美国留学早起鸟，你的留学申请要从这开始啦。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?
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：
| 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 |
