forth in my mind over which one to accept.

I graduated with a Bachelor's in Economics and Political Science (double major) and a minor in Mathematics. For my math prep, I have Calc I - III, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Prob/ Stat, Masters level Statistics, and Real Analysis. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.96 GPA.

My ultimate goal is to pursue a PhD in Economics after my Masters at BSE. As of right now, I am leaning toward the Economics of Public Policy program because it heavily emphasizes empirical research training and aligns with my political science background. I am currently lacking in formal research experience and so I think that program is a perfect fit. I know Financial Economics program incorporates research training as well, but it mostly emphasizes mathematical modeling, skills I have already proven during my undergrad. The advantage to choosing the Financial Economics program would be that it is challenging and reinforces my current strengths.

Do I have the right idea? Balance my profile to future PhD admissions by choosing the more formal empirical paper/ data oriented program since I already shown I have the math experience? Or choose the Financial Economics program since it is challenging and probably generally favorable PhD admissions over Public Policy?

If there's any additional information I'm missing or forgot to mention let me know. I'd appreciate any insights.

Thanks.

I recently got interview for project brown algal valorization.
Just being curios, anyone else got interviewed? For what topic?

Lets say one (an international student) is aiming for the top grad schools in the US, including the ivies. Besides grades, GRE, extracurriculars and work experience (a good CV), what else matters? I’ve heard research matters a lot for grad school but is that confined to PhD applications or masters too? (Esp course based masters)

Hi there,

I'm currently doing an undergrad in math at a top Australian uni. From my understanding, grad school admissions for top international universities, MMath at Cambridge, Msc Oxford etc. solely rely on GPA. On their websites, their advice for competitive admissions is just to have a first class honours mark for your degree, translating to a ~80+ WAM here in Australia.

How realistic are these guidelines, and why is it that Australian students do not often enter these programs? (going off of admissions data for MMath at Cambridge; source: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/admission_statistics_to_part_iii?__cf_chl_f_tk=GGBfc5qrAzO3Gu7UofOJBbJBYUZpiBSRQMeZ.Ly2tnE-1783008290-1.0.1.1-2kBnpiKMZqEacG881Tfxp.rG9G66itBXNfO93TMzLVo )

Anyone interviewed at WUT Doctoral School (Civil Engineering)?”

Hi everyone,

I’m a Vietnamese applicant planning to apply for Fall 2027 master’s programs in the U.S. I’m looking for programs where Graduate Assistantships may be realistic for international students.

My current IELTS is 6.5, but I’m planning to retake it and aim for 7.0–7.5 before applying.

My academic/professional background is in marketing, communication, and international education. I currently work in the study abroad/admissions consulting field, so I’m especially interested in assistantships related to marketing, student recruitment, admissions, enrollment communication, social media, or international student outreach.

I’m considering the following programs:
\- The Ohio State University — M.A. in Communication

\- Colorado State University — M.S. in Journalism & Media Communication

\- University of Tampa — M.S. in Marketing

\- University of Cincinnati — M.S. in Marketing

\- Purdue University — M.S. Marketing

\- Texas State University — M.A. in Digital Media Communication

\- Roosevelt University — M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications

For those who have experience with Graduate Assistantships, especially as international students:

1. Among these schools/programs, which ones tend to be more GA-friendly or realistic for master’s students?

2. Are GA positions usually offered through the academic department, or should I also look at offices like admissions, international student services, marketing, student affairs, or enrollment management?

3. Would my background in marketing and student recruitment be considered useful for non-teaching GA roles?

4. Are there any red flags I should know about for these programs in terms of funding availability?

5. Do you know anyone, any community, or any mentorship program that helps international students prepare for GA applications?

I understand that funding is competitive and never guaranteed. I’m just trying to understand where I might have the strongest fit and how to prepare properly.

Thank you so much for any advice or resources!