• Know the deadlines
Make sure you know when all parts of your application are due to every program you're applying to.  It will help you to purchase a special calendar to hang on the wall with all your deadlines marked on it in red ink. Once you get each application, take note of all deadlines so you know in advance what you have to do and when you have to do it.
• Have your transcript sent
Request that the university you earned your undergraduate degree from send a transcript of your courses and grades to the programs you're applying to. Most graduate programs will not accept copies you send; they need "official" copies sent directly by the university you attended. Be ready to pay a fee for this service, as it can take anywhere from three weeks to three months for the transcripts to be sent. So request them as soon as you have chosen the programs to which you'll apply.
Also, you'll need to submit a transcript evaluation along with your actual transcript. Academic credential evaluation or a transcript changes your academic transcript into the United States format. It gives admissions officers at American schools possibility to assess your undergraduate coursework and equate it to U.S. standards. Some can still provide you with a standard United States grade point average equivalent. Investigate early and thoroughly some fee-based services that will do this for you.
• Take the TOEFL
If you aren’t a native English speaker or earned an undergraduate university degree from an American university, you will probably be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
• Prepare for the GRE
Take care you are prepared for the test when you take it. At the same time as you can take it again if you don't earn the score you want, most schools prefer to see no more than two or three scores on your score report. Do not use a concrete exam for practice; there are practice materials available for purchase that you should use instead. Just try a free online GRE course right from our GRE section.
• Take the GRE
Many graduate programs in the United States require that you take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
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