2016年已经过半，还记得你的新年许愿吗？to do list上又有几项已经完成？新一个美国留学申请季大幕刚刚拉开，早起的鸟儿有虫吃，越往后越被动，如何抢占先机把控申请进度，这与你是否合理规划好时间是密切相关的。已将去美国留学种在心里生根发芽的小伙伴们，在着手准备申请前，你是否已经了解下面这些问题？希望下面的建议与信息汇总能够对于大家的美国留学申请有所帮助。
首先是申请截止时间？
deadline是第一生产力！ 以申请美国研究生来说，美国常见的申请截止时间为10月15日、11月1日、11月15日、11月30日、12月1日、12月15日、次年1月1日及2月1日，有些学校只有一轮，有些学校到次年5月份截止，也有个别学校采取rolling的方式。一般说来，文商科的申请会较多集中在10、11月份，而理工科相对晚些，截止日期分布在12月-2月，集中在次年1、2月份。因此，为了最大程度把握申请主动权，建议小伙伴们尽早准备，赶在申请的最前线。
需要的材料有哪些？
这个问题的答案，相信不用赘述，大家都很清楚：主要包括文书，材料，资金等等。（文书有简历，3篇推荐信，一篇个人陈述；材料包括：雅思，GRE或GMAT, 本科成绩单，在读证明/毕业证学位证，存款证明，护照等；）
对于你自己，又有多少了解呢？想要申请什么专业？GPA够不够高？你的优势和劣势是哪些？是否需要科研背景或者相关活动经验？
在申请美国留学的时候，其实分数，不论是GPA还是雅思GRE成绩等标化是很硬性的指标，对申请是影响较大。如果现在的你是大三下学期，那么还可以根据自己的情况，再努力提高自己的GPA。另外对于雅思和GRE等标化考试的准备也需尽早规划以确保一个有利分数，毕竟这也是提高申请竞争力，让你从众人中闪耀出来的利器。就雅思考试来说，绝大多数美国院校认可雅思成绩，一般来说，美国院校的研究生入学要求在6.5 -7分左右，相信通过认真备考，对于大家来说，这并不是个遥不可及的目标。
在努力提升各路硬性指标外，我们还需要对自己有一个全面且客观的分析，其实准备留学申请的过程，更是一个重新审视自己的机会，这会让你全面立体地看到自己的长处及不足，从而制定一个较为实用的申请文书准备策略。比如标化成绩不高的小伙伴们，可以侧重突出其他方面的经验与优势，不论是扎实的科研背景或者丰富的课外活动，社会实习经验，都可以是文书中的闪亮点。此外，如果你仍旧学有余力，从现在起，努力调动身边的资源，多多参与申请专业相关的项目/活动，积极参与其中，不论是为了丰富申请资料或是提前了解专业发展，相信都会是有利而无害的。
学校到底怎么选？排名又该怎么看？
大家势必都会密切关注每年USNEWS的排名更新，这份排名也成为了许多童鞋选校的标准，从未来的就业角度考虑，除了参考综合排名外，建议大家还需要衡量学校的专业排名及地理位置等因素。同时，为了保证申请的成功率，建议大家根据自身背景在选择校时区分好冲刺档、适中档及保底档。
下面送上2017年美国US news best graduate school ：工程, 教育，商科及法学四大热门专业排名以及雅思分数要求。
工程类：
Ranking
University
IELTS Requirements Score
1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
7 * Institute for Data,
Systems, and Society (ESD): 7.5
2
Stanford University
Please consult the school
3
University of California—Berkeley
7
4
California Institute of Technology
Accepted, please contact school for detailed score
5
Carnegie Mellon University
College of Engineering:
* Department of Biomedical Engineering: 7.5
* Mechanical Engineering: overall 6 *
Civil & Environmental Engineering/
Electrical & Computer Engineering/
Chemical Engineering/
Information Networking Institute: 7.0 * Program in Engineering & Technology Innovation Management: 7 with no sub-score lower than 6
* Integrated Innovation Institute: 6.5
6
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
Accepted, please contact school for detailed score
7
Georgia Institute of Technology
Please consult the school
7
University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign
6.5 with a score of 6 or higher in all sub-sections
9
Purdue University—West Lafayette
6.5
10
University of Texas—Austin (Cockrell)
Cockrell School of Engineering: 6.5
商科：
Ranking
University
IELTS Requirements Score
1
Harvard University
Harvard Business School: * MBA: 7.5
2
Stanford University
Stanford Graduate School of Business:
* Master of Business Administration: 7.0
2
University of Chicago (Booth)
MBA & PhD: 7, with sub scores of 7 each.
4
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
Warton Business School: Please consult the school.
5
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
Sloan School of Management: * Ph.D. Program: 7.0 (Prefer
IELTS)
5
Northwestern University (Kellogg)
Kellogg School of Management:
* Ph.D. Program: 7.0
* MBA: Accepted, please contact school for detailed score.
7
University of California—Berkeley (Haas)
Haas School of Business: 7.0
8
Dartmouth College (Tuck)
Tuck School of Business: Accepted, please contact school
for detailed score.
8
Yale University
School of Management: *MBA: not required *MAM: 7.0
10
Columbia University
School of Business: Accepted, please contact school for
score
教育：
Ranking
University
IELTS Requirements Score
1
Stanford University
Please consult the school.
2
Harvard University
Graduate School of Education: Accepted, please contact
school for detailed score.
2
Johns Hopkins University
School of Education: 7
4
University of Wisconsin—Madison
School of Education: * Educational Psychology:
7.0 * Curriculum &
Instruction: 7.0
5
Vanderbilt University (Peabody)
Peabody College: * Masters or
EDD: Accepted, please contact school for detailed score.
6
University of Pennsylvania
Graduate School of Education: 7.0
7
Teachers College, Columbia University
7
8
Northwestern University
School of Education and Social Policy: Accepted, please
contact school for detailed score. *
Master in Learning Sciences: 7.0
8
University of Washington
College of Education: 7.0
10
University of Texas—Austin
College of Educaiton: * Foreign
Language Education/ STEM Education: Accepted, please contact school for
detailed score.
* Department of Kinesiology and Health Education: Accepted, please
contact school for detailed score.
法学：
Ranking
University
IELTS Requirements Score
1
Yale University
Law School: Please consult the school
2
Harvard University
Law School: Please consult the school
2
Stanford University
Law School: Please consult the school
4
Columbia University
Law School: * LL.M/ J.S.D:
Please consult the school
4
University of Chicago
Law School: *
LL.M: 7.0 and sub scores of at least 7.0 on each of the four parts of the
examination * J.D/ J.S.D: Accepted, please contact
school for detailed score
6
New York University
Law
School:
*LL.M/ J.S.D: 7.0 (a minimum score of 7.5 on the reading and listening
subsections, and a minimum score of 7 on the writing and speaking
subsections)
7
University of Pennsylvania
Law School: 7
8
University of California—Berkeley
Berkeley Law: *
LL.M: 7.0 * J.D.:
not required
8
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
Law School:
* LL.M., S.J.D., and Advanced Studies: 7.0
8
University of Virginia
School of Law:
* LL.M/
S.J.D: 7.5 on each section
赶紧做一个早起的鸟儿吧~