What Students Say
Likes
- Love the campus facilities (Library, Labs & Beautiful Campus).
- Supportive Community - Everyone is very friendly and helpful from advisors to professors.
- Many extra curricular activities for graduate students.
Dislikes
- One thing I found challenging was weather. Winters can be very harsh with heavy snowfall & freezing temperatures.
- There are few mandatory courses which you need to take even though you're well aware of the content.
- The location of the university.
Colleges Where I Was Accepted
Reason for choosing my college
I chose Syracuse University because of the strong reputation of the iSchool and its focus on innovative programs in information studies. The full tuition scholarship was also a big factor, making it an easy decision. Syracuse offered the best combination of quality education and financial support, which made it the perfect fit for my MS journey
Colleges Where I Was Rejected
Reason for Rejection
One of the reasons I believe I wasn't selected for FSU could be my academic background. Coming from an ECE background and transitioning to analytics might have created a perception gap in terms of readiness for the program. While I worked hard to build my skills in data analytics and gained relevant experience, this transition may not have aligned perfectly with the expectations of their admissions process.
Required Exams for Admission
Scholarship Received
Required Documents For Admission
CV |
SOP |
LOR
Tips to enhance your application
You need to highlight your unique background, relevant skills & experiences that align with the program. Showcase clear career goals, strong motivation and any projects or achievements that show your interest and readiness for the field. Talk to any of the professor before hand and learn about their research interest & try to include that in your SOP.
Admission Experience
- I chose SU for its renowned iSchool, known for its strong academic reputation and innovative programs in AI. The U.S. was an obvious choice for its global opportunities in data science, and Syracuse stood out with its full tuition scholarship and specialised courses that matched my career goals.
- This location offered a blend of academic focus and industry connections, opening up great career opportunities. I am part of multiple clubs at Syracuse University like NEXIS, and WiTech and also a board member of the University Conduct Board. There are a lot of opportunities for me to grow as a person and develop leadership skills.
Class Schedule
2-3 classes per week with timings ranging from morning to evening depending on the course. Few mandatory courses have more than 80 students whereas few specialised courses have 20 - 30 students. The majority of my course contained 60% Indians. Outside of class, 3-4 hours daily are usually spent on assignments, projects and self-study.
Faculty
They're very approachable & friendly. They do provide insights on industry trends and maybe if you have a good relationship with them they can help you to introduce yourself to some of their networks, while this doesn't guarantee any job it's a starting point. The faculty-to-student ratio is usually 1:25.
Campus Life
The college has more than 8 campuses. There are 2 libraries, one stadium & a fitness/health centre. The name of my campus is Hinds Hall (iSchool). There are many fests & so many activities. You can go through the activities here at the Experience Syracuse website.
Part Time Jobs
On an average of around $17.5/hour, they need to apply on the Handshake portal. The frequency of jobs differs from semester to semester. They're difficult to get, and you need to be fast to apply for these jobs. Make sure you have your free schedule beforehand.
- Pay is a little higher than the New York State minimum wage for TA/RA roles. They're very competiyou need to approach the faculties to get these positions.
- There are other campus jobs like Residential Security Officer, Catering & Dining shifts etc. - for these positions, the pay is the same as NY state minimum wage.
- You can legally work 20 hours per week as per F1 visa regulations. There are career fairs every semester which will allow students to apply for internships or full time.
Placement
As of 2025, the US market is still very tough, but students are getting jobs, I'd say around 40% of students are getting jobs post graduation. The average salary is around 80k-85k. They need to apply through Handshake or LinkedIn as soon as a job posting appears.
Accommodation
There are so many websites to find accommodation, you can try UHA or SQL to find your accommodation. You need to do your research to properly find a house which suits your preference, try to look for a house which is near to a bus stop & grocery shop as it'd be difficult in winter season to walk outside.
